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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, December 31, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 3

Read the full edition

Report of the Battle Creek Bible Class.

By W. C. G.

MARK XIV, 43–65.

VERSE 43. And immediately while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders.
Ques. Of what had he been speaking?
Ans. He had been rebuking his disciples for their heaviness, and foretelling his betrayal.
Q. Was it necessary for the multitude to arm themselves with swords and staves?
A. It was not. No resistance would have been offered on the part of Christ, as his time had come, and he was ready to be offered. It is probable that they made this manifestation in order to inflame the minds of the people, and induce them to believe they were in pursuit of some desperate and daring malefactor.
VERSE 44. And he that betrayed him, had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.
Q. Did Judas expect Christ would suffer himself to be taken prisoner?
A. Probably not. He had seen the Saviour exercise his divine power on former occasions, and doubtless expected he would do so again; and he would thus get the money, and no one be injured by the operation.
VERSE 45. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, Master; and kissed him.
Q. What conversation took place not recorded by Mark?
A. “Jesus . . . went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he.” John xviii, 4, 5.
Q. What effect did Christ’s answer have upon them?
A. “They went backward, and fell to the ground.” John xviii, 6.
Q. Did Judas think to deceive Christ in thus kissing him?
A. Probably he did. The original Greek signifies, “he repeatedly kissed him;” thus making a great show of affection, with the evident design to deceive him.
VERSES 46, 47. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one of them that stood by, drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
Q. Did they bind him?
A. They did. John xviii, 12.
Q. Who was the one that drew the sword?
A. Simon Peter. John xviii, 10.
Q. Who was the servant?
A. His name was Malchus. John xviii, 10.
Q. What miracle was wrought on this occasion?
A. Jesus touched the wounded ear and healed it. Luke xxii, 51.
Q. What rebuke did he administer to Peter?
A. “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword.” Matt. xxvi, 52.
Q. Was it customary or lawful for the disciples to be armed?
A. In those days the country was infested with robbers, and almost every citizen went armed for self-protection. We are not to infer from this, however, that Christians may thus arm themselves. Indeed, Christ’s rebuke to Peter plainly implies that Christians should not use weapons.
VERSES 48, 49. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the Scriptures must be fulfilled.
Q. What scripture must be fulfilled, and how?
A. Ps. xxii, 16: “For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet.” In order for this scripture to be fulfilled it was necessary for Christ to be taken just as he was, by a mob or rabble, composed of just such elements as would naturally congregate on such an occasion. Had he been taken in the temple he would not have been compassed by “dogs” (Gentiles), nor inclosed by the “assembly of the wicked,” as such characters would not have been allowed in the temple, although the priests and officers were willing to use them in their service on this occasion.
VERSE 50. And they all forsook him, and fled.
Q. What facilitated the escape of the disciples?
A. Christ acknowledged himself as the one whom they were seeking, and said, “Let these go their way.” John xviii, 8.
VERSES 51, 52. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.
Remark. This young man was probably awakened by the noise and turmoil, and throwing some portion of the bed-clothing around him, went out to see what was going on. His appearance attracted the attention of the mob, and as they had not been able to indulge themselves in a riot, owing to the peaceable surrender of Christ, they probably thought to indulge their propensities by an attack on him, but he escaped as described. This incident is not recorded by any other writer, but it adds much to the credibility of the narrative, as it was something very likely to happen, but very unlikely to be invented.
VERSE 53. And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes.
Q. To whom did they first lead him?
A. To Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas. John xviii, 13.
Q. What was the office of the high priest?
A. He was the chief man in the religious worship of the Jews, and also acted as their counsellor in civil matters.
Q. What legal cause had Christ to object to his trial?
A. It was commenced in the night, which was contrary to the Jewish laws. Beside that, Caiaphas had given judgment beforehand, John xviii, 14, which was contrary to an established principle of justice.
VERSE 54. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
Q. Why did Peter follow afar off, and take his position among the servants?
A. He feared that he might share the fate of his Master, if he was found too near him.
Q. How did Peter gain admittance into the palace of the high priest?
A. By the request of another disciple, who was acquainted at the palace. John xviii, 16.
Q. Who was this disciple?
A. Probably John. The fact is recorded by him, and he speaks of “that other disciple,” &c., a common form of expression which he uses when speaking of himself.
VERSES 55, 56. And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.
Remark. The Jewish council or sanhedrim was at this time very corrupt, and would take the testimony of false witnesses for the sake of furthering theirwicked designs. This was evinced on this occasion, and also at the trial of Stephen, Acts vi, 13, where they “set up false witnesses,” &c.
VERSES 57, 58. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
Q. How was Christ misrepresented in this?
A. His words were not correctly quoted. Referring to his own body he said: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John ii, 19.
VERSE 60. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Q. Why did the high priest address Christ?
A. He had been unable to find in the testimony of these witnesses anything by which to prove him guilty, and he hoped to find something in his answer to condemn him, and thus have him self-convicted.
VERSE 61. But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
Q. What prophecy was fulfilled in this?
A. Isa. liii, 7: “As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.”
Q. How did the high priest address Christ the second time?
A. “I adjure thee by the living God.”
This was equivalent to being put under an oath, and a false answer under this adjuration was deemed perjury, and even silence was deemed proof of guilt. Hence the high priest had recourse to this measure in order to compel Christ to answer.
Q. What is the meaning of the words “the blessed?”
A. A title applied by the Jews to God.
VERSE 62. And Jesus said, I am; and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Q. To what event did Christ allude?
A. His second coming in glory.
Q. How would the high priest and those wicked Jews see him?
A. By a special resurrection. We learn from Rev. i, 7, that “they which pierced him” shall behold him; and to do this they must be raised from the dead prior to his advent.
VERSES 63, 64. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
Q. Why did he rend his garments?
A. It was a custom among the Jews, and indicated great indignation and astonishment.
Q. Why was he adjudged as guilty of death?
A. The crime of blasphemy was punishable by death, and of this they believed him to be guilty. See Lev. xxiv, 16.
VERSE 65. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophecy; and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.
Q. What is the meaning of the word “prophecy” as here used?
A. In blindfolding him they deprived him of the use of his eyes; then when they had struck him they wished to test his power by compelling him to prophecy or divine unto them who it was, without being able to see them.
Q. What is the meaning of the word “buffet;”
A. To smite with the clenched fist.
Remark. We have here an example of fortitude and forbearance under insult and abuse worthy of example for every follower of the meek and lowly Jesus, and the spirit of which all would do well to cultivate.

