Mark Lesson #21

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
MARK 14:12-42
LESSON #21
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LAST SUPPER AND THE GARDEN PRAYER

• MEMORY VERSE: MAR 14:24

• READ MAR 14:12-26 PREPARATION FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL (THE LAST SUPPER):
• IN THE EVENING ON WEDNESDAY, AFTER SUNDOWN, JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES CELEBRATE A PRIVATE PASSOVER TOGETHER (17).
• JESUS EVIDENTLY HAD MADE PREVIOUS ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ROOM WITH THIS CELEBRATION IN MIND.
• REMEMBER HE HAD MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DONKEY ON PALM SUNDAY.
• THAT TELLS US THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING DURING THIS PASSION WEEK HAS BEEN PLANNED BY GOD FOR A PURPOSE.
• THIS EVENT OF THE LAST SUPPER PROBABLY OCCURS IN THE HOME OF JOHN MARK’S PARENTS (MAR 14:12-16 LUK 22:7-13). (JOHN MARK IS THE AUTHOR OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK.)
• THE PASSOVER MEAL, EATEN BY JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES, THAT WE CALL, THE LAST SUPPER, WAS NOT EATEN AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME THAT EVERYONE ELSE IN JERUSALEM ATE THEIR PASSOVER MEAL.
• THE MAJORITY OF JEWS ATE THE PASSOVER MEAL ON THURSDAY EVENING.
• NO ONE QUESTIONED THE TIMING OF THIS MEAL IN THAT IT WAS A DAY TOO EARLY. WHY?
• JESUS SAID, “MY TIME IS AT HAND.” (MAT 26:18 LUK 22:15-16)
• THE DISCIPLES MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD IT, BUT THEY ACCEPTED HIS AUTHORITY AND HIS EAGER DESIRE TO EAT THE MEAL WITH THEM.
• THE ARRANGEMENT AROUND THE TABLE DURING THIS PASSOVER MEAL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTANDING THE ACTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE.
• JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES DID NOT SIT IN CHAIRS AS WE SEE IN DA VINCI’S FAMOUS PAINTING. INSTEAD, THEY RECLINED ON THEIR LEFT ARM ON THE FLOOR WITH THEIR FEET POINTING AWAY FROM THE TABLE. THIS KEPT THE RIGHT ARM FREE TO EAT. THE PERSON TO JESUS’ RIGHT (JOHN) HAD THE POSITION OF GREATEST HONOR. JOHN’S EAR WOULD BE CLOSE TO JESUS’ MOUTH. THE PERSON ON JESUS’ LEFT (JUDAS) HAD THE SECOND POSITION OF HONOR. JESUS’ WOULD HAVE TO TURN HIS HEAD BACKWARD TO TALK TO HIM, BUT JUDAS’ MOUTH WOULD BE CLOSE TO JESUS’ EAR.
• PETER RECLINED ACROSS THE TABLE FROM JOHN.
• FROM THIS ARRANGEMENT, YOU CAN SEE WHY THINGS THAT WERE SAID BETWEEN JESUS AND JUDAS, AND JESUS AND JOHN WERE NOT EASILY HEARD BY OTHERS AT THE TABLE.
• THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AT THE LAST SUPPER:
• READ JOH 13:21-30
• PUTTING ALL THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS TOGETHER WITH THE JEWISH CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER MEAL, THE EVENTS PROBABLY OCCURRED AS FOLLOWS:
• =1= THEY DRANK THE FIRST CUP OF WINE (LUK 22:17-18)
• IN THE PASSOVER, THERE WERE FOUR CUPS OF WINE:
• 1) THE CUP OF SANCTIFICATION
• 2) THE CUP OF ANTIQUITY REPRESENTING THE 10 PLAGUES IN EXODUS.
• 3) THE CUP OF REDEMPTION OR THE CUP OF BLESSING. (PASSED AROUND SEVEN TIMES)
• 4) THE CUP OF ACCEPTANCE OR THE CUP OF ELIJAH.
• =2= JESUS REPLACED THE WASHING OF HANDS WITH THE WASHING OF FEET. (JOH 13:4-5)
• =3= A SERVANT BROUGHT IN A PORTABLE TABLE OF FOOD. THE HOST BROKE ONE OF THE UNLEAVENED PIECES OF BREAD. HALF OF IT WAS PUT ASIDE FOR AFTER THE MEAL. JESUS USED THIS HALF LATER TO INITIATE OUR COMMUNION.
