Drew Boswell

“Found Guilty” Mark 15:1-32

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

“Found Guilty”

Mark 15:1-32

“We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,” 1 Cor. 1:23

Introduction

On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo, a US Navy intelligence ship was hijacked by North Korean patrol boats in international waters off the coast of North Korea. The incident provoked a tense diplomatic and military standoff for eleven months. The eighty-two surviving crew members were taken into captivity. In one particular instance, thirteen of the men were required to sit in a rigid manner around a table for hours. After several hours, the door was flung open, and a North Korean guard brutally beat the man in the first chair with the butt of his rifle. The next day, as each man sat in his assigned place, again the door was thrown open, and the man in the first chair was brutally beaten. On the third day, it happened again to the same man.

Knowing the man could not survive, the next day, another young sailor took his place. When the door flung open, the guard automatically beat the new victim senseless. For weeks, a new man stepped forward each day to sit in that horrible chair, knowing full well what would happen. The guards eventually gave up in exasperation. They were unable to overcome that kind of sacrificial love.

Jesus knows what is coming, but does it anyway – out of love for His creation. Though sinless, he took our place before the judgment of God against our sin.[1]

Prayer

Jesus is Falsely Accused (vv. 1-5)

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer[2], so that Pilate was amazed.

(v. 1) “the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council.” – consultation; “to prepare a concerted plan of action (Gould).”[3] The plan they came up with was to arrest him early in the morning, when no one else was around, then present him to the Roman authorities with charges that he was claiming to be a king, and threatening to tear down the temple in three days.

First off, their proceedings were not legal, and they are choosing to follow some of the law, while ignoring other parts – which is typical who want to justify their own sin. But Duet. 17:6 says, “On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.”

So, the religious council tries to round up witnesses in the middle of the night. In their haste to gather a crowd, they don’t have time to coordinate the testimonies so there were contradictions, and obvious false statements.[4] The stories don’t match up, they are obviously coursed and false. But eventually, they have their little trial, and they consult together to have Jesus killed.

But with all the hatred toward Jesus, these various groups “did not have the power to execute a capital sentence.”[5] The Romans did not allow those they subjugated to execute because it kept those who collaborated with the Romans from being killed[6] (like the disciple Matthew). So, they have to take Jesus to Pilate. Pilate listens to the religious leaders accusing him of many things, that seem to pass him by. The religious leaders know that a Roman prefect would not care about their claims of his ‘blasphemy’ so their accusations have to be more political.

So, Pilate is eventually hooked when he focuses on their accusation that Jesus is claiming to be a king, and he asks him (v. 2) “Are you the King of the Jews?” This is the only question that Jesus responds to, “And he answered him, “You have said so.” These would be Jesus’ last recorded words before the cross. “Jesus has said all there is to say, and now lets events take their predictable course.”[7]

There were several attempted riots, and attacks against the Roman occupation of Jerusalem, so the Sanhedrin are trying to lump Jesus in with these Zealots and nationalist leaders (going back to their question about paying taxes to Caesar in Mark 12:13ff.)

Jesus is Falsely Condemned (vv. 6-15)

6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

As Jesus and the disciples were finishing up the feeding of the five thousand, there was a zealot political group, that after they saw Jesus perform this miracle, they wanted Jesus to lead a revolution, John 6:15 “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” Jesus was relentless about controlling the narrative and the direction that He was going as the Messiah – he was not going to be forced to be a political revolutionary. But now, he is standing next to Barabbas, a murderous insurrectionist, as though they are the same.

(v. 10) “For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.” – he was perceiving, it was gradually occurring to Pilate, what was really going on here. Through all the lies, the false accusations, and even the twisted accounts – Pilate sees this gathering for what it was.

The “the chief priests, elders and scribes and the whole council” were envious of Jesus and his popularity among the people, his influence, his ability to teach the Word of God, His ability to get out of their little traps, everything about Jesus pointed to their darkened and evil hearts. Pilate saw all this for what it really was – envy. Pilate sees Jesus as a harmless religious fanatic not deserving of death by crucifixion. He even declares Jesus to be innocent on three separate occasions.[8]

(v. 10) “But the chief priests stirred up the crowd,” – “That was the plan of Judas to get the thing over before those Galilean sympathizers waked up.”[9] Go to the Garden of Gethsemane early in the morning, present him to the Roman officials early in the day. This crowd, was not the same crowd that waved the palm branches, laid down, their coats in the street, and yelled out Hosanna! This crowd has been gathered by the religious leaders, and they have “stirred them up.” (seismos), shook up like an earthquake.

Pilate was normally a resident in Caesarea, but at Passover time, when Jerusalem was crowded with pilgrims, he took up residence in his ‘praetorium’ (official residence) in Jerusalem. Pilate is there to keep things calm, to calm down the stirred up crowds, to maintain the peace. Also, the man who helped Pilate get this appointment had been executed for treason against Caesar – so he was under additional pressure to appear loyal to Caesar which the leaders used against him.[10]

(v. 15) “So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.” – The crowd was growing more and more unruly, Pilate was charged by Caesar to keep the peace, so out of fear of the crowd, fear of being reported to Caesar, he delivered Jesus over to be crucified.

“The final stage of Jesus’ Roman trial concludes with a scourging. Roman scourging was so brutal and violent that prisoners would occasionally die before crucifixion. Even though Jesus survives this form of torture, the beating ensures he will die before sundown. During the scourging, he is tied to a post and beaten with a whip interwoven with bone and metal until his skin and tissue are shredded . . .

