Epaggelia

v25, In the future, Christ acknowledges that there will be a new event to be experienced in God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Father. Do we understand what the difference is between the Kingdom of the Son of His Love, and the Kingdom of the Father God? See Colossians 1:13. If you should put this verse in the context of 1st Corinthians 15:24-28, you will see that Christ anticipates delivering us from His Kingdom into the Father’s Kingdom, where after this event takes place, we will have complete unity in Heaven. However, right here, right now in fellowship with the Spirit of Christ, he communes with us in the Lord’s Supper in Spirit. He doesn’t participate in it physically of course, like we do, but he does commune with us spiritually, and this means that he never meant for his disciples to remember the paschal lamb from Egypt, or in their Temple sacrifices, but now they are to remember him as the Lamb of God when they share this cup in His Spirit. This memorial will be turned into a glorious reunion and our communion there will be in one eternal day. 

v26, Why would Christ want to sing a hymn while prophesying and promising his betrayal during the same time? It is well known amongst historical rabbinical writings that the song which all Jews sang during this meal would be Psalm 118. It is not a coincidence that God planned this Psalm to be at the center of their thoughts. Psa. 118:21-24 shows the very reason why Christ must sing at this time. Do we sing because of any law mandating we should sing? Perhaps not a specific Biblical verse, but indeed we do sing because of the principle or law of faith. Gratitude and grace prompts our hearts to sing praise to Christ. But if we had no faith in His goodness and salvation, there would be no defining force, law or principle giving our praise endurance to persevere in praise while undergoing any kind of pain, tribulation or temptation. We should be able to praise God in Christ through any circumstance. See Psalm 34:1, for even though God may seem to hide Himself from us, we can still praise him in a blessed, living hope, see Psalm 10:1. Christ & his apostles practiced this flawlessly, Acts 16:22-25. Have we experienced any occasion of praising God in Christ while under duress for our faith in Him?

v27-31, Jesus uses Zechariah 13:7 to reveal to his disciples what was about to happen in the face of their disbelief. Their hearts were in the right place but the maturity of their faith and strength of character were sorely lacking to live up to their heart’s intention. Herein is the fourth occasion Mark records Jesus promising his resurrection, v28, 8:31, 9:31 & 10:34. From the first incident in 8:31, it was Peter that refused to accept Christ’s suffering & death, and even to the last day before it happened, Peter refuses to learn to set his mind on God’s interests, 8:33. This example of patience Jesus shows Peter is why Peter writes 2nd Peter 3:14-18.

v32-42, what must it feel like to make prophecies and promises for over 3 years, only for when the time comes for fulfillment, your friends can’t stay awake and keeps falling asleep? This must be the worst kind of disappointment for Christ to feel like no one cares about how much He loves them! Afterall, the real reason He asks them to pray is for them not to fall into temptation, not for his own sake or strength, but for theirs! “Being grieved to the point of death” v34, is beyond many of us to comprehend but Christ did have the huge consequences of the entirety of humanity’s sins overwhelming him. He took on the sins of the world in Gethsemane and carried them all the way to Golgotha. Causing Him great anguish and experiencing hematidrosis (sweating blood) Lk.22:39-46. The cup Christ wanted taken away alludes to the wrath of God that Jesus would experience in the form of suffering and death for us. Psa. 11:6, 75:8-9, Isaiah 51:17-22.