Scripture Study

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Mark 14
Mark 14:2525Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. (Mark 14:25). His association with Israel is now ended, is broken by death, and now He is seated in glory on Jehovah’s throne until the Father makes His enemies His footstool. Then He will come forth rejoicing over Israel in a new way in the Kingdom of God.
Mark 14:2626And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. (Mark 14:26). “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.” Psalm 115 to 118 were sometimes used on this occasion, but we might see in their singing that redemption joy rises over present sorrow.
Mark 14:29-3129But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. (Mark 14:29‑31). Peter loves the Lord, and is honest in his intentions, yet does not know himself: does not know the weakness that is in him, and so much learn a lesson of humbling. A most useful one to teach him dependence on the Lord. And a lesson that brings to us the tender, compassionate love of the Savior in our times of failure. The fear of man bringeth a snare, but the Lord’s mercy is abundant toward us (Lam. 3:2222It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (Lamentations 3:22)).
Peter fell because he did not watch and pray that the Lord might hold him up. The Lord had said, “Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.” Peter did not believe Him vehemently asserted, “If I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee in any wise.” And so said they all. May we all take the lesson to heart.
Mark 14:32-6532And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 39And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. 40And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. 41And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. 43And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. 45And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. 46And they laid their hands on him, and took him. 47And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 48And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? 49I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. 50And they all forsook him, and fled. 51And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 52And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. 53And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 55And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 56For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59But neither so did their witness agree together. 60And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. (Mark 14:32‑65). They came to a place called Gethsemane. He said to His disciples, “Sit ye here, while I shall pray.” He taketh with Him Peter, James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; and saith unto them. “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death; tarry ye here, and watch.” And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” What deep sorrow and anguish of soul we see here! He is not yet bearing sin, but has the anticipation of it in His soul in its depth and reality. He is in agony (Luke 22:4444And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)). His prayers and supplications are with strong crying and tears (Heb. 5:77Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; (Hebrews 5:7)). And what are the disciples doing? He cometh and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, “Simon, sleepest thou? Could’st not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” Again He went away and prayed the same words, and again He finds them sleeping. The third time He now says, “Sleep on now, and take your rest it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Soil of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” He is heard He has taken the cup of suffering from the Father’s hand. He will drink it on the cross.
“Himself he could not save.
Love’s stream too deeply flowed.”
Perfect servant in submission and obedience! Perfect sacrifice and Savior! Their portion now is sleep and rest, because of what He would accomplish on the cross. But now, “Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.” And immediately, while He yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Judas Iscariot betrays Him and they lay hold of Him and take Him. He does not resist, but one of them (John 18:1010Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. (John 18:10)) drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. In another place we are told the Lord healed the wound which his failing servant had made. Here He says, “Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take Me? I was daily with you in the temple, teaching, and ye took me not: but the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” They all forsook Him, and fled. One young man followed Him, but when they laid hold of him, he left the linen cloth that was about him in their hands and fled from them naked. If in the energy of nature one follows Christ, the further he goes the more his nakedness is exposed. Jesus is led to the High Priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. They are waiting for their prey; it is a foregone conclusion that He is to be condemned to death. They try hard to get witnesses, but they can find none to agree. At last the high priest asks, “Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus confesses, “I am: and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Alas! they were there to condemn Him. He was there to gave His life a ransom for many. And this full unfolding of His person and glory as Son of Man, is made the occasion to carry out their diabolical intention. The high priest in mock sorrow rends his clothes, calls it blasphemy and calls on the rest who unanimously condemn Him to be guilty of death, some began to spit on Him, to cover his face and to buffet Him, and to say, “Prophesy,” and the servants did strike Him with the palms of their hands. What hearts men have – we have – against all that is of God, against God manifest in the flesh, whose goodness had been abundantly declared by His works among them – healing the sick, feeding the hungry, raising the dead, and freeing souls from sin and Satan’s power. And this is what man’s heart gives in return.
“Man’s boasting love disowns Thee;
Thine own the danger flee;
A Judas only owns Thee-
That Thou mayest captive be.
Priests that should plead for weakness
Must thine accusers be.”
Mark 14:66-7266And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. (Mark 14:66‑72). Peter had followed Him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and sat with the servants at the fire warming himself while Jesus is being tried and is witnessing a good confession. A maid saw him and said, “Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it, and went out into the porch and the cock crew. Again a maid saw him and told others, and again he denies it, in a little while they that stood by said, “Surely thou art one of them, for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.” But he began to curse and to swear, saying, “I know not this man of whom ye speak.” And the second time the cock crew. Just then the Lord turned and looked upon Peter (Luke 22:6161And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. (Luke 22:61)). He remembered what the Lord had said, and went out and wept bitterly and much.
Poor Peter! a picture of us all, what lessons we may learn from him. When the Lord was praying, Peter was sleeping. When the Lord was yielding Himself up, Peter was fighting. When the Lord was on His trial, Peter was warming himself and then cursing and swearing that he did not know this man. Peter truly loved Him, but the flesh was weak and he had to be taught not to trust in his own strength. He would not learn it but through being allowed to fall; then the Lord’s look of love began the work of repentance and restoration in his soul.
What love and grace shine in our blessed Lord in this chapter. In the midst of His own deep exercises and suffering He feels for His disciples, sympathizing with and excusing their weakness, warning and rebuking, bearing with and rectifying Peter’s mistakes and preparing to restore him from his failure.
What encouragement for us is all this!