The irony in each Gospel account is palpable: Jesus, a man declared not guilty by the Roman governor, is nonetheless given over for execution – an outrageous and transparent miscarriage of justice.”[11] Barabbas, a murderer and insurrectionist, goes free. Crucifixion was designed for people like Barabbas, as a warning – “murderers and insurrectionists will die a horrible excruciating death, so don’t do that.”

We are already beginning to get a picture of substitutionary atonement or penal substitution. John 3:35-36 says “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Why did God the Father send Jesus to the cross? Justice demands that His wrath against sin had to go somewhere – either on us, or a substitute provided by God for us.

Isaiah 53:5-6 “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Jesus is Falsely Honored (vv. 16-20)

16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

The Praetorium was the governor’s headquarters, and was where the 600 soldiers of the battalion were housed. Roman soldiers were known to play cruel games with condemned prisoners, so what they do to Jesus is not out of character for them. At this point he would have been covered in blood, his back flesh cut open, and would have struggled to stand.

They strip him of his clothes, and place a purple cloak around him (the color of royalty), make him a crown, but of thorns and push it down on his head, and mock him, and “salute him, yelling out “Hail, King of the Jews!” They then strike his head with a stick, further driving the crown of thorns into his scalp and they spit on him.

Once the men grew tired of mocking, beating, and playing their game, they put his clothes back on him, and lead Jesus away to be crucified.

Jesus is Fiercely Crucified (vv. 21-32)

21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull)[12]. 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

After being scrouged, and beaten by the soldiers, Jesus carries the 30-40 pound cross beam of the cross (patibulum) until he can’t carry it any further, so “they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross” More than likely this was a pilgrim who had come into Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations and later became a Christian, and was known by Mark.

(v. 24) “And they crucified him,” – None of the Gospel writers provide any details concerning the actual crucifixion. If you were reading the Gospels in the first century you more than likely had some idea of what was involved in the process. “Victims either died from physical trauma, loss of blood, or shock, or succumbed to suffocation when they no longer had the strength to lift themselves up to breathe. There were numerous crucifixion techniques, but the use of nails and a crossbar was common.”[13]

(v. 25) “And it was the third hour when they crucified him,” – 9 am.

Scourging was not enough for the religious leaders, they follow Jesus all the way to the cross. The crowds mock Jesus, the religious leaders stand around in their in their victory – they are finally done with Jesus, their plan had worked, and the fact that God had not stepped in to stop them only reinforces their idea that they are righteous in their actions against Jesus.

If this truly was the Son of God, then the Father would not allow this to happen to His Son, “Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” They ask for one more miracle. Why would God allow His Son to be tortured and mocked this way; why does God the Father not step in and end this? Even those crucified with Jesus mock him.

The chief priests and the scribes say, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross” What they don’t understand is that yes Jesus could come down from the cross, but He chose to stay on the cross, so that others may be saved.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” In order for Jesus to complete his mission of being sent into the world by the Father, He has to stay on the cross.

(v. 26) “And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” – This was supposed to be a deterrent to anyone who saw it; that is what happens to people who oppose Caesar as king. This man claimed to be king (of the Jews) and so he was executed for it. The other gospels tell us that it was written in Aramaic (the common language in Palestine), Latin (the official Roman language), and Greek (the international language of the empire) in order to ensure the widest readership among the thousands of people traveling to Jerusalem.

Everyone who saw the sign was told Jesus said he was the King of the Jews. As we stand at the foot of the cross and look at Jesus, we are faced with the same question, “Was Jesus’ claim to be the Savior of the world true? Was he the true king?

Jesus never married, or had any children. He never owned a home, property, and when find Jesus at the cross, his only earthly possessions are what he wore to his own crucifixion. (v. 24) tells us that the soldiers, “divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take[14](fulfilling yet another prophecy)” One of the benefits of being on crucifixion duty, as a soldier, was that you get to keep the person’s possessions.[15] He literally leaves this world with nothing to His name, except His mission.

Was Jesus successful?

The way we look at history and the course of this world is based on Jesus – there was a time before Jesus (BC) and the time after Jesus (AD) Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord.” It’s 2023, Two thousand and twenty-three years since Jesus came to the earth. Jesus changed everything – He alone provided the way for mankind to be saved from their sins, and have a relationship with God.

_______________________

[1] Rodney L. Cooper, Holman New Testament Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman and Holman, 2000) 253.

[2] Isa. 53:7

[3] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1932) 391.

[4] Andreas J. Köstenberger, The Final Days of Jesus (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway, 2014) 109.

[5] R.T. France, The Gospel of Mark, A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002) 624.

[6] William F. Cook, Jesus’ Final Week, From Triumphal Entry to Empty Tomb (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishing, 2022) 111.

[7] France, 625.

[8] Cook, 111.

[9] Robertson, 393.

[10] Köstenberger,127.

[11] Köstenberger,141.

[12] “The Latin Vulgate translates “skull” as calvarie, from which we get the word Calvary” (Cook, 122).

[13] Köstenberger,152.

[14] Psalm 22:18 “they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

[15] Cook, 124.

“A Gathering in a Garden” Mark 14:32-52

A Gathering in a Garden

Mark 14:32-52

Introduction

The part of Jesus’ life that we will look at this morning if difficult to teach on and explain because it is really beyond any illustration or example that a teacher of God’s Word could point to today. Nothing like what will transpire in the Garden of Gethsemane has ever happened or will ever happen again.

There is no humorous story I can tell, or story from my childhood, or modern day parallel of what Jesus went through that night. We stand back and listen to His Words and see His despair, but are completely unable to understand any of it fully.

There is nothing that has happened in any of our lives that comes anywhere close to what Jesus endures here. So before we look at it, and ask Lord what are we to learn from this let’s pray.

