Scripture Study: Mark 14

From: Young Christian: Volume 6, 1916

Mark 14 • 8 min. read • grade level: 7

Mark 14

Mark 14:1-2¹After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. ²But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. (Mark 14:1‑2). The circumstances which close the Lord’s life on earth are brought before us. It is near the time when the passover should be killed. He was God’s passover Lamb, of which the others were but types. The chief priests and scribes sought how they might take Him by craft, and put Him to death; but they said, “Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.” They feared the people, there was no fear of God before their eyes. But God’s purpose must be fulfilled, and the Lamb of God must be slain on the passover day. They are truly guilty, but they do what God’s purpose and counsel had determined before to be done (Acts 2:23; 4:28²³Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)
²⁸For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. (Acts 4:28)), and at the time He purposed it. His due time had come (Rom. 5:6⁶For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). Man’s trial is at an end (Heb. 9:26²⁶For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)). Christ our passover is sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7⁷Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)). And many were present from distant places at the feast. Satan’s servants are also ready to do the work of betrayal, false accusation, and murder: and the Gentiles are also willing to join in and imbrue their hands in the guilt of the Jew.

Mark 14:3³And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. (Mark 14:3). “Being in Bethany (i.e., the house of dates) in the house of Simon, the leper, as He sat at meet, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on His head.” It was an act of love; it was Mary who sat at His feet and heard His word (Luke 10:39³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. (Luke 10:39)). How sweet it was to the Lord, specially sweet to His spirit at this moment, the storm clouds were gathering over His devoted head. She had read aright the signs about this as well as the words He spoke – He must die. Sitting at His feet gave her spiritual discernment of what suited the occasion.

Mark 14:4-5⁴And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? ⁵For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. (Mark 14:4‑5). There were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, “Why was this waste of ointment made? for it might have been sold for three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor,” and they murmured against her. It started with Judas Iscariot’s avaricious heart – he was a thief – (John 12:4⁴Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, (John 12:4)), then the others joined in. They appear philanthropic. Judas, a hypocrite, wanted that money into his control; the disciples carnally-minded, put the poor before Christ. Such is man’s natural heart even in God’s own people, the Lord is depreciated to a lower place. See how a wicked man may influence those who are the Lord’s, with a plausible suggestion. If we keep Christ first, the world will not favor us, nor will carnal Christians appreciate our service. Anything done for Christ is called waste, unless it appears to be for man’s benefit.

Mark 14:6-9⁶And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. ⁷For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. ⁸She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. ⁹Verily I say unto you, 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). And Jesus said, “Let her alone: why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on Me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but Me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken for a memorial of her.” What a rebuke to the disciples. What a comfort to the woman, the Lord stamps her action with His approval and speaks of her as of one who had more thought for Him than all the rest had. She had entered deeper than they into His mind. He had spoken to them of His death, but she believed it and anointed Him aforehand for the burying. May the Lord help us to ponder this as a lesson for ourselves. If we are to be found in sympathy and fellowship with Him, we must sit at His feet and there feed on His word, and find His love drawing our hearts out to do the things pleasing to Him. It is only thus we could stand to be misunderstood, and be content with the sense of His approval.

Mark 14:10-11¹⁰And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. ¹¹And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. (Mark 14:10‑11). Judas Iscariot also discerns the hatred to Jesus and purpose of the chief priests to put Him to death, and greedy for gain, is ready to betray Him. What a contrast with Mary’s love and sympathy; the one in fellowship with heaven, the other led on by Satan. The forces of good and evil are seen working here, and are accomplished at the cross.

Mark 14:12-16¹²And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? ¹³And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. ¹⁴And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? ¹⁵And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. ¹⁶And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. (Mark 14:12‑16). The first day of unleavened bread when they killed the passover (it began at dusk), it is the day when the Lord must suffer, the night in which He was betrayed, but He desires greatly to take the passover with His disciples (Luke 22:15¹⁵And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: (Luke 22:15)), they said unto Him, “Where wilt Thou that we go and prepare that Thou mayest eat the passover?” He sent two of them, and said unto 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 of the house. ‘The Master (Teacher), saith, where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples?’ and he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.” Again we see how the Lord can command the hearts of all, even where rejected and in humiliation. The man freely gives the place furnished and prepared. Here it is a disciple responding to the Teacher’s claim. As before, when He wanted the colt, His disciples were to say, “The Lord hath need of him,” and the owners give him, owning the Creator’s claim.

Mark 14:17¹⁷And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. (Mark 14:17). In the evening He cometh with the twelve. Luke 22:14¹⁴And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. (Luke 22:14), says, “When the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.” Is not this a lesson in punctuality that we might profit by, and make an effort to be in our places when the hour is come? The Lord is there, we should not make Him wait on us, but wait on Him. Does our punctuality or want of it not tell how much we respect His presence?

Mark 14:18-21¹⁸And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. ¹⁹And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? ²⁰And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. ²¹The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but 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 14:18‑21). As they sat and did eat, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, one of you which eateth with Me shall betray Me.” He felt deeply that one so much with Him, and who had seen His love should be guilty of such a crime. He knew who it was, but gave all their hearts to feel what was within each of them. They believed what He said and began to be sorrowful, distrusting themselves, and say unto Him one by one. “Is it I?” and another said, “Is it I?” He answered and said unto them, “It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with Me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.”

The passover supper was the memorial of Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt on that night when the first-born of Egypt were destroyed; but to the Lord it had a deeper significance, and far shadowed what He had to pass through that very day to accomplish an eternal redemption. The suffering and death were His to make atonement for sin and to bring us into His company.