Jesus is Taken, and Peter Denies Him Three Times

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 14:32) And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray."

In the last post, Jesus and His disciples had just finished their Passover meal which was thenceforth to be done in remembrance of Jesus Christ, His body and His blood.  They had gone to the Mount of Olives and now came to a place called Gethsemane, the name literally meaning "oil press."  It was a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives.  Jesus asked His disciples to sit while He went to pray.

(33) And He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and He began to be greatly distressed and very heavily troubled.

As He went away to pray, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him.  He began to be greatly distressed and troubled.  The word that was translated as "distressed" in most all versions of the Bible actually means something much stronger.  It denotes shock and terror.  Jesus was struck with sudden terror at the thought of what was about to happen to Him, not His crucifixion and death, but His separation from God as He took on every filthy sin of the world, a black storm of wickedness and ugliness descending on the perfect sinless Jesus.  God, who could not be in the presence of sin, took on the body of a human so that He could, but that did not mean that the soul of Jesus did so without great terror and anguish.

(34) And said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful to death; wait here and watch."

Jesus told the three disciples that He had brought with Him that His soul was so exceedingly sorrowful, pressing in on Him so hard that He might die from it.  He asked those disciples to wait there with Him and watch.  Were they to watch for the enemy that Jesus knew was coming, or was it more likely to watch Him, to be privy to and to understand the terror that Jesus was feeling because of the enormous weight of sin and death that was descending upon Him.  Imagine the sorrow He must have felt for all the lost lives whose sins were pressing in on Him, how sorrowful He would be that those sins were directed at the perfect God, a God so loving He would take all that shame and horror upon Himself to save us!  Why couldn't God just poof!  "Away with your sins!"?  It was important for us to see just what filthy wickedness and death sin really was, to see how much it itself anguished the perfect Jesus to the point of death.  And God always gives us a choice.  He doesn't force salvation on us.  He wants communion with His children who choose to be with Him, but He also wanted us to see just what our sins do to Him and to ourselves, and to understand just how great the loving sacrifice that He did to save us from ourselves.

(35) And He went forward a little and fell on the ground and prayed, that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.

Jesus then went a little bit away from His three disciples and fell on the ground in prayer.  He prayed that if it were possible, that what was to come pass away from Him.  This was Jesus the man feeling such anguish that He thought He might not be able to bear it, asking if salvation could be made by some other means.

(36) And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to You; take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

Jesus prayed to God the Father addressing Him as Abba, meaning Father.  He acknowledged that all things were possible to God, that God could find another way and take that cup away from Him.  He knew that He could, but it was not in His will to do so.  I already discussed some of the reason why He wouldn't want to do it any other way.  God is always about salvation and life.  Many more souls would be genuinely saved by knowing the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus than would if God merely poofed away all sins.  Jesus the man acknowledged that it was not His will, but Father God's perfect will that must be done, and that was surely a lesson the disciples supposedly watching and us reading this prayer of Jesus needed to learn.

(37) And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?"

Jesus went back to His three disciples and found them all sleeping.  He spoke to Peter and asked if he was sleeping and if he could not watch with His Lord for just one hour.  He called Peter, Simon, his original name before Jesus gave Him the name of Peter, the rock.  This was probably to bring to Peter's attention that he was not the rock he had so confidently and vehemently suggested he was just a short time before.

(38) "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak."

Jesus told Peter again to watch adding that he should pray to avoid temptation.  He acknowledged that his spirit was ready and willing, but his flesh was weak.  That is why Jesus told him to pray, and demonstrates to all of us how we need to be in constant communion with God through prayer to give us the strength to overcome the wiles of Satan.

(39) And again He went away and prayed and spoke the same words.

Once again, Jesus went a little way away from Peter and the other two disciples.  Again He prayed the same prayer as before, asking as all things were possible to His Father God, if He could let His current plan pass, and find another way.  However, He prayed that God's will be done, not His own currently fleshy will.

(40) And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy, neither did they know what to answer Him.

When Jesus came back to the three disciples, He found them sleeping again.  Their eyes were so heavy, they could not keep them open, and they just didn't know how to respond to Jesus who had said His soul was sorrowful to death.  I'm sure they were extremely sorry for what their Lord was going through, but also emotionally exhausted and sleepy.

