Mark Vol. 3 - Week 12 (14:53-72)
Mark 14:53-72
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The King On Trial
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Mark 14:53-72 〰️ The King On Trial 〰️
When we read through a gospel account, arriving at the day of Jesus' resurrection, an inevitable detail that we always come to is Peter's denial of Jesus. This is often the focus because we, too, will deny Christ with our actions or lifestyles, if not our words. Jesus predicts this in v30, telling Peter, "today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."
During this, Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin, hearing one false testimony after another regarding His guilt before the religious leaders (v55-59). Having said nothing in response to the false witnesses, the high priest asked Jesus if He had anything to say. Remaining silent, the high priest asked Jesus, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" (v61). Jesus' response was a stark claim to those in the room who knew their Scriptures (namely, the religious leaders). "I am," said Jesus, "and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven." (v62). Again, Jesus, in His perfect wisdom, knew how to respond. He communicates two things in His response: 1) "I am," and "you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven."
1.I am
The phrase "I am" was one that any self-respecting Hebrew would know: God calls himself "I AM" in Exodus 3:14. The theologian, Matthew Henry, beautifully explains the significance of God calling Himself "I AM" in Exodus 3:
"I AM WHO I AM..."explains his name Jehovah, and signifies, 1) That he is self-existent: he has his being of himself. 2) That he is eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, today, and forever. 3) That he is incomprehensible; we cannot by searching find him out: this name checks all bold and curious inquiries concerning God. 4) That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature; let Israel know this, I AM hath sent me unto you."¹
2. The Son of Man
Jesus acknowledges to the religious leaders that He is the Son of Man, the Messiah, the one who was sent and is to be seated at God's right hand. The Son of Man was a figure written in a prophecy by Daniel.
"I continued watching in the night visions,
and suddenly one like a son of man
was coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of Days
and was escorted before him." (Daniel 7:13)
Here, however, Jesus is telling the hearers that He is the Son of Man. He is the one of whom these prophecies have been spoken: He is the Messiah sent by God, and He will be seated at the right hand of the Father (Psalm 110:1). The high priest then responded, hearing all that he needed to condemn Jesus. To claim to be God was a capital offense, and this man is appropriating the name of the Lord. Hindsight is always better, and we have the luxury of reading this story from beginning to end, reading all of what Jesus experienced, but for many here, He was no more than a man who threatened the destruction of God's temple, claiming to the divine and the savior of Israel.
While all of this is going on, Mark closes chapter 14 with Peter's experience. As Jesus is in the court of the high priestfacing the Sanhedrin, Peter is outside, likely awaiting news of Jesus' fate. Here, he is recognized by a maidservant of the priest-- if she recognized him, surely someone else would. And sadly, Peter did what most people would do in this situation: deny (v68). Three times, Peter denied knowing Jesus before the rooster crowed twice (v68-71). Mark tells us that at the sound of the second rooster crowing, Peter "broke down and wept." There is not much that needs to be said other than acknowledging that betrayal runs deep in our sinful flesh. We follow Jesus in a fallen and broken world, and every sinful word, thought, and deed is a betrayal of our Lord.
As we've talked about before, Mark's Gospel account is a much more succinct and fast-paced account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, so there is little written down by him after the resurrection. John's gospel account, however, has a whole chapter of Jesus interacting with the disciples after His resurrection. In John 21, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. Three times, Peter denied ever knowing Jesus, and three times, Jesus had Peter confess his love for Him (John 21:15-17). In this, we see Jesus' forgiveness on full display. Our Lord went to the cross after one of His closest friends denied ever knowing Him, and forgave him.
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
Do you notice anything about the testimonies against Jesus in v55-60?
What is the significance of Jesus' response?
Why did Peter deny knowing Jesus when asked by others? What was he trying to avoid?
What are some ways you've denied Jesus, either in words or actions (or lack thereof)?
Read John 21:15-17. Jesus knew that Peter loved Him, even though Peter denied knowing Him. If Jesus felt this way about Peter, how do you think He forgives us when we betray Him?