Mark 14: The Last Supper and the Promise of Deliverance
Pastor Tim's sermon focuses on Mark 14 and the significance of the Last Supper, explaining its context within the Passover tradition and Jesus' arrival. He highlights how the Passover meal pointed to Jesus as the ultimate deliverer from spiritual enslavement, just as the Exodus delivered the Israelites from Egypt. The sermon explores the symbolism of the bread and wine as representing Jesus' body and blood, establishing a new covenant. It emphasizes both the historical remembrance and the future anticipation of a great feast in God's kingdom, connecting the Last Supper to both the Exodus and the ultimate heavenly celebration. The passage concludes with a reflection on personal enslavement and the liberating power of Jesus, alongside the communal act of communion.
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Study Guide: Mark 14 and The Last Supper
Key Themes:
The Passover as a historical event and its foreshadowing of Jesus' sacrifice.
The meaning and symbolism of the Last Supper/Communion.
Jesus as the centerpiece of God's redemptive story.
The theme of deliverance and freedom from spiritual enslavement.
God's sovereignty and control in the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.
The contrast between the immediate experience of the disciples and the later understanding of these events.
The anticipation of a future, ultimate celebration in God's kingdom.
Quiz:
What is the significance of the timing of the Last Supper in relation to the Jewish calendar? Why is the Festival of Unleavened Bread and the sacrifice of the Passover lamb important in this context?
Describe the unusual instruction Jesus gives his disciples for preparing the Passover meal. What detail stands out, and what might be its significance?
Explain the connection Pastor Tim draws between the original Passover in Exodus and the concept of deliverance that Jesus embodies. What kind of enslavement does Jesus offer to free people from?
How does Jesus reinterpret the elements of the Passover meal (bread and wine) during the Last Supper? What new meaning and symbolism does he attach to them?
What is the significance of Jesus' statement that one of his disciples would betray him during the Last Supper? How do the disciples react to this announcement?
Pastor Tim highlights the generosity of Christ in sharing a meal with his betrayer. Explain why this act is considered significant and what it reveals about Jesus' character.
What does Jesus mean when he refers to the "blood of the covenant" in relation to the cup of wine? How does this connect to the Old Testament understanding of covenants?
Explain the two time perspectives associated with communion as discussed in the sermon. What do believers look back to, and what do they anticipate when participating in communion?
What is the significance of the singing of Psalms 113 and 114 after the Last Supper? What themes in these psalms connect to the events of the Passover and Jesus' impending death and resurrection?
According to Pastor Tim, what is the initial and ultimate fulfillment that the celebration of communion points towards? How does our current practice relate to this future hope?
Answer Key:
The Last Supper takes place on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the same day the Passover lamb was customarily sacrificed. This timing is significant because the Passover commemorates Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt through the blood of the lamb, which foreshadows Jesus' sacrifice as the ultimate Lamb of God for the deliverance from sin and death.
Jesus instructs his disciples to follow a man carrying a jar of water, which was unusual for men at that time. This detail likely served as a prearranged sign, demonstrating Jesus' foreknowledge and control over the events leading up to his death, reinforcing the theme of God's sovereignty.
The original Passover involved deliverance from physical slavery in Egypt through the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. Jesus, through the Last Supper, presents himself as the one who brings deliverance from spiritual enslavement, such as anger, fear, loss, loneliness, and doubt – anything that controls the heart and soul apart from God.
Jesus breaks the unleavened bread and says, "Take this, this is my body," and offers the cup of wine, saying, "This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many." He reinterprets these Passover elements to symbolize his own body, which would be broken, and his blood, which would be shed for the forgiveness of sins and the establishment of a new covenant.
Jesus' announcement that one of his disciples would betray him during the Last Supper highlights the depth of human fallibility and the preordained nature of his suffering. The disciples are deeply saddened and each wonders if he could be the one, revealing their awareness of their own potential weaknesses.
Sharing a meal, a sign of intimacy and fellowship, with someone he knew would betray him demonstrates the profound generosity and unconditional love of Christ. It illustrates his willingness to engage with even his enemies and underscores the sacrificial nature of his mission.
When Jesus refers to the "blood of the covenant," he is alluding to the establishment of a new relationship between God and humanity, sealed by his sacrifice. This echoes the Old Testament concept of covenants being ratified by blood, but Jesus' blood establishes a permanent and ultimate covenant of grace.
Communion has a dual time perspective: believers look back to the Last Supper and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, remembering his death and resurrection. Simultaneously, they look forward to the future, ultimate celebration – the wedding feast of the Lamb in God's kingdom, where Jesus will partake with his followers in glory.
The singing of Psalms 113 and 114, which recount God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt and his miraculous power over nature (like the parting of the Red Sea and water from the rock), connects to the themes of exodus and liberation. It frames Jesus' actions within the larger narrative of God's saving work and foreshadows his own miraculous deliverance from death.
The initial fulfillment that communion points towards is the present reality of spiritual freedom and the forgiveness of sins made possible by Jesus' sacrifice. The ultimate fulfillment is the future, unimaginable celebration and feast in God's eternal kingdom, signifying complete redemption and union with God.
Essay Format Questions:
Discuss the significance of the Passover context in understanding the meaning and implications of the Last Supper as described in Mark 14. How does Jesus both fulfill and transform the traditions of the Passover?
Analyze Pastor Tim's emphasis on Jesus as the "centerpiece" of the biblical narrative. How does the account of the Last Supper in Mark 14 illustrate this theme, and what are the implications for Christian understanding of scripture?
Explore the concept of "enslavement" as presented in the sermon. What does it mean to be spiritually enslaved, and how does Jesus offer deliverance according to the interpretation of Mark 14?
Examine the contrasting perspectives of the disciples at the Last Supper and the later understanding of these events by believers. What does this contrast reveal about faith, revelation, and the sovereignty of God?
Discuss the relationship between the present practice of communion and the future hope of a heavenly banquet as described in the sermon. How does the contemporary ritual connect believers to both the past sacrifice of Christ and the future promises of God?
Glossary of Key Terms:
Passover: A major Jewish holiday commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It involves a special meal (Seder) and remembrance of the events of the Exodus.
Festival of Unleavened Bread: A seven-day festival that begins immediately after Passover. It commemorates the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt, not having time for their bread to rise.
Last Supper: The final meal Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion, during which he instituted the practice of communion.
Communion: A Christian ritual (also known as the Eucharist or Lord's Supper) based on the Last Supper, involving the sharing of bread and wine as symbols of Christ's body and blood.
Exodus: The biblical account of the Israelites' departure from slavery in Egypt under the leadership of Moses.
Olivet Discourse: A sermon given by Jesus on the Mount of Olives (recorded in Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21), concerning the destruction of the temple, his second coming, and the end times.
Bethany: A village near Jerusalem, where Jesus was anointed before the Last Supper.
Garden of Gethsemane: A garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed and was arrested.
Upper Room: Traditionally believed to be the location where Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples.
Seder: A ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Yahweh: The Hebrew name for God.
New Covenant: In Christian theology, the agreement established between God and humanity through Jesus Christ, superseding the Old Covenant established with the nation of Israel.
Wedding Feast of the Lamb: A symbolic depiction in the Book of Revelation of the ultimate union between Christ (the Lamb) and his church in the new creation.
