Transcript:
As we go through life, we spend a lot of time with other people. It might be teammates, schoolmates, co-workers, fellow church members, or our spouse. We tend to think we know those people.
However, sometimes the people we spend much time with turn out to be unreliable, dishonest, or frauds. That is difficult to accept.
When people let us down, we often feel self-pity. That is understandable. However, we should remind ourselves that Jesus also experienced betrayal. In fact He entered the most trying time of His life knowing He would not only be betrayed, but that all the disciples would abandon Him.
As the Passover drew near, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and a woman anointed Him with a jar of very expensive perfume. Around the same time, Judas Iscariot went to the priests and offered to betray Jesus to them. Then on the first day of Unleavened Bread, Jesus sent two disciples into the city to prepare the Passover meal.
Mark 14:17 ¶ And when it was evening He came with the twelve.
Mark 14:18 And as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—the one who is eating with Me.”
The Gospel of John tells us Jesus had dropped some hints that not all the disciples would turn out well. Other than that, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time Jesus told His disciples someone would betray Him.
Mark 14:19 They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”
It appears the disciples were surprised there was a traitor in their midst. The disciples had spent a lot of time together. They had endured many ups and downs. They had persevered through many obstacles. They probably felt like brothers. Learning that one of them was going to betray Jesus was hard to believe. It didn’t seem possible.
We have similar scenarios today. People are caught off guard when a spouse commits adultery. Employers are shocked to learn an employee is stealing from them. Police officers are stunned when a fellow officer turns out to be corrupt.
Within the church, there is disbelief when pastors or elders are revealed as adulterers, abusers, or heretics. It is hard to accept when someone who attended church for decades simply walks away from their faith.
As humans, we think we know the character of the people we are close to, but oftentimes we don’t. When people turn out to be less than they appear, we are shocked. This reveals the difficulty of separating those who are honest and real from those who are pretending.
When we are betrayed, we often feel self-pity. That is normal to an extent. At the same time, whatever betrayal we ever endure is probably mild compared to the betrayal Jesus felt. As much as it was hard for the disciples to believe one of them was a traitor, it had to be very painful for Jesus to know He would be betrayed. When we are betrayed, we can often identify things we might have been able to do to avoid betrayal. Jesus was perfect, so He did not have that thought.
Mark 14:20 And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, the one who dips with Me in the bowl.
Mark 14:21 For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
Mark 14:22 ¶ And while they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.”
Mark 14:23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
Mark 14:24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Mark 14:25 Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Mark 14:26 ¶ And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:27 ¶ And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.’
Jesus quoted Zechariah 13:7. In that passage Zechariah wrote about the future. The context shows the shepherd referred to Jesus.
This was another blow to the disciples. Not only was one of them a traitor, but all of them were going to fall away.
Once again, this was difficult for Jesus. After everything He had done for the disciples, He knew they would abandon Him at the most difficult point of His ministry.
Unfortunately, sometimes our friends and acquaintances are revealed as frauds at our time of greatest need. When we most need a friend or family member to lean on, that is when we learn they are not reliable.
Mark 14:28 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
Mark 14:29 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not.”
Peter thought he knew himself. He thought he would be able to endure any persecution. He believed he could stand strong even if all the other disciples failed.
Mark 14:30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.”
Jesus informed Peter he was not as strong as he thought he was.
Sometimes we are as blind as Peter. We think we know ourselves. We believe we can resist temptation. We tell ourselves we will never fail in certain areas.
And yet, when we are tested, we do fail. When the time comes to stand strong and be principled, we do not have the fortitude to withstand the pressure.
Mark 14:31 But Peter kept saying insistently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also.
Even after Jesus gave Peter specifics of how he would fail, Peter was still in denial.
Mark 14:32 ¶ Then they came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.”
Mark 14:33 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled.
Notice Jesus took Peter, James, and John.
Mark 14:34 And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”
Mark 14:35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
Mark 14:36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”
Mark 14:37 And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch for one hour?
When Jesus came, Peter, James, and John were all sleeping. He singled out Peter because Peter was the one who had proclaimed he would never fall away. In light of that declaration, Jesus asked Peter why he could not stay awake for even one hour.
Mark 14:38 Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 14:39 And again He went away and prayed, saying the same words.
Mark 14:40 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
Mark 14:41 And He came the third time, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Mark 14:42 Get up, let us go; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
As humans, we think we know the character of the people we are close to, but oftentimes we don’t. Many times we don’t even know ourselves as well as we think we do. When people turn out to be less than they appear, we are shocked.
When we are betrayed, we often feel self-pity. That is normal to an extent. At the same time, whatever betrayal we ever endure is probably mild compared to the betrayal Jesus felt.
When people let us down, we should remind ourselves that Jesus also experienced betrayal. He entered the most trying time of His life knowing He would not only be betrayed, but that all the disciples would abandon Him.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”
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