Reasoning Through the Bible
Taking a cue from Paul, Reasoning Through the Bible is an expository style walk through the Scriptures that tells you what the Bible says. Reviewing both Old and New Testament books, as well as topical subjects, we methodically teach verse by verse, even phrase by phrase.
We have completed many books of the Bible and offer free lesson plans for teachers. If you want to browse our entire library by book or topic, see our website www.ReasoningThroughTheBible.com.
We primarily do expository teaching but also include a good bit of theology and apologetics. Just like Paul on Mars Hill, Christianity must address both the ancient truths and the questions of the people today. Join Glenn and Steve every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as they reason with you through the Bible.
Reasoning Through the Bible
S56 || How Darkness Reveals True Character || Mark 14:42-61 || Session 56 || Verse by Verse Bible Study
A kiss becomes the ultimate betrayal in this powerful examination of Judas Iscariot's treachery against Jesus. We dive deep into Mark 14:42-65, uncovering the layers of this pivotal moment that set in motion the most important weekend in human history.
Discussed in this session is the perplexing question that has troubled believers for centuries—why would Judas betray Jesus? Rather than focusing solely on theories of greed or political disappointment, we examine the deeper character flaws revealed in scripture and conclude that sometimes evil actions stem simply from evil hearts.
This episode illuminates fascinating details often overlooked in this familiar story: Peter's impulsive sword attack, the mysterious naked young man who fled the scene, and the stark contrast between the disciples' bold promises and their frightened abandonment when real danger appeared. Each element adds texture and authenticity to this eyewitness account.
Perhaps most revealing is the examination of Jesus' trial before the Jewish authorities—a mockery of justice that violated at least 22 of their own legal procedures. False witnesses couldn't align their testimonies, leading to growing frustration from the high priest who finally demanded a direct answer about Jesus' identity. The response would seal his fate but fulfill his divine purpose.
Throughout these events, we see Jesus remained silent when falsely accused but spoke precisely when necessary to accomplish his mission. While human betrayal, fear, and injustice swirled around him, Christ maintained perfect control of his destiny.
What does Mark's account of this story reveal about human nature, justice, and divine purpose? Listen now and discover how these events still speak powerfully to our world today. Then join us next time as we continue exploring Jesus' profound response to the high priest's question.
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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve
Modern popular music has a great deal of songs about betrayal, especially between lovers. One person that loves another betrays that trust and that love and the songs have a lot of sadness to them and it would seem, if we took away the songs of betrayal and wrongdoing that popular music would not have much left to sing about. Well, even the Bible has lessons on betrayal. Today we're going to find out about two people who had loved each other have a great betrayal. Hi, my name's Glenn. I'm here with Steve. This is Reasoning Through the Bible.
Speaker 1:Today we're going to get to the passage where Judas betrays Jesus. So if you have your copy of the Bible, open it to Mark, chapter 14. When we start at verse 42, we're at the end of the part where Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had been struggling in prayer and he had finished those last messages to his disciples and he is now ready for the betrayal. As we open this scene, you can almost hear the crowd of armed people coming to arrest Jesus. Steve, can you jump in at Mark 14 and read from verses 42 down to verse 50?
Speaker 2:Get up, let us be going. Behold, the one who betrays me is at hand. Immediately, while he was still speaking, judas, one of the twelve, came up, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he who was betraying him had given them a signal saying Whomever I kiss, he's the one. Seize him and lead him away under guard. After coming, judas immediately went to him saying Rabbi, and kissed him. They laid hands on him and seized him, but one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Jesus said to them have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as you would against a robber? Every day, I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me, but this has taken place to fulfill scriptures. And they all left him and fled.
Speaker 1:With this we have Judas arriving with a band of people to arrest Jesus. In verse 43, Judas comes up with this group and he kisses them. They had found a secluded spot to identify him. Remember, this is the middle of the night, and in those days, a kiss was a greeting. Today, we might use a handshake or a hug. Oftentimes, in those days, a kiss was a greeting. Today, we might use a handshake or a hug. Oftentimes, in those days, a kiss on the cheek was an affectionate greeting. We have here the ultimate act of betrayal, done with an act of tenderness, a kiss. One of the questions that comes up, Steve, always, is why? Why would Judas betray Jesus? And there's been a lot of speculation and the text doesn't really tell us why, but there's this question before us. So, Steve, why do you think Judas would betray?
