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BACKGROUND
In passage today, Jesus quotes Psalm 22:1. In the Hebrew tradition of that time, to quote one verse was as good as calling to mind the entire Psalm. And certainly, Mark has had this psalm in mind. His description of what Jesus experienced, especially from the mocking crowds has links with Psalm 22. I encourage you to take time to read it for yourself. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Sit in silence before praying, with Jesus: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? (Psalm 22:1) READ: Mark 15:33-39 Station 5: Golgotha. “Jesus breathed his last” 33When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ 36And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’ 37Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’ INSIGHTS In those days of Roman rule, seeing and even staying to watch the agonizing death by crucifixion was common for many. No doubt, people had become inured to the victims’ agonizing screams of rage and curses and their helpless pleas for relief from the pain and slow death. They’d heard it all before, could do nothing about it and simply ignored it. I wonder whether anyone noticed how differently and silently Jesus died. He never cried out in the typical fashion of the crucified victim. There was no cursing, no agonizing cries of pain and no pleas for help. Except one plea to God. In that awful moment he speaks, his first words since his trial by Pilate, calling to mind and quoting from Psalm 22. Before we reflect on Jesus’ few words, notice the detail of the opening statement. Once again Mark ‘tells the time’—noon (which was the 6th hour of watch). For three hours (until the 9th hour) darkness descended over the whole land. Mark merely states this without comment. We’re to reflect and see it as a symbol of judgment on the land, reminiscent of the darkness “that could be felt” that descended on the Egyptians centuries earlier (Exodus 10:21f). This time the darkness was symbolic of the judgment of dominant world orders. The revolution to overthrow the ruler of this world had begun and continues today in God’s way and time. It’s only at the end of that three-hours of darkness that Jesus invoked Psalm 22:1, his plea to God. “‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” Jesus’ cry of desolation is beyond our capacity to fully grasp. There’ve been times when I felt like God had forsaken me and have made these words my own. But, my feeling of God’s absence wasn’t actual. God was there even though I couldn’t sense God in any way. Jesus’ didn’t merely feel as if God had forsaken him. He literally experienced the total absence of God. ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ The cry was real for Jesus. It,s perhaps the most shocking and mind-boggling prayer in the entire New Testament. The bystanders at the cross are not able to empathize with Jesus. They can’t bear such agony and instead choose to misunderstand his “hebraized Aramaic” version and assume eloi’ meant Elijah and that Jesus was asking Elijah to help him. There was a popular belief “that Elijah would come to the rescue of the godly in time of need” (Meyers 2015, p. 389). Of course, there is no relief for the crowd in the form of a rescuer like Elijah. The crowd are forced to watched as the agony deepens and Jesus once again cries out for the last time and then dies. We don’t know what he said this time. By not giving us Jesus’ actual words, Mark draws us in emotionally, inviting us to imagine what he might have said just before “he breathed his last.” What you think Jesus said will tell you something about yourself. There is a second symbolic act of judgment in the story, this time on the Jewish religious system. The veil in the temple that separated people from the very holy presence of the Lord God was ripped in two signifying that the way to God was no longer in the control of the religious leaders. The way to God’s presence was now open to all, including Gentiles. It’s at this point, Mark gives his second climax in the words of the Roman centurion: “Truly this man was God’s Son!” The second half of Mark focuses on proving that Jesus is God’s Son. The ultimate proof, according to Mark? Jesus’ death on the cross. This is something to think about as we reflect on our pictures of Jesus. FOR REFLECTION “See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down: Did e’re such love and sorry meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?” (Isaac Watts) Sometimes we reduce the significance of the cross to mean individual personal salvation and nothing more. Yes, it does mean that, but it means so much more. It began a revolution against the world powers, including ours today. God’s kingdom has come, and the world has changed. What role are you going to play in this new world order that Jesus inaugurated? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Jesus, may my gratitude for your work on cross be evident in how I live out your kingdom values in the world today. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who died on a cross.
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PREPARE TO LISTEN. Sit in silence before praying: O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! (Psalm 71:12)
READ: Mark 15:25-32 Station 5: Golgotha. “That we may see and believe” 25It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26The inscription of the charge against him read, ‘The King of the Jews.’ 27And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30save yourself, and come down from the cross!’ 31In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.’ Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. INSIGHTS Crucifixions were public events that attracted many people who came to mock and gawk at the dying victim. There is a similarity with the more recent practice in the U.S. of lynching, which was advertised in local newspapers and attracted crowds (men, women and children) as if it were a carnival occasion. The agonizing suffering and death of another was treated with callous disregard; just a common act for public enjoyment and indifference. The people gathered in ‘layers’ at Jesus’ crucifixion, from those closest to the cross to those merely walking past. Most of them were his opponents including those callous soldiers. Only a few women, not mentioned in today’s lesson (15:40-41), who were on Jesus’ side. Noticeably absent in the ‘layers’ in Mark’s story were Jesus’ male disciples. It raises the challenging question: Where would you be? Today, we focus on the opponents of Jesus. Mark highlights three different categories of mockers. First, “those who passed by,” pausing on their journey to deride Jesus. They remembered his claim about rebuilding the temple in three days and now mock him with it. They didn’t know that Jesus used the temple as a symbol of his body which would be restored, ‘raised’ in three days. He would wait for the third day and wouldn’t do what the mockers suggest. Second, we have the chief priests and scribes, who were no doubt feeling relieved to finally see Jesus on a cross. They’ll believe, they mock, but only if he comes down from the cross. They want Jesus to act like a ‘real’ Messiah and triumph over the occupying forces of Rome by stepping off the cross. There is a sense in which we’d all like a victorious ending to the story like this one; a Jesus who destroys our oppressive enemies right now through a surprise miraculous move that doesn’t entail more suffering. We’d all prefer to omit suffering and pain. Ched Meyers challenges us with his question: “Who of us is really prepared to accept that by remaining there he shows the way to liberation, to acknowledge that in this moment the powers are overthrown and the kingdom is come in power and glory?... Who of us can embrace the implications for our own lives?” (Meyers 2015, p. 384) The last of the mockers to taunt him were the two bandits crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left hand. A ‘bandit’ wasn’t a common criminal, but a political rebel condemned to death for sedition against Rome. Jesus, also condemned to death for sedition (a false charge), is grouped with two other social bandits. Again, Mark hints at irony in the story. Not so long ago the sons of Zebedee, James and John had dared to request sitting at Jesus’ right and left hands, the places of highest honor. The rebels are given that honor, but what a horrifying honor! Now we understand Jesus’ response to the Zebedee boys: “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Mk 10:38) Did you notice that Mark uses three different verbs to describe each groups’ behavior? The first group deride him, the second mocks, and the final group taunt him. He has chosen his words carefully to highlight the callousness of the opponents towards one who was weak, vulnerable and in agony. It also highlights the strength of the opposition to Jesus from the political and religious structures. and the strength of Jesus’ loving obedience to the Father. FOR REFLECTION Imagine the scene and place yourself somewhere in it. What emotion and thoughts come to mind? The mockers, especially the religious leaders, felt good because they’d successively overcome the one who threatened their religious status quo. How far do we go today to maintain our religious (church) status quo? Who of us can embrace the implications of the cross for our lives today? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER “Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God: all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.” (Isaac Watts) GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who refused to exercise power and come off the cross. PREPARE TO LISTEN. After your silence, pray: For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)
