MARK 14:32-52

This account of Jesus' arrest has its parallels in Matthew 26, Luke 22, and John 18.

Mark 14:32-42: Jesus' Prayer at Gethsemane

Most of us are very familiar with this scene through many sermons and Bible studies. The key issues it brings up are:

The conflict between Jesus' human and divine natures

Jesus' foreknowledge about future events

Jesus bowing to the will of the Father

The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Controversial questions include:

Did Jesus sweat actual blood or just a large quantity?         A: probably the latter

How could the disciples know what Jesus prayed?             A: They were dosing off and on, and people at that time always prayed aloud.

What exactly does the cup stand for?                                  A: probably destiny.

BOTTOM LINE OF STORY

William Lane: “Just as rebellion in a garden brought death's reign over man, submission in Gethsemane reversed that pattern of rebellion and sets in motion a sequence of events which defeated Death itself.”

Mark 14:43-52: The Arrest

By contrast, how many sermons or Bible studies can you remember regarding this event? Probably not nearly as many. So this is what I would like to concentrate on in this lesson.

To begin with, there is quite a contrast to the previous scene. Here we encounter a bare-bones narrative with none of the drama of Gethsemane and only one saying of Jesus.

v. 43. Why the need for (a) a secret arrest at night and (b) an armed crowd (Luke says the temple police were present and John adds Roman soldiers)? The use of clubs implies to us an unruly mob, but there is evidence outside the Bible that servants of the high priest were armed with clubs.

Mark 14:2 perhaps explains why they felt their caution was justified.

v. 44. The expression “kiss of death” finds its origin here. It is interesting that the verb “kiss” in Greek suggests that he kissed him with more than the usual affection.

What were Judas' motives? Several have been proposed:

a. Money: John 12 says he used to steal from the group's treasury. Mark 14:10-11 certainly states that money was promised to Judas, whether or not that was Judas' original motive.

b. He was a zealot who was disappointed that Jesus did not take over Jerusalem by force.

It is interesting that, according to one commentator, a disciple was never supposed to greet his teacher since that would imply equality with him. By this sign he thus repudiated Jesus. Matthew 26:25 may also imply a lack of respect for Jesus since Judas is the only one in that gospel to call him “rabbi” instead of a more exalted title.

            c. Judas wanted to force the issue through the arrest, which would result in Jesus at last revealing his true power.

            d. The book Judas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? by a Mennonite scholar says that Judas (a) only wanted to arrange a secret meeting between Jesus and the Jewish authorities so that Jesus could present his reform plan and (b) didn't take seriously Jesus' prediction of crucifixion. He points out, rightly, that the word translated “betray” can simply mean “hand over.” This would also explain why (a) the phrase “lead him away safely” is in v. 44 and (b) why Judas committed suicide later.

e. Judas may have felt that Jesus had ordered him to do it in order to fulfill God's plan, even though he knew he himself would be condemned.

f. Luke 22:3-4 indicates that Judas went to betray Jesus after Satan entered into him. Therefore it could be argued that it was not Judas' fault if it weren't for teachings such as in James 1:14 that place the blame for sin squarely on a person's evil desires.

The bottom line is that we will never know Judas' motives, just as we should be careful in ascribing motives to those around of which they may be innocent.

v. 47. The person is not named in the Synoptic Gospels, perhaps to protect him from subsequent reprisals from the authorities. However, in the later Gospel of John, his identity is revealed to be Simon Peter. Mark was probably not in ignorance of the man's identity. In Luke and in many Mark manuscripts. it reads “a certain one of the bystanders” implying in the Greek that the author knew but chose not divulge the name. This behavior was certainly typical of Peter's aggressive, knee-jerk reactions.

The servant is named in John's Gospel as Malchus, a common Syrian name of the time. The fact that John knew his name fits the later legend that Malchus later became a believer who was prominent in the early church.

The novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder wrote a series of short plays on biblical themes, one of which was called “Now The Servant's Name Was Malchus.” In the play, Malchus is in heaven and he gets an audience with Christ. He explains:

“Most of the time, Lord, we're very happy up here and nothing disturbs us at our games. But whenever someone on earth thinks about us we are aware of it, pleasantly or unpleasantly. A sort of something crosses our mind. And because I'm in your book someone is always reading about me and thinking about me for a moment, and in the middle of my games I feel it. Especially at this season when your death is celebrated, no moment goes by without this happening. And what they think is, that I'm ridiculous. The Lord replies, “I see. And you want your name to be erased from the Book?” “Yes, sir. I thought you could just make the pages become blank at that place.”

Jesus explains that many people read the same story and feel that He himself was a failure who was suffering under a mental delusion. So he asks Malchus, “Will you stay and be ridiculous with me?” Malchus then replies, “I'm glad to stay.”

v. 48. “Capture or apprehend”: The Greek word is not the normal one used for arrest, which implies legal authority. Instead it stresses the physical violence of the act.

“Day after day” is felt by some to be a contradiction to the relatively short time Mark suggests that Jesus taught in Jerusalem. However, (a) John's Gospel suggests a longer time of ministry there also, and (b) the Greek can be alternatively translated “in the daytime.”

vv. 49-50. What were the scriptures? One commentator says that it was no particular scripture but just means, “as God has willed it.” Matthew says “the scriptures of the prophets.” Possibly (a) Isaiah 53:12 “He was numbered with the transgressors” or (b) Zechariah 13:7 earlier quoted (v. 27) by Jesus and fulfilled in verse 50.

v. 51. This account is only found in Mark's Gospel. The impression is that the man was wakened by the noise and only had time to put on his tunic. Why was it included?

A. There has been much modern speculation as to who the young man was. The best guess is that it was John Mark himself. It is attested by the early Church Fathers that Mark lived in Jerusalem and that the Last Supper was celebrated in his house. It would fit Mark's actions later on in deserting Paul during the First Missionary Journey. This may have been Mark's way of atoning for his past actions. It could be similar to Alfred Hitchcock's cameo appearances in his own movies or the Renaissance painters who put self portraits in crowd scenes, etc.

B. There is a possible contrast to Joseph fleeing from Potiphar's wife, or baptismal themes (identified with Jesus in his death and resurrection, clothed anew).

C. It may be in fulfillment of Amos 2:16 regarding the Day of Judgment: “He who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day.” (The Greek word translated “young man” is said to denote one who is strong or valiant.) And of course it definitely fits the theme of everyone deserting Jesus at his time of trial.

D. This story also helps to frame the last section of the gospel in which another young man dressed in a white robe appears (16:5) and the women flee from the empty tomb (16:8)

A. Follower Flees (14:51-52)

B. Markan Sandwich (14:53-72)

C. Jesus the King (15:1-39)

1. with Pilate and the crowd (15:1-15)

2. with the soldiers (15:16-20a)

1'. with those around the cross (15:20b-39)

B'. Markan Sandwich (15:40-16:4)

A'. Women Flee (16:1-8)

Discussion Questions:

1. What can the arrest of Jesus by the authorities represent symbolically?

2. What role does each character play in this drama?

    a. Judas

    b. Simon Peter

    c. The man who fled

    d. Jesus (Look back at Mark 13:9-11 on how to confront hostile authorities.)

3. Is he a good or bad role model for us today?

4. Discuss modern examples of each type of behavior.