MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St. Mark

St. Mark 14:53-65

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IT IS very easy to read the account of the trial and death of Jesus and miss the deep wonder of this act of history, yet it is mind blowing and so moving when we stop to meditate and so enter more deeply into what Jesus was doing.

Firstly in verse 53, how mind blowing it is to see how our God and creator, and the judge of heaven and earth, allows himself to be placed under human jurisdiction, and then be judged by men who were only motivated by evil. How moving to see the love of Jesus that he was willing to be humiliated in this way, completely unjustly, in order that he may redeem lost sinners. Behold the high and lofty one, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, becoming sin for us, so that we might be the righteousness of God in him.

Then see the testimony in verse 55. When sinful men are bent on finding fault with someone and causing their degradation and downfall, there is usually no problem in finding something they can use. But this was not so in the case of Jesus. The Jewish authorities were determined to find something against Jesus so they could condemn him, yet they could find nothing, shown by the fact all the evidence trumpt up against him contradict itself, showing also how false it was. What a great testimony to the sinlessness of the Lamb of God prepared for sacrifice to atone for our sins. It was essential that the one who died in our place should have no sins of his own to atone for. Only then could he bear the guilt and take the punishment of others. Here is true evidence that Jesus was the Lamb without blemish, and totally fit and able for the task of bearing the sin of many.

Then the accusers took hold of a saying of Jesus, a promise rather, and twisted it to mean what Jesus never meant it to mean. They took hold of his words concerning destroying the temple and building it in three days. They spoke as though Jesus was referring to the physical, bricks and mortar, temple in Jerusalem, when, as John tells us, he was speaking of the human temple of his body. But here again is tremendous wondrous truth. We learn that although the Jewish power had apparently taken hold of Jesus, and they were using that power to get him condemned and killed, it was really Jesus that was offering himself up freely to death. He said that he would destroy the temple of his body. He made no physical acts of destruction. It was all done by the Jews and the Roman power, yet by voluntarily giving himself up to the malice of the world, it was really he who was promoting the destruction of his body. God was acting in love to redeem, and with such certainty of success because he promises that he would rise again in three days. This assurance he proved to be sure, because Jesus did rise on the third day.

Verse 60 is so significant. Make sure you do not miss it. The chief priest challenges Jesus that he makes no reply to all the accusations brought against him. Yet still Jesus remains silent. Why was this? It would have been more normal for Jesus to have said something in his defence, specially as the accusations levelled against him were most surely false. The answer is clear. As the Lamb of God bearing the sin of the world he was accepting that sin and its guilt and its punishment. By his silence he was accepting guilt that was not his and doing it willingly. How greatly Jesus must have loved me, to bear my sin in his body on the cross.

But how different it was when Jesus was asked if he was the Messiah - the Christ, the Son of the Blessed. He does not hesitate. He answers clearly and unequivocally in the affirmative, including a warning to his persecutors that he was going to come again as judge, and then all sin would be exposed. He was leaving the Jews without excuse for their actions. In love he was making sure that the Jews knew exactly who he was, so that they might have opportunity, if they would, to withdraw from their evil course.

See lastly in verse 65 how Jesus was ready to accept the deepest of humiliation from mankind in order to save his elect from their sins. The crowds, because they felt that Jesus in every way had shown up their evil duplicity, having brought a charge of blaspheme against Jesus, feeling deep down that they were on uncertain ground, vented their spite by mocking and beating, seeking to humiliate Jesus as deeply as possible. How right was the prophesy of Isaiah - "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he did not open his mouth." Isaiah 53:7.

Jesus bore all this to make atonement for our sins, that we may be saved and escape all pain and retribution for our wrong doing. Praise be to his name!