New Testament Studies: Mark (16): Chapter 14 v1 to 52 -- David Pawson

Summary

The video script provides a detailed narrative of events from Mark Chapter 14, focusing on the final days of Jesus Christ leading up to the Passover. It describes the anointing of Jesus by a woman with expensive nard, the criticism of this act by Judas and others, and Jesus' defense of the woman's pious gesture. The script delves into the plot to arrest Jesus, his Last Supper with his disciples, the prediction of his betrayal, and the emotional turmoil Jesus experiences in the Garden of Gethsemane. It also touches on the themes of disciples' denial and flight, the arrest of Jesus, and the poignant moment of Judas' kiss of betrayal. The narrative emphasizes the human and divine aspects of Jesus, his ultimate sacrifice, and the spiritual lessons and opportunities for reflection these events present for believers.

Takeaways

• 📜 The narrative from Mark chapter 14 is a focal point, detailing the events two days before the Passover, leading to Jesus' arrest and the Last Supper.
• 🕯️ A woman's act of anointing Jesus with expensive nard is highlighted as a beautiful, timely, discerning, and memorable deed, symbolizing preparation for Jesus' burial.
• 💰 Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus for money is contrasted with the woman's selfless act, underscoring the theme of greed and the moral choices made by those around Jesus.
• ✝️ The Last Supper is portrayed as a new covenant, with bread and wine symbolizing Jesus' body and blood, and is a meal that looks forward to the Kingdom of God.
• 😔 The disciples' failure to stay awake with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, despite their willingness, demonstrates the human struggle between spiritual commitment and physical weakness.
• 🗣️ Peter's adamant denial of Jesus, despite his earlier assurances of loyalty, is a poignant example of the frailty of human nature and the stark contrast to Jesus' unwavering commitment.
• 🙏 Jesus' prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane reveal his deep anguish and the weight of the impending sacrifice, as he faces the prospect of being forsaken by God.
• 🔪 The arrest of Jesus is described, with references to the use of force and the irony of Judas' kiss as a sign of betrayal, highlighting the depth of the spiritual conflict.
• 🏃 The flight of the disciples, including a young man (believed to be John Mark) who follows and loses his clothing, illustrates the fear and the human instinct for self-preservation.
• 🕊️ Jesus' rebuke to the arresting party for their show of force and the subsequent healing of the high priest's slave's ear demonstrate his authority and compassion.
• ✍️ The Gospel of Mark, attributed to John Mark, is presented as a first-hand account, inviting readers to personally engage with the events and reflect on their spiritual significance.

Q & A

What is the significance of the alabaster jar of ointment in Mark chapter 14?

The alabaster jar of ointment represents a significant act of devotion and sacrifice, as it was very costly. The woman, believed to be Mary, breaks the jar and pours the ointment on Jesus' head as an act of worship and preparation for his burial, signifying the imminent sacrifice Jesus was about to make.

Why did the disciples criticize the woman for using the ointment?

The disciples, led by Judas, criticized the woman for what they perceived as wastefulness. They argued that the ointment, worth a year's wages, could have been sold and the money given to the poor, not recognizing the symbolic importance of her act of anointing Jesus.

What was Jesus' response to the disciples' criticism of the woman's act?

Jesus defended the woman's action, stating that she had done a beautiful thing for him. He emphasized the importance of her deed, saying it was done to prepare his body for burial. Moreover, he noted that while the poor would always be present, he would not, highlighting the unique and timely nature of her act.

How did Judas Iscariot's actions contribute to the plot of Mark chapter 14?

Judas Iscariot's actions are pivotal as he decides to betray Jesus to the chief priests for money. His betrayal sets in motion the events that lead to Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, making Judas a central figure in the unfolding drama of Jesus' final days.

What does the preparation of the Passover meal reveal about Jesus' control over events?

Jesus' detailed instructions for preparing the Passover meal demonstrate his foreknowledge and control over the events leading to his crucifixion. He orchestrates the timing and location to ensure that his final meal with the disciples happens without interruption from Judas or the authorities.

What is the significance of Jesus' prediction about Peter's denial?

Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him three times before the rooster crows, which underscores the theme of human weakness and fear. Despite Peter's protests of unwavering loyalty, Jesus' accurate prediction highlights his divine insight and the inevitable fulfillment of prophecy.

What does Jesus mean by referring to the 'cup' he wishes to pass in Gethsemane?

The 'cup' Jesus refers to symbolizes the suffering and divine wrath he is to endure on the cross for humanity's sins. His request to let this cup pass, yet submitting to God's will, illustrates his human vulnerability and obedience to his divine mission.

Why did Jesus choose to go to Gethsemane after the Last Supper?

Jesus goes to Gethsemane to pray, seek solitude, and prepare spiritually for the ordeal of his crucifixion. It is a place of deep anguish where he confronts the full weight of what he is about to endure, highlighted by his intense prayer and the emotional support he seeks from his closest disciples.

How does the narrative of Mark chapter 14 contrast the reactions of different characters to Jesus?

The narrative contrasts the deep devotion and understanding of the woman with the alabaster jar against the betrayal of Judas and the misunderstanding and eventual denial of Jesus by his disciples. These reactions highlight the range of human responses to Jesus' mission and character.

What does the scattering of Jesus' disciples after his arrest signify?

The scattering of the disciples after Jesus' arrest fulfills the prophecy that the shepherd will be struck and the sheep will scatter. It signifies the profound fear and confusion among the disciples, illustrating their human frailty and the disintegration of the group in the face of crisis.

