Mark 8:27-9:1
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea
Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’
And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others,
one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter
answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell
anyone about him.
Then he began to
teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by
the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three
days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and
began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter
and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine
things but on human things.’
He called the crowd
with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let
them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want
to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and
for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain
the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return
for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous
and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he
comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ And he said to them,
‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until
they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’
So many things going on in this section.
ReplyDeleteOnly after Peter says "You are the Messiah" does Jesus start using the title "Son of Man."
Jesus' comment that the "Kingdom of God" would "come with power" within the lifetime of his listeners seems pretty clear (later Christian spin-doctoring notwithstanding). I am sad reading this, trying to make sense of it. It will probably take a couple days to unpack all the disappointment.
{March 25 got stuck in the publishing queue?}
Just found March 25 - sorry about that!
ReplyDelete