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Behold the Man – Unique and Alone

October 17, 2021 Speaker: Brian Wilbur Series: The Gospel of Mark

Passage: Mark 14:27–52

BEHOLD THE MAN – UNIQUE AND ALONE

An Exposition of Mark 14:27-52

By Pastor Brian Wilbur

Date: October 17, 2021

Series: Mark: Knowing and Following God’s Son

Note: Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard   Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

INTRODUCTION       

I invite you to turn to Mark 14. If you are visiting us this morning, I will let you know that we are in the midst of a lengthy sermon series through the Gospel of Mark. After fifty or so sermons, we now arrive at Mark 14:27-52. These passages in Chapters 14 and 15 are some of the most solemn and sacred passages in all of Scripture. You don't have to have a degree in philosophy or theology or literature in order to understand the riches of these passages, but you do have to open your eyes. You have to see what is there. You have to let what is there sink in and affect and transform your heart. So, let me go ahead and read from Mark 14, beginning with verse 27.

THE SCRIPTURAL TEXT

Holy Scripture says,

27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled.

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked. (Mark 14:27-52)

This is God's Word. It is for our good. Let's pray.

Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit would enable us to see the beauty and the grace and the majesty of our Savior. In his name we pray, amen.

PART 1: JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES THAT THEY WILL FALL AWAY (v. 27-31)

Well, let's dive right in. I'm going to walk through the passage in four parts. The first part consists of verses 27-31, where Jesus tells his disciples that they will all fall away. Keep in mind that at this point, Judas has left Jesus and the other disciples. So now, it's Jesus and the eleven. And he tells them: “You will all fall away” (v. 27). He draws upon a word from the Old Testament – from Zechariah 13:7 – when he says: “for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’” (v. 27) Jesus is the Shepherd. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, had compassion on those who were like sheep without a shepherd. Sheep are fearful, dumb animals, and they require the tender care, guidance, and direction of the Shepherd. Jesus as the faithful Shepherd has gathered the disciples into his fellowship, but the time is drawing very near when the Shepherd is going to be struck. And what happens to frightened, little, confused, dumb sheep when the Shepherd is struck and attacked? What happens is that the sheep scatter. They're bewildered. They're confused. They're afraid. They’re leaderless and they don't know what to do. It's a sobering reality that the disciples are about to be separated from their Master.

But in the next verse, in verse 28, Jesus communicates the great hope. He says that the struck one will be raised up. This is what he's been doing over and over again, as he has been preparing the disciples for this moment. He tells them that the Son of Man is going to be delivered over into the hands of sinners; he is going to suffer many things and be rejected and put to death. But after three days, he will rise. And so here, even though the Shepherd is going to be struck and the sheep are going to be scattered, the struck Shepherd will rise again and go before his disciples to Galilee. And there he will regather and renew and strengthen them.

Peter, however, objects to what Jesus is saying. Peter’s objection was predictable (if we've been reading through the gospels and observing his mis-steps; for example, see Mark 8:31-33). Peter says, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” (v. 29) Even if Andrew, James, John, and Matthew fall away, Peter insists that he will not fall away! Peter is basically saying: I have the strength, the resolve, the courage, and the determination to remain faithful at all costs. Oh, really? Well, let’s look at how Jesus replies to Peter. “And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” (v. 30) Denying Jesus is a serious sin, isn't it? Elsewhere Jesus said, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) This is serious. Peter is not just going to be scattered like a frightened little sheep; he is going to fail spectacularly.

Peter continues his objection in verse 31: “But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And he wasn't the only one, for verse 31 concludes by saying, “And they all said the same.” All of the eleven disciples had a measure of self-confidence that they had the courage and resolve necessary to stand firm under trial and to remain faithful and steadfast.

I want you to think about a couple things here. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. We may profess great allegiance, great loyalty, and great intentions, but Jesus knows our heart. He knows that so often we are going to falter. And the beautiful thing is this: Jesus still loves us. Remember what happened in the previous passage when Jesus broke bread and distributed the cup. Jesus said: “Take; this is my body.” (Mark 14:22) Then Jesus said: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” (Mark 14:24) Don't miss the beautiful aspect of grace in this. Jesus knows beforehand our weakness, our failings, and our stumblings, but he still loves us. In fact, this is why he went to the cross. His body wasn't broken, and his blood wasn’t shed, for disciples who have it all together. Instead, he offered himself as a sacrifice for sin, precisely because the likes of Peter, James, John, and all the rest of us, don't have it all together. We are weak, frightened, fragile, and vulnerable sheep who need a mighty salvation.

