Episode 23S18 Mark 14:1-16 (Part 33) Last Passover (written by Dr. Kip Wehrman)
Hello everyone. I’m Kip and I want to thank you for joining me today @ the PUNLA Coffee Table. Today we are continuing our study of the gospel according to Mark with Mark 14:1-16 (Part 33) Last Passover.
The last few chapters of Mark have been the triumphant entry on Palm Sunday, Jesus has cleansed the temple, then Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple and the we Just finished the Olivet Discourse.
Let’s read Mark 14:1-16 (NAS) 1Now the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest Him covertly and kill Him; 2for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there will be a riot of the people.” 3While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the Leper, He was reclining at the table, and a woman came with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head. 4But there were some indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5For this perfume could have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. 6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a good deed for Me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. 8She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. 9Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the entire world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.” 10Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. 11They were delighted when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time. 12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him; 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15And he himself will show you a large upstairs room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” 16The disciples left and came to the city, and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
Now let’s look at these verse closer, Mark 14:1-2 (NAS) 1Now the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest Him covertly and kill Him; 2for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there will be a riot of the people.”
The religious leaders are burning with jealousy, they want to kill Jesus, but they fear the crowds. So, they are searching for a way to seize him in private before the people in the city know what is going on.
Mark 14:3-5 (NAS) 3While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the Leper, He was reclining at the table, and a woman came with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head. 4But there were some indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5For this perfume could have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her.
It’s two days before Passover, Jesus and the disciples are having the evening meal at a friend’s home. Then, an unnamed woman, takes a very expensive bottle of perfume and pours it on Jesus.. The disciples are applauded. What a waste they think. And in fact, this is the second time in less than a week this has happened. 6 days before Passover at Lazarus, Mary and Marth’s home, Mary did a very similar thing. Now, 2 days before the Passover at Simon the Leper it happens again. The disciples are indignant meaning they are kind of disgusted at the waste, and why would Jesus allow this, and it’s the second time.
Let’s continue with Mark 14:6-9 (NAS) . 6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a good deed for Me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. 8She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. 9Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the entire world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Jesus sees the big picture the disciples cannot. His time is near, this is an anointed for burial before He dies. Jesus says she will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached in the entire world. And guess what, we just remembered her for what she did for Jesus, nearly two thousand years ago. Think about it.
Let’s continue with Mark 14:10-11 (NAS) 10Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. 11They were delighted when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time.
Judas Iscariot is mad, he was mad four days earlier, he is mad now. He has decided to make a little money and betray Jesus. We don’t know what Judas was thinking. Some have said he thought Jesus would resist them and this was just a way to make a little money. I mean Jesus is God. Others say Judas did not believe and instead was looking for a little money because he was already going to abandon Jesus. Only God knows the truth.
Let’s continue with Mark 14:12 (NAS) 12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?””
I really like this part of the story and I think we often ignore it. Jesus and the disciples are in town for the Passover feast and the festival of unleavened bread. It’s the first day, time for the Passover meal. The disciples ask when and where again.
Let’s continue with Mark 14:13-15 (NAS) 13And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him; 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15And he himself will show you a large upstairs room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.”
The disciples are probably not ready for this answer, but it is not a complete surprise. Remember just a few days before, Jesus told them to go into a town and they’d find a colt. Then they were supposed to just take it and people would ask why, say Jesus needs it and they’d say yes. Now they are asking about were to prepare the meal and Jesus says by the way it’s already ready for us. Go into the city and you’ll see a man carrying a pitcher of water. You’ll know it’s him. Think about it. How many people might be carrying a pitcher in a large city. But this guy will show you where and by the way it’s ready for us. This is pretty amazing. So, they go.
Let’s continue with Mark 14:16 (NAS) 16The disciples left and came to the city, and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
Of course, it’s exactly as Jesus said. This is a miracle we often don’t pay any attention to. The disciples come into the city to see a guy carrying a pitcher. And they recognize it to be the sign Jesus told them. And sure, enough they guy shows them the place that has been prepared for them. I still am amazed at this. They just know which guy Jesus is talking about when they see it. I know Jesus can do this because I’ve seen it. God leads you to go to a place. When you get there, you recognize why you’re there and who you need to talk with. These are miracles we experience, but we don’t always recognize them. This story is in the Bible to show us a glimpse of how God operates. When we are urged, we just need to obey, and God will show us where and when and how.
Let me leave you with this today. Bible passages like this one have so many sub-stories mixed into the narrative. Who is Simon the Leper, who is this woman, what is Judas going to do, the upper room miracle, and so many others. The life of Jesus was one amazing event after another, and we only have a few of those moment captured in the Bible. But remember Jesus is still alive, He rose from the dead on Easter morning. The hoy spirit lives in you if you are a believer in Jesus. When we follow Jesus, our lives are filled with amazing events after another, because Jesus is living and working through us. We can recognize the guy with the pitcher in a crowded place. Or maybe we recognize some seemly random thing in our lives, and God shows us when, where and how to do whatever needs to be done. That is the amazing life in the kingdom of God right now. If you want to talk to me more about this, send me an email and we can set up a time to talk. God is inviting us into a life of amazing. That does not mean you’ll be rich, famous or even liked. But it does mean you’ll be a peace in every situation, you have eternal hope in Jesus, and you’ll know that when your work here is over, you have a happily ever after with the one you love, Jesus.
