The Gospel According to Mark Chapter 14
Originally posted Tuesday, February 26, 2008
General Comment: With this
chapter we begin the "Passion Narrative" proper. As we will see with
reading all four Gospels, there are several Passion traditions. Matthew follows
Mark, Luke to a lesser degree and John seems to have a separate tradition
with many material additions and differences in timing
and description of certain parts of the story. Since Paul does not write
such a narrative and only briefly mentions Jesus in his historical context,
with Mark we have the oldest layer of tradition which he has edited from still
older sources. One thing is certain; there is a common thread running
through all the Gospels: Jesus has a final meal with his disciples, goes
to a garden to pray, is betrayed and arrested, appears in a preliminary hearing
before the Jewish authorities, is turned over to Pilate, tried, convicted,
crucified, buried and all Gospels except Mark write of experiencing the
continued presence of Jesus on the third day. It would not be
unfaithful to the earliest tradition to say that this is the narrative
thread which became the earliest form and content of evangelistic preaching and
teaching, the "Good News."
Mark Chapter 14:1-2 The Plot to Kill Jesus [see
MT 26:1-5]
It is two days
before Passover. The crowds of pilgrims have been arriving and begun their
preparations for this most important day in their lives. A place to stay will
have to be found, perhaps with friends or a relative, perhaps camping out in
the surrounding areas of the Mount of Olives or towns such as Bethphage (house
of dried figs) and Bethany. As the joy of the approaching days
occupies the attention of tens of thousands of pilgrims, a small cabal of the
religious leadership is meeting in the palace of the High Priest. There is only
one item on their agenda: Jesus. More specifically they need to devise
a tactic by which they can arrest and kill him. There is a
problem. Passover begins in two days. The fervor of Messianic
expectations runs high and this Jesus has followers and
sympathizers from all over Galilee and even some in Judea that
might riot. If that happens not only will the leadership miss the
opportunity to carry out their plans, they will risk the possibility of
Pilate's Cohort being let loose and the last time that happened
many people were killed. No, they will need to find a way to do the deed
quietly.
Mark Chapter 14:3-9 The Anointing at Bethany [see
MT 26:6-13]
Bethany (house of
dates) was a small village at the foot of the Mount of Olives, two miles
east of Jerusalem on the Jericho road. It was the home of Mary and Martha
(and Lazarus in John's Gospel). It was a favorite place for Jesus to stay
during his many visits to Jerusalem. On this occasion Jesus is having dinner
with Simon the Leper, apparently a man of some financial means. Other unnamed
guests are there as well. As he and Simon were discussing the events of the
last several days, a woman of the household approached Jesus, broke open a
very expensive vial of nard ointment and poured it on Jesus' head. No sooner
had the fragrance filled the room than others at table began to grumble among
themselves and scolded the woman for wasting a perfectly good
commodity which could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor
(appx. $16,296 in today's money). But Jesus will have none of their
bickering. He knows what she has done, whether she does or not. She has
anointed his body for its burial, a prophetic act and a "beautiful"
deed which will be remembered wherever this story is told.
Mark Chapter 14:10-11 Judas Offers Betrayal [see
MT 26:14-16]
In Mark, Judas does
not approach the chief priests asking for payment in return for his betrayal of
Jesus. Matthew makes money the apparent object of his treachery to which
the priests respond with thirty pieces of silver. In Mark they promised to give
him some money in exchange for Jesus.
Mark Chapter 14:12-21 The Passover [see MT
27:17-25]
In Mark's tradition
there is much more detail in the preparation for the meal. We learn of the man
carrying the water jar as the one who will provide a large room for
the dinner, that the room will be upstairs, already furnished and ready. Again
we are to understand that Jesus has friends prepared to serve him.
The second part
beginning at vs. 16 is the
Passover meal itself. There is little difference between the two Gospel
accounts. Matthew has rearranged phrases, and at the end has added (or it is in
his separate source) Judas' statement, "Surely not I, Rabbi!" as a
response to Jesus' saying that one of the disciples will betray him, one who is
sharing bread with him. Jesus answers him, "You have said so,"
meaning Yes, surely you."
