Mark Lesson #22

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
MARK 14:43-72
LESSON #22
RELIGIOUS ADVERSARIES AND THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 14:62

• READ MAR 14:43-52 THE ARREST BY TEMPLE GUARDS
• FOR FOUR DAYS JESUS HAD BEEN IN THE TEMPLE WITH THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES. THEY DID NOT ARREST HIM THERE. WHY?
• IT WAS THE TIME OF THE PASSOVER CELEBRATIONS. DURING JEWISH HOLIDAYS, ROMAN SOLDIERS STOOD ON THE ROOF OF THE TEMPLE TO WATCH FOR TROUBLE.
• THE JEWISH LEADERS DID NOT WANT A RIOT ON THEIR HANDS THAT WOULD PROMPT THE ROMANS TO TAKE OVER THE TEMPLE.
• THE JEWISH LEADERS NEEDED THE COVER OF DARKNESS SO THERE WOULD BE NO MASS DEMONSTRATION OR REVOLT.
• GOD’S TIMING WAS NOT YET PERFECT. HIS TIMING NEEDED TO COINCIDE WITH THE DEATH OF THE PASSOVER LAMB SO THAT JESUS COULD FULFILL THE SYMBOLISM OF THE LAMB OF GOD SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.
• JESUS SAID THAT THE REASON HE WAS NOT ARRESTED EARLIER WAS BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURE HAD TO BE FULFILLED. (49)
• THE BETRAYAL
• THE BETRAYAL KISS
• IT WAS A COMMON PRACTICE FOR A STUDENT TO GREET A RABBI WITH A KISS.
• NOTICE THAT JUDAS CALLS JESUS, MASTER, AND NOT LORD. (45)
• NO ONE CAN CALL JESUS LORD EXCEPT BY THE ACTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (1COR 12:3)
• THE GOSPEL OF JOHN GIVES US MORE DETAILS OF THE ARREST:
• READ JOH 18:2-10
• WHEN JESUS ASKED THE SOLDIERS WHO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, THEY ANSWERED, “JESUS OF NAZARETH”. HE THEN SAID SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING THAT HE REPEATED THREE TIMES. (JOH 18:5, 6, 8)
• JESUS SAID, “I AM HE”. THE WORD, “HE”, DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK. THEREFORE, THE PHRASE, “I AM” IS A TITLE FOR GOD THE FATHER BACK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
• THREE TIMES JESUS USED IT TO REFER TO HIMSELF.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE SOLDIERS HAVE COME TO CONFRONT THE POWER OF THE TRINITY WHEN THEY CAME TO ARREST JESUS.
• THE POWER OF GOD MOVING THROUGH JESUS WAS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO KNOCK THE SOLDIERS TO THE GROUND. JESUS WAS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. HE DICTATED THE CONDITIONS OF HIS ARREST. HE WAS NOT A PASSIVE MARTYR.
• HE GAVE HIMSELF TO THE SOLDIERS IF THEY WOULD LET THE DISCIPLES GO FREE.
• THE DISCIPLES’ REACTIONS TO THE ARREST:
• THERE WAS A STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE DISCIPLES AND THE TEMPLE SOLDIERS.
• MARK MENTIONS A CURIOUS INCIDENT IN VERSES 51 AND 52 THAT IS NOT MENTIONED BY THE OTHER GOSPELS:
• THE NAKED “CERTAIN MAN”, WHO WAS HE?
• SINCE MARK DOES NOT TELL US SPECIFICALLY, WE CAN ONLY GUESS:
• SOME THINK IT WAS THE APOSTLE PAUL.
• MOST LIKELY IT WAS JOHN MARK HIMSELF.
• REMEMBER THAT THE LAST SUPPER WAS IN MARK’S HOUSE. SOMEONE PROBABLY RAN TO WAKE UP MARK’S FAMILY WHEN THEY SAW THE TEMPLE SOLDIERS HEADED FOR GETHSEMANE.
• THE MAN WORE ONLY ONE LINEN GARMENT, INDICATING HE WAS JUST OUT OF BED, AND NOT FULLY DRESSED.
• NOTICE THAT SOME OF THE DISCIPLES EVIDENTLY CARRIED WEAPONS. WHY?
• REMEMBER THAT ONE OF THE DISCIPLES, SIMON, AND PERHAPS OTHERS, WAS A MEMBER OF THE ZEALOTS, A POLITICAL TERRORIST GROUP. SOME OF THE DISCIPLES CARRIED KNIVES BECAUSE OF THEIR TRADE AS FISHERMEN.
• JESUS EVIDENTLY HAD NOT REPRIMANDED HIS DISCIPLES FOR CARRYING WEAPONS.
• THE DISCIPLE WHO CUT OFF MALCHUS’ EAR WAS PETER. (JOH 18:10) MALCHUS WAS A SERVANT IN THE TEMPLE.
• DISCUSSION: IS IT EVER JUSTIFIED TO FIGHT BACK TO DEFEND YOURSELF WITH VIOLENCE? IS IT EVER JUSTIFIED TO DEFEND WITH VIOLENCE ANOTHER PERSON WHO NEEDS HELP?
• READ MAT 26:52
• WHAT DID JESUS MEAN?
• GOD’S PURPOSES CAN BEST BE WORKED OUT THROUGH SACRIFICIAL LOVE AND NOT VIOLENCE.
• THE VIOLENCE OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS BROUGHT VIOLENCE UPON THEMSELVES.
• JESUS IS REFERRING TO THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, THE TEMPLE, AND THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN 70 AD.
• WHY DID JESUS NOT WANT TO BE DEFENDED?
• HIS DEATH WAS BY HIS OWN CHOICE BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WAS GOD’S PLAN. HE IS IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION.
• HE HAD ALL THE POWERS OF HEAVEN IN HIS HANDS, INCLUDING THE ANGELS.
• OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES ABOUT THE MESSIAH NEEDED TO BE FULFILLED. WHAT OLD TESTAMENT PROPHESIES?
• THERE ARE 333 PROPHETIC DETAILS ABOUT THE MESSIAH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE STREAM OF PROPHECY THAT RUNS THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT LOOKS LIKE A RIVER WITH TWO BRANCHES. ONE BRANCH OF THE RIVER IS ABOUT THE SUFFERING SERVANT, WHILE THE OTHER BRANCH IS ABOUT THE REIGNING KING.