Outlines

00:00

📖 The Conspiracies and Sacrifices of Mark Chapter 14

This segment covers the beginning of Mark 14, where the chief priests and scribes plot to arrest Jesus stealthily to avoid public tumult during Passover. At Bethany, a woman anoints Jesus with expensive ointment, which some onlookers consider wasteful, though Jesus defends her act as preparation for his burial. The narrative then shifts to Judas Iscariot's betrayal, where he agrees to betray Jesus for money, showcasing his greed and the unfolding of biblical prophecy.

05:03

🕊️ The Symbolism and Significance of the Passover

The speaker reflects on the deep symbolism of the Passover, linking it to the crucifixion of Jesus. He explains how the Passover celebrates liberation from slavery, drawing parallels between the ancient Jewish observance and Jesus’ last supper, which represents a new covenant. The discussion includes personal anecdotes about observing Jewish customs and the ongoing significance of these traditions in remembering and reinterpreting pivotal biblical events.

10:05

🌿 Reflections in the Garden of Gethsemane

This part of the script delves into the intense moments at the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus, deeply distressed, prays for the cup of suffering to pass but submits to God's will. The disciples struggle to stay awake, highlighting their human frailty. The betrayal by Judas reaches its climax when he arrives with a crowd to arrest Jesus, using a kiss as a signal, which Jesus condemns as a profound act of betrayal.

15:07

💔 Betrayal and Reflection at Bethany

The narrative explores a poignant evening at Bethany, where Jesus is anointed by Mary with costly perfume, an act seen by others as wasteful but defended by Jesus as timely and profound, acknowledging her insight into his impending death. The scene contrasts Mary’s devotion with Judas’s betrayal, showcasing differing responses to Jesus’s fate. This part emphasizes the personal and communal implications of these actions, both in scriptural context and spiritual reflection.

20:07

👺 The Contradiction of Judas's Betrayal

This segment critically views Judas’s decision to betray Jesus for money, discussing broader societal attempts to reinterpret Judas’s motives. It reflects on the human tendency to justify greed and betrayal by altering narratives. The speaker also contrasts Judas’s actions with the genuine, costly devotion shown by others, using this comparison to delve deeper into the complexities of human character and the profound lessons of these biblical events.

25:09

🕯️ The Upper Room: A Night of Covenant and Betrayal

In this passage, the preparations for the Last Supper in the upper room are detailed, including Jesus’s strategic instructions to Peter and John to ensure secrecy from Judas. The narrative highlights Jesus’s control over the events and his poignant declaration of impending betrayal among his disciples, which deeply troubles them. This part emphasizes the mixture of loyalty and fear among the disciples, culminating in a night filled with significant spiritual and relational dynamics.

30:09

🏃‍♂️ Denial and Despair Amidst Final Teachings

Peter's vehement insistence that he would not desert Jesus, despite Jesus predicting his denial, characterizes this part of the narrative. The script covers the emotional and spiritual turmoil during the Last Supper as Jesus prepares his disciples for his death and their subsequent abandonment. This segment captures the intense personal and collective challenges faced by the disciples as they grapple with the reality of Jesus's words and their own weaknesses.

35:09

🌑 Prayer and Betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane

This closing part of the script focuses on the agonizing moments in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus experiences profound spiritual anguish over his impending separation from God. Despite the disciples’ inability to stay awake, Jesus confronts his fate with resolve. The script portrays Jesus's deep emotional struggle with his mission, juxtaposing it with the disciples' human frailty, setting the stage for the ultimate act of betrayal by Judas.

Keywords

💡Passover

Passover is a significant Jewish festival that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. In the script, it is a backdrop to the events leading to Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, symbolizing Jesus' ultimate sacrifice as a 'Passover Lamb' for humanity's sins.

💡Betrayal

Betrayal refers to the act of disloyalty or treachery, typically to a trusted person or cause. In the script, it is exemplified by Judas Iscariot's actions, who betrays Jesus to the chief priests for money, leading to Jesus' arrest.

💡Anointer

An anointer is a person who applies a substance, such as oil or perfume, to someone else. In the context of the script, a woman anoints Jesus' head with expensive perfume, symbolizing her deep love and respect for him, as well as foreshadowing his impending death and burial.

💡Last Supper

The Last Supper is the final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. It is depicted in the script as a moment of institution of the Eucharist, where Jesus breaks bread and shares wine as symbols of his body and blood, and a time when he reveals that one of his disciples will betray him.

💡Gethsemane

Gethsemane is the garden where Jesus is believed to have prayed intensely before his arrest. In the script, it is described as a place of great anguish for Jesus, where he experiences a deep spiritual turmoil, symbolizing the human and divine struggle within him.

💡Denial

Denial in this context refers to Peter's threefold denial of Jesus, which is a pivotal moment in the narrative. Despite his earlier assurances of loyalty, Peter disowns Jesus to avoid association with him during his arrest, reflecting the theme of human weakness and fallibility.

💡Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei is Latin for 'Lamb of God,' a term used to describe Jesus as the sacrificial lamb who takes away the sins of the world. The script alludes to this concept when discussing the Passover and Jesus' role as the ultimate sacrifice, linking his impending death to the Old Testament tradition.

💡Disciple

A disciple is a follower or student of a religious teacher. In the script, the disciples of Jesus are portrayed as flawed individuals who, despite their close relationship with Jesus, fail to fully comprehend or support him during his darkest hours, highlighting the human tendency to doubt and fear.

💡Covenant

A covenant is a formal agreement or promise. The New Covenant mentioned in the script refers to the new relationship between God and humanity established through Jesus' sacrifice. The Last Supper and the sharing of bread and wine symbolize this new covenant.

