The Other Simon

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. Mark 15:21

Jesus chose two Simons, one surnamed Peter, and one known as a zealot, but then a third one is passing by while Jesus bears His cross toward Golgotha. The Roman soldiers chose this third Simon, and they didn't ask whether he wanted to come along with or not. Why did they choose this man from a city in what we know as Libya? Probably due to his appearance, given they knew nothing else about him. For all those who state their piety by desiring to touch the cross of Jesus, Simon gets to do it by the overbearing compulsion of imperial Rome. This Simon may not have seen the honor in it. The cross of Jesus, bloody and sweaty, and probably used for many executions before and after this time. Imagine being compelled to tote an electric chair up the hill to a public execution. You would need no compulsion to let everyone up there know the chair wasn't for you!

Let 'em know, Jesus is Lord!

Bucky

Mocking Game

Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. Mark 15:19-20

Although the Roman garrison bowed the knee to Jesus, their heart was not in it. How a person or group behaves with another person delivered to them by an authority as a prisoner will say much about their character. We can criticize the Roman soldiers for this, but there is Jesus also to consider. This man who walked across the stormy surface of Lake Tiberias and raised dead people back to life, must not be entirely helpless even in this circumstance. In Matthew's gospel, Jesus tells His valiant, ear-whacking, swordsman to put it away since His Father could send twelve legions of angels to His rescue. One Roman garrison versus twelve legions of angels? Gotta go with the angels on that one. Therefore, as Jesus had the power to call upon a superior force but didn't, what mission holds Jesus on this course? We are grateful that this mission was our salvation, and that Jesus held Himself to it.

Praise God for our Lord's longsuffering and patience,

Bucky

Pilate's One Chance

So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.  Mark 15:15

Wanting to gratify the crowd may be a good thing, such as a music performer playing that hit song that maybe they do not want to play yet another time, or it may be that the crowd needs a restraining influence. Here is Pilate, the one authority who could restrain the crowd, but he doesn't want to answer them with a negative. So, Barabbas gets to live another day, while an innocent man goes to the cross. Pilate lives on also, but what thoughts go through his mind after meeting Jesus? We do not know. Pilate is not quite out of the story after this. There is the matter of a body to be buried. However, Pilate's one chance came and went, and he chose the crowd over Jesus. I think there is a lesson there!

Rejoice in the Risen Savior!

Bucky

They Turned On Him

Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
  -- Mark 15:12-14

If repentance is turning to the Lord, this would be a demonstration of the opposite. The people, stirred up by the chief priests, turned on Jesus. Were these the same who a few days before had hailed Jesus as the Son of David? His twelve disciples had fled from Him, one even betrayed Him to the authorities, and God? God it appears wanted Jesus right where He was, unjustly condemned by the crowd. The crowd of His chosen people. Their king. "Crucify Him!" they shouted at the Roman governor. A sad moment in the history of Israel. And yet, from this apparent weakness comes our Lord's great victory over sin and the grave.

His redemption of us, an amazing story!

Bucky

They Had One Chance

Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Mark 15:6-9

What can unbelief do to a people? We have here as one choice the Savior of the world, Messiah, King of the Jews, the Christ. On the other side a rebel and murderer. And the people have one chance to release their king and Messiah. Ah, the problem is that they do not believe that Jesus is those things. They have unbelief as their guide. Pilate knew well the entry into Jerusalem Jesus had just done a few days past. No doubt the people would want the One they shouted "Hosanna!" and laid cloaks and palm branches before. Nope, give us the murderer and rebel, the crowd asks.

And thus did a great miracle happen and us Gentiles got the chance to believe in the risen Son of God, the Christ.

Praise God!

Bucky

The Answer Of Silence

And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.  Mark 15:3-5

A testimony making allegations carries too much weight many times in our world today. Sometimes a person is convicted in the public arena before a trial even comes. A trial is held to determine the truth, but some think that the trial is proof of the crime. But Pilate wasn't the public, and he had dealt with the chief priests before. Jesus, for his part, answered those questions he could not deny, as we studied last week. These accusations then must have been spurious nonsense. Jesus stood silent, refusing to give the allegations weight by his denial. And sadly, those set as watchmen for the coming Messiah, were the ones demanding the death of the Messiah. Jesus gave to them the answer of silence, and the Roman governor marveled. 

May God our Father raise you up this week,

Bucky

Enabled To Believe

Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”
-- Mark 15:1-2

Last night I noticed a little stupid fluttering about. So I grabbed it and fondled it a bit. Upon finding out that I had not done what I thought I had done, and that what I was trying to do was doubling the problem, I stopped and corrected the first part and then was able to do the second. Then I let the stupid go on its way. If you are past childhood, but not yet suffering from A.G.E. you will not understand all that.