• THE FULFILLMENT OF SOME OF THE PROPHECIES DURING JESUS’ FINAL WEEK

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES	THE EVENT OF JESUS’ FULFILLMENT	NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE PROOF
PSA 8:2 PSA 118:25-26 ZEC 9:9	THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY	MAT 21:4,5 MAR 11:7-11 JOH 12:13-14
PSA 69:9	THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE	MAR 11:15-17 JOH 2:13-22 JOH 19:46
PSA 41:9 PSA 55:12-14 ZEC 13:6	BETRAYAL BY A CLOSE FRIEND (JUDAS)	MAT 26:49-50 MAR 14:10
ZEC 11:12	THE 30 PIECES OF SILVER	MAT 26:15
PSA 55:15, 23 PSA 109:17	THE BETRAYER’S DEATH	MAT 27:5
ZEC 11:13	MONEY FOR THE POTTER’S FIELD	MAT 27:6-7
ZEC 13:7	THE DESERTION OF THE DISCIPLES	MAT 26:56 MAR 14:27
PSA 27:12 PSA 35:11 PSA 109:2 PSA 2:1-2	FALSE WITNESSES	MAT 26:60-61
PSA 38:13 ISA 53:7	SILENT WHEN ACCUSED	MAT 27:12, 14 MAT 26:62-63 MAR 15:5
PSA 2:2	POLITICAL AUTHORITIES AGAINST HIM	MAT 27:11 MAR 15:2
PSA 22:7-8, 16 PSA 109:25	MOCKED	MAT 27:39-40, 43 MAR 15:29
PSA 50:6 PSA 35:15, 21	SPAT UPON	MAT 26:67 LUK 22:65
ISA 53:5	WOUNDED AND BRUISED	MAT 27:26, 29
ISA 53:7-9	PATIENT UNDER SUFFERING	MAT 27
PSA 69:4	HATED WITHOUT CAUSE	JOH 15:23-25
ISA 53:4-5, 12 DAN 9:26	SUFFERED FOR US	MAT 8:16-17
PSA 22:14,17	CRUCIFIED	MAT 27:35 MAR 15:24
PSA 22:1	“MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?”	MAT 27:46 MAR 15:34
ISA 53:12	HE DIED AMONG SINNERS	MAR 15:27-28
PSA 22:18	THEY CAST LOTS FOR HIS GARMENTS	MAR 15:24 LUK 23:34
PSA 69:21	GALL AND VINEGAR TO DRINK	MAT 27:48 MAR 15:36
PSA 38:11	FAMILY AND FRIENDS WATCH FROM AFAR OFF	MAT 27:55 MAR 15:40

