Mark 8:31-33- Everybody's Working for Rejection!

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."

With just his disciples, Jesus teaches the disciples a more complete idea of what it means that Jesus is the “Christ”.  He tells them that being the Christ isn’t just an opportunity to rule the world.  Rather, it is initially just the opposite.  He said that he would have to suffer much.  That he would be officially rejected by the current rulers of Israel-—he elders and the chief priests that constituted the government of Judea, not counting the Roman governor.  And then he would be killed by them and risen from the dead in three days.  

However, this prophecy did not make sense to the disciples, who understood the “Christ” to take a straight path to power—through armed forces, probably. Since Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, he felt it was his responsibility to correct Jesus when he was thinking negatively, so he rebuked him.  Jesus, however, stared at his disciples and then called Peter “Satan”.  “Satan” was an official title of God’s court, indicating one who accused others, or a prosecutor.  Satan is also the one to tempt others to disobey God, which is what Peter is doing to Jesus here.  Peter is telling Jesus that there is an easier route to becoming the son of God other than the cross.  Historically, this is true.  People have become emperors through battling armies, conquering nations, through proclamation of the people and many other ways.  But Jesus’ response is not that there aren’t other ways to become the Christ, but that this is God’s chosen way.  All the other ways are human, not established by divinity.

As creatures, we have an antipathy to suffering.  As human beings, especially modern ones, we have an antipathy to meekness.  It seems unnatural, hateful, and the final choice.  To chose the path of meekness and suffering when there are still other options seems unhealthy and frankly stupid.

But this is exactly what Jesus is doing.  He is choosing the route of not just agony-- enduring agony can be respected-- but humiliation and rejection.  This path is the only way the work can be done.  Choosing to be not only one-down, but to be placed at the bottom rung of the social ladder is something no one would choose if there were another option.  But Jesus insists that this is the only way to be the Christ, at least the Christ that can be effective to deliver the world.

Jesus teaches us that this path isn't only for him on the cross, but also for all of us who follow him.  He states that not only should we honor him for his humiliation, but accept humiliation in our daily lives as well.  "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."  "If anyone is to enter the kingdom, he must be humble like this child." Again, this is unnatural and hateful.  But it is the only way to receive the blessing of God.

This requires the wisdom of the Spirit.

Mark 8:27-30-- Who Am I To You?

Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am?" They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets." And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ." And He warned them to tell no one about Him.

This is the second time Mark emphasizes people’s various opinions about Jesus (Mark 6:14-15)—this time Jesus is taking a survey from his disciples.  As was said in the previous chapter, some thought that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead—partly because his message was so similar, but also because of the injustice of his death.  The idea presented in Mark is that some might consider that God would raise someone from the dead if their death was unjust.  Others say that he is Elijah, because it was prophesied that Elijah would come before the final day of God (Malachi 4:5-6).  Others say that he is a prophet of old, like Elijah, who did miracles, but not the same as Elijah.  

Then Jesus persisted in asking the disciples about their own opinion.  The disciples didn’t want to give a wrong answer, but Peter didn’t care.  He ventured an answer—that Jesus was the “Christ”.  The title “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew “Messiah” which means, “anointed one” usually a title reserved for a king or priest.  In this case, Peter says that Jesus is “the” Christ, or the ruler of God’s coming kingdom, the son of David.  Jesus does not confirm or deny Peter’s statement here in Mark, but in Matthew in the same story, Jesus confirms what Peter says (Matthew 16:16-17).   Jesus warns them to tell no one this, even as he told the demons to be quiet about his identity as son of God or told people not to tell others about his healings.  He does not want his true identity to be known until God revels it himself.  Also, Jesus does not want the revelation of him as the king and representative of God to be confused with incomplete notions of who he really is.

In any relationship, it is most important to know who we are.  Not who we are objectively, necessarily.  A woman can be a boss when she's at work, and objectively she has authority to tell people what to do.  But at home, she could be mommy or honey or master (to the dog) or neighbor.  No one is just one thing, who we are is partly made of the relationship we have with those who we are interacting with.

Even so with Jesus.  The response of the crowd indicates that Jesus is seen as important, but also at a distance.  If Elijah or John the Baptist came back that would be amazing, but does it really mean that much to me?  And can I expect to have a relationship with a celebrity?  

But if Jesus is my King, that means something.  It means that it's a choice I'm making that others may not make.  It means that I can't keep Jesus at a distance, but he will be significant for my life.  And it means that the relationship between Jesus and myself is defined-- He is my ruler, my Lord and I am to do as he says.  If that's the relationship between he and I, then everything in my life changes.