Mark Manuscript 14 - Ministry Exchange (MX)

Mark 14:1 – 14:26 (Week 23) Study Notes and Questions

Key Theme

Breaking and pouring out – a waste or a beautiful thing?

The Woman & Her Perfume (14:1-14:11)

“It was now two days before the Passover” – what day was it? It’s Wednesday – the Passover was the Thursday night.

What do the chief priests and the scribes want? Why are they afraid of
Jesus? They want to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. He’s unpredictable, popular, and became a public threat with the temple- cleansing incident.

When do they want to kill him? Why? Not during the Passover feast — presumably before it. Not during the feast, because of all the people around.

What happens instead? What does that indicate? Jesus is crucified openly, during the Passover feast. Indicates that they’re not in control, God is. “This was the Lord’s doing”.

Who is Simon the leper? Don’t know – perhaps a former leper, back in society, host for the meal. It sounds like Mark expected his readers to know who Simon was.

What happens then? A woman comes in with pure nard. Nard was an expensive perfume, used for royalty and burial. It was an aromatic oil extracted from a root native to India. To retain the fragrance, enough ointment for one application was sealed in small alabaster flasks. The long neck of the flask has to be broken to release the fragrance. Anointing at a banquet suggests joy and festivity, but Jesus found a far more profound significance.

Where would the woman get the nard? She’s possibly a prostitute, or it may be an heirloom or dowry. The value of the perfume and its identification as nard suggest that it may be a family heirloom passed from mother to daughter. It was worth about a year’s wages for a laborer (say $15,000 in today’s money).

What kind of container? Alabaster is pure white stone (fine grained gypsum), dense, translucent, white or tinted. It’s very expensive, and breaking it is a one time thing, a huge extravagance. In the first century, Pliny the Elder remarked that “the best ointment is preserved in alabaster”.

How do you feel about what she did? What good did it do? A significant act for her, a huge sacrifice, irreplaceable. Shows a very strong commitment to Jesus. Not utilitarian, does seem a bit wasteful, but not if you know who Jesus is.

What is the response? From who? What did they want to do instead? Indignance, people thinking about the waste. 300 denarii = 1 year’s wages. The “some” who said this may have included the disciples. They wanted to sell the perfume and give the money to the poor. It was customary on the evening of the Passover to remember the poor with gifts, but they miss the chance to worship because they are interested in selling/money – like those in the Temple.

How did Jesus respond? How does he feel about the act? Rebuked the rebukers – “let her alone”. He considers her act a beautiful thing – she has done what she could and “has anointed my body beforehand”. He’s predicting a criminal death – only in that circumstance would there be no anointing of the body.

What does he mean by “you always have the poor with you”? Implies that some acts of kindness won’t wait. Their comment devalues Jesus – the woman worships him highly over all things. Unlike the dinner guests, she perceived that Jesus is the poor man and that her deed may be construed as an act of loving kindness towards the poor. Jesus commends her for her recognition that the needs of this poor sufferer take precedence over the obligation to help the poor who will always be with them. Some people use this verse to argue that we shouldn’t bother too much about social justice, because there will always be poor people. That doesn’t seem to be Jesus’ meaning. He doesn’t play down giving to the poor – instead, he plays up the significance of this event.

“Wherever the gospel is preached” this will be told “in memory of her”. Is
this so? Yes, it’s in the gospels, and they’ve spread far and wide (“wherever”). This nameless woman is remembered for the beautiful thing she has done for Jesus. She became a servant, serving the servant of all, and hence was exalted. The devotion of this nameless woman is in stark contrast to the responses of the priests, the disciples and Judas.

What about Judas? How do you think he felt about this? Perhaps this was the last straw. Money motivated him, and he saw that Jesus was going in the wrong direction.

Why would it have been better for him not to be born? Because of the judgment coming to him. Jesus death is predicted in scripture (“the son of man goes as it was written”), yet Judas is held responsible for his own actions.

Why will it be hard on Judas? He has all of Jesus’ words, intimacy, attention – much more than the Pharisees. He’s dipping bread in the same dish as Jesus – a sign of intimacy (see Psalm 41:9: “Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me”). He’s tasted what it’s like to be an insider. The scripture affirms both predestination and personal responsibility for human action.

What is the woman remembered for? What is Judas remembered for? The woman is remembered for devoting a year’s wages to honoring Jesus. Judas is remembered for betraying Jesus for a paltry sum. She loses her life and saves it, he tries to keep his life and loses it.

