Isaiah 53: 1-12
This is known as the song of the Suffering Servant. We share this passage at the conclusion of our Tenebrae service on Good Friday, a prophecy from centuries before of Jesus being sent to us. We share it on this day without. This one, full day without Jesus. Unlike a full three days as we might think of it today, in the gospel, the days of death and the day of resurrection are counted among the three.
Something that repeats itself time and time again throughout the gospels are how Jesus fulfills expectations, prophecies, and echoes from the Old Testament. From being the First Born of God, paralleling the Tenth Plague in ancient Egypt, through this passage which points at Jesus, to echoing Psalm 34:20 that no bones of Jesus would be broken on the cross.
It speaks to the fulfillment of an ultimate plan. Jesus is the final step in a series that began after creation. In each generation, God would renew his covenant with the people, we, the people, would fall down yet again, until the moment when it was no longer left to our devices. In Jesus, all the work comes from God.
As we celebrate Easter tomorrow morning, keep that in mind. Jesus has done all the work that needs to be done for us to be right with God. From there, we are invited to live lives that show our gratitude to the Savior who sacrificed His life on our behalf.
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
The Last Supper: Jesus' body and Jesus' blood
Preparing for the Readings for March 24, 2016, Maundy Thursday
This reading is about Jesus' final Passover meal, the celebration of the Angel of Death passing over the firstborn of the Israelites back in the time of Egypt. However, by the end of all this, that Angel of Death is going to claim the firstborn of God.
Mark 14:12-16 How
irritating is it to be present for a conversation where everything seems to
require inside knowledge? For example, the
boyfriend who is spending Christmas with his fiancé's family, people he’s gone
off to the family abode in Vermont to see, for the first time. The stories, the family rituals, the
shorthand that goes on between people who have grown up together, how
irritating can it be to the new person trying to break into the crowd?
These verses are the same way. They assume two bases of knowledge. One includes the practices of Passover as
outlined in the laws of Moses, from Exodus 12-13 if you would like to read up
on it. But that is only half the
story. To truly ‘get it’, we’d need an
understanding of how the traditions of Passover are carried out centuries after
the original law was given, adapted to Jesus’ time with the use of the upper
room.
It does not mean that these verses are useless to us, not by
any means. But it does mean that we need
to recognize that this practice of the Lord’s Supper will be as different for
us as Jesus and his disciples coming to our church to participate in the Lord’s
Supper for Maundy Thursday services.
Mark 14: 17-21 We
know who the traitor is. He went to the
authorities in yesterday’s reading. Most
people, even unfamiliar with the bible, still understand the metaphor that a
Judas is a traitor. But put yourself in
their shoes, Jesus and his top twelve, taking in the Passover meal, when they
are told one of their own, right there, is going to sell out the Savior.
Mark 14: 22-25 The
Last Supper, an adaptation of the Passover meal, the Seder, for use by the
Christian church all through our history.
And here it is done in three verses.
The Last Supper, the Eucharist, the Mass, Holy Communion, plain old
communion, all names for this meal where Jesus talks of his broken body and
spilled blood. It is a metaphor for him
hanging on the cross, spear stabbed into his side.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
In Anticipation of Jesus' Arrest and Coming Death
Notes for the Reading for Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Mark 14:1-2: The plan is coming to fruition. The leaders have had enough and the final
plan to arrest Jesus is underway.
Mark 14: 3-9: The preparations for Jesus’ death are
made. This passage has been used as ‘proof’
that Jesus did not care for the poor.
Consider instead what she is doing for Jesus instead.
Mark 14: 10-11: The only way they will get Jesus is by the ‘inside
job’.
Exodus 13: 3-10: The people are forming into a nation,
forged in the fires of the Exodus desert.
The Festival of Unleavened Bread shall be the backdrop against the
arrest and execution of Jesus.
Exodus 13: 11-16: Consider the law of the first born, done
in response to the deaths of the first born of the Egyptians as the last
plague. Jesus is a first born son not
redeemed, but sacrificed, but for our redemption.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Continuing on the Worst Week of Jesus' Life
Notes on Readings for Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Mark 12:13-17: It is
an attempt at a double entrapment.
Either Jesus will anger the people because he supports Rome, or he will
speak sedition to Rome over the question of taxes. These are the Pharisees-teachers of the Law
of Moses-and the Herodians-royal supporters-who are coming after Jesus now.
Mark 12:18-27: The Sadducees are a sect of aristocratic
leaders of the Jews. They have a
theology which does not include resurrection and are taking their shot at
Jesus. His response is to tell them they
are flatly wrong. Again, not the way to
win friends and influence people.
Mark 12: 28-34: Here come the scribes, experts in the law,
going after Jesus. Could not get him on
taxes, could not get him on resurrection, can they get him on the finer points
of the Law?
Mark 12: 25-40: The scribes, Round Two. This time it is the question of his being the
Son of David, as was cried by the people during Palm Sunday. They have a special place in Jesus’ hell,
described in vss. 38-40.
Mark 12: 41-44: Against all the attacks by the leaders, here
comes the balance of the true believer.
Mark 13:1-8: Jesus prophecies of the destruction of
Jerusalem and the Temple in forty years.
Mark 13:9-13: A dark view of the End of Times.
Mark 13:14-23: A passage that sounds like the worst the book
of Revelations has to offer.