• =4= A SERVANT FILLED THE SECOND CUP. THE YOUNGEST PERSON AT THE TABLE ASKED WHAT WAS THE MEANING OF THE OBSERVANCES. THEN THE HOST RECITED THE ANSWERS, GIVING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FIRST PASSOVER IN EXODUS AND THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.
• =5= THE SECOND CUP WAS LIFTED UP TO GOD THREE TIMES. (IT REPRESENTS THE TRINITY.) THEY SAID PRAYERS AND SANG PSALMS 113 AND PSALMS 114.
• =6= THEY DRANK THE SECOND CUP.
• =7= EVERYONE PRESENT WASHED HIS HANDS AND BEGAN TO EAT THE MEAL.
• WHILE THEY ATE, JESUS ANNOUNCED THE BETRAYAL. (MAT 26:21-22)
• THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS BASED ON THE PROPHECY IN PSA 41:9.
• THE BETRAYER WAS IDENTIFIED AS SOMEONE PRESENT. (MAT 26:23)
• PETER ASKED JOHN TO QUESTION JESUS AND FIND OUT WHO WOULD BETRAY JESUS. (JOH 13:24)
• JOHN ASKS JESUS WHO IT IS. (JOH 13:25)
• JESUS SAYS TO JOHN THAT IT IS THE PERSON TO WHOM HE WILL GIVE THE NEXT PIECE OF BREAD. (JOH 13:26)
• ACCORDING TO THE ARRANGEMENT AROUND THE TABLE, NO ONE BUT JOHN HEARD THIS IDENTIFICATION OF JUDAS.
• JUDAS ORDINARILY WOULD TAKE THE PIECE OF BREAD FROM JESUS.
• THIS PIECE OF BREAD WAS DIPPED IN BITTER HERBS THAT REPRESENTED THE SUFFERING OF THE JEWS.
• THE BREAD WAS NOT HANDED TO JUDAS, BUT JESUS PUT THE BREAD IN JUDAS’ MOUTH AS AN ACT OF LOVE.
• IN THIS ACT, JESUS IS EXTENDING LOVE AND FORGIVENESS TO JUDAS. WHEN JUDAS TOOK THE BREAD, SATAN ENTERED INTO HIM. (JOH 13:27)
• JUDAS WAS TOLD TO GO AND FINISH HIS BETRAYAL.
• FOR THE FIRST TIME, JUDAS REALIZES THAT JESUS KNOWS ABOUT THE BETRAYAL PLOT WITH THE TEMPLE LEADERS.
• JUDAS LEFT THE PASSOVER AT THIS POINT IN THE CEREMONY.
• BECAUSE JUDAS LEFT, HE DID NOT DRINK OF THE LAST CUP OF WINE, CALLED THE CUP OF REDEMPTION. THAT CUP REPRESENTED PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST’S BLOOD SHED ON CALVARY.
• BECAUSE OF THAT, IT IS EVIDENCE THAT JUDAS WAS NOT SAVED.
• JESUS DISCUSSED HIS GLORIFICATION AND DEPARTURE WITH THE REMAINING DISCIPLES. (JOH 13:31-38)
• =8= AT THE END OF THE MEAL, JESUS TOOK THAT PIECE OF BROKEN BREAD FROM #3 ABOVE AND IDENTIFIED IT WITH HIS CRUCIFIED BODY. HE GAVE SOME TO EVERYONE PRESENT.
• =9= THEN JESUS TOOK THE THIRD CUP, CALLED THE CUP OF REDEMPTION, AND GAVE IT TO EVERYONE PRESENT. THEY SANG PSALMS 115-118. (LUK 22:17-20)
• =10= JESUS IDENTIFIES THIS THIRD CUP WITH HIS CRUCIFIXION.
• =11= EVIDENTLY JESUS DID NOT USE THE 4^TH CUP OF ACCEPTANCE. WHY?
• PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE THE DISCIPLES WERE NOT YET BORN AGAIN, IN THAT HE HAD NOT YET SHED HIS BLOOD.
• THEREFORE, UNTIL THE RESURRECTION OCCURRED, THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN BY THE SHED BLOOD OF CHRIST AND WERE NOT ACCEPTABLE TO GOD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
• THE ORDINANCE OF COMMUNION:
• OUR COMMUNION SERVICE USES THIS SMALL PART OF THE PASSOVER CELEBRATION TO IDENTIFY US WITH CHRIST’S SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS.
• THE BREAD REPRESENTS HIS BODY BROKEN BY THE BEATING HE SUFFERED BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION. (LUK 22:63-65) AND HIS BODY BROKEN ON THE CROSS. (1PET 2:24)
• THE WINE REPRESENTS HIS BLOOD SHED ON THE CROSS FOR THE REMISSION OF SIN (EPH 1:7 COL 1:14)
• OF WHAT SIGNIFICANCE WAS THE LAST SUPPER?
• JESUS CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER (THE LAST SUPPER) TIES THE OLD TESTAMENT PASSOVER CELEBRATION TO JESUS’ DEATH WHERE JESUS FULFILLS THE PROPHETIC ASPECTS OF THE PASSOVER.
• JESUS CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER (THE LAST SUPPER) TIES JESUS’ DEATH TO OUR COMMUNION.
• DISCUSSION: WHY DO WE NEED TO REPEAT COMMUNION UNTIL JESUS COMES BACK AGAIN?

