A Serving Leadership Insight from the Life of Jesus Christ (Mark 14:61-65)

“They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.” (See Mark 14:61-65 for full text)

In Mark 14:61–65, Jesus was given a death sentence after responding to a direct inquiry about who he was. Getting nowhere in their trial of Jesus, the high priest had asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” At this the high priest tore his clothes to indicate the seriousness of what they had just heard. Jesus had made a claim to deity, a claim synonymous to blasphemy for them. In fact, he was their biggest threat to the temple establishment and Roman power structure the Jewish aristocracy supported. Prior to this, Jesus had avoided Messianic claims that would have aligned him with the popular movements of that day and potentially aborted his ministry. Now everything had changed. Jesus clarified his identity at a moment of greatest significance—his death.

KEY QUESTIONS: Do I know who I am and whose I am? How do I typically answer questions about my identity? How easy is it to name my accomplishments, self-promote, or establish an exaggerated persona when first meeting someone? How will I change my introduction in the future?