September 16, 2012
Mark 8:27-38 NRSV
27 Jesus went on with his disciples
to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples,
‘Who do people say that I am?’28And
they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one
of the prophets.’ 29He asked them, ‘But who do you say that
I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’* 30And Jesus sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about
him.
31 Then he began to teach them that
the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the
chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise
again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter
took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, Jesus rebuked
Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on
divine things but on human things.’
34 He called the crowd with his
disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and
those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will
save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the
whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed,
what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this
adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed
when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
***
I, Peter, and the other disciples and
a small crowd were following Jesus around Caesarea Philippi. This Roman city
was adorned with enormous statues of god’s and kings. I could not help but to
be in awe of their construction, and it seemed to fit that Jesus would be here,
smaller in scale than the statues but greater in purpose, for he is like a king
and a God. I think Jesus too noticed the juxtaposition because he asked the
disciples, “Who do people say I am?”
They started to rattle off names, “John
the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet…” Yet, none of their answers seemed to be
the one he was looking for. I thought for a moment, and the word, “Messiah,” came to my heart and I spoke
it aloud even before I realized what I was saying. The answer surprised me, and
I think it surprised Jesus too because he sternly told us not to tell anyone.
Somehow, I had been right, but I did not understand my answer.
A little on down the road where the
streets seemed quieter, Jesus started teaching us. In his cryptic way he began
to make predictions about himself, ‘The
Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, and the
chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed…’ and I tried to pull him
aside as he was talking. There were so many reasons I disagreed him.
Firstly,
and most importantly, Jesus is powerful, like a King, people follow him, how
could he be killed by an outsider, they would never get to him. Why on earth
would his suffering be necessary anyway? Suffering is not to be glorified.
Jesus himself speaks of ending suffering, why would he take this on as some
kind of martyr? I also believe, as is common in this day and age, if your
prophecy, it just might come true. Besides, I don’t think anyone has ever loved
me as much as Jesus does, and I love him with my whole heart. I have left my
family and created a new one with these brothers and sisters following him. If
he dies, what would happen to our family?
I
tried to tell Jesus all this away from the crowd, away from the disciples, so
he would not be embarrassed. But when I did this, he looked back at the other
disciples, and making an example of me, he rebuked me saying, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting
your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ Any pride I had felt
from proclaiming him the messiah was now buried in shame. He called me Satan. I
wondered if this was an analogy or if Satan was actually in me, and he was
exorcising him out. I felt so defensive; I was only trying to help in the best
way I knew. I was caring for him, and he pushed me away. I wonder if his
prophecy is true, about him being killed, if hearing other options, and hearing
the pain of those left behind seemed too much to handle. As if his death would
not conquer our human pain in the present, and in that pain Satan is still
winning because suffering still exists. Maybe that’s why he said, ‘For you are
setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’
Then
as if to make an even greater example of me, he called not only to the
disciples, but also to the crowd and said, ‘If
any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their
cross and follow me.’ It seemed like a charge, an instruction. People
buzzed. When he said this I felt a little better. He was rallying all of us
together, not just singling me out. Besides I am following him, and I have
given up everything I have to do so. I have brought nothing but the shoes on my
feet and the clothes on my back. My family is far away, and I may never see
them or my home again. I also carry a cross of persecution. Amidst these great
stone carvings, of Pan, the Roman God, I chose a different God. I chose a God
who does not promise that kind of power, I choose one no taller than me, no
better dressed than me, but so far greater than me. His power is one of love,
of good news.
Jesus
continued and made promises saying, ‘For
those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life
for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it
profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what
can they give in return for their life?’
Yet,
before I got ahead myself, feeling proud, Jesus again rebuked me; yet not by
name. He said, ‘Those who are ashamed of
me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the
Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with
the holy angels.’
I
had been ashamed of his words, and tried to change them, but maybe because I
did not let him finish I did not hear the promise that came after death. I did
not hear about his rising. That one day Jesus will bask in the glory of his
Father, surrounded by holy angels, and that while he is there he will remember
us. Just imagining him there with God, and holy angels, and even thinking of us
amazed me.
I
still have much to learn. I’m still a little hurt by the whole thing. I keep
thinking it over and over in my head, and each way I look at the situation
something new appears. I suppose one could look at this story for thousands of
years and still find something new. What you think? What do you make of
it?
