Bible Commentaries

A Wicked Plot To Kill Jesus

- Mark Fourteen -

Mark described a wicked plot that was unfolding to put Jesus to death. The chief priests and the scribes were the ones Satan was using to carry out this diabolical plan. Often he uses those that seem powerful to accomplish his destructive end. As Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples He predicted that one of them would betray Him. The chief priests and scribes plotted to kill Jesus. Judas agreed that for thirty pieces of silver that he would deliver Jesus up to them.

In the Garden of Gethsemane the humanity of Jesus is again observed as He prayed and wept. While in the garden a large crowd came from the chief priests, scribes and elders. This must have been a frightening scene as this mob came in the middle of the night with torches and swords and clubs in their hands. The betrayer came and identified Jesus. All the disciples forsook Jesus and fled. As the mock trials of Jesus began Peter was in the crowd, observing from a distance what was happening. It was in that setting that Peter denied the Lord three times. He even "began to curse and swear saying, "I don"t even know the man you are talking about."

Preparation for Christ's death - Mark 14:1-11 : The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses designed a terrible plot to kill Jesus. It was just two days before Passover. The concern of these Jews was that if they killed Jesus during Passover time that the people would riot. Jesus was still staying at Bethany. That night He was eating in the home of Simon the leper. A woman came in with a very expensive bottle of perfume. She broke it open, poured the perfume on the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. In John 12:3 she is identified as Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Judas and others scolded her and said, "Why such a waste? We could have sold this perfume for more than three hundred silver coins and given the money to the poor!" The value of the coins would have been equivalent to a year's wages. Jesus said, "Let her alone...She hath done what she could...Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." (Mark 14:6-9)

In this amazing text Jesus said, "You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them." Followers of Christ always have plenty of opportunities to aid the poor and suffering. It is through serving the poor that our love for the Master is expressed. (Matthew 25:31-46) The closer we get to Him the more we will do for the poor. Giving to the poor is of no great value without it being done as a Christian and it being done with a spirit of love. (1 Corinthians 13:3) While helping to satisfy physical needs, we sometimes find opportunity to offer true spiritual help.

Sharing in the Supper of our Lord - Mark 14:12-26 : Preparation was made for eating the Passover. A man with a pitcher of water would lead them to an upper room at a certain house. (Mark 12:15) There the apostles prepared the Passover meal. As they were eating Jesus again talked of His betrayal. Each apostle began to ask if He was referring to them. He then identified Judas by saying, "It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish...woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born." (Mark 14:20-21)

As they were eating Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. After blessing and breaking the bread He said, "Take this. It is my body." He also gave thanks for the cup. He gave it to the disciples and they all drank some. He said, "This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many." He said the Communion was to take place in His kingdom or church. Communion is observed every Sunday and only on Sunday by faithful children of God. (Acts 20:7)

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane - Mark 14:27-52 : Jesus said, "All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." Jesus promised His resurrection and that He would go before them into Galilee. Peter protested saying that even if the others betrayed the Lord that he would not. Jesus said, "This very night before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you do not know me." Then all the apostles promised not to betray the Lord.

Jesus took Peter, James and John and went into a garden called Gethsemane, and He told them, "Sit here while I pray." Jesus was so sorrowful that He felt like He was dying. He asked the apostles to watch while He prayed. Jesus prayed "take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." He was very saddened when He found the disciples sleeping. This led to Jesus" great statement, "The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." The same scene was repeated twice more and after the third time the mob came to take Jesus. Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Peter made a feeble defense of Jesus by cutting off a man's ear with a sword. Concerning those that fled Mark's gospel says, "One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, he left the cloth behind and ran away naked."

The denial and trial of Jesus - Mark 14:53-72 : Over the next several hours Jesus was dragged from one to another and went through several mock trials. During this time Peter followed from afar. Many false charges were raised against Jesus. The High Priest was shocked that Jesus would not defend Himself. Finally he asked, "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am." This led the High Pries and others to say Jesus was worthy of death. "Some of the people started spitting on Jesus. They blindfolded him, hit him with their fists, and said, "Tell us who hit you!"

It was against this background that Peter denied three times that he knew the Lord. At first a servant girl said to Peter "you were with Jesus." He denied saying, "That is not true! I do not know what you are talking about." A second time a girl said, "This is one of them. And he denied it again." A little later they said, "Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean...But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak." Right away the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered the words of Jesus "Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." He went out and wept bitterly. Both Judas and Peter had denied the Lord. But their final conduct was far different. Judas destroyed his life through suicide while Peter repented through godly sorrow.