The Hour Has Come

PastorDave

Nov 11

MARK | Lesson 8 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points

Read Mark 14.1-42

MAKING THE CONNECTIONS & SETTING THE CONTEXT

1/ It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread… So that means we are only three days until Jesus' crucifixion. The public teaching ministry of Jesus has been completed. Their temple has been rejected from usefulness to God – Jesus Christ Himself has come to replace that temple and inaugurate Himself as our Spiritual Temple going forward. The destruction of their temple has been foretold, and it is God's historical agenda.

2/ Jesus is now on His way to His Cross. The events of this chapter will transpire and follow one another very quickly. By the time we get to v 10, it will be the eve of the Jesus' crucifixion the next day. So what we will do in this lesson is break up the events leading up to Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane into eight smaller, but distinct, vignettes. We want to show the significance of each to Jesus' hour for which He had come – His death on His Cross.

I / vv 1-2 / The plot to kill Jesus thickens

1/ The Jewish rulers had been conspiring and plotting at least for well over a year how they might kill Jesus. Their animosity had morphed from merely being displeased with Him, to publicly objecting to Him and trying to discredit Him, attempting on numerous occasions to publicly humiliate Him by trapping Him in some inconsistency – to making intentional plans to kill Him. See John 5.18. They were now just looking for the first stealthy occasion to arrest Him and bring Him in. See John 7.30, 32, 44-46 for at least one other failed attempt to do so.

2/ Of course, Jesus knew all about this. He knew all things. He knew that this is why He had come. This was the Father's purpose for sending Him into the world. And, if you'll compare the parallel passage in Matthew 26.1-2, Jesus plainly announced to His disciples one more time that "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." And, keep in mind, this is also after the at least three separate intense occasions when Jesus had forewarned His apostles that this was going to take place when they came to Jerusalem. See Mark 8.31; 9.31; 10.32-34.

II / vv 3-9 / Mary anoints Jesus' body 'for burial'

1/ Mark just says 'a woman,' but Mary of Bethany [the sister of Martha and Lazarus] is identified by name in John 12.2-8.

2/ What we do know about this anointing is that Mary sacrificed and gave this very costly lotion or anointing oil to Jesus as an expression of her exceedingly great love, gratitude, and appreciation. She didn't just pour some out – she broke the alabaster flask or box and poured it all out on the body of Jesus. She did it in such a way that none of it could be kept back, saved, or used later for her own use. She gave it all.

3/ Although we can't know for sure what all was in Mary's mind and intentions – whether she had some intuitive insight into the gravity of this occasion just hours before Jesus' impending death – Jesus received her offering and act of loving devotion as a pre-anointing of His own bodily burial: "She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial."

4/ "There were some who said to themselves [or among themselves] indignantly, 'Why was this ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.'" Though some of the other disciples joined in with this angry complaint, John 12.4-8 reveals that it was Judas Iscariot who instigated this complaint for his own self-serving, greedy, and thieving interests. And Jesus' stinging rebuke was targeted and directed toward him personally. [Hold this thought for the next vignette…]

III / vv 10-11 / Judas bargains and strikes the deal to betray Jesus to them

1/ After the stinging rebuke Jesus had delivered to Judas for complaining about Mary's loving anointing of His body … and knowing that Jesus knew of His traitorous intentions … Judas secretly went to the Jewish chief priests to offer to betray Jesus to them.

2/ The Jewish rulers couldn't have been more glad and willing to bargain and strike a deal with Judas. Here was one of Jesus' own intimate followers who was offering to betray Jesus to their custody. And Judas would know how, when, and where to best pull it off. Judas was like an 'inside, imbedded, co-conspirator with them. He would provide them the intelligence of Jesus' movements and whereabouts.

3/ This would prove to be Judas's fatal flaw and undoing. See Matthew 27.3-10.

IV / vv 12-16 / The preparation for the Paschal meal at the home of a friend

1/ "And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb…" This, of course, was in remembrance of the first Passover, in the Exodus, when Yahweh delivered His people from the bondage of Egypt. That first Passover lamb was a prophecy and pre-enactment of Jesus Christ [1 Corinthians 5.7].

2/ Remember also that when Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration, the extended conversation He had with Moses and Elijah was about 'His departure [exodus], which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem' [Luke 9.31. That hour had now come. Jesus Christ is both our Passover Lamb of God and our Exodus of redemption, deliverance, and salvation from sin and god's judgment of death against our sins.

3/ Just as God had 'prepared' for our Passover from before the creation of the world in the New Covenant that is in Jesus' blood, so Jesus 'prepared' a furnished set up for this last Passover with His disciples. He had made plans already with a householder in Jerusalem for an upper room to be prepared and the table and meal to be set up.

4/ Jesus instructed His disciples where to go in Jerusalem, what man to look for who would meet them, and to follow him to his house. It worked out exactly as Jesus had planned.

5/ We have reason to believe that this was possibly – and maybe probably – the father of John Mark himself. See Acts 12.12.

V / vv 17-21 / Jesus hosts and shares the Paschal meal with His disciples and identifies Judas as the betrayer

1/ The Passover meal was an established tradition with several bowls and dishes on the table around which they were reclining. There were orders in which each item of the menu was eaten along with readings from the Scriptures.

2/ But the centerpiece of the table was the roasted Passover lamb. See Exodus 12.1-13.

3/ During the course of the meal, Jesus dropped the bombshell warning: "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." Even though Jesus gave a subtle sign who it would be [John 13.23], the disciples were still so unsuspecting of Judas Iscariot, they didn't pick up on it.

4/ By betraying Jesus in this fashion, Judas fulfilled Psalm 41.9.

VI / vv 22-25 / Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper ordinance

1/ The dishes of bread and cups of wine were already on the table. But Jesus did something that had never, ever, been performed before in all the previous observances of the Passover meal. As He served this loaf, He blessed it by giving thanks to God for it, then broke it into serving portions to pass around to His disciples. As He gave it to them, He said, "Take; this is My body." What? They had just eaten the roasted body of the Passover lamb, commemorating their salvation from Egyptian bondage in the Exodus. Now, Jesus was announcing "This broken and torn bread is MY body … which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me" [Luke 22.19]. He was clearly announcing His bodily death as our Substitute for our salvation from sin.

2/ Then, He took one of the cups of wine [there were several which were drunk throughout the course of the meal], and again gave thanks to God for it. He passed it around the table with this blessing: "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many." Matthew records: "…for the forgiveness of sins" [Matthew 26.28]. "Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me" [1 Corinthians 11.25]. The only remedy for our sins is the blood of His death on His Cross.

3/ But then, Jesus also gives the forecast and promise of the complete and final fulfillment of this memorial. When He gave us His body and blood in His death on His Cross, it was to purchase and redeem us forever. This first Lord's Supper was only the preamble to the future Marriage Supper of the Lamb when the Kingdom of God comes in its fullness [Revelation 1-9.1-6]. "Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God."

4/ Again, as Paul comments in 1 Corinthians 11.26: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes."

VII / vv 26-31 / Jesus foretells Peter's denial

1/ "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Their tradition was to recite in a singing fashion the Hallel Psalms 115-118.

2/ Jesus announces to His disciples that they will desert, forsake, and abandon Him to save themselves in fulfillment of Zechariah 13.7. …Even though He also gives them the promise and hope that He will see them again after His resurrection.

3/ No one of the disciples has any inkling or suspicion that he would do such a thing. And especially Peter: "Peter said to Him, 'Even though they all fall away [desert, leave you], I will not.'" Simon Peter always meant well and had good intentions. But he was blind to his own weaknesses and foibles. "And Jesus said to him, 'Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' But he said emphatically, 'If I must die with you, I will not deny you.' And they all said the same."

4/ And, as we all know, Jesus was right. Peter did deny Him three times in the courtyard of the high priest that very night because he was afraid [and maybe ashamed] to be identified as one of Jesus' disciples.

VIII / vv 32-42 / Jesus agonizes and prays in Gethsemane … commits Himself to His Father's will – death on the Cross

1/ Now we come to Jesus' agonies in the Garden of Gethsemane. Remember that our human history started in a garden [Eden], and the first man, Adam, was tempted whether he would obey God or not. He failed, and our whole human race was lost to sin.

2/ Now, the Last Adam [or Second Man / 1 Corinthians 15.45-47] is in a garden of temptation as our Substitute and Savior – to test whether He will obey the Father or disobey to save Himself.

3/ The struggle was real: "…and [He] began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And He said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.'" This is where Luke records the depth and intensity of His stress: "And being in agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" [Luke 22.44]. This was physical stress and real blood oozing even from His skin.

4/ Jesus left eight of His disciples at the entrance of Gethsemane. He took Peter, James, and John with Him a little farther into the Garden to accompany Him, encourage and support Him in His agonies. They would end up being of no use as supporters and encouragers. Jesus then went a little farther into the Garden to pray to His Father alone. He did this three times.

5/ The burden of His prayer was summed up in these words: "…if it was possible, the hour might pass from Him. And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.'" These are the agonizing words with which He wrestled in His soul.

6/ So, what was Jesus' struggle? Was He doubting His mission? Was He trying to find a way not to fulfill what the Father had sent Him to accomplish? NO! The key word is 'cup.' In Scriptural writings, the word 'cup' is most often associated with God's wrath. Jesus knew what lay before Him. But it was not the physical agony and pain of everything He would endure that He was most dreading. Rather, it was the wrath and displeasure of His Father against our sins. Never, from eternity, had Jesus had any other relationship with His Father but that of sweetest intimacy with His Father and enjoyment of His Father's pleasure in Him.

7/ And, make no mistake about this: the Father will be pleased with Him and His offering of Himself as our Substitutionary Passover Lamb. The Father had thundered from Heaven in John 12.28 after Jesus publicly prayed, "Father, glorify your Name. Then a voice came from Heaven: 'I have glorified it [Himself, His Name], and I will glorify it again.'" The Father was glorified and pleased with Jesus' death for our sake.

8/ But, in so doing, "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" [2 Corinthians 5.21]. "Yahweh has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" [Isaiah 53.6]. And that iniquity that was bearing upon Himself as our Sacrificial Passover Lamb could be put away, punished, and paid for only by the death of a Sinless Substitute. THAT was the 'cup' Jesus was dreading.

9/ Jesus knew that this was the only 'possible' means to fulfill His mission for our sake. He obeyed His Father by submitting to the Father's will. "And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" [Philippians 2.8].

10/ If we are going to be obedient also in our own hours of temptation to sin, we must stay alert and prayerful. The disciples didn't. While Jesus was praying in agony 'about a stone's throw' from the disciples, they were napping, oblivious to His struggles. It was this same attitude of apathy and complacency that would trip Peter up, causing Him to deny Jesus in just a little while. "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And so is yours … and mine.

11/ After coming the third time and finding them asleep again, Jesus woke them up to make His final announcement: "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."