Speaker 2:Jesus. The first thing that I think needs to be said is that Judas was selected by Jesus. He was purposely selected. Jesus knows who he is. He's also Judas Iscariot.
Speaker 2:We mentioned this in one of our earlier sessions that all the rest of the disciples are kind of up around that Galilean area, but Judas is from an area that's a little bit kind of southwest of Jerusalem. He's a little bit not out of place, but he's not with one of those guys. Now that doesn't have anything of whether he's good or bad. I think that he's just a bad person. What I mean by that is we find out later whenever there was the protest of the woman that put the anointing oil on Jesus earlier, they were complaining and said that money could have been taken and given to the poor. Well, one of the other gospel writers say that Judas was the one who said that and that he was taking money from the money box that they used. He was the treasurer, apparently, of the group and he was embezzling money from that. You can see from that showed his character.
Speaker 2:So I know there's different speculations as to why. Because he wanted Jesus to come and be the king and overthrow the Roman government, and Jesus wasn't doing that, so he's trying to force Jesus's hands. There's all different types of speculations on that, but I really just think it comes down to this he was not a good person. It says that Satan entered him. Well, if Satan or a demon is entering somebody, that means that they're inviting them in. In many cases, I think that Judas had been conspiring with them. We know that for at least several months. He just wasn't a good person.
Speaker 1:And I would agree. I mean there's been much speculation and you mentioned several of them. Was it greed? He seemed to go and initiate the betrayal right after at least in the text right after the very expensive perfume was poured out. Some speculate it's greed, some power trying to force Jesus' hand. Maybe it was jealousy, disillusionment there's been all these things that have been proposed. I submit he was an evil man and evil people do evil things.
Speaker 1:We don't really understand evil simply because it is just that Evil people do evil acts and we are often left scratching our heads saying why, why would somebody do something like this? And the only explanation is that they're evil. Evil people do evil things and that's really the end of it. There's no more justification than that. Why do people go out and tear up other people's property in a criminal way when it's easier for them to just go on about their own business? Well, it's because they're evil people doing evil things. And evil doesn't really have an explanation outside of it other than it tries to steal, kill and destroy. Then, in verse 47, one of the disciples strikes a servant and cuts off his ear. John 18.10 says this was Peter that did this. Steve, why would Peter cut off a man's?
Speaker 2:ear. Peter was the one who was the strongest protester. Whenever Jesus said one of you is going to betray me, he was one of the ones. Of course, all of them did it said no, it's not going to be me. But Peter was really strong on it and said I'll go to my death before I betray you. So I think that this shows his character from the standpoint that he was willing to do that at this particular time to defend Jesus.
Speaker 2:I think it's just as simple as that. I think it's impulsive because it says that there's a cohort that is there or at least came to get them. There are many people that were there. So to do something like that had to have been an impulsive act. Of course, right before that, what had they been doing? They had been falling asleep while Jesus was over there praying earnestly and actually falling asleep for three times. So I just think the bottom line is it was an impulsive act to try and protect their rabbi, their teacher, the Son of God, who Peter had confessed that he was the Messiah, the Son of God. He was just trying to protect him.
Speaker 1:Exactly. Peter was very headstrong. He was quite serious when he said I will go to my death before I deny you and I think part of what's going on here I don't think he was trying to cut off the man's ear. I think he was trying to cut off the man's head. And this is what happens when a fisherman picks up a sword is he didn't really know how to use it, like a true swordsman would. He's trying to kill the man and was just bad at it. So that's why he cut off his ear. And, of course, one of the other Gospels tell us that Jesus healed the man's ear again and said put that away. That's not really what we're trying to do here.
Speaker 1:Peter used the wrong weapon. He should have been praying as his weapon and he was sleeping. So now he picks up a sword, which was the wrong weapon at the wrong time. Here. There might have been times to use a sword in our lives, even still today to time to use a weapon, but not for God's purposes. One point here they arrest him. Jesus mentions the swords and the clubs. Everybody assumes that these were Roman soldiers and I tend to struggle a little bit. On one hand, it never really says they're Roman. It does use military terms, especially in John 18.12, the term captain and officers, and it doesn't seem likely that a fisherman like Peter would be able to pull out a sword against a whole squad of Roman soldiers and live to tell the story. On the other hand, the temple guards would be more likely to recognize who Jesus was and not need somebody like Judas to identify him. We'll follow along, I suppose, with the traditional view. Steve, you have an opinion on. Were these truly Roman soldiers?
