Mark 14:1-2

Passage

Two days prior to the Passover, the plot to kill Jesus gains permanent steam.  The Jewish religious leaders began to plan a way to secretly arrest Jesus and kill Him.  They wanted to do it secretly because they were afraid of the reaction by the crowds during the Passover.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I find it scary just how quickly the evil schemes of men can take shape.  It is two days before the Passover that the Jewish leaders decide in earnest to kill Jesus.  Jesus’ death is arranged and acted upon in the span of a mere 48 hours.  Sure, they’ve been considering Jesus a problem for a while.  But the plan to kill Jesus unfolds quickly and then it’s done.  Evil that lies in the hearts of men finds its target quite fast.

What is the problem with evil acting quickly?  How does this fact help you value the importance of slowing down, thinking about something, getting second opinions, processing life, etc?

Second Thought:

Jerusalem was a highly charged city during the Passover.  An already small city was packed with Jewish crusaders returning to the temple to perform their yearly sacrifices.  The city was packed – sunup to sundown.  There were locals and foreigners mixed.  The Roman soldiers sent to keep peace would already be on alert.  The Jewish leaders knew that any small spark could turn into a large inferno among the people.  If there was a riot, the Roman soldiers would be sent in and the Jews would likely lose even more of their freedom.  They planned to arrest and kill Jesus secretly for the sake of their precious city.  They were concerned not with justice, but for their ability to still rule under the Roman regime.  This is not an act of justice or righteousness.  This is an act of self-mongerism.  It is self-centeredness at its best.

Do you think many things that are done secretly and behind closed doors are self-centered in its core?  How can you tell when something is being done privately for the right reasons or the wrong reasons?

Third Thought:

I’ve always wondered something.  If the Jewish leaders were afraid of the crowd, why did they just not wait a few weeks?  That would be the logical thing.  After all, it’s not like Jesus had ever gone into hiding.  It’s not like they couldn’t have found Him elsewhere.  Why do it now when Jerusalem was so charged?  I think the answer lies in their humanity.  They wanted to be in charge.  They knew Jesus would be an easy capture since He was in Jerusalem “stirring up trouble.”  They wanted to be seen by the crowds as having the authority to deal with situations.  But I think there is still a higher answer.  God wanted Jesus to be the “Passover sacrifice.”  God wanted Jesus to been seen as the lamb that was sacrificed so people could be released from their bondage.  Jesus dying during Passover was a plan in action for roughly 1,500 years.  The Jewish leaders had their reasons for it happening during the crowded days of Passover.  So did God.

How cool is it that God’s will wins out?  Even when logic would indicate that the Jewish leaders could have easily picked a better time to crucify Jesus, God’s will wins out!  How can this point help you realize that God genuinely is in charge of this world?

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 14: 3-5