Mark 13:24-37: But
Jesus does not leave his disciples without hope. The promise of his coming again is made, as
is the demand to be watchful.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
From Entering in Triumph to Alienating the Leadership
Notes for the Readings for Monday, March 21, 2016
Mark 11:12-14: Very strange story about Jesus cursing a fig
tree. As you continue to read, note the other
references to the fig tree, further in this chapter and in chapter 13 during
tomorrow’s readings.
Mark 11: 15-19: Passover saw a massive influx of pilgrims
coming to Jerusalem from all over the empire.
Two things they did not often have were the right money or a proper
sacrifice. Money of the Roman Empire had
the image of the Emperor. That was no
good in the temple, according to applications of the law of Moses. So, for the convenience of visitors, money-changers
would provide them with the proper funds.
The Temple still required animal sacrifice. Carrying a couple of doves from the far
reaches of the Empire was impractical.
Better to get them locally.
The implication is that the Temple had become a place of
religious commerce, with huge fees for money changing and very expensive
sacrificial doves. The Temple leadership
most assuredly received a cut. Jesus is
reacting against this.
Note: verse 18-they want to kill him!
Mark 11:20-25: Round two with the Fig
Tree. Is it simply a demonstration of
the power of faith? Note what can be
asked of God in faith. It is pretty
amazing.
Mark 11: 27-33: Making an authority figure
look like a fool is a sure way to make an enemy. The chief priests, the scribes, and the
elders are the senior religious leadership of the Jews. How do you think they feel after this
exchange?
Mark 12: 1-12: Consider the parable as a
history of the Jewish faith. God is the
man who planted the vineyard, the tenants are these religious leaders, his
prophets were sent, finally his Son was sent.
And they figure it out.
Mark 12:12: The chief priests, scribes and
elders want to arrest him.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Reflection on Mark 11:1-11; Psalm 118:22-29
Palm Sunday: March
20, 2016
Mark 11: 1-11 Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
Psalm 118: 22-29 The
passage around the cries of the people
Mark 11:1-11
Jerusalem was a walled city, set up on a ridge, with a
normal population of maybe five thousand.
One end of the city is dominated by the Temple, the House of the Lord,
the center of the Jewish religion. It is
Passover, the Festival celebrating the Angel of Death passing over the Jewish
houses in Egypt, the houses protected by the blood of the Lamb. For this Festival, the population of
Jerusalem has swollen in size. Estimates
put the population anywhere between fifty and two hundred and fifty thousand people.
When approaching Jerusalem, coming over the Mount of Olives,
between Bethpage and Bethany, the vista of the City suddenly stretches out
before you. Imagine the walled city now
stretching several times its usual width under the roofs of tents and temporary
shelters. Similarly, from the City, if a
crowd were coming over the Mount, it would look like they appear from nowhere
as they come into view. This is the
direction that Jesus chose to approach from for the Triumphal Entry.
This was a Royal Entry, fulfilling the expectations of the
Son of David. He rode upon a colt, but
not upon the ground. The people spread
their cloaks and palm branches as a veritable red carpet for Jesus to ride in
on.
Consider what their cries are. They are right and wrong. Yes, he comes in the name of the Lord. No, this is not the militarily established
kingdom of the King and Warlord David.
It is God’ kingdom. As Jesus
enters on a ‘royal tour’, it says he toured the temple, the house of His
Father.
Psalm 118:22-29
In verse 26 is the line sung out by those greeting Jesus,
“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” But the remainder of the passage does not
celebrate the kingship of David. This
psalm is not even one that is attributed to being written by David.
Rather, consider verse 22, “The stone that the builders
rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”
In the next chapter of Mark, chapter 12:10, Jesus will speak these
words, in reference to himself. As you read these verses, do you see a different intent then what the people cheering Jesus intended?
An Offering Of Readings for the Holy Week
This year, we are going to follow the Gospel of Mark for Holy Week Services, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. However, there are days we do not meet to worship during Holy Week and there is Scripture between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday that we do not read. So, here is a weeklong set of readings for your own devotional times to read the entire Holy Week Story as hold in Mark, with some fill ins from the Old Testament to round out the story
Holy Week Scripture Readings
Palm Sunday: March
20, 2016
Mark 11: 1-11 Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
Psalm 118: 22-29 The
passage around the cries of the people
Monday, March 21,
2016
Mark 11:12-12:12 Teachings
and interactions raising tensions around Jesus
Consider how each event is ratcheting up the pressure.
Tuesday, March 22,
2016
Mark 12:13-13:37 Jesus’
Final Teachings
See
how these readings either
1. Continue
to make Jesus a target
2. Look
to what will happen afterward
Wednesday, March
23, 2016
Mark 14: 1-11 The
Ceremonial Preparation of Jesus for his Death
Exodus 13: 3-16 The
Old Testament commands regarding Passover
Compare Jesus’ death as Firstborn to the Passover discourse
Thursday, March
24, 2016
Mark 14: 12-25 The
Lord’s Supper is instituted
These
verses shall mark our Maundy Thursday Service
Friday, March 25,
2016
Mark 14: 26-15:47 The
Death of Jesus
These
verses shall mark our Good Friday Service
Saturday, March
26, 2016
Isaiah 53:1-12 Mark
is silent about the Sabbath when Jesus was dead.
Who is Jesus for us in his death and resurrection?
Sunday, March 27,
2016
Mark 16: 1-20 Mark’s
story of the Resurrection of Jesus
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