Mark Chapter 14:22-25 Words of Institution [see MT 27:26-30]
There are four
places in the New Testament which present the words of institution. Of these
Mark and Matthew are in agreement while a different agreement is found in Luke
and Paul, Paul being the oldest tradition (about 53 CE). One of the main
differences is that of the words of institution said over the cup of wine. In
Matthew and Mark the words are, "This is my blood of the
covenant." In Paul and Luke the key words are, "This cup...is the new covenant in my blood." The
only substantive difference is the word "new" as a designation for
the covenant. For Matthew and Mark, many ancient manuscript copiers have added
"new" in order to put these Gospels in harmony with Paul and Luke.
The question is, which is correct? The answer may be found in
the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (read MT 21:33-44; MK 12:1-12). This is a
passage about taking away the stewardship of the vineyard (Kingdom of God)
from the evil tenants (Jewish leadership) who shed the blood
of the son (Jesus) and giving that stewardship to new tenants
(the Church). In that context there is a new covenant with the new people of
God, that covenant being sealed by Jesus' death.
As we read the words
of institution in both bread and wine, it is important to remember that both
are "given" to us, or as Paul puts it, they are given "on
your behalf." Body and blood (flesh and blood) represents the wholeness of
a person. Jesus is not giving bread and then wine, he is giving the totality of
who he is to us. As we gather with all Christendom around the altar,
we are offered all that Jesus is to all of ourselves as we are. This is
grace upon grace for those who can receive it.
Mark Chapter 14:26-31 Peter's Denial Foretold [see
MT 26:31-35]
After the meal Jesus
and the disciples leave the upper room and walk to the Mount of Olives, singing
the traditional Hillel (Psalms 114-118)
on the way. On their way Jesus predicts they will all desert him like
sheep scattered after the shepherd has been struck down (Zech. 13:7). As we might expect, Peter bravely asserts his ability
to stay with Jesus no matter what the others do. The irony of that statement is
evident. Peter will indeed not abandon Jesus when he is arrested, as
the rest of the disciples will. He will follow Jesus to the High Priest's
palace. But once there, Jesus says, Peter will abandon him three times by his
denial that he even knows who Jesus is.
Mark Chapter 14:32-42 Gethsemane Prayer [see MT
26:36-46]
The emphasis of this
passage is clear. Jesus must face this moment of decision alone. His disciples
sleep, unaware of the spiritual turmoil assailing Jesus' spirit. Jesus grieves
the loss of his own life. "Let this hour pass from me." He is
distressed, shaken to the core of his being. "Abba, If it is
possible remove this cup from me." Three times he prays. Three times he
beseeches God for a remedy to the inevitable. Three times he hears nothing, but
the silence becomes the answer. He has been called out for this hour, not
forced, not manipulated, but as one who knew what he was doing and where he was
going. He had said yes to this hour the instant he came out of the water of the
Jordan River. He cannot stop now. He must keep faith with all of those who have
followed him. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." he
whispers, gets up and goes to rouse his sleeping disciples. "Though I walk
through the darkest valley, I fear no evil for you are with me..."
Abba, Father, I don't know exactly what is coming, but I will believe
that whatever is ahead you will be with me. Jesus wakes the disciples.
"Look, my betrayer is at hand."
Mark Chapter 14:43-52 Betrayal and Arrest [see
MT 26:47-56]
There are two
interesting differences between Matthew and Mark. One is at MT 26:52-54. After someone (a
disciple?) uses a sword and cuts off the earlobe of the High Priest's
slave, Jesus orders the assailant to put up his sword, declaring that if
he wanted to he could call on twelve legions of angels to defend him.
The sword will only bring more violence. It will not bring about God's
Kingdom. What is to happen will happen and it will fulfill the Scriptures (Isa. 53:7the suffering servant). This
is Matthew's corrective to those in his community who expect the
Kingdom of God to come with crushing violence rained down upon their
persecutors. No, the Messiah will not appear on the Mount of Olives attended by
the army of God to "smite the earth." He will be led to the
cross in humility, alone, disgraced in the eyes of all who spit at him,
curse and taunt him. It is the way of the cross and Jesus will take it.