(41) And He came the third time and said to them, "You sleep on now and take rest. It is enough, the hour has come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."

Jesus came back to His disciples after praying a third time and again found them sleeping.  He spoke to them, and I think His point was that they could sleep on and rest while they could, but now it was enough.  The time for His betrayal had come.

(42) "Rise up, let us go; lo, he who betrays Me is at hand."

Jesus told His disciples to rise up for His betrayer was at hand.

(43) And immediately, while He yet spoke, came Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

While Jesus was yet speaking those words, indeed Judas came with a multitude of people from the chief priests and scribes and elders, all carrying swords and clubs.

(44) And he who betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; take Him and lead Him away safely."

Judas had previously discussed a signal with Jesus's captors, that whomever He kissed was the man they wanted.  He asked that they take Him away safely, that is carefully, that He not escape from them.

(45) And as soon as He had come, he went straight away to Him, and said, "Master, Master!" and kissed Him.

As soon as Judas reached Jesus, he went straight to Him and greeted Him with "Master, Master," and kissed Him.

(46) And they laid their hands on Him and took Him.

Having seen their signal, the multitude grabbed Jesus and took Him.

(47) And one of those who stood by drew a sword and struck a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

The account in John said that it was Peter who drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant.  Additionally, the account in Luke said that Jesus healed the man's ear, and back to the account in Matthew, Jesus told Peter that they who took the sword would die by the sword, perhaps meaning he would have started an all-out war between the two sides, and that certainly wasn't God's plan.  It took all four Gospels to get a complete picture on the one incident in verse 47; that is why I love a chronological Bible study where I get the complete picture of each event in the order that it happened.  However, I was challenged to read only what Jesus said in the four gospel accounts to see if it changed my perspective on current trends in our culture.  So far, it hasn't, of course, but I have learned a lot, so I don't regret this interlude at all.

(48) And Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out as against a thief with swords and clubs to take Me? (49) I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not take Me; but the scriptures must be fulfilled."

Jesus spoke to His captors, asking why they found the need to come after Him with swords and clubs when He had always been easily accessible to them while He was daily teaching in the temple, and they hadn't taken Him.  However, Jesus acknowledged that the scriptures must be fulfilled; He submitted to what had been prophesied in scripture about Him.

(50) And they all forsook Him and fled.

All of Jesus's disciples then fled from the scene, forsaking Him, as He had said they would in verse 27.

(51) And there followed Him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body, and the young men laid hold of him, (52) And he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

However, one young man followed Jesus.  He had only a linen cloth wrapped around his body as if he had been awakened in his sleep by what was occurring and just threw the cloth around him, or perhaps that is what he slept in.  Whatever the case, he was not fully clothed.  The young men among the captors seized him as they undoubtedly thought he was one of Jesus's disciples and followers.  However, he slipped out of the linen wrap and ran away naked.  This is an interesting detail not told by any of the other Gospel authors.  While it is quite reasonable to deduce that this was a caretaker of the garden or some such near neighbor who was awakened by the noise, it has caused some commentators to suggest this young man might be Mark himself, the author of this retelling of this event.  Mark, as Peter's scribe, did not identify the one who cut off the ear of the servant as Peter himself, but took the time to write about the young man who followed after Jesus after all His disciples had fled.  That does make it plausible to assume it might be Mark, but of course, we can't know for certain.  It might just have been recorded to show a bit of contrast to all the disciples who fled, by this one young man who stayed and followed Jesus until he was seized.

(53) And they led Jesus away to the high priest, and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

Jesus's captors led Him away to the high priest, Caiaphas, as we were told in the account in Matthew.  All the chief priests and elders and scribes were assembled together with Caiaphas.  That would seem to be the whole Sanhedrin, the supreme council over the Jews.

(54) And 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.

Having at first fled (v. 50), Peter then followed Jesus from afar, following Him and His captors into the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest.  There he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  The account in John said that another disciple had followed Jesus, as well, and that it was actually that disciple who had gone into the palace, and then spoke to the maidservant at the door and let Peter in.  I suppose it was at that point that Peter went in to sit with the servants and warm himself by their fire.

(55) And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put Him to death and found none. (56) For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

The chief priest and all the members of the council looked for testimony against Jesus that was worthy of death and could not find any.  Jesus was so perfect and innocent that even false witnesses could not come together with a crime that at least two of them agreed upon (which was necessary to convict) and was worthy of death.