READ: Mark 15:21-24 Station 5: Golgotha. “And they crucified him” 21They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 22Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. INSIGHTS I was struck by the detail in this passage concerning seemingly irrelevant things in contrast with the lack of detail about the one thing that is the most relevant: “And they crucified him.” Mark, as we’ve discovered, never wastes words, so the detail is there for a reason. The first detail has to do with the man compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. We’re given his name, town and son’s names. Is there perhaps a little irony here on Mark’s part? ‘Simon’ was the name of first disciple Jesus called (1:16); a disciple who failed ‘to carry his cross’ as Jesus commanded (8:34) and so denied him. A different ‘Simon’ is now forced to carry Jesus’ cross. The fact that Mark includes the name of his sons is interesting. They’re unknown outside of this verse in Mark. It is very possible that Alexander and Rufus were well-known members of the community to whom Mark wrote this Gospel and thus would be able to confirm for them Mark’s account about their father carrying Jesus’ cross. Their names are Greek, not Jewish. However, their father’s name is very Jewish. We can only speculate about Simon’s origin. Was he a Jew living in a very Greek community, and not in Palestine? Was he African? Mark remains silent. All we know is that, as Jesus went alone to the cross, it was an alien stranger (he wasn’t a resident of Jerusalem nor a known follower of Jesus) who was forced to walk with him, taking the place one of his disciples should have taken. But disciples had all deserted and fled. Return to the most relevant phrase in these verses. For the second time, Mark includes an important phrase in a seemingly matter-of-fact way and without any elaboration: “And they crucified him.” Most of Mark’s first readers would know what that entailed. They wouldn’t need a detailed explanation. They’d seen too many crucifixions. This isn’t true for readers in the 21st century. We need to reflect more and experience the horror of this simple, unadorned phrase. But, and this is what strikes, even shocks me, Mark doesn’t pause to let us reflect. He immediately describes, in some detail, the soldiers casting lots and dividing up Jesus’ clothing between them. In other words, we’re left wondering, not about Jesus being crucified, but about the indifference and callousness of the soldiers at the foot of the cross. A man is suffering indescribable pain and all they do is divvy up his clothing. As the Psalmist wrote, “they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Ps 22:18). Meanwhile, Jesus is passively in the background, almost forgotten, saying and doing nothing, hanging on a cross. FOR REFLECTION Reflect on the roles of Simon of Cyrene and the soldiers. Simon was forced to carry the cross; the soldiers are so used to crucifixion they feel nothing. Where are you in this scene? Notice your emotions and thoughts and name them. Would you have volunteered to carry the cross for Jesus? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus, help me see more clearly and feel more dearly what you went through in order to restore God’s world to its original goodness. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who suffered in silence for the redemption of the world. PREPARE TO LISTEN. After your silence, pray: It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in mortals. (Psalm 118:8)
READ: Mark 15:16-20 Station 4: Pilate’s residence. “Led out to be crucified” 16Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. 17And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18And they began saluting him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ 19They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. 20After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. INSIGHTS The second trial ends, the ‘guilty’ verdict stands, and the bullies take over as the Roman soldiers, like the Jewish ‘police’ after the first trial, persecute Jesus before taking him to the cross. They strip him of his clothing, array him in kingly robes (a purple cloak) place a crown made of thorns on his head and mock him. I often wonder whether the person who twisted ‘some thorns into a crown’ was wounded in the process. Sometimes bullies are willing to suffer pain in order to wound and humiliate their enemy. Jesus remained passive and accepting. After the bullying, Jesus is given back his own clothing (which they’ll soon strip off him a second time) and then “they led him out to crucify him.” The words are almost matter of fact, like this was an ordinary day of business as usual. It was commonplace in those days of Roman rule, yet Mark’s simple unadorned phrase adds to the drama; it’s mater-of-factness is attention-getting, if only because it’s shocking. The verbs in that short sentence are stark. Jesus was led, a passive, unresisting lamb to the slaughter; taken out away from the comfortable and controllable known; so they could crucify him. Jesus willingly yields to his captors, letting them take him to an excruciatingly painful death. “They led him out to crucify him.” You may have noticed that Mark doesn’t explain the reason for Jesus’ crucifixion, not here and not elsewhere in his Gospel. He has dropped hints along the way, such as Jesus’ words given at his last Passover meal: “This is my blood…which is poured out for many.” But even those words remain unexplained. We’re meant to live with the words until they sink into our heart and life and change us. FOR REFLECTION Reflect on your reaction to the simplicity of Mark’s matter-of-fact phrase: “they led him out to crucify him.” They never knew he willingly went for each one of them and for the world. Jesus’ call to his disciples is, “Follow me.” Jesus went to the cross. What do you think that means for you today? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER “When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.” (Isaac Watts.) Lord Jesus, for your sake, help me make these words a reality, bit by bit, starting today. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who poured out his blood for you. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be silent and still and then pray: I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:16)
READ: Mark 15:6-15 Station 4: Pilate’s residence. ‘Crucify him’ 6Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. 7Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. 9Then he answered them, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ 10For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. 11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 12Pilate spoke to them again, ‘Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?’ 13They shouted back, ‘Crucify him!’ 14Pilate asked them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify him!’ 15So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. INSIGHTS Each year on Passion Sunday (also known as Palm Sunday) the church I attend reads through the entire Passion Narrative. This year we’ll read Mark’s version (14:1-15:47). The congregation participates, taking various roles. However, we all become the crowd who shout back in answer to Pilate’s question about what to do with Jesus, ‘Crucify him!’ It’s always a shock to hear our voices utter such violent language, demanding the death of one we all love and serve. Our enthusiasm is that of an actor on a stage. We’re doing it for the sake of the ‘play.’ Of course, we’d never do this in reality! Or so we tell ourselves. But would we? FOR REFLECTION Reflect again on your picture of Jesus and what you’ve learned thus far from Mark’s Gospel about him. Only those who know Jesus as revealed in the Gospels, not the Jesus of popular evangelical culture, can be sure they’d stand with not against Jesus. Where would you stand? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER You stood alone, Jesus, when the crowd turned against you then. People still turn against you today, but I will stand with you and participate in your will not my own, for the sake of your glory. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST for the sake of his glory. BACKGROUND
The reading today is Jesus’ second trial, this time before Pilate. Peter’s denial falls between the two trials. The Jewish authorities were satisfied that Jesus deserved death on the basis of blasphemy against the Lord God. However, when they stood him before Pilate, they accused him, not of blasphemy (which Pilate wouldn’t care about) but of sedition—usurping the role of king of the Jews to overthrow Rome. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be silent and still and then pray: I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. (Psalm 119:15) READ: Mark 15:1-5 Station 4: Pilate’s residence. ‘Early morning’ 1As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ He answered him, ‘You say so.’ 3Then the chief priests accused him of many things. 4Pilate asked him again, ‘Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.’ 5But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. INSIGHTS Mark now begins his careful annotation of the hours, highlighting the swiftness with which Jesus was tried, indicted, sentenced and executed. The marking of the hours is done deliberately to dramatize the story and heighten our emotional engagement with it. He begins with early morning, the first watch of the day at 6 a.m. The chief priests, elders, scribes and the whole council (Sanhedrin) “held a consultation” that resulted in Jesus being bound and led away and handed over to Pilate. The verbs are active and stark—bound, led away, handed over. Jesus, in contrast, is a passive while others do things to him. He is also entirely alone. His disciples have all fled. This was something Jesus had to do alone. His calm willingness to walk into his arrest after his agonizing prayer in Gethsemane means he understood and accepted the loneliness of the task ahead and thus never once resists. The trial before Pilate begins with an immediate accusation related to the charge of sedition: ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus responds, but with an indirectness that admits little: ‘You say so.’ He neither claims nor denies the accusation, even though he is King, not merely of the Jews but also of Romans and indeed the world. His kingship, however, isn’t one of violent overthrow but of passive acceptance of the violence done to himself and no one else. The chief priests butt in at this point and “accuse him of many things.” Jesus responds as in the first trial, with silence. He refused to use any form of defense even though he faced ‘capital punishment.’ He behaved as “a lamb led to the slaughter” (Is 53:7). Pilate was amazed. He’d never experienced such passive acceptance from an accused victim. If we think about it, Jesus’ passive acceptance should amaze us too. It’s so unlike the heroes/mentors we seek to follow and emulate today. Jesus never did conform to any of the images we design for leaders and authority figures. FOR REFLECTION Today Christians tend to read this story with too much ‘baggage.’ We know Jesus did what was necessary for our salvation and therefore we fail to enter into the narrative as a participant and see it as if for the first time and feel the emotions. I encourage you to pause for a few minutes and enter the story. Pick a role, perhaps as an objective bystander or one of Mark’s characters and pay attention to your thoughts and feelings as you prayerfully wonder about Jesus’ passive non-resistance, a lamb led to slaughter. Is this the Jesus you’re following? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Once again, Lord Jesus, you shock us all with your passive submission to the grossest of human violence. Help me today to walk in your way. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who willingly let himself be led ‘to slaughter.’ PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be silent and still and then pray: I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches. (Psalm 119:14)
READ: Mark 14:66-72 Station 3: The High Priest’s place. ‘Before the cock crows’ 66While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. 67When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’ 68But he denied it, saying, ‘I do not know or understand what you are talking about.’ And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. 69And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, ‘This man is one of them.’ 70But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.’ 71But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about.’ 72At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept. INSIGHTS The story returns to Peter, who’d belatedly followed Jesus at a distance. It was a courageous move on Peter’s part, even though it wasn’t sufficiently courageous. Peter knew if Jesus was prosecuted as a revolutionary against Rome, then, if he was identified as one of his followers, he’d go down with Jesus. He lacked the courage for that. When his distinctive Galilean accent gave him away to those residents of Jerusalem, they were quick to accuse him of being “one of them,” a Jesus-follower. I think we can all empathize with Peter’s fear of arrest, suffering and death. How would we hold up? Peter ends up doing exactly what Jesus said he’d do—deny him three times. Despite his boast to follow Jesus to death, Peter was unwilling to do so. Instead of obeying the call to deny himself (Mk 8:34) he denied Jesus. At the third accusation, Peter ‘lost his cool,’ cursing and swearing an oath, insisting, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about.’ There is a sense that Peter was right about not knowing Jesus. Ironically, as Ched Meyers notes, “for all his following, Peter truly does not ‘know’ who Jesus is” (Binding the Strong Man. 1991, p. 377). The second crow of the cock brought Peter back to his senses and he saw himself for what he was—a denier of Jesus. His repentance was bitter and real. FOR REFLECTION The challenging reflection for us to prayerfully wonder about is: Do I really know Jesus? If he walked into the room right now, would I recognize him, or would my comforting cultural images of Jesus get in the way? What needs to change in my life and in my picture of Jesus? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus, keep giving me a spirit of wisdom to discern who you really are, of courage to name and discard my distorted views so that I walk your way of self-denial, carrying my own cross to the end. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, despite sometimes not knowing him. BACKGROUND
Events in these final locations to which Jesus was taken take place within a twenty-four-hour period. Notice how Mark tells the time, citing the exact hour. This detail about the hour is intended to highlight the drama and the surprising end to which the Gospel brings us. Mark records two trials, the first is before the Sanhedrin, the highest governing body of Jews under Rome. It consisted of ‘chief priests, the elders, and the scribes,’ and was headed by the ‘high priest,’ all mentioned in our lesson today. The second trial was before the Roman governor, Pilate. There is a similarity between the two trials seen in the order of events, questions asked and Jesus’ response. Each trial ends in Jesus being tortured. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be silent and still and then pray: Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes. (Psalm 119:12) READ: Mark 14:53-65 Station 3: The High Priest’s place. ‘Condemned to death’ 53They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. 54Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. 55Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. 56For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. 57Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58‘We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.”’ 59But even on this point their testimony did not agree. 60Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ 61But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ 62Jesus said, ‘I am; and “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power”, and “coming with the clouds of heaven.”’ 63Then the high priest tore his clothes heaven and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? 64You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?’ All of them condemned him as deserving death. 65Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, ‘Prophesy!’ The guards also took him over and beat him. INSIGHTS Mark begins the first trial narrative with a brief note about Peter secretly following Jesus, albeit “at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.” Peter wanted to keep his vehement claim he’d never desert Jesus. Mark then ignores Peter for the time being, focusing our attention on Jesus’ first trial. Keep Peter in the background as Mark returns to him after the trial. Peter’s actions bookend the trial before the Jewish authorities. The purpose of the trial, as far as the Sanhedrin were concerned, was to find condemning evidence against Jesus. Their goal was execution not justice, therefore they entertained the many false witnesses with their contradictory testimonies. Notice how Mark, almost monotonously, records the different false witnesses and their testimonies that don’t agree. When challenged to respond to the false accusations, Jesus “was silent and did not answer.” From the highly active Jesus in the first half of Mark, Jesus becomes passive, saying and doing very little. This is exactly as the prophet described Messiah: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). I wonder whether any of his accusers thought of that passage as they tried a passive Jesus. Would it have given them pause? There is only one question Jesus answered, an answer that will incriminate him and give the Sanhedrin all they needed to indict Jesus of blasphemy. When asked if he was messiah, Jesus replied with uncharacteristic directness and with sacred words, “I am.” Sacred, because this is the name God revealed to Moses (Exodus 3:14). Jews refused to use it, seeing it as a claim to be God. If that wasn’t sufficient to indict him, Jesus added fuel to the fire with his quotes from both Psalm 110:1 (seated at God’s right hand) and Daniel 7:13 (coming with the clouds), applying them to himself. The Sanhedrin had all they needed. Jesus, they concluded, was a blasphemous heretic who deserved to die. They condemned him to death. The trial ended with a brief scene of ‘some,’ presumably his accusers, physically torturing Jesus before sending him to Pilate to make the death sentence official. FOR REFLECTION The hard thing about Mark’s account of Jesus’ trial is that we can’t blame Jews and thus justify anti-Semitic attitudes. Neither, as we’ll see, can we blame the Romans. Jesus said the words that gave the Jewish Sanhedrin all they needed. So, who’s to blame for Jesus’ crucifixion? Remarkably, Mark doesn’t state it. It’s up to us to discern and own our part in his death. RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus, you willingly submitted to suffering and death so that we might live. I own my role in your death as I also own my role now to live for your glory and honor. Amen GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who died for the sin of the world. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be silent and still and then pray: I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11).
