I Am the Greatest!: Daily Thoughts from Mark (Mark 14:26-31)

It is all the rage today to proclaim our great abilities (witness the president of the United States, Donald Trump, Muhammad Ali, et al.).  We do it to make sure someone gives us a chance to prove it, or to mask our own insecurity, or because we really believe it about ourselves and we want others to know it and believe it and maybe bow to our greatness.

Peter thought he was great.  He thought he had a loyalty to Jesus that was impervious.  Jesus is about to be arrested on the Mount of Olives on the edge of Jerusalem, the day before Passover, and he once again reminds his disciples that he is going to be killed and things aren’t going to go so well for the disciples when that happens.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. (Mark 14:26-31, ESV)

The singing of praise to God has forever been a part of worship and was a traditional part of the Passover celebration.  The ESV Study Bible note is helpful:

Matt. 26:30 hymn. Perhaps the Hallel (Psalms 113–118), or perhaps the last great Hallel psalm (Psalm 136).

The Hallel psalms are those psalms that focus on praise and often contain the phrase in Hebrew, “Hallelu Yah” (Let us praise Yahweh, or as we often see it “hallelujah”).

The ESV Study Notes do a great job of showing us why Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and Jesus’ understanding of Zechariah 13:1-9 as it related to his death and the consequent dispersion of his disciples:

went out to the Mount of Olives. Passover celebrants were to remain in Jerusalem for this night (Deut. 16:7); therefore Jesus did not return to Bethany.

You will all fall away. Jesus interprets the impending desertion by all of his disciples (v. 50; cf. John 16:32) in light of Zech. 13:7 (strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; cf. Mark 6:34). The striking of the shepherd, who “stands next to” God (Zech. 13:7), occurs in order to purify the people (Zech. 13:1, 7, 9). Jesus is confident that, following this dispersion, he will once again gather his flock (after I am raised up; see Mark 16:7). It is unclear why Jesus chooses Galilee as the place for this post-resurrection gathering—perhaps it is to draw the disciples’ attention away from expecting a revolutionary event in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 1:6). At any rate, the disciples would naturally return to their home region of Galilee.

We are so much like these disciples, wanting to believe that we have in us the courage and strength to withstand persecution.  We also think we have the ability to obey Jesus in everything.  But we don’t unless we are humbly depending on Him for that strength.  Rather than declare our loyalty we must acknowledge our failure to be loyal and give ourselves to those disciplines (prayer, fasting, gratitude, study, silence, etc.) in which we meet God and His life rubs off on us.  As we imbibe the life of God we are changed into what we desired to become but couldn’t on our own.

Peter overestimated himself, and in so doing slandered the other disciples (“Even though everyone else falls away, I won’t”).  Let’s not overestimate ourselves.  Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).  We’re tempted to make loyalty statements like Peter’s but we’re prone, in the terrifying moment, to be more loyal to ourselves.  Don’t proclaim, do.  And do in dependence on God.