Judas agrees to betray Jesus to the religious authorities.
For some time now, the chief priests and the teachers of the law have been looking for a way to arrest Jesus and kill him. They are angry. Jesus has challenged their power, their wealth, and their prestige. He has spoken parables against them, confronted them in the temple courts, and discredited them.
But they were afraid to act publically against Jesus, for fear of the crowds that surrounded Jesus. Like many political leaders in our own day, their goal was self-preservation and self-advancement at any cost. Even if it meant murder, and even if it meant killing God's Son.
Through a bizarre change of fortune, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, agreed to betray Jesus. See Mark 14:10. It's hard to fully grasp Judas' motives. On the surface it appears that he was motivated by money, 30 pieces of silver. But most believe that he had his eye on a much grander vision. Judas agreed that he would hand Jesus over to them at a set time and place, away from the crowds and out of sight. When Judas made this arrangement, the chief priests and teachers of the law were of course delighted, and promised to give Judas money. See Mark 14:11.
But now the die has now been cast. An outrageous chain of events, over which God is sovereign, has been set in motion. These events will culminate in the crucifixion of Jesus.
The disciples are preparing for the Passover.
Meanwhile, in Mark 14:12 the disciples are busy making preparations for the Passover. They are unaware of Judas' grave act of treachery. They are preoccupied. They need to select a lamb, bring it to the priest to be slain on the altar, and then slowly roast the lamb in preparation for Passover. They need to bake unleavened bread cakes, gather bitter herbs, set up a table, prepare the wine, ready their lamps with oil, and make other arrangements.
Perhaps there is a touch of irony here, but while Judas is making preparations to betray the lamb of God (Jesus), the other disciples are making preparations to celebrate the Passover lamb. Read Exodus 12:1-13 which describes the significance of the Passover. Essentially, those who took the blood of lambs and smeared it on their homes' doorposts, were spared from the judgment of God. Those who did not apply the blood of the lamb to their doorposts were destroyed.
In Mark 14:12 the disciples come to Jesus with an important question. With hundreds of thousands of pilgrims crowding the city, and accommodations in short supply, they wanted to know where they would celebrate the Passover. And this is where the intrigue begins. In Mark 14:13-15 (NIV) Jesus tells them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.' "
A similar thing happened back in Mark 11:2-3 (NIV) when Jesus first approached Jerusalem. He sent two disciples ahead saying, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.' "
Everything that Jesus has told the disicples has come true.
In both these instances, Jesus has made specific preparations and has given specific instructions for his disciples. God is fully in control and sovereign of all that is happening. Mark 14:16 (NIV) tells us that, "The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover." The phrase Mark uses here, "...just as Jesus had told them" isn't an incidental detail. The disciples could expect everything Jesus has said to come true. Up to this point, everything, from the most mundane detail to the greatest detail, everything is unfolding according to God's plan. Even Judas' betrayal is part of God's sovereign plan.
Consider what Jesus says back in Mark 10:33-34 (NIV). "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief Priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." It is all part of God's plan! These events are not mere happenstance. The lamb of God must be sacrificed to atone for the sins of the world.
Jesus alludes to Judas' betrayal of him.
Now in Mark 14:17-18 (NIV) Jesus alludes to Judas' betrayal, "When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, 'I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me-- one who is eating with me.' " This is a surprising twist, that one of Jesus' very own would commit such a grave act. We should ponder whether the blood of the lamb of God might also cover the sins of a betrayer like Judas? In Jewish culture, it was inconceivable that a person would betray someone after sharing such an intimate meal together. But it's just as inconceivable that a friend would look another friend in the eye and completely lie.
Mark 14:19 (NIV) says, "They (the disciples) were saddened, and one by one they said to him (Jesus), 'Surely not I?' " They did not believe that anyone could betray Jesus. This reminds me of when I was a child. My dad would line us boys up and say, "One of you did this. Which one was it?" And of course one by one we would take our turning saying, "Surely not I, Father?" But it was one us! What's ironic is that even Judas has the audacity to say the same thing. "Surely not I?" But in Mark 14:20 (NIV) Jesus again clarifies, " 'It is one of the Twelve,' he replied, 'one who dips bread into the bowl with me.' "
What's remarkable is the simple fact that Jesus doesn't name Judas as the betrayer. Instead he speaks to Judas' conscience in the most powerful terms conceivable! How awkward it must have been. Jesus knows. Judas knows. Judas knows that Jesus knows. In Mark 14:21 (NIV) Jesus says, "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." The stakes couldn't be any higher for Judas.
Jesus continues with the Passover celebration.
In Mark 14:22-25 Jesus proceeds with the Passover celebration. Keep in mind that Judas is still present! Mark 14:22 (NIV) says, "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take it; this is my body.' " Even at this hour, Jesus is still holding out for Judas. In John's gospel, it isn't until after Judas takes the bread that we are told that Satan enters Judas and he departs! What is even more ironic is the other gospels mentioning Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss, and Jesus referring to Judas as, "friend". Even though Satan had laid hold of Judas, that power could still be broken if Judas was willing. Earlier, it was Peter to whom Jesus said in Mark 8:33 (NIV), "Get behind me, Satan!" If Peter could be restored, why not Judas also? Yes, Christ's blood is that powerful, his grace is that marvelous.
Mark 14:23-24 (NIV) says, "Then Jesus took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. 'This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,' he said to them. 'I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.' "
Jesus came to earth to establish a new covenant between God and man.
By virtue of his death, Jesus was shedding his blood to establish a new covenant between God and man. Isaiah 53:12 (NIV) describes how Jesus, "...poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Back In Mark 10:45 (NIV) Jesus explained his death in this way by saying, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Judas was seeking an earthly kingdom of luxury and material gain like what the Gentile kings enjoyed, but Christ's kingdom would be one of sacrifice and service.
Colossians 1:19-23 (NIV) says, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel."
There are a lot of words I would use to describe Christ pouring out his blood for the sins of mankind, but "pleased" isn't one of them. Yet God was pleased to pay the ultimate sacrifice and price in order to reconcile us to himself. It pleased him to die on the cross for our sins so that we might have eternal life.
All of the disciples, not just Judas, would need Jesus' grace and forgiveness.
There is one more twist at the end of our text in Mark 14:26-31 (NIV). "When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 'You will all fall away,' Jesus told them, 'for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.' Peter declared, 'Even if all fall away, I will not.' 'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'today-- yes, tonight-- before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.' But Peter insisted emphatically, 'Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.' And all the others said the same."
Think of the arrogance of Peter. "I am not like Judas at all!" Think of the arrogance of the disciples. "We will die with you, Jesus! To the death." The sad truth is that it wasn't just Judas who would need restoration and grace. All the disciples, even Peter, needed the same grace! At the end of Mark's gospel, after Jesus dies and is buried in a tomb, Jesus appears to the eleven. Mark 16:14 (NIV) says, "Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen." He said to them in Mark 16:15-16 (NIV), "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
And this is why we celebrate communion at this time. Christ's blood is for all of us. Without the blood of Christ covering us, poured out on our lives, there is no hope, but only fearful judgment for our acts of betrayal and denial. But God is pleased to extend to us an invitation to once again eat at his table, and dip bread into his bowl, and partake of his life. What grace! What wonderful grace!