💡Poor

The term 'poor' in the script is used to highlight the contrast between material wealth and spiritual value. The criticism of the woman for anointing Jesus with expensive perfume, instead of giving it to the poor, is countered by Jesus' defense of her act, emphasizing the importance of her gesture and the fleeting opportunity to honor him.

💡Sacrifice

Sacrifice in this context refers to the act of giving up something of value, often in the context of religious or spiritual devotion. The script details Jesus' willingness to sacrifice himself for humanity, symbolized by his acceptance of the 'cup' of suffering and his anointing for burial.

Highlights

Introduction to the study of Mark chapter 14, highlighting the plot against Jesus by the chief priests and scribes.

Description of the woman who anoints Jesus with expensive ointment, emphasizing the significant symbolic gesture of devotion and sacrifice.

Discussion on the disciple's misunderstanding of the value of the ointment used by the woman, focusing on the spiritual versus material value.

Jesus's defense of the woman's act as something beautiful and timely, underlining the eternal significance of her actions.

Judas Iscariot's decision to betray Jesus, driven by his disillusionment and greed, providing a stark contrast to the woman's generosity.

Exploration of the preparations for the Passover meal, illustrating Jesus's control over the events leading to his crucifixion.

The symbolic and practical elements of the Last Supper, explaining its profound meaning and connection to the Passover.

The disciples' varied reactions to Jesus's prediction of betrayal, revealing their personal fears and uncertainties.

Jesus's poignant discussion on the inevitability of his betrayal and the specific role of Judas.

Reflection on Jesus's emotional turmoil in Gethsemane, confronting the daunting prospect of separation from his Father.

The disciples' inability to stay awake during Jesus's time of greatest need, underscoring human frailty.

Jesus's arrest in the garden, marked by Judas's betrayal with a kiss, a symbol of deep treachery.

Peter's impulsive reaction during Jesus's arrest, leading to Jesus healing the ear of a servant.

Jesus's reflections on his treatment by the arresting party, criticizing their cowardice and timing.

The narrative shift to the young man (likely John Mark) who follows Jesus and the disciples, providing a unique personal perspective on the events.

Transcripts

we're going to study the first 52 verses

tonight Mark chapter 14.

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

for they said not during the feast lest

there be a tumult of the people

and while he was at Bethany in the house

of Simon the leper as he sat at table a

woman came with an alabaster jar of

ointment of pure nard very costly and

she broke the jar and poured it over his

head

but there were some who said to

themselves indignantly why was the

ointment thus wasted for this ointment

might have been sowed for more than 300

Denari and given to the poor

and they reproached her

but Jesus said let her alone

why'd you trouble her

she has done a beautiful thing for me

but you always have the poor with you

and whenever you will you can do good to

them but you will not always have me

she has done what she could

she has anointed my body beforehand for

burying

and truly I say to you wherever the

gospel is preached in the whole world

what she has done will be told in memory

of her

then Judas Iscariot who was one of the

twelve went to the chief priests in

order to betray him to them and when

they heard it they would glad and

promised to give him money and he sought

an opportunity to betray him

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

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

and wherever he enters say to the

householder the teacher says where is my

guest room where I am to eat the

Passover with my disciples

and he will show you a large upper room

furnished and ready there prepare for us

and the disciples set out and went to

the city

and found it as he had told them and

they prepared the Passover

and when it was evening he came with the

twelve and as they were at table eating

Jesus said truly

I say to you one of you will betray me

one who is eating with me

and they began to be sorrowful and to

say to him one after another is it I

said to them it is one of the twelve

one who is dipping bread in the same

dish with me

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

and as they were eating he took bread

and blessed and broke it and gave it to

them and said take this is my body

and he took a cup and when he had given

thanks he gave it to them and they all

drank of it and he said to them this is

my blood of the Covenant which is poured

out for many

truly I say to you I shall not drink

again of the fruit of the vine until

that day when I drink it new in the

kingdom of God

and when they had sung A Hymn they went

out to the Mount of Olives and Jesus

said to them you will all fall away

for it is written I will strike the

shepherd and the Sheep will be scattered

but after I am raised up I will go

before you to Galilee

Peter said to him even though they all

fall away I will not

and Jesus said to him truly I say to you

this very night before the crows

twice you will deny me three times

but he said vehemently if I must die

with you I will not deny you

and they all said the same

and they went to a place which was

called Gethsemane and he said to his

disciples sit here while I pray

and he took with him Peter and James and

John and began to be greatly distressed

and troubled and he said to them my soul

is very sorrowful even to death

remain hear and watch and going a little

further he fell on the ground and prayed

that if it were possible the hour might

pass from him

and he said Abba Father all things are

possible to thee remove this cup from me

yet not what I will but what thou wilt

and he came and found them sleeping

and he said to Peter Simon are you

asleep

could you not watch wanna

watch and pray that you may not enter

into temptation the spirit indeed is

willing that the flesh is weak

and again he went away and prayed saying

the same words

and again he came and found them

sleeping for their eyes were very heavy

and they did not know what to answer him

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 rise let us be going see my