(57) And certain men arose and bore false witness against Him, saying, (58) "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"

In the account in Matthew, we were told that there were two false witnesses who arose to testify against Jesus saying they heard Him say that He would destroy the temple that had been made with hands and would rebuild another temple with no hands.  Of course, that is not exactly what Jesus had said, and it certainly was not what He meant.  He had never said that He would destroy the temple, and He never spoke of how the temple had been made, with or without hands, because He had been speaking about His own body as the temple they would destroy and that He would rise up again in three days.

(59) But neither did their testimony agree together.

Even the testimonies of these two false witnesses did not agree entirely with each other, and certainly with nothing severe enough with which to accuse Jesus of a crime worthy of death.

(60) And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these witness against You?"

At that point, the high priest stood in the midst of the council and asked why Jesus did not answer the charges against Him.  He demanded Jesus explain what it was that the two witnesses had accused Him of doing.

(61) But He held His peace and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him and said to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"

Jesus did not answer the high priest, so he again asked Him more specifically if He was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, which was one of the names for God that the Jews often used.

(62) And Jesus said, "I am, and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven."

This time Jesus did answer, and He answered that yes, He indeed was the Christ, the Son of God.  He added that they would one day see Him sitting at the right hand of God and coming in the clouds of heaven to judge the world.

(63) Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What need do we have for any further witnesses? (64) You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be guilty of death.

The high priest then accused Jesus of blasphemy and tore his clothes in outrage.  He asked the others why they needed to trouble themselves with any further witnesses as they had just heard the supposed blasphemy with their own ears.  The whole council condemned Him to be guilty worthy of death.

(65) Then some began to spit on Him, and to cover His face and then to buffet Him and say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the servants struck Him with the palms of their hands.

Then some of the men began to spit on Jesus which was prophesied in Isaiah 50:6b, "I did not hide My face from shame and spitting."  Some of the men also covered His face as for a blindfold and began to strike Him and ask Him to prophesy which one of them had struck Him, as it stated further in the account in Matthew.  Even the servants slapped Jesus.

(66) And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there came one of the maids of the high priest.

Peter had been warming himself by the fire in the servants' quarters beneath the upper room where Jesus had had His mock trial.  One of the maids of the high priest came to the place where Peter was.

(67) And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "And you also were with Jesus of Nazareth."

When the maid spotted Peter, she told him she recognized him as one who had been with Jesus.

(68) But he denied it, saying, "I do not know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out to the porch, and the cock crowed.

Peter denied what the maid had said saying that he didn't know or even understand what she was talking about.  He then went out onto a porch where the sound of a rooster crowing was heard, but Peter apparently didn't take notice of it.

(69) And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them who stood by, "This is one of them."

It seems another maid saw Peter out on the porch, or perhaps what is meant is that the same maid saw him there, and this time spoke to those who stood by that he was one of those who were with Jesus.

(70) And he denied it again. And after a little, those who stood by said again to Peter, "Surely you are one of them for you are a Galilean and your speech shows it."

Peter denied being with Jesus a second time.  Then after a little while, those who had been standing by and heard what the maid had said, apparently had been mulling it over, and spoke to Peter again saying that it surely must be true that he was one of Jesus's group of followers because his speech gave him away as a Galilean as they supposed Jesus to be.

(71) But he began to curse and to swear, saying, "I do not know this man of whom you speak!"

This time Peter even began to curse, swearing that he did not know the man, Jesus, about whom they spoke.

(72) And the second time the rooster crowed. And Peter called to mind the word Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought on it, he wept.

The rooster then crowed a second time and Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him about him denying Him three times before the rooster crowed twice.  When he realized that Jesus had been right and that he had indeed denied Him three times, something he never thought he would do, he cried.  Peter's sin was indeed very great.  He had denied Jesus Christ before men.  Furthermore, it was at a time he should have confessed and owned up to Him and should have been a witness for Him.  Jesus had told His disciples many times that they must suffer for following Him, but at the first real sign of suffering, Peter lied and cursed and swore He did not know Jesus.  We must not think ourselves so high and mighty to believe we would never do the same.  Mere human man's instinct is to save himself, but it can't be done by our own selves.  Jesus said whoever tried to save his life would lose it, and whoever lost his life for Jesus's sake would find life (Matthew 16:25).  We must reject our sinful deadly wills and realize our need for Jesus to save us and wholeheartedly accept and proclaim Him, and then and only then, will we be truly saved and have eternal life.