READ: Mark 14:43-52 Station 2: Mt of Olives. ‘Jesus’ arrest’ 43Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ 45So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. 46Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. 47But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 48Then Jesus said to them, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? 49Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.’ 50All of them deserted him and fled. 51A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, 52but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked. INSIGHTS To avoid the crush of the usual crowds around Jesus, Judas struck late at night. He brought “a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.” We can presume that Jesus’ opponents expected armed resistance from Jesus and his faithful followers. But, only one sword came to Jesus’ defense. Mark mentions this without comment, (unlike the other three Gospels; see Matthew 26:52, Luke 22:51 and John 18:11, that include Jesus’ command to the sword-wielder to put it away.) However, Jesus offered no resistance. He’d accepted God’s will and peacefully offered himself to his opposition. He saw it as fulfillment of scriptures, a higher authority than the religious leaders who ordered his arrest, and thus Jesus willingly submits to arrest. Judas, who’d been part of the intimate sharing of bread with Jesus at Passover here identifies him with an intimate embrace and kiss, having ordered the armed group to “arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Even Judas expected resistance. When the disciples realized that Jesus would not resist the arrest, that he had accepted a role prescribed in scriptures, one they’d failed to understand, they did exactly what Jesus said they would do: “All of them deserted him and fled.” All but one, an unnamed young man, “wearing nothing but a linen cloth.” Only Mark records this incident and, since Mark never wastes words or uses stories as mere ‘fillers,’ there is a reason for this brief cameo. To see in this story nothing more than a personal revelation by the author (he was the young man) misses the point entirely. Ched Meyers is blunt, suggesting such an interpretation (one I’ve been guilty of) insults “the literary integrity of the gospel” (Binding the Strong Man. 1991, p. 368). Mark is preparing readers for a symbolic link between this young man and anther who also wore a white robe (i.e., a linen cloth). He appears at the very end of Mark’s Gospel, announcing Jesus’ resurrection to the women who came to the tomb, with the command to tell the disciples (16:5-7). The young man in our lesson today is representative of the discipleship community that fled in shame (naked). The young man at the end of Mark’s story represents the renewed discipleship community that will tell of Jesus’ resurrection. There is still hope, albeit subtly veiled, that the story will turn out well in the end. If we make the link between these two young men, we too can keep hope alive, despite the messes in our world. FOR REFLECTION Violent resistance often seems the most effective way when under attack by an enemy, whether through physical or verbal means. Why do you think Jesus resisted violence, accepting his destiny in peaceful non-violence? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER To be like you is what I so want, Jesus, until it conflicts with my raw emotions when I’m under attack. Help me learn to respond in peace as you did. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who never resisted violence against himself. Day 1 (Sunday, March 18)
BACKGROUND There are three occasions in Mark’s Gospel that Jesus prayed. Once at the beginning, when Jesus sought solitude after a hectic day of healing and teaching (1:35). A second time, in the middle, when, after feeding the five thousand, Jesus went alone up the mountain to pray (6:46). The third time, near the end, is our focus for reflection this morning. It is the only time that we’re given Jesus’ prayer words. Each time he prayed, he went to an isolated place at either an early or a late hour. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still and silent and pray: With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. (Psalm 119:10) READ: Mark 14:32-42 Station 2: Mt of Olives (Gethsemane) ‘Stay Awake’ 32They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ 33He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 34And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ 35And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want. 37He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 38Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ 39And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. 41He came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’ INSIGHTS Gethsemane, as it turned out, was Jesus’ last opportunity to be alone with his disciples. He wouldn’t be alone with them again until after his resurrection. And yet, he only took three, Peter, James and John, with him to pray, commanding the others to sit and wait for his return. Mark uses strong language to describe Jesus—distressed and agitated. One commentator suggests this could be translated as “the utmost degree of unbounded horror and suffering” (quoted in Meyers, Binding the Strong Man. 1991, p. 366). Jesus described his feelings with honest and vulnerable words: “deeply grieved, even to death.” He didn’t go to the cross with a beatific smile on his face. He was fully aware of what he would experience. It horrified and terrified him to such an extent that he prayed, three times for God to find another way: “remove this cup from me;” always adding, “yet, not what I want, but what you want.” The cross isn’t the neutral ornamental symbol we hang around our necks or on our walls, as helpful as that may be for some of us. Jesus knew the cross was the most cruel and painful form of execution ever invented by man. What did Jesus want from the three disciples he brought with him to his hour of deep need and anguish? Just one thing: Stay awake! He wanted someone to stay awake with him in his grief and suffering. And they couldn’t do it. What always gets my attention in this story is its ending. After such anguished praying, expressing his desire for another, less painful way, the story ends with Jesus walking confidently and willingly to the cross. His prayer wasn’t answered as he desired, yet his willingness remained sure. He didn’t get what he asked for, neither did he get the support from his closest friends, instead he got courage to do what he came for. FOR REFLECTION Who are the suffering around you? What needs to change so you can you stay awake and watch with Jesus in their suffering? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Christ, grant me patience and courage to stay awake and be with you in the suffering of those around me. May I take courage from your example of accepting the Father’s will despite what you wanted. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who lived in obedience to his Father. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Begin with the usual silence and then pray: O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1
READ: Mark 14:26-31. Station 2: Mt of Olives. ‘Deserters’ 26When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27And Jesus said to them, ‘You will all become deserters; for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” 28But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.’ 29Peter said to him, ‘Even though all become deserters, I will not.’ 30Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ 31But he said vehemently, ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And all of them said the same. INSIGHTS After the closing hymn, Jesus left the city for the Mt of Olives on the city’s outskirts, the second place in our journey through the six ‘stations.’ Many believed that the Mount of Olives would be where the triumphant ‘messiah’ would begin his work of restoring Israel to independence and greatness. No doubt the disciples were excited to go there, until Jesus spoke, warning of ‘betrayal’ in abrupt and no-nonsense words: “You will all become deserters.” The community he’d spent three years building up was about to fall apart as they would all desert their leader. Lest this sound all wrong to his readers, Mark points to scripture (Zechariah 13:7) to assure them that Jesus’ arrest and the disciples’ desertion wasn’t a random tragedy. It was anticipated. Messiah’s end goal would not be thwarted by human error, incompetence or fear. The story isn’t all depressing. There are also words of hope in Jesus’ warning. Yes, the Shepherd (Jesus) will be stricken and the sheep will scatter, but, says Jesus, “after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Jesus will go back to the place where he started and again meet there with his disciples. (This message of hope is repeated by Mark in his brief resurrection story (see 16:7).) The disciples, however, don’t get it. Peter was the most vocal and most confident of his loyalty to Jesus alone. The others will desert, but not Peter. Not only did Jesus repeat his prediction of their desertion but gets personal and brutal. Not only would Peter desert with the others, he would also verbally deny Jesus three times. Once again Peter is adamant, using language Mark describes as ‘vehement,’ that he’d never desert Jesus. The way of Jesus is one of self-denial. Peter was so sure he was ready for it. He’d deny himself, never Jesus. He got it dead wrong. FOR REFLECTION The remarkable aspect of this story is Jesus’ reaction to Peter’s bravado. He gently warns, twice, yet never rebukes or dismisses Peter. He can patiently wait for Peter to learn by experience. What picture of Jesus does this ‘paint’ for you? How does this picture match up with your image of Jesus? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus you are gracious and merciful, patiently waiting for us to learn by experience and return to you for forgiveness and healing. Bind my wandering heart to you today. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, who is always forgiving. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Begin with the usual silence and then pray: O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)
