The "New" Covenant

Mark 14:22-25

Jesus has gone off-script. First, he revealed a betrayal was in the works by one of his disciples, which raised the roof on the upper room. Second, instead of following the way Passover has been reenacted by each generation, Jesus blesses the elements, then brings forward and ratifies a new covenant.

This Passover is like none other before.

And these four verses create questions. Did Jesus give the bread and cup to the disciples as his body and blood? "Take; this is my body." "This is my blood." Were his statements to be interpreted as compensatory death and satisfaction atonement? "To die or not to die" -- was that the question?

Jesus knew he was going to die. Without question. Those in opposition to his message of Good News wanted to annihilate him, and in so doing, bring death to his ministry and actions. Their grand scheme -- wipe Jesus off the face of the earth, to be forgotten like so many other "so-called Messiahs."

Ultimately, what was at stake? The fate of the kingdom of God.

At that time, the covenant between Israel and God was entirely dependent on obedience of the law -- Exodus 24:3-8. Break the law; break the covenant and thereby break the relationship with God (as judge). Failure would be the constant result. No relationship could ever truly exist and thrive.

At Passover with his disciples, Jesus introduces a new covenant -- one that isn't dependent upon the law. "He took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it." The new covenant is "poured out for many." Not just a select few. Not just for Israel. For all of us.

Jesus will die and his blood will be shed. Yet, he also knows the new covenant is dependent on love, not the law.

Did You Know...?

The Gospel of Matthew follows the story as written by Mark (the first gospel) but adds "for the forgiveness of sins." The Gospel of Luke (composed after Matthew) adds "do this in remembrance of me."

What else is significant and can be gleaned from "the Lord's Supper" passage?

MARK makes no mention of lamb being eaten at the table, which was part of Passover. Maybe the writer was allowing for something else to be considered. Maybe it was because the "Lamb of God" was at the table.

What does the bread and cup represent beyond the body and blood of Christ? The kingdom of God.

Jesus "gave" the bread and cup to his disciples. He provided them with a gift. What does one do with a gift after receiving it? They open it, then put it to use. The gift which the disciples received, they consumed and were to live out. It opened them to new life -- no longer bound to "old." They became one with God; they identified with Jesus.

Taking the bread and cup isn't passive; it's active. By partaking in communion, the disciples will carry out Jesus' ministry and mission.

Does not the same apply to us? It's not without cost. Our lives are transformed from old to new. What "was" dies; what "is" lives.

Reflecting further on select verses (from the Gospel of John):

* "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." [i]

* "I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me." [ii]

* "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them." [iii]

* "This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." [iv]

The Study Group shared their thoughts about this passage, some of which included:

* "Jesus did this because of God's love for all of us." -- Brenda

* "By accepting these elements, we're responsible for paying it forward." -- Patrick

* "When I've given myself to God, I'm not #1 anymore." -- C.J.

Jesus said, "Follow me." With the bread and cup, he said, "Take." What do we do now?

NEXT

Three times

 

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[i] John 6:35 (NRSV)

[ii] John 6:38 (NRSV)

[iii] John 6:56 (NRSV)

[iv] John 6:58 (NRSV)

Leaving Nothing to Chance

Mark 14:12-21

The time is near.

Before the start of Passover is the first day of Unleavened Bread. "Traditionally, the day before the Festival begins is the day when the last chametz ["yeast, leaven"] must be removed from the house and burned, and from that moment on the only bread found in the house will be matzah ["unleavened bread"]. [i] (Exodus 12:15-20)

By 6 pm on Thursday, Passover would commence. Another way to look at it would be... "Friday" began on "Thursday" at 6 pm. The Temple in Jerusalem was beyond busy, as lambs were being brought to the slaughter.

"The worshipper must slay his own lamb, thereby, as it were, making his own sacrifice. But in Jewish eyes, all blood was sacred to God, because the Jew equated the blood and the life. ...Between the worshippers and the altar were two long lines of priests, each with a gold or silver bowl. As the lamb's throat was slit, the blood was caught in one of these bowls, and passed up the line, until the priest at the end of the line dashed it upon the altar." [ii]

After the carcass was flayed and parts of the lamb were extracted, the worshipper would carry the lamb home to be roasted.

In the Passover countdown, the disciples knew preparations must happen; hence, their question to Jesus, "Where do you want us to go?"

What follows indicates Jesus was leaving nothing to chance. He sent two disciples from his inner circle to the city (which Luke 22:8 reveals as Peter and John).

"...a man carrying a jar of water will meet you;..."

Seems rather straightforward, right? Not so much when carrying a jar of water was the responsibility of a woman. Seeing a man with a water-pot on his shoulder was like a flashing sign no one could miss.

"...; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house,..."

For two trusted disciples to follow someone to see a person they didn't know meant Jesus was in the know. And the owner knows Jesus as "The Teacher."

Did You Know...?

Some theologians believe "the owner of the house" was the writer, Mark. Later in the evening, when Jesus and the disciples left the house, Mark accompanied them to the Garden of Gethsemane.

After stating what "the Teacher" asks, the owner "will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."

"The larger Jewish homes had upper rooms. Such houses looked exactly like a smaller box placed on top of a bigger box. The smaller box was the upper room, and it was approached by an outside stair, making it unnecessary to go through the main room." [iii]

Everything had been pre-arranged. Peter and John "found everything as he had told them."

Time passes. It is now after 6 pm, and Jesus and the disciples have taken their places in the upper room. Although it is marked as a Passover, the writer of the Gospel glosses over essential details of the meal. Instead Mark cuts to the quick.

"Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."

The jaws of the disciples had to have dropped. "What are you talking about?" "What do you mean?" "No way, no how!" "Surely, it couldn't be me!" "None of us would do that!"

Through all of the astonishment and dismay, Jesus confirms their fear. How horrible to hear such bewildering news. That one of your own trusted band would even think to commit such an act.

Interestingly, none of the disciples pointed accusations at the treasurer, who wasn't from Galilee. None of them had a clue as to what Judas had set into motion (yet still had to follow-through).

Even more interesting is... Jesus could've stopped Judas in his tracks, in that very moment and in that very room. Can you imagine what would've occurred if Jesus had said, "Judas will betray me"?

Yet, Jesus shared with all of them, "...woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born."

Judas has been made out to be a person of darkness, born to betray Jesus. That's why Jesus let him do it. Judas was damned forever from the outset.

Consider...

* Jesus didn't name Judas.

* Jesus provided an opportunity for Judas to not follow-through with his plan.

* Jesus warned Judas about the consequences of such a choice.

To the man eating a meal with Jesus, a choice was given. Either "follow me and God" or "follow yourself." It is an example of free will.

All of us are responsible for the choices we make. In the decision-making though, do we include God in the mix?

NEXT

"My body; my blood"

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[i] Jewish New Testament Commentary -- p. 78

[ii] The Gospel of Mark, Barclay -- pp. 332-333

[iii] The Gospel of Mark, Barclay -- p. 331