And immediately, even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders. The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.” As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”
Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away. One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked.
Streaker number oneI love how the Holy Spirit inspires the writers of the Bible! Again, in the middle of earth shattering events, with heavy duty – life transforming - truth to be explored and applied to my life, God’s Spirit nudges the writer (Mark in this case) to remember and include an hilarious, quirky, and “irrelevant” detail.
Several years back, streaking flashed through the North American campus culture. Even today, an occasional streaker will create a stir. A high schooler in my area recently found himself kicked out of school for running naked – except for the obligatory hat and shoes – through a basketball game. He wasn’t the first. Mark was.
Scholars believe Mark refers to himself when he tattles on this young man’s desperate escape and naked run through Gethsemane, the Kidron Valley, and the, hopefully dark, streets of Jerusalem to get safely home. The first streaker!
This streaking episode wasn’t a prank, however. It happened because Mark just had to see what was happening to Jesus and his twelve disciples. Perhaps it was his deep love and loyalty toward Jesus that drew him into shadowing the group as they left the Last Supper. At any rate, he was there when Judas betrayed Jesus, Peter slashed a slaves ear, and Temple guards arrested Jesus.
This is why I am committed to the Bible. Through these pages I too can be there.
Breath of God who breathed scripture into Mark, I commit myself to your written word again today. Forgive me when I fail to spend enough time in this Book of books. Continue to draw me into its pages so, in some spiritual way, I too can shadow Jesus, and all the men and women who are part of your salvation story.
PS. I too will follow you, even if it risks streaking! - Mike Leamon
In our midstLooking past someone is easy to do. In fact we do it all the time in life. We overlook homeless people on the streets, service people at our jobs, even our kids when they are annoying. At times looking past someone is a matter of peer pressure. I can remember in high-school when I was around friends where I totally ignored a kid from church because it would not have been “cool” to be seen talking with him. The pressure from other people kept me from associating with him.
The mob in our passage of Scripture today saw Jesus every day in the temple teaching but they overlooked him because of his popularity. They waited until it was convenient to approach him.
At first glance I would never associate myself with the mob, the disciples, maybe, but the mob? However, it is the mob that I find myself in too often. Jesus is present in my life everyday. He walks by my side, carries me in his hand, and yet I avoid him like the plague waiting for a convenient time to approach him. I am too busy, ashamed He would not approve of what I am doing or thinking, preoccupied, or just not wanting to be bothered. I am a member of the mob.
Jesus, help me escape from the mob and respond to your grace and love at all times. I am sorry for the times I ignore you and refuse to listen to you calling my name. I want to live in your presence at all times regardless of how convenient. - Dan Jones
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