betrayers at hand

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 elders

now the betrayer had given them a sign

saying the one I shall kiss is the men

sees him and lead him away safely

and when he came he went up to him at

once and said master and he kissed him

and they laid hands on him and seized

him but one of those who stood by Drew

his sword and struck the slave of the

high priest and cut off his ear and

Jesus said to them have you come out as

against a robber with swords and clubs

to capture me

day after day I was with you in the

temple teaching and you did not seize me

but let the scriptures be fulfilled

and they all forsook him

and fled

and a young man followed him

with nothing but a linen cloth about his

body

and They seized him

but he left the linen cloth

and ran away naked

just glancing through the outline of

tonight's passage Mark chapter 14. two

things struck me as I read through this

chapter which I've tried to bring out in

the little subheadings on the right hand

side the first is how many practical

things come into the story material

things a jar of ointment a loaf of bread

a cup of wine a sword it's a very

practical chapter it's concerned with

ordinary things and yet each of these

very ordinary things takes on a

tremendous meaning because Christ had

something to do with it

and there's a profound lesson here

before we go any further

very ordinary Everyday Things become

quite extraordinary when they're related

to Jesus Christ

but the other thing

that struck me tremendously as I read

was this at each of the points at which

something happened one or more of the

disciples did the wrong thing

every time the word disciples or

disciple comes in that little outline

they are doing something they should not

have done

and I found as I prepared this study for

you tonight

that it was perhaps the most humbling

we've had yet

to look at those 12 men and to see them

all doing the kind of thing that I would

have done

the wrong thing the weak thing the

cowardly thing

I think this is why we must study this

chapter

so that we come to the Lord's table as

penitent disciples

as those who are ready to say Lord if we

had followed you two thousand years ago

we would have let you down just as much

as they did

and Lord we need your help just as they

needed it

the amazing thing is that though Jesus

knew they were so weak he still kept on

with them they were his disciples

now the chapter opens with a note about

the feast that was happening

it was a double Feast it was the Feast

of the Passover going back through many

centuries and still to this day the

Orthodox Jewish Family just about this

time is celebrating the Passover

it's the feast when they thank God for

bringing them out of Egypt out of

slavery into freedom and into his

service and they still remember it

thousands of years later

I remember that in the road in which I

was brought up

about four doors up was a Jewish Family

and every Easter we naughty children

used to gather outside the house to

watch them sprinkle the gate posts with

blood we thought it was an extraordinary

thing to do and I'm afraid in our

ignorance and in our childishness we

used to laugh at this and mock it

but they used to do it

and they were doing something that had

been done every single year for hundreds

and hundreds of years

the Passover is the greatest time in the

Jewish calendar

some of our church members are in Israel

now and they're hoping to share a

Passover as well as Christian Services

they'll have a wonderful time if they

manage it

now I have already told you that two

million Jews used to gather together

around Jerusalem for the Passover

this of course ensured that our Lord's

death would be public

would be known by as many people as

possible

indeed it was the largest gathering of

people in the then-known world

so it certainly ensured that it would be

a public death

but it there was a much deeper reason

for our Lord coming to die at Passover

time and you get the impression Jesus

decided when to die how to die and where

to die so that it might have this

meaning

and the meaning was that he was going to

have another Passover

another Exodus

as God brought people out of slavery he

was going to bring them out of sin

as God brought them out with the blood

of a physical animal a lamb he was now

going to bring people out with the blood

of another lamb himself and the whole

thing takes on deep meaning this Meal

which we are going to have in a moment

virtually was the Passover for the

disciples that year

and for Christians it has replaced the

Passover

this is now our meal of remembrance and

what we are going to do in a moment has

been done for two thousand years

it is much more meaningful even than the

Jewish Passover

one of the texts in the New Testament

which frequently comes back to me at

Easter is this Christ Our Passover has

been sacrificed for us

that's why we come together like this a

Jew would understand us doing this

though he would say there are some

things missing from the table there are

the bitter herbs missing and the shank

bone and a number of other things the

lettuce The Parsley the egg and we would

say but we don't need all those things

we just need two things Bread and Wine

they would have had those two things and

our Lord simply used the bread and the

wine that was already there prepared for

the Passover to give Christians their

memorial meal

this then is the setting it's the love

before the storm

but the first story we're told takes

place not in Jerusalem but in Bethany

the little village just over the top of

the Mount of Olives out of sight of

Jerusalem and out of the reach of the

Temple Police

and every night Jesus retired to Bethany

this is why they could not arrest him

during the day he was with the crowd the

whole time and they didn't dare to

arrest him fearing that the crowd would

Riot if they dared to touch such a

popular teacher and every night when

they looked for him and asked where is

he staying nobody knew

he slipped out to Bethany

the reason why Judas could betray him

was so simple it is that on the Thursday

night or whatever night of the week it

was Jesus said we're going to stay in

the city tonight

and Judas saw his opportunity that's why

he was needed

the temple priests and the police needed

to know when they could lay their hands

on him privately quietly

and I read in a book today

a modern book about events in another

part of the world that the secret police

of that country always arrests somebody

in the middle of the night

because they know that they could not

avoid public riots if they arrested

people during the day this is precisely

what happened then it has a modern ring

so he's at Bethany one evening

it's the last evening he's going to

spend out of the city and they're having

a meal in the house of a man who's a

leper I wonder if that means that Jesus

had healed him because normally he would

not have been able to eat with others

maybe he was one of the lepers Jesus

cleansed and they're sitting at the

table and Mary brings the ointment and

here we have the first object the first

physical object that becomes so

meaningful in this chapter

now it was certainly a costly thing it

may have been an heirloom

if you're interested in the value of it

