202, life of christ, section 10a passion crucifixion resurrection

Passion, crucifixion and resurrection

Thursday, 10 October 13

The final events in the life of Christ seem to happen very quicklyProbably the plot of the leaders to kill Jesus is finalised by Tuesday - they do not want it to happen during the Passover as Jesus is still popularBlomberg suggests their original plan might have been changed as they end up arresting Jesus at night and during the PassoverThere is nothing that we can say definitely happened on the Wednesday - so we move on to Thursday night...


Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?’13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.14 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?” 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’


16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me – one who is eating with me.’19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, ‘Surely you don’t mean me?’20 ‘It is one of the Twelve,’he replied, ‘one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 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.’


22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.24 ‘This is my blood of the[c] covenant, which is poured out for many,’ he said to them. 25 ‘Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%2014&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24779c

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk%2014&version=ESVUK;MSG;NLT;NIVUK;MOUNCE#fen-NIVUK-24779c

Thursday night: the last supper and Garden of Gethsemane

The last supperMk 14:10-26Matthew 26:25 mentions the 30 pieces of silver - a fulfillment of prophecy- what motivated Judas?- greed (it was not that much money)- trying to force Jesus to take action and be a political military deliverer- unhappy with Jesus being a “suffering servant”


Mk 14:12 - the first day - was the first official day of the week long festival of Passover- no yeast in the house- Jesus appears to be wanting privacy / secrecy- Passover was the favourite meal of the year for most Jews and took place as a family- performed as God had commanded and commemorating the flight from Egypt- Jesus acts as the father of a “family”, who were arranged around a U shaped table


Mk 14:12 - the first day - was the first official day of the week long festival of Passover- no yeast in the house- Jesus appears to be wanting privacy / secrecy- Passover was the favourite meal of the year for most Jews and took place as a family- performed as God had commanded and commemorating the flight from Egypt- Jesus acts as the father of a “family”, who were arranged around a U shaped table

Secret are a South Korean

pop groupThursday, 10 October 13

- Jesus as host would have been second from one end, John on his right and Judas on his left- Peter would have been in the humble servants position (opposite John)- they would have said the Passover liturgy (haggadah)- each had 4 cups of wine and a part of Ex 6:6-7a was repeatedBlomberg suggests it would have been like this:


Jesus is proclaiming a new Passover, available through his coming death - the synoptics cover this to differing degrees whilst John focusses upon footwashing- next the betrayal of Judas is predicted- then the meal takes placeFootwashing John 13:1-20- Jesus is showing his love- really dirty feet- job for the most menial slave


- the event is open to interpretation e.g. some suggest that Peter understands the principle is about spiritual cleansing, but then in asking for a bath he misinterprets it - he receives salvation as a one off event and then the footwashing is simply a forgiveness/cleansing for subsequent sin- in itself this was simply a common courtesy offered to guests- some churches make it an ordinance / sacrament


Jesus now goes on to declare one of his disciples is “not clean” and will betray him“Ancient hospitality customs were such that a guest sitting at table was sacrosanct and protected from harm from anyone else present. Thus in the most intimate setting we have the beginning of the gravest sort of betrayal” Ben Witherington- how do we hold together the human culpability of Judas and the sovereign plan of God? Was Judas really responsible for his actions?


After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, ‘Ask him which one he means.’25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’


26 Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.So Jesus told him, ‘What you are about to do, do quickly.’ 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.


Luke gives a more detailed account- his 2nd cup is probably the 3rd of the haggadah - he is speaking of his death at the same time as drinking the cup celebrating God’s redemption (from Egypt)- much debate his followed on when / if the bread and wine become his body and blood - transubstantiation / consubstatiation but at the time the meaning was plain and simple - so this debate is for your theology lectures!- in effect it was an enacted parable or prophetic action


Predicting Peter’s denialMk 14:27-31As the time for departure nears Jesus predicts all will desert him and specifically Peter will deny him 3x before the cock crows 2x- even at this time Jesus acts to comfort Peter- Luke 22 has Jesus changing the nature of the post resurrection work - for now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.- Blomberg suggests that Jesus response is “Never mind, you just don’t get it” Lk 22:38


Jesus’ final speech (discourse)Jn 14:1-17:26Once again the nature of this material is more didactic in nature and so our comments will not be extensive.Only John records a far longer bersion of events after the Passover meal.- it is suggested that Jn 14-17 follow a pattern in Jewish literature of a hero about to die who is instructing his followers how to live after he has gone


Jesus’ final speech (discourse)Jn 14:1-17:26- 14-16 is the address- 17 is his high priestly prayer14:1-31 Jesus departure and return15:1-17 vine and branches15:18-16:4 - hatred from the world16:5-33 more on departure and return17:1-26 the “true” or “real” Lord’s prayer


In Gethsemane


Prayer and arrest in the gardenMk 14:32-52Jesus and the disciples walk to the Garden of Gethsemane (from Hb for “oil press”- he takes 3 with him and goes to a private place where he prays and encourages them also to pray that they would not succumb to temptation- Mk 14:36 ‘Abba, Father,’ he said,‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’


Prayer and arrest in the gardenMk 14:32-52Jesus and the disciples walk to the Garden of Gethsemane (from Hb for “oil press”- he takes 3 with him and goes to a private place where he prays and encourages them also to pray that they would not succumb to temptation- Mk 14:36 ‘Abba, Father,’ he said,‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’

- the frailty of his humanity and perfect obedience are revealed in the prayer- Jesus’ prayer is not answered in the manner he asked for - see Heb 5:7- in fact the answer was in death and resurrection not being saved from death- Judas arrives with Jewish (and possibly Roman) authorities to arrest Jesus- Jesus awakes the disciples and then is kissed by Judas

Why did Judas need to identify Jesus?


- maybe the darkness or he looked like some of the other disciples- the authorities had swords and clubs, they feared problems?- Peter cuts off the servants ear (Malchus Jn 18:10)- Jesus rebukes him and heals the mans ear, even at this stage he is showing forgiveness Lk 22:51, it is not the time for rebellion Matt 26:52-56- Jesus is in control, after all the soldiers fall at his feet Jn 18:4-9- the disciples run for their lives, including a naked man Mk 14:51f!


202, life of christ, section 10a passion crucifixion resurrection

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