8 THINGS ABOUT JESUS FROM HEBREWS 1:1-4

1. Jesus has the last word. God formerly spoke through the prophets. But then God spoke through his Son, Jesus. And that is the final word. That is why we do not follow those who say God has spoken to them outside of what the Bible says. 

2. He is the heir of all things, appointed so By God the father. He is supreme over all things. Indeed all things were created for him. (Colossians 1:16)

3. God created the world through Jesus. As John 1:3 says: “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made”. 

4. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact representation of his nature, i.e., the Son is a separate person from the Father, but has the same glory and nature, or essence. He is God.

5. He holds everything together. The universe stays together by the word of his power.

6. He made purification for the sins of believers by dying on the cross.

7. He was resurrected and exalted to set at the right hand of God the Father (the Majesty on high).

8. He is superior to the angels. 

THE LORD'S SUPPER: MARK 14:10-25

 Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14:10-11

In contact to Mary’s act of devotion to Jesus, Judas sought to betray him. Mark specifically identities him as one of the Twelve. He was an insider, close to Jesus. Yet, he met with members of the Sanhedrin, agreed on a price, and began to look for the opportunity to betray.

Mark does not name the price as Matthew does. Instead he focused on Judas’ greed and the depth of his betrayal as one close to Jesus. 

Preparations For The Passover Supper

14:12-16

The week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread arrived. The first day of the Feast is Passover. Mark specifically tells us it is the day when the Jews sacrificed their sacrificial Passover lamb. He wanted us to know that Jesus died on Passover, sacrificing himself for sin just as the lamb was traditionally sacrificed. (Exodus 12)

The arrangements that were made for Jesus to observe the Passover with his disciples are all directed by Jesus. He sent two disciples into Jerusalem, the only place the Passover could be observed. He arranged for them to meet a man who had a place furnished and ready for them. They met him and prepared the Passover meal. (16) It was customary for the residents of Jerusalem to make spare rooms in their houses available for visitors to observe the Passover. 

This shows us that Jesus is in control of events, not one who is caught up in events controlled by others. Jesus did not retreat, he followed the course he chose to follow in accordance with the Father’s plan. 

Here is an interesting side light to the story. The room here is described as a large upper room. (15) The room where the disciples met after Jesus’ ascension is also called “the upper room”. (Acts 1:13) Further, when Peter was in prison before the angel set him free, the disciples were meeting and praying. Peter went there to join them. That house was owned by Mary, the mother of John Mark, the author of this gospel account. (Acts 12:12) 

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

14:17-21

Although the Passover was a celebration, Jesus introduced sorrow. He told his followers that one of them eating with him, one of the Twelve, would betray him. (18) Jesus cast the announcement in terms of Psalm 41:9: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me”. 

They kept asking “is it I”. (19) The other gospel accounts show us that Jesus pointed out Judas as his betrayer.

Jesus knew he would go to his death as it was written of him (21). For example. This implies divine purpose. He was obedient to the will of the Father. 

There are no references in the Old Testament to the Son of Man dying. Jesus identified himself with the suffering servant of Isaiah. See Isaiah 53.

However, although it was God’s will for him to die, his betrayer would suffer for his actions. (21) Jesus pronounced a “woe” upon him: It would be better for him not to have been born. God may use the evil acts of men for his purposes, but the man is still responsible for his actions. 

The Lord’s Supper

14:22-25

Mark does not describe everything that happens at the meal, but focuses again on Jesus, his actions and his words. He begins with the group reclining at table and eating. (18)

During the Passover meal, 4 cups of wine were consumed ritually, reciting prayers and scripture passages. The meal is eaten after the ritual of the 2nd cup. When the 2nd cup was poured, the host would pray over it, then recite Exodus 6:6b: “I will deliver you from slavery”.

The food is then served, along with two unleavened bread wafers. Each person breaks his neighbor’s bread, they dip it and eat it. Then the meal is eaten. This is apparently when Jesus introduces the Lord’s Supper.

He took one of the wafers of bread, blessed it and broke it. He told them to eat it, saying “this is my body”. 

Then he took the cup of wine, maybe the 3rd ritual cup, gave thanks, gave it to the disciples, who all drank of it. Normally, with the 3rd cup, the host again quotes part of Exodus 6:6: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.” The disciples drank it.

Then Jesus said “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured our for many”. (24) Jesus would give his whole self for the disciples, dying on the cross. 