The Lord's Last Supper

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 14:1) After two days was 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.

Jesus had been on the Mount of Olives prophesying to four of His disciples about the coming destruction of Jerusalem, and especially the temple.  Meanwhile, it was two days until the Feast of the Passover which was, of course, the commemoration of the time in Egypt when God passed over His people to destroy the firstborn of the Egyptians.  They ate unleavened bread in memory of their quick departure from Egypt when in their haste, they had no time to leaven their bread.  It was at this time that the chief priests and scribes were discussing how they might trick Jesus and be able to put Him to death.

(2) But they said, "Not on the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."

Although they were eager to get their job done, they feared doing it on the Passover because they were afraid of an uprising of the people.

(3) And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the meal, 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.

Jesus had retired to Bethany, a place about two miles from Jerusalem, where He usually spent His nights when He was in Jerusalem during the day.  He was at a meal at the house of Simon the leper, so called because He had once been a leper, but had been healed by Jesus, to distinguish him from the other Simons.  A woman came to Him while He was sitting at the table.  She had an alabaster box with a very precious and costly oil, of spikenard.  The first syllable, "spike," meant "pure," so this was genuine pure unmixed nard or spikenard and very fragrant and precious.  She broke the alabaster box, which may have meant merely breaking the seal and opening it and poured the oil on Jesus's head, as if anointing Him as was the custom to anoint the high priests in the Old Testament.

(4) And there were some who had indignation within themselves, and said, "Why was this waste of the ointment made? (5) For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence and given to the poor." And they murmured against her.

Some of the people present, likely even some of the disciples, considered what the woman had done as a waste.  They reasoned that the oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor.  They murmured these things against the woman.

(6) And Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me."

Jesus, knowing what they were murmuring among themselves, told them to leave the woman alone.  She had done nothing that they should trouble her about.  In fact, He said she had done a good thing to Him.

(7) "For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish, you may do them good; but Me, you do not have always."

Jesus told them there would always be the poor for them to help, but He would not be with them always.  In anointing Jesus's head with oil, the woman was worshiping her Lord in the highest way she could with what she had while He was present among them.  I believe there is a lesson in this for us.  The honor of our Lord is more important than the act we might say we do for Him.  We do good works because of our love for Him and we should want God glorified in our works.  He comes first and foremost and there will always be good works to be done.

(8) "She has done what she could; she has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial."

More than just an act of worship, Jesus proclaimed that the woman, doing all that was in her power to do for Him, was actually anointing His body for burial.

(9) "Verily, I say to you, wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, also what she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

Moreover, Jesus said that this incident, and what this woman had done for Him, would be part of His gospel preached throughout the world.  She would always be remembered for this loving act.  The Gospels had not been written when Jesus declared this, but sure enough, at least two gospel authors wrote about the woman with the alabaster box, possibly four, but those details were a bit different so they may have been separate incidents.

(10) And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.

Judas was likely the chief disciple who was indignant at the woman's "waste."  The account in John states that it was Mary, sister to Martha and Lazarus, who anointed Jesus with oil, but His feet, not His head.  This may have been a different incident, but we do get a clue to the type of person Judas was.  In the account in John, he was indignant about the waste, but scripture further stated it was not because he cared about the poor, "but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bore what was in it."  Judas was the treasurer of the group and held their money bag and would have liked to have had the money for the expensive box and oil in it, as it seems he stole from it.  Having been reproved by Jesus and angry because he did not get the money, it seems he immediately went to the chief priests to betray Jesus.

(11) And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

The chief priests were very glad as Judas had just made things easier for them.  They promised to give him money for his help in capturing Jesus.  Judas pondered how he might conveniently do it.

(12) And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover, His disciples said to Him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?"

It was the first day of the Passover, the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover lamb.  The disciples asked Jesus where He would like for them to go and prepare the lamb for eating at the Passover feast.

(13) And He sent forth two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and there a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him."

