Rise and Follow: 30 Days in MarkSample

In Mark 14:1-26, Mark records two scenes from the last few days of Jesus’ life that help us understand the full significance of his death on the cross.

First, a woman anoints Jesus with a jar of perfume. The word messiah means anointed one in Hebrew. The woman’s action was a prophetic declaration not only that Jesus was God’s Messiah, but also that as the Messiah he was about to die. Throughout Mark, women serve as examples of faith in contrast to the disciples’ lack of faith. Remember, the disciples still don’t understand that the Messiah must suffer and die, and their negative response to the woman shows their continued misunderstanding. By anointing Jesus, this woman declares that he is king at the same moment that she prepares his body for burial.

Second, Jesus and his disciples gather to eat the Passover meal. The Passover celebrated God’s deliverance of Israel out of slavery in Egypt when God’s angel of death passed over every Israelite household marked by the blood of a sacrificed lamb. Jesus interprets his crucifixion in light of Passover: He is the sacrificial lamb whose death will deliver God’s people from their slavery to sin. His blood is the foundation of a new covenant between God and humanity, and his body the foundation of the new redeemed community. When Christians take part in communion, we are regularly remembering Jesus’ sacrifice while also looking forward to the future feast we will enjoy in God’s kingdom.

Additional Resources

To learn more about the meaning of Jesus’ death in the context of the system of animal sacrifices in the Old Testament, check out the video we have included from the BibleProject.

Reflection Questions:

• How is God speaking to me through these verses?
• What does this set of verses teach me about God?
• What does this show me about the good news of Jesus?
• How can I apply what I read today?