God’s Guiding Word: Prayer
Introduction
Mark 14:32–72: Jesus goes to pray in Gethsemane (an area on a lower slope of the Mount of Olives), and the disciples fall asleep. Jesus is arrested and brought before the Council of chief priests, elders, and teachers of the Law, where he is put on trial.
Today’s Key Verse: Mark 14:36
“Father,” [Jesus] prayed, “my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”
Reading
32 They came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him. Distress and anguish came over him, 34 and he said to them, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. Stay here and keep watch.”
35 He went a little farther on, threw himself on the ground, and prayed that, if possible, he might not have to go through that time of suffering. 36 “Father,” he prayed, “my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”
37 Then he returned and found the three disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Weren’t you able to stay awake for even one hour?” 38 And he said to them, “Keep watch, and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 He went away once more and prayed, saying the same words. 40 Then he came back to the disciples and found them asleep; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to say to him.
41 When he came back the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come! Look, the Son of Man is now being handed over to the power of sinners. 42 Get up, let us go. Look, here is the man who is betraying me!”
43 Jesus was still speaking when Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs and sent by the chief priests, the teachers of the Law, and the elders. 44 The traitor had given the crowd a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want. Arrest him and take him away under guard.”
45 As soon as Judas arrived, he went up to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” and kissed him. 46 So they arrested Jesus and held him tight. 47 But one of those standing there drew his sword and struck at the High Priest’s slave, cutting off his ear. 48 Then Jesus spoke up and said to them, “Did you have to come with swords and clubs to capture me, as though I were an outlaw? 49 Day after day I was with you teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must come true.”
50 Then all the disciples left him and ran away.
51 A certain young man, dressed only in a linen cloth, was following Jesus. They tried to arrest him, 52 but he ran away naked, leaving the cloth behind.
53 Then Jesus was taken to the High Priest’s house, where all the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the Law were gathering. 54 Peter followed from a distance and went into the courtyard of the High Priest’s house. There he sat down with the guards, keeping himself warm by the fire. 55 The chief priests and the whole Council tried to find some evidence against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they could not find any. 56 Many witnesses told lies against Jesus, but their stories did not agree.
57 Then some men stood up and told this lie against Jesus: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will tear down this Temple which men have made, and after three days I will build one that is not made by men.’” 59 Not even they, however, could make their stories agree.
60 The High Priest stood up in front of them all and questioned Jesus, “Have you no answer to the accusation they bring against you?”
61 But Jesus kept quiet and would not say a word. Again the High Priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed God?”
62 “I am,” answered Jesus, “and you will all see the Son of Man seated at the right side of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven!”
63 The High Priest tore his robes and said, “We don’t need any more witnesses! 64 You heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?”
They all voted against him: he was guilty and should be put to death.
65 Some of them began to spit on Jesus, and they blindfolded him and hit him. “Guess who hit you!” they said. And the guards took him and slapped him.
66 Peter was still down in the courtyard when one of the High Priest’s servant women came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked straight at him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus of Nazareth.”
68 But he denied it. “I don’t know … I don’t understand what you are talking about,” he answered, and went out into the passageway. Just then a rooster crowed.
69 The servant woman saw him there and began to repeat to the bystanders, “He is one of them!” 70 But Peter denied it again.
A little while later the bystanders accused Peter again, “You can’t deny that you are one of them, because you, too, are from Galilee.”
71 Then Peter said, “I swear that I am telling the truth! May God punish me if I am not! I do not know the man you are talking about!”
72 Just then a rooster crowed a second time, and Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows two times, you will say three times that you do not know me.” And he broke down and cried.
Reflect
How did Judas identify Jesus to the crowd armed with swords and clubs? What did the other disciples do? Why? Recall Jesus’s words from yesterday’s reading (Mark 14:27): “All of you will run away and leave me … ‘God will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’” Describe Jesus’s trial before the Council (verses 53–65). What accusations were made against him? Do you recall Peter’s promise and words from yesterday’s reading (Mark 14:29, 31)? What did Peter do after Jesus was arrested (verses 66–72)? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt uncomfortable expressing your faith? Explain.
Pray
Almighty God, teach me to do, not what I want, but what you want. Keep me faithful and help me to be obedient to your will. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Mark 15:1–41: Jesus is crucified.
