Mark Series Part 62, Mark 14:27-31 ‘Death Before Dishonour and Peter In Denial’
This episode sees Sean unpack the well intentioned disciple Peter’s explosive personality on the journey between 'The Last Supper & Gethsemane'. As Jesus is preparing himself for what is to come, he warns his disciples that they will all stumble and fall away from him in the coming hours and days. Peter objects and is adamant he would lay down his life before deny being associated with Jesus.
Jesus knows only too well how this will play out, and rather than rip into his mates, he throws a wonderful lifeline of reunion which they fail to see. As Peter wants to be the hero, Jesus points a way of discipleship that isn’t based on human heroics, but grounded in the mercy of God.
The full transcript follows below.
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You can also read the relevant bible passage, Mark 14:27-31 online at:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2014%3A27-31&version=NIV
You can also subscribe to this series playlist on YouTube here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL17ig7Gb4cmCknxZs7IVgFlJgIPREKISf&si=IrQfzXaoSovNUIr7 and also find 150+ additional bible reflections and stories, from various God’s Squad members around the world.
You can also view this video and others from the playlist on God's Squad CMC International's Facebook Page here.
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Sean Stillman is God’s Squad’s International President and member of GSCMC South Wales, UK.
This presentation, and many of the previous and following ones in this series that Sean will present, includes references, quotes and research from the following sources;
Meeting God in Mark, Rowan Williams, 2014.
Binding the Strong Man, Ched Myers, 1998, (2008 edition)
Mark, Paideia Commentary on the New Testament, Mary Ann Beavis, 2011.
The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, William L. Lane, 1974.
The Gospel According to St. Mark, Black’s New Testament Commentaries, Morna D. Hooker, 1981, (2003 edition)
Life on the Road, Athol Gill, 1992.
Mark, New International Biblical Commentary, Larry W. Hurtado, 1983, (1998 edition).
Mark, Tyndale New Testament Commentary, R. Alan Cole, 1961, (1989 edition)
Mark Gospel of Action: Personal and Community Responses, Ed. John Vincent, 2006
This episode also referenced the songs “Land of Hope & Dreams” by Bruce Springsteen and “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield.
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The Full Transcript is below:
Part 62, Mark 14:27-31 'Jesus predicts Peter's Denial’
“Death Before Dishonour and Peter in Denial”
Welcome to to the next episode in our series taking a journey through the Gospel of Mark, where he records the road trip of Jesus’s ministry, with his band of disciples.
Mark writes the story down for early followers of Jesus that were facing extreme persecution, some years later.
In today’s episode, the idea of ‘Death before dishonour’ becomes a prominent theme - something anyone associated with motorcycle clubs will be well aware of.
So, the journey had begun in a region called Galilee. It was way north of Jerusalem and the religious elite considered Galilee to be something of a dirty backwater kind of place. Compromising in its cultural heritage, Galilee was frowned upon.
Yet this was where Jesus began his ministry.
Despite his immediate own neighbourhood struggling to take him seriously at first, crowds of disaffected, marginalised people gathered around him —People that were beaten down by both the state, and the religious institution. They were worn out, and looking for a way out.
Jesus seemed to fit that ideal and the ruling classes were getting nervous.
So nervous in fact, there was now a serious plot to take Jesus out, to silence him - to kill him.
Jesus challenge of of the religious ruling class had eventually taken him to the centre of the seat of power, the temple in Jerusalem. Recent episodes explored this.
It’s festival time when he arrives — A festival that remembers a time is Israel’s history when they were liberated from oppressive rule.
In the last episode, we looked at how Jesus celebrated this festival feast with his small band of followers. It was in a secluded attic room, away from the public eye. Jesus was only too aware of the plot to kill him.
As they shared this hugely symbolic meal together, he put new meaning to it. As well as celebrating the faithfulness of God in their history, there was a new dark chapter to come - Jesus was to die, and what’s more, one of the disciples would betray him, taking payment from the would be executioners.
After they shared this evening meal together, they left the place and made a 20 minute walk to the Mount of Olives, towards the garden of Gethsemane. Normally Jesus stayed in neighbouring Bethany, but tonight festival traditions meant they should stay within the city area. Maybe there were other pilgrims doing the same, camping out on the hillside.
As they made this walk, they’d sang familiar songs. Eating, drinking and singing together, three of the best things a community of people can do together. The blues songs of the Psalms most likely. With words that held their story of suffering and God’s faithfulness in balance; testimonies of their cultural and religious survival.
So let’s pick up on the story, reading from Mark 14 v 27-31, and it strikes a sobering tone;
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
v27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: (quoting Zechariah 13:7)
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
So after Jesus had used the imagery before of him being a new sacrificial lamb, he now refers to himself as the shepherd, about to be killed and his flock running off.
v28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
v29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
v30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
v31 But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
So, here we see the disciple Peter in all his glory!!
As Jesus bluntly says them all, “I’m going to die, and you lot are all going to stumble and fall away. ALL OF YOU!”
Mark’s Gospel isn’t a story of ‘How Jesus Started a Church’ - it’s story about discipleship - following in the ways of Jesus - about how a community of people could embody his message and carry on the work.