Jesus sent two of His disciples, telling them to go into the city of Jerusalem where they would meet a man carrying a pitcher of water.  They were to follow him.  Once again, as in Mark 11:2-3, Jesus would show His knowledge for all things and His spiritual influence over the minds of others:

(14) "And wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Master says, "Where is the guest room where I might eat the Passover with My disciples?"'"

Jesus further instructed the two disciples to follow the man into the house to which he was going, and to speak to the master of the house, asking him where his guest room was where Jesus might eat the Passover with His disciples.  There may have been significance in the way Jesus told them to speak to the master of the house.  They were to repeat the words of "The Master," perhaps to someone who already knew Jesus and was a follower, "our Master and yours," so to speak.  However, it is just as likely that a stranger under the influence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit would have cooperated.

(15) "And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."

Jesus went on to tell them that the master of the house would then show them a room furnished and prepared for guests to have a meal.  There the disciples were to prepare for their Passover meal.

(16) And His disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found all just as He had said to them, and they made ready the Passover.

The two disciples went into the city as Jesus had instructed and found everything just as He had said they would, and they prepared for the Passover.

(17) And in the evening, He came with the twelve.

Later that evening Jesus came to that upper room in that house with all His disciples.

(18) And as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Verily I say to you, one of you who eats with Me shall betray Me."

As Jesus and the disciples were eating their Passover meal, Jesus made a sudden prophetic statement that one of those eating with Him at that time, which of course, meant one of His own disciples, would betray Him.

(19) And they began to be sorrowful and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?"

The disciples were very sorrowful at the idea that one of them would betray their Lord.  Since it was a prophetic statement, each personally couldn't be sure it wasn't about him, and they began to ask Him one by one if it was him.

(20) And He answered and said to them, "One of the twelve who dips with Me in the dish."

Normally people did not dip from the same dish unless they were very close.  This statement made it sound generally that it was one of His close disciples who regularly ate with Him.  However, the account in John made it more specific and said it was the one He was dipping with at that very moment, and in fact, Jesus gave Judas the bite He was holding when He spoke.  Either Jesus spoke softly at this point and the other disciples did not hear Him, or they still thought He spoke in general about any one of them.

(21) "The Son of man indeed goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would be good for that man if he had never been born."

Jesus admitted that He was going to be betrayed and go to His death regardless, but He pitied the man who betrayed Him and sent Him to His death.  He said it would have been better for him if he had never been born.  I don't believe for a moment that Judas was pre-destined to betray Jesus and there was nothing he could do about it.  He was giving Judas an out if he would take it.  He was saying that it wouldn't change what would have to happen to Him, but He was warning Judas not to be the one who betrayed Him.  However, God knew beforehand who it was with the heart so hardened against Jesus that he would go through with his wicked plan regardless of any warning.  How can we know this for certain?  Because God is all good and just and righteous, and couldn't do evil such as it would be to use a person who might otherwise be saved from eternal damnation.  God is also all-knowing and He knew nothing would change Judas's mind about what he planned, and therefore used him to fulfill His plan.

(22) And as they ate, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, and said, "Take, eat, this is My body."

As Jesus and His disciples were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it as He always did.  He broke the bread and gave each of His disciples some, telling them to eat it as it represented His body.  

(23) And He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave to them, and they all drank of it.

Jesus then took the cup of wine, gave a blessing of thanksgiving, and gave a drink to all His disciples.

(24) And He said to them, "This is the blood of the New Testament which is shed for many."

Jesus told His disciples that the wine represented His blood, a blood of a New Testament, a new memorial, blood that would be shed for many people.  Jesus was instituting a new memorial supper.  Whereas they had come together to celebrate and remember the Passover when God had passed over all the Jews who had put blood on their door frames and He therefore did not kill their firstborn, Jesus now instituted a new covenant and memorial, of which the blood on the door frames had only been a symbol of this time to come.  

(25) "Verily, I say to you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until the day I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Jesus told His disciples that that would be the last time He drank wine, meaning there on earth, until the day He drank of a heavenly wine in the kingdom of God.

(26) And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn at the end of their memorial supper and then went to the Mount of Olives.

(27) And Jesus said to them, "All of you shall be offended because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.'"

Jesus told His disciples that they would be offended because of Him that very night.  The word that was translated as "offended" is that word "skandalizo" again.  It literally meant "trip up" or "cause to stumble," which was exactly what was meant in the prophecy Jesus quoted from Zechariah 13:7.  Jesus, the shepherd, would be struck down and all His sheep, His followers, would stumble and be scattered because of it.