it was worth a Year's wages

a Denarius was one day's wage and it was

said to be 300 Denari worth of costly

ointment perfume

it would be kept in the bottom drawer

not for the wedding

but for a person's funeral

and in those days if you could afford it

you bought some very costly ointment and

you put it away for your funeral for the

anointing of your body

that was the only

justification for using such an

expensive thing

and of course it is so often the case

that at a funeral

we don't count the expense

I remember an Undertaker telling me

recently that he had recently arranged a

funeral

in which he estimated that a thousand

pounds were the flowers

had been sent it was a very large and

prominent funeral not here somewhere

else

and so down in her bottom drawer was

this costly jar of perfume kept for her

own funeral

or perhaps her mother's funeral or her

brothers but that's what it would be for

and she brought this into the house now

it was the custom to anoint the guest

with a few drops of perfume when he came

in

as we would show someone to the

cloakroom or ask them if they would like

to wash

they would anoint them with a few drops

of perfume this was normal hospitality

but to use all of this

it was scandalous

and she came in and she smashed the jar

which meant that it would never be used

again and then scooping up the perfume

which must have filled the room with a

powerful scent she just poured it onto

our Lord

which is the most amazing and moving Act

and the commercial attitude was

immediately revealed we know from

another gospel that it was Judas who

criticized her but were told here that

more than Judas criticized her they all

did

and they said what a frightful waste

that could have done so much good if you

were going to waste it you could have

given it to the poor surely Jesus would

have been happier if you'd done that now

this is sometimes how worldly people do

argue

I have sometimes heard this argument

used

about erecting a place of worship at

considerable cost

and it may or may not be valid in that

case I've heard it used of other things

but here it was used rightly

and they criticized her now they still

hadn't learned the lesson of the Widow's

might and the lessons when someone gives

something you should not ask about the

value of the gift

but of what it meant to The Giver

and if they had stopped to ask why she

had done this thing they would have

understood and approved

I noticed that it was the man who

criticized her I think the women would

have understood

but let's see what Jesus said now he

said four things about her act

number one she he said it was a lovely

Act

the nearest word in the English language

to the word he used is the word Bonnie

if you know what the word Bonnie means

it was a bunny act it doesn't just mean

something good it means something

beautiful

a most attractive act a lovely Act

secondly he said she's done a very

opportune thing she has seized an

opportunity that she will not have again

she could either do this now or never

she saw an opportunity to do something

that was unique once in a lifetime

and all of us have had such

opportunities to do something and unless

some of us have missed those

opportunities and wished and wished or

if only I'd done that

particularly someone who died shortly

after

and I think when anyone dies there is

some relative who says to themselves oh

if only I just taken the opportunity to

do Sansa

I remember a poor lady dying and

when she died and the News got around a

lot of her friends and relatives sent

flowers

but somebody at the funeral with red

discernment said to me

oh If Only They had sent us some flowers

before she died

and I suppose we all have those moments

when we say oh if I'd only known they

were going I would have just seized that

opportunity I would have done that thing

well now that's what Mary was feeling

like and she was seizing an opportunity

to do something that she could never

have done again nor could anyone else

ever have done so Jesus said don't blame

her she's done a lovely thing she has

seized an opportunity she won't have

again thirdly he said she has done a

most Discerning thing

and here he points out the real meaning

of the ACT

this woman alone of all those in that

room knew first that he was going to die

very soon and second that he would not

that no one would have an opportunity of

anointing his body as was the normal

custom after death

she knew this

how she knew it I don't know if it was

Mary and it seems to be again from

another gospel we have this information

if it was Mary I guess it was because

she had sat at his feet and listened to

what he had to say and she knew

but Jesus said she knows of all of you

she's the one who knows I'm going to die

and that I will die such a death

that there will be no opportunity to

anoint my body

now normally when a criminal was

executed on a cross his relatives were

not allowed to bury the body his body

was thrown into the rubbish Heap in the

valley of gehenna on the west side of

Jerusalem

and so Mary must have seen that he was

going to die a criminal's death and his

body would be discarded and would not

receive Proper Burial as we shall see

tomorrow it was only because a man went

and begged the Roman governor for the

body that there was a burial

otherwise there would never have been

one and this woman saw that here this

man at 33 whom she loved more than any

other was going to die so soon and in

such a terrible way that there would be

no proper funeral for him she understood

it was a Discerning act and Jesus said

don't criticize her

if she had done it in three days time

none of you would criticize her nobody

would have criticized an expenditure of

this kind on a dead body

but she'd done it on a live body that's

why she was reproached

and fourthly he said she has done a

memorable Act

and he predicted then that wherever the

gospel was preached people would hear

about this woman and here we are in

commercial Road Guilford tonight and

we're thinking about that woman

foreign

wouldn't it be wonderful if something

you did were remembered two thousand

years later

this was a lovely thing to do it was an

opportune thing to do it was a

Discerning thing to do and it was a

memorable thing to do

so don't criticize

we step straight from this story into a

terrible

oh I don't know the word to use

so contradictory is it

such a contrast

a lovely woman doing a generous thing to

a dreadful man doing a greedy thing the

contrast is appalling

you see here is the incident a woman has

done this and now look at the reaction

of a disciple

his reaction because he realizes that

Jesus has virtually announced his

forthcoming death

he has now seen what Mary had seen he

now sees that Jesus is willing to die

that he's going to accept death and

Judas is going to cash in what he can

while he can

Judas is going to get out of the

remaining situation as much money as he

can lay his hands on he backed Jesus

thinking it was going to be wonderful

that he would be in a a wealthy

prospering Kingdom and now he realizes

that even Jesus has as it were become a

defeatist and is giving in and is going

to let them kill him what can he get out

of it

and this man can only think of going to

