A Man With a Pitcher: Mark 14:10-26

From: The Servant's Heart: Bible Talks on Mark

Mark 14:10‑26 • 3 min. read • grade level: 7

The disciples asked the Lord Jesus where He wished them to prepare the Passover supper which was not to be eaten in the temple, but in homes. They had no home in Jerusalem, but Jesus knew where they could find a room. He told two of them, “Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman [owner] of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished. ... There make ready for us.”

The two disciples were so directed that they could not make a mistake. The man with the pitcher of water met them and led them directly to the “upper room” where our Lord knew they would find all that was needed for the solemn meal.

The Remembrance

This was not what we would call a “feast,” but a time to remember that God had saved their nation from death in Egypt and to rejoice and thank Him. It was to praise God that they had sung a hymn (or psalm) that evening before they left Egypt (Deut. 12:7, 12⁷And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee. (Deuteronomy 12:7)
¹²And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. (Deuteronomy 12:12)).

That same night Jesus showed the disciples how to keep a new “feast.” He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave to them to eat. Then He gave thanks also for the cup, in which was the “fruit” (juice) of the grape vine, and gave them to drink.

This was a most simple “feast,” told of in few words, yet it was to be done to remember the greatest of all events, the Lord Jesus’ giving His body in death and shedding His blood, not as the Passover for one nation, but to save the souls of men, women, boys and girls of every nation who will believe in Him.

Clear Direction

We may wonder that the Lord’s directions to find the place to keep the “feast” are so fully written. How can anyone now be helped by hearing of the man with a pitcher of water whom the disciples followed?

We find God’s Word is called “water” (Eph. 5:26²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26)); it is to our souls what water is to our bodies. It tells of God’s salvation and of all His way for His people. Yet they could not understand it without the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13¹³Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. (John 16:13)).

From this it seems the man with the pitcher of water was a picture of the Spirit with the words of God. The Spirit leads by God’s Word to where the Lord still keeps the “feast” with His followers. The Lord desires that those who love Him keep that simple “feast” of remembrance with Him until He comes (Acts 20:7⁷And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7); 1 Cor. 11:26²⁶For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:26)).

Further Meditation

1. What other scriptures refer to the Spirit of God by using the figure of moving water?

2. Where else in the Scripture is water used as a figure of the Word of God?

3. You might find help related to the topic of this chapter in Why Do We Meet as We Do? by J. R. Gill.

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