(28) "But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee."

However, Jesus assured His disciples that after He had risen, He would be back to go before them into Galilee.  Not only was it assurance, but I see a very loving gesture.  He had been telling His disciples what was to happen for quite awhile, and they were convinced that He was the Son of God, but when those things He foretold began to happen, His closest followers fell away.  However, God the Father in heaven, in the form of Jesus on earth, came back to encourage and inspire His disciples again.

(29) But Peter said to Him, "Although all shall be offended, yet not I."

Peter told Jesus that although all others might be offended, he would not, and I'm certain he truly believed that he could never fall away from His Lord.

(30) And Jesus said to him, "Verily I say to you that this day, in this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."

Jesus told Peter that truly he would deny Him that night.  Before the rooster crowed twice in the morning, Peter will have denied Christ three times.

(31) But he spoke more vehemently, "If I should die with You, I will not deny You in any way!" Likewise, they all said also.

Peter should have known better than to contradict Jesus, as He was always correct, but he just couldn't believe it of himself.  It is interesting to note that before when Jesus had said at their supper that one would betray Him, Peter was probably one of those who asked if it was him who betrayed Him.  But now, he very confidently and forcefully said to Jesus, even if he had to die with Him, he would never deny Him.  All the other disciples said the same thing.

As this is an especially long chapter, I will end this post here.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Mark 13:1) And as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had been teaching in the temple.  He now left the temple and one of His disciples remarked to Him about the magnificence of the temple and its stones.  It was indeed a beautiful building with stones of enormous size.  The historian Josephus said that the massive stones were white and fifty feet long, twenty-four wide, and sixteen thick.  The disciple marveled at the beauty of the white buildings and the enormous size of the stones.

(2) And Jesus, answering, said to him, "See these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down."

Jesus told the disciple to behold how beautiful and strong the buildings were.  The disciple surely thought the buildings were of such grandeur and especially strength that they would likely stand for generations to come.  However, Jesus told him it would be destroyed and there wouldn't be left one stone upon another that won't have been thrown down.

(3) And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew, asked Him privately, (4) "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?"

Jesus then sat upon the Mount of Olives which was directly east of the temple where He had a good view of the temple.  Peter, Andrew, James, and John came to Him privately away from the rest of the disciples and asked Him when the things He spoke of would happen and what would be the sign of its coming.

(5) And Jesus, answering them, began to say, "Take heed, lest any man deceive you."

Jesus began His answer with a warning that they should watch out that no one deceived them.

(6) "For many shall come in My name, saying, 'I am Christ,' and shall deceive many."

Jesus warned that there would come many false Christs claiming to be the Messiah.  The Jews, having rejected the true Messiah, would perhaps be more susceptible to believing a false Christ.

(7) "And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled, for these things must be, but the end won't be yet."

Jesus told them they would hear of wars and rumors of wars, but they were not to be troubled by those.  They would happen, but it did not mean the end of the state of Israel at that time.

(8) "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in diverse places, and there shall be famines and troubles; these are the beginnings of sorrows."

Nations and kingdoms would indeed rise up against one another.  There would be earthquakes in different places, as well as famines and other troubles, and those would be the beginning of the sorrows to come to Israel.

(9) "But take heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up to councils, and in the synagogues you will be beaten, and you will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them."

Jesus told them to watch out for themselves as they would be delivered up to councils and they would be beaten.  They would be brought before rulers and kings for Christ's sake, for professing Him and preaching His gospel, and that would, of course, be a testimony against those who rejected their message of Christ.

(10) "And the gospel must first be proclaimed among all nations."

Jesus said that before the destruction of Jerusalem would come, the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations, at least all the ones in their part of the world which was all they knew.

(11) "But when they lead and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand about what you will speak, nor premeditate, but whatever is given you in that hour, speak that, for it is not you who speaks, but the Holy Ghost."

Jesus told the disciples that when they were indeed delivered up to councils, rulers, and kings, they were not to be anxious and concern themselves with what to say, but the Holy Spirit would give them the words to speak, and they were to speak those boldly and with confidence.

(12) "Now brother will betray brother to death, and father, his son, and children will rise up against parents, and will cause them to be put to death."

