Lenten Darkness
The Secret Session
Personal Daily Scripture Readings
Luke 22:47-53 (Jesus is arrested repetition)
John 18:19-25 (Jesus defends His teaching)
Mark 14:53-65 (Jesus accused of blasphemy)
Luke 22:54-62 (Peter denies Jesus)
Luke 22:63-65 (Jesus is mocked and beaten)
Questions to Consider
How is Jesus feeling in this moment? How are the disciples feeling?
What is unfair about Jesus’s arrest and trial?
What is motivating the religious leaders to do what they are doing?
What would you like to say or do for Jesus in this moment?
Journal your thoughts on each reading in preparation for the group meeting
Opening Discussion
What things stood out to you in this week’s scripture reading? Was there anything surprising or confusing to you?
Related Spiritual Reading
Timothy Keller explains the significance of Jesus’s response to the high priest (Mark 14:60-62):
“By saying ‘I am,’ Jesus claims to be the Messiah, the promised one. However, we should remember that, in general, the Jews did not expect the Christ to be literally divine. Therefore, Jesus goes on to amplify the meaning of the label Messiah by identifying himself as the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13) and also by saying he will sit at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1)…
Everybody in the room—all the ruling council of the Sanhedrin—knows who the Son of Man is. In Daniel 7, the Son of Man comes from the throne of God to earth in the clouds of heaven to judge the world. And the clouds of heaven are not the same as the clouds of earth, just water vapor. These clouds are the shekinah glory, the very presence of God…
By his choice of text, Jesus is deliberately forcing us to see the paradox. There’s been an enormous reversal. He is the judge over the entire world, being judged by the world.”
How does Keller’s perspective add to your understanding of what is happening during the trial before the Sanhedrin?
Closing Question
How has your understanding of Jesus grown or changed this week? Has He become more real to you in any way?