• READ MAR 14:53-72 THE RELIGIOUS TRIALS
• THERE WERE ACTUALLY SIX TRIALS (ALL ILLEGAL) BETWEEN JESUS’ ARREST AND HIS CRUCIFIXION. THREE OF THE TRIALS WERE JEWISH AND THREE OF THE TRIALS WERE ROMAN:
• MARK DOES NOT MENTION ALL OF THE TRIALS, SO WE HAVE TO PUT ALL THE GOSPELS TOGETHER TO ARRIVE AT THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:
• TRIAL #1 (A JEWISH HEARING)
• JESUS WAS FIRST TAKEN TO THE HOUSE OF ANNAS, THE HIGH PRIEST.
• ANNAS WAS THE HIGH PRIEST ACCORDING THE MOSAIC LAW. HE WAS PROBABLY THE JEWISH POWER BEHIND THE PLOT.
• ANNAS QUESTIONED JESUS ABOUT HIS DISCIPLES AND HIS TEACHINGS.
• READ JOH 18:19-23
• TRIAL #2 (ANOTHER JEWISH HEARING)
• JESUS WAS THEN TAKEN NEXT DOOR TO THE HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS, THE HIGH PRIEST.
• CAIAPHAS AS THE SON-IN-LAW OF ANNAS. HE WAS NOT THE LEGITIMATE HIGH PRIEST BUT WAS MORE ACCEPTED BY THE ROMANS.
• THIS IS A SECRET MEETING OF SOME OF THE SANHEDRIN, HASTILY ASSEMBLED TOGETHER AT NIGHT, ILLEGALLY, FOR THE PURPOSES OF OBTAINING EVIDENCE AGAINST JESUS TO KILL HIM.
• THEY BROUGHT IN FALSE WITNESSES WHO DID NOT AGREE ONE WITH THE OTHER.
• THE EVIDENCE:
• READ JOH 2:18-19
• IF THE TEMPLE WERE DESTROYED, JESUS WOULD RAISE IT UP IN THREE DAYS. WHILE JESUS REFERRED TO HIS OWN PHYSICAL BODY, THEY WANTED TO USE HIS STATEMENT TO MEAN THAT JESUS PLOTTED TO DESTROY THE PHYSICAL TEMPLE.
• JESUS DID NOT ANSWER THIS FALSE INTERPRETATION OF HIS WORDS. ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW, HE HAD A LEGAL RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT.
• TRIAL #3 (A FORMAL JEWISH TRIAL)
• AT DAYBREAK JESUS WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN, THE SUPREME COURT OF THE JEWS. (LUK 22:66-71)
• DID JESUS HAVE A FAIR TRIAL? IN WHAT WAYS WAS IT UNFAIR AND ILLEGAL?
• BECAUSE THE TRIALS BEFORE THE 2 HIGH PRIESTS, THEY HAD TO MAKE A PRETENSE OF LEGALITY BY HOLDING A TRIAL BEFORE THE FULL MEMBERSHIP OF THE SANHEDRIN. (THERE WERE 71 MEMBERS)
• TWENTY-THREE MEMBERS PRESENT WAS SUFFICIENT LEGALLY FOR A CAPITAL CASE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ANY CAPITAL CASES TRIED DURING PASSOVER WEEK. [VIOLATED]
• ONLY IF THE VERDICT WAS NOT GUILTY COULD A TRIAL END ON THE DAY IT BEGAN. OTHERWISE, ONE NIGHT HAD TO PASS BEFORE THE SENTENCE WAS PRONOUNCED. [VIOLATED]
• A TRIAL WAS ILLEGAL UNLESS IT WAS HELD IN THE TEMPLE WITH AT LEAST TWO WITNESSES, WHO HAD NO CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, EXAMINED SEPARATELY. [VIOLATED]
• FALSE TESTIMONY WAS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH.
• BEFORE ANY EVIDENCE OF GUILT COULD BE PRODUCED, ALL EVIDENCE FOR INNOCENCE HAD TO BE PRESENTED FIRST. [VIOLATED]
• WHAT WERE THE RELIGIOUS CHARGES AGAINST JESUS?