READ: Mark 14:22-25 Station 1: The upper room. ‘Poured out for many’ 22While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ 23Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ INSIGHTS Jesus moves effortlessly from the distressing warning of betrayal to a continuation of the Passover meal and a change of subject. For the second time Mark notes this was done ‘while they were eating’ (see v17). It was customary during Passover for the people to remember and relive the reason for the yearly Passover meal by retelling the story of the exodus from Egyptian slavery. Jesus ignored that ancient and important tradition and redefined Passover, reinterpreting its symbols in terms of what he was about to do. Passover is now about his body and his blood “poured out for many.” In one sense, what Jesus did was not all entirely new. It was customary for the head of the family to break bread, bless the cup and give thanks then share it with the family. Those who partook of the offered bread and wine knew it meant becoming participants, fully involved with the giver in the blessing and whatever else was said. This is what Jesus offered, participation, not just in a nice blessing, but in his suffering and death. What made his act unique was the identification of the bread with his body and the cup with his own blood. Eating and drinking what he blessed and offered, as the disciples did, was their way of saying, ‘Yes, we’re with you to the end.’ But they weren’t. There was still a lingering hope that Jesus would become the conquering hero of Israel and the Jews. They stubbornly refused to accept Jesus’ teachings and warnings about his suffering and death. Once again Jesus tried to get through to them, concluding the meal with disturbing words (v25), a warning that he was soon to leave them. I wonder whether any of them noticed that Jesus had failed to mention the exodus story, had in fact reinterpreted it to become a bigger story, a story of redemption for all people, not merely one small nation. FOR REFLECTION Imagine being at that Passover meal, taking the bread and wine as Jesus gave entirely new teaching about its meaning. What might your first thoughts be? Communion remains participation with Jesus in his suffering and death and when we eat and drink we indicate our readiness to participate fully in Jesus’ life, suffering, death and resurrection. RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord, I hear these words of yours often, each time I partake in Holy Communion. I’m willing to participate fully with you, but sometimes it’s so hard. Grant me grace and mercy to persevere to the end. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who willingly shared his body and blood. BACKGROUND
We now begin journeying through the final six places to which Jesus went on the way to the tomb, sometimes voluntarily and sometimes forced by others (Jesus mostly appears passive as his end approaches). In our devotions, we’ll spend a few days at each place, prayerfully wondering over Mark’s words. The six places, all in Jerusalem, are: 1) The Upper Room; 2) The Mount of Olives and Gethsemane; 3) The High priest’s place; 4) Pilate’s Resident; 5) Golgotha; 6) The Tomb. You’ll also notice that Mark gets specific about the day and hour, beginning with “the first day of Unleavened Bread.” Stations four and five are marked by the specific hour (nine o’clock, noon, etc.) of Jesus’ last day. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Begin with the usual silence and then pray: O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1) READ: Mark 14:12-21 Station 1: The upper room. ‘On the first day’ 12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ 13So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” 15He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ 16So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. 17When it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ 19They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ 20He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. 21For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ INSIGHTS “On the first day.” The countdown to Jesus’ journey to the cross has begun. We join the journey in the first of six locations Jesus went to, the Upper Room. The story begins with preparation for Passover to be eaten with his disciples. Over half the reading is devoted to preparation instructions with nothing said about the meal itself. They are rather strange and unusual instructions. The two disciples would be met by “a man carrying a jar of water,” a job normally reserved for women. He would lead them to home with a room ready for Jesus. Once again, Mark leaves us with mystery—who was the man carrying water and who was the owner of the home and how did they know what to do? I wonder how many of us as would have obeyed Jesus without a word had he sent us on this odd mission. I fear I’d have requested more detail, please! Jesus and the rest of the disciples arrived at the house under cover of darkness, hinting at the intrigue that is brewing around Jesus. Mark gives no detail about their arrival, where they all sat or how the meal began. There is nothing until Jesus’ first ominous words, spoken while they ‘were eating’: “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” Jesus’ last days begin with a warning: the betrayer is one eating with Jesus, dipping bread in the same bowl. This is an intimate scene between trusted friends, but Jesus predicts a shocking violation by one of his friends. Perhaps Jesus’ mind wandered to Psalm 41:9: “Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.” The reaction of disciples is surprising. They’re all distressed, thinking Jesus meant them. Were they feeling guilty, perhaps? Afraid of what they’d do? And so they all ask, ‘Surely, not I?’ Jesus merely repeats what he said with a little more detail and a severe warning to the betrayer. Although Jesus knows who his betrayer is, he doesn’t name him, offering a compassion he didn’t deserve. The Upper Room, the first ‘station’ to the cross is uncomfortable and shocking. Jesus resists comforting and superficial sayings; gets straight to the point, letting them all know he knows that one of them will betray him. He does so without any word of condemnation, only a warning of disturbing consequences: ‘It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ Apparently, Judas ignored the warning. Betrayal comes in different forms. We may never ‘turn Jesus in’ to his enemies, but we betray him when we fail to understand or misinterpret his identity and mission, turning it into a something that is inspirational and comforting, period; we betray Jesus when we support preachers and politicians who promote values and practices opposed to Jesus’ mission that includes suffering and siding with those on the periphery of power and influence. FOR REFLECTION Imagine being in that room and hearing Jesus’ prediction of betrayal and then reflect on your most likely response. How are you showing, by your words, actions, political choices, that you are standing with, not against Jesus? What do you need from Jesus today? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus, don’t let me become complacent, thinking I would never betray you. Help me stand up and be counted with you, whatever the cost to my comfort. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, prepared for his causes, not your own. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Begin with the usual silence and then pray: Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43)
READ: Mark 14:10-11 ‘One of the Twelve’ 10Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. INSIGHTS Once again, we read an ominous passage and one most of us skip over or skim read. It’s rare we prayerfully reflect on these words. It tells a story in stark contrast with the previous one where an unnamed woman showed her solidarity with Jesus’ mission, anointing him in preparation for his burial. Jesus lauded her act and rebuked those who rebuked her. Mark seems to link that story with this one with the word ‘then.’ This story reveals Mark’s second theme—betrayal, which is related to Jesus’ relationship with his disciples. A tragedy of this story of betrayal is that it was by one of Jesus’ own. Three times in this chapter Judas is described as ‘one of the Twelve’ (vv10, 20, 43). Mark’s version of Judas’ offer to turn informant against Jesus is given very briefly. It’s as though the story is too distasteful to tell in detail. One of Jesus’ own would betray him? Unthinkable! The chief priests were delighted at this unexpected help and were willing to fork out the money to pay Judas. We could get smug and think we’d never betray Jesus. But, as we’ll see, in the end all Jesus’ disciples (that is the men) betrayed Jesus by their silence and running away and even with a verbal denial (Peter). We could be one of them. When we fail to stand up and be counted as a follower of the way of Jesus, a way that practices compassion and non-violence; a way that takes up the cross and denies the self, when we fail to live this Way, are we not ‘betraying’ Jesus? FOR REFLECTION Here’s the challenge for reflection: In what ways am I or can I stand up and with Jesus today? What’s your challenge to overcome today so that you do stand with Jesus? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Jesus, help me to stand up and be counted as one of your followers even if that means going against popular opinion. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST by standing with, not against him. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Begin with the usual silence and then pray: Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43)
READ: Mark 14:3-9 ‘Done what she could’ 3While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. 4But some were there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’ And they scolded her. 6But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. 8She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’ INSIGHTS Begin by noticing the characters in the story. Two are named—Simon the leper, although no indication of who he is, and Jesus. The fact that Jesus ate at his table was in conformity with his practice of challenging the boundaries of the ruling religious elite who refused to eat with lepers because of their ‘unclean’ status. One character remains nameless—the woman; and ‘one’ is a group, referred to merely as ‘some’ and ‘they.’ We can presume that this group included the disciples and maybe a few stragglers from the crowd regularly with Jesus. It’s curious that Mark named Simon but not the woman. In the story, Simon says and does nothing. The woman says nothing but performs a courageous service for Jesus. It was courageous because first, it was politically incorrect. In the Jewish tradition, only a male prophet had the authority to anoint another on the head, usually for the purpose of designating a new king. The nameless woman has ‘usurped’ that position and given Jesus a king’s anointing (she poured the ointment on his head). Second, it was courageous because of its extravagance; she showed no fear of what others would think about wasting a large sum of money. Mark includes the detail about the exact cost of the perfume—300 denarii (v5), the equivalent of a day laborer’s yearly wage. ‘Some’ protested the waste. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor, they said. Jesus, however, doesn’t rebuke the woman, but instead rebukes those who protested. He then makes a startling announcement about this nameless woman: “Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” Not ‘in remembrance of me,’ but of her. And we don’t even know her name! It seems this woman understood what the twelve male disciples failed to understand, despite Jesus’ repeated teaching that Jesus’ end was near, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. Jesus chose to interpret her act of anointing as preparation for his burial, teaching again about his mission, this time by means of a symbol (the woman’s act). I don’t know whether she really understood Jesus’ mission (suffering and death) but Jesus claims her act suggests she did. Unlike the male disciples (who will all desert Jesus), here is a woman willing to follow him to the end, no matter the cost. She wasn’t trying to change Jesus’ mind about his mission, as the Twelve often did. She remained true and faithful to Jesus, knowing how his story would end. Therefore, Jesus sets her up as a model disciple and one whose story will be told again and again. This is the only time that Jesus lifts up a disciple and turns them into a model for the world to acknowledge for all time. He did this only with a woman. Which makes you wonder why women have been so sidelined and oppressed by the church for so long. The fact that she remains nameless allows us to put ourselves in her place, if we dare. FOR REFLECTION Reflect again on the characters and identify with one. Are you the passive Simon, one of those who protested the waste or the woman who gave extravagantly and generously to Jesus, whom she loved? How prepared are you to stand up to the accepted norm in order to ‘speak’ the truth by your actions? What may need to change in you to be able to stand up when needed ,despite the cost? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus, help me live my life more in the style of this nameless woman than in the style of those who protest a waste that really reveals deep love for you. Amen GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, and love courageously and extravagantly. 4TH SUNDAY OF LENT, March 11
DAY 1 (Sunday, March 11, 4th week of lent) BACKGROUND As I mentioned in the introduction to this Lenten journey, Mark has highlighted six places that could have been followed by early Christians in much the same way some Christians today walk the Stations of the Cross. The places are all in Jerusalem and mark the last hours of Jesus’ life on earth. Seeing them as ‘Stations’ suggests that the narrative Mark now tells is one that the early church pondered about in prayerful devotion, as they walked in Jesus’ footprints and worshipped him. I’m going to begin these ‘stations’ with three episodes that aren’t part of the six places but form a backdrop to Jesus’ arrest, trial and crucifixion. The first and third episodes relate to Mark’s primary themes in this last section of his Gospel--conspiracy as the authorities begin plotting to execute Jesus (14:1-2) and betrayal, Judas’ decision to turn informer against Jesus (14:10-11). In-between these two themes, is the story of the woman who anointed Jesus in the village of Bethany, a few kilometres outside Jerusalem (14:3-9). She is an illustration of one who remains faithful to Jesus, neither conspiring against him nor betraying him in any way. Each of these three stories prepares us for Mark’s emphasis on Jesus’ passion so that we read about it in the right mood. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Begin with the usual silence and then pray: Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43) READ: Mark 14:1-2 ‘A plan, but no control’ 1It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; 2for they said, ‘Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’ INSIGHTS These verses set the stage for the final hours of Jesus’ life. They are ominous words, not the kind we’d ever read for inspiration and encouragement. Jesus appears only by name; he says and does nothing, preparing readers for a more passive role for Jesus as we begin the journey through Jesus’ last days on earth. The story begins with the detail that it was two days before Passover and introduces us to the first of Mark’s two themes in this section, the theme of conspiracy, which has to do with Jesus’ relationship to the authorities. The chief priests and scribes, members of the ruling elite, were determined to end Jesus’ life. Mark uses powerful and active language—“they were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.” They thought they were in control, could eliminate Jesus whenever they wanted and yet, they were afraid of the crowd and so decided to wait until after Passover. They had a plan but lacked control to put it into action. God had a different plan, one that included Jesus’ death during, not after Passover, regardless of the rulers’ plan. If we read this story and wonder about God and not some historical detail or interpretive issue, we’ll get the picture Mark is painting. The God and Father of Jesus remains in total control over this seemingly hopeless situation. This is a message that we all need to hear, especially today as we look at political crises in different parts of the world. I’m writing this from South Africa that has a major crisis in leadership, corruption that is slowly destroying the country and a drought in the Western Cape that is bringing its people to their knees. I’m a resident of the United States that has its own crises of leadership, natural disasters, alarming gun violence, etc. We need to know that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ can and is working to complete his plan, regardless of what world leaders say and do and plot. These words in Mark are, I believe words of hope to encourage our faithfulness. FOR REFLECTION There are extremely powerful authorities controlling the world in which we live, doing things that conflict with the way of Jesus. Let this short story today be an encouragement to you that Another, the Lord God, is moving all things towards his purpose and end. Nothing and no one will stop God. Rest assured in this truth. RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus, the rulers of your day had one plan for you that failed. I rest today in your power to bring your plan to fruition just as I continue to hope in your future for your world. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST in confident hope despite present circumstances. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
READ: Mark 12:28-34 ‘Walk on the two feet of love’ 28One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ 29Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” 31The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ 32Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; 33and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbour as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ 34When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question. FOR REFLECTION I wonder what response we’d expect from Jesus today if we were to ask this same question about the greatest commandment? Think about your response. It’s been too easy to reduce Christianity to following moralistic dos and don’ts, often selected on the basis of our ideological or political interests. Some of us might expect Jesus to pick the best of our moral rules as the greatest commandment. Perhaps that’s what the scribe anticipated too. Jesus’ response goes way beyond the best of our moralistic standards. When we love God more than anything else, and love our neighbor (that is, the marginalized, the alien, the poor and not just the ones who love us back) as ourselves, we’ll discover our moral codes are hopelessly inadequate, even unnecessary. Even Paul claimed, “Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). And to the church in Galatia he wrote, “For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14). The 14th century St Catherine of Sienna took these words of Jesus about the greatest commandment to heart. She spent her short life in earnest practice of loving God through loving her neighbor. She didn’t merely love the neighbor who lived next door and was nice and loving back. She loved the neighbor who was unlovely and unloved, discarded and oppressed by society. She maintained that both loves, love of God and love of neighbor, are essential. We can’t have the one without the other hence, she said, they are the two feet of love and we must walk on both feet. In my church I’m reminded of these two ‘greatest’ commandments every Sunday as we confess: “We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.” The weekly confession reminds me to try again each week to walk on the two feet of love. What reminds you to walk on the two feet of love? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER This week, Lord I desire to walk on the two feet of love. Help me when I fall short to get up and try again and never give up. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, by walking on the two feet of love. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
BACKGROUND For the sake of time, I’ve skipped the lesson about Jesus returning to Jerusalem the day after the so-called ‘triumphal entry’ and disrupting the business that took place in the temple (11:15-19), a symbolic challenge to the religious authorities who legitimized this sale of merchandise. You might want to read it before going into today’s lesson as I will refer to it. Our lesson today picks up with Jesus retuning to the temple despite having created chaos the day before. You’d think he’d never again be allowed to set foot there. On this visit, Jesus’ final one before his arrest, he was confronted by the religious ruling class—the chief priests, the scribes and the elders. They were the final authority in all matters of Jewish religious and political life. They represent those who, as Jesus earlier predicted (8:31) would engineer his execution. After Jesus overturned the tables and interrupted the trading in the temple, the rulers became even more determined to destroy him, not so much because of the temple incident, but because “the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching” (v18). This is the first open confrontation with this group of leaders, preparing us for what is to come as Jesus walks through his final days. For this reason, I’ve included this episode for prayerful and thoughtful reflection. READ: Mark 11:27-33 ‘Again they came to Jerusalem’ 27Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him 28and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?’ 29Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me.’ 31They argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say, “Why then did you not believe him?” 32But shall we say, “Of human origin”?’—they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. 