Speaker 2:Well, I personally think that they were. Some of the ideas that back that up is that later on the next morning they're going to take him to Pilate. Pilate is the procreator of the area. He's the Roman governor of Jerusalem area. There he's ready and waiting for Jesus to come, so he knows he's going to come. In order for him to be ready and expecting a trial of this Jesus, you would think that there would have been some sort of a prompting for him to go and arrest him. Well, the thought is that Judas was used for this, that he was taken to Pilate and made an accusation against Jesus to come to a trial. This is all orchestrated. And made an accusation against Jesus to come to a trial. This is all orchestrated.
Speaker 2:Remember, it says that the leadership had been plotting to kill Jesus for several months. Well, the right of capital punishment had been taken away from the Sanhedrin, from the council. They knew that if they're going to kill Jesus, no-transcript. So I think that that's why I tend to think that they were the Roman cohort that were with them was because Judas had gone. They'd used him make a charge against Jesus. Pilate commissions this cohort to go get him and arrest him, but, on the other hand, to your point, they don't take him back directly to Pilate, they take him over to the high priest's house. That doesn't seem likely that the Roman soldiers would do that either. So I guess, Glenn, we'll just have to leave it at. We don't know what we don't know. It could have been the Roman cohort, it could have been the temple guards. In either case, they were authoritarian figures that came and they actually did arrest him.
Speaker 1:One of those things that when we get to heavenly Bible class we'll be able to ask that question. In verse 48, jesus said to them have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as you would against a robber? Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. They came up in the middle of the night when he had been there pretty much all day for several days in a row and they didn't arrest him there. They wait till the dark of night to arrest him. One of the discussion questions I have, steve, is how do you know when you're about to do something wrong? To me, the answer is when you're doing it, so nobody will find out what I'm doing. If you're sneaking around in the middle of the night doing something so nobody will see, then that's one major clue. That you're sneaking around in the middle of the night doing something so nobody will see, then that's one major clue that you're just about to do something wrong, wouldn't you think?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and what you're actually saying is that Jesus was confident that he hadn't done anything wrong because he had been out teaching in the temple area, quite out in the open. They had plenty of opportunity to take him and seize him during the daytime and they didn't want to do that. So actually, his point is just that you know that you're fixing to arrest me for something that I'm innocent of, because if you had a good case against me, you'd do it in the open and you'd do it in the daytime. You wouldn't be doing it in the evening time.
Speaker 1:Back in verse 31,. All the disciples had claimed oh, I'll never leave you. Well, look at verse 50. What did they actually do when the time came? Well, they all ran away.
Speaker 2:They all scattered whenever they actually took him into custody.
Speaker 1:Exactly. When it actually came down to a place where he needed a friend, they all left. They all ran. They were all weak. When they were in the upper room with him, they were real strong and they could claim oh, I'll never leave you, I'll always be faithful. But when it actually came down to the part where he gets arrested, they all flee, all of them left. He's alone now. From here on out he's really alone till his death. For the rest of these trials, jesus will face it alone.
Speaker 1:Then there's this little vignette in verses 51 and 52. It says a young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body, and they seized him. But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked. One of the questions that's always popped up amongst Bible teachers is why in the world is that there? Who was this young man? Why does the gospel have this story? Some have speculated that this was Mark. Since only Mark's gospel has this account, this little vignette's, not in any of the other three gospels. It seems a little unusual to include such a detail.
Speaker 1:Remember that this was the middle of the night. Most of them had been sleeping. It's entirely possible that this young man was just trying to get some sleep. This crowd comes up with torches and lanterns and noise and he just woke them up. He also could have been one of the followers of Jesus that when he got woken up, he runs out to try to see if there's anything he could do to help and then realizes it's too late and runs away. I'm reminded, steve, there was a radio personality in our town once years ago that was a fairly well-known homosexual man. He would bring this up periodically. This radio personality didn't know very much about the Bible, but he knew the one passage that talked about a naked man. That's the one I always think of. So, steve, what are your thoughts on this little passage?
