July 27th, 2024

This Sunday’s title, the ‘Tenth Sunday after Pentecost’, continues the progression away from the festival of Pentecost. And this Sunday’s Gospel reading of Mark 6:45-56 progresses along toward the cross within the Gospel according to Mark. The writings that are given on this website progress much the same way, with the same Gospel account, but we are much further along within that account.

The last part of last week’s writing could be called the institution of the Lord’s Supper. After that event, the text contains the information that a hymn was sung, and then the group went out to the Mount of Olives. That amount of information was left for this week’s writing.

This week’s writing will contain all the information that is available from this account regarding the disciples’ time with Jesus in that special Garden on that special night. It is interesting that all three similar accounts point out that the arresting party comes while Jesus is still speaking. (Please feel free to compare Matthew 26:47, Mark 14:43, and Luke 22:47.)

This is an important time. These are important words. But they are cut off; they end. And that is much the same thing with the four gospel accounts. They do not have additions. We do not have six gospel accounts now. The four work very well together. It also could be said that the teachings have limited importance. But the sacrifice of the God-man is all-important. It may be rude to interrupt someone who is talking, but this qualifies as a very important event.

It should also be noted, for those who are new to these writings, that there are a lot of words in bold print. These are historical presents, when a verb could be in the past tense, but it is given in the present. These verbs have to do with authority and glory, who Jesus is and what he came to do. They also connect with the meaning of a throne for a king.

The translation that follows may be called ‘somewhat-literal’, and the text is what may be called Mark 14:26-42 (and you may wish to look at other translations and study bibles for additional help with this text):

And having sung a hymn, they came out into the Mount of the Olives. And he says to them, the Jesus, “All you will be scandalized, that it has been written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep, they will be scattered.’ But on the contrary, after the, to be raised, me, I will go before you into the Galilee.”

Now the Peter responded to him, “If also all, they will be scandalized, but on the contrary, not I.”

And he says to him, the Jesus, “Amen, I am saying to you, today, in this, the night, before the twice, a rooster to sound, three times, me, you will deny.”

Now the one, more exceedingly he was speaking, “If it is necessary me, to die with you, certainly not you, I will deny.” Now, similarly, also all, they were saying.

And they come into a place of which the name, Gethsemane, and he says to the disciples of him, “Sit here while I pray.” And he takes along the Peter and the Jacob and the John with him, and he began to be marveled out and to be distressed, and he says to them, “Very grieved is the soul of me, until death; remain here and watch.”

And having come forward a little, he was falling upon the ground, and he was praying that, if possible it is, it might come by from him, the hour, and he was saying, “Abba, the Father, all possible for you; remove the cup, this, from me; but on the contrary, not what I, myself, am wanting, but on the contrary, what you….”

And he comes and he finds them sleeping, and he says to the Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? You did, did you not have the power, one hour to watch? Watch and pray, that not you come into temptation; on the one hand, the spirit, eager; on the other hand, the flesh, weak.”

And again, having come away, he prayed the same word, having said. And again, having come, he found them sleeping, for they were, of them, the eyes, being weighed down, and not they knew what they should answer him.​

And he comes the third, and he says to them, “Sleep the now and rested? It is enough; it came, the hour; see, he is betrayed, the Son of the Man, into the hands of the sinners. Rise, let us go; see, the one betraying me has drawn near.”