Mark 14 - Jesus' is Tried and Arrested and all the Disciples Flee! Jesus Prays in the Garden and Peter Denies Jesus Three Times!

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Jesus Anointed at Bethany

There is a huge juxtaposition in this passage. On the one hand you have a woman who came to anoint Jesus with an expensive perfume from an albastar jar. On the other hand, you have Judas agreeing to betray Jesus for an amount of money we later learn is only 30 pieces of silver.  One woman gave an extraordinary and sacrificial gift to prepare him for his burial, and one of his own disciples took a small amount of money for his betrayal.

John’s account of this incident (John 12:1-8) tells us that this was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. When a guest arrived for a meal, it was customary to anoint the guest’s head with a dab of oil. Here, this woman went much farther than the customary greeting. She poured the entire contents of an alabaster flask of very costly oil on the head of Jesus. This was a wonderful, perceptive act of Mary. Jesus just rode into Jerusalem as a King – and shouldn’t kings be anointed? Mary understood this, but the disciples didn’t. - Guzik

The Last Supper

One of the things we mention a lot about the last days and events of Jesus' life is that it is clear that Jesus is in charge of all the events as they unfold. In the case of the Last Supper, Jesus had prepared the owner of a house to secretly offer his home for Jesus and his disciples to celebrate the Passover meal. He even arranged for the disciples to meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Water was a significant symbol in the story of the Passover. As Jesus enjoys his last meal with the disciples, he reveals one of the twelve disciples would betray him. He indicates this by saying the one who dips bread into the bowl will also betray me. 

The Passover meal was a time of intimate fellowship among Jewish families as they remembered the central event in their history when God delivered them from the Egyptians. Jesus celebrated this meal using words which we now call, "the Words of Institution". Jesus used elements from the Passover meal, bread and wine, as symbols of His sacrificial death on the cross. He would become the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world. The bread represented his body, which would be broken for them. And the wine symbolized his blood being poured out to inaugarate a new covenant sealed with his own precious and innocent blood. 

Jesus not only gave them a sign of what his death on the cross would accomplish for them, but he also gave them a meal by which we could remember what He did for us. Finally, Jesus told them that the next time they would enjoy the fruit of the vine was when the celebrated it together in the kingdom of God. In this way Holy Communion is a foretaste fo the feast to come.

While there are differences in how churches try to explain Jesus' presence in Holy Communion today, suffice it to say we experience Jesus' real presence by faith. If we overanalyze how he is present it takes our focus off the purpose of this meal he instituted with his disciples and commanded us to do as well. Later as Paul recounted the early church's Words of Institution he added the words, "Do this in remembrance of me." 

According to Scripture, we can understand that the bread and the cup are not mere symbols, but they are powerful pictures to partake of – to enter into – as we see the Lord’s Table as the new Passover. - Guzik

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

Jesus not only knew about Judas' betrayal, but also Peter's denial. Jesus predicted they would all fall away, which was written in Zechariah 13:7. Of course Peter vehemently disagreed with Jesus' statement assuring Jesus that he would never deny him. But Jesus informs Peter that not only will Peter deny Jesus once, not twice, but three times. Notice at the end of Mark's version it says, "All the others did the same". Though we love to focus on Peter's threefold denial, all the other disciples did so as well.  

Sadly, it was an opportunity that Peter did not take: he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” Jesus knew Peter far better than Peter did, and in overestimating himself, Peter was set up for a fall. - Guzik

Gethsemane

I think this scene in the Garden of Gethsamene shows Jesus' humanity as well as any other scene in the gospels. As Jesus draws near to the toughest hours of his life, he withdraws to the Garden to pray to prepare himself for what lies ahead. All of the disciples came with him, but he personally invites his inner core of Peter, James, and John to personally accompany him into the inner part of the garden.  Jesus is deeply distressed and his soul is overwhelmed to the point of death. I am sure the disciples had never seen Jesus in this condition. And Jesus asks the disciples to stay awake and keep watch for him in prayer. This is where we get our term "prayer watch", or "prayer vigil". 

And as Jesus goes to pray to the Father, we see him agonizing and asking His Father to take away the cup of suffering he is about to drink. When Jesus uses the words "Abba Father", it is the most intimate way a son could address his dad. Jesus practically begs His Father in heaven to take away the cup but ends with the words, "But not my will but yours be done." 

