If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me

 

 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone 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 will find it.  For what profit is it to 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 the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

 

- Matthew 16:21-28 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered and said, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. 

 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  In yesterday's reading (that is, the verses just prior to these), we read St. Peter's confession.  He said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  But just afterward, Christ goes on here to reveal the true nature of His messiahship.  At its center is the mystery of Christ's Passion.  My study Bible comments that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the idea that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter and remained scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  It adds that here, as Jesus indicates, Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission and save humankind through suffering and death.  

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  The cross was a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment.  But it is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  My study Bible says that we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this is not a punishment, nor an end in itself.  It is rather a means to overcome the fallen world for the sake of the Kingdom, and to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).  

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find 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 profit is it to 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 the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."    The questions Christ asks here emphasize the foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power at the expense of the soul -- accumulation of wealth or power cannot redeem a fallen soul nor benefit one in the life to come.

 

 "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."  My study Bible calls this a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9), as well as those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom. 

What does it mean to make sacrifices?  The nature of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross is often seen as a kind of payment -- as if to say that somehow it all adds up because He "pays" in blood what we've neglected in life.  But in the history of the Church, this is actually a rather recent development and was not the understanding throughout most of its history.  For the Eastern churches, Christ's sacrifice in willingly going to His human death and His Crucifixion meant the transfiguration and defeat of death itself for humankind.  What Christ touches becomes transformed, even in the same sense that touching the hem of His garment creating healing for people.  In the case of the Cross, the instrument of cruelty and deep suffering to death became -- through Christ's transfiguring power -- became the instrument of salvation and eternal life for human beings.  That is, for that "life more abundantly" that He preached to us (John 10:10).  For in undergoing human death, the Son of God made possible our own resurrection that we might join to His, that He will raise us up at the last day (John 3:14-16; 6:44).  The Cross (Christ's Passion, death, and Resurrection) was the final great sign of His ministry, which He called the "sign of Jonah" in a recent reading.  But it was not Christ's only sacrifice made for us, for His ministry to us.  He said of Himself that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head -- and the deprivations, conflicts, persecution and difficulties (even including knowing He might lose His followers through their own difficulties in this mission of following Him) all accompanied His mission to us.  In effect, Jesus gives us an exchange of one kind of life for another, one "worldly" world for His Kingdom, which dwells among us (Luke 17:20-21).  He also calls upon us to follow Him, and to carry our own crosses.  He doesn't do all of this work Himself, He commands His followers to do the same.  As He is the Son, He is the One within whom originates all the power to do so, and who has the authority even to defeat death for us.  But He asks us to do our own work of transfiguration, of taking what we find that is broken in our own lives and transfiguring that through faith.  We give up what is, in effect, "dead" in our lives, in exchange for the life -- even life abundantly -- that He offers.  This is one sense of what forgiveness is; we exchange something hard, sad, hurtful for God's way of dealing with our circumstances and those who've harmed us.  Every exchange asks for a sacrifice of some kind.  Christ gave His very life for us, and even underwent the suffering of the Cross for us, the experience of human death.  We might be asked to give up our old ways of looking at things, or cherished relationships that are actually bad for us, or something to which we cling, in order to more fully embrace that Kingdom among us and within us, and help to bear it into the world, following Him.  Let us remember His command, for we are surely all included in this if we're to be His disciples and followers.  

But who do you say that I am?

 

 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.  

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."

 

- Mark 8:22-33 

 

Yesterday we read that the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Jesus, 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."  My study Bible reminds us that the people of Bethsaida were unbelieving (Matthew 11:21), and so, therefore, the blind man is led by Jesus out of the town in order to heal him.  It notes that this is so that the people would not scoff at the miracle and bring upon themselves greater condemnation.  That the blind man was healed in stages ("I see men like trees, walking") shows that he had only a small amount of faith, for healing, my study Bible says, occurs according to one's faith (Mark 6:5-6).  But this little faith was enough, and it increased with the touch of Christ.  Christ's command not to return to the town is a symbol that we shouldn't return to our sins once we've been forgiven.  

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 comments here that "Who do you say that I am?" is the greatest question which a person can ever face.  That is because this question is the one that defines Christianity.  It notes that Peter's correct answer to this question prevents Christian faith from being seen as simply another system of philosophy or a path of spirituality, because it names Jesus as the Christ.  In Matthew 16:16, Peter adds, "the Son of the living God," which adds the true impact of his answer, the unique reality of Jesus Christ.  This position, according to my study Bible, excludes all compromise  with other religious systems.  Peter's understanding cannot be achieved by human reason, but only by divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3), making a poignant response to the events described in yesterday's reading (above), in which the disciples were so slow to understand Jesus.  Christ means "Anointed One," and it is equivalent to the Hebrew title "Messiah."  My study Bible also asks us to note that Christ first draws out erroneous opinions about Himself; this is in order to identify incorrect ideas, as a person 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."   Here, just after Peter's confession of faith, Jesus reveals the real nature of His messiahship, and that is the mystery of His Passion.  My study Bible comments that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the idea that Christ would do was perplexing to Peter, and remained scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission, and save humankind through suffering and death.

Jesus says to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." So, what then are the things of God of which Jesus speaks?  As Jesus is the Christ, He is both divine and human; this is the definition of His Incarnation, which is so essential to the Church and the entirety of Christianity.  For we cannot truly understand our faith if one or the other is left out.  Thus, when Peter emphasizes the very natural human impulse against death -- and especially for Jesus, the Christ -- then while we can sympathize with him, he is nonetheless not being mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.  For our faith, we need both, just as Jesus was both.  For He is truly God with us, God as one of us.  Listening to a podcast yesterday, I was struck by a Bible Study on Genesis.  The priest who lectured pointed out that in Genesis 2:7, regarding the creation of human beings, 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." In the Hebrew and in the Greek of the Septuagint, it says literally that man (meaning "human") became a  living soul.  The word for breath in both Greek and Hebrew is "spirit" -- so God breathing spirit into the form of humankind created a living soul.   This is the opposite of what would take place among pagans with their idols; in their rituals, an idol would be made a god by breathing into the statue or shape.  But here, God creates in God's own image and likeness by breathing spirit into man and creating a living soul.  This, in some strange sense, is a prefiguring of Christ born of a human mother and the Holy Spirit, the One who would be the perfect Man, the model for us all, living as one of us and yet divine.  In this sense, He is the One to lead us into our true image, to show us what it is to be the living souls which God created us to be and to become more fully.  We can neither leave out our bodies nor the spirit breathed into us by God to make us living souls -- and we can neither leave out Christ's humanity nor His divinity to understand who He is, and therefore what we worship as Christians.   So when we consider what makes us living souls, living beings, we have to understand what we are truly made of; we are both spirit and flesh -- and those two things must be together to make a living being.  We cannot be a living soul without one or the other.  Hence, when we consider it well, we need Christ to lead us into the place where we grow into the image and likeness of which we capable as created by God.  Let us look carefully at any philosophies, systems, or ways of thinking that would limit us in one way or another, so that the wholeness of who we are can be lived and understood as what it means to be fully alive and healthy in all ways.  We are not simply material, nor are we just purely "spirit."  We are living souls, and must come to know our Creator even to understand ourselves.  For this is what Christ came into the world to show us.