17 MARK- THE UNINVITED INTRUDER-Mark was not one of the original twelve disciples. He became an apostle evangelist and a great historian and gave faithful service. He was a witness to the early church's small beginnings from its birth, meeting at his family home in Jerusalem, to the extension of foreign missions and a wide proclamation of The Gospel. He also wrote one of the Gospels Books of The New Testament. Mark's mother Mary, was a wealthy woman and Aunt of the apostle Barnabas, who was also a prophet and teacher.

The young man was related to the Levite family that was the priestly tribe. He was taught to respect his mother, but reverence for God would have been the starting point of his education. Growing up within his family, Mark would have been encouraged to ask questions about the Jewish religion and the Jewish history, as well as learning parts of The Scriptures by memory.

Mark's mother had a house in Jerusalem that served as a meeting place for believers before and after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It became a prayer house for believers. Mark, along with many other inhabitants of Jerusalem and visitors would have watched Jesus arrive in the city at the beginning of the week, for everyone had expected Him to attend The Devout Ceremony held in the City of Jerusalem.

During the time of this important Religious Festival (the Feast of the Unleavened bread and The Passover), when the city was very much over-crowded at the consecrated celebration, Mark witnessed the betrayal by Judas and the illegal secret arrest of Jesus.

On the eve of one of the most solemn of Jewish Festivals, Jesus had His last meal. After the breaking up of the Supper Party which was most probably held at Mark's family home in Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples stayed on the Mount of Olives to pray instead of going on to Bethany to sleep. Jesus knew He had to wait for the time of his betrayal and arrest to come.

Mark had followed the group clothed in only a linen nightshirt as they left after the meal, which was had in an upper room. He accompanied them as they went out of the gate of the city and made their way to the olive grove called the Garden of Gethsemane where there were long moments of anxious waiting until one by one, the disciples dropped asleep from fatigue as Jesus prayed.

About midnight the lights from an arresting party were seen afar off. Mark saw that Judas led a band of young priests, temple guards and soldiers, all were carrying swords and clubs to arrest Jesus in the Garden, and that he acknowledged Jesus with a kiss. Mark saw Peter strike the servant of the High Priest, cutting his ear off with a sword and watched Jesus immediately stopped him and healed the man's ear.

The disciples with Jesus panicked and fled. Mark was the young man who followed Christ when all His disciples forsook Him and ran off but also fled himself in panic when a guard caught him, but he escaped although his night-shirt was torn off in the process and he ran away completely naked. The fine linen garment that Mark left behind in the hand of the guard indicated he was from a wealthy family.

The disciples, Peter and John began to follow along behind, they saw the small party of men lead Jesus, an unresisting prisoner along the rocky narrow passage, which took them between the mountains that bordered the eastern face of The Temple wall and led to the head-quarters of His enemies. Night-time trials and especially deciding the outcome for a person's life, were against the law, according to the Jewish Regulation.

The conspiracy on Jesus that took place was an attack on The Divine Kingdom of God, and to rebel against God's Anointed is to be mutinous against the One who anointed Him.

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