• ON THE WAY TO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
• THERE IS A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATION THAT OCCURS ON THE WAY TO GETHSEMANE THAT MARK DOES NOT TELL US. IT IS THE GOSPEL OF JOHN THAT FILLS IN MOST OF THESE DETAILS.
• JESUS GIVES AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE DISCIPLES AND TO US, SUBSEQUENT BELIEVERS. (JOH 14:1-15)
• JESUS GIVES THE PROMISE OF THE COMING HOLY SPIRIT. (JOH 14:16-17, 26)
• JESUS GIVES THEM THE PROMISE THAT HE WILL COME BACK AGAIN. (14:18-20)
• JESUS TELLS THEM ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RECIPROCAL LOVE. (JOH 14:21-25)
• JESUS TELLS THEM THEY WILL HAVE THE PEACE OF GOD DESPITE THE ACTIVITY OF SATAN. (JOH 14:27-31)

• READ MAR 14:27-42 IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
• THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY:
• JESUS QUOTES ZEC 13:7 CONCERNING HIS DEATH (THE SMITTEN SHEPHERD) AND THE SCATTERING OF THE SHEEP (THE DISCIPLES).
• PETER’S BRASH PROFESSION OF STRENGTH:
• PETER DID NOT KNOW HIS OWN WEAKNESSES.
• THAT IS TRUE OF ALL OF US. NONE OF US REALLY KNOW THE DEPTHS OF ONE’S STRENGTH OR THE VASTNESS OF ONE’S WEAKNESSES.
• JESUS SEPARATES PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN FROM THE OTHER DISCIPLES AND TAKES THEM TO A PLACE IN THE GARDEN WHERE THEY CAN PRAY. THEN JESUS MOVES FURTHER AWAY FROM THE THREE DISCIPLES.
• JESUS “BEGAN TO BE SORE AMAZED, AND TO BE VERY HEAVY.”
• THIS PHRASE IN ENGLISH IS RATHER MILD COMPARED TO THE DEEP DISTRESS AND ANGUISH IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE.
• THE TRAVAIL OF HIS SOUL WAS AS GREAT, IF NOT GREATER THAN THE PHYSICAL SUFFERING.
• WHAT WAS THE “HOUR THAT MIGHT PASS FROM HIM”? (35)
• THIS REFERS TO THE TIME ON THE CROSS WHEN HE BECAME SIN FOR US.
• READ 2COR 5:21
• WHAT WAS THE CUP THAT JESUS ASKED THE FATHER TO TAKE FROM HIM? (36)
• JESUS’ HUMANITY DESIRED THAT THERE BE ANOTHER SAY TO PURCHASE OUR REDEMPTION.
• THE CUP IS THE CUP OF SUFFERING, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL.
• THE SLEEPING DISCIPLES:
• JESUS CHECKS ON THE THREE DISCIPLES TWO TIMES BUT INSTEAD OF PRAYING, THEY ARE SLEEPING. JESUS REPRIMANDS THEM EACH TIME BECAUSE WITHOUT PRAYER THEY WILL FALL FOR THE TEMPTATION TO DENY HIM AND FALL AWAY.
• WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT JESUS FROM THIS NIGHT OF ANGUISH?
