Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“And when you hear about wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of birth pains” (Mark 13:7-8)

Chapter thirteen continues Jesus’ teaching to His disciples away from the general populace. First, the disciples point out the grand buildings of the Temple complex and Jesus prophesies about the Temple’s destruction. Next, when they were alone on the Mount of Olives, they ask Jesus about when these future events will happen. Jesus teaches them about WHAT will come to pass, but gives no specifics about WHEN. He does give some clues, like the truth that increasing wars and earthquakes are like the birth pangs of a woman: evidence that change is coming soon. Jesus tells them that only the Father knows the exact time. He will do it at the right time, and not before. In the meantime, we are to recognize when evidence says it is soon and double-down on our trust in God – the only rock in ANY kind of trouble.

Chapter fourteen opens with the firm plot of the chief priests and scribes to kill Jesus and their desire to wait until AFTER the Passover to do it. But when Jesus was at a leper’s house a woman anoints Him with oil as if for burial. Incensed at how this expensive perfume was ‘wasted’, Judas goes to the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus. When the Feast of Unleavened Bread came (a multi-day festival – Leviticus 23:4-8), Jesus’ disciples followed His instructions as to where they were to prepare the Passover. Jesus gave them the New Covenant and they went to the Mount of Olives again. Jesus predicted that Peter would betray Him, even though he was demanding that he would die to protect Jesus. Then Jesus asked His disciples to pray with Him and keep watch because he was troubled deeply. So deeply He felt like He was going to die., But they could not stay awake (how often we try to sleep instead of leaning into communication with God). Judas arrived during this and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Peter attacked and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus told the soldiers they didn’t need clubs and swords to arrest Him. The disciples fled.

Then there is a strange incident. A young man wearing a linen burial cloth came up. They tried to seize him, but he ran off – with them holding the burial cloth! It’s interesting because there are tombs near the Mount of Olives. Was this man one of those who came alive again from the dead during Jesus’ travails? It is certainly possible, but the bible never tells us the answer to the riddle.

Jesus is taken to the court of the high priest, where the chief priests and scribes were gathered. Peter followed along. There were many false witnesses against Jesus, but none of them could agree (Deuteronomy 19:15). Finally, they demanded to know if Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” (Mark 14:61). Jesus responded YES and they condemned Him to death for blasphemy. They blindfolded Him and slapped Him. Meanwhile, Peter was in the court outside and people noticed him. He was asked if he was a disciple three times, and three times he denied it. Then He remembered Jesus’ words and wept for the shame of denying Jesus.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Disciples, High Priest, Chief Priests, Scribes, Jews, Young Man

Key Verse(s): Mark 13:24-27; 14:37-62