Mark 14: 32-72, Trial

Jesus now expects to be arrested, aware of the plot of Judas to hand him over to the religious authorities.

Mark 14:32-40, Despair in Gethsemane
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.  <"Abba>, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

"Abba" is Aramaic for Father.  Jesus uses a child's word to address God, addressing God as "Daddy."  We too, led by the Holy Spirit, can make that same cry, says Paul, in Romans 8:15 & Galatians 4:6.

Mark 14: 41-49, Judas arrives
Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. 

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.

The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

"Am I leading a rebellion," said Jesus, "that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?

Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."

Jesus returns from his time of prayer with renewed confidence.  "It's game time," he seems to say to the disciples, as he sees the armed crowd approach.

Mark 14: 50-52, A young man flees
Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

Only the Gospel of Mark mentions this young man fleeing without his robes.  Some suggest, then, that this was probably John Mark, the eventual author of this gospel.

Mark 14: 53-61, Trial before the high priest
They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.  Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: "We heard him say, `I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'" Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. 

Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

The Jewish leaders are struggling to find some pretext for killing Jesus.  But he had done nothing wrong.  Desperate, they attempt to get Jesus to convict himself.

Mark 14: 62-65, The Messiah, King of the Jews
"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." 

The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death.

Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.

It is blasphemy for a mere mortal to claim to be God. But it is not blasphemy for God to make that claim!  The high priest barrels right past the claims of this long awaited Messiah, so that he can achieve his goal, death to the man who he sees as a threat.  It is a sad scene here: the high priest, so focused on his own agenda, completely misses the divine Miracle in front of him.

Mark 14: 66-72, Peter's betrayal
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said.

But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway.

When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them."  Again he denied it. 

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."  He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about."

Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept.

Peter's accent and mannerisms make him identifiable as coming from the region of Galilee, just like the man on trial.  And many bystanders had listened to Jesus speak and had been among his disciples. So Peter is recognizable to some, especially the servant girl!

The Jews need for the Romans now to also convict Jesus.  So the second part of the trial continues in chapter 15, reaching its foregone conclusion.

Mark 14, 1-31, Preparation for Burial

Jesus is in and around Jerusalem, teaching his disciples.

Mark 14: 1-2, Looking to kill Jesus
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. "But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot."

Jesus has drawn the increasing ire of the religious leaders who have been trying to trap him into saying something that would give them authority to arrest him. Now they are determined to kill him, regardless. But the plot requires some care, as he is still very popular.

Mark 14: 3-9, Woman anoints Jesus
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume?

It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.

"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

There is a lot going on in this short periscope.  Jesus is with someone known as "the Leper", an outcast. As before, Jesus is among the poor. Yet a woman comes and worships him by pouring expensive perfume on his head. "What a waste!" someone says. (The Gospel of John records that it was Judas Iscariot who says this, disappointed that he could not have access to that money!)

This incident in the life of Jesus is recorded by all four Gospels. Here are the parallel passages, worth reading. Why is this event so poignant to the four gospel writers?

Those who wish to wear the mantle of Christianity while ignoring the poor have pointed to Jesus' comment, "The poor you will always have with you" as if it were dismissive of the poor.  But that is taking this statement out of context. Indeed, Jesus is indirectly quoting Deuteronomy 15:11, where the Jews are instructed to therefore always keep the poor in mind.

The NIV footnotes point out that the Greek phrase translated "more than a year's wages" is really an amount of money: "more than three hundred denarii" which is difficult to translate into modern terms.

Mark 14: 10-11, Betrayed
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Judas has had enough of this Messiah who won't take over and rule the land, of this Messiah who is so soft with the poor and downtrodden, with the weak, ill and sinful people.  And he sees a chance to make some money.

Mark 14: 12-16, Preparing for the Passover
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, `The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."

The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

Jesus knows of a room prepared for him and sends the disciples to complete the preparations.  The disciples do not know that Jesus intends to be the Passover Lamb.

Some believe that this upper room belonged to the family of John Mark, since a similar room is identified that way in Acts 12: 12-16.

Mark 14: 17-25, Final supper
When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me--one who is eating with me."

They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, "Surely not I?"

"It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."

Some manuscripts add "new" before the word "covenant" in verse 24.  The Old Covenant with the Jewish people is being renewed and extended through the Messiah who is about to be offered as the Passover Lamb.

Mark 14: 26-31, Mount of Olives
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. "You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: "`I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'  But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."

Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today--yes, tonight--before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times."

But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.

Poor Peter.  Such a good naive man at heart.

The Old Testament quotation in verse 27 is from Zechariah 13:7.

Some early manuscripts, in the description of the rooster crowing, leave out the word "twice" (says the NIV footnotes.)

The plot to arrest Jesus is almost complete.  We approach "Good Friday". 

Mark 13, The Apocalypse

Jesus has been tutoring his disciples in Jerusalem, during the final week before the crucifixion.

Mark 13:1-10, This temple will be torn down
As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

"Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you.  Many will come in my name, claiming, `I am he,' and will deceive many.  When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."

"You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.  And the gospel must first be preached to all nations."

This conversation is stimulated by the nearby temple, which will be torn down in 70 AD.  The ensuing apocalypse will apparenlty involve many wars, many nations, natural disasters, and serious religious persecution.  

The disciples begin to question Jesus in private.  Why are they asking these questions in private?

Mark 13:11-23, The abomination of desolation
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.  Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.  All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

"When you see `the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong--let the reader understand--then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out.  Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.

How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now--and never to be equaled again.  If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.

At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or, `Look, there he is!' do not believe it.  For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect--if that were possible.  So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

What is the main warning here? "Let the reader understand" -- apparently a warning by Mark to his audience.  Is he addressing those living in 70 AD? Or all of us?

What incident is being discussed?  Is it local or global?

The Old Testament quote in verse 14 is from the book of Daniel, verses Daniel 9:27, 11:31 and 12:11.

Mark 13: 24-27, Stars fall, Son of Man comes in power and glory
"But in those days, following that distress, "`the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

This is a global event, much more significant than the "mere" destruction of Jerusalem.  (How does this fit with Revelations?)

Of course the earth does not have “ends” or “four winds”; these are poetic devices (despite the insistence of the Flat Earth Society!)

The NIV puts quotation marks around some of these phrases, as if they are from the Old Testament. They are probably summaries of Isaiah 13:10 or Isaiah 34:4. 

Mark 13: 28-33, This generation and these things
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.  I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.  No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."

What is the main warning here?  What does it mean, "this generation will certainly not pass away…"?  (NIV footnote: the Greek word could mean "generation" or "race".)

Mark 13: 34-37, Watch! Servants, watch!
It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.   "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

What I say to you, I say to everyone: `Watch!'"

This discourse, sometimes called the Olivet Discourse, as it took place on the Mount of Olives, is indeed a strange series of teachings, recorded in all three synoptic gospels.  Followers have debated since then: how much of this is describing the invasion of the Romans in 70 AD, destroying the temple, and how much is talking of a greater calamity, a future event often call The Apocalypse, in which the Roman invasion of 70 AD is merely a warmup.

Mark 12: 28-44, True Religion vs. Hypocrisy

The religious leaders continue to challenge Jesus.  A teacher of the law asks a question....

Mark 12:28-34, The most important commandment
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 

The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. 

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

This teacher is a bit more open and supportive.  After this Jesus's opponents give up and stop asking questions.  Why?

The Old Testament quote in verse 30 is from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. This is the Shema Israel passage, familiar to all Jews.  The quote in verse 31 is from Leviticus 19: 18.

Now Jesus begins to ask the crowd some questions.

Mark 12: 35-37, David's son is his lord?
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David?  David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: "`The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."'

David himself calls him `Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight.

The Old Testament quote in verse 36 is from Psalm 110:1 a well-known messianic passage.

Mark 12: 38-40, Self-righteous teachers
As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

Wherever religion dominates, there are those who use religion for personal gain.  That was true in Jesus's day and is true today.  It should be noticed by the Christ-follower that Jesus consistently confronted religious hypocrisy and that it was about the only place in which he was harsh.  I'd say more about American religious hypocrisy and "religious-right" politics ... but this is not Facebook!

Mark 12: 41-44, Two small coins
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."

According to the NIV footnotes, in verse 42, the Greek phrase translated "small copper coins worth only a fraction of a penny" is really "2 lepta equal to a kodrantes." The lepton was a Greek coin, the kodrantes a Roman coin.  As this blog points out, the information conveyed by Mark (and Jesus) is that the woman gave all that she had, not that it was a trivial amount.  

In the next chapter, Jesus teaches about the end times and the upcoming Apocalypse.

Mark 12: 1-27, Debates in Jerusalem

Once in Jerusalem, Jesus continues to teach in parables.  The nation of Israel that it is not ready for what is to come.

