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

 

 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 on 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 to him, "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 on 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."  My study Bible comments that, after  Peter's confession (see yesterday's reading, above), Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  the mystery of His Passion.  It was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the idea that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter, and it remained scandalous to the Jews even after Christ's Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission and save mankind 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 dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, my study Bible explains, and at the same time it is a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  It notes that we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this suffering is not punishment and neither is it an end in itself; it is rather a means whereby the fallen world is overcome 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."  According to my study Bible, 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."  This question places emphasis on the foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power, my study Bible says, for none of these things can redeem a fallen soul of a human being, nor benefit a person 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 says that this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9, in the reading that follows), as well as those in each generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.  

 

 Perhaps Jesus frames the tone of today's reading in this remark to St. Peter, after he protests that Jesus should not die: "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."   From here Jesus goes on to express the idea that it is not only He who must go to the Cross, but all of us have a cross to bear in order to follow Him:  "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?"  As my study Bible explains it, and as Jesus characterizes what it means to take up our cross, doing so forms a kind of exchange.  The cross is a way of "crucifixion" of our lives, of transformation and change, but perhaps more explicitly we can think of it in terms of exchange.  We seek to transfigure our lives by offering to God whatever it is we have or do, whatever circumstances we face in life, in exchange for God's way of sanctification and holiness, God's way to meet the worldly.  If I must give up an abusive but nevertheless fond relationship in the pursuit of my faith, then this is a kind of crucifixion in which Christ offers me a better way than the worldly way I know and am used to.  If I must make sacrifices for one whom I love who is ill, in order to care for them and nurture a truly loving relationship, this is a call to the cross, a transfiguration of my life into one committed and dedicated to love and compassion.  Such a sacrifice takes me beyond myself and my previously understood limits, teaches me what more I can be than I had previously understood.  If I am capable of following the fasting practices of the Church, I learn a discipline of the body that makes me a stronger person than I thought I was, more capable of saying "No" to things that are not good or healthy, in whatever dimension of life we might be speaking of:  over-consumption of destructive online content, indulging in gossip or unnecessary fighting, spending my time in ways that are more productive than wasting it -- perhaps giving time over to prayer.  In this way, any manner or aspect of life may be "crucified" and we take up our crosses to become more like Christ, transfigured, reshaped in His light.  Jesus will go to the Cross exchanging His worldly life as Jesus for His Resurrection and Ascension; taking even human flesh to God, crushing the gates of death, and opening the door to heaven and eternal life for all of us.  This is not just a sacrifice, but salvation, a triumphant liberation for all of the world and all of creation, for He is our Savior, our Lord, the only One who could do it and show us the way to our own crosses, and even to the holiness of God.  Let us understand the holy exchange in which we take up our own crosses, and save our souls in so doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 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 comes in 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 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 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 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 comments that, "Who do you say that I am?" is the greatest question any person can ever face, for it's the question that defines Christianity.  As Peter answers correctly, this prevents the Christian faith from being seen as merely another philosophical system or path of spirituality, as it names Jesus as the Christ.  That is, the one and only Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).   This position, it says, excludes all compromise with other religious systems.  Peter's understanding cannot be achieved by human reason, but only through divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One."  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.  He does so in order to identify these incorrect ideas, as a person is better prepared to avoid false teachings when they've been 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, following Peter's confession of faith that He is the Christ, Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  this is the mystery of Christ's Passion.  My study Bible explains 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).  Here Peter unwittingly speaks 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."    The cross was a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, reserved for the worst of criminals.  But it is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  My study Bible comments that we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this suffering is not a punishment, and neither is it an end in itself.  Rather, it's 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 and the gospel's will save it."  My study Bible notes that the central paradox of Christian living is that in grasping for what is temporal, we lose the eternal.  But in sacrificing everything in this world, we gain eternal riches which 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 comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."   Jesus asks, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  My study Bible says that this question emphasizes the utter foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power, for none of this can 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."  This is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (tomorrow's reading), as well as those in each generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.  