Prayer – Jesus, in Gethsemane we see you ask, if there is any other way for man to be saved other than you having to endure the Father’s wrath upon you, and you ask is there any other way – but there was no other way. You experienced great anguish and terror. Your body was so stressed that you sweat drops of blood. Jesus, we don’t understand what you endured that night, but we thank you. We love you, and show us how to apply your Word to our lives this morning. Amen.

The Cup Bearer (vv. 32-35)

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.”

Gethsemane, means “olive press” and is a garden found in an olive Grove where a press may have been located. It was a place where Jesus went to often to pray, rest, and fellowship with the disciples. It was situated on the Mt. of Olives and sat next to the Temple in the Kidron Valley.

Since Jesus knows that “the hour” is soon approaching, why does he leave a bulk of the disciples behind and only take three? He needed His closet earthly friends, those that “had his back” to support Him, and be with Him during this horrific night.

Jesus came as man’s mediator between man and God. He is fully God and fully man. 1 Timothy 3:16 “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”

1 John 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—.”

In the Garden, we see his full humanity. V. 33 says that Jesus “began to be greatly distressed and troubled” John 14:23 “Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” The only way for The Father to make his home among mankind, is for the Son to lay down His life for them.

Jesus is greatly distressed because He is contemplating the Father’s wrath and the “hour” has now come to be poured out onto Him. Jesus at no other point is distressed, never does He experience terror, no where is he afraid – except here.

For Jesus, as He prays in the Garden, he begins to experience the wrath of God, each moment that goes by from this point onward, the cup is poured out upon Him faster and faster, heavier and heavier upon His head.

We see first that as He begins to approach the hour of the cross, he will do it alone; Everyone will abandon Him. He tells the disciples, v. 27 “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” ²⁹Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” But by the time the rooster had crowed three times, Peter had denied Him, and ran away. Here “the disciples fell asleep.”

Even when He looks them straight in the eye and says, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” they sleep. And v. 50 as the soldiers take Him off, as He appears before Pilate and the Sanhedrin, “Then everyone deserted him and fled.”

Jesus would have to endure God’s wrath upon Him all alone. There would be no friends, no disciples, no angels – He would stand and be crushed all alone. Jesus cries out, “³⁶“Abba [Daddy], Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Matthew 3:16-17 “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Every time Jesus has even prayed and talked to the Father, he was encouraged, was told what was to happen next, told what to do, ministered to, they had a perfect relationship – but now there is no answer, only silence. The Father has begun to look away from His Son, the wrath is beginning to fall in the Garden – and he is all alone.

We also see that for Jesus, there is great distress of His soul. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” This time was not a surprise, He had warned the disciples. Jesus knew that He would lay down His death for mankind. From Jesus’ perspective He is beginning to endure this “cup” of God’s wrath, all alone.

In Mark 10:32 Jesus is leading the way to Jerusalem, to His death. Jesus leads the way in His own death march. During the Last Supper Jesus leads them in hymns and songs as they exit the room to go to the garden. Even afterwards, it is Jesus who leads the way toward Judas, (v. 42) “Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand!”

But only here there is there deep sorrow, and being washed over by horror. Why? Jesus is getting a foretaste of what it means to be the world’s sin bearer. The cup has begun to be poured out upon Him. My sin caused Jesus to be filled with horror and anguish when He glimpsed into the pit of God’s wrath.

This is what my sin required – Jesus’ suffering was required in order for me to be forgiven. Are you moved by His love for you this morning?

Jesus said, “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” As He takes in all that He was about to endure from the Father and for us, He stumbles. He does not stumble into sin, but under the weight and pain He was about to endure. He knows there is no way, but He asks – is there any other way? But there is no answer, there is no other way.

So, He resolved to drink the cup of wrath dry, so that you may drink the cup of salvation. He said, I will do whatever is required for them to be saved. I will endure this for them. It is the only way – if there had been some other way, at that moment the Father would have said something. There was no other way.

The Sleeper (vv. 36-42)

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.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “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. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Every time we see the disciples in this passage, they are asleep. Jesus returns to them on three different occasions, and finds them asleep. Why is this detail given? Because it shows us from whose perspective we are to receive this passage. Jesus is at the hardest time in His life here in this earth – and He is all alone.

His “soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” and no one is there to help Him. He tells them, but they are so consumed with their physical condition, that now they are only focused on themselves. They had just eaten a large dinner, they had been ministering with Christ all day, and now they were sleepy.

Jesus begs them to pray, but they sleep. Jesus is experiencing the wrath of God upon His life, His sorrow is overwhelming, but he stops praying on three different occasions to minister to the disciples. Those that He knew would abandon Him, and would not even pray when He asked them to, He goes back, and goes back, and goes back again to minister to them.

Peter, James, John – wake up, you need to pray – something very important is about to happen. I am about to die, and you need to be ready! Would they have been so fearful afterwards had they prayed that night? Would they have scattered so quickly, if they had prayed? Would they have lacked hope, had they prayed that night?

We must recognize His love for us in His darkest hour. Jesus endured this horrific time in His life because of His love for you and for me. Receive His care for you in your darkest hour. Jesus knows suffering and is more than able to minister to you.

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

After this initial tremor of the crucifixion that was to come, an angel went and ministered to Jesus. But you know what, when we enter our darkest hour – we have someone infinitely better than an angel – we have Jesus Himself, who is not sleeping but 1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Jesus speaks to the Father on our behalf. When the accuser, Satan flails and points out our sin to the Father, Jesus leans over, “He’s one that you gave me, I took care of that sin.” The Righteous One, speaks on our behalf.

Once He has wakened the disciples on three occasions, he says, “Enough! The hour has come.” Jesus had begged them to pray during this time, but the time for prayer was over – now there was a series of events that were about to unfold that the disciples would have to endure with no prayer.