33So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’ INSIGHTS The religious leaders were the only authority from God (heaven) for Jews in those days, they therefore assumed the right to demand that Jesus explain where he thinks his authority comes from (to do things like upturn the approved sale of sacrificial animals in the temple). Did he think it came from heaven and thus from God? If so, what evidence could he give for this? This is a legitimate concern, one we ought to think about in relation to the people we follow. The problem was, these guys weren’t willing to accept Jesus, even if he gave them incontestable proof. They made their demand, not in order to know the truth, but to gather fodder to send him to trial and death. Jesus isn’t fooled; neither is he ready for his arrest (that time will come in the very near future). Therefore, he chooses to respond with a demand of his own, asking about the origin of John the Baptizer’s authority, despite the fact that John had been dead for about three years. The ruling elite dialogue among themselves and realize they’re caught between a rock and a hard place. Because they can’t (wouldn’t) answer Jesus, he refused to answer them. He will give nothing to precipitate his arrest until his time has come. Both his question and refusal to respond to them is subtle evidence of his power and authority over them made in a purely non-violent way. The rulers failed to see this because they don’t want to acknowledge Jesus’ power over them. If we want to see the often subtle ways in which Jesus exercises his power and authority even today, we need to be willing to let go our prejudices and ideologies. FOR REFLECTION The religious leaders failed to see the subtle evidence Jesus presented to them that his authority is greater than theirs and therefore from God. Reflect today on the question: In what ways is Jesus’ subtle evidence seen in the world today? … in my life today? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Jesus, I pray that I may keep seeing the subtle ways you give evidence that you are indeed the only authority, ruling today in power and mercy so that my hope is renewed. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, who reveals himself to those willing to see. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
READ: Mark 11:1-11 ‘The Lord needs it’ When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.”’ 4They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ 6They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ 11Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. INSIGHTS This story ends in one of the most anticlimactic moments in Mark’s narrative. It is filled with drama, until the end. Jesus went to the temple, looked around then left, saying and doing nothing! Expectations ran high for something exciting to happen, but nothing did. So, it’s rather strange that today, we know and celebrate (on Palm Sunday) this story as Jesus’ ‘triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem. We’ve failed to notice there is no triumph in the story; at least Mark doesn’t describe any triumph. Over half the story contains instructions to the two disciples who were sent into Jerusalem from Bethany to ‘borrow’, without so much as an ‘if-you-please,’ an unbroken-in colt. There is little on Jesus’ actual ride into Jerusalem. Once again, Mark is making us rethink our images of Jesus. An aspect of the story that is intriguing is Jesus’ instruction about what to say when challenged about taking the colt: “The Lord needs it.” And that’s all. It’s amazing to think that Jesus, the Lord, needed a colt. Why a colt and not the more traditional white stallion that victorious warriors would use? Jesus didn’t fulfill anyone’s expectations of Messiah. We could say Jesus needed the colt to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy: “Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Which makes sense. We could also say, in keeping with Mark’s picture of Jesus as servant of all, that a donkey’s colt is what a servant, not a ‘conquering hero’ might be expected to ride. Jesus came into Jerusalem, not as the triumphant king of Israel on a white stallion, but as a servant of all on a lowly donkey. He had no intention of making Israel (or any nation) ‘great again.’ The donkey’s colt is not the only sign that this story is misnamed ‘the triumphal entry.’ The anticlimactic ending is another. The crowd that acclaimed him with the word, ‘Hosanna,’ a joyful acclamation of praise and, also a cry for help (see Psalm 118:25), was disappointed when Jesus finally entered Jerusalem and did nothing but look around the temple and leave, returning to Bethany. The so-called ‘triumphal’ entry was anything but triumphant. FOR REFLECTION One thing that keeps coming up in Mark is how easy it is to create Jesus in an appealing image that invariably turns out to be wrong. Mark challenges us today to let go our pictures of Jesus for a truer picture, one that may be the very opposite of what we always believed. In what ways does this humble servant image of Jesus coincide or conflict with your images of Jesus? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Often, Lord, I find Mark’s Gospel more of a ‘kick in the backside’ than a comfort and inspiration. I need the kicks to help me worship and serve you in your way, not the ways of my comforting images. Help me now, O Lord. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, who rides on lowly things like donkey’s colts. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
BACKGROUND The healing of blind Bartimaeus is the last healing in Mark’s Gospel. It concludes a section of active healings and rapid movement from one town to another. It takes place on the final leg of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, a journey that began with the healing of another blind man (8:22ff). Jericho was about 24 kilometres (15 miles) from Jerusalem and a stopping place for pilgrims on their way to the temple in Jerusalem. The road between the two cities was a popular one for beggars who hoped that pilgrims would be in the right mood (a generous one) and have the means to give. READ: Mark 10:46-52 ‘Let me see again’ 46They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 49Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ 52Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. INSIGHTS Bartimaeus is a paradigm of true discipleship and contrasts sharply with the ‘partially blind’ disciples of Jesus. He is the only person to name Jesus, ‘Son of David,’ a term designating political aspirations and would have some falsely thinking about Jesus’ ultimate overthrow of the Roman occupiers. Which is perhaps the reason why the crowds and disciples tried to shut Bartimaeus up. However, there is no indication that Bartimaeus was thinking that. He just wanted to be healed and exercised great faith in Jesus, despite the fact he’d most likely never met Jesus before. He knew of him only second-hand. But he believed Jesus could restore his sight because that’s what the Son of David should do. His belief is evidenced in his willingness to throw off his cloak and go to Jesus without reserve or hesitation. A beggar’s cloak was a necessary item to earn a livelihood, spread before them to catch the coins tossed by pilgrims, and to keep them warm at night. Throwing it off and leaving it at the roadside is indicative of Bartimaeus’ faith in Jesus’ power to heal him and restore him to normal society (not the begging community). When he finally stood before Jesus, despite the opposition of the crowd and probably also the disciples, he was confident in his response to Jesus’ question. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Isn’t this the prayer we all need to pray? FOR REFLECTION What do you want Jesus to do for you? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord, let me see again. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, who gives us sight. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
READ: Mark 10:41-45 ‘Not to be served’ 41When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ INSIGHTS The other ten disciples were angry with James and John, not because they knew the brothers had gotten Jesus’ mission incorrect, but because they were unfairly vying for advantage in Jesus’ new kingdom, positions they too wanted. It’s not only James and John who needed to be corrected and taught again. They all did. Jesus used a different symbol and different words to once again teach that his was the way of servanthood not positions of honor and power. It’s the same message we’ve already looked at in Mark—the greatest must be your servant; the first will be last. The fact that Jesus had to repeat it again and again should assure us today. We often get it wrong as well, more than once. We too vie for positions of honor and have voted for and blindly followed ‘rulers’ who ‘lord it over’ us; ‘great ones’ who become ‘tyrants’ over us. Indeed, some church leaders are among this group of tyrannizing ‘rulers’ and ‘great ones,’ defining leadership as domination, power and influence over others. “But it is not so among you.” The true role of leader is the example of Jesus as he defined it in v45: “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” The term ‘ransom’ was the price paid to redeem a slave and set her/him at liberty. Leadership in the kingdom, in other words, is one that brings liberation not enslavement to others. It frees people from what oppresses them and keeps them on the periphery of power and influence. Leadership in God’s kingdom has little in common with our concepts and practices, even in the church today. FOR REFLECTION The test of true leadership in the Way of Jesus is whether it liberates or enslaves; empowers or disenfranchises. What kind of leader are you? Are people experiencing greater freedom because of my actions? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Jesus, you have set a high standard—to serve rather than be served. Empower me today with your Spirit to live this way so that those with whom I spend my day may experience something of your freedom because of my behavior towards them. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST to serve and not to be served. Mark for Lent devotions for the 3rd week of Lent (beginning March 4) are posted daily, for 6 days.3/3/2018 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT, March 4
PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) READ: Mark 10:35-40 ‘Are you able?’ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” INSIGHTS Are you able…? The Zebedee brothers boldly, perhaps somewhat arrogantly, answer, “We are able.” Wrong answer! They had no clue what Jesus was talking about. Despite the three warnings that he would suffer and be put to death by the ruling authorities, both Jews and Romans, the brothers futilely clung to their belief in Jesus’ triumph over the Roman occupiers. They were being blatantly political, assuming Jesus would establish a new government in Jerusalem and so they vied for the most powerful positions, on his right and left hands in what they assumed would be his new cabinet. They had also failed to learn the lesson of Jesus’ teaching about leadership (Mk 9:33-37; see devotions for day 5 of 2nd week). It’s not about greatness and power. They wanted positions of power so badly they were convinced they were able to share Jesus’ cup and baptism; they never even bothered to ask what he meant. There is an occasion in Mark when two men were positioned on Jesus’ right and left hands, but it wasn’t a power-position; they were his ‘partners’ in crucifixion (15:27). This was far from the minds of the Zebedee brothers. Once again, Jesus was forced to tackle their persistent illusions about his mission and their false opinions about leadership. Yes, they would indeed experience the same cup and baptism (suffering, persecution, even death). James was one of the early martyrs of the Christian community. But, to sit at Jesus right and left hands was not his to give. “It is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Only God the Father had the authority for that. Mark doesn’t explain this, once again leaving us to do the hard work of reflection. We don’t know ‘for whom it has been prepared.’ It seems that Jesus is teaching another lesson on leadership, inverting popular concepts to show us another way. Leadership in God’s Kingdom “belongs only to those who learn and follow the way of nonviolence—who are ‘prepared’ not to dominate but to serve and to suffer at Jesus’ side” (Meyers. 1991, p. 278). FOR REFLECTION James and John thought they were able to sit at Jesus right and left hands for all the wrong reasons. Jesus had to bring them down to size. Sometimes we boldly ask Jesus for something for all the wrong reasons as well. What do you want and what might Jesus be saying in response? That challenge is Jesus giving you today? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Help me, Lord, to discern what it is you want me to do and why. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, for the right reasons. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:28)
READ: Mark 10:32-34 ‘Still on the road’ 32They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33saying, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; 34they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.’ INSIGHTS Jesus has left Galilee and is now in “the region of Judea” (Mk 10:1), but still “on the road, going up to Jerusalem.” This is the first clear indication in Mark of Jesus’ destination, Jerusalem. He continues to travel with a group that included his disciples and probably also a curious crowd. Use your imagination and see yourself among them, still on the road, following Jesus. Notice that Jesus walks ahead rather than among them. The journey isn’t a joyous one. We know this because Mark uses two strong words to describe the feelings of those following Jesus—amazed and afraid. However, there is no explanation for this. It’s as though Mark is preparing his readers for the conclusion to the story, where both fear and amazement will again dominate. The women who went to Jesus’ tomb, heard the message from the ‘young man’ in the tomb and fled “for terror and amazement and seized them” (16:8). In referring to these emotions, is Mark perhaps hinting that they will not be uncommon in followers of Jesus? Something to think about. Once again Jesus directs his message only to his disciples, pulling them aside to teach, for the third time about his mission. In these verses Jesus is the most explicit about what will happen to him, giving detail not before mentioned. Jesus mentions five different things to expect (the betrayal, the double trial, the torture, the execution, and the resurrection). Mark will use these five acts in the form of an outline for his account of Jesus’ passion, unpacking each one in detail in the next few chapters. He’s prepared his readers for what is to come. FOR REFLECTION Changing their minds about the mission of Messiah was hard for the disciples, despite Jesus’ persistent teaching. It’s hard for us today as well. We have our views of Jesus, what he would and wouldn’t do, and we’re reluctant to change them. How has your view of Jesus changed thus far? What do you need to give up in order to come to a more authentic view of Jesus and his Way? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Lord Jesus, like your first disciples, I too need repeated teaching and prodding so that I change my mind about you and what it means to truly follow you today. I come again for grace and mercy and insight to see more clearly how to walk your Way. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST and his way of suffering and the cross. BACKGROUND
The story in today’s lesson happens in Capernaum. In Mark’s narrative, Capernaum is where Jesus performed his first healing miracle (1:21-28) and where he ends his Galilean ministry (today’s lesson). He will, after this, embark on his final journey to Jerusalem where he will fulfill his destiny—death on the cross. It also became Jesus’ home-base during his ministry (2:1). Of all the towns in Galilee, it was the most Jewish. As you reflect on this story, keep before you that it marks the end of Jesus’ first stage of ministry and begins his final stage. Children, writes Ched Meyers, were considered “nonentities,” representing “the bottom of the social and economic scale in terms of status and rights in the ancient Mediterranean world” (Binding the Strong Man. 1991, p. 260-261). When you read ‘child’ think of the lowest and least in your culture, someone you’d find shocking to accept and believe that by welcoming them you’d be welcoming the Triune God. Think symbolically as it may not be a child. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:28) READ: Mark 9:33-37 ‘The greatest’ 33Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’ INSIGHTS The disciples were arguing “about who was the greatest!” This is what little children, not mature adult followers of Jesus do, or so we think. It’s a self-centeredness that says, ‘me first’ (or even ‘America/South Africa first’) and, ‘I’m the greatest.’ The moment Jesus challenged them to tell him about their conversation on the way, they all kept silent. I think the disciples knew they were being foolish and childish. But, there’s far more than immaturity and childishness behind the disciples’ argument. They still hadn’t gotten Jesus’ mission correct. Despite his repeated teaching about suffering and death, they clung to their illusion that this journey to Jerusalem would be the beginning of the end of the Roman empire and Israel’s oppression. They still believed that Jesus would make Israel ‘first’ and ‘great again,’ and they wanted powerful seats in Jesus’ new ‘cabinet’. They were doing the sort of things politicians do each election year, vying to be the right-hand man or woman of the elected leader. Jesus needed to unmask their illusions about and aspirations to power. In Capernaum, Jesus sat down, called his disciples to him and taught them about leadership and power in the kingdom of God. His teaching on this subject is nothing like our concepts of power and authority. In fact, Jesus’ teaches is a radical reversal of power and status as we normally think of it: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” It seems the ‘me-first’ mentality is the opposite of Jesus’ way. He then used an image to teach, picking one that would shock his audience. He took a child and set it among them. Children in many cultures today are valued and protected. J. F. Kennedy even called them “the world’s most valuable resource.” As a result, we fail to see how shocking Jesus’ action was in his day and we tend to soften the blow by using this verse as evidence children matter in the kingdom (which they do) and therefore we should ‘evangelize’ them. Of course, we welcome (that is ‘receive’) children in the church today. The image of a child isn’t shocking to us. It’s for this reason we need change the symbol from a privileged, protected and respected child to one that represents the most despised, ignored and marginalized in our society; the least of the least. Someone you’d be horrified to receive with open arms, afraid what people will think of you. Who might this be for you today? If we welcome (that is, receive) that person in Jesus’ name, we are literally welcoming Jesus and thus also the One who sent him. God’s kingdom isn’t like earthly kingdoms/countries. Power and authority are reversed; turned ‘up-side-down’ in God’s kingdom FOR REFLECTION Name the ‘least of the least’ in your judgment and practice welcoming them in Jesus’ name. RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER I confess, Lord, that I frequently get it wrong and argue about the greatest and being first. Help me better understand your reversal of power and authority and empower me to live in your way, as servant of all empowering others to reach their full potential. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST and the radical reversal of his kingdom. PREPARE TO LISTEN. Be still for as long as you need, then pray: Dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:28)
READ: Mark 9:30-32 ‘They could have asked!’ 30They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. INSIGHTS Sometimes you think you’re being really clear, read-my-lips clear, but your listeners don’t get it. We’ve all experienced this and the frustration that goes with it. Jesus understands us because he experienced the same thing. Twice in this brief paragraph Jesus taught that he’d be killed. No one got it. His disciples, those who had spent nearly three years almost constantly in his presence, who saw his acts and heard his teaching, still “did not understand.” Not for the first time, either. Jesus had previously complained, “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:21). He had also rebuked Peter (8:33) for rebuking Jesus when he taught this very same truth. This time, when they once again failed to understand, the disciples were too afraid to ask Jesus to explain. Their problem was their preconceived ideas of what Messiah would do—defeat the occupying Romans and make Israel ‘great again.’ What Jesus said, however, was the very antithesis of this. Messiah would suffer and die at the hand of the Roman enemy. Suffering and death, with its implied defeat, were not terms they had ever related to Messiah’s mission. Jesus’ message was too alarming, too disturbing and beyond their comprehension. Jesus could have relieved their anxiety about the future, their sense of confusion and hopelessness if only they weren’t so afraid and kept silent. They could have asked. FOR REFLECTION What about Jesus’ mission disturbs you enough to make you avoid asking your questions? RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER Jesus, it takes courage, sometimes more than I have, to face the truth of your teaching that often conflicts with my ideas. Give me that courage today to ask my hard questions. Amen. GO AND LIVE IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST who never sugar-coats his mission. |
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