My study Bible emphasizes Christ's gospel of the Kingdom as making that presence real to those who may experience it through faith.  Jesus will teach, as reported in Matthew's Gospel, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).  Here in today's reading, Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ makes the presence of God's kingdom real and palpable in the midst of the disciples, for He is the only-begotten Son.  Therefore, Christ's final comment in today's reading is illumined through His real identity as the Christ.  He introduces the great paradox of saying that, although that kingdom of God may be present with power to some, nonetheless that Kingdom will be achieved and claimed for Him with all authority through the means of a tremendous sacrifice, His suffering and death on the Cross.  There are many, many things that can be inferred and understood from this sacrifice, Christ's mission in the world as the Incarnate Son of God and human being Jesus, and no doubt many more to come.  But for now let us pause to consider that in teaching the disciples about taking up their own crosses, He invites us into perfect participation in His life, death, and Resurrection.  These things do not simply mean the life of this one human and divine Person, but the entirety of the life of the Kingdom.  For in so doing, Jesus invites us to live the life of the Kingdom, and for that Kingdom to be present to us even in the here and now.  Let us remember that through His mission and the Cross, Jesus assumes all authority as Lord.  So, He teaches here, "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?"  How will we know what life of the soul is in store for us?  How can we understand these grave questions except in terms of participating in the life of the Kingdom, and what that holds for us?  There is no other way, except to understand that in imitation of Him, and through His invitation to us here to take up our own crosses, He invites us into that eternal life of the Kingdom, that "more abundant" life with Him.  We are asked to participate in His sacrifice ourselves so that we may also participate in His life and Kingdom.  Let us understand this great mystery, and the tremendous invitation to the gift of this life and this Kingdom.  Moreover, the gift of the soul is the gift of identity, and the "more abundant" life possible therein.  We can look at the saints and understand their sacrifices for the life of the Kingdom, and note that these lives are dynamic and powerful, people becoming somehow "more" themselves through such sacrifice, not less.  That door is open to us, and He is the Door Himself.

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?

 

 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 to him, "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."  My study Bible points out that after Peter's confession, Jesus here reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  the mystery of His Passion.  It explains that expectations were that the Messiah would live forever, so the notion that Christ would die was perplexing to Peter, and it would remain scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  Here Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, for 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 most dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, but, as my study Bible puts it, it is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  We therefore practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept this type of suffering is not punishment, and neither is it an end of 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 calls it the central paradox of Christian living:  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."  Christ's questions regarding the soul emphasize the total foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power for its own sake -- none of this can redeem a fallen soul, nor benefit a person 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 says this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9; in tomorrow's reading), as well as those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.

In today's reading there is a deep and repeated concern with exchange.  Christ asks, "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?"  Here Christ gives us a statement of exchange:  "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  There is the attempt to save which results in loss of life; and the willingness to lose which results in finding.  But Jesus juxtaposes the things that make up this exchange in His first response to Peter's remark that He should avoid the Cross:  "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."  There are the things of God and the things of men.  Moreover, Peter's remark has the tinge of Satan, who does not desire Christ's salvific sacrifice and mission.  So there is the question posed to us:  what do we exchange for this heavenly reality, this grace that comes and permeates life so that we, also, may be participating in the kingdom of heaven?  What is the exchange that redeems the soul, that gives it values and meaning so that we enter into a movement of deepening closeness to God, and one which can stand us in good stead at that time of Christ's reward of each according to his works?  Of course, we have the image of Christ on the Cross so strongly in our minds and consciousness; this was the ultimate sacrifice for us all, so that each of us may be redeemed into this Kingdom to be with Him.  But what are we asked to give and to exchange?  We participate with Him on the Cross also, as He indicates when He says that we each must take up our own cross.  If we think about it, there is practically nothing in this world which we know of that can be gained without sacrifice.  If your dream is of owning a home, then one must give one's time to work for that.  Even theft, while always a sin, requires some effort (and unrepented sin may result in the loss or sacrifice of one's soul, opening ourselves up to Christ's question -- what is worth that?).  But if we tell ourselves no sacrifice is necessary in life for any reason, then we fool ourselves entirely.  Even the lives of the indigent are filled with burdens of simply trying to survive.  In this context of understanding and accepting that sacrifice is simply a part of life on any level, let us revisit Christ's words and accept them as promising something much, much more infinitely valuable than anything we can know which is purely "worldly."  That is not to deny that all of creation is of God and is therefore good, but rather it is to say that without God, without the saving nature of grace, creation falls into a state of something without its intrinsic beauty and timeless value that is offered to us therein.  We won't see it, we won't find it for ourselves and our souls.  There's an interesting concept in the letters of St Paul.  In two places St. Paul advises his flock to "redeem the time."  This is another emphasis on exchange, and we'd do well to pay attention.  In the letter to the Colossians, St. Paul writes, "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Colossians 4:5-6).  In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul says something similar:  "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16).  A redemption is an exchange; to redeem is to gain something by some form of payment, but it has the added sense of repurchase, gaining value that was otherwise lost, salvation.  In these references to redeeming the time, St. Paul speaks of the great gift of our lives, our time which is given to us by God, with which we may redeem the world through our choices of exchange.  We may use our time to walk in wisdom, and thereby to continually give glory to God, effectively exchanging our worldly time for securing the things of God in the world, God's grace that may be at work in us even through the smallest things.  If the "days are evil," as St. Paul writes, then we may "walk circumspectly, not as fools but wise" and thereby redeem the time.  These small statements are mighty powerful in their allusion to the idea that we may redeem the substance of our lives and the lives of others through how we use our time, how we walk in the world.  They are compact illustrations of what it means to exchange a worldly set of purposes for God's purposes and make them effective even in redeeming the world, redeeming the time of our lives and even of others' lives whom we touch.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).  This is St. Paul's redemption of the time, a way to exchange the things of men for the things of God.  It is the way to live Christ's teaching to take up our own crosses, and sacrifice one for the other, redeeming the time of our lives which is inseparable from our place in the world and all that is in it.  On the passage I've cited from Ephesians, my study Bible comments, "The goal is not to abandon the world, but to keep oneself in Christ and salvage as much as possible from the evil world.  Christians renounce the fallenness of the world [my italics], not creation itself."  Let us follow Christ in sacrificing fallenness for the things of God, and redeem the time.  Let us consider carefully that sacrifice will be asked of us no matter what, by that which seeks to enslave and give death, and by the One who comes to make us free and give us life (John 8:31-36).  Which is your preference?