betray Jesus and making some hard cash

out of the Betrayal

now it has become fashionable over the

last 20 years to try and whitewash Judas

there's a half-page article in the daily

mail this morning did Judas do it for

the money

and the new ideas and in fact there's a

craze now to try and turn the gospel

story upside down have you noticed this

newspaper articles paperback booklets

everybody's on the bandwagon now Jesus

didn't die Joseph of Arimathea gave him

a drug and he recovered in the cool of

the Tomb that's schoenfield's latest

book The Passover plot it's a craze Now

to turn the story any way around but the

true way around why do people want to

whitewash Judas why do they want to say

it wasn't the money that really he was a

good Chap and he was just trying to

force Jesus hand and get things moving

why do they do it

because Judas reminds us too much of

ourselves that's why

because there is the same kind of

covetousness and greed in us that was in

him and we don't like it

Judas is a mirror so we try and smash

the mirror but the Bible is quite clear

that the one reason why Jews Judas did

it was because he loved money

we know this from the earliest days

indeed are way up in Galilee Jesus had

sadly said to the twelve one of you is a

devil

he was the treasurer and he was dipping

his hand into the money bag for himself

quite early on

and it was Judas who said we could have

had 300 Denari in the fund if that

ointment had been sold I have the

feeling he was already thinking of how

much he could slip out

and here was Judas

and for Hard Cash He sowed as Lord

a thought struck me today that has never

struck me before

What would

those priests think of the followers of

Jesus now

they would say you can buy any one of

them grease their Palm enough and you

can buy them out what would they think

one of the twelve have you noticed how

each time judas's name is mentioned in

this chapter immediately after his name

comes the phrase one of the twelve

a man who's lived with Jesus for three

years and still be so greedy that he can

do this

it's an amazing and wonderful story

terrible though it is how can a man be

as close to Jesus as that and not get

rid of such covetousness

well how can we it's the same problem

well now here is Judas and he goes to

the priests and he agrees to sell our

lord for the price of a Slave

now in those days if you could buy a

slave you were definitely one up the

status symbol was to say oh well I have

a slave now you know

as you might talk about a swimming pool

in the garden or something if you want

it to be up in the scale a bit you said

well I've got a slave now

and Judas sold our lord for the price of

a status symbol that would move him up

the social scale

he regretted it of course later more

than regretted it but that's what he did

Judas 2 like Mary has been preached in

the whole world wherever the gospel is

gone

Judas name has been remembered

what would we rather be remembered for

our generosity

or our greed

our sympathy towards the Lord Jesus and

understanding of his death or our

hardness and callous attitude to it

Judas and Mary the song link them

together and history has done so as well

now the scene moves to Jerusalem and

events begin to move rapidly towards

their climax the whole thing is building

up to a terrible denumo

let us look into the upper room

again I'm struck with the fact that

throughout the whole of this last week

our Lord is the master of the situation

he has planned it he controls it

everything that happens he decides when

and how and where and the arrangements

for the upper room and the Last Supper

he has made at some time he has slipped

away to a friend in Jerusalem and said I

want you to have an upper room and he

had even given a secret sign

to find the room now why these elaborate

and secret precautions why a man

carrying a pitcher of water on his head

which only women would normally do it's

it's like a man walking down the road

with a woman's umbrella why such a

secret sign

why didn't he tell the disciples where

it was the street it was and just say go

to such and such a street and number so

do you realize that he still was playing

for time Judas must not know where the

upper room is

our Lord must have one last evening with

them and so he sends Peter and John only

those two and he says look around for

that man follow him go into the house

and so Judas still doesn't know his

plans

our Lord is controlling and timing the

whole thing perfectly

so that when the time has come for him

to give himself up he is able to say to

Judas what you have to do do quickly

so he makes the secret arrangements and

they come to the upper room

there is no servant there there is a

table there are couches there is a basin

full of water and a towel for washing

their feet but no servant to do it we

know who did it in the end

and who was reluctant to do it and there

they are for the meal

now comes one of the most terrible

things that Jesus has ever said during

the middle of the meal he says there's

somebody eating with me

who is going to betray me

now you know the amazing thing is that

he has already said five times I am

going to be crucified and the disciples

are not upset they are puzzled but not

upset

but as soon as he says one of you is

going to do it they get terribly upset

and they began to be sorrowful isn't it

amazing they were not sorry for him

there is no word of their sorrow about

the cross right until this point but as

soon as he says one of you is going to

be involved that's when their sorrow

begins

and you notice they immediately begin to

say is it I

now one could put two interpretations on

the phrase is it I if you were going to

be kind and generous to the apostles you

would say that each of them was prepared

to examine his own heart

if we were going to be more realistic I

think

each of them knew perfectly well that

they were capable of doing it

if I can give you a simple illustration

which I've given before

I remember in our school when the

Headmaster one day came into assembly

looking like thunder

and we said hello there's trouble we

always knew the back of his neck went

red and we knew there was going to be

trouble and we knew his temperature was

well up and his blood pressure was well

up and he began by saying some boy in

this school and every one of us thought

of something we'd done over the last 10

years 10 days and we waited Breathless

in our hearts every one of us said is it

I because we'd all done something that

we knew we shouldn't and he just had to

say some boy for each one of us to feel

like this

now that's how the disciples felt as if

Jesus had said some boy

one of you is going to let me down one

of you is going to betray me

and they immediately said I I they all

wanted to be let off the hook quickly

they wanted him to say no it's not you

no it's not you but he didn't say that

to any of them

he left them thinking that way

and he just said it's someone who's

going to take the bread with me

fancy Judas being able to go through

with that

this last appeal of Our Lord to him

someone I'm going to hand the bread to

said Jesus and he handed it to them all

how could Judah sit there and accept all

that I just don't know he must have had

a heart of granite by this time his

