“During the festival seasons the population of the city swelled from ca. 50,000 to 250,000 persons” (NICOTNT, Mark, 490)
(1) Why did so many Jews come to Jerusalem at this time?
(2) Why was the festival so important to them?
(3) What should be the focus of the chief priests and the teachers of law at the festival? What was their focus now and why?
(4) By putting Mark 14:1-10 and John 12:1-8 together with this passage, we understand that it was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus who anointed Jesus at probably his last feast in Bethany. From the incident of the death and resurrection of her brother in John 11, how would you describe Mary’s knowledge and understanding of Jesus?
(5) What might be the motive(s) of Mary in anointing Jesus with such an expensive jar of perfume (which cost about one year’s wages and would dissipate into thin air in seconds)?
- expressed her belief in His words while no one else did, and
- anointed Him in advance
d. All of the above?
(6) Since it would only be two more days before Jesus was arrested, did the disciples take Jesus’ words of His death seriously? If they did, would they chastise Mary for her action? Why or why not?
(7) Jesus rebuked the disciples, contrasting Himself with the poor. Did He not contradict what He taught not long ago in 25:31-46? Did Jesus not care about the poor? Why was He so delighted with Mary’s action, even over the poor whom He certainly cared about? What is the lesson here?
(8) Jesus says, “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world (which is what He anticipated in advance) what she has done will also be told in memory of her”. What is the core content of the gospel? (Look up Jn. 3:16.) How is Mary’s action connected to the content of the gospel to the point that it needs to be mentioned wherever the gospel is preached?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
Of all the characters in the gospel, none more than Mary of Bethany is mentioned by Jesus with such honor, in that “wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Matt. 26:13)
First, I am encouraged by the fact that Jesus clearly foretold that His gospel would be preached throughout the world. His death was no accident, but the plan of God, and it would not be in vain. This gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ would have worldwide impact and reach. It has become a reality right before our eyes. This is a mark of true religion.
But should the action of Mary also be mentioned in the same breath as the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ? This is unthinkable!
I think Mary’s unusual action of pouring the alabaster jar of very expensive perfume on the head of Jesus was an act of faith, of love and of sacrifice. Her action certainly touched the core of the heart of our Lord.
In the final hours of Jesus’ earthly journey, as much as He had repeatedly told His closest disciples of His death, He could only sense competition, fear and confusion from them. In other words, their concern was for themselves. No one appeared to care or understand the burden of His soul which would soon be “over whelmed with sorrow to the point of death”. (Matt. 26:38) The only one who did and showed that she understood and cared was Mary. This is why Jesus said that her action was “to prepare me for burial”. As the lyrics of one hymn puts it so beautifully, “Even now, the Lord seeks those who would understand His feeling.”
Mary’s action was also timely too. While Nicodemus and others loved Jesus enough to take the risk to obtain the body and anoint Him with ointment, their action and their ointment were far less precious and timely than that of Mary. I still remember the letter from a supporter of CCM who wrote to me saying that at her advanced age, she’d rather send her enclosed offering while she was living, than leave it to CCM in her estate. I often wonder whether her action was influenced by Mary’s example.
(1) The need for an insider is obvious as they tried to arrest Jesus in secret, avoiding a public riot as explained in v. 5. Imagine yourself being Judas:
(2) Jesus arranged to eat His last Passover feast in a place unknown even to the disciples. Judas would only find out the place later and would have to sneak out during dinner to inform the chief priests. Since this was the last Passover meal that Jesus would eat on earth, can you imagine how Jesus felt as He presided over the meal the full meaning of which He was going to fulfill almost immediately?
(3) Jesus pointed out that the one who would betray Him would be one of the Twelve and that he “has dipped his hand into the bowl with me.” The gravity of it caused Him to say, “It would be better for him if he had not been born.” While this was Jesus’ comment on the life of Judas, what might His comment be on yours?
(4) Jesus’ announcement of the betrayal by one of them caused them to grieve and presumably, all twelve asked one by one, “Surely not I?”. Why did the eleven respond by asking Jesus this question? Didn’t they know they were not the one?
(5) And when Judas asked the same, what was he thinking?
(6) Why do you think Jesus felt necessary to announce the betrayal at this point of time?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
As a new believer, I often wondered why Judas was not saved, since he showed his remorse to the point of suicide. But as I grew in the Lord, I have come to understand that remorse is not exactly repentance.
In fact, Jesus offered him many chances of not committing this horrible sin or of repenting from it.
Even at the Last Supper, Jesus purposely made known to him that He knew what he was about to do. “Yes, it is you” should be enough to shock him out of his sin. He should know that Jesus knows everything. But he did not stop in his tracks.
Then, after Jesus was wrongly condemned by the Sanhedrin, he was so seized with remorse that he went to return the money to the chief priests. But this was only remorse, and not repentance. He could have come before Jesus and confessed his sin and asked for forgiveness.
Since, he had the “courage” to take his own life, he could have suffered with Jesus and come to His defense.