Speaker 2:I don't have much thoughts on it.
Speaker 2:On this little passage, I don't have much thoughts on it.
Speaker 2:I've read the same type of commentations that you have, that it's Mark and he's inserted himself here in an obscure way, but when it comes down to it, it really doesn't matter one way or the other. Now, what I do want to say is, though, is that it's another indication that this story that's being told in this gospel is an actual account, because, as you mentioned, why would there be this little two-verse area talking about this one action that happened of a person? It doesn't really go with the narrative. It's just kind of out of the way, but if you're actually giving eyewitness accounts of what happened and what happened that was there then it would be something that you might include with the narrative. I think to me, if anything else, it just gives a little bit more veracity that these are eyewitness accounts that are talked about here as to what actually happened whenever Jesus was seized Books that are written for the purpose of a religious myth, that are created for teaching a spiritual concept or to create a group for a spiritual cult or something like that.
Speaker 1:Don't have little factual things like this. These are the little vignettes, little stories that, as you said, steve, add to the credibility of the eyewitness account. There's no other real reason to include that other than these were eyewitness accounts. They arrest Jesus, and now we'll pick up in. Verse 53 says this they led Jesus away to the high priest and all the chief priest and the elders and the scribes gathered together. Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire. Now, the chief priest and the whole council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus, to put him to death, and they were not finding any, for many were giving false testimony against him, but their testimony was not consistent. Some stood up and began to give false testimony against him, saying we heard him say I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days I will build another made without hands. Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent.
Speaker 1:Well, steve, they take Jesus to these religious leaders first, and this is the start of the trial. There was really two parts to the trial. The first part consisted of three different meetings of Jewish people and the second part consisted of three different meetings of Romans. There we have this trial and it starts here this first story. We have Jesus taken to where the meeting quarters of the high priest was and it says in verse 54, peter follows Jesus into the courtyard outside of the chief priest place. What does Peter do? What does it say he does here in verse 54?
Speaker 2:Well, he says that he was sitting there with the officers and warming himself at the fire. He's sitting there observing what's going on. As far as Jesus himself Now, I do want to mention here, as we go through this accounting of what happens as Jesus is passed amongst these various officials, the council, the Sanhedrin, had several rules that they were supposed to adhere to whenever a person was brought to them and accused of something. We're going to see and we're going to talk about some of these rules that they broke. Several, several.
Speaker 2:There's up to 22 rules that people have documented that they broke. One of them was that they brought them to the chief priest's house here. They didn't take them to the council itself, meaning the hall of justice that was at the temple. That was one rule they broke. The second one was they did it at night. They weren't supposed to have any of these type of trials during the nighttime. They were all supposed to be doing the daytime. So that's two things right here, at the very beginning of their own rules that they're already starting to break in this trial, and I use that in mock quotations air quotes of Jesus.
Speaker 1:When we went through some of these rules back, when we were going through some Old Testament passages, god was always concerned with setting things up to be fair independent judges that would be fair and people would get a fair witness. And it says here, even in this passage that we read that they were having some issues with these witnesses. What does it tell us here about the accounts that these witnesses were doing?
Speaker 2:In the accounts here. Part of the ruling to get a guilty verdict was you had to have two witnesses. You couldn't just have one witness. Both of the witnesses' testimonies had to match each other exactly. Mark records one of the witnesses here in verse 58 that says I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days I'll build up another to make it without hands. Matthew records the other witness and the other witness says I am able to destroy this.
Speaker 2:Mark doesn't give both of them here, but he says that not even in this respect in verse 59 were they able to get their stories straight. We have that from both accounting of Mark and Matthew. We can put together that. The difference is that one is saying Jesus has the ability to do it and the other one says that Jesus would do it. But both of those accounts really wasn't even what Jesus said. He didn't even say that at all. What they're referring to is a time whenever he said if you destroy this temple, I will rebuild it in three days. So the witnesses that they're bringing to this chief priest to start this trial they're not together and Mark is just using this as one example that all the witnesses are going to bring. They can't get two to agree together as to what the accusation is against him.