feelings must have been so scarred that

they were dead

but he took the bread

and then Jesus did the lovely thing that

we're going to

do now even in spite of the fact that

one of them would betray him and he said

that one is fully responsible for his

ACT

he mustn't stop blaming predestination

or anything he is fully responsible it

would have been better if he'd never

been born than to do a thing like that

Jesus knowing all that

knowing that the disciples would all run

away knowing there wasn't one of them he

could trust during the next 24 hours he

took bread

and he broke it

and he took the cup and he made them

drink

we're going in utter Simplicity in a

moment to do those two things

we're going to share one loaf and we're

going to drink from a glass together as

they did in that upper room it's so full

of meaning now

I want you to notice five things about

this simple Memorial meal first of all

he did not eat and drink

he gave them to eat he gave them to

drink

he did not

he told them he wouldn't be eating and

drinking again with them until the

kingdom came

and Jesus is not eating and drinking

with us tonight he's present in spirit

but he's not eating and drinking one day

he will eat and drink with us again he

didn't in the upper room he won't

tonight secondly notice they had to

partake as if he was saying my broken

body and my shed blood is no use unless

you accept it for yourselves

and it is still true to this day that

our Lord's death on the cross cannot

save us so until they will accept it for

themselves so he didn't just take a loaf

of bread and break it and say there

that's my body broken he said there

that's my broken body you take it

take it into yourselves eat it receive

it make it part of you

otherwise it's no use

thirdly the bread and the wine were mere

symbols there was nothing magic about

them and his real body and blood were

there before their eyes so that they

should never have arisen in the course

of Christian history the confusion

Between the Bread and the wine and his

body and the and the blood they are

symbols emblems no more

his real body and blood were there for

them to see

you can't confuse something on a table

with something on the chair beside it

they were symbols

fourthly

this was the New Covenant the old one

had been made on Mount Sania and sealed

in blood in the broken body of a lamb

and in the shed blood of the lamb now it

was to be sealed again and New Covenant

a new relationship between God and Men

sealed in the body and blood of Jesus

and fifthly and our final hymn tonight

will bring this out it had a forward

look

next time I eat and drink with you will

be in the Kingdom he said

and so this meal tonight we're going to

have looks back to the upper room and

forward to Heaven back to the last

supper and forward to the wedding

breakfast

and it links

and our final hymn speaks of linking

that dark betrayal night with the last

Advent we Unite

here in this meal

now he foretells his death again and he

adds to it the fact that when he is

killed they will run for their lives

and they won't have any of it

strange how they've changed they were

saying a moment ago Lord is it I who

will betray you

now they are saying well we will never

desert you never and dear old Peter

valuable as ever

he comes straight out with a most

incredible slur on the others he points

to the other 11 and out loud in front of

them they wouldn't like him for this he

said well they may

I can well understand that

that lot there at the other end of the

table they will but not me not me

and Jesus says you

you Peter

do you know that before three o'clock

tomorrow morning

you'll deny me

three times

he will deny me that will be worse than

the others they won't deny me they'll

just run but you'll stay around and then

you'll deny me you'll say you don't know

me

you'll swear that I'm not your your

master

Peter you say you'll be the only one

there Peter you will be remembered more

than they

for what you are going to do this night

and Peter has been

Mary has been remembered Judas has been

remembered Peter has been remembered

for his denial

but I think one of the loveliest things

Jesus said to them as he said this was

this

but after I am raised up

we'll go back together

all Galilee is so lovely compared with

the hot noises smelly streets of

Jerusalem

that one can understand their hearts

leaping when he said that all to get

back to the good old days and get

Galilee to get back to the sunshine and

and the lake and the Sea and the open

air without these scheming

enemies in back streets and in the

shadows oh to get back to Galilee and

Jesus said I'll go before you to Galilee

we'll begin all over again we'll have a

new start afterwards and of course he

did

now the scene switches to the Garden of

Gethsemane

they are going to spend the night on the

Mount of Olives and Judas knows so he

hurries out to tell them now is our

Trends there is a delay of about two

hours while they inform the high priests

and gather the soldiers and make

preparations for the arrest and the

trial but soon they will be coming our

Lord's time is now limited to just an

hour or two that's all he has

they go into a garden

and Jesus wants to pray

and he wants to make sure he's got time

to pray and quiet to pray so he says to

the first few disciples would you stay

here at the gate and then he says to

three of them Peter James and John you

come a bit nearer now you sit down there

and then he went a little further two

lines of Defense to secure his prayer

time with God he needs this

now he begins to sweat like drops of

blood

the words used in the Bible

indicate the most

terrible

anguish of spirit

something that he just couldn't face

now as I said last night and forgive me

if you were there if I repeat it it was

not death from which he shrank

people have faced death far more

courageously than Jesus if this cup was

death

what was it it was worse than death what

could be worse than death

20 times in the Bible from cover to

cover 20 times the word cup is used

metaphorically

I mean by that not a literal physical

cap

but some experience that a person has to

go through and it's expressed in the

phrase a cup that they must drink

and out of those 20 times on 17 of the

occasions it is a dreadful cap to drink

it is the cup of God's anger against sin

and an experience of being cut off from

him

and all through the scriptures this is

what the cup means when it's used in a

metaphorical sense do you realize that

Jesus had never never been separated

from his father

never

I know that he'd left heaven but he was

still with his father

he could talk to him at any time

he was always in direct communication as

the President of the United States

wherever he goes is always in direct

communication with the White House our

Lord wherever he went was always in

direct communication with his father

he had never known what it was to be

away from God

never

now we who have been away from God to a

degree cannot understand what it would

be like to have been in perfect touch

with God and to face having that link

cut

I don't think we can realize what it

would be like

I don't think anybody here can realize

what hell will be like because there is

no hell on Earth I've heard so many