The second is found
in Mark vs. 51-52. Who is
this young man who followed Jesus? He is detected by the guards, chased, but
all they could catch was the back of his linen garment and the young man out
ran them and his garment, disappearing, naked, in the night. There has been
more than abundant speculation regarding his identity. In "The Secret
Gospel of Mark" he is a young man whom Jesus had raised from the dead
and is being initiated into the secrets of the Kingdom when the guards
arrive to arrest Jesus. Some writers have made a comparison with Joseph
who flees naked from Potiphar's wife, leaving his garments in her
hands. Still others see this as a "walk-on" appearance
of Mark! It is more likely that this unknown character is a symbolic
representation of the danger that all Jesus' disciples faced with the
crowd becoming a mob intent on grabbing anyone they could who might be a
follower of Jesus.
Mark Chapter 14:53-65 Jesus Before the Council [see
MT 26:57-68]
The High Priest and
others of the Council did their best to find a charge that would hold up to the
norms of the Levitical requirement for two agreeing witnesses. That they were
so concerned about obedience to Torah may be interpreted as their own defensive
maneuver. They cannot be criticized by the crowds if they have
appropriately applied the Law and found Jesus guilty of a capital crime. But
they were not successful. Testimonies were either proven false upon closer
examination or the witnesses were not in agreement with respect to the details.
Even the High Priest, Caiaphas himself, could not coax an answer from Jesus
regarding the charges that had been brought, even though they were not valid.
Jesus, as was his right, remained silent.
At this point Matthew
puts Jesus under oath. Although Mark does not include the oath, it is possible
that the question Caiaphas asks Jesus is of such importance that he
is obliged to answer. If for no other reason, it is what he would expect of any
disciple who might be brought before a council or Roman authority, to bear
witness to who Jesus is. "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed
One?" The content of the question is the content of the witness given by
Mark's community. Members were faced with the dilemma of keeping the faith
and suffering for it, or denying they even knew who Jesus was, which is what
Peter had already done three times as this hearing was drawing to a
close. Jesus gives the unambiguous answer, "I am." He has kept
the faith, He has given a faithful witness. He will pay the price of
truth. The High Priest tears his garment and cries out, "Blasphemy! What
is your decision?" They will call for his death but they will not have the
courage to chance the crowds reaction. They must find another way. They must
find another charge. Perhaps Pilate can be convinced to do the deed for them.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes
1) In vs. 14:1 Mark writes that it was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened
Bread. Passover always began on the 15th of Nisan which began at sundown of the
14th (days were reckoned from sunset to sunset). The festival of Unleavened
Bread was a seven day celebration which began the day after Passover. In vs. 14:12 Mark writes that it
is on the first day of Unleavened Bread that the Passover lambs are
slaughtered. That would be true in our understanding of twenty four hour days
from midnight to midnight, but in Jewish reckoning the slaughtering by the
priests takes place at noon and Passover begins at sundown which is the
beginning of a new day. Also, in vs.
12 the Passover lamb is not a sacrifice since the animal is not
offered to God on the altar. It is given back to the family for their Passover
meal. Only the blood is taken.
We should not be too
concerned about the days or times. Mark, followed by Matthew and Luke have the
last supper identified as a Passover meal. It is quite probable that the
earliest tradition identified Jesus with Isaiah's Suffering Servant, who is
represented as the lamb who goes to slaughter. A reading of Isa. 53:7-9 will show the
framework within which the early Christians understood this last supper and the
events that followed.
2) Simon is called "The
Leper," however this does not mean that he is leprous, requiring
separation from family and friends. A person who had been leprous might
continue to be remembered as a leper even when the leprosy had disappeared.
Remember, this is not Hansen's disease by which a person's body is badly
deformed with the loss of appendages. Leprosy could be simply a rash, psoriasis
or seborrhea. Even a house or articles of clothing could become leprous
(moldy). The word used in the Greek Old Testament is "lepra"
from which leprosy is derived. It simply means "rough scaly"
skin. The Greek word for leprosy identified as Hansen's Disease, is
"elephas and is not found in the Greek Old Testament.
3) Matthew changes Mark by placing
the disciples at this event in Simon's house. If that were the case it would
seem they have yet to learn not to intervene when someone approaches
Jesus. Luke has an anointing passage but with very little similarity.
4) In vs. 6 the word translated as
"good service" is more appropriately understood aesthetically as
a "beautiful" service.
5) The charge of Blasphemy would be
sufficient to deserve the death penalty by stoning according to the Law. In or
near the year 30 CE the Roman government had taken away the authority to carry
out the death sentence in Judea. For this reason the authorities must have a
charge that will deserve death under Roman law.
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