The Betrayer (43-52)

“And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled. 51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.”

Judas goes at once to Jesus and kisses his cheek and calls Him Rabbi. Rabbi was a common expression to your teacher. Jesus had taught Judas as a teacher for three and half years. Judas was there as Jesus explained the meaning of life, what His parables meant – he was on the inside, a part of the inner circle of Christ’s teaching ministry.

Jesus would be poured out as an offering for mankind, but Jesus had poured Himself into Judas – only 1 of 12 in all the world had this kind of access to Jesus. Jesus was Judas’ teacher.

A kiss was a common way for a disciple to greet his teacher, is intimate between two people. The Greek indicates that this was not a peck, but a prolonged kiss on Christ’s cheek.

Judas draws from his knowledge of Jesus and His patterns of life. In order to betray Jesus he wanted a place where he knew that he would be (Jesus would go there to pray) and where there would few people (Jesus went there often with His disciples.

Judas was one of the few who had this intimate relationship with Jesus. Not just everyone would know where they could find Jesus, and not just anyone could go up to a Rabbi and kiss their cheek – only one their disciples. What makes this such a bitter betrayal is that Judas used His knowledge and intimacy with Christ in order to betray Him.

Not only would Jesus have to endure isolation, agony of His soul, the wrath of the Father, but He would be betrayed by one who He opened His heart and life to (He only did this with 12 people). These 12 knew Jesus better than anyone else on the planet and one of them would betray Him, One would deny Him three times, all would leave Him.

This is why when we sin, it so horrific. We who Jesus endured all these things for, we who Jesus draws us close for a close relationship and friendship. We who know him like the world does not, when we sin we betray Him. We call Him teacher, Savior, and kiss His cheek – only to hand Him over be crucified.

Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”

Conclusion

What do we do with Christ asking us to pray? What do we do with Christ’s agony and anguish in the Garden, and the fact that it was all because of us? What do we do with the knowledge that we ridicule and betray Christ every time we sin?

Seek His face today. Seek the face of one who willingly gave His life for you, because He loves the Father and followed in obedience and loves you. Ask for His forgiveness, not in a way of saying “teacher,” that you really don’t mean it, but with a “broken and contrite heart.” Ask for His forgiveness and thank Him for His precious gift that He gave us.

Romans 3:22-23 “. . . the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for fall have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. . .”

“Extravagant Love and Expected Betrayal” Mark 14:1-21

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

“Extravagant Love and Expected Betrayal”

Mark 14:1-21

1) Devious Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus (vv. 1-2)

It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”

Scholars believe that numbers of pilgrims would have been between 150,000 to 250,000 people crowding into the Temple complex. So, the religious leaders decided that they would not arrest Jesus during the Passover week of celebrations. Their fear was that a riot would start, because of his popularity amongst the people, and then the Romans would get involved, which would be very, very bad, especially for the religious leadership.[1]

Remember on Sunday of this same week (Mark 11), the people had praised Jesus, yelling “Hosanna,” waived palm branches, and laid their clothes down in the street before Him as he entered, as a king, into Jerusalem.

The religious leaders have held meetings, and plotted and schemed to come up with a way to trap Jesus, and all their plans have failed, until Judas, one of Jesus’ own disciples, is going to present them with a new plan, a new way to get Jesus, and it will cause them to reconsider.

2) Devoted Follower Seeks to Honor Jesus (v. 3-9)

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

The presence of an unnamed woman (John tells us that it is Mary, Lazarus’ sister) was most unusual; “Jewish women did not ordinarily attend banquets with men except in the capacity of servants. Jesus has also told the disciples, not necessarily in private that there was a crisis coming.

He told them that he would die, but they weren’t comprehending it. Mary probably didn’t comprehend it either, but she knew something bad was coming, so she took an unusual step. Luke 10:39 also says that Mary listened to Jesus’ teaching, “And she (Martha) had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.” “Mary is mentioned three times in the Gospels; each time she is at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:31-32; 12:1-8). Mary loved Jesus.”[2]

Jesus responds by saying, “she took beforehand to anoint my body for the burial.” She anticipated the event. Matthew 26:12 says of this same event, “In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.”[3]

The “alabaster jar” was a flask with a long neck and no handles, and it was sealed to preserve the ointment.” Nard was an aromatic oil extracted from a root found primarily in India – thus its costliness.”[4] When she broke the flask the smell spread throughout the entire house.

(v. 4) “There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?” – Just like the nard smell spread, “Judas uncorks the vial of his poison, and the vile odor begins to spread.”[5] Mark tells us that there were more than one of the disciples felt that she had wasted money in this way, but the gospel of John specifically points to Judas and gives us insight into his heart.

John 12:4-6 discussing this same event, “But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.”

Mark’s account seems to emphasize that the disciple’s objection was not the act but the extravagance of the act. Also, the chief person criticizing Mary “And they scolded her” had already made plans to betray Jesus. How delusional and self-righteous is that? The others jumped on his bandwagon – so just be careful, when someone seems to be righteous and is criticizing another for their extravagant love for God. Also, Jesus allowed Mary to do this, so they are criticizing Jesus too – they are standing up for the poor! Judas is implying that Jesus is robbing from the poor.[6]

(v. 7) Jesus is referring to Deuteronomy 15:11 “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’”

(v. 8) “she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.” – the word used for anointed speaks of anointing a corpse according to the Jewish custom. The verb is related to the noun for myrrh and points to anointing with perfume. It is also, the women who go to prepare Jesus’ body after the crucifixion. So, it was culturally a woman’s task to anoint the body of loved ones at death. So, Mary’s presence at the banquet would have been unusual, but not once it was explained that she was preparing Jesus’ body for burial.