There would be such a rage against Christ and His gospel, that even close relations would have their close relatives put to death because of Him.

(13) "And you will be hated of all for My name's sake, but he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Jesus warned that they would be hated by all men because of Jesus and His gospel, but He gave them encouragement, saying that whoever endured all the afflictions and persevered in the faith of Christ would be saved with an everlasting salvation.

(14) "But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains."

The Jews had been rebelling against the Romans, as well as persecuting Christians, and Jesus warned that when they saw the abomination of desolation, the abomination of Roman soldiers plowing through their holy city bringing desolation, they were to flee to the mountains.  This had been prophesied by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 9:27.  When they saw this unfold, those who were in Judaea should run for the hills and mountains.  "Let the reader understand" appears to be a parenthetical statement made by Mark, rather than the words of Jesus.  However, Matthew said something similar when relating his account of this warning by Jesus, so perhaps Jesus did say it, but His usual words were "He who has ears, let him hear."  It doesn't seem right that He would say that a reader understand, unless He was speaking of understanding the prophecy of Daniel, which would make sense.  Since two Gospel writers wrote it, it does begin to make sense that Jesus said it about the prophecy of Daniel, as it wasn't a completely direct and clear prophecy:

"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." - Daniel 9:27

(15) "And let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter to take anything out of his house."

Jesus had just warned that all in Judaea should flee to the mountains.  He added further that they should not take the time to go back into their houses to take anything with them.

(16) "And let him who is in the field not turn back again to take up his garment."

Furthermore, if any person was working in the field, he should not take even what little time it would be to grab any outerwear.

(17) "But woe to those who are with child and to those who are nursing in those days."

Jesus lamented the situation of pregnant and nursing mothers in those days because it would be difficult for them to flee in haste, making it more likely they would fall into the hands of the enemy.

(18) "And pray that your flight be not in the winter."

Having to flee in the winter would be very difficult, too, in inclement weather on bad roads.

(19) "For in those days shall be affliction such as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, neither shall be."

Jesus warned that in those days there would be so much affliction and misery the likes of which had not been seen since the beginning of time and would not be seen again. 

(20) "And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake whom He has chosen, He has shortened the days."

Jesus said that unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be able to survive.  However, for His chosen elect, the Lord would shorten those days.  Note that Jesus spoke in the past tense.  The Lord had already shortened the days for His elect.  This destruction was already a done deal, but the Lord shortened it to save His remnant, as He always does.  He never entirely destroys or allows His chosen people to be completely destroyed.

(21) "And then if any man says to you, 'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'Lo, there,' do not believe him. (22) For false Christs and false prophets shall rise and will show signs and wonders to seduce, if possible, even the elect."

Jesus warned that there would arise men claiming to be Christ and prophets declaring the Messiah was there to deliver them from their distress.  They would even show signs and wonders to seduce the people to believe them, some of them so convincing, that if it were possible, they might even deceive the elect.  Scripture says it is not possible to those who are truly saved:

"My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of My hand. My Father who gave them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are One." - John 10:27-30

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

(23) "But take heed; behold, I have foretold you all things."

Jesus warned His disciples to give careful attention to the things He had told them so that they might be prepared when they saw the signs and be on guard against every deception and temptation.  Jesus told them He had told them all things regarding their question about when the destruction of the temple would be.

(24) "But in those days after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light."

This is where Jesus seemed to take a turn and begin talking about His second coming.  He had indeed made a point to tell them He had foretold all things, as if that was the end of that one discussion, and now He began another topic.  He spoke of the days after that tribulation which could very logically mean a long time afterward at the end of the world.  However, the same account in Matthew said that Jesus said, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days..."  

That is the reason I really loved my chronological Bible study because it would include all these accounts together.  However, I was challenged to read the gospel accounts to "see what Jesus said..." about certain things in our culture.  Reading just Mark's account would surely lead one to believe Jesus had to be talking about His second coming and the end of the world.  However, combined with Matthew's "Immediately," one might have a different take.

In my study of Matthew, I could see how the dust and smoke of complete destruction could black out the sun and moon.  However, John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, wrote that this and the following few verses were meant to be symbolic.  After the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple of God, the Shekinah glory of the Lord, represented by the sun, was gone.  All symbols of the Lord's divine presence were destroyed.  The moon would not give her light.  That light that shone in darkness, that light of the world, that goodness and knowledge of truth and life that was visible in the light, was now extinguished.