QUESTIONS.

The following questions were considered by the class, which, together with the decisions, are given below.
1. Please explain Deut. xiv, 21: “Ye shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself; thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God.”
The idea which seems to demand an explanation is the apparent permission to sell or give to others that which is unfit to eat, or unwholesome as an article of food. But this principle is not necessarily involved in the text. It should be borne in mind that the children of Israel were forbidden to eat the blood of anything, as “the blood is the life,” and was used in their ceremonial ordinances. By an animal that died of itself we are not to conclude that it died of disease, but by accident, such as strangulation, or in some similar manner. Dying thus, its blood would remain in it, which would unfit it for the use of the Jews, although the Gentiles might eat it, as they had no such prohibition upon them.
The import of the text, then, is doubtless of a purely ceremonial nature.
2. Please explain 1 Cor. xv, 29: “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?”
After a general and free expression of opinion, it seemed to be the opinion of the class, that being baptized for the dead signifies, being baptized to show our faith in the resurrection from the dead. That is, why should we be baptized with reference to a subsequent time when we being dead shall rise, if there is no resurrection and the dead will not rise? Why do we place ourselves “in jeopardy every hour,” verse 30, by taking such a step, if we are to gain no advantage by so doing? This seems to be the apostle’s idea in the matter, and not that we are baptized for, or in behalf of, those who are now dead.
3. Is the woman of Rev. xii identical with the woman of Rev. xvii; or in other words, did the woman of Rev. xii become corrupt after being driven into the wilderness?
All will agree that the woman of chapter xvii, is a symbol of the Papal church, in all its stages, in connection with the Roman kingdom. But the woman of chapter xii, was persecuted by this same power, which shows that they existed together, and hence cannot be the same.
Again, the woman of chapter xii exists and retains her identity all the way down to the last days, for in verse 17, we find the dragon wroth with her, and making war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. This must find its location in connection with the giving of the third angel’s message, which precludes the idea that the woman or church brought to view in chapter xii became the woman or corrupt church of Rev. xvii.
W. C. G.