You may remember at Jesus’ birth narrative, in Matthew 2:10 that wise men “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold (because he was a king) and frankincense (because he was a priest) and myrrh (because he would die for the world).”

Remember that Mark is not overly concerned about a correct timeline, but to help us understand who Jesus is: so, Mark contrasts Mary’s anointing of Jesus with this expensive perfume, with Judas’ betrayal. She is thankful for Jesus raising her brother from the dead, and believes him to be the Messiah, she has listened to His words of his coming death – Judas also believes Jesus to be the Messiah, but he feels that Jesus owes him something, so when he doesn’t get it; he betrays him.

(v. 8) Jesus also says that “She has done what she could” – she sat at Jesus’ feet, she understood that something was coming, she thought to herself, “what can I do” to honor Jesus? Was the alabaster jar left from Lazarus’ burial, she never got to use it on her brother, because Jesus brought him back from the dead? Who knows where she got the perfume – but that’s what she could do. She had the perfume with her.

The phrase “what she could do,” is “not referring to a general action, but when an opportunity arrived, she not only was ready, saw and embraced it, but went to the limit of her ability, and in fact, would have done more if it had been possible.”[7]

Have you done what you can do to honor Jesus?

(v. 9) “And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” – if they had taken the alabaster jar of pure nard and sold it for a year’s wages, they would have fed many poor people. But “Mary did infinitely more for the poor by the act of that day than she could have done” by giving them the jar. “That would have relieved only a few of them, and only for a little while, and it would soon have been forgotten. But her act of sacrificial love has inspired ten thousand deeds of unselfishness.”[8]

“We learn from her that it is not always necessary to defend ourselves – our good actions speak for themselves, and the only thing essential is that Jesus approves them.”[9]

3) Disgruntled Disciple Seeks to Betray Jesus (v. 10-11)

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

(v. 11) “they promised to give him money” – Matthew 26:15 tells us that it was for thirty pieces of silver. Judas had already made up his mind to betray Jesus before money or the amount was agreed upon. Judas getting money was a side effect. Yes, he was greedy, and a thief – but the most he would ever get was 30 pieces of silver – if he wanted to be rich, that didn’t help get him there. After all that Judas had seen and experienced with Jesus, as one of the twelve, why did he betray Jesus?

Judas didn’t get from Jesus something he wanted, after all he went on the ride, stayed on the ride, and only now wants to jump off. It is at this point of the journey Judas knew he would never get what he wanted from Jesus, so he tries to get something from the three years he feels he has wasted (which turns out to be thirty pieces of silver).

What did Judas want, that he knew Jesus would never give him?

Judas had experienced Jesus casting out demons, raising the dead, healing countless sick people, controlling the weather, feeding thousands, and he had even sent them out where “So they [the disciples] went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:12-13). Judas had experienced what it was like to be in the presence of God, the Son of God chose him to be one of only 12 men to be His disciple, to see Him do mighty deeds, and to be trusted by God to speak and have authority in His name – yet there is still something else, something more, Judas wants. What more could Jesus possibly give him?

There was even the promise from Jesus of even greater things, than what they had experienced, John 14:12-14 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” Judas was destined for one of the twelve apostolic thrones in heaven (Matt. 19:28).

Luke 22:3-4 “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.” John 13:2, 27 “During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, . . . Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” So, the devil made him do it? No, In both of these verses, Satan entered Judas after he had this realization that Jesus would not give him what he wanted. But Judas is being used as an instrument of Satan because he has opened himself up to it.

What is the root of betrayal?

We are supposed to compare Mary’s act of anointing Jesus with perfume with Judas’ betrayal. Jesus is the focus of Mary’s extravagance – Judas wanted the money for himself. Judas believes that Jesus exists for him, Mary believes that she exists to worship Jesus. Those are two radically different mindsets.

In a marriage if the other person exists to make you happy, then eventually you will grow frustrated and look for others who will satisfy you. However, if you believe that you exist to love another completely, and for you to pour out your love with extravagance, then betrayal is far from your mind. You are trying to find ways to lift up your partner, not how to use them to get something you want.

I think this is the root of Judas’ betrayal – Jesus existed to give Judas what he wanted, so when he was not the Messiah Judas thought He should be, and when Jesus didn’t follow the plan Judas thought he should follow, and when Jesus didn’t make him wealthy, etc. whatever the itch was – the world exists for Judas and is supposed to revolve around Judas, and when he didn’t get that, he betrayed the Son of God.

How do you respond when you don’t get what you want from God?

4) Disguised Comments of Grace Given (vv. 12-21)

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve.

18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me[10].” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

(v. 12) The Passover meal, according to the Jewish law, had to be eaten within the Jerusalem walls of the city; so the disciples ask Jesus where they should celebrate the meal.[11] “The food consisted of roasted lamb, unleavened bread, and the dish of bitter herbs (Ex. 12:8-20). The lamb reminded the Jews of the blood that was applied to the doorposts of their homes to keep the angel of death from slaying their firstborn. The bread was unleavened to remind them of the haste in which they left Egypt (Ex. 12:39). The bitter herbs spoke of their suffering as Pharoah’s slaves.”[12]

(v. 18) Jesus begins the meal by declaring, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” This is important for later because Jesus wants them to know that He is aware of the betrayal but He is not going to do anything to stop it. He has been telling them that the “Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago.”

But even here, Jesus has let Judas know that He knows of his betrayal, but it’s still not too late, Judas can still repent, fall at Jesus’ feet and be pardoned. Even when Judas leaves the meal, the disciples think Jesus has asked him to run an errand, or do something for the poor.