PART 2: JESUS RESOLVES TO DRINK THE BITTER CUP (v. 32-42)

Let's move into verses 32-42, where Jesus resolves to drink the bitter cup. This is really the heart of this passage today.

There is a progression that unfolds in this passage. Jesus is with the eleven, and he tells eight of them: “Sit here while I pray.” (v. 32) They are on the Mount of Olives (v. 26) and going specifically to Gethsemane (v. 32). Gethsemane means ‘oil press’. Gethsemane is a garden, an orchard – probably an olive orchard with an oil press in it. So Jesus has eight disciples sitting over there. And then he takes Peter, James, and John with him, farther on. And then he leaves Peter, James, and John together, telling them to watch and pray. And then Jesus goes a little bit farther. So what I want you to see is this: Jesus first leaves the eight, and then he leaves the three, so that he ends up alone. And being alone, Jesus will engage directly with his Father. That's what we need to see.

We're coming up on an absolutely key moment in Jesus' life. Since Chapter 8, Jesus has been preparing the disciples for this moment. Jesus himself knew that it was coming. He knew that he was going to be betrayed. He knew that he was going to be handed over. He knew that he was going to suffer many things and be rejected and be killed. He had just said in Mark 14:8, regarding the woman who anointed him, that “she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.” And just a short time ago he had said, “This is my blood of the covenant” (v. 24). Jesus knew that he was going to pay the ultimate price and “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). But here in Gethsemane is the moment when all of the weight and all of the pressure and all of the experiential reality bears down on him. Jesus, the beloved Son of God, the Messiah and King, is “greatly distressed and troubled” (v. 33). Jesus says, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (v. 34).

Once again, we can turn to the Psalms to find some footing for what Jesus is experiencing. Let me give you some examples from the Psalms.

From Psalm 6

O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor disciplined me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD – how long?” (Psalm 6:1-3)

From Psalm 7

“O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.” (Psalm 7:1-2)

From Psalm 18

“The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.” (Psalm 18:4-5)

From Psalm 42

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” (Psalm 42:5)

Ponder these words: “cast down” and “in turmoil”; and “the snares of death” gaining their grip. Or what about this? This will get you thinking a bit. Listen carefully:

From Psalm 31

“Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.” (Psalm 31:9-10)

From Psalm 40

“As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.” (Psalm 40:11-12)

Now by reading from these last two Psalms, I've introduced some tension – which I'll get to momentarily. But here's the thing that we should be thinking about: As Jesus faces this cup of suffering, why is he so troubled and dismayed? Is it not true that many of his followers have faced suffering and death with great courage and resolve? Why is Jesus so overwhelmed with sorrow and grief? He delights to do the Father's will. He always did what was pleasing to the Father. And Jesus delighted to bring his gracious salvation to sinners. He loved deeply the woman at the well, the leper, blind Bartimaeus, the Syrophoenician woman whose daughter was afflicted with a demon, the tax collectors and sinners, the demoniacs. He loved them. He was glad to bring them the grace and the mercy and the peace of his Father, which is what this cup of suffering is all about. He didn't come “to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) So, why is he so distressed?

The Cup

Jesus is distressed because the particular cost of this cup is absolutely horrible, and it brings Jesus to the breaking point. He doesn't break, but he is at the brink because of the weighty reality of what is actually going on. In the Old Testament, the Book of Isaiah refers to the cup or the bowl of God's wrath, and the cup of staggering. The prophet Jeremiah refers to the cup of the wine of wrath, referring to God's wrath and God's judgment being poured out on the nations, beginning in Jerusalem and then hitting Egypt and Babylon and the whole face of the earth. Isaiah 53 says that the Lord has laid on the suffering servant, our Lord Jesus Christ, the iniquity of us all.

You see, the particular suffering that Jesus had to endure is unlike the suffering of his followers. So, from Psalm 31 and Psalm 40, which I read from earlier, the psalmist talks about the fact that his own iniquities have overwhelmed him. Of course, Jesus had no iniquities of his own. But what did we just sing about? “He took my sins and my sorrows, / He made them his very own; / He bore the burden on Calv’ry, / And suffered and died alone.”[1] What happens when you take others’ sins and sorrows as your very own? They become yours. Scripture says: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

And so, we must consider this: the Holy One, whose only delight is in righteousness and truth and godliness, took upon himself the reality and the guilt and the shame of all of the sin that he finds repugnant, and he took all of that sin and transgression and iniquity upon himself, and then he bore it into the presence of God, where the cup of his Father's wrath was poured out on him. The Father’s wrath is poured out on him, so that it wouldn't be poured out on you. But if you were the Holy One whose only delight was in righteousness and who thoroughly delighted in the Father – he loved his Father and his Father loved him – what would it be like to stare down this bitter cup of suffering? What would it be like to contemplate this appointed and dreadful hour, knowing that you are going to enter into the thick darkness, where the Father's Love is withdrawn? What would it be like to know that the Father that you love and the Father that you know loves you, is about to pour out the cup of his wrath upon you? This is hell.

