THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Mark: Jesus, The Perfect Servant Of God

Part III: The Perfect Sacrifice Of Jesus, The Perfect Servant Of God, Mark 11:1-15:47

S. Respecting The Great Power Of God's Prophetic Word In Christ's Arrest

(Mark 14:43-52)

I. Introduction

A. Mark's Gospel includes information about the great power of God's prophetic Word in Christ's arrest, and it serves to clarify the divine authorship of God's prophetic Word.

B. In doing so, it wonderfully answers the great frailty of human effort lived apart from faith in God's inspired Word, what caused John Mark to abandon Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey in Acts 13:13.

C. We thus view that Mark 14:43-52 passage on Christ's arrest for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. Respecting The Great Power Of God's Prophetic Word In Christ's Arrest, Mark 14:43-52.

A. The great power of God's prophetic word was seen in the precise timing of Judas' betrayal, Mark 14:42-44:

1. When Jesus was yet speaking to His disciples in Gethsemanee, informing them that the one who was betraying Him was nearby (Mark 14:42), Judas arrived with a great multitude that had swords and clubs from the chief priests, the scribes and the elders, and he betrayed Jesus to them with a kiss, Mark 14:43-45.

2. This event marked the instantaneous fulfillment of God's prophetic word spoken by Jesus just as Jesus was predicting it was about to occur, showing the power of His prophetic word as to its precise timing!

B. The great power of God's prophetic word was seen in God's miraculous avoidance of conflict at Jesus' arrest:

1. Mark at Mark 14:47 reports that one of the disciples drew a sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, what normally would spark a conflict between the disciples and the multitude, cf. Mark 14:48-49.

2. Other Gospel records explain the details of the event, showing how conflict was miraculously avoided by God's power in order to fulfill God's Word, John 18:10-12; Luke 22:50-51:

a. Peter drew the sword and cut off the man's ear, but Jesus rebuked him, saying He needed to drink the predicted cup of suffering and death that God the Father had given Him, John 18:10-12.

b. Jesus then touched the wounded man's ear, healing him, removing cause for conflict, Luke 22:50-51.

C. The great power of God's prophetic word was seen in the illogical way His foes arrested Jesus, Mk. 14:46-49:

1. When the multitude arrested Jesus, He asked them why they had come out so heavily armed as if they had come out against an "armed robber," a revolutionary, Mark 14:48; Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 181.

2. Jesus explained that this method of arresting Him was illogical, for He had daily been with them in the Temple teaching, and they had not arrested Him there for any wrongdoing, Mark 14:49a. Christ obviously was not a sinful revolutionary, and He made this statement to give evidence of His innocence.

3. Nevertheless, He added that the Scriptures about His arrest as a criminal had to be fulfilled, Mark 14:49b, and the prophetic Scripture at Isaiah 53:3, 7-9 and 12 clearly predicted He would be treated as a criminal.

D. The great power of God's prophetic word was seen in a young supporter's abandoning of Jesus, Mk. 14:50-52:

1. Mark 14:50 reports that as Jesus let Himself be arrested, His "disciples' loyalty and . . . confidence in Him as the Messiah collapsed," and they forsook Him and fled (Ibid.), and this fulfilled Scripture, Mark 14:27.

2. However, Mark 14:51-52 adds that a certain young man secretly still followed Jesus dressed only in a linen cloth, that is, in bedclothing, but that when some of the multitude who had arrested Jesus lay hold of him, he left the linen bedclothing in their hands and fled away naked.

3. Bible scholars think this man was John Mark, that he had gone to bed after Jesus and the disciples had left the upper room only to be awakened by his father's servant who warned about Judas' treachery, Ibid. Mark had thus hurried in his bedclothes to warn Jesus only to arrive too late, seeing Jesus was already arrested, so Mark had followed Jesus and the multitude until they had tried to arrest him so that he also fled, Ibid.

4. In other words, "no one remained with Jesus -- not even a courageous young man who intended to follow Him" (Ibid., p. 181-182), revealing the absolute authority of Zechariah 13:7 as cited in Mark 14:27 that had predicted that the sheep of Christ would be scattered.

Lesson: The great power of God's prophetic word regarding the circumstances of Jesus' arrest was abundantly, repeatedly seen in the events of that arrest that actually occurred.

Application: May we believe the absolute truthfulness of God's prophetic Word as it is backed by an absolutely Sovereign God of Truth, and may we rely on that Word as an absolutely secure revelation by which to live.