Title: Gospel of Mark: Standing Firm In The Faith.
Scripture: Mark 14:43-65
Date: 7-21-2024
Bible Version: NKJV
BOTTOM LINE: Jesus, despite betrayal and injustice, remained resolute in fulfilling His divine mission.
The Betrayal by Judas (vv 43-45)
[Mar 14:43 NKJV] And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
while He was still speaking- This connects verse 42 to this block of scripture. As Jesus was talking, Judas arrived on the scene.
Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs- Judas showed up with a great multitude. Other translations call it a mob. They arrived carrying swords and clubs. They would show up to arrest Jesus as if He were a criminal.
came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders- This mob (along with Judas) was sent by the Chief Priest.
[Mar 14:44 NKJV] Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead [Him] away safely.”
His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him - It was customary for a students to give their rabbis kiss when greeting them. This was considered an act of kindness and friendship. Since Judas had to identify Jesus, it tells us that more than likely, Jesus was an ordinary looking person, dressed in ordinary clothes.
[Mar 14:45 NKJV] As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him- Judas did exactly what he said he would do. He walked up to Jesus and identified Him to the mob.
To the very end, then, Judas’s act of betrayal was vile. With a kiss, an act of kindness, friendship, intimacy, he handed over the Son of God to those who hated him. —Tony Evans
Jesus’ Arrest (vv 46-50)
[Mar 14:46 NKJV] Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.
Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him- After Jesus had been identified, He was arrested.
[Mar 14:47 NKJV] And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
One of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear- We know that Peter is the one who drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest (John 18:10). We also know that Jesus rebuked Peter as well.
[Jhn 18:10 NKJV] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
[Jhn 18:11 NKJV] So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”
[Mar 14:48 NKJV] Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?
Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?- Jesus called out this mob for treating him like a common criminal. He was in the temple daily teaching. They could have arrested him when He was teaching. Instead, they went to carry out this deed under the cover of darkness, where the daytime crowds could not observe what was happening.
[Mar 14:49 NKJV] “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
I was daily with you in the temple teaching- Jesus reminded them that He was with them in the temple as He was teaching, daily. The point Jesus was trying to make was that they could have arrested Him at any other point, yet chose to do it at night, away from the crowds (that they feared because of public opinion).
You did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled- Regardless of when they arrested Jesus, He reminded them that the scriptures must be fulfilled. Their evil would be used to fulfill the scriptures.
The Disciples Flee (vv 50-52)
[Mar 14:50 NKJV] Then they all forsook Him and fled.
Then they all forsook Him and fled- At this point, after Jesus was arrested, the disciples all forsook Him and fled. This was predicted in Mark 14:27 and Zech 13:7.
[Mar 14:27 NKJV] Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’
[Zec 13:7 NKJV] “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
[Mar 14:51 NKJV] Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around [his] naked [body]. And the young men laid hold of him,
[Mar 14:52 NKJV] and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
He left the linen cloth and fled from them naked- Mark now tells of a young man who was more than likely caught sleeping. This seems like an odd thing to include however, many commentators believe that this young man is none other than Mark himself. This could have been Mark’s way of saying that he was there.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin (vv 53-65)
[Mar 14:53 NKJV] And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.
They led Jesus away to the high priest- They led Jesus away to the high priest.
This trial of Jesus was terribly illegal according to Jewish Law. There was much in the Jewish legal process to protect the rights of the accused, and all of this was ignored and deliberately broken by those who were determined to put Jesus to death. —David Guzik
[Mar 14:54 NKJV] But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest- As Jesus was led away, Peter followed him. Peter kept his distance as they made their way to the courtyard of the high priest. This is the same Peter who would show great boldness with his words.
He sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire- As Jesus was standing before the high priest, Peter found comfort as he warmed himself next to a fire. Peter may have tried to blend in, but eventually he would be noticed.
[Mar 14:55 NKJV] Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
The chief priest and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death- They had brought Jesus before the high priest. Their intentions were to ultimately put Him to death. They sought to have people give testimony against Him.
But found none- All the testimony against Jesus was ultimately not consistent and therefore was not credible.
The Trials of Jesus for the Jewish Authorities:
1. The Trial before Annas (John 18:12-24):
2. The Trial before Caiaphas (Mark 14:53-65):
3. Illegal night court of the Sanhedrin.
4. The Trial before the Sanhedrin: (Matthew 26:57-67)
[Mar 14:56 NKJV] For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
Many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree- Additional people bore false witness against Jesus and yet at the end of the day there were too many conflicting testimonies.
[Mar 14:57 NKJV] Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,
[Mar 14:58 NKJV] “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ “
I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hand- The issues at hand was what Jesus said regarding the destruction of the temple. During this time, the threat of destruction or desecration of a place of worship was considered a capital offense. If you consider what Jesus actually said in John 2:19-21, He was speaking of His body and not the physical temple. His accusers either did not understand this or chose to ignore what Jesus was saying.
[Jhn 2:19 NKJV] Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
[Jhn 2:20 NKJV] Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
[Jhn 2:21 NKJV] But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
[Mar 14:59 NKJV] But not even then did their testimony agree.
Not even then did their testimony agree- The additional testimonies did not even agree with one another.
[Mar 14:60 NKJV] And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What [is it] these men testify against You?”
The high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus saying, “Do You answer nothing?- Noting that all of the testimonies against Jesus did not agree, the high priest stood up and asked Jesus a pointed question.
Jesus’ Declaration of His Identity (vv 61-62)
[Mar 14:61 NKJV] But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
He kept silent and answered nothing- Jesus could have corrected them and even called witnesses to the miraculous things that He did. He chose not to open His mouth.
[Isa 53:7 NKJV] He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
The high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”- With a level of frustration, the high priest asked Jesus pointedly if He was the Christ.
[Mar 14:62 NKJV] Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus said, “I am- Jesus answered simply, I am.
You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven- Even though Jesus was being judged, He would eventually be the one delivering the judgment.
The Sanhedrin’s Reaction (vv 63-65)
[Mar 14:63 NKJV] Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses?
the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses?- With frustration, the high priest tore the clothes of Jesus. What started as a false trial now escalated to include physical abuse.
[Mar 14:64 NKJV] “You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
You have heard the blasphemy!- They accused Jesus of blasphemy.
And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death- Now that they had their reason to put Jesus to death, they wanted justice on their terms.
[Mar 14:65 NKJV] Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.
Then some began to spit on Him- Upon the declaration of Jesus deserving death, they began to spit upon Him.
blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!- They blindfolded Jesus and mocked Him.
the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.- They took a bizarre approach in demeaning and humiliating Jesus. Perhaps they were envious of Him. Perhaps they feared Him. In either case, Jesus took this abuse.
Four Observations From How Jesus Handled Being Arrested and Falsely Accused:
1. Betrayal can be addressed with forgiveness and grace.
2. Violence and Injustice can be addressed by trusting in God’s plan.
3. Adversity and persecution can be addressed by standing firm in the faith.
4. Knowing Jesus’ identity can change your life.
Boldly affirming our faith and identity in Christ is necessary for salvation.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:
- Have you ever felt betrayed by someone close to you? How did you respond, and what can you learn from Jesus’ reaction to Judas’ betrayal?
- How do you deal with situations where you feel unjustly treated? What does Jesus’ endurance of injustice teach you about patience and trust in God’s plan?
- The disciples fled when Jesus was arrested. Reflect on a time when you chose to flee from a difficult situation rather than face it. What would you do differently now?
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