And so, drinking the cup of wrath wasn't desirable in itself. Doing the Father's will was desirable. Saving sinners was desirable. But actually getting into this place of judgment and wrath, and having iniquity laid on him and judgment poured out on him – was not a desirable experience in itself. And so, he was horrified.

Therefore, trusting his Father, he says: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36) At the breaking point, Jesus surrenders himself freely and completely to the Father's will.

The Faithful Son

I want you to think about how profound these words are: “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Our entire problem as human beings is that we operate on the exact opposite mindset: Not your will, but my will be done. This me-centered mindset is what turned Lucifer into the devil, Adam into a sinner, Cain into a murderer, David into an adulterer, Solomon into a fool, Judas into a traitor, and the temple into a den of iniquity. The mindset that says ‘not your will but mine be done’ is at the heart of your dysfunction and my dysfunction. Every human being without exception has gone down that path – except for one, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, here in the Garden of Gethsemane, we behold someone who is able to stand in the gap. Finally, there is someone who is faithful to the Father at all costs and who prays, from the depths of his being though it cost an unfathomable price, “Yet not I will, but what you will.”

Watch and Pray

Of course, Jesus had told Peter, James, and John – back in verse 34: “Remain here and watch.” After Jesus prayed in verse 36, then “he came and found them [Peter, James, and John] sleeping” (v. 37). In the next verse, Jesus says to them, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (v. 38) I’m going to make a brief comment about this, and then I’ll come back to the larger issue that we find in verses 37-41.

There is instruction here when Jesus says, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This is not the main focus of our passage, but I do want to mention it to you. We must reckon with the reality of trial and temptation, the reality of facing intense difficulties as a Christian believer, and the temptation to get off track in your life, in your marriage, in your witness, in your ministry, or in whatever else. In your spirit, you may have great desire and determination to be faithful to the Lord. And in the same way that the disciples professed their allegiance and loyalty (“I will not deny you”), you also might profess your allegiance and loyalty. But although the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. We are beset with many weaknesses. And the counsel that Jesus gives is essentially this: if you are going to stand firm, and remain faithful under trial, and press on through temptations, then you are going to have to get into the habit of watching and praying: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Pay attention to what's going on around you and inside of you. And, like Jesus, prayerfully surrender yourself to the Father's will. Watching and praying and surrendering are all key to spiritual strength.

Will Anyone Stay Awake?

But in terms of the larger issue of verses 37-41, I want you to notice something. At the end of Mark 13, Jesus said three times to “stay awake” (Mark 13:35; see also Mark 13:33 and 37). Stay awake! Of course, he was speaking of spiritual alertness, but the literary connection between Mark 13 and Mark 14 is undeniable. Notice what happens three times! In Mark 13:33, Jesus says, “Be on your guard, keep awake.” In Mark 13:35, Jesus says, “Therefore stay awake.” In Mark 13:37, Jesus says, “Stay awake.” But what happens in Mark 14? Three times Jesus came and found them sleeping: “And he came and found them sleeping” (Mark 14:37); “And again he came and found them sleeping” (Mark 14:40); “And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?”” (Mark 14:41)

Brothers and sisters, one way of describing the gospel is this: while everyone else was sleeping, Jesus stayed awake! Jesus stayed alert, stayed attentive, and embraced the Father's will.

It's no wonder that Peter was setting himself up for a spectacular fail, which we'll get to next week. His disciples were completely ill-prepared because they weren't watched up and prayed up. They were asleep. But Jesus was ready to rise up and to meet the trial head on: “Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:42)

PART 3: JESUS IS BETRAYED AND ARRESTED (v. 43-49)

Now let's come into verses 43-49, where Jesus is betrayed and arrested. We don't need to say too much about this section. It is fairly simple and self-explanatory. Judas, an insider – one of the Twelve – comes with an armed contingent from the Sanhedrin, the religious leadership body that consisted of “the chief priests and the scribes and the elders” (v. 43). These three groupings of people made up the ruling council in Jerusalem.