As we pray for God to remove the cup of suffering in our lives, or a loved one, we must remember these words, "Not my will, but yours be done". There have been many prayers that I have prayed where my will was not done, but God's will was always done. When Jesus returned to his disicples, they were sleeping. They were embarrassed and did not know what to say to Jesus. The time has now come and Jesus knows it. He says, "Arise my betrayer is at hand!" 

Jesus knew what the Father’s will was; yet He still endured this agony. It was because Jesus was to be a sacrifice for sins, and He wasn’t an unknowing sacrificial animal. Nor was He a victim of circumstances. He resolved willingly to lay down His life. 

In response to Jesus’ deeply moved prayers, the Father did not take the cup from Jesus. Instead He strengthened Jesus to be able to take and drink the cup.

As you struggle with the issue of "unanswered prayer", how can this story help you? If Jesus had not gone to the cross what would have been the result? When Jesus does not answer our prayers, He has a better purpose in mind!

Jesus Arrested

Sure enough Judas was the betrayer, and he led a mob of men who came prepared for a fight. Jesus had never done anything in his ministry to suggest he would be violent, but perhaps they thought his disciples might fight to prevent his arriest. Judas did his dirty deed and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Meanwhile another disciple (we learn this is Peter from John's gospel) struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Maybe this is why they came armed. Yet, Jesus would have none of it. Jesus cooly and calmly asks them why they didn't arrest him earlier when he was teaching in the temple. At this point the disciples panicked and all fled realizing that Jesus was not going to call down a legion of angels to deliver him. Then, we learn of a young man who was following Jesus. When he took off in fear, they tore off his linen off and he ran away naked. Many think this is John Mark, the writer of this gospel. 

Jesus marveled that they sent a small army to arrest Him. Yet, He was in command; with a word He could destroy all those who came to arrest Him. But Jesus went along in order to fulfill Scripture.Jesus was forsaken even by a young follower, who in the confusion fled naked. Since the earliest days of the church, commentators have supposed this young man to be Mark himself. It was his humble way of saying, “I was there.” 

If you were one of Jesus' disciples on that night how would you have reacted when he was arrested? Would you put up a fight like Peter, or run away with someone grasping at your clothing? 

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

As the Jewish leaders tried Jesus they were coming up with no substantial evidence to convict him. There were many false witnesses but their stories contradicted each other. The only thing that came close to sticking were Jesus' comments about the temple being destroyed and then rebuilt after three days, which was of course referring to his death and resurrection. The high priest was infuriated that Jesus was not answering him so he point blank asked Jesus, "Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus did not shrink but answered by saying, "I am and you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds at the right hand of the Father." 

Now they had something to try him with, "He, a mere man, claimed to be the Son of God!" Notice that when this took place they ALL condemned him. The high priest did not want to do anything contrary to public demand because he feared a riot. But now everybody joined in calling Jesus a blasphemer, spitting on him, mocking and hitting him, blindfolling him, and jeering at him. This also prompted a good beating from the guards as well. As you can see everyone participated, but the disicples who fled in fear. Jesus was alone. He felt forsaken by His Father, betrayed by his friends the disicples, and abused by the crowd and even his own people. 

In a real sense, it wasn’t Jesus on trial at all – it was more accurate to say that the religious leaders were on trial. They seemed to win, but they really lost. In fact, we all are on trial before Jesus and will be held to account for what we do with Him. - Guzik

Peter Disowns Jesus

As the many events of Jesus' last night on earth come to a close, the only thing left is for one of his best friends to disown him. You get the feeling that Peter was still going back and forth in his head about what he should do next. He is hanging out in and around the fire and then suddenly he gets recoginzed by a servant girl, who recognizes Peter as one of Jesus' companions, but he denies it vehemently. Then, she told others about it who were standing around the fire. Again Peter denied it. Finally, people recognized that he was Galilean and Peter started out calling curses. When the rooster crowed a second time, Jesus' prediction about Peter's threefold denial had come true. All Peter could do was break down and weep. 

 “It was not the crowing of the cock that convicted Peter; it was the remembering of Christ’s words.” (Wiersbe)

Have you ever denied Jesus? What was the outcome? Did Jesus give you another chance to redeem yourself?