Speaker 1:If we remember earlier in the Gospel of Mark, the priest had been plotting to kill Jesus for a while now. They were just looking for an opportunity. Well, now's their chance. They were just looking for an opportunity. Well, now's their chance. They've already made up their mind what the conclusion of the trial is going. So these witnesses were sham witnesses, that they were just going through the motions of the trial, and even that it says there were many people that could not agree. There were many giving false testimony. Yet the leaders just kept trying. They kept pushing Again. They had already made up their mind. They couldn't get the witnesses to agree. This is an illegal trial from start to finish. Keep in mind who these people were. These were supposed to be the most spiritually mature people in the country. They were supposed to be older and wiser and having a level head to look at things. They weren't. They had already made up their mind to kill Jesus and they're just going through the motions to do that, even when it was obviously false testimony. Let's pick up now when they are a little frustrated because all the witnesses don't agree. So in verse 60, they approach Jesus and say this the high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying do you not answer?
Speaker 1:What is it that these men are testifying against you? But he kept silent and did not answer Again. The high priest was questioning him and saying to him Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? Jesus said I am, and you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven Tearing his clothes. The high priest said what further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. How does it seem to you? And they all condemned him to be deserving of death. Some began to spit at him, to blindfold him and to beat him with their fists and to say to him Prophesy. And the officers received him with slaps in the face. First question, steve why would Jesus remain silent and not defend himself? This was a trial where it was very important he was in front of the most senior people in the country, very serious accusations Most people when that situation would be giving this very quick, long list of reasons why I'm innocent, but Jesus remains silent. Why would he be silent as part?
Speaker 2:of the rules of the council was that a witness didn't have to testify. Jesus, I think, is saying many times, even in our day, the defense might not even bring any witnesses if they don't think that the prosecution has made their case. I think that that's part of what's going on here. So far, the witnesses that have been brought against him haven't matched and haven't been able to agree with each other. Why should Jesus even have to offer up anything in his defense?
Speaker 1:Well, I submit that one of the reasons Jesus didn't defend himself was because he wanted to be crucified. His purpose was to come and die on the cross. Jesus' purpose was to go to the cross and so when it came to the part where he's accused of something that he could be executed for, he doesn't defend himself. Remember, jesus has been in control of the timing this entire time. Right here is the part where he is submitting to these men to be executed. His purpose is to die on the cross. Then the priest the chief priest here is getting increasingly frustrated. You can almost hear the frustration in his voice when you read this. In verse 61, the high priest, as a representative of Israel, like the highest representative of Israel, asks him directly are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? The priest wants to hear plainly from Jesus and of course, jesus had been claiming to be God Almighty from the beginning of his ministry, which is why they arrested him. You can find that over in John 10, 33. He said it flat out and he had made it very plain to them all along. Verse 61 has yet another one of these minor clues as to the authenticity of the gospel writers. In verse 61, the question that the high priest says are you the Christ, the son of the blessed one? He doesn't use the word God, he doesn't use the name for God, he uses son of the Blessed One. It's one of these very Jewish things that people outside of Judaism would not have realized. We saw this before, but we now have a very, very Jewish response, a question from this high priest. The statement he makes has the language that has the texture and flavor of Judaism that somebody outside of Judaism wouldn't know. Later, when we get to Pilate, we have a response from a Roman that's very Roman, that people that weren't familiar with Romans wouldn't know. So we have here reduced down to the only people that could really write this were people that were eyewitnesses at the time, which is what actually happens. We have this question are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? And we've pointed this out many times Many modern readers don't get the meaning of the term son of.
Speaker 1:Well, saying son of means having the same nature as Remember. Jesus referred to James and John as sons of thunder because they had a thunderous nature. So when saying he was the son of God is to claim deity. It was to claim to be God claim deity. It was to claim to be God. Verse 62,. Jesus's response is very profound. Three times in this response he claims something very important. Steve, what do you get out of Jesus's response In verse 61,? Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? How does Jesus reply? It's a very pregnant question. We're going to have to wait till next time because Jesus's answer is quite profound and we're out of time for today.
Speaker 2:That's what happens when you go verse by verse. You get to these parts where you just have to pause a little bit. So we're going to do that. We thank you so much for watching and listening to us and we ask that you'll be back with us to hear what I've got to say about that in our next session of Reasoning Through the Bible. Thank you so much for watching and listening. May God bless you.