And in his act of treachery, Judas turns the symbols of friendship – a greeting and a kiss – into an act of betrayal, of handing over the Lord to wicked men. It might seem odd to you that the religious leaders needed Judas’ help. Why did they need Judas’ help? Well, remember that the Garden of Gethsemane is in a private location, and it is nighttime. What is taking place in Mark 14:27-52 is happening in  the middle of the night. So, they needed Judas to guide them to Jesus, and that's what he did. And then he handed Jesus over.

Then we come to verse 46, where it says: “And they laid hands on him and seized him.” That is the tragic story of humanity in a nutshell. There are those who say, “Not your will, O God, but mine be done,” and these people want to put God in custody. Let this picture sink into your heart and mind. This is what sinful humanity has been attempting all along.

Then, in verse 47, Peter (Mark doesn’t identify the man as Peter, but we know it was Peter from one of the other gospel accounts) took up his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. A futile effort at help – hardly worth talking about, and it didn’t accomplish anything.

In verses 48-49, Jesus makes the point that he is a teacher. He has been teaching publicly in the temple for several days. His teaching is a matter of public record. He is not a violent criminal. He is not a robber. It is hardly necessary to come out with clubs and swords against him, but that's what they do.

And as we get to the end of verse 49, I want you to see a very important connection. How did our passage begin? Back in Mark 14:27 Jesus said “for it is written” – a reference to the Old Testament Scriptures. How does Mark 14:49 end? “But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” What did Jesus say back in Mark 14:21? “For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him”. Jesus was totally immersed in the Scriptures – in the script, his Father's word revealing his Father's will. And Jesus was completely in tune with and submissive to his Father’s will.

PART 4: JESUS IS LEFT ALONE IN ENEMY HANDS (v. 50-52)

Finally, we come to verses 50-52, where Jesus is left alone in enemy hands. The Eleven leave him and flee (v. 50). And then the passage concludes with a very odd reference to a mysterious young man who ends up being seized, but then he leaves his linen cloth and runs away naked (v. 51-52). Very odd. But here's the thing: we have to understanding the overall point, the big picture that Mark is painting here. And the picture is this: all of Jesus' friends, sympathizers, and supporters are gone. And Jesus is alone in the hand of the enemy. That's the point.

BEHOLD JESUS – UNIQUE AND ALONE

So as we bring this to a close, I want you to see Jesus – alone. He is in the hands of the wicked – alone. He will face interrogation, condemnation, and crucifixion – alone. He goes into the heart of darkness – alone. He has disciples, friends and supporters, but they cannot help him. He alone must drink the cup. He alone must bear the burden of the world’s sin and guilt, judgment and death. He alone must give his life as a ransom for many. He alone must shed his blood in order to bring about the New Covenant. And he alone does it, because he alone is unique.

Sinners say to God, ‘Not your will, but mine be done.’ But the obedient Son says to the Father, ‘Not my will, but yours be done.’ Sinners are spiritually asleep, unprepared for the hour of trial. But the obedient Son is awake and alert, ready and prepared. Sinners run away from harsh trials. But the obedient Son rises to meet it head-on. Sinners want to write their own script and do life their own way. But the obedient Son is content to have everything done ‘as it is written’. Sinners solve their problems with swords and clubs, plots and schemes. But the obedient Son lives by his Father's words and waits patiently for his Father to vindicate him. Sinners greatly exaggerate their own resolve and courage. But the obedient Son lays his soul bear before the Father and entrusts himself completely to the Father's will. Sinners put the obedient Son in custody. But the obedient Son lays down his life as a sacrifice for sin in order to set sinners free from their captivity.

Do you know how we got into this mess? Because there was a man – the first man – in the garden, and he basically said, ‘Not your will, but mine be done,’ and he ate the forbidden fruit and unleashed sin and death upon humanity.

Do you know how you get out of this mess? Because there is a second Adam – a better man – in a different garden, and he said to the Father, ‘Not my will, but yours be done.’ Do you trust him? Do you find in him your redemption and your salvation?

Let's pray. 

Father, I pray that we would stand in awe of the obedient Son, the sacrifice, the faithfulness, the love, the payment. Father, we praise the Lord Jesus Christ and all that he gives. In his name we pray, amen.

 

 

ENDNOTES

[1] From the hymn “My Savior’s Love” by Charles H. Gabriel.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark (The New International Greek Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002.

William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark (The New International Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974.

Eckhard J. Schnabel, Mark (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries Vol. 2). Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2017.

Ben Witherington III, The Gospel of Mark: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.

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