The Last Supper (14:12-14:26)
Does this scene (“Go into the city…”) remind you of anything? Echoes of Palm Sunday, when Jesus told them to find the donkey for him (see 11:1-2). Very specific predictions about what they will find. The man carrying a jar of water may be a pre-arranged signal, because normally only women carried water in jars – men carried wineskins.

What do they ask? What is the reality (do they get to do this)? They want to prepare a meal for him. In fact, he’s prepared a meal for them – the room is furnished and ready.

When does this happen? What is the picture? On the first day of the Passover – the day they sacrifice the Passover lamb. The Passover meal had to be eaten within the walls of Jerusalem. The picture is of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb.

When Jesus speaks about betrayal, how do the disciples react? They immediately think about themselves – is it I? Not thinking about Jesus, who is about to be betrayed and killed.

Some background on Passover: It had to be eaten within the walls of Jerusalem, and Passover night had to be spent within greater Jerusalem. At the time, Jewish people usually ate two meals – breakfast (10-11am) and a main meal in the late afternoon. The Passover dinner was eaten at night – after sundown. People would eat the Passover meal with their families. They would recline as they ate the Passover food, and dip bread into a bowl of hroses (stewed fruit with bitter herbs). Special blessings would be said over the bread and wine at this meal: eg. “This is the bread of affliction our ancestors ate when they came from Egypt”. There was usually just one communal cup of wine, which was passed around. Four cups of wine would be taken during the meal, and the bread would be blessed (“interpretation of the elements”) after the third cup. After the meal, it was customary to sing Psalms from the Hallel (Psalms 113-118).

How does Jesus give new significance to an old ritual – the Passover meal? He gives a new kind of interpretation of the elements. The bread is his body (broken), the wine is his blood (poured out). Interpreting the wine as blood would be particularly radical, because Jewish people were revolted by the idea of drinking any blood (“clean” meat was drained of blood).

Does this breaking and pouring out remind you of anything? The woman broke the jar of perfume and poured out its contents.

What is Mark saying about these two incidents? The woman’s anointing of Jesus is a parable of his death – her breaking and pouring out is an image of Jesus (priceless, fragrant, beautiful).

What are the two responses to her act? 1. What a waste. 2. She has done a beautiful thing. Her breaking and pouring out will be preached in remembrance of her.

What are the two responses to Jesus’ death? 1. What a waste (cost his life, a misguided, failed Messiah). 2. He has done a beautiful thing. His breaking and pouring out will be preached in remembrance of him.

Application Questions . What would it look like for us to give to Jesus in the way this woman gave? . How do we see Jesus’ death? As a waste or a beautiful thing? We may be tempted to see it as a waste because we, like Peter, don’t want to follow Jesus to the death. We aspire to something better for our Lord and for ourselves. . When we are broken and poured out for others, people around us (parents, professors, friends) will say we have wasted our potential. Do we succumb to the temptation to see it as a waste, or as a beautiful thing? What are some things you are doing or thinking of doing that would fall into this category?

Mark 14:27- 14:52 (Week 24) Study Notes and Questions

Key Theme

Suffering and dying for Jesus.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (14:27-14:31)
What is Jesus talking about in vv.27-28? He’s talking about betrayal. “It is written” – the quote is from Zechariah 13:7. Similar to v.21 – betrayal is prophesied in the scripture. But note that it says “I will strike the shepherd” – it’s God’s doing, he’s in control.

How does Peter respond? What is this in contrast to? I can believe that THEY will fall away, but I won’t. Contrast with Peter’s proclamation that Jesus won’t suffer and die. Now he says he’ll suffer and die with Jesus, no matter what.

What is Peter doing? What is Jesus’ response? Peter’s exalting himself. Jesus humbles him – he will be the one to deny Jesus three times. What is the irony? . Peter immediately denies Jesus – says his words aren’t true. . He denies Jesus by falling asleep 3 times. . He denies Jesus with his own words later.

When Jesus mentions his own betrayal, how do the disciples respond? Again, they focus on themselves.

He says “I will strike the shepherd” – what do they hear? They’re focused on the sheep – the sheep will be scattered. And they deny it. Peter was not the only one – they all deny Jesus’ words (v.31). They are unable to focus on him or to hear that what is about to happen is difficult for him. They’re thinking only of themselves.

What will happen in Galilee? The scattered sheep will be re-gathered – the shepherd will meet them there.

Gethsemane (14:32-14:42)
Why does he take Peter, James & John with him? What have each of them
claimed? The inner circle – the ones he renamed. Peter has claimed that he’ll die with Jesus, James & John have said that “we are able” to drink the cup and take the baptism (10:39).