Meanwhile, back in the scriptures. Jesus has been taken, in restraints, to the Roman authority. Why? The Jewish religious authorities wanted their Roman overseers to take the life of this son of the tribe of Judah. Pilate, perhaps thinking to be smart or funny, asks Jesus one question, "Are you the king of the Jews?" The high priest had asked Jesus a question that Jesus answered similarly, "It is as you say". So, Jesus claimed to be the Christ, the Son of God, and King of Israel. The question is, what does each person believe about that? The priests, Pharisees, scribes, and (nearly) all the Sanhedrin have refused to believe Jesus. What will Pilate do?

Praise God that we were enabled to believe in Jesus!

Bucky

Three Times Denied

A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept. Mark 14:72

Jesus had already said that whoever denies Him before men would be denied by Him in heaven. Peter may have thought of that as he wept. But, it is also tough to come face to face with your weakness. Peter was among those pledging their lives to defend Jesus, but they fled and he denied. But also, it is disheartening to have a prophecy of your cowardice in the face of little servant girls come to pass. How precious then becomes the forgiveness of Jesus Christ as we face our sinful weakness?

Rejoice in Christ, we have some good company in the saints,

Bucky

Eulogetos, The Blessed; No, Dynamis, The Power

Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”  Mark 14:61-62

The high priest had this man from Nazareth right where he wanted the man to stand for a conviction. But after several false witnesses couldn't get their fabrications to agree, the priest, exasperated, asked Jesus of Nazareth a direct question. Jesus, silent before the false witnesses, answered a question He would not deny - He was indeed that man. However, when the high priest used the name of God for blessed, Jesus came back with the name for power or miracle. In other words, while the high priest thought he was standing with God on his side, Jesus would return with the real power, and priestly-boy would get to witness it first hand. I couldn't find the Greek word for 'uh-oh!' to place here. 

Believe in the Miracle, He returns soon!

Bucky

The Betrayer Comes

"See, My betrayer is at hand.”
And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Mark 14:42b-43

In the dead of night and with a useful traitor, the religious authorities finally muster the courage to act against Jesus. Of course they don't come themselves. Jesus knew what was up and called out the plays as they began to arrive in a great multitude armed with swords and clubs. Judas Iscariot has just made a name for himself that will last through this age. The authorities needed a traitor, and Judas provided them one for a mere 30 pieces of silver - the price of a slave in those times. As the gospel of Jesus has spread around the world, so has the infamy of Judas Iscariot. That was probably not his intention when Judas started down this road.

Better for us, I think, to promote the name of Jesus Christ than to make a name for ourselves.

Bucky

Someone Represented Us

And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36

Jesus, the Son of God, prayed in the garden at Gethsemane one night. Strangely, he did not pray as God praying to God, but as a human praying - a son of man. God wouldn't need to pray that His will not be done, the scriptures consistently tell us that He wants His will to be done. Jesus prays as a man submitting his will to the will of God. How extraordinary! All of this because Jesus was about to be the sacrificial lamb, the scapegoat, that we need to atone for our sins. God the Son knelt down before God the Father and represented us the sinners.

And without Jesus we have no hope,

Bucky

The Test

Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:37-38

We read some strong words from Peter about not falling, not denying, and even dying for Jesus. The Lord then tested this man's faith by having him keep watch for one hour. Peter failed. Such an easy task for the test too, we think. Some of us have experience in keeping watch, and we know that this is not so easy. Later in the night, a full meal the prior evening, a little walk to get there, and the peace of a night in a garden when everyone else is in bed sleeping combine to make keeping an alert watch difficult. Another difficulty in staying awake on watch can be emotions. Too much fear can make one sleepy. A time of emotional stress, such as the disciples had when Jesus told of His arrest and death during the meal, can cause one to be worn out even without a serious physical exertion. Keeping watch for one hour - not so easy as it may seem in the morning with the sun shining.

Metaphorically speaking, we are keeping watch for one hour while Jesus makes intercession for us with His Father, God. Let us keep watch in the strength of Christ our Lord.

Bucky

See You There

But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee. Mark 14:28

News of coming betrayal by one of His own, ceremonial ingestion of His body and blood, and a prophecy of the frightened flight of the faithful disciples, could Jesus top all of that? Oh, why do we even ask? After telling of His coming death in plain terms and metaphor, Jesus tells His disciples that He will be raised from the grave and meet them in Galilee.

Right, boss, see you there.

The disciples at this time could not believe in Jesus and His absolutely certain foreknowledge. Peter will receive his own personal denial prophecy in our Lord's next statement (v30), but he won't believe that either. And yet, all that Jesus said came to pass.

So, when Jesus says that He is returning, I'll see you there!

Bucky

No Way, Prophet!

Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:

​

​‘​I will strike the Shepherd,
​​And the sheep will be scattered. 
  -- Mark 14:27

Jesus said the prophet said it, Peter immediately denies it; Jesus says Peter will stumble even harder, and the disciple denies it more strongly even if he must die with Jesus. Hey, it's the old doubling down trick! Denial of denials forgotten, Peter will soon be among those sleeping in the garden while our Lord Jesus struggles in prayer. Jesus knew the prophecies, and He knew the fatigue and difficulty of staying awake at night while waiting on someone. Peter denied the prophecy and intended to be strong in his own might. We know who was proved right.