(v. 19) “They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” – Each disciple, one after, another asked “is it me?” Imagine Judas’ thoughts as each disciple askes, one after the other – then the question circle gets to him. Matthew 26:25 tells us that Judas even asked Jesus, “Is it I?”

(v. 20) Then Jesus speaks, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.”[13] – The meal would have a common bowl of bitter herbs that they would dip their bread into as part of the meal. “To betray a friend after eating a meal with him was, and still is, regarded as the worst kind of treachery in the Middle East.”

(v. 21) “For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him,” – All of this has been planned out by God ahead of time, and His divine purpose is being carried out. “What happens to the Son of Man does not just happen.”

Isaiah 53:12 “. . . yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” Another translation is “And he bore the sins of many and was delivered up because of their iniquities.” Being “delivered up” is the path that the Son of Man has to travel – but “woe to that man” who actually is the one who delivers the Son of Man up.

Judas’ betrayal of Jesus shows us that simply being around Jesus, and knowing a lot about Jesus, even doing things in His name, does not save a person. There must be a response of faith and love.

____________________

[1] Darrell L. Bock, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, The Gospel of Mark (Carol Stream, Illinois; 2005) 525.

[2] Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; B&H Publishing Group) 234.

[3] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930, 380.

[4] James A. Brooks, The New American Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1991) 222.

[5] R. C. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Mark’s Gospel (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1964) 601.

[6] Lenski, 602.

[7] Lenski, 604.

[8] W. N. Clarke, An American Commentary on the New Testament, Commentary on the Gospel of Mark (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Judson Press, 1950) 204.

[9] Lenski, 603.

[10] Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”

[11] Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1984) 758.

[12] Anders, 236.

[13] “The point in so emphasizing the fact that the traitor was one of the twelve, who thus ate from the same bowl as Jesus, is the resemblance of Judas to Ahitophel, the man who ate at David’s table and then turned traitor to David. He is the prototype of Judas; Judas was the second Ahitophel” (Linski, 616).

Leaders Who Hold On Too Tight For Too Long

In Mark 12 we find Jesus teaching in the temple during the week leading up to Passover. This is the week that the Jewish believers would remember how God had passed over the homes who had marked their doorpost with blood (see Exodus 12) and it involved a special symbolic meal that represented various things around that historical event. During this week Jesus would teach in the temple during the day, and it was during this time that he overturned the tables of moneychangers, drove out livestock traders, and kept people from cutting through the Gentile court (Mark 11).

Trying to trap Jesus various religious groups came up to him with scenarios, theological and political questions, and each time Jesus skillfully escaped their word games. By Mark 14 and in other gospels we are told that they were trying to develop a plan to kill him. So what was the disconnect between Jesus and these Jewish religious groups – didn’t they have the same law of Moses?

At the end of the day you can boil it all down to one word – influence. Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah – the promised king who would bring salvation to His people. He proved this by teaching “as one who had authority,” and performing miracles (casting out demons, raising the dead, healing the blind and sick, controlling weather, multiplying bread and fish to feed thousands, etc.).

These religious leaders were trying to kill Jesus because he threatened their influence over the people. When John the Baptist faced this same situation early in Jesus’ ministry he came to the conclusion, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Understanding who Jesus was and John’s role as preparing the way for Jesus, when it was time for him to step aside and let Jesus take the spotlight, John stepped aside. So from a leadership perspective . . .

How do you know if you are being like the Pharisees or John the Baptist?

We all know of leaders who held on too long – they may have been the founder, planter, original leader, or just in the same position for a long time, but their ability to take the ministry, church, organization has been overshadowed by the job itself (it has grown past their ability or skillset).

(1) Have You Clearly Heard From the Lord? Ministry is hard, and there will always be tough issues to work through. So, the spiritual leader must understand their role in the organization and execute that to their fullest. In ministry, I have experienced the Lord telling me to hang on and keep going, and there have been times when He has said, “Drew, your time here is over.” Keep praying until you clearly hear one or the other.

(2) Are You Afraid to Surround Yourself With Great Leaders? Bad leaders feel threatened by new leaders who seek excellence, are growing and developing – while they decline and are becoming obsolete. Good leaders try to sure up where they are weak, and put people where they have blind spots. If you feel so threatened by people who are better at things than you are, then it may be time to step aside. Part of this concept is raising up new leaders, to eventually replace you or to multiply the work. If a person is so threatened to mentor another, then they are keeping the organization stagnant on purpose.

(3) Why Do You Do What You Do? When John the Baptist would preach and baptize people Mark tells us that, “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.” This would have been thousands of people traveling out to the wilderness just to see, hear, and be baptized by John. If John had been a prideful man, then all that popularity and influence would have been very difficult to let it go.

For the Pharisees, Sadducees, high priests, scribes, etc. this influence was intoxicating to them – they loved it. Jesus even said, Matthew 23:5-7 “They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.” This is something about leadership that is hard to identify when you are in the moment – you may not see how people’s response to you drives your reason for serving in a particular position.

(4) Are You In Touch With Reality? The Pharisees, Sadducees, High Priests, and Scribes had to ignore all the miracles, fulfilled prophecies, and clear signs that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Even at the testimony of the guards who saw Jesus rise from the dead, they paid them off to say the disciples came and moved the body. They ignored reality because they wanted to hang on to power and influence.

Take a good hard look at your current situation – are you having to overlook constant and clear signs that it is time for you to go, or do you see how God is using you to move the needle, and push the organization forward? Don’t ignore what is right in front of your face, so that you can hold on to power and influence. Ups and Downs are a part of any organization, so don’t be discouraged if you are “down.” If you are called to be there, surrounding yourself with good leaders, taking solid steps forward then hang on, and learning as-you-go then it will get better.