• BLASPHEMY WAS THE FINAL RELIGIOUS CHARGE BECAUSE JESUS CLAIMED TO BE THE MESSIAH (THE CHRIST), THE SON OF GOD. (MAT 26:64)
• THEY REFERRED TO HIM AS THE SON OF GOD.
• THEY ARE ASKING HIM IF HE IS THE MESSIAH.
• JESUS REFERRED TO HIMSELF AS THE SON OF MAN.
• BOTH ARE TITLES FOR THE MESSIAH. (DAN 7:13)
• HOWEVER, JESUS EXTENDS HIS ANSWER TO SAY THAT HE IS NOT ONLY THE MESSIAH BUT ALSO THAT HE WILL SIT AT GOD’S RIGHT HAND.
• HE MAKES HIMSELF EQUAL TO GOD, THE FATHER.
• HOW DID THE HIGH PRIEST KNOW TO ASK JESUS IF HE WAS THE MESSIAH? JESUS HAD INSTRUCTED HIS DISCIPLES TO TELL NO ONE.
• PROBABLY JUDAS BROKE HIS VOW OF SILENCE AND TOLD THE PRIESTS WHEN HE BETRAYED JESUS.
• HOW VALID WERE THESE CHARGES?
• THE CHARGES OF BLASPHEMY AGAINST JESUS WERE NOT VALID BECAUSE HE WAS TRULY GOD IN THE FLESH DOING GOD’S WILL AT EVERY POINT.
• HOW SERIOUS WERE THESE CHARGES?
• BLASPHEMY ALWAYS CARRIED WITH IT A DEATH SENTENCE SINCE OLD TESTAMENT TIMES. HOWEVER, THE JEWS DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT A DEATH SENTENCE. THEREFORE, WHILE THEY THOUGHT HE DESERVED DEATH, THEY HAD TO FIND A WAY TO BRING IT ABOUT.
• THE HIGH PRIEST’S RESPONSE TO JESUS’ “I AM” STATEMENT (MAR 14:62-63):
• THE HIGH PRIEST TORE HIS CLOTHES.
• THIS WAS A CULTURAL PRACTICE TO INDICATE EXTREME SORROW AND ANGUISH. HOWEVER, THE HIGH PRIEST’S CLOTHES WERE NEVER TO BE TORN. HE VIOLATED THE MOSAIC LAW WHEN HE DID THIS.
• PETER’S DENIAL
• PETER HAD ENOUGH COURAGE TO FOLLOW THE SOLDIERS AND JESUS FROM A DISTANCE. (MAR 14:54)
• HE WAITS FOR NEWS IN THE INNER COURTYARD OF THE HOUSE OF THE HIGH PRIEST.
• THE WEALTHY JEWISH HOME IN JERUSALEM WAS BUILT WITH ROOMS AROUND A SQUARE INNER COURTYARD.
• THREE TIMES HE IS CONFRONTED AS ONE OF JESUS’ DISCIPLES.
• HE WAS RECOGNIZED AS BEING FROM GALILEE BECAUSE OF HIS REGIONAL ACCENT AND HIS REGIONAL CLOTHING.
• THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT IF HE WAS FROM GALILEE HE MUST BE ONE OF THE DISCIPLES.
• REMEMBER THAT THE NUMBER THREE REPRESENTS THE TRINITY.
• THEREFORE, PETER IS NOT ONLY DENYING JESUS, BUT BY DENYING THE MESSIAH, HE IS ALSO DENYING GOD, THE FATHER, AND GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• PETER DID NOT FLEE AFTER THE FIRST CONFRONTATION OR EVEN AFTER THE SECOND ONE. HE WAS TORN BY FEAR FOR HIS SAFETY AND HIS LOVE FOR JESUS.
• AT THE THIRD DENIAL, HE CURSES JESUS’ NAME. (71)
• WHEN PETER REALIZED HE HAD FULFILLED JESUS’ PROPHECY OF DENIAL, HE WEPT IN REPENTANCE.
• PETER REPENTED, RECEIVED GOD’S FORGIVENESS (JOH 21:15-22), AND BECAME A STRONG DISCIPLE AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLED HIM FIFTY DAYS LATER, ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
