For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it

 

 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.  

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He come sin the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

 

- Mark 8:27-9:1 

 

Yesterday we read that the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.  But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign?  Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."  And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.  Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.  Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have no bread."  But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason because you have no bread?  Do you not yet perceive nor understand?  Is your heart still hardened?  Having eyes, do you not see?  And having ears, do you not hear?  And do you not remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?"  They said to Him, "Twelve."  Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?"  And they said, "Seven."  So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"  Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.  And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked Him if he saw anything.  And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking."  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up.  And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.  Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."

 

 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?"  So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."  Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.  My study Bible says that, "Who do you say that I am?" is the greatest question that any person can ever face.  This is because it is the question that defines Christianity.  Peter answers correctly, and this answer prevents the Christian faith from being seen as simply another philosophical system or path of spirituality.  In Matthew's Gospel, Peter answers fully, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Such a position, as unique Son of  God, excludes all compromise with other religious systems.  This recognition of Christ, my study Bible says, cannot be achieved by human reason, but only by divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One," and is equivalent to the Hebrew title, "Messiah."  Additionally, it is noted that Christ first draws out the erroneous opinions that men say about Him.  This is done in order to identify incorrect ideas, as one is better prepared to avoid false teachings when they are clearly identified.  

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  He spoke this word openly.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  After Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus now reveals the true nature of His messiahship.  This is the mystery of His Passion.  My study Bible explains that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever.  Therefore the notion that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter and remained scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Unwittingly, Peter has spoken for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission and save humankind through suffering and death.  

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  This central teaching of Christianity is a reflection of the Passion and Resurrection, and our participation in these realities.  My study Bible notes that the cross, a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  It says that we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this suffering is not a punishment, nor it is an end in itself, but a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom and to crucify the flesh with its passions and desire (Galatians 5:24). 

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."  My study Bible comments that the central paradox of Christian living is that in grasping for temporal things, we lose the eternal; but in sacrificing everything in this world, we gain eternal riches that are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).  

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He come sin the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  Christ's questions emphasize the foolishness of sacrificing one's salvation for the accumulation of wealth or power, for these cannot redeem a fallen soul, nor benefit a person in the life to come.  

And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."  My study Bible says that this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-10; in our next reading), as well as those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.

 

In today's reading, Jesus makes this powerful central statement, reflecting on our need for Christ and our salvation:  "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."   But what is our soul, and why is it of such significance?  My study Bible defines soul as follows:  "A living substance, simple, bodiless, and invisible by nature, activating the body to which it brings life, growth, sensation and reproduction. The mind is not distinct from the soul but serves as a window to the soul. The soul is free, endowed with will, and the power to act. Along with the body, the soul is created by God in His image. The soul of man will never die  (Genesis 1:26; 2:7; Matthew 10:28).  In Genesis 2:7 we read that "the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."   "Living being" is also translated as "living soul."  What we understand, then, is that the soul is inseparable from life itself, that which constitutes and gives us life.  The eternal soul, therefore, is not simply something we should preserve, protect, and cherish for the sake of a life which we understand continues after our physical death in this world, but the condition of the soul also defines how we will experience life as a human being, fully in this world.  Therefore, the priceless nature of this soul, as defined by Christ, applies to every single day of our lives, and the choices that we make in life.  We should therefore not relegate this statement to something that applies only to an afterlife, or to the final judgment at Christ's return.  For we are surrounded by those holy angels mentioned in Jesus' statement, and the power of the Cross inspires us even in the ways in which we live our daily lives, just as Jesus indicates when He says, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  Whatever we desire in our lives, whatever plans we make and follow for the shape and direction of life, the soul is present and with us, activating us, giving us life, and the true care and nurturing of the soul thus becomes the condition within which we experience and frame our lives.  When we set our lives on the path that Christ lays out, when we choose to shape our lives by living "for My sake and the gospel's" we choose a path that gives us purpose and meaning.  Every choice and direction becomes a way to set a pattern, to consider what values we add to ourselves and our lives -- and what values we communicate to others.  We live for a higher purpose, and we can take on qualities that we see in Christ.  It is His example that has inspired countless people to the qualities of leadership Jesus embodies, in particular the willingness to sacrifice what is temporary and fleeting to what becomes a part of us, what we can pass on that makes the world good, giving a quality of life that materiality alone cannot give.  It takes courage, foresight, and a deep appreciation of what is truly good -- in short, what makes life truly "civilized" -- to make such choices.  But when we bear the gospel into the world, and Christ with it, we have a higher good to fulfill, a greater power and strength and depth of meaning, and a purpose and image to manifest that helps to create life "more abundantly"  The easy way is not the best way.  But with Christ we are promised that we should first seek the Kingdom, and all else is added unto that.