Remember, you are in between the last leader, and the one that will come after you. Therefore, you are a steward of the organization now, but you will not be there forever. So, leave it better than you found it.

“Questions” Mark 12:13-34

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

“Questions”

Mark 12:13-34

Introduction

I want us to begin our study of Mark 12:13-34 by jumping to v. 30-31, we will look at the heart of this body of Mark’s gospel because it will help us better understand it, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In whatever theological, political, historical, or personal opinion you or I may have – everything that we are and do, should come from a complete love of God, and for our fellow man (regardless of color, nation of origin, level of income, or beliefs).

Prayer

Are You a Republican or a Democrat? (vv. 13-17)

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

With this first group (there are three separate encounters that Mark gives us), we see that they are sent (from a larger group), with the specific task of trapping Jesus “in his talk.” They are trying to get Jesus to make an unguarded statement, to slip up, that they could use against Him. They want a sound bite that they can replay again, and again, to destroy Jesus’ credibility.

Luke calls this group, “spies who feigned themselves to be righteous,” and their plot was to deliver Jesus into the hands of the governor. The Herodians were strangers to Jesus, and would have served as witnesses whose word would have gone further than any of the Pharisees with the governor. They are pretending to have this argument between their groups, and want Jesus to help them settle the dispute.[1] They are trying to camouflage their true intent.

“The land of Palestine was under the rule of the Romans, and the Jews were essentially captives under the rule of the Romans. Some Jews went along with this quite willingly, and as a consequence were able to profit considerably (tax gatherers, etc.).”[2] Other Jews resisted and fought against the Romans. This was a question about a poll tax imposed on the Jewish people by the Roman government.

By the time of Jesus, the poll had been in place beginning around 6AD. It led to a revolt in Jerusalem in 66AD, revolutionaries found a following, and eventually was one of the major factors leading to the destruction of the temple in 70AD. It also, led to a group called the Zealots – which was a political patriotic Jewish group.

The Zealots refused to pay the tax because it acknowledged Caesar’s domination over them. They would not even look upon a coin which bore an image.[3] A Jewish person had to pay the annual tribute in the emperor’s silver coins.[4] “This question was therefore an essentially political one, aimed to elicit Jesus’ stance with regard to the ‘Zealot’ ideology.[5]

We have seen a hint of this ideology in Mark 6:42 ff. as the feeding of the feeding of the five thousand miracle was drawing to a close, “And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. 45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.”

Why did Jesus push the disciples to leave? Because there were a group there that were trying to force Jesus to start a revolution (according to their ideology), so Jesus stopped that group, but He didn’t want the disciples, at that point, to get caught up in the politics.

As a Galilean Jesus would not have been required to pay the poll tax, which applied only to those residing in areas under direct Roman authority (like Judea). But they want to use his answer against Him. This could have been his out to this question – it doesn’t affect me, so I’m not going to answer.

Judas of Galilee (not Jesus’ disciple) had led a revolt in 6AD and for him the issue had been as much theological as political. “The historian Josephus described his [Judas] calling to revolt in these terms: ‘He called his fellow countrymen cowards for being willing to pay tribute to the Romans and for putting up with mortal masters in place of God. The theology underlying such language is that allegiance to God and Rome as a pagan occupying power are fundamentally incompatible.”[6]

There is no answer that Jesus could give that would make everyone happy. If Jesus said ‘yes’ then he would alienate the Jewish patriots. If Jesus said ‘no’ then he could be reported to the authorities as a rebel.

(v. 15) “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one.” The coin had a stamped faced of Tiberius, and said, “Son of the divine Augustus.” For a Jewish person, it would have been religiously and politically offensive – it was carrying around a ‘graven image’ and that a man was claiming to be God. The Jewish people avoided this by carrying another copper currency – but the Pharisees and Herodians have no problem getting their hands on a denarius. Jesus wasn’t carrying this idolatrous coin, but one them had one very handy.

But Jesus is actually making an even deeper statement, than just catching them in their hypocrisy, by requesting the coin. (v. 17) “Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” – Jesus is saying that there can be obligations to the state (honor to those who hold positions, paying required taxes, following the law), and to God, and both can be maintained at the same time.[7]

To be loyal to God, does not necessarily mean civil disobedience (because the government is not theocracy). The coin bears the image of Caesar, what image does your heart bear? The Zealots would only be happy when the kingdom returns to a theocracy run by a king (either what we want, exactly how we feel it should be, or nothing).

Who are the Zealots of today? These are those that claim to be Christian, but cannot even look at, interact with, a society they feel has compromised their interpretation of Scripture. They do not completely love God, and they do not love their neighbor as much as they love themselves.

(v. 17) “And they marveled at him,” is their response to Jesus’ ability to escape their trap. This issue is much more important that Jesus doing verbal judo. How we deal with the issue of politics shows the world our heart towards God, and towards our fellow man. Bellevue Baptist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ, and we must be careful that in our disciple making process ends where our personal opinions, emotions, feelings, begin. Our means of shaping the world is the gospel, when we get the voting booth and the baptistry mixed up – we are headed toward decline.

What Are Your Pronouns? (vv. 18-27)

18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died.[8] 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

First off, the Sadducees did not even believe in an afterlife, nor a resurrection. So, the fact that they design their question around the resurrection, “who say that there is no resurrection” Mark is showing us their hypocrisy and warns us that they are trying to trap Jesus. But instead of it being a political trap, this question is a theological trap.

