Frameworks:
Mark's Gospel chapter 14
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
CHAPTER
14
v.1-11
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
v.12-26
The Last Supper
v.27-31
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
v.32-42
Gethsemane
v.43-52
Jesus Arrested
v.53-65
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
v.66-72
Peter Disowns Jesus
v.1-11
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
v.
1,2 (approaching
Passover the plot grows to arrest Jesus) Now
the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only
two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law
were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
“But not during the
festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”
v.3
(in Bethany Jesus is anointed) While
he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of
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.
v.4,5
(some were annoyed) 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.
v.
6 (Jesus rebukes them)
“Leave her alone,” said
Jesus. “Why are you bothering
her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
v.
7 (he won't always be there)
The poor you will always have with
you, and you can help them any time you want. But you
will not always have me.
v.
8 (she did well ) She
did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to
prepare for my burial.
v.
9 (this will be told worldwide)
Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel
is preached throughout the world, what she has done will
also be told, in memory of her.”
v.10
(Judas goes to the authorities) Then
Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests
to betray Jesus to them.
v.11
(they connive with him) They
were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So
he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
v.12-26
The Last Supper
v.12
(the disciples want to prepare the Supper)
On the first day of the Festival
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?”
v.13-15
(Jesus explains how to do it) 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 room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make
preparations for us there.”
v.16
(the disciples do it) The
disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus
had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
v.17
(Jesus arrives in the house in the evening)
When evening came, Jesus arrived
with the Twelve.
v.18
(he warns of a betrayer) While
they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly
I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”
v.19
(they are each upset)
They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you
don't mean me?”
v.
20 (yes, it's one of you)
“It is one of the Twelve,” he
replied, “one who dips
bread into the bowl with me.
v.
21 (it will be a bad day for
him) 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.”
v.22
(Jesus breaks the bread) While
they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks,
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take
it; this is my body.”
v.23,24
(he then takes the wine) Then
he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave 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.
v.
25 (this will be the last
time) “Truly I tell you, I will
not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when
I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
v.26
(they leave for the mount of Olives) When
they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
v.27-31
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
v.
27 (Jesus predicts they will
all abandon him) “You will all
fall away,” Jesus told
them, “for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.
'[Zech.
13:7]
v.
28 (yet he will rise and go
with them to Galilee again) But
after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
v.29
(Peter denies he will fall away) Peter
declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
v.
30 (no, says Jesus, you will
disown me tonight) “Truly I
tell you,” Jesus answered,
“today—yes, tonight—before
the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three
times.”
v.31
(Peter insists on his loyalty) But
Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I
will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
v.32-42
Gethsemane
v.32
(he leads them to Gethsemane to pray)
They went to a place called Gethsemane,
and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit
here while I pray.”
v.33
(taking three with him he prays in distress)
He took Peter, James and John along
with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
v.
34 (he is overwhelmed)
“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow
to the point of death,” he
said to them. “Stay here
and keep watch.”
v.35
(he pleads with the Father) Going
a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible
the hour might pass from him.
v.
36 (he submits to his Father's
will) “Abba, Father,” he
said, “everything is
possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will,
but what you will.”
v.37
(he finds the disciples sleeping) Then
he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,”
he said to Peter,
“are you asleep? Couldn't
you keep watch for one hour?
v.
38 (he calls for alertness)
Watch and pray so that you will not
fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh
is weak.”
v.39
(he prays the same thing again) Once
more he went away and prayed the same thing.
v.40
(yet again the disciples sleep) When
he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes
were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
v.41
(again he challenges them) 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 delivered into the hands of sinners.
v.
42 (his time has come he knows
) Rise! Let us go! Here comes
my betrayer!”
v.43-52
Jesus Arrested
v.43
(Judas comes with an armed crowd from the authorities)
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.
v.44
(Judas had prepared a sign) Now
the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss
is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.”
v.45
(he kisses Jesus) Going
at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.
v.46
(the men arrest Jesus ) The
men seized Jesus and arrested him.
v.
47 (one of the disciples lashes out with a
sword) Then one of those standing
near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest,
cutting off his ear.
v.
48,49 (Jesus calms the situation
down) “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.”
v.50
(the disciples desert Jesus and flee)
Then everyone deserted him and fled.
v.51,52
(a young man flees – thought to be the author
Mark) A young man, wearing nothing
but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,
he fled naked, leaving
his garment behind.
v.53-65
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
v.53
(Jesus is taken to the authorities) They
took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the
elders and the teachers of the law came together.
v.54
(Peter follows from a distance) 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.
v.55
(the authorities fail to find evidence against
Jesus) 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.
v.56
(many perjured themselves) Many
testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
v.57
(one stands up to testify) Then
some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:
v.58
(he refers to Jesus speaking of rebuilding
‘his temple') “We heard him
say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in
three days will build another, not made with hands.'”
v.59
(yet they even disagree over this) Yet
even then their testimony did not agree.
v.60
(the high priest challenges Jesus) 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?”
v.61
(at Jesus' silence the high priest challenges
his identity) But Jesus remained
silent and gave no answer. Again
the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the
Blessed One?”
v.
62 (Jesus affirms it)
“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.”
v.63,64
(the high priest declares it blasphemy)
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.
v.65
(they slap and beat Jesus) 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.
v.66-72
Peter Disowns Jesus
v.66
(Peter is still down below) While
Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls
of the high priest came by.
v.67
(a maid identifies him as a disciple)
When she saw Peter warming himself, she
looked closely at him. “You
also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
v.68
(Peter denies it) But
he denied it. “I don't know or understand what you're talking
about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
v.69
(she persists) When
the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing
around, “This fellow is one of them.”
v.70
(he denies it a second time; they pursue it)
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.”
v.71
(he denies it a third time) He
began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don't know
this man you're talking about.”
v.72
(the cockerel crows as Jesus predicted. Peter
weeps) 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.