August 3rd, 2024

This Sunday’s title is known as the ‘Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost’, and the Gospel reading for this Sunday is from a very special place. This is the first of three Sundays that the reading is within that very special gospel account, the Gospel according to John (6:22-35). Since the gospel account that we are looking at this year, the Gospel according to Mark, is the shortest of the four, for three Sundays the text will be from the Gospel according to John, after the feeding of the five thousand, to give some length to the study of the Gospel according to Mark. But in the writings of this website, we are much farther along in the Gospel according to Mark than the feeding of the five thousand.

Last week’s writing made the point that each of the similar gospel accounts (usually and quickly referred to as Matthew, Mark, and Luke) have an interruption of what Jesus was saying at the point of his arrest. As true God, Jesus could easily have kept talking. And literally, with all the power in the world, he could have continued to talk, and he could have combined that with a big, booming voice, ‘Do NOT interrupt me!’ Or with his power, he simply could have not allowed this arrest to happen. But his love was the important thing at this point in time. His power was not a big deal. But that powerful love will continue to be seen as he draws even closer to the cross and pays the price for all sin.

The fact is, though, that the cross, along with the payment of Jesus, was made so long ago. We are now at about two thousand years and counting. But there are ways in which gifts like the forgiveness come into the present. This could happen with so-called ‘sacraments’ or ‘sacred acts’. A much more literary way is when the writer used what is called the ‘historical presents’, where a past tense verb is expected in the text, but a present tense is given. (These are shown in bold print below.) These verbs have to do with Jesus’ glory, the ramifications of what was done by God while Jesus did his job on earth.

What follows could be called a ‘somewhat-literal’ translation of Mark 14:43-52 (and you may wish to look at other translations or a study bible to help with your understanding of the text):

And immediately, still he speaking, he arrives, Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd, with swords and clubs, from the archpriests and the scribes and the presbyters. Now he had given, the one betraying him, a signal to them saying, “Whomever I kiss, he, himself, is…. Seize him, and lead away securely.” And having come, immediately having come toward him, he says, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Now the ones threw upon, the hands to him, and they seized him. Now one, a certain of the ones standing by, having drawn the sword, he struck the servant of the archpriest, and he cut off of him, the ear.

And having answered, the Jesus, he said to them, “As against a robber you came out with swords and clubs to arrest me? Each day I was with you in the temple teaching, and not you seized me, but on the contrary, that they may be fulfilled, the writings.”
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And having left him, they fled, all. And a young man, a certain one, he was following him, having thrown around, a nightgown upon naked, and they seize him. Now he, having left behind the nightgown, naked, he fled.​