people say you make your own hell and

and hell is what you go through on Earth

nobody's been in Hell yet because

nobody's completely cut off from God yet

that Jesus knew that if he was going to

drink this cup

what it would mean would be that for the

first time in all eternity father and

son would be separated and that would be

hell

and he said father I can't go through

with it he even used that intimate term

in his prayer which is remembered and

written down here Dad Dad I can't go

through with it

Abba dead that's what it means dad

and then the battle is won and he says

no I shouldn't be praying like this

dad I will drink it if it is your will

within hours he was going to cry out my

God my God I don't understand it why

why have you gone to everybody else has

gone and now you've gone he was drinking

the cup when he cried that

he was going through hell when he cried

that

and that's precisely what hell is to be

forsaken by God and it's dark and it's

thirsty and it's lonely and you

understand the sufferings of Christ when

you understand that on the cross for

those few hours the Son of God was in

hell

now that's why he shrank

and three times he fought this battle

and each time he came back to the

disciples and

and they were asleep

oh their Spirit was willing but their

flesh was weak

if you've ever taken part in an

all-night prayer meeting you'll know the

truth of these words the spirit is

willing but the flesh is weak

oh you'd love to see it through you'd

love to do it and by about two in the

morning you're beginning to feel heavy

then you can get your second wind

but the spirit is willing to do so much

but the flesh is so weak and they were

asleep already

a minister friend of mine held a rather

interesting Good Friday service he said

for one hour there will be complete

silence in the church

and everybody came and they sat in

complete silence for one hour it was the

first time most of them had ever been

silent for so long

and one lady came to him afterwards and

said to the minister

well I don't think I got much out of it

and he said well what kind of thoughts

passed through your mind while she said

it's funny but I could only think of one

text only one text

and she said I couldn't get rid of it it

just kept going through my mind she said

I really didn't think of anything else

and he said what was the text

she said it was the text could you not

watch with me one hour

the minister said well then you got a

very great deal out of that silence

could you not watch with me one hour

how did anybody know what Jesus was

praying if all the disciples were asleep

I'll tell you the answer in just two or

three minutes

and now comes the contrast may I just

draw it for you two gardens the Garden

of Eden the Garden of Gethsemane the

Garden in which a man

looked up and said not thy will but mine

be done a garden of Disobedience a

garden from which that man went out to

die for his sins

and here is the Garden of Gethsemane in

which a man said not my will but thine

be done a garden of obedience from which

that man went out to die for everybody

else's sins can you see the connection

and now comes Judas

I don't know how Judas could do it

except that I know I could and I suppose

you could too

he could use a token of utmost affection

and there is no deeper token of

affection between two men than a kiss

and he came up and he kissed Jesus

and our Lord's horror at this how could

you betray me with a kiss Judas couldn't

you just have pointed

how could you use a symbol of affection

and friendship to do such a dastardly

Act

so low can a man sink

that tokens become the opposite of that

which they were meant to express

undero Peter impetuous as ever takes a

sword and cuts off the ear of a slave

Jesus had to tell him to stop this

and he healed the slave's ears we know

from another gospel and then Jesus said

why'd you come out as if you're coming

out against the worst man on Earth

he says look at you clubs swords who did

you think you were arresting

did you think you'd come out after a

murderer after a man who when he was

cornered would fight his way out what

kind of a man do you think I am what

kind of a person do you think I am what

kind of character do you think I have

and then he rebukes even those who came

to arrest him he says I accuse you of

being cowards you could have taken me

anytime in Jerusalem and you didn't they

must have felt terribly ashamed of

themselves at that point

they all for succulent fled

James Ren genre Peter wren Thomas wren

they all ran

when it came to the push when it came to

the decisive moment when they could

either stay or run and save their lives

they all ran

and so would we

not one of them was man enough to stay

neither would we have been

this is human nature the spirit is

willing but the flesh is terribly weak

and self-preservation took over in this

moment and they ran

now comes a most interesting little

epilogue

hiding behind some trees in that Garden

was a youth

he had nothing on but a bed sheet

and he ran when the others ran and a

soldier spotted him and grabbed the

sheet and pulled it off him and he ran

away naked in the night and that's all

we know about this young man who was it

we don't know for certain

but we probably do putting two and two

together we can say it was a young man

called John Mark

a man in whose home the early church met

a young man whose home was probably the

home used for the upper room in the Last

Supper

a young man who lying awake that night

in his bed heard the disciples go out

from the upper room and decided to

follow

a young man who hid among the trees and

listened breathless to that prayer of

Our Lord as he sweated drops of blood

someone there to record it for us

a young man who wrote this gospel down

and it is his way of saying I was there

I was there he doesn't even name himself

it's as if he just wanted to put

something into this gospel to say

I was involved too

I was there

and I'll never forget that night trying

to find my way home without any clothes

and trying to get up to my bedroom

but he said I couldn't forget what I'd

seen

couldn't forget what I'd heard

I was there

you see the point of reading this gospel

and of studying at Night by night this

week and of studying it tomorrow morning

is this

that each one of us may be able to say

like John Mark I was there

I was there

when Dame clear about that great Singer

went on a tour of the world she found

herself one Easter singing in the open

air in India to a vast multitude of

Indians gathered on the riverbank

and she sang many songs some sacred some

secular she sang her lovely songs with

her matchless voice and she finished

with a Negro spiritual Were You There

When They Crucified My Lord were you

there

and when she'd finished a deep hush

settled on the crowd and then someone in

the crowd shouted out yes

we were all there

yes we were all there

John Mark says I've been there

I've been to Gethsemane I saw it all

they nearly caught me but I got away

I've been there

and he's really saying to us by saying

that have you been there too

have you been in Gethsemane this Easter

have you seen it all have you been to

the upper room

we're going to sing A Hymn and then

we're going to the upper room ourselves