• JESUS WAS IN AGONY FOR SEVERAL REASONS:
• HE KNEW THE SUFFERING THAT WAS AHEAD OF HIM ON THE CROSS.
• HE HAD A CHOICE TO MAKE. HE COULD DO HIS OWN WILL AND BACK AWAY FROM GOING TO THE CROSS, OR HE COULD SUBMIT TO GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION ON THE CROSS.
• JESUS KNEW THE REJECTION AND LONELINESS THAT LAY AHEAD FOR HE KNEW HIS DISCIPLES WOULD ABANDON HIM.
• HE KNEW THAT HE WOULD SUFFER SEPARATION FROM GOD ON THE CROSS WHEN HE WOULD BECOME SIN FOR US. THEN HE WOULD SAY, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”
• JESUS TRUSTED HIS HEAVENLY FATHER COMPLETELY. HE USED THE WORDS, “ABBA, FATHER”, IN HIS PRAYER (36).
• THIS WAS A TITLE NEVER BEFORE USED TO ADDRESS GOD.
• THE TERM WAS USED WHEN A SMALL CHILD WOULD ADDRESS HIS FATHER IN THE PRIVATE INTIMACY OF THE HOME. HE WOULD CALL HIS FATHER, “PAPA”.
• WE ARE TO HAVE THIS SAME KIND OF PRIVATE INTIMACY WITH GOD.
• THE TIME IS AT HAND:
• FINALLY, THE THIRD TIME, JESUS RETURNS TO THE DISCIPLES AND THERE IS BRIEF TIME OF SLEEP BETWEEN VERSES 41 AND 42.
• JESUS DOES NOT WAIT FOR THE SOLDIERS TO COME AND ARREST HIM. HE GOES OUT TO MEET THEM, KNOWING THAT THE TIMING IS RIGHT.
• SUMMARY
• WHAT DID JESUS ACCOMPLISH IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE?
• JESUS WAS FULLY HUMAN AND FULLY DIVINE AT THE SAME TIME. HE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE HIS FULLY HUMAN NATURE WAS IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH HIS FULLY DIVINE NATURE BECAUSE SATAN WAS EXPECTING A VICTORY FROM THE CRUCIFIXION.
• JESUS NEEDED TO PREPARE HIMSELF SPIRITUALLY FOR THE BATTLE AHEAD JUST AS WE SHOULD PREPARE OURSELVES FOR GREAT SPIRITUAL BATTLES THROUGH PRAYER.

HOMEWORK

MARK 14:43-72

• APPLICATION OF MAR 14:12-31
• HAVE YOU EVER FACED A PARTICULARLY TRYING EXPERIENCE THAT YOU KNEW WAS COMING FOR WHICH YOU FELT TOTALLY UNPREPARED? EXPLAIN.

• HAVE YOU EVER FACED A PARTICULARLY TRYING EXPERIENCE THAT YOU KNEW WAS COMING AND SPENT HOURS IN PRAYER THAT HELPED YOU FELL WELL PREPARED? EXPLAIN.

• PREPARATION FOR MAR 14:43-72
• READ MAR 14:43-72
• WHAT WERE THE RELIGIOUS CHARGES AGAINST JESUS?

• HOW VALID WERE THESE CHARGES?

• HOW SERIOUS WERE THESE CHARGES?

• DID JESUS RECEIVE A FAIR RELIGIOUS TRIAL? IN WHAT WAYS WAS IT FAIR AND IN WHAT WAYS WAS IT UNFAIR?

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 14:62