T h e . K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
303
May 1928
Ü
■
International Lesson Commentary
Heart of the Lesson—K.L.B. Outline—David L. Cooper Little Folk—Mabel M. Hope
'T ’ HIS chapter opens with the story of the kindness of some o f our Lord’s friends to Him, while the last part brings before us the malice of His enemies and
regular weekly Sabbath (Saturday). Thus, He was, as the Scripture plainly says, in the realm of the dead “three days and three nights” .(Mt. 12:40). (Those who desire to study further into these matters may procure from Biola Book Room, Los Angeles, the writer’s leaflet, “ Christ Our Passover” ,) It was at the last supper which Jesus had with His disciples, that He suddenly said, “ One o f you which eateth with me, shall betray me” (y. 18). There sat Judas. Apparently no one suspected him. Eating, to thé Orientals, was a sign of friendship, and for one to do what Judas was doing would be hôrrifying.- “ They began to. be sorrowful” (v. 19). One after another inquired, "Is it 1?”, As they, knew their own hearts, they felt such a thing impossible. Yet—might it be? We need to recognize thé sleeping snakes -—the possibilities o f evil, within our nature when we are not in close fellow ship with Him. There is always safety in asking: “ Is it IP” There may be a Judas hidden away, ready to sell us out at any moment to the devil. “ Yes,” said the Master, “it is one who dippeth with me in the dish” (v. 20 ), and then He added the solemn words : "W oe to that man by whom the Son o f man is betrayed! Good were it fo r that man if he never had been born” (v. 21). Such words never could have been uttered, if somewhere in the dim future, there was hope o f Judas being reconciled and taken out of perdition. As they ate the supper, Jesus broke bread and pronounced it typical of His broken body, and took wine, declaring it the symbol of His shed blood. He com manded that His followers should do these things "in remembrance o f Him” until He should return in His second ad vent (1 Cor 11:23-26). All that He res cued from the feasts o f the old economy, was this simple form o f the Passover. Either it. was colossal arrogance on His part, or th e. calm consciousness o f the significance and far-reaching conse quences o f His atoning death. As they drank the wine, Jesus said: “ This is my blood o f the new covenant, which is shed fo r many” (v. 24). How any man can say that Jesus did not teach the sacrificial character o f His death, is more than we can understand. Every mention o f the supper which He insti tuted is connected with the teaching of substitutionary atonement. There is abiding efficacy in the blood of Jesus Christ for all who have received Him as a personal Saviour (1 Jn. 1:7). In the Lord’s supper this fact is brought to the believer’s consciousness and there is new appropriation of,, its cleansing power. Those who approach the com munion with open hearts, never fail to go away with the glory o f His presence shining out. What a loss it is to the church when the communion becomes a mere routine, or is robbed o f its Scrip tural meaning by false interpretations of Calvary’s Cross !
J une 3, 1928 Facing Betrayal and Death T ext: Mark 14:17-25; 32-43 / •—o— L esson in O utline Mk. 14:1-42 I. The Preparations for the Last Supper Vs. 1-16. 1. The Enemies Plot to kill Jesus. Vs. 1, 2. a. At time of Passover and Feast o f Unleavened Bread. b. To destroy Him privately, be cause o f fear of riot. 2. The Anointing of Jesus in Beth any. Vs. 3-9. a. The anointing with costly nard. V. 3. b. - The protest against such seem ing waste. Vs. 4, 5. - c. The woman justified and com mended by Jesus. Vs. 6-9. 3. Judas. Bargain with Authorities to Betray Jesus. Vs, 10, 11. 4. The preparation o f the room for the Supper. Vs. 12-16. , a. The instructions^to two dis ciples. Vs. 12-15. b. The instructions obeyed. V. 16. II. The Observance o f the Supper. Vs. 17-26. 1. The 'Betrayal Predicted during Supper. Vs. 17-21, a. The Prediction made. Vs. 17- 19. b. The Traitor disclosed. Vs. 20 , 21 . 2. The Institution of the Lord’s Sup per. Vs, 22-26. a. The significance o f the Bread and Fruit of the Vine. Vs. 22-24. . b. The future observance of the Passover in the Kingdom Age. V. 25. (See Lk. ,22:14-23 for ¡distinction between the cup p f Passover Supper and that_of the Lord’s Supper.) c. The Doxology. V , 26. (Prob ably P,sa. 118.). III. On Way from Jerusalem to Geth- semane. Y s * 27-31. 1. Prediction o f the arrest of Jesus, and the scattering of the Disciples. Vs. 27, 28. 2. Prediction o f Peter’s Denial. Vs. 29-31. IV. The Scene in Gethsemane. Vs. 32-42. 1. Jesus’ leaving nine disciples and taking other three aside. Vs. 32-34. 2. Jesus’ praying alone, and the sleeping disciples. Vs. 35-38. 3. The Second Prayer, and the same situation. Vs. 39-40. ■4, The Third Prayer, and ap pearance of Judas with sol diers. Vs. 41-42.
the sad defections of some nearest to Him. The first section of the chapter tells us how He was invited out to supper. A l though Jesus knew His death was right at hand, He did not
abandon Himself to melancholy retire ment from all company, but conversed as freely with His friends, as usual. In the house o f Simon at Bethany, He had been anointed by the woman who had an alabaster box of ointment. Im mediately someone had suggested that this was inexcusable waste (v. 4). John tells us (Jn. .12:4-5) that this suggestion came from Judas, the man later character ized by Jesus as "the son o f perdition” (waste). See Jn! 17:12. Judas had been severely rebuked for his remarks to Mary (v. 6 ) and after the supper sulked away, going to the chief priests to bargain for a betrayal (v. 10 ). Evidently Judas had joined the apos tolic company with, the thought that Jesus intended to announce Himself as success or to the throne of David, overturn the existing government and begin the Mes sianic reign. He wanted to be “in on it.”: He saw the Master drawing great crowds. It was their desire to “make Him King.” But, to the surprise o f many, Jesus drew back from this popular movement. He began to talk of an entirely different pro gram. The sin of the world must be dealt with. The “Lamb o f God” must be sacrificed. Judas began to feel he had cast his. lot with the losing side. He began to hedge. Without breaking with the disciples, he opened negotiations with the other side. He would be a “good fellow” with both crowds. He would be safe to win, what ever happened—so he thought. He was the type of man who is for God or His enemies with equal readiness, so long as he can keep in the popular swim. Let us nail down one fact with regard to Judas. He could never lay his downfall to Jesus. He was not forced to do evil. His whole story is one of help refused, opportunity spurned and warnings disregarded. Our Lord was sacrificed as the True Paschal Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7) at the very time of the Passover feast (Jn, 19:14-16, 31; Lk. 23; 53-54). He could not partake of the Passover meal, but by anticipation, He partook of a Passover “ supper” a day previous to the regular time. One will be in complete confusion as to these events until he sees that there were two Sabbaths within that week, with Friday between. The Passover Sabbath, or “ high day” fell that year, according to many authori ties, on Thursday (beginning Wednesday eve)-. Jesus was taken down from the cross in the beginning o f the Passover Sabbath (died Wednesday afternoon). He arose from the dead at the end o f the
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker