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16. Anointing and Last Supper

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This section of Mark initiates the Passion narrative and is rich with irony, contrast, and prophetic fulfillment. Jesus is surrounded by plots of betrayal, yet he remains composed and purposeful. Acts of devotion (the anointing) are set against treachery (Judas’s betrayal), and the Last Supper becomes both a moment of intimate fellowship and the announcement of looming failure among the disciples

Narrative Function in the Gospel of Mark

Mark 14:1-31 functions as the emotional and contextual setup for Jesus’ subsequent arrest and crucifixion.

  • Contrasts love and betrayal, faithfulness and failure.
  • Shifts the focus from Jesus’ public ministry to his personal sacrifice.
  • Reveals Jesus’ awareness of divine timing and prophetic fulfillment.
  • Establishes the theological meaning of Jesus’ death through the Last Supper.
    • The Plot to Kill Jesus (14:1–2)

    Religious leaders scheme to arrest and kill Jesus but want to avoid doing it during the Passover festival to prevent unrest in Jerusalem.

    • Shows human attempts to control timing and power.
    • Ironically, Jesus will die at Passover, aligning with God’s redemptive timetable.

      • Narrative Contribution:

      • Introduces the theme of Jesus’ death as inevitable yet divinely-intended.
      • Sets a backdrop of rising danger and scheming that preludes Jesus’ arrest.
        • Jesus Anointed at Bethany (14:3–9)

        At a meal in Bethany, an unnamed woman anoints Jesus with costly perfume. Some present criticize her for waste, but Jesus defends her, saying she has anointed him for burial.

        • Affirms the woman’s extravagant devotion to Jesus.
        • The anointing symbolizes preparation for Jesus’ death and burial.
        • Highlights how acts of love, such as this, are valued in God’s view.

          • Narrative Contribution:

          • Contrasts sharply with Judas’s betrayal that follows.
          • Offers a foreshadowing of Jesus’ imminent death and burial.
          • Honors a woman’s insight and sacrifice, while others continue to misunderstand.
            • Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus (14:10–11)

            Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, seeks out the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus for money.

            • Portrays betrayal not by an outsider, but a close companion.
            • Echoes Psalm 41:9—“even my close friend…has lifted his heel against me.”
            • Highlights the narrative tension between the schemes of the Adversary, and the sacrifice that Jesus understood God was calling him to make.

              • Narrative Contribution:

              • Deepens the emotional weight of the coming Passion narrative.
              • Sets Jesus’ betrayal into motion.
              • Offers a sharp contrast with the woman’s sacrificial gift (which was very costly).
                • Preparations for the Passover (14:12–16)

                Jesus sends two disciples ahead to prepare the Passover meal, giving them specific instructions that unfold just as he said they would.

                • Reinforces Jesus’ composure during the final events leading up to his death.
                • Connects the Exodus Passover to Jesus’ new covenant sacrifice.

                  • Narrative Contribution:

                  • Builds the anticipation for the Last Supper.
                  • Emphasizes the revelation knowledge that Jesus receives for this important occasion.
                    • Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (14:17–21)

                    At the table, Jesus announces that one of the Twelve sitting there will betray him. The disciples are distressed and begin asking if it is them. Jesus confirms the betrayer is one “dipping bread into the bowl” with him.

                    • Demonstrates Jesus’ knowledge of what Judas has done.
                    • Emphasizes the gravity of sin and betrayal—even among the Jesus’ chosen.
                    • Affirms God’s divine plan in light of the betrayal: “The Son of Man goes as it is written of him.”

                      • Narrative Contribution:

                      • Heightens dramatic tension within Jesus’ closest followers.
                      • Portrays Jesus’ calm acceptance of his path to the cross, showing his acknowledgement of God’s ordained purpose for him.
                      • Places the communal intimacy of the Last Supper with the hidden treachery that will lead to the Passion sequence.
                        • The Institution of the Lord’s Supper (14:22–25)

                        During the meal, Jesus takes bread and wine and redefines them as his body and blood—symbols of the new covenant.

                        • Establishes the foundational Christian practice of communion.
                        • Jesus interprets his death as a sacrificial, covenant-making act.
                        • Jesus makes an allusion to Isaiah 53 (“poured out for many”).

                          • Narrative Contribution:

                          • Transforms a traditional Jewish festival meal into a new covenant ceremony.
                          • Prophetically reframes the meaning of Jesus’ death for his disciples.
                          • Offers lasting spiritual instruction amidst the rising context of confusion and fear.
                            • Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial (14:26–31)

                            After singing a hymn, Jesus predicts that all his disciples will fall away (quoting Zech. 13:7). Peter insists he will remain faithful, even to death, but Jesus prophesies Peter’s threefold denial before the rooster crows twice.

                            • Shows Jesus’ foreknowledge and fulfillment of Scripture.
                            • Highlights human weakness—even in Jesus’ most zealous follower (Peter).
                            • Emphasizes the theme of Peter’s failure and human weakness.

                              • Narrative Contribution:

                              • Foreshadows the subsequent abandonment in Gethsemane and Peter’s denials during Jesus’ trial.
                              • Contrasts Peter’s bold promises with his coming fear and timidity.
                              • Continues the motif of Jesus walking alone toward the cross.
                                • The post 16. Anointing and Last Supper first appeared on Living Hope.
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                                LHIM ClassesBy Living Hope International Ministries
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