Sabbath School Lesson for September 7-13, 2024
Overview of Lesson 11, Taken and Tried
Memory Text: “And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.’ ” Mark 14:36 NKJV
The last three chapters of Mark cover the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ during what’s been called the Passion, or Holy Week. The emotional tragedies and triumphs of the last few days of Jesus’ life on earth demand our renewed commitment to follow Him.
Jesus prayed earnestly to His Father God for the cup of suffering to be taken away from Him (Mark 14:36). Nevertheless, He selflessly allowed God’s will to be done and accepted His fate with firm resolve.
Chapter 14 of Mark is full of contrasting characters and plots that point out the best and worst of humanity. Here we will explore these storylines, and will be able to decide for ourselves whose side we are on in the great controversy between good and evil.
- Sunday: Unforgettable–A woman will be remembered for anointing Jesus, while Judas will be remembered for betraying Him.
- Monday: The Last Supper–Jesus made a new covenant regretting that He would soon be leaving them, but also predicted that all of them would leave and abandon Him that night.
- Tuesday: Gethsemane–Jesus needed the comfort of His disciples more than ever, yet they failed more than ever to stay awake and pray.
- Wednesday: Leaving All to Flee From Jesus–Instead of leaving all to follow Jesus, the disciples left all to flee from Him.
- Thursday: Who Are You?–Jesus admitted who He was when asked, but Peter denied who he was when accused.
Sunday: Unforgettable
The first verse of chapter 14 in Mark indicates that the Passover was two days away, so we find here a story that probably took place on Tuesday or Wednesday night. Jesus was staying in the small town of Bethany outside Jerusalem, where his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived.
At the house of Simon the leper, as they were about to have a meal, a woman (John 12:3 records that it was Mary) approached the Master with a flask of expensive perfume and proceeded to pour it on His head, a gesture of anointing.
Some of the disciples, especially Judas Iscariot (John 12:4-5), expressed regret and censure, saying that the money would have been better spent on helping the poor. But, Jesus knew the tender love this woman had for her Savior. He sanctioned her act of anointing Him for burial, and declared that people for all time would remember her selfless act.
On the other hand, Judas, who had been so vocal about spending money wisely, revealed his true love of money by wanting more of it for himself. He would soon prove his greed by betraying Jesus for a price far less than the humble woman had thought Him worth. And people throughout history have remembered his selfish act as well.
Bible Verses to Explore:
Mark 14:1-2
- Why was so much plotting required to capture and punish Jesus?
Mark 14:3-5
- Why was her gift (almost a year’s worth of wages) not too much for this unidentified woman?
- What is Jesus worth to you?
Mark 14:6-11
- How has the woman’s gift become a memorial to her?
- Why is her story so important for us to understand Jesus and His mission?
- Why has Judas’ story also become unforgettable, and what does it tell us about ourselves?
Monday: The Last Supper
The Passover lamb was sacrificed and typically eaten at the Passover meal. But Thursday evening, at the last supper of Jesus and His disciples, no mention is made of lamb as part of the menu. They were only dimly aware that Jesus, sitting with them, was the sacrificial Lamb.
Knowing about His cruel execution the next day, Jesus introduced them to a new ceremony, which still included the bread, representing His broken body, and the wine, representing His shed blood. Their Master was soon to return to heaven, so He solemnly declared that His next meal with them would be in heaven.
Later on the Mount of Olives, Jesus mentioned that they would all stumble in their loyalty to Him later that night. Peter and the others vehemently declared that they would not abandon Him. Jesus then predicted to Peter, the most outspoken disciple, that he would deny Him three times before morning.
Bible Verses to Explore:
Mark 14:22-26
- Why was this last supper so special to Jesus and why should the ceremony be special to us today?
Mark 14:27-31
- Why do you think the disciples were unable to resist fleeing from Jesus when He was later arrested?
- What can we do to prevent ourselves from showing the same kind of disloyalty to God?
Tuesday: Gethsemane
After their last supper together, Jesus and His disciples went across the Kidron Valley, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. They came to a particular olive garden press, known as Gethsemane. Jesus went further in the garden, taking with Him only Peter, James, and John. He then told them that He was terribly distressed and troubled, and left them to go pray alone.
