OceanSide church of Christ

 Previous Return to Mark Next 

PRE-CRUCIFIXION EVENTS

CONNECTED TO THE SERVANT OF GOD

Mark 14

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The life of the Servant of God passes very quickly in Mark’s gospel.

 

B.    In Mark 14, we draw nigh to the Lord’s crucifixion

1.     In this chapter, Mark records nine events in the life of our Lord.

2.     We’ve entitled this chapter:  “Pre-crucifixion Events Connected to the Servant of God.”

 

I.           PLANNING (Mark 14:1-2)

 

...and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

 

A.   Two important words:

1.     Sought (2212)

a.     To seek, aim, strive after

b.    Thayer includes the idea of thinking, meditating, and reasoning

2.     Craft (1388):  by some form of trickery, deceit, or guile

 

B.    Evil men plan and scheme in order to destroy those they envy and fear.

1.     Do they not err that devise evil? (Prov. 14:22).

2.     One of the things the Lord hates is an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (Prov. 6:18).

 

II.         ANOINTING (Mark 14:3-9)

 

…there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

 

A.   The act of this woman was immediately criticized by some of the disciples (Mark 14:3-4).

1.     They believed that she had wasted the ointment.

2.     They believed that better things could have been done with the funds.

3.     And they murmured against her.

 

B.    Jesus immediately came to her defense.

1.     …she hath wrought a good work on me (Mark 13:6).

2.     She hath done what she could (Mark 13:8).

3.     Mark 13:9

 

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

C.   Lessons:  No good deed goes unnoticed by Jesus.  His requirement is that we do what we can.

1.     Sadly, we often do less than we can as individuals and congregations.

2.     We often seek the bare minimum instead of actually doing what we can.

 

III.       BETRAYAL (Mark 14:10-21)

 

And Judas Isacriot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

 

A.   Judas was on the inside.  He was “one of the twelve.”

1.     It is possible for those closest to us to turn against us.

2.     Judas seemed to be governed by self and greed.

3.     Trust, confidentiality, honor, and character were not high on his list of personal traits.

 

B.    It is sad when the actions of our friends bring pleasure to our enemies (Mark 14:11).

1.     The pleasure:  They were glad.

2.     The promise:  promised to give him money

3.     The plan:  how he might conveniently betray him

 

C.   After securing the room for the Passover meal, the first thing Jesus did was to reveal that He knew of the betrayal.

1.     The revelation (Mark 14:18-20)

2.     The condemnation (Mark 14:21)

 

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him:  but woe to that men by whom the Son of man is betrayed!  Good were it for that man if he had never been born.

 

a.     Judas was present.

b.    Sometimes even warnings of condemnation will not change evil behaviors.

 

IV.        REMEMBRANCE (Mark 14:22-26)

 

A.   At the Passover, Jesus instituted His own meal of remembrance.

1.     It would come to be known as the Lord’s Supper.

2.     In some respects it resembled the Passover.

a.     It was a commemoration.

b.    It involved unleavened bread.

c.    It involved the blood of a Lamb.

d.    The blood of the Lamb secured deliverance.

 

B.    The elements were two-fold and very simple.

1.     The bread (Mark 14:22)

 

…Take, eat:  this is my body.

 

2.     The fruit of the vine (Mark 14:24)

And he said, unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for you.

 

C.   Jesus taught there would come a “day” when the Lord’s Supper would be observed “in the kingdom of God.”

1.     This day cannot involve some point in time in the millennial kingdom.  At that time, Jesus will have returned.  If He has returned, the Lord’s Supper will no longer be eaten (II Cor. 11:26).

2.     In the first century, that day of observance of the Lord’s Supper was the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

 

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and he continued his speech until midnight.

 

3.     In the church, we still observe this memorial feast.  Each Lord’s day our minds are centered again upon the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

 

V.          THE PREDICTION (Mark 14:26-31)

 

A.   After the Passover meal, Jesus and His disciples retreated to the mount of Olives.

 

B.    Jesus predicted something that had its roots in Bible prophecy (Mark 14:27).

 

And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night:  for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

 

1.     The prophecy is found in Zechariah 13:7.

2.     Jesus would be taken as a lamb to the slaughter and His disciples would flee from Him (See Mark 14:50).

 

And they all forsook him and fled.

 

C.   Peter’s response (Mark 14:29-31).

1.     Peter’s confidence (Mark 14:29)

 

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

 

a.     Question:  Don’t we all need to be confident?

b.    Answer:  Yes, but Peter’s problem was that he was in denial of the teachings of Scripture.

2.     Jesus’ correction (Mark 14:30)

 

And Jesus saith unto him,, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

 

a.     Jesus continues to affirm the Scriptures.

b.    He even tells Peter that his denial would happen that very night.

3.     Peter’s counter (Mark 14:31)

 

But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.

 

a.     Peter’s voice many have been raised and his tone reflected some anger.

b.    Listen to the words:  I will not deny thee.  Here are the words of self-confidence, but without a true knowledge of self (I Cor. 10:12).

 

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   The crucifixion is drawing near.

1.     The Jewish leaders have been scheming.

2.     Judas has conspired with the enemy.

 

B.    Preparations have been made.

1.     The Lord’s body has been anointed for burial.

2.     The memorial feast has been instituted.

3.     The disciples have been warned of their actions.

 

C.   One more thing was needed before Jesus would be seized by the Jews.  We will study about it in our next lesson.