Liturgy of the Passion - 2

Mark 14:32-42

'I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake'. And going a little further he threw himself on the ground and prayed." Mark 14:34

They slept.

After a long day and the Passover celebrations they had shared with the other disciples Peter, James and John went with Jesus to Gethsemane. Jesus told them of his grief. The NIV translates it as 'deeply grieved' The Greek means 'very sad' or 'deeply distressed'. It seems that the English cannot express this phrase easily. To the very depths of his being Jesus was experiencing grief.

That which he faced is almost unimaginable to us. The physical suffering was depicted in Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ', but as hard as it was to watch the violence we were still observers. Few know what that level of pain feels like, and we cannot really know how much that impacts on the very core of our being. Pain and grief can be shared; and we can try to understand and empathize. But pain and grief are also very personal. Only the one who is suffering can really know. Whatever Jesus said to his disciples was not enough to allow them to carry his grief or enter into his distress. It is just not possible. They were observers, and always would be.

The disciples were tired, and could not keep awake as Jesus prayed. Would we have done anything else? I doubt it. Would anything have changed if they had remained awake? I doubt it. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (14:36).

And so we continue to try to understand others, to stand with them in their pain and suffering - but the flesh is weak, We must to our best to support others in tie of trial and hardship - and be careful not to judge others (who may sleep while we suffer) too harshly. Others do not truly know the burdens we carry, nor understand how they affect us. Nor can we truly understand the experiences of others.

Like Jesus, the time must come for all of us to pick up our burden and get going (Mk 14:42) to face whatever is in store.



Mark 14:43-51

"The one I kiss us the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard,"

Jesus' days of freedom were drawing to a close. As the night had drawn on and darkness descended Judas entered the garden, together with "a crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests scribes and the elders"(43). It was seem that this was not just a company of guards, but some guards and a number of others. Of the evangelists only John even mentions the police (John 18:3).

It was dark, even though the moon must have been full, but Jesus was well known to the chief priest and elders, why then was it necessary for Judas to specifically identify Jesus? Perhaps it was part of the agreement, or it was that they wished to be absolutely certain they got the right man. And so it was that Judas identified Jesus by his words (Rabbi) and by his actions,
From one of the disciples came a violent reaction- and the ear of the slave of the high priest was cut off. John records that Peter struck the bow (Jn 18:10), and identifies the slave by name, Malchus. Jesus healed the injured one.

Violence was rejected. Perhaps it was that act of violence, and the threat of reprisal, that caused his disciples to flee. Here we have an interesting yet totally irrelevant aside about a young man who was a follower of Jesus. He was almost caught, but escaped by leaving his cloak behind and running naked into the night. Many have speculated that it was Mark. It may be so, or it may simply be one who was present. In the dark times there may still be things that cause us to smile, afterwards anyway, even if not at the time.

Jesus acceptance of what took place, his lack of resistance or even antagonism is amazing. He had accepted that there was no other way, and was prepared to walk the difficult path to the cross. It was not resignation to what had to happen - it was the embrace of the will of God, Hard though it may have been he was free to move forward without inner resistance, and the peace of heart and mind was evident in his responses to his own followers, as well as to those who opposed him.

Mark 14:53-65

Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none." Mark 14:55

The scene of the drama moves to the place of the High Priest, Matthew names the high priest as Caiaphas, in whose house this hearing took place. Luke gives us a time - early in the morning 'when day came'. Peter, we learn, was nearby in the courtyard, He was too far removed to witness the events, but close enough to hear from the soldiers and the servants what was taking place.

For the religious authorities there were two forces at work. Both were connected to their ability to hang on to power.

Popular support was with Jesus, for his teaching was different to that f the scribes and Pharisees. Although based on the same foundations his focus was on living out the principles of the law. The scribes and Pharisees emphasised obedience in the detail of the law. Jesus aimed at the inner being - and having the inner orientation correct. The outer world would follow. The lawmakers and religious power brokers were about getting the behaviours correct and obeying the rules and regulations that had made the Jews a distinct people. In that way they would conform to the plan of God, even if the heart was untouched. Jesus was challenging their power and influence among the people.

The other force at work was related to political power - for the popular acclaim made the Roman overlords nervous. They had entrusted civil order to the local authorities, and if there were a civil uprising in Jerusalem the Roman governor would not hesitate to use force. If that happened the political power and influence of the chief priests might be lost. Jesus was the cause of that threat- and the threat had to be removed.

False testimony did not work - their testimonies did not agree, and Jesus' words left room for different interpretation. His own teaching was cited - but was not enough for them to act. Jesus was invited to respond to the testimony against him - but gave no response.

It took a direct question from the high priest, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" before Jesus responded. His positive response, and prediction of his place at the right hand of God, was enough to provoke outrage and condemnation. His fate was sealed. It seems that almost immediately the physical abuse began. Jesus was spat upon, struck and mocked.

Just recently the Anglicans and Atheist Foundation in Australia lobbied to have the offence of blasphemy removed from the legal statutes. The atheists see it as an anathema. Since they do not believe God exists it is impossible to blaspheme. The Anglicans believe that God is well equipped in the area of self-defence, and does not rely upon us for defence. I have no doubt that the power of God is ultimately unassailable - and it is his people who need to give witness to that power. It is not for us to exercise the power of God via the law, but for us to allow the power of God to work in us and through us.

And so Jesus took his stance, and did not use his power as Son of God to defend himself, He allowed the power of God to bring the triumph in God's time. How often do we feel compelled to justify our actions and use our position or resources to prove our 'rightness'? The example and approach of Jesus challenges us.



Mark 14:66-72

"Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, 'Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times'. And he broke down and wept." Mark 14:72

At the same time that Jesus had revealed his betrayal he also predicted Peter's denial. Call it prophecy or prediction it matters not! Jesus told Peter, the bravest, most outspoken and most impetuous of the disciples that he would deny even knowing Jesus, not just once but three times, all before the cock crowed twice.

In effect Jesus told one who loved him dearly, who had left home and work to follow him for three years, that within the next ten hours he would deny knowing Jesus at all.Peter was upset, and probably hurt by that statement. Yet when the cock crowed a second time Jesus words were remembered.

Mark's little courtyard scene involves Peter, a servant girl, some bystanders, and (somewhere off stage) a rooster. Peter was close enough to the action to hear the talk of the servants, and was able to warm himself by the fire on a cold night. The flickering flames played on his face, and an unnamed servant girl had a flash of recognition. She asked if he had been with Jesus, but Peter denied it. He moved away from the fire and a little distance into the forecourt. Cockcrow number one was heard.

The girl pursued Peter and let others know she saw him with Jesus. Denial number two followed. Others chime in and comment on his homeland, Galilee, which was revealed by his accent. Coming from Galilee linked him with Jesus. 'Surely you are one of them' they said. Peter denied it and declares strongly, on oath, that he has nothing to do with Jesus, The hammer blow falls as the cock crows a second time.Five minutes perhaps, and in that time Jesus has denied three times that he knows Jesus.

Our denials may not happen so quickly or so easily, but they happen. If we fail to give witness to Jesus as Lord and Saviour, if we fail to live up to what we know is right, if we allow other teaching to shape or lives, we disconnect from Jesus. Yet for us there is no cockcrow to move us to penitence. The questions will not be as blatant, and the pressure may be less intense, but we are all subject to subtle pressure to deny our allegiance to Jesus.

When we that happens we must remember the reaction of Peter, and allow our tears to reveal our penitence.