Devotional: Mark 14:1-11

Today’s passage: Mark 14:1-11

Helpful thoughts:

• The outline of today’s passage works out in a very interesting way:
  • Verses 1-2 – The Jewish leaders devise a way to have Jesus killed.
    • Verses 3-9 – A woman sacrifices much to worship Jesus.
  • Verses 10-11 – Judas devises a way to betray Jesus.
• A denarii was worth one day’s wage for normal labor.  This ointment was worth nearly a year’s salary.  Judas (And possibly some others at the time) saw the money being wasted.  This woman saw Jesus as more than worthy.
• Verse 9 was just fulfilled again…and is every time we read, write and teach about this passage.

Questions to consider:

1. What is the connection between Passover (Verse 1) and the coming death of Jesus (Exodus 12:13)?  What was the blood of the Lamb about to accomplish?
2. We do what we do because we want what we want.  What does it appear Judas wanted more than anything else?  How did his selfish desire affect his words and his actions?
3. Why were the Jewish leaders glad in verse 11?  How could religious leaders be glad (Perhaps even seeing Judas’ actions as a “gift from God”) when they were about to sin against the Messiah?  What was wrong with their consciences?  What had and had not shaped their consciences?  How can reading the Word of God with an intent to learn and obey shape our consciences in accord with the will of God?