Maundy Thursday
17 April 2025
Vineville Baptist Church
Macon, Georgia
Gregory Pope
PASSION (I)
Mark 14.1-52
On Sunday of his Last Week, Jesus makes his entry into Jerusalem. He clears out all the oppressive practices of the temple reclaiming the temple as “a house of prayer for all people.”
As the chief priests and scribes along with Judas – one of the twelve – are plotting to kill him, Jesus is dining at the home of a Pharisee when in comes a woman, unwelcome by everyone except Jesus. She scandalously pours an expensive jar of perfume on Jesus, anointing him for burial.
On Thursday, under Jesus’ direction, the disciples make preparation for the
Passover Meal. That evening as they share the meal together Jesus makes the stunning announcement that one of the disciples will betray him. The disciples become distressed, wondering who it might be, certain it is not themselves, praying they are not the one.
Then Mark says: While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Then he raised a cup and said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. And after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it.
Jesus and the disciples eat the Passover meal together, and then Jesus stuns his friends proclaiming that though only one will betray him all will become deserters.
Peter, so proud and so devoted, said, “Jesus, even though all become deserters, I will stand with you.” Peter could not fathom deserting his Lord. But Jesus knew Peter better than Peter knew himself, and said, “Peter, truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Peter retorts with full conviction, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And all of them, Mark tells us, every last one of them, said the same thing. None of the disciples believed it could happen to them. But it can happen to any of us. Jesus knew the road ahead. He said, “You will all fall away.”
From the Mount of Olives where they all pledge to fight to the death, Jesus takes with him Peter, James, and John – the inner circle of the disciples – to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is there to pray about the coming crisis. And he needs his friends to be with him for support and prayer. We all need friends for support and prayer, right? As we battle temptation and seek to do God’s will,
Jesus says to us what he said to the disciples: “Watch and pray so that you may not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Three times Jesus tells the disciples to watch and pray. And three times he returns only to find them asleep. When Jesus returns to the sleeping disciples a third time, he says, “Enough! The hour has come. Let us be going. My betrayer is at hand.”
The time has come for Jesus to be arrested. A whole crowd of political and religious leaders confront Jesus with swords and clubs. Imagine: coming to take away the Prince of Peace with instruments of violence.
Judas steps forward. He has struck a deal with the political and religious leaders and ominously greets Jesus face to face: “Rabbi.” Then with lips of betrayal Judas marks Jesus with a kiss.
Jesus says to the authorities and the soldiers, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were criminal? Day after day, I was with you in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me.”
And now at night with the crowds nowhere around, they cowardly reach out to take hold of Jesus. And Mark says, “All the disciples deserted him and fled.” All.
And yet still, our redemption and forgiveness awaits us in the crucified One.