 

 

 

 

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?

 

 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 comes in 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 Jesus, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.  But He sighted 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.  This area of Caesarea Philippi, according to some, was a sparsely populated region, named for Caesar by Philip, the son of Herod the Great and brother to Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee (and earlier husband of Herodias, Antipas' wife).  My study Bible comments that the question, "Who do you say that I am?" is the greatest question a person can ever face, for it is the question that defines Christianity.  In the Gospels of Saints Matthew and John, Peter answers this question more fully, saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16; John 6:69).  My study Bible says that the correct answer to this question prevents the Christian faith from being seen as merely another philosophical system or path of spirituality, for this answer is one that names Jesus as the one and only Son of the living God.  This is a position that, in effect, excludes all compromise with other religious systems, as it places Christ in a unique position to God.  Peter's understanding cannot be achieved by human reason (Matthew 16:17), but only by divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One," and is equivalent to the Hebrew title "Messiah."  My study Bible further notes that Christ first draws out erroneous opinions about Himself.  This is done in order to identify these incorrect ideas.  A person is better prepared to avoid false teachings, it notes, 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 (on behalf of himself and all of the apostles), Jesus here reveals the true nature of His messiahship.  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 die was perplexing to Peter, and remained scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23). Christ's response comes as Peter unwittingly speaks 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."  Here my study Bible comments that the cross, which was a dreaded instrument of the worst form of Roman punishment, is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  We practice self-denial, it says, for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  To accept such suffering is not a punishment, and neither it an end in itself.  It is rather a means whereby the fallen world is overcome for the sake of the Kingdom, as well as 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 and the gospel's will save it."  Here Christ sets out the central paradox of Christian living.  My study Bible describes it by saying 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 comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."   Jesus asks, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  According to my study Bible, this is a question which emphasizes the utter foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power, for none of this can redeem one's 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."  Here we note that the story of the Transfiguration follows in the Gospel (tomorrow's reading), and this, my study Bible says, is the event to which Jesus refers.  There will be those disciples who witness it (Peter, James, and John).  It is also a reference to those in every generation who experience the presence of God's Kingdom.  

