Mark 14:27 Commentary and Bible Study

We see in what follows that only Christ can prevail. He is going to have to overcome Satan and pay the price for our sin single-handed. His disciples will not stand by his side, but all will be scattered like sheep. ‘All ye shall be offended of me’, he says. The Greek has a word which we have in the English language: ‘All ye shall be scandalised’, meaning, in its original sense, literally, ‘offended by me’, ‘ashamed of me.’ You will find me and consider me a shameful thing, an embarrassment. That is the meaning. This very night, all of you will find me shameful and you will flee; you will be scattered; you will run. It was a further great shock to the disciples, immediately after that first communion, that first Lord's Supper. They are walking to the Mount of Olives; they are on the way, and this dramatic statement is made. The quotation is from Zechariah 13:7: ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’ Zechariah 13 is a chapter which has other verses predictive of Christ, a very Messianic chapter. God will smite him. It is God speaking in Zechariah 13, so here it is, ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’ Of course it was the Romans who put him to death. The Jews delivered him up, the Romans executed him, but he went voluntarily, he allowed it to happen and it took place exactly in accordance with the divine plan and therefore prophecy says, ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’ The sheep will be offended. The disciples will be disloyal; they will be unfaithful. Peter will deny him three times. The others will flee and not wish to be associated with him or his name at all. The sheep shall be scattered.