The issue that the Sadducees bring up is “what happens with relationships, specifically marriage bonds, in the afterlife?” If a person marries, and then remarries, etc. who will be their spouse in eternity? They remove the question of whether the marriages are legitimate by crafting a scenario based on a passage of Scripture.

It is a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 25:5-6, “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.” There was the cultural belief that the man lives on through the continuation of the family line.

Jesus suggests that the earthly perspective is not an appropriate view in eternity. Individuals will not be bonded together, but will be individuals, like angels (Luke tells us that the Sadducees don’t believe in angels). Earthly life is temporary; therefore, children need to be brought into this world for repopulation. God has established marriage as the context, between a man and woman, to raise that child. But in heaven, this will not be the case.

This question focuses on a current controversy on which the dominant groups in Jerusalem were sharply divided. So, again if he chooses one side over the other, then Jesus becomes alienated from the opposing side of the argument.

But, Jesus seeks to respond not only to the surface level question, but also to the foundational belief underneath. He says they are wrong for a couple of reasons, “because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God

(v. 26) “‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?” – Jesus is referencing the scene of Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:6. God has been the guide, the protector, the sustainer, helper, etc. of the fathers, and God promises salvation and deliverance to His people. “If God has assumed the task of protecting the patriarchs from misfortune during the course of their life, but fails to deliver them from the supreme misfortune which marks the definitive and absolute check upon their hopes, his protection is of little value.”[9]

If the death of these men (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) is the last word of their history, there has been a serious breach of the promises God guaranteed by the covenant.

(v. 27) “He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” – If a person thinks that this is all that there is, there is nothing waiting for them but for them to cease to exist, then Jesus says, “you are quite wrong.” If you believe that your decisions and actions on this earth, mean noting after you draw your last breath, then “you are quite wrong.”

Jesus has told the disciples that He will die, but will be raised again three days later, and if you think that his death burial and resurrection mean nothing to you, except how you live now, “you are quite wrong.” God is the God of the living, Jesus is alive, everyone who has every been born in this world is alive – if you know Christ, you have life (eternal), and if you are not saved, then you still have life eternal, but you are eternally separated from God, which is what the Bible calls hell.

Jesus is not cute in his response to the Sadducees, he says, (v. 25) “For when they rise from the dead” – where we spend eternity is not a question of if, but when. We are not talking about how many angels can fit on the head of a needle (who cares), but where you spend eternity is incredibly important to know and understand. God keeps His promises in this life, and in the life to come.

Who Are the Sadducees of Today? They brought certain presuppositions to the Scripture (anti-supernatural, no afterlife, no angels, etc.) so that when they opened up the Scriptures, they ignored what was right in front of them, because of the false beliefs they brought with them.

They deceive themselves by drawing a false conclusion from Duet. 25:5, and Jesus replies, “because you did not know the Scriptures.” When one does not believe the Word of God, or so mishandles it, one will not have “the power of God.”

Remember Satan appealed the Scriptures when he tempted Jesus – “the Saduccees are appealing to the Scriptures falsely; Jesus crushed their argument by appealing to the Scriptures truly.”[10]

Where Should I Focus My Life? (vv. 28-34)

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices[11].” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Mark now gives us, yet another religious leader (a scribe) but their interaction is quite different from the previous two. The scribe is moved by Jesus’ previous responses, which leads him to ask his own question, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” The Jewish law included 613 commandments, so it is understandable that someone may want to group them and organize them in some way, and “He seems to be asking Jesus what he understood to be the fundamental purpose and character of the law.”[12]

The rabbis often discussed which commandments were “heavy” and which ones were “lite,” and sometimes ranked certain categories of the law as more essential than others.[13]

(v. 33) “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” – all is repeated four times, we are to be completely, wholly devoted to God. Everything that makes a person is to be fully devoted to the relationship with God. “The four following phrases are not condensed: ‘out of thy whole heart, soul, mind, and strength,’ but are spread out so as to put emphasis on each one.”[14] Also, heart is first, then soul, then mind, and last strength.

The scribe, in spite of all the plotting and scheming to trap with words, and seeking to kill Jesus (that he is more than likely aware of) – this scribe is able to see past all out that hear Jesus’ words, see his reaction to the hate, and begins to open his heart to the Savior. The scribe is able to cut through the politics, the doctrinal differences, the hateful statements – all of it. Jesus’ response to this man is not the same as the others – He does not lump all religious leaders together. He is gentle, conversational, and complementary.

(v. 34) “when Jesus saw that he answered wisely” – the original language uses the word “nounechos, from nous (intellect) and echo (to have). Using the mind to good effect is what the adverb means.”[15] “When Jesus saw that he had used his brain . . .”

“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”— The scribe is so close, what is his next step? He needed to realize that he had not loved God nor his neighbor in the way God commands, he would realize that he has sinned against God. He needed a Savior – he was there right in front of him, “not far.”

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[1] R. C. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Mark’s Gospel (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1964) 517.

[2] Larry W. Hurtado, New International Biblical Commentary, Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishing, 1989) 192.

[3] William L. Lane, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993) 423.

[4] Hurtado, 192.

[5] R.T. France, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002) 465.

[6] France, 465.

[7] Romans 13:1-17; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Tim. 2:1-6; Titus 3:1f.

[8] The Sadducees are attempting to use reductio ad absurdum to prove their side of the argument.

[9]

[10] Lenski, 530.

[11] 1 Sam. 15:22

[12] Larry W. Hurtado, New International Biblical Commentary, Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, 2001) 200.

[13] France, 477. One method was to judge by the severity of the penalty attached. Thus some teachers magnified the commandments about the sacrifices, other Sabbath laws, others the law and regulations about circumcision.” (Lenski, 535).

[14] Lenski, 538.

[15] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 369.