In our modern world, we're beset by claims of injustice, and needing to find ways to address its myriad occurrences, from the smallest level of intimate encounter to the greatest of whole populations that suffer unjustly.  Perhaps one of the greatest stumbling blocks and temptations presented by the story of the Cross, and by Jesus' admonition that we, also, must follow and carry our crosses, is the idea of unjust suffering.  If there ever is a story of worldly injustice, it is the story of Jesus on the Cross.  Perhaps this is why, in traditional institutions of justice among us -- especially in countries with large Christian populations -- the importance of naming, addressing, and securing the rights of the accused has been such a central focus in the law.  But what does it say to us of God's justice?  And what does it suggest to us that we are taught to take up our own crosses and to follow Him?  In theology, the question of why there is evil in the world when God is a just God is called a theodicy.  There are various ways in which such a question has been addressed throughout history.  But let us focus on the experience of evil and injustice in the world, and our response to it.  Certainly the repeated examples of Christ's compassion for people and their needs tell us an important story.  And there, too, we are asked to carry our crosses and follow Him, as we seek to imitate Him in His compassion also.  For surely, Christ's innocence and even His great mercy and grace is part of the story of the Cross, and of the injustice done to Him in worldly terms.  Too many people have had their own compassion and mercy abused in the world to think that Christ's suffering on the Cross is isolated to Himself alone.  In fact, what we need to admit to ourselves that it is precisely because of the nature of evil in the world, and the world's experience of it, that the world needs such a Savior; that, in fact, the great issue of justice is resolved only through such a Savior.  For Christ's suffering for us takes a form of transfiguration in meeting our suffering in His divinity.  This could only have happened out of the most profound divine love for us, granting the security to us that no matter what it is that we endure in this world, whatever the injustice or evil, He has been there with us and is now and forever there with us.  The Suffering Servant prophesied by Isaiah is the One who goes voluntarily to the Cross for us, and the One who is resurrected in new life for us as well.  So therefore, when we participate in His life, when we seek to imitate Him, we are a part of that life also; our suffering may also be transfigured as well.  Jesus says, "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."  We might try as hard as we can to find justice in this world, but perfect justice will always elude the world.  Violence, force, and various other forms of manipulation or coercion have often been sought as either a retributive or corrective solution, but violence and other forms of power beget their own uncontrollable and unforeseen outcomes, and collateral damage.  We can make systems to seek to protect justice, to emphasize truth, to protect the rights of people and especially the accused, even to define rights in a way such that they are codified and expanded.  But we will never find perfect justice in a worldly sense or through worldly methods.  It is simply too costly, and too subtle, and we still struggle "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  For that cosmic struggle to be resolved relies upon more than human desire, and rests within a time frame we don't set, and with a judge who has told us that "of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew 24:36).  As we seek to follow Him, so we may participate in His suffering via our own for the sake of the gospel, but we also may participate in His Resurrection.  When we devote our lives to His way, our suffering has meaning and significance, and we look to the outcome of the life He promises, and it is in the joy of the Lord that we find our strength.  Suffering can have surprising outcomes when we walk with Him through it, with all the weapons and armor and supplies we may find stored up for us and generously distributed to us (Ephesians 6:10-20), and resurrection -- even in this life -- can take surprising forms as well.  But let us consider that when we take up our crosses and follow Him, we also participate in the only form of justice that will have a full outcome, and for all the universe for all time.  Let us consider how we, too, are called to His kingdom, and to the things of God.

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.

 

 

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 to him, "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."  My study Bible comments here that, after Peter's confession of faith (see yesterday's reading, above), Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  the mystery of His Passion.  This is the central reality of our faith.  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).  Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan, as the devil did not want Christ to fulfill His mission and save mankind 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 the dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, reserved for the worst of criminals, but is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ, my study Bible says.  For Christians, it also becomes a symbol of spiritual victory and transformation.  We practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  My study Bible elaborates that to accept this suffering is not a punishment, nor is it an end in itself, but 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 says 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."  These questions emphasize the futility of accumulating worldly wealth or power at the expense of the soul, for none of that can redeem a fallen soul, nor benefit a person in the life to come.  The state of one's soul is linked to life and its quality at all times.

 

"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 suggests that this is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9, in the next reading).  It also applies as well to those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's Kingdom.

