Note for 20250131 - The Gospel of Jesus Christ - Part 59 - Mark 14 - The Nature of Man
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
According to Mark
Read Through The Bible
“As it Happened” Bible Reading Plan
Day 077
Deuteronomy 21 to 23
Part 59 - Mark 14 - The Nature of Man
The Audio Version of today’s note is available at: https://on.soundcloud.com/feemE4ipFNYtEpRZ9
Mark 14:1-25 KJV
[1] After two days was the feast of 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. [2] But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. [3] And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. [4] And there were some that 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 have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. [6] And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. [7] For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. [8] She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. [9] Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. [10] And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. [11] And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. [12] And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? [13] And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. [14] And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? [15] And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. [16] And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. [17] And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. [18] And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. [19] And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? [20] And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. [21] The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. [22] And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. [23] And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. [24] And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. [25] Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
https://bible.com/bible/1/mrk.14.1-25.KJV
Note for 20250131
So much has been said about the Last Supper, and those who partake in the Holy Communion have surely heard it over and over again. But what of the opening of this chapter, how the chief priests and the scribes sought to take Him by craft, and put Him to death? The chief priests, those who came from the line of Aaron from the tribe of Levi, the tribe that was set aside by GOD for temple service, GOD'S portion of the Israelite, in exchange for the first born of Israel for the Passover Salvation that Israel received of GOD, in Egypt. The very same feast they were about to enter into, and the meal that Jesus and His disciples had as the Last Supper. We have read in Ezra 9 about the defilement of the Holy Seed, and here we read of the heart of those who were supposed to lead Israel in worship, especially at this time of the memorial feasts of Passover and unleavened bread.
The Scribes were those who maintained the Law, copying and teaching the law of Moses. They drew up legal documents and studied the law. I suppose you could say, in today's speech, they were lawyers. So they stood for the written law, and yet, here they conspire with the chief priests to put their Messiah to death.
These two factions of men can be seen as the elite of Israel, the head of "the justice system" of the Jews. They were essentially like the lawyers, advocates and judges; from our modern point of view. They judged Jesus Christ as unworthy, for the sake of offense; for Christ printed out their hypocrisy and the sin of their fathers who killed those GOD sent as prophets among the Israelites. From these came the Rabbi's of that time, the teachers of the law, with their commentaries.
Next, we see this woman that poured out Spikenard, an expensive ointment, upon the head of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ said that she came ahead, to anoint His body for death. He honors her to the point that an account of her would be kept wherever the Gospel was brought.
Then we have the disciples of Christ, those who left everyone and everything behind to follow Christ. And, even amongst these there is Judas, who betrayed the Lord. From other accounts of the same we also know that it was he that was offended by the action of this woman who anointed the head of Christ, for he held the bags with money, and it is written that he was a thief. (See John 12:6)
Just in this very short time that we have spent so far in the Book of Mark, we have seen all kinds of people, as Jesus and His disciples interacted with them. We have seen the way of the Pharisees and scribes, even how it appears that there was some kind of complicity between the Pharisees and the Herodians. We have seen that there was a division between the Pharisees and scribes in spiritual matters and the resurrection of the dead. We have seen that those that are unwell needed healing, and by their faith they were healed by Christ. We saw that in the home territory of Christ he did not do much, where He famously said that a prophet is not honored in his home country. We have seen those possessed by unclean spirits and devils, we have read how Christ even said to Peter, "get behind me Satan." We have seen so much of who man is, even those who were hungry for bread. We have seen Herod and the practice of his sin and of his pride, of Herodias and her conspiracy to kill John the Baptist. And in all, even here at the end, we see next how the disciples of Jesus Christ will scatter when He is taken to the cross.
What is the nature of mankind then? How far do we fall short of the Glory of GOD? How far have we fallen, since the first fall in the garden in Eden? God gave His law to Moses, but even the chief priests and scribes stood in corruption, here with their minds and hearts set on murder. Paul wrote that the law was given so man could know what sin is. But, the law condemned mankind, for no one but Christ could uphold it.
Here, in our reading today, it is Jesus Christ that proclaims a new testament in His Blood shed for us. What man could not do, that he did on our behalf and took the penalty of sin, which is death, upon himself. Like a husband, He took the penalty of sin upon himself and paid the price for all mankind. And yet, only those who say yes, and accept His invitation to eternal life can have a part in it. Those who will become one with Him, cleave to Him in the Spirit. What GOD has put together, let no man separate it.
We have seen the nature of man, in the carnal form how it always yearns for error. We have learned of the choice we have to make, to walk after sin or after Jesus Christ to Salvation. The greatest part of man will determine this choice, if a man is evil at the root of him, then he will go to that which he knows best and loves. We are the product of the fruit that was eaten in the garden in Eden, knowledge of both good and evil. Is that not what we still contend with until this very day?
Now, each of us are left with this in the day we are in: do we stand for good, or do we stand for evil. For mankind has found a way to call that which is good evil, and that which is evil, good. Will we choose this day to stand in obedience to GOD Almighty, or shall we go after the corruption of Satan? For those that choose good, GOD sent His only Begotten Son for Salvation. But, those that choose evil, will follow Satan to the lake of fire.
Each day we choose. Each day we walk into a direction, either good or evil. If we stand for life, then we walk after the beacon of Life everlasting, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. But, those who stand for death, walk after death, they walk in ways of corruption, even unto death. It is as if the corruption of the soul precedes the corruption that will come to the flesh, when it is laid again in the dust.
This day, you have a choice. And if GOD is gracious, tomorrow you might just get another chance. But, don't you know that an extension of life is for grace. Time is afforded to mankind so they may choose life instead of death. We have seen the nature of mankind, what then may we choose our nature to become?
Selah, Shalom.
Verse of The Day
From the YouVersion Bible App for 20250203 (Expanded from verse 17)
James 1:12-18 KJV
[12] Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. [13] Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: [14] but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. [15] Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. [16] Do not err, my beloved brethren. [17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. [18] Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
https://bible.com/bible/1/jas.1.12-18.KJV
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