(25) "And the stars of heaven shall fall and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken."

Very reasonably, one can follow Gill's logic that this was symbolic and see that the stars of heaven might be the rabbis and teachers of God's Word, and that the powers that were present in that Word of truth would be shaken to the core.

(26) "And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. (27) And then He will send His angels and will gather together His elect from the four winds from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven."

Then would the Son of Man come with great power and glory, but not in a physical visible form, but as the Word that He has always been from the beginning.  This time it would not be for the Jews, God's chosen people, but He would send His messengers out to the four corners of the world, to the Gentiles, to the uttermost regions under heaven, to build His kingdom on earth, the Christian church.

Although Jesus's words clearly seem to be about the destruction of the Jewish state, that is not to say they can't also be about the second coming of Christ at the end.  In Mark's account, the disciples had asked when the falling of the temple that Jesus spoke about would occur and "...what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?"  However, in the account in Matthew, they had asked a bit more specifically than that, and asked, "...what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?"  I believe that, as often occurs in prophecy, it can refer to both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world.  Often Jesus quoted as prophecy something that was fulfilled at that time it was originally quoted, but also referred to what was happening in His time.

(28) "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when her branch is yet tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. (29) So you, in like manner, when you see these things come to pass, know that it is near, at the doors."

Jesus told His disciples that just as they recognized the signs when summer was near, when they saw the things He had spoken of, they would know that the destruction was near.

(30) "Verily, I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done."

Jesus did give them a window of time when the things He had spoken of would occur; the present generation of men would not completely pass away before those things would happen.

(31) "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

Jesus's prophetic words were so completely true that even as heaven and earth might pass away, His words never would.  The things He spoke of were absolutely sure to happen.

(32) "But of that day and hour no man knows, no, not the angels who are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."

Although Jesus gave them a 40 year window of when those things would happen, He said that no one knew exactly when it would happen, not even Jesus at that time, but only His Father in heaven knew.  As God the Son in heaven, Jesus surely knew when they would happen, but as the Son of man on earth, He had not been granted that particular knowledge at that time.

(33) "Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is."

Because they did not know when total destruction would happen, Jesus warned His disciples to be careful, watch for the signs, and pray.

(34) "It is as a man taking a far journey who left his house and left authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch."

Just as a man might take a far journey and leave his house under the authority of his servants, and left everyone to their work, and a doorkeeper to watch, so it would be when Jesus left them to carry on His ministry.

(35) "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning, (36) Lest coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping."

Jesus exhorted them to watch and be ready at all times of the day or night, lest they be found surprised and unprepared.

(37) "And what I say to you, I say to all, 'Watch!'"

I love this powerful end statement by Jesus.  What He had told those four disciples, He would tell everyone.  It was meant for even us today reading that message; we should always be mindful of the signs, and always be ready for Jesus.  The parable of the master of the house sounds like Jesus gone away and returning, finding people not ready for His return.  It doesn't have to be at Jesus's second coming; no one knows if he might meet Jesus when he dies unexpectedly.  We should always be ready for Jesus!  One of my favorite songs is this one by Casting Crowns, and it says it beautifully:

While You Were Sleeping

Oh, little town of Bethlehem, looks like another silent night. Above your deep and dreamless sleep, a giant star lights up the sky. And while you're lying in the dark, there shines an everlasting light, for the King has left His throne and is sleeping in a manger tonight, tonight. Oh, Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping, for God became a man and stepped into your world today. Oh, Bethlehem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King, while you were sleeping, while you were sleeping.

Oh, little town of Jerusalem, looks like another silent night. The Father gave His only Son. The way, the truth, the life had come, but there was no room for Him in the world He came to save. Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping. The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today. Jerusalem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King, while you were sleeping, while you were sleeping.

United States of America, looks like another silent night, as we're sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children. And while we're lying in the dark, there's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky, for the Bridegroom has returned and has carried His bride away in the night, in the night. America, what will we miss while we are sleeping? Will Jesus come again and leave us slumbering where we lay? America, will we go down in history as a nation with no room for its King? Will we be sleeping? Will we be sleeping? United States of America, looks like another silent night.