What is the Cross and the mystery of the Cross?  In this central event of Christ's mission as Messiah, His Passion, we find in some sense the nature of faith in God.  It is transformational.  In the Passion, the worst type of punishment given to human beings was transformed into a symbol of victory, of spiritual renewal, and especially victory over death -- the Resurrection, and life (John 11:25).  In His saving ministry for us, Jesus walks into the worst of human misery, the worst of evils of this world -- that is, injustice, terrible suffering, and death at the hands of those who are powerful, manipulative, and ruthless.  But in so doing, Jesus transforms all of that, standing it on its head.  He creates victory over death, the final enemy.  He brings us life.  He brings us Resurrection.  And the Cross forever after becomes a symbol for us of life, of victory over evil and death, and of transformation.  This is why the Cross goes before us, why it is a symbol for us of the power of God in our lives.  It is why we have need of the Cross.  Because it is only through Christ's victory that we can have victory, that we can find our own triumphs over difficulties that this world will give to us in other forms of injustice, of evil, of death, no matter how they come to us.  With faith, we will find also that there is a Resurrection, and a transformation of our lives.  It is Christ who plants good, even in the midst of evil, and this is what our faith is about.  We may have our own crosses to bear, our own afflictions and burdens, but it is faith that helps us not just to carry them, but to see them through to something else, our own resurrections in life.  Let us consider what our faith can do, and what it means to have victory in the Cross.

 

 

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

 

 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 comes in 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 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."

 

 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.  Here Jesus is once again in nominally Gentile territory; that is, places where there were populations of Jews but the towns established with strong Gentile presence and influence (as we can tell from the name of the region).  He and the disciples are once again traveling in the region east of the Sea of Galilee.  My study Bible comments that "Who do you say that I am?" is the greatest question a person can ever face, because it is the question that will define Christianity.  It says that Peter's correct answer to this question prevents the Christian faith from being seen as merely another philosophical system or path of spirituality, as it names Jesus as the one and only Christ.  In Matthew's Gospel, Peter adds, "the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).  This excludes all compromise with other religious systems,  my study Bible explains.  Peter's understanding cannot be achieved by human reason, but only by divine revelation through faith (Matthew 16:17; 1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One" and is equivalent to the Hebrew title, "Messiah."  My study Bible also asks us to note that Christ first draws out erroneous opinions about Himself which were popular at the time.  This is done in order to identify these 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."  After Peter's confession, Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship:  the mystery of His Passion.  My study Bible comments that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, so the notion that Christ would die is perplexing to Peter, and still remained scandalous to the Jews after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  It says that Peter unwitting speaks for Satan here, 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."   The cross was the dreaded instrument of Roman punishment; but it is also a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  That is, as my study Bible puts it, we practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel.  In this sense, any suffering which we encounter in our lives can be given over to the Cross to be seen in its light as to how we approach our suffering.  Accepting suffering, then, becomes neither a punishment nor an end in itself.  Instead, as my study Bible puts it, it becomes 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 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 (that is, in giving up our lives to Christ and His gospel), 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 comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."   My study Bible tells us that this question emphasizes the utter foolishness of accumulating worldly wealth or power, for none of this can redeem man's fallen soul, nor benefit a person in the life to come.  That is, we focus our goal on the cross and Christ's gospel, and it is to this  end that our lives -- and all that is a part of our lives --  are dedicated.

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."   This is a reference to those who would witness the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13, our next reading), as well as to those in every generation who will experience the presence of God's kingdom.  

How do we take up our cross?  How do we give up all that is in our lives to Christ, and to the goals which Christ would prepare for us?  It is an even more profound question for us to begin to ask how our own suffering can become transfigured in the light of the Cross of Christ, as part of His mission in the world.  These are important and central questions to what it means to be a Christian believer.  In a certain sense, all suffering that we undergo in life can be used as an occasion for witnessing, for testimony to our faith.  We should remember, also, in this context, that the word "martyr" is actually the Greek word that means "witness."  It is the root of the noun that means "testimony" and the verb that means to "give testimony" or to "witness."  So we must consider how we live our lives in the light of the Cross, and how that life itself, the way we choose to live, becomes witnessing for the gospel.  When we undergo any kind of suffering in the world, enduring that suffering in the ways that our faith would teach us, dedicating ourselves to prayer and to seeking God's way through it, becomes a form of witnessing and participation in Christ's Cross through our own cross we bear in life.  We may recall that St. Paul also prayed for some firm of infirmity to pass from himself, but was told by God, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."   St. Paul's response:  "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (see 2 Corinthians 12:8-9).  Sometimes, also, we will suffer directly as a result of our faith, as the result of "witnessing" according to the teachings of Christ and our faith in Christ and what Christ would ask us to choose and to do in our lives.  We may stand up for values that are important to us via our faith, and this results in types of suffering, such as shunning by others, even family members.  But in this context we recall His words, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26), or Christ's teaching from the Sermon on the Mount:  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-11).  Each occasion in our lives becomes an opportunity for witnessing and testimony, because every occasion is a choice for an offering to live our lives through the light of the Cross, through God's guidance and teaching to help us find our way.  Thus, we may glorify Christ and the Kingdom through our choices.  When we suffer, the great genius of God's gifts to us is that we are offered a choice to participate in the Cross with Christ through our own cross -- or we may choose to see ourselves as merely a pawn of fate, a victim of the world without recourse, without choice, and without meaning.  The illness of a parent becomes such an occasion, for example, when one may choose to either prayerfully address such a circumstance or to abandon it to fatalistic thinking, or too much faith in material means, or simply a tragic error of suffering in a meaningless life.  But Christ calls us to something much, much greater than that.  He asks us to step up, and to join Him at the Cross, each in our own way.  Why?  Because our own soul is worth so much more than even what the whole world would or could offer us instead.  He offers us our souls, and a Kingdom that has no end.