Mark 12:1-11, The vineyard and its servants
He then began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

"Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.

"He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

"He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, `They will respect my son.'

"But the tenants said to one another, `This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

"What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven't you read this scripture: "`The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes' ?"

Who is the son in this parable?   Who is the vineyard planter?  Who are the other characters?  Do the listeners understand the parable?  As a Gentile believer, I echo the psalmist: "The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes." (The quote in verse 11 is from Psalm 118:22-23.)

Mark 12:12, Too many people for an arrest
Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

The tension builds.

Mark 12:13-17, Another trap, this one on paying taxes!
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?" 

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."

 They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied.

Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him.

Note that the Herodians are included in this conversation!  Loyal to Herod, the Herodians would have immediately seized upon any statement challenging King Herod's Roman authority. The hope that Jesus will be tricked into "speaking with integrity" against the Romans.  Yet Jesus sidesteps the nasty politics and insists on a spiritual message, that one needs to give to God what is God's.

One should never allow one's political affections to become an idol, replacing allegiance to the eternal Kingdom of God.

Mark 12:18-27, A favorite puzzle of the Sadducees
Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. "Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too.

At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?"

Jesus replied, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

"Now about the dead rising--have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' ? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. 

"You are badly mistaken!"

The Sadducees were very proud of this little conundrum.  It put belief in a resurrection in direct conflict with instructions of Moses about marriage.  But the conundrum was caused by a naive assumption that the situations addressed by Moses carried on past the resurrection.  The Sadducees made this simplistic assumption because they had not thought very carefully about the resurrection. In my experience, many religious (and political) arguments are of this nature.  They only work with those who have not thought very deeply about the topic.  (See Facebook for many examples!)

The quote in verse 26 is from Exodus 3:6.

The religious leaders will continue to challenge Jesus during his last week in Jerusalem.  His deftness and turning aside these challenges will eventually take him to the cross.

Mark 11, Entering Jerusalem

Jesus and the disciples approach Jerusalem.

Mark 11:1-7, Seated on a colt
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.  If anyone asks you, `Why are you doing this?' tell him, `The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.

When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.

Why is Jesus doing this?  Mark does not explain.  Other gospel writers will point out that Jesus is fulfilling a Messianic role given by the Old Testament prophet Zechariah.  (See Zechariah 9:9.)

Mark 11:8-11, Hosanna!
Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, 
"Hosanna!" 
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 
"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" 
"Hosanna in the highest!"

            
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Suddenly there is a commotion and a celebration, a parade with singing and shouting.  What set this off?  Presumably the crowd has been waiting for this Messianic statement.

The sentence "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" is from Psalm 118:25-26. "Hosanna" is a Hebrew phrase apparently meaning "Save!" (says the NIV footnotes); it had become to an exclamation of praise. 

Mark 11:12-14, The fig tree
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.  Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

This short section is suddenly inserted here.  It appears to be a part of an extended parable, acted out by Jesus.

Mark 11:15-18, Clearing the temple
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

            
And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "`My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it `a den of robbers.' "

            
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

The first quote in verse 17 is from Isaiah 56:7; the second is from Jeremiah 7:11.

What angered Jesus here? Jesus is suddenly significantly increasing the level of confrontation with the religious leaders.  After many times where he has said, “Go and tell no one,” now, by riding in on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) and cleaning the temple, he is creating the attention he has previously tried to avoid. (Why?)

Jesus had apparently decided to do this on the previous day.   He is clearly, deliberately, even violently confronting the moneychangers and temple authorities.  And they respond in the obvious way, by completing plans to kill him.  He knows this since even when they were earlier heading to Jerusalem, he was telling the disciples what would happen.

Mark 11:19-26, Fig tree revisited

When evening came, they went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

            
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered.  "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

            
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Some ancient manuscripts have a sentence at the end of verse 25, leading to a verse 26, "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins." 

The fig tree leads to a parable about trusting God (completely.)  Jesus’ teaching takes a sudden twist at the end.  Why?

Mark 11:27-33, Challenged again by the leaders

They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.

            
"By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?"

           
Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  John's baptism--was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!"

            
They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will ask, `Then why didn't you believe him?’  But if we say, `From men'...." (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

            
So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Once again, the Messiah is cryptic, an enigma,  He is in no hurry to explain himself.

Notice how Jesus gets to the root of their question.  The question was not really asking for knowledge, but was designed to trap them, and he offers back a “counter-trap”.