In my Christian life, I have had the privilege of walking alongside some serious backsliders, who had committed or were about to commit sins of presumably irrecoverable consequences. They all showed deep remorse, but just the same, most were bent on sinning as if they had no choice. It is reassuring to know that Jesus even gave Judas a way out, he just did not take it.
(1) As Jesus declares that our worship and relationship with God is one of “spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:23), place, building and rituals are really not as important. Why then would He institute the Lord’s Supper?
(2) As He looked at the bread and said “this is my body”, and took the cup saying, “this is my blood”, both times He gave thanks first. In what sense did He give thanks?
(3) As we now eat of the bread and drink of the cup during our Holy Communion, how can we imitate Jesus in giving thanks?
(4) Just a thought: Would it not be more appropriate for Jesus to pick up a piece of the lamb and said, “It is my body”? After all He is the Passover Lamb! Why did He choose bread as the symbol?
(5) We believe that the Lord’s Supper is meant for “remembrance” and not a re-enactment of the actual event. However, each time as we eat and drink, internalizing the elements, how may it help you to “remember”? Remember what?
(6) Jesus also points us to the day when He would drink it anew in the kingdom of God. How different would that heavenly feast be from this last one He drank on earth?
(7) The New Testament church has continued to “remember” the Lord’s Supper as part of the communal meal, and not as an individual meal. What is its significance?
(8) I think the disciples by now had a growing sense of the reality of Jesus’ suffering and death. Would you have reacted to Jesus’ warning that “you will all fall away” as Peter and the disciples did? Why or why not?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
As we reflect on the Lord’s Supper today, I invite you to reflect on one of the most helpful hymns in this respect.
“Beneath the Cross of Jesus” was written by Miss Clephane in 1868, one year before her early death at the age of thirty-nine. She wrote eight hymns, all published posthumously. Besides this hymn, only one other has endured — “The Ninety and Nine.”
1
Beneath the cross of JesusI fain would take my stand
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.
2
Upon that cross of JesusMine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart with tears
Two wonders I confess
The wonders of redeeming love
And my unworthiness.
3
I take, O cross, thy shadowFor my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.
By Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1830–1869
(1) What was the purpose of Jesus’ praying before His arrest?
(2) Why did He choose to bring Peter, James and John along and share those words in v. 38 privately with them? What was He hoping for or expecting of the three?
(3) Was His desire met?
(4) Consider these words of Jesus: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” (Italics mine) Did you ever experience anything close to this? What was the reason for His condition?
(5) Consider the prayers of Jesus carefully and the fact that He prayed the same prayer three times. What can you learn about the following?
(6) Read Hebrews 5:7-10. How has it helped you to gain a better understanding of Jesus’ prayers in the garden?
(7) As Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak,” He was not only referring to the disciples, but probably Himself as well. How did He demonstrate the power of prayer in meeting trials like His?
(8) What if the disciples did “watch and pray” with Him, what might the difference be?
(9) What then is the essential message of today and how may you apply it in your life?
One of the most powerful sermons I have heard on prayer was by someone who shared one of the last stories of Henry Nouwen. We were told that before he passed way in 1996, he was traveling with a circus. He greatly admired the two brothers who were doing some amazing swinging trapeze performance. So, to one of the brothers, he expressed great admiration of his performance. To this, the brother replied that as much as he received a lot of applause by swinging from one side to another and that he looked like the hero, the true hero was in fact his brother. All he did was to swing and then stretched out his hands and let his brother grab a hold of them. That’s all he needed to do — stretching out his hands and trusting his brother to grab a hold of him. And if he tried to do more, like trying to grab his brother’s hands instead, he would be in trouble! Nouwen saw this as the perfect picture of prayer.
Through prayers, we are actually letting go of all things, one by one, that our hands try to grab a hold of: our worries, our agenda, what we think needs to happen, and even the timing that we think things ought to happen. And as we are able, through prayers, to let go of all things that we hold dear, then all we need to do, is to stretch out our empty hands and let God grab a hold of us!
While the two trapeze brothers would have definitely made mistakes in their performance, our God will never!
(2) How might Hebrews 2:17 help us understand why Jesus had to be betrayed with a kiss?
(3) We understand from John 18:10 that the one who drew the sword was Peter. Why was he carrying a sword? What did he expect Jesus to do while he defended him? Did Jesus take the opportunity to flee? Why not? (See His last words in v. 56.)
(4) Why did Jesus choose to say at this time, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword”? Many use this as grounds for pacifism. Do you agree? Why or why not?
(5) Jesus asked, “Am I leading a rebellion…” What does this say about the way and mission of Jesus? How may we imitate Him?
(6) “Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.” How could Peter, John and James and the other disciples leave Jesus? Did they not pledge to stick with Him only hours ago (v. 35)?
(7) Again, what if they had joined Jesus in praying in the garden, would the outcome be different?
(8) Why didn’t they?
