Mark 14:42-15:22 Final hours of the Last Week

Mark 14:42-15:22  Final hours of the Last Week       March 10, 2018 

Mark 14:42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand." 

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus 

Mark 14:43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.     

*John 18:3 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.    {no Romans troops} 

Mark 14:44  Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely." 

Apparently, Jesus was normal enough in appearance so that it was necessary that Judas specifically identify Him for the sake of those arresting Jesus.  Judas was in front of the mob. 

*Luke 22:48 But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"      {my understanding, side to side} 

Mark 14:45  As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. 

Mark 14:46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. 

*Matthew 26:50 But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?".. 

Mark 14:47  And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.    {who} 

*John 18:10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 

Luke tells us that Jesus healed the damage done by Peter 

*Luke 22:51 But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him. 

We do not fight spiritual battles with physical weapons.  If Jesus had not healed the servant’s ear, there might have been four crosses on Calvary. 

Mark 14:48  Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? 

*Luke 22:52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him,      (Look who came) 

Mark 14:49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."   {where at} 

*Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 

Jesus gives them a command: “Let these go their way” (John 18:8).  Who’s in charge here?  Who is giving instructions here, but Jesus. 

Mark 14:50 Then they all {the disciples} forsook Him and fled. 

All the disciples scattered, and ran for their own safety, leaving Jesus alone in the custody of the mob. 

A Young Man Flees – Not in the other Gospels 

Mark 14:51 Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, 

Mark 14:52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked. 

Some suspect that the young man was Mark himself; he is the only one recording this detail. Mark is the only one mention this detail.  

If the Upper Room was in the home of John Mark, then Judas may have led the soldiers there first. John Mark may have hastily put on an outer garment so he could warn Jesus the mob was coming.  We do not know, a question. 

Jesus Before the Council 

Mark 14:53 And they led Jesus away to (Caiaphas) the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  

The first of six illegal trials, totally illegal.  

Three Jewish trials: Annas (not covered by Mark), Caiaphas, Sanhedrin (not covered by Mark);  Three Roman trials: Pilate, Herod, and Pilate again.  

Mark 14:54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. 

Mark 14:55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. 

Mark 14:56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. 

The false witnesses kept disagreeing with one another

Always require two witnesses to agree to put to death.  (Deut 17:6). 

Mark 14:57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, 

*Matthew 26:60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward 

Mark 14:58  "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' " 

Why this:  they accused Jesus of being a terrorist who wanted to destroy the temple and the destruction of places of worship was regarded as a capital offense.  It is harder to fight a lie that is partly the truth than an outright lie. 

Mark 14:59 But not even then did their testimony agree. 

The false witnesses kept disagreeing with one another

Always require two witnesses to agree to put to death.  (Deut 17:6). 

Mark 14:60  And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" 

Mark 14:61  But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"       (we just read Isaiah 53:7 - He opened not His mouth) 

*Matthew 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" 

Jesus was put under oath and had to answer.  They lack any evidence up to now and needed to draw something out of Jesus to condemn Him. 

Mark 14:62  Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." 

Prophecy given for the future.  You now stand in judgment of Me, but I will be the ultimate judge.  These were words that would have given any wise judge pause, but did not slow His accusers down at all. 

Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, that is why they wanted to kill Him. Jesus confirm to the world again, Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. 

Mark 14:63  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? 

The High Priest was not allowed to tear his clothes 

*Leviticus 21:10 'He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes; 

Mark 14:64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. 

Mark 14:65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands. 

*Luke 22:63-65 Then the men who were holding Jesus in custody began to make fun of him while they beat him. (64) They blindfolded him and asked him over and over again, "Prophesy! Who is the one who hit you?" (65) And they kept insulting him in many other ways. 

These officers are sick people in taking pleasure in torturing Jesus. 

Peter’s Denies Jesus 

Mark 14:66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  {interesting, just needed one servant girl} 

Mark 14:67  And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth." 

Mark 14:68  But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. 

Mark 14:69  And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them." 

Mark 14:70  But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it." 

Mark 14:71 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!" 

