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MARK XIV, 1-21

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 10, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 30, No. 26.

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MARK XIV, 1-21.

VERSE 1. After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread; and the chief priests, and the scribes, sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
Ques. What was the passover?
Ans. The passover originated just before the exode of the children of Israel from Egypt. When the destroying angel passed over the land to slay the first-born of every household, the children of Israel were instructed to sprinkle their door-posts with the blood of a lamb, slain for that purpose, in order that the angel might pass over that dwelling. The feast was observed annually, and lasted seven days. The paschal lamb was eaten on the first day of the feast, in the night, and unleavened bread was eaten throughout the whole of the seven days.
Q. Why did the chief priests seek to take the Saviour by craft?
A. Because they feared the people. The miracles of Christ had made him popular among them, and a large number were assembled to eat the passover (as it was to be eaten only at Jerusalem), who were believers in Christ as the Messiah.
Q. Where were the chief priests assembled?
A. At the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. See Matt. xxvi, 3.
Q. What prophecy was fulfilled in this matter?
A. Ps. ii, 2: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed.” Also quoted in Acts iv, 26.
Remark. In this quotation Peter and John use the word Christ instead of his anointed, showing that the two terms are synonymous.
VERSE 2. But they said, Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
Q. Why did they fear the people?
A. Because “the common people heard him gladly,” and on the occasion of the feast, when so many were assembled, it would occasion a tumult to attempt to take him or put him to death.
VERSE 3. And being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster-box of ointment of spikenard, very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
Q. When did this probably occur?
A. The narrative is evidently thrown in here by Mark out of chronological order, as the account in John xii, 1-9, states that it was six days before the passover.
Q. Who was Simon the leper?
A. Probably the father of Judas Iscariot. John xii, 4.
Q. What was an alabaster box?
A. Alabaster is a kind of stone resembling marble, and may be fabricated into beautiful vases, perfume boxes, &c.
Q. What is meant by breaking the box?
A. Breaking the seal by which the odors of the precious ointment were prevented from escaping.
Q. Who was this woman?
A. Mary, the sister of Lazarus. John xii, 3.
Q. What was the value of this ointment?
A. Three hundred Roman pence (verse 5), or about forty dollars.
VERSES 4, 5. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Q. Who was it that was so indignant?
A. The account in Matt. xxvi, 8, says, “his disciples;” it appears, however, from the account in John xii, 4, that Judas was the chief instigator in this jealousy and indignation, because he was a thief, and desired to appropriate the money to his own use.
VERSES 6, 7. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good; but me ye have not always.
Q. In what consisted her good work?
A. It was a token of her love and respect for the Saviour, and indicated the tenderest emotions of gratitude and affection.
Q. What was meant by the expression, “me ye have not always?”
A. Christ was about to be removed from them by crucifixion, and they would have no opportunity to bestow their marks of affection upon him personally, but would always have the poor to assist and comfort, with the assurance that, “inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me.”
VERSE 8. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Q. Did she, while anointing him, have his burial in view?
A. Probably not. The disciples seemed to utterly fail to realize that their Lord was about to be taken from them, even after he had repeatedly told them of the fact.
VERSE 9. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of, as a memorial of her.
Q. What is meant by “this gospel?”
A. The glad tidings of salvation, through a crucified Redeemer, embracing the plan of redemption entire.
Q. How is it spoken of as a memorial of her?
A. It is recorded by inspiration in connection with the life of our Lord, and thus goes wherever the gospel is preached. Its example should be imitated in relieving “the Lord’s poor” among us.
VERSES 10, 11. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
Q. How much money was promised Judas?
A. Thirty pieces of silver. Matt. xxvi, 15.
Q. What prophecy was fulfilled in this bargain?
A. Zech. xi, 12: “So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver,” &c.
VERSES 12-16. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the good man of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them; and they made ready the passover.
Q. What two disciples did Jesus send?
A. Peter and John. Luke xxii, 8.
Q. What attribute of Christ does this circumstance illustrate?
A. His foreknowledge. The chain of events must be met in every particular; the disciples must go at the right time, must meet the right servant, &c., and a failure in any one particular would cause a failure of the whole plan.
VERSES 18, 19. And as they sat, and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
Remark. This must have been a startling announcement to the disciples, who had such implicit faith in Christ and confidence in each other,—a confidence which was evinced by their anxious inquiries,—“Is it I?” instead of saying “Is it Peter, or John, or Mark?” showing that they were as unwilling to believe such a thing of one another as of themselves.
VERSE 20. And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish.
Q. Which one of the twelve was it?
A. Judas Iscariot. Matt. xxvi, 25.
Q. What custom is here referred to?
A. In cases where great friendliness and familiarity existed, the persons dipped their bread in the same dish. This was probably the case with Christ and the apostles, and Judas dipped in the same dish with his Lord and Master, while his heart was full of wickedness and treachery.
VERSE 21. The Son of man indeed goeth as it is written of him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed.
Q. What is meant by “as it is written of him?”
A. Numerous prophecies were on record, describing the betrayal, mock trial, insults, and death, of our Saviour, all of which were fulfilled, “as written.”
Q. If all this must transpire, why is a woe pronounced upon the instrument?
A. Because man is a free moral agent, and can choose for himself. Judas was not compelled to betray his Lord, but chose to do so of his own free will.
Q. What doctrine is disproved by this woe?
A. Universalism. If all men are finally saved, then Judas will be better off than as though he had never been born, for eternal life in the kingdom of God, even although we pass through fiery trials and sufferings before it is obtained, is certainly preferable to non-existence.

QUESTIONS.

The following questions, sent in from abroad, were submitted to the class for decision:
1. Would it be breaking the fourth commandment for a Sabbath-keeper to let a Sunday-keeper take a job of peeling a certain quantity of bark on a wild lot of land, lying some distance from the residence of the said Sabbath-keeper (but owned by him), and have this work performed as Sunday folks usually work, i. e., on the Sabbath?
2. Would it be breaking the fourth commandment for a Sabbath-keeper to let out or lease his farm with stock upon it, say horses, sheep, and cattle, to a first-day-keeper for a certain sum of money, for a specified time, under the control of the first-day-keeper?
3. Would it be breaking the fourth commandment for a Sabbath-keeper to hire out his team and out-fit to a Sunday man, for a certain period of time, to go into the lumber woods or with a threshing machine, &c., for a stipulated amount of money, and have the team worked as first-day people usually do?
On the first question it was decided that it would be a violation of the fourth commandment.
On the second, the class were not united in opinion. Nine voted that it would, and twelve that it would not, be a violation of the commandment, while a large number were not prepared to vote at all. Even those who voted that it would not, were united with all the rest in counseling against such a step if it could possibly be avoided.
On the third question the class were unanimous in deciding that it would be a violation of the commandment.