Christ asked for God to remove the cup of suffering that was upon Him. And yet in the end, after long conversations with His Father, He was able to put Himself in God’s hands and accept His will (Mark 14:36). It must have been one of the most difficult prayers in His lifetime.
Three times Jesus distanced Himself from the three disciples, who He had instructed to watch and pray for Him while they waited. What a heartache it must have been for Jesus to return three times and find His closest companions asleep. He remarked that the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak (Mark 14:38).
The earnest prayers of Jesus had made Him ready to face His most difficult trial. But it was obvious the disciples were not ready at all.
Bible Verses:
Mark 14:32-42
- What may have prevented the disciples from staying awake to pray for Jesus?
- When Jesus said that the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak, how might He also have included Himself in that description?
- How has prayer helped prepare you for something unpleasant you knew was about to happen?
Wednesday: Leaving All to Flee From Him
It’s amazing that one of Jesus’ close companions, Judas Iscariot, would end up betraying Him. Judas clearly had a love for money which was allowed to grow, until selfishness led to the horrific act of betrayal.
According to Matthew, Jesus predicted these circumstances for Himself. “Now brother will deliver up brother to death…” (Matthew 10:21). And “a man’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:36).
The traitor tried to hide his deed by approaching Jesus with a kiss, a sign of friendship. But Judas had arranged for it to be a sign of identity, leading to the immediate capture and arrest of Jesus by an angry mob.
Instead of standing by Jesus’ side, the disciples quickly fled the scene of violence. We are given the description of a young man who fled naked with them, because his linen cloth had been torn away from him during the struggle to get free (Mark 14:51-52). Many assume this to have been the gospel author, Mark.
This episode tells us that instead of leaving all to follow Jesus, they left all (even their garments) to flee from Him.
Bible Verses to Explore:
Mark 14:42-49
- Why did Jesus let Judas kiss Him, knowing that it was a kiss of betrayal?
- Do you think the disciples would have been arrested, too, if they had not run away?
Mark 14:50-52
- Why did Mark insert this seemingly irrelevant piece of information about one young man fleeing?
- How might he have felt about his flight away from danger?
Thursday: Who Are You?
On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus prophetically told Peter that he would deny His Lord three times before the cock crowed twice. What happened later that night is the sixth and last “sandwich story” Mark shares with us.
Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of Jews. His trial before them was full of lying witnesses and false accusations, but Jesus remained quiet during their testimonies. When the high priest directly questioned Him whether He was the Messiah, the Son of God, however, Jesus said yes, “I am”. bringing the priest’s recommendation of death. The religious leaders proceeded to spit on Him, blindfold Him, and angrily slap Him.
The scene of the story then shifts to Peter, waiting anxiously in the courtyard to discover the outcome of the trial. Three times, servants of the high priest identify Peter as one of the disciples–and three times Peter denies their accusations. One can only imagine Peter’s anguish when he hears the second crowing of a rooster. Further proof that Jesus was indeed the Holy One, their Savior.
Peter’s denials were in stark contrast to Jesus’ affirmation of His identity.
Bible Verses to Explore:
Mark 14:53-65 and Exodus 3:14
- Who was Jesus saying He was, and why did it bring such anger from the religious council?
Mark 14:66-72
- Since the number three symbolically refers to the Godhead, or trinity, what might Peter’s three denials tell us about Jesus’ identity?
Friday: Final Thoughts
The forces of good and evil were becoming more and more clear, as Jesus’ death drew near. Two of His disciples stand out in our minds, as Mark tells the story: Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter.
Both of these men battled character flaws, but their final outcomes couldn’t have been more different. Judas’ selfishness and love of money led to his betrayal of Jesus. And Peter’s boisterous pride and actions led to his denial of Jesus.
They were each left in anguish and remorse at what they had done. But Judas chose to end his life, apparently without repentance and a sincere determination to correct his harmful deed. Peter, on the other hand, chose to draw closer to God and live the remainder of his life serving His beloved Lord and Savior.
Jesus had been taken and tried before the Sanhedrin–but all of us are also on trial as we make our choices in life, just like these two men in the story. Who and how will we decide to serve?
Next Week: Tried and Crucified
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