• PETER HAD SAID HIS DENIAL WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, BUT HE LEARNED HOW WEAK HE WAS. HE LEARNED TO REPLACE HIS SELF-CONFIDENCE WITH CONFIDENCE IN GOD.
• THE CROW OF THE COCK
• PETER PROBABLY DID NOT HEAR AN ACTUAL ROOSTER CROW.
• THE HOUSE OF THE HIGH PRIEST WAS IN THE CENTER OF JERUSALEM WHERE THERE WAS A REGULATION MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO KEEP LIVE ROOSTERS AND HENS IN THE CITY BECAUSE THEY DEFILED HOLY THINGS.
• THE HOUR OF 3 AM WAS KNOWN AS THE “COCK CROW”. AT THAT HOUR THE ROMAN GUARD WAS CHANGED IN THE CASTLE OF ANTONIA NEXT TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT. THE SIGN OF THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD WAS THE BLAST OF A TRUMPET CALLED gallicinium WHICH MEANS = COCKCROW.
• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• THE SOURCE FOR THE RELIGIOUS PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN WAS PROBABLY EITHER NICODEMUS OR JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, OR BOTH.
• BOTH OF THESE RELIGIOUS LEADERS BECAME BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST.
• TRUE TO FORM, MARK CONTRASTS TRUE AND FALSE DISCIPLESHIP BY CONTRASTING PETER’S REPENTANCE WITH THE RELIGIOUS LEADER’S PERSISTENT ANTAGONISM.
• WE ARE AS WEAK AS PETER WHEN WE TRUST IN OUR OWN STRENGTH. WE NEED TO LEARN PETER’S LESSON OF TRUSTING IN GOD’S STRENGTH.
• AFTER THE FACT, PETER TOLD THE REST OF HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT HIS DENIAL. HE DID NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. IT IS ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS WILLING TO CONFESS HIS SIN THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE DENIAL AT ALL.
• PETER TOLD ABOUT HIS OWN SIN SO THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THE CLEANSING POWER, THE KEEPING POWER, AND THE GLORY OF THE FORGIVING LOVE OF CHRIST.
• READ 1PET 1:5 THE KEEPING POWER OF GOD.

HOMEWORK

MARK 15:1-15

• APPLICATION OF MAR 14:43-72
• IS THERE SOME SIN IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU NEVER ASKED GOD FOR FORGIVENESS? IF SO, WRITE IT ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER. PRAY AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU. (1JOH 1:9)
• ONCE YOU KNOW IN YOUR SPIRIT YOU ARE FORGIVEN, TEAR UP THE PIECE OF PAPER INTO TINY PIECES AND THROW IT AWAY.
• THEN READ PSA 103:10-13

• PREPARATION FOR MAR 15:1-15
• READ MAR 15:1-15
• HOW HAVE THE CHARGES AGAINST JESUS CHANGED FROM THE FINAL RELIGIOUS CHARGES?

• WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL CHARGES AGAINST JESUS?

• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF PILATE?

• WHAT DOES BARABBAS REPRESENT?

• MEMORY VERSE: MARK 15:2