The disciples had continuously messed up. They were slow to learn, vain, & argumentative. Peter, the most outspoken one, despite his best efforts to say, he would “deny himself, and take up his cross” (8:34) to follow Jesus, he would do the opposite.
Here, he says, “…even if they all bail out, I won’t, you can count on me Jesus”.
But Jesus knows better than to believe Peter’s good intentions.
“Pete”, he says, “by the time morning comes around, you’ll have disowned me three times”.
But Peter insists, “I’ll die before I disown you. I will lay down my life for you. you can count on me”.
And we all know what follows of course. Peter screwed up. He bailed out as well. First Judas, then Peter and ALL the disciples would desert Jesus at his most vulnerable.
Let’s remember, Mark is writing to a young church community that is confused and fearful, facing persecution. Miraculous signs aren’t falling from the sky, God seems silent. They are frightened, they are insecure.
Mark is bringing us right to edge to make a point that we can’t do this on our own. It isn’t going to be nice and tidy - the path of following Christ is often messy. It’s about find God in the heart of the suffering and pain. Finding threads of his mercy in the chaos of it all.
Here in today’s reading, the disciples, and Peter especially, think they’re indestructible.
But Jesus knew, that for all Peter’s brave and bold words, his explosive protest amounted to a lot of hot air.
Jesus knew that he himself, was the sacrificial lamb, that he would die, and he was also the Good Shepherd, that would be struck down - Jesus also knew his flock would be scattered. There was to be a complete failure of his disciples abandoning their posts.
But what this does do, is emphasise just how fragile the faith is, of those who think they can do this in their own strength.
Peter was the one who Mark records as:
- Knowing Jesus is the Messiah (8:29)
- Tries to stop Jesus going the way of the Cross (8:32-33)
- Wants to stay on the mountain to extend the religious experience (9:5)
- Boasts that they have left everything to follow him (10:28)
- And now he says, “I will NOT deny you!”
But, Jesus doesn’t want heroes, he wants disciples.
Peter thought he was the main man, but the community of Jesus followers would not be built on human leadership skills and fancy words - but on Christ alone, bathed in God’s mercy and grace.
And, let’s not forget, some of the main opposers to Jesus were decent people, who meant well. Pillars of the community - the scribes, the pharisees, chief priests, elders - those whose role it was to uphold morality and devotion to God. But they too had missed the point.
Athol Gill, in his book ‘Life on the Road’, said, the kind of discipleship Jesus looks for “is not a human achievement; it is only possible through a divine miracle of grace”.
And this is where we find the key to these few verses.
You see, in the middle of this little exchange is verse 28, which says:
“But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Mark paints us a picture here of the disciples being so wrapped up in their own pride, and the darkness of the possibility of Jesus being killed, they miss the ‘killer line’ in Jesus’s response!
“After I have risen, I, will go ahead of you, into Galilee.”
Jesus knows the disciples will screw up. He also knows death is not the end of him. Resurrection was to follow. There will be a reunion - he was not about to cast them aside.
And where would he meet them?
In the temple courts so they could rub the noses of the temple authorities in it?
No, After I have risen - “I will see you in Galilee”.
Whether it translates, “I’ll meet you there”, or “I’ll lead you there”, makes no difference.
As we near the end of Mark’s gospel, it will send us back to the beginning to learn even more. Galilee.
He was to meet them back where it all started. Back in that marginalised backwater, in the dirty northern region of Galilee.
Back where the crowds were wanting liberation from oppression, not among the temple authorities wanting to execute him.
It would be back in Galilee these cowardly disciples, full of hot air, well intentioned as they might have been, would realise where their true strength, courage, honour, and power would be found - in the risen Christ.
They would be restored and renewed in Galilee.
Jesus early teaching like, “Repent - wake up - turn around - the Kingdom of God is close enough to touch” will take on deeper meaning.
Gradually their eyes would be opened in the light of resurrection hope.
Jesus fully anticipated the collapse of his followers as he faced arrest and execution.
Likewise, he’s not surprised at our own betrayals, & failures.
Our well intentioned words that have failed to deliver and maybe even some downright denials of our faith.
God’s plans weren’t depending on the courage or honour of those disciples, and they still aren’t, when we consider our own road of discipleship.
The moment we think we can do it all for Christ, without depending entirely on Christ, without abandoning ourselves to his grace and mercy, is the moment we get it all wrong. True ‘heroes-of-the-faith’, like Oscar Romero, who was mentioned last week, are actually true disciples.
In closing. One of my favourite songwriters is Springsteen. In his song ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’, which he often medleys with the Curtis Mayfield’s gospel influenced song, ‘People Get Ready’.
Springsteen’s lyrics speak about a train that carries;
“saints and sinners, losers and winners,
whores and gamblers, lost souls,
fools and kings, and the broken hearted.”
And, where “Dreams won’t be thwarted” and “faith will be rewarded”,
and the “bells of freedom will be ringing”.
I wonder if it’s a train that could have been headed to Galilee to meet with Jesus once more.
When this long, cold, dark night is over,
when your long, cold, dark night is over,
when my long, cold, dark night is over,
like the disciples, I’ll see you in Galilee - where we do life on the road, with the resurrected Jesus.
That’s my hope for today,
and that’s my dream for tomorrow.
Jesus still doesn’t need heroes, just faithful disciples.
Amen.