There is a reflection here of the inauguration of the Old Covenant. When the Israelites committed to God’s covenant, Moses took the blood of sacrificed oxen and threw it on the people, saying “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words”. (Exodus 24:3-8) 

Here, the blood was not thrown on them, but symbolically taken into them. The blood of animals was a type of the blood of Jesus, which is the only effective blood of the covenant. Jesus’ death is vicarious, in place of ours, as sacrifice for sin. He “bore the sin of many”. (Isaiah 53:12) 

Jesus would then lead the disciples to drink the 4th and final ritual cup of wine. There is a prayer of blessing, then the host recites the final clause of Exodus 6:6-7: 

“Then I will take you as my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

Jesus then said he would not drink wine again until that day when he drinks it new in the kingdom of God, looking forward to consummated kingdom. (25)

Finally, they sang a hymn, traditionally Psalms 115-118. After the hymn, the left Jerusalem and headed for the Mount of Olives. (26) 

Why do we observe the Lord’s Supper? Because Jesus told us to. “Do this in remembrance of me”. (Luke 22:19.) “Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25) 

It reminds us, as a church body, that he died for us and we are redeemed by the blood he shed for us. 

THE BEGINNING OF THE END: JESUS ANOINTED - MARK 14:1-9

 MARK 14:1-2

The Sanhedrin Plots 

 

The Olivet Discourse has ended and Mark begins in chapter 14 to tell us about the last days of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry.

Mark gave us a time stamp. This part of the story begins two days before the Passover. Passover was observed on the 14th day of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish Year, at sundown.  (Exodus 12) 

Nisan corresponds to March-April in our calendar. For example, Passover this year fell between the evening of April 5 and the evening of April 13. 

Passover inaugurates the  Feast of Unleavened Bread which lasts for a week. (Exodus 34)

The chapter begins with the members of the Jewish Sanhedrin looking for some way to arrest Jesus and kill him without stirring up the crowds that are in Jerusalem for Passover. (2) Judas will give them that opportunity later.

Mary Anoints Jesus

14:3-9

The setting for the story is the little village of Bethany on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. (3) Jesus and his disciples spent the nights there after days of confrontations in the city of Jerusalem. Bethany was the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. 

A man named Simon the Leper hosted a dinner for Jesus and his disciples. (3) Simon would have been healed from his disease, or otherwise could not have been in such a gathering. Maybe Jesus healed him previously and so the dinner was in his honor. 

To the surprise of the men, a woman entered the room. Mark does not name her, but John’s account tells us it was Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. (John 12:1-3)

Mark may have omitted her name to keep the reader’s focus on Jesus. He presents this event as the beginning of the end of Jesus’ earthly life as he is anointed for death. 

We know Mary from two previous encounters with Jesus. First, she sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teaching despite her sister wanting her to help her serve dinner. But Jesus told Martha “one thing is necessary” and “Mary has chosen n the good portion, which will not be taken away from her”. (Luke 10:38-42)

Mary’s desire to be near her Lord and to concentrate on his teaching was far more beneficial than being very busy preparing and serving with a meal. So, Jesus further said that would not be taken away from Mary.

The second time we see her is after the death of her brother, Lazarus. When Jesus got there, Mary said Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there. While that sounds like a reproach, it shows that Mary believed in Jesus’ divine power to heal. 

Mary’s entrance into the room where the men were gathered around the table was practically walking into the lion’s den. It was inappropriate in that culture for a woman to come into such a gathering of men except to serve them food and drink. As soon as the men realized she was not carrying a picture of wine or a platter of food, they would have begun to sit up and watch her, maybe even say: “what is she doing here?”. 

Mary knew this and knew the men would not approve. But, she went anyway because she thought only of Jesus, not of the opinion of others. She was compelled to go because of her love for Jesus and devotion to him. 

Imagine the shock of the men when Mary held up a beautiful alabaster flask. It was probably translucent white with artistic carvings on it. It was valuable and undoubtedly contained something valuable. 

In fact, it contained pure nard, an expensive, perfumed, ointment that came all the way from India.  It was worth around a year’s wages. It may have been a family heirloom or an investment.

Their eyes would go wide as she broke the top off of the flask. Mary was all in with her love for Jesus. She was not going to just pour a drop on him and then put the top back on the flask. No, she intended from the beginning to use the whole thing.

As Mary poured the contents of the flask on Jesus’ head, the room was filled with the fragrance of pure nard. Mary continued pouring until the flask was completely empty. It probably held 12 ounces or more. 

The ointment ran down Jesus’ hair and dripped down even to his feet. The men must have looked on in shocked silence for a few minutes as the enormity of her sacrifice for Jesus became apparent. 

You know, most of us are practical. We count the cost of things and we order our activities and expenses according to our priorities.  The disciples were practical too. They complained. They scolded her! They said the flask should have been sold and the money given to the poor. They said it was wasted! (4)

I suspect they were not that concerned about the poor. Judas certainly had ulterior motives. But I think the others might have been embarrassed or ashamed. While they had the unique privilege of being with Jesus all day every day, they bickered about who was he greatest, they tried to exclude others from getting close to Jesus.   

But here is this woman who is not even supposed to be there, who was not one of the inner circle, but who came to Jesus with no motive other than to express her love for him and to honor him, even at the expense of her own humiliation. 