Mark 14:72  A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept. 

When he realize it, Peter really did wept bitterly.  Would we not also wept. 

Jesus Delivered to Pilate, official daylight trial  

Mark 15:1 As soon as it was morning, the high priests convened a meeting with the elders and scribes and the whole Council. They bound Jesus with chains, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.  

Why take Jesus to Pilate, because the Jews did not have the right to execute their own criminals, because Rome revoked that right in 7 AD. This was the normal policy of the Roman government to show they are under Rome.  

*Matthew 27:5 Then he {Judas} flung the pieces of silver (30) into the sanctuary and went outside. Then he went away and hanged himself. 

*John 18:28 Then Jesus was led from Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters early in the morning. The Jews did not go into the headquarters, to avoid becoming unclean and unable to eat the Passover meal.  {this verse shows Jesus Passover on right night} 

Why morning, because Legal trials in the Roman forum were customarily held shortly after sunrise.     

Mark 15:2  Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered and said to him,  "It is as you say."   {confirm He is the King}

Mark 15:3 And the chief priests kept accusing Him of many things, but He answered nothing. 

Mark 15:4  Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Don’t you have any answer? See how many things they testify against You!" 

Mark 15:5 But since Jesus no longer answered, Pilate was astonished. 

Jesus Before Herod  

*Luke 23:11 Even Herod and his soldiers treated him with contempt and made fun of him. He put a magnificent robe on Jesus and sent him back to Pilate. 

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified   

Mark 15:6 Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 

Mark 15:7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 

Mark 15:8  Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 

Mark 15:9  But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" 

Notice:  The personal representative of the ruler of the Roman Empire, Pilate, identified Jesus as “King of the Jews!” 

Mark 15:10  For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of jealousy. 

Mark 15:11  But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 

Mark 15:12 So Pilate asked them again, "Then what should I do with the man you call 'the King of the Jews'?" 

“King of the Jews”: Again, Pilate uses the royal title! 

Mark 15:13 They shouted back, "Crucify him!" 

Mark 15:14 Pilate asked them, "Why? What has he done wrong?" But they shouted even louder, "Crucify him!" 

*John 19:7 The Jews answered Pilate, "We have a law, and according to that Law he must die because he made himself out to be the Son of God." 

Mark 15:15  So Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. 

The crowd rejected Jesus, then they embrace Barabbas - name means “son of the father,” and he was a terrorist and a murderer. They have accepted a false “son of the father.” 

Jesus Is Mocked and death 

Mark 15:16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 

*Matthew 27:27-28 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the imperial headquarters and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. (28) They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 

Mark 15:17 They dressed him in a purple robe, twisted some thorns into a victor's crown, and placed it on his head. 

A king of that day would often wear a purple robe and crown.  They were mocking Jesus. 

Mark 15:18 and began to greet Him, "Long Live the King of the Jews!" 

It was common to greet the Roman emperor with this words, Hail, Caesar. These mockers twisted this comment to Jesus by saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 

Mark 15:19 They kept hitting him on the head with a stick, spitting on him, kneeling in front of him, and worshiping him. 

Was the stick supposed to be the royal scepter they hit Jesus with and bowing the knee as mocking.  Worshiped Him in jest. 

Mark 15:20 When they had finished making fun of him, they stripped him of the purple robe, put his own clothes back on him, and led him away to crucify him.   

After a scourging, a man to be crucified was forced to march in a parade, led by a centurion on horseback and someone shouted the crime of the condemned. This was Rome’s way of “advertising” what is going to happen, and to make the people afraid of offending Rome. 

Mark 15:21 They forced a certain passer-by named Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who happened to be coming in from the country, to carry Jesus' cross. 

The weight of the entire cross would typically be 300 pounds. Typically the victim carried only the crossbar, which weighed anywhere from 75 to 125 pounds. When the victim carried the crossbar, he was usually stripped naked and his hands were often tied to the wood. 

Mark 15:22  And they took {or brought} Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.   

Jesus could walk when He left His trial before Pilate, but before He reached Cross He could hardly walk - they had to bring or take Jesus.