 

  

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?

 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 comes in 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 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." 

 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.  "Who do you say that I am?" is, according to my study bible, the greatest question that a person can ever face.  It is the question that defines Christianity.  Peter's correct answer, it says, prevents the Christian faith from being seen as simply another philosophical system or path of spirituality.  The essence of the faith is that Christ is the one and only Son, fully God and fully human.   It is this that has remained through the centuries both the crux of the faith and also a stumbling block for many.  The position excludes all compromise with other religious systems.  Peter's understanding doesn't come through rational human deduction and proofs, but really needs divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One," equivalent to the Hebrew title "Messiah."  My study bible also notes for us that Christ first draws out erroneous opinions about Himself.  This is in order to identify the 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."   After Peter makes his confession, Jesus reveals the true nature of His messiahship -- the mystery of His Passion.   My study bible notes that it was expected that the Messiah would reign forever, therefore this idea that Christ would die was not only perplexing to Peter but it would remain scandalous to the Jews even after the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23).  In rebuking Christ, Peter unwittingly speaks for Satan.   It is a question of whether or not Christ would fulfill His mission, and save humankind through suffering and death, thereby defeating the devil.

 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 comes in 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."  The cross was a dreaded instrument of Roman punishment, but it became a symbol of suffering by Christians in imitation of Christ.  We practice self-denial for the sake of the love of God and the gospel, my study bible notes.  To accept this suffering isn't a punishment.  It is not an end in itself.  But it is 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).   Those who will see the kingdom of God present with power are the disciples who will witness the Transfiguration (in our next reading, tomorrow), and also those in every generation who will experience for themselves the presence of God's kingdom. 

 In addition to the central question, "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus asks two more questions in today's reading of central importance to us and to our lives:  He asks, "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" and  "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?"   My study bible calls it the central paradox of Christian living that in grasping for temporal things, we lose the eternal -- but should we sacrifice everything in this world, we gain eternal riches that are unimaginable (1 Corinthians 2:9).  Christ's questions take us even further, emphasizing that it is foolishness to seek to accumulate worldly wealth or power as the whole of our focus in life, as this ignores the rest of life -- these possessions can't redeem a fallen soul, nor can it benefit us in the life to come.   With the confession that Jesus is the Messiah or Christ come the paradoxes of our faith.  The central paradox is the Cross.  How can God be killed?  How can God be crucified?  These questions remain with us, and invite hosts of questions yet to come.  Why the Cross?  Let us consider first of all Jesus' own words here, His response to Peter (who speaks for the rest of the disciples).  They've known His ministry so far.  They even have shared in His power of healing and exorcism as they were sent out on their first apostolic mission.  They are there for the confrontations with the authorities.  But now this is a whole new revelation, that Jesus will suffer and be killed, just as it is clear He is the Christ.  What are they to think?  How can they understand what He is telling them?  The questions that He poses here are the questions we continually ask ourselves, and He gives us to understand that life will always ask us these questions, making it imperative that we make choices.  What's worth our soul?  What would we give in exchange for our soul?  He takes us away from thinking about Him, and asks us about ourselves.  What is our identity worth?  Our very notions of ourselves stand upon which values, what kind of self-worth?  The answer is that He has come into the world to die for us -- that's how much our souls are worth to Him, and to His Father.   It's what His teaching tells us.   If there is anyone who can tell us what our soul is worth, it is our Creator, it is God.  We know what our soul is worth to Him.  What is it worth to us?  All the questions and all the answers come right down to this:  Christ Himself points the questions back at us, and asks us what we think we are worth.   In Christ's framing, this is the question the Cross asks us.   What are our souls really worth?