Notice also that Jesus did not join the complaining chorus. He received this extravagant gesture of love and honored the woman who gave it. He jumped to her defense, interrupting the scolding, and saying: “leave her alone”. (6) 

Jesus also said that Mary had done a beautiful thing to him. His time was short and Mary had done what she could by preparing his body for burial in advance. (8)Mary seemed to understand what the disciples did not, that Jesus was going to die soon and they would likely not have time to prepare his body for burial when it happened. 

Jesus was not minimizing the needs of the poor. He always advocated for the poor. But he was saying he would not be with them much longer and acts of love and devotion were completely appropriate. (7) Again, Mary chose the better thing. 

Jesus even said that what Mary did would be told everywhere the gospel is preached in the whole world. What an honor! That prophecy has been fulfilled thousands of time and it is fulfilled here today. 

What Jesus said here is not new. God has always expected his people to love him extravagantly. The book of Deuteronomy records Moses giving the law to the Israelites again as they are about to enter the Promised Land. Moses said “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”. (Deuteronomy 6:5) 

Jesus called this the great and first commandment. (Matthew 22:38) In other words, the first and greatest thing believers should do is love the Lord  with every part of their being and everything they have. 

Let's take a moment today for self examination. Do we love God completely and above all things? Or is God just one of many things in our lives? 

 “This is also the right way to understand what the Apostle Paul says, ‘That God may be all in all (1 Cor 15:28). He will be the end of our desires: he will be seen without end, loved without satiation, and praised without weariness.” - Augustine

THE END OF ISRAEL & THE END OF TIME (CONCLUSION): MARK 13:28-37

 

Example of the Fig Tree

13:28-31

Jesus gave a practical example for the disciples about knowing when the temple would be destroyed. We can see he is again speaking of the temple because he uses the term “these things” in verse 29 as he did in verse 4.

When you see the fig tree put out leaves, you know summer is near. We all know the signs summer is near: trees begin to bud and put out new leaves, flowers bud and bloom, and the temperature gets warmer. 

So, Jesus was saying, just as you know summer is near when the fig tree puts out leaves, when you see the signs I talked about, know the time of the destruction of the temple is soon. 

There are some who see the fig tree as a symbol of Israel and that the leafing out in spring is a sign that Israel is remade as a country as it was in 1947. However, there are several factors that indicate otherwise. 

First is the use of the terms “these things” indicating the example is about the temple and not the return of Christ. 

Second, a discussion of what would happen in 1947 would not mean anything to the disciples in the 30s A.D. 

Third, Jesus said the events would happen within the lifetime of that generation. The destruction of the temple would occur in 70 A.D., some 30-40 years from the time Jesus spoke, which would fit with the theme of a generation. Christ did not return during that time period, so you would have to use a different, alternative, meaning to the term “generation”. 

Fourth, Jesus said he did not know the time of his return. (13:32) Therefore, he would not predict the time of his return. 

Fifth, Luke’s version of the story adds the words “and all the trees”, taking away the symbolism applied to Israel. (Luke 21:29) 

Jesus did say that, whatever happens to destroy Jerusalem and the temple, his words would never pass away. His word is God’s word. “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

No One Knows When

13:32-37

The subject now changes to the return of Christ. The NIV leaves it out, but the first word of verse 32 is “but”, contrasting what follows with the preceding words on the destruction of Jerusalem.

Jesus was clear that no one but God the Father knows when Jesus will return (“that day” or “that hour”). The angels don’t know and even the Son does not know. (32) Jesus cannot tell the disciples when it will happen because he does not know. 

So, do not waste your time and energy trying to figure it out. You aren’t going to figure it out. 

Instead, Jesus’ disciples (including us) are to be on guard and keep awake. Since they do not know when he will return, they, and we, should always live so that we will be found faithful when he does return. That is the point of the story of the man going on a journey. His servants should be at their work while he is gone and prepared for his return. The door keeper should be ready to let him in. 

This is also the point of the Parable of the Ten Virgins. (Matthew 25:1-13) Jesus ended the parable by saying: “Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour”.

What if we did know the date and time of his return? The temptation would be to wait until the day before to get our lives in order. That is not what Jesus wants from us. He wants continual watchfulness and faithfulness. 

There are two other interesting concepts that come up in verse 32. First, Jesus overtly claims to be the Son of God. He referred to himself as the Son in telling the disciples he did not know the time of his return. And, in contrast, he referred to the Father as the only one who did know, so the implication is that he is indeed the Son of God. 

The second concept is the limitation of Jesus’ knowledge regarding his return. Jesus created a paradox, saying he is the divine Son, yet saying his knowledge is limited compared to the Father’s. How can that be?

The answer may be in Philippians 2:6. Jesus, the Son, was equal to God, but did not grasp that equality but made himself nothing. He gave up the privileges of divinity. He took on human form with its limitations. If the Father allowed him to act in his divine nature, he did. If the Father did not allow it, as here, he obeyed. He was not alarmed at this, but rested in his trust of and obedience to the Father. 

And that is how we should approach Christ’s return: trust and obedience.