It is easy for any of us to say, "No way, prophet!" but if the Lord God gave the prophecy, we had better dial back those words and listen. Peter learned a tough lesson. Let us learn from his lesson.

Bucky

Eat, The Bread

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Mark 14:22

Jesus had done some extraordinary things up to this time in His ministry, but then He does this we read in our verse today. Jesus symbolically has His disciples eat His body by way of the bread. As we have read many times before, He will do a similar thing with wine and call it His blood. To the outsider and critic, this eating the body and drinking the blood is grounds for many jokes and much criticism. Symbols, no matter who may scoff, are important to the faith.

A stop sign is already stopped. It does not need to stop. However, it is a symbol telling a driver to stop the vehicle at a certain place. Jesus tells His disciples and us that this symbol of the communion tells us to take Him into ourselves. The body and the blood, we see it as His salvation and His cleansing of us, or His presence by the Holy Spirit and His word by the Bible, and others. As drivers we have at times wished the stop sign that other drivers flagrantly ignored was able to do the stopping for them. In the Communion, we get our wish in that Jesus as He comes to live inside of us by His Spirit, does all the work of saving, cleansing, educating, and in all ways making each of us suitable for presentation to His Father.

May God have mercy on the scoffers,

Bucky

Never Been Born

The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.” Mark 14:21

Hardly could a stronger warning have been given to Judas Iscariot to stop his progress down the road of betrayal. Jesus, the Son of Man, was following the prophecy road to His crucifixion, and He did not need the help Judas was giving. If the betraying man had never been born, then he could not do that terrible act he would become infamous for. It seems obvious to us now, but for Judas the warning goes right by him. Jesus gives the word and off Judas goes to his infamy. Can we pray for Judas these many years later? I believe so. Will it be useless? Maybe, but we can look upon it as a test of keeping our love warm and alive. And it reminds us to pray for those who are alive now, and yet our prayers appear to do nothing toward their repentance.

Pray in love, pray always,

Bucky

Judas, My Social Skills Hero

In the evening He came with the twelve. Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.”
And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?” Mark 14:17-19

It has been written, I read it the other night in Patriot Games by Tom Clancy, that in order to betray one must first be trusted. Here this morning we see Jesus drop a heavy rock into the still waters of the Passover dinner. The twelve disciples are trusted and they trust one another, so much that each has no idea who will do it. As we know from the story, even when pointed out Judas raises no suspicion in the mind of the other disciples. Judas has credibility, he is probably a very likeable fellow. Unlike this writer, Judas has those social skills I have heard about. When Jesus all but stands and paints 'Betrayer' on his cloak, Judas comes out smelling clean and generous. We know from the gospels that the disciples think that Judas left to give some alms to the poor. We also know from the gospels that Judas becomes the worst sort of traitor - the well-liked and beloved disciple sort of betrayer who leaves his Savior to hang.

Maybe I don't need the Judas kind of social skills...

Bucky

Of Course They Did

So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. Mark 14:16

It reads easily after we know the outcome, but for the doubting disciples in their day the things Jesus said could be difficult to believe. As we read last time, even the seemingly simple things Jesus said required considerable preparation and foreknowledge. Jesus also aligned all He said with centuries of prophecy. Which brings me to think of me. No, not in the usual old selfish way, but as in, "What has Jesus plainly said of these end times that I have doubted?" From our dear brothers in Christ, His disciples, we can see one thing - it will be just as He said it will be.

In Christ Jesus our Lord, love and grace to you,

Bucky

A Pre-arranged Meeting

And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.”  Mark 14:13-15

Any spy novel could start out in a similar fashion. Some of them may have taken inspiration from this passage of scripture. Meet a person described by a singular feature, follow, give a sign to another, receive the countersign, and carry out your first assignment. Of course this must all be set up ahead of time, and the timing must be arranged. It wouldn't do to have our first contact missed a mere minute or two. We note in the scripture that the room has been prepared, but for whom? Did someone not make an appointment? Or was the appointment arranged by God and made ready for Jesus and His disciples?  From donkeys to Passover meals, nothing in our Lord's final week was left to chance. 

Maybe those things that seem random in life aren't so random after all?

Bucky

The Famous Betrayer

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.  Mark 14:10-11

The disciples were indignant, then they were embarrassed when Jesus came down on the side of the woman. But one among them went to embittered or maybe even enraged, enough that he decided to betray Jesus to the religious authorities. Judas Iscariot put his name down in history right then. Balaam had held the position of negative lesson in the scriptures for centuries, but Judas blew that old prophet away. Judas even underbid him! Where Balaam spoke of a room full of gold, Judas ends up doing the betrayal for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Of course no fame or money is worth what would soon happen to Judas Iscariot. 

The most charitable suggestion I have read for a reason is that Judas wanted to motivate Jesus to be the Messiah that Judas thought he should be. As we know from the Word of God, Jesus was always going to be the Savior the world needed. Judas could not see that. Don't be a Judas.

Bucky