11. (Power of One - deals with) Crowd fickleness

13:1-2

Crowd favours

14:42-43

Crowd condemns

13:1-2 As he went out of the temple one of his disciples said to him. “Teacher what great stones and what great buildings these are “ And Jesus said to him “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be a stone upon a stone which will not be overthrown.”

14:42-43 (Jesus said) “Get up let’s go. The one who is betraying me has drawn near.” And immediately, while he was still speaking Judas, one of the twelve arrived. And with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs. They had come from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

In the two short paragraphs of this pair there is a contrast again. In the first case a disciple appears to be chatting away, admiring the ediface of the Temple system. In the second case, one of the twelve, Judas, comes with the support of the same system in order to destroy Jesus. The analysis heading labels this pair as showing fickleness on the part of support structures (in this case the temple system).

12 (Power of One - deals with) Finding support

13:3-37

Disciples ask (Peter, James, John)

14:12-41

Disciples grieve (Peter, James, John)

13:3-37 As he (Jesus) sat on the Mount of Lives opposite the temple Peter, James, John and Andrew questioned him privately. "Tell us when these things (temple destruction) will be and what sign will there be when these things are going to happen?" And Jesus began to say to them. "Watch out lest anyone leads you astray. Many will come saying they come in my name and they will lead many astray. But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars do not be disturbed. It will have to happen but It will have to happen but it is not yet the Continued

14:12-41 When it was the first day of unleavened bread at the time of the Passover sacrifice, his disciples said to him. "Where do you want to go to eat the Passover so that we may prepare for it." He sent for two of his disciples and said to them. “Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him and where ever he enters tell the house master, “The teachers says (to ask) where is the guest room for me, where I can eat Continued

12 Continued

end. Nations will be raised against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in some places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of birth-pangs. Watch out for yourselves. They will deliver you to councils and you will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake giving witness to them. Yet it is a first priority to proclaim the gospel to all nations. And when they deliver you (to judgement) do not be anxious beforehand about what you are going to say. Speak whatever is given to you at that time. For it is not you who are the ones speaking, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver up brother to death and a father will be against a child. And children will rise up against parents and will put them to death. And you will be hated by all people on account of my name. But the one who endures to the end, that one will be saved. When you see the abomination of desolation set up where it should not be (let the one reading this understand) then those in Judea should flee to the mountain. The one on the roof should not come down nor enter to take anything out of his house. The one in the field should not return to take what was left behind or take his garment. Woe to the pregnant women at that time and to those breastfeed in those days. Pray that it may not happen in winter for there will be days of affliction such as have not happened since the beginning of creation when God created, until now and into the future. Unless those days be shortened nobody will be saved. But it is on account of the chosen that he (God) will shorten those days. And then if anyone of you says “Behold here is the Christ or Behold there (is the Christ) do not believe. There will be raised false Christs and false prophets and they will do signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen. But look. I have told you all this before. In those days, after affliction the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give light. And the stars will be falling out of heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of man coming in Continued

the Passover with my disciples.” And he will show you a large upper room which has already been spread out. Prepare for us there." And the disciples went out and came into the city and found what he had told them. And they prepared for the Passover. When evening came he went there with the twelve. They reclined there and were eating. Jesus said to them. “Truly I tell you that one of you will betray me - the one who is eating with me.” They began to grieve and to say to him one by one “Not I?” And he said to them. “It is one of the twelve, the one dipping into the same dish with me. Indeed what has been written about the son of man will happen to him. But woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” And as they were eating, he took a loaf of bread. He blessed it, broke it and gave it to them and said. “Take. This is my body.” And taking a cup, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. And he said to them. “This is my blood of the covenant which is being shed of many. Truly I tell you I will by no means drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” And having sung a hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them. “You will all be offended because it has been written “I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” But after I am raised up I will go before you into Galilee.” And Peter said to him. “Even if all men offend you, yet I will not do so.” And Jesus said to him. “Truly I tell you you will do deny me three times this very night before the cock crows three times.” But he said all the more emphatically “Even if I have to die I will by no means deny you.” And all said something similar. They came to a piece of land which was called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples. “Sit Continued

Continued clouds with much power and glory. Then he will send the angels and they will assemble his chosen out of the four winds from the extremity of earth to the extremity of heaven. Now learn a parable from the fig-tree. When its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves you know that the summer is near. So also you, when you see these things happening, know that hell is at the doors. Truly I tell you this generation will by no means pass until all these things happen. The heaven and the earth will pass away. But my words will not pass away. Concerning the day or the hour, no one knows, not the angels in heaven, nor the Son. No-one except the Father. Look be watchful. For you do not know when the time is. As a man leaving home gives his slaves authority to each do their work, he commands the doorkeeper to keep watch. You should watch therefore. You do not know when the Lord of the house is coming. It may be late or at midnight or at cock-crow or early. Watch lest when he comes suddenly he finds you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all. Watch out."

here while I pray.” And he took Peter and James and John with him. He began to be greatly overcome distressed. He said to them “I am so deeply grieved in my soul that I could die. Remain here and watch. And going forward a little he fell on the ground and prayed that if possible the hour could pass away from him. He said “Abba, Father. All things are possible with you. Remove this cup from me. But it is not a matter of I want but of what you want.” And he came and found them (the three disciples) sleeping. And he said to Peter “Simon are you sleeping?” Could you not watch one hour with me. Watch and pray lest you fall into temptation. Indeed the spirit is eager but the flesh is weak.” And again going away he prayed saying the same thing. And again coming back he found them sleeping for their eyes were heavy. And they did not now what they could answer him. And he came the third time and said to them. “Now you can sleep and rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold the Son of man has been betrayed into the hands of sinners.”

Both paragraphs in this pair are long. The first needs to be considered in both its textual and historical setting. Jesus had just told his disciples the temple system would be destroyed. Indeed around 70 AD this did in fact happen when the Romans surrounded Jerusalem. The writer of Mark’s gospel was producing the gospel around this same time, it is believed, in Rome. He would have been hearing horror stories from other Jews and Christians who had managed to escape the siege.

At the time of describing the future Jesus had been and was at the coal face of confrontation with the leadership which was running the Jewish Temple system. Even as an ordinary observer he could see that inevitably a confrontation climax would occur, not only between himself and these leaders but also between the same type of leadership and the power of the Roman army. He could see that the Temple and its elaborate worship rituals would also inevitably be destroyed. Thus in this passage a description of the future and also what was happening at the time this description was being written into the gospel would be similar. There is a theme that people may not be able to determine exactly when the catastrophe would strike. But when it was about to happen they should get out of the area as fast as possible or be caught within the siege circle.

There could be another theme running through both this pair of paragraphs as well. Key figures in both paragraphs are Peter, James and John. These three disciples became leaders in the early church. When Mark wrote the gospel in Rome there was also persecution going on there. The Emperor Nero had burned down sections of Rome and had blamed the Christians. Christians were being burned at the stake. Perhaps the people around Mark thought that a collision course between the Christians and the Romans was inevitable just as the clash between the Jews and the Romans was inevitable. Perhaps some of the Romans thought this as well. But Mark, the gospel writer, as also the historical Jesus, were aware that there were similarities between the ‘new’ teaching of Jesus and the Greek philosophy of the Romans. So a collision course between the two need not be absolutely inevitable at all.