(9) How important is it to watch and pray, especially in preparation of facing a crisis?
(10) What then is the essential message of today and how may you apply it in your life?
True, hindsight is always 20/20. But I cannot help but think what if the disciples were able to stay awake, pray and watch with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The reason why Jesus could stay awake to watch and pray, while the disciples could not, has nothing to do with fatigue. In fact, Jesus had to be even more tired than they were, exhausted to the point of death. The difference did not have anything to do with His divinity either. The difference lies in the fact that Jesus knew and sensed the gravity of the hour, and that the salvation of the entire humankind hung in the balance and depended on whether He would go through with offering Himself in utter obedience to the Father. Had the disciples not only believed in the words of their Master, but also shared His feeling, they would have watched and prayed with Him.
And if they had, Jesus would still have to experience His torture, mockery and eventual death on the cross, meaning the work of salvation would still be accomplished. The difference would be that the disciples would not have fled and disappeared, but would have followed Jesus all the way to the cross. Of course, in God’s omniscience, they were spared so that they could be the witnesses of His death and resurrection. They, all eleven of them, eventually faced their own death, and some through the cross.
Like the disciples, no one knows what tomorrow may bring, but if we are able to watch and pray often, we will not be panicking in the face of crisis or test, like the disciples.
(1) As you read this segment of the scripture, what words can you use to describe the atmosphere?
(2) What words can you use to describe these religious leaders?
(3) These leaders, who were determined to kill Jesus, were trying to legitimize their crime by conducting a trial that involved two or three witnesses as prescribed by the Law of Moses. What kind of false testimonies did they seek that could put Jesus to death?
(4) Why did Jesus remain silent before these false testimonies which he could certainly disprove, and yet, when asked about who He is, He answered right away in no uncertain terms, and more?
(5) Why did the High Priest charge Jesus with blasphemy? How could he have responded differently?
(6) What sins had these religious leaders committed?
(7) What sins had the rest of the crowd who abused Jesus physically committed?
(8) Why didn’t Peter flee and hide, but instead chose to sit down “with the guards”? What does this tell you about Peter?
(9) Peter was sitting and watching the entire event. How would he feel? What was going through his mind?
(10) Of all the above human characters, with whom do you identify most?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
This is an email I received this week from a friend of mine, a retired pastor, David Miller, that I would like to share with you.
This prayer chain is calling ALL Christians into action NOW on behalf of this Iranian pastor, who faces execution!
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani never practiced the Muslim faith and converted to Christianity at age 19, becoming a pastor later. But the courts say that since his mother and father were practicing Muslims, he must recant his Christian faith or die. So far, in three court appearances, he has refused to do so - RISKING EXECUTION AT ANY MOMENT. The Iranian Supreme Court often acts quickly in administering the death penalty.
According to a report, when asked by judges to “repent,” Youcef replied: “Repent, What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?”
The judges replied: “To the religion of your ancestors - Islam.” To which Yousef replied: “I cannot.”
It’s time for the body of Christ to act, to pray, to plead for the life of our brother before Christ so that His servant may be spared.
This is what you are asked/called to do. As soon as you receive this email, PRAY IMMEDIATELY. Forward to your church so that its members may all pray too. Then forward this PRAYER REQUEST to every CHRISTIAN you know so that they may pray also. The Bible states, “If God is with us, who can stand against us?”.
March 17, 2012
(1) Can you choose one word to describe the atmosphere of the night?
(2) What was Peter’s intention for being there, taking enormous risks?
(3) Was he aware that people might recognize him? Was he prepared for such a confrontation?
(4) Whether he was prepared or not, he was recognized and confronted. What might be the significance of
(5) Why did Jesus forewarn Peter of his denial?
(6) What impact might this denial have on Peter, both on a short term and also on a long-term basis?
(7) Did you have any similar experience as that of Peter?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
Wang Ming Dao was one of the most influential Christian leaders in the short history of the Chinese Church. His firm adherence to the teachings of the Bible had earned him attacks and sufferings throughout his ministry, whether during the Japanese occupation, or subsequent years in China.
At the peak of his suffering, he did sign a confession renouncing his faith, perhaps for the sake of rescuing his wife who was very ill in prison, or perhaps, as another source alleges, because of fear for his own execution in 1956.
But subsequent to his release he was almost in a complete breakdown, comparing himself to Peter, who had denied his Lord, and to Judas, who had betrayed his Master. It was during this time of desperation that he recalled a passage from Micah 7:7-9 which had helped him in his younger years:
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.
Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
the LORD will be my light.
Because I have sinned against him,
I will bear the LORD’s wrath,
until he pleads my case
and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;
I will see his righteousness.”
Indeed, like Peter, when he “turned back,” he had been able to strengthen his brothers, (Lk. 22:32) and had become a great encouragement beyond the suffering church in China.
When visited by Billy Graham in 1988, Dao encouraged him with the words of Revelation 2:10, “Be faithful, even to the point of death.”