The back-and-forth with the Pharisees will continue in the next chapter.

Prelude to the New Testament

The Old Testament ends with a number of prophetic passages, probably written around 400 BCE. More than four centuries later, Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee and we have the writings of the New Testament. It might be good to review the history that leads up to the New Testament.

The Old Testament records God calling Abraham out of the area of modern Iraq to Canaan, the site of modern Israel, around 2000 BCE.  The children of Abraham's grandson, Jacob, eventually settle in Egypt, where they become a large tribe which eventually leaves Egypt about 1500 BCE under the leadership of Moses.  This tribe, the people of Israel, settles the land of Canaan where, around 1000 BCE, they are a nation ruled by a king, David.  The nation of Israel reaches its greatest strength during the reign of David's son, Solomon, but splits into two kingdoms, the northern ten tribes ("Israel") and the southern two tribes ("Judah") at Solomon's death.

Much of the Old Testament history then chronicles the ups and downs of these two countries, as they are repeatedly urged to return to God and Mosaic law.  Eventually the two kingdoms are invaded by the Babylonian empire with Judah becoming a Babylonian vassal around 605 BCE.  Shortly after this, the inhabitants of Judah (such as the young man, Daniel) are deported to Babylon.  The Jews living in Babylon were allowed to return to their original land then around 538 BCE, an event covered by the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  Shortly after that time, the Old Testament prophets go silent.  But we know from other sources that Alexander the Great conquered the region around 332 BCE, as he expanded his empire east and that the region was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty from 301 BCE to 198 BCE and then by a number of Jewish priest-kings after the Maccabean revolt in 167 BCE. In 63 BCE the Roman ruler Pompey conquered Jerusalem and after that time, the Romans ruled Judea, delegating their authority a series of Jewish kings given the name Herod, beginning with Herod the Great, the founder of the Herodian dynasty. It is within this dynasty that Jesus is born.  The nation of Israel was officially ruled by Herod the Great, but ultimately Herod answered to Caesar Augustus in Rome.

This Wikipedia page has more details on the history of Israel.

The New Testament opens with four accounts of the ministry of Jesus. The “synoptic gospels”, Mathew, Mark and Luke have much in common (thus the term "synoptic" or "similar") and presumably reflect the early accounts of Peter and others on the ministry of Jesus.  These three gospels often tell of the same episodes, with slightly different points of view.  Matthew, a Jew, emphasizes that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.  Mark, while reporting Jesus as the Messiah (in Greek Christos) also portrays Jesus as a man of action, engaged in reformation of Israel.  Mark's gospel is a sequence of short vivid accounts of Jesus's acts and words and is most likely the life of Jesus as reported by Peter during Peter's later ministry.  Luke, a Gentile convert, emphasizes the role of Jesus as a universal savior, savior not just of the Jews but of all mankind.

The Gospel of John is apparently the report of the young disciple John. John was probably a teenager during the ministry of Jesus and, written after the other gospels, this account fills in details missed by the earlier ones.  It also adds a philosophical view, from the vantage point of sixty years after the events.  John describes Jesus as not just the Jewish Messiah but the (Greek) Logos, the Creator of the universe appearing in the flesh, living among mankind.

We will continue in the Gospel of Mark tomorrow.

Mark 10: 32-52, Along the Jerusalem Road

Jesus and the disciples continue on the road to Jerusalem.

Mark 10:32-34, Headed to an execution
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."

Why are the disciples astonished?  Because he is heading into the City, where he is clearly in danger from both the political rulers (Herodians) and the religious rulers. Yet his statements to his followers are not reassuring.  "Yes, I am in danger," Jesus says.  "In fact they will kill me...."

Mark 10:35-45, Rank and service
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.  Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Sitting at a ruler's right hand is a statement of prestige.  James and John, although fearful about the upcoming events, are also looking forward to being prestigious rulers!  Jesus, once again, emphasizes a life of service and humility, especially for rulers!  (This is so contrary to many other things – even in religion.)

The disciples really have no clue as to what is to soon happen.

Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus calls out for the Messiah
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." 

So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. 

The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

The blind man is identified by name and the antecedent "bar-" is explained, presumably for the benefit of the non-Jewish reader.

It has been suggested that Bartimaeus did not know what he was calling about – he might not have originally been thinking of his sight, but just been a beggar.  However he is quick to grasp the opportunity given him.

In the next chapter, Jesus arrives at Jerusalem, for his final visit.