Are they able? They can’t stay awake, much less die with Jesus. It was customary to stay awake late on Passover night and keep watch – they had probably stayed up late on nearly every other Passover of their lives. But they can’t do it this time. Peter has said he’ll die with Jesus – something Jesus didn’t ask for. But the thing Jesus did ask for (that he stay awake) he can’t do.

Why did he tell them to watch? What for? What are they to pray for? That they may not enter into temptation. They’re to pray for themselves, not Jesus. “The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak” – they are to rely on God’s spirit to pull them through – Jesus had to, he’s concerned for his disciples that they do as well.

How is Jesus feeling? Why is he sorrowful? He’s greatly distressed and troubled, very sorrowful, even to death. Fearful of spiritual death and separation from his father.

What does Jesus’ prayer show us about his relationship with God? He calls God “Abba” (“daddy” in Aramaic). Use the everyday language of the family, a term of great intimacy – Jewish people never used it to refer to God.

What is the cup? God’s outpoured wrath (see Isaiah 51:17: “the cup of his wrath… the goblet that makes men stagger”, also Jeremiah 25:15 and Psalm 60:3).

What is Jesus praying for? What does he fear? He’s praying for the cup to be removed, asking that the hour may pass. He fears the wrath of God placed on him because of the sins of the world – God’s judgment for sin.

What is Jesus asking for from God? Plan B? An alternative to death? Jesus knows that he must die – he rebuked Peter for doubting it. Is he doubting the plan himself? He’s fully human as well as fully God, and has every reason to fear what’s to come.

What’s God’s answer? No – the cup won’t be removed. Did Jesus desire something contrary to God’s will? But he did ask for God’s will to be done. And he asked for the hour to pass from him – if the hour is separation from God, it passed when he was resurrected.

Is the cup removed? No, or only removed by him drinking it. When he drinks it, he’s left dead, helpless, totally dependent on the father to bring him back. “All things are possible to thee” – without God, no-one can be saved, but God saves. It is impossible for man to save himself, impossible for Jesus to raise himself. It is only by God’s will that the cup will be removed.

What is Jesus affirming (“all things are possible to thee”)? God’s sovereignty – once he is dead, it is totally up to the father’s will, not his own. Jesus prays that the hour might pass, that the time of his separation from his father might end, knowing that God’s will and not his own is the only effective will in making it happen. The cup is removed from him when he’s raised from the dead. Hebrews 5:7: Jesus prayed, and his prayers were heard because of his dependence on God. Instead of being a statement of great questioning and doubt, it’s an affirmation of God’s ability to save him. Instead of answering “no”, God’s “yes” came as Jesus was raised from the dead.

As he is in the garden, who is he concerned for? His sleepy disciples, not for himself. Even as he embraces the cross, he’s still the consummate servant, not feeling sorry for himself but concerned for them. He isn’t disappointed that they couldn’t pray for him, but that they couldn’t pray for themselves. Their flesh is weak.

In v.31, Jesus is in control – the hour has come (will it pass?), “rise,
let us be going”. Jesus’ choreography is being carried out, his time with
his disciples is complete. What enables him to act with such control now?
Probably the prayer.

Jesus Betrayed (14:43-14:52)
What is ironic about the betrayal? 1. Judas calls him master and kisses him like a friend – he betrays a master and a friend. 2. The religious leaders are supposed to recognize the Christ, but here they can’t even recognize Jesus without a sign. 3. They had made the Temple into a den of robbers – now they arrest Jesus as though he were a robber (v.48). 4. They’re armed, but Jesus is submitting without struggle.

Why didn’t they arrest him in the Temple? Because they feared the people.

Who is in control here? Jesus says “let the scriptures be fulfilled”. God and Jesus are in control. Jesus gives the word and the disciples flee – he chooses this. The disciples were scattered.

Who is the man who ran away naked? Linen cloth indicates a wealthy family. Could be Mark himself, or possibly the rich young ruler (or maybe they’re the same person). Amos 2:16: the day of judgment is so terrible that “even the bravest warriors will flee naked on that day”.

Application Questions . The disciples probably thought they were being faithful by disagreeing with Jesus’ words about their betrayal. How do we try to prove our faith by denying Jesus’ words? Eg. denying the reality of pain, difficulty, dryness in the Christian life. . Jesus shows astonishing intimacy with God in his praying – calls God “daddy”, brings all his fears to him, yet trusts in his will. What stands in the way of us approaching God like this? . When the disciples see Jesus go to his death, they don’t want to go that way. They want glory, not ignominy, comfort not pain. We face the same temptation when we confront Jesus’ death in humble work or serving positions. Do we choose to suffer and die, even humbly, without fanfare? Or do we need to be special?