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February 6, 2011 |
| Jesus is the Messiah | ||
In the series of lessons prior to this one, we learned the prophecies given to Isaiah. Many of these talked about the coming Messiah. Now we jump forward to Mark's Gospel account of the life of Jesus. Here we will see Jesus' disciples coming to the realization that Jesus is the Messiah. We will also see Jesus talking about some of the events that were foretold by Isaiah.
At this point in Mark's account Jesus is training his disciples, teaching the people and performing miracles.
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
Jesus continues to train and correct his disciples but this time he leads with a question about the people who have come to see Jesus. It seems he wants to get them thinking on the topic of "who he is".
It can happen in our lives that we become so involved in the details of things that are happening that we forget to step back and get a look at a bigger picture. Perhaps that was the case here and Jesus wanted them to step back and consider the words they had heard, the miracles they had seen and the thoughts of others and what that showed them about who Jesus was.
28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered, "You are the Messiah."
Note who the people do not say Jesus could be – the Messiah.
Now Jesus gets to the point, "who do you say I am." He is really asking "with everything you've seen and heard, have you put it together yet?" Most likely Jesus needs to get them all to the same step in their training so that he can continue on to the next step. In that sense his question is like a test of their training so far. For some the answer is easy; for other's the test is part of the training. Peter, who is frequently the first to speak, comes up with the right answer.
30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He wanted his disciples to come to this knowledge through observation and revelation not by hearing it from Jesus' words. In the same way he wanted the crowds to discover him through his words and miracles. For this reason he instructs his disciples not to tell this to anyone.
"Jesus has given similar prohibitions on several previous occasions (see Mark 1:44, 5:43, 8:26, 9:9). Likewise, the demons are forbidden to reveal Jesus' identity (1:25, 3:12)"1
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, …
Having assured that all his disciples were on the same page, Jesus began to tell them what was coming up. Unlike at other times when he spoke in parables or used words in ways they weren't prepared to understand, here he said it so they would understand it without having to think about it.
Note the list of those who will reject him. "These three groups make up the Sanhedrin, which is the ruling body of the Jews (compare Mark 11:27; also see Isaiah 53:3, John 1:11)."2 The group not mentioned is the people of Israel. As we see in the Mosaic Law, animal sacrifices for sin were performed by the priests. Therefore it is the religious elite who must sacrifice Jesus.
32 … and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Despite Jesus speaking clearly his disciples are not ready to hear it. It's important again to understand what the Jews expected of the Messiah. They ignored the prophecies of the suffering servant Messiah and expected the conquering king Messiah. So while his disciples all now understood who he was they still expected him to fit into the role they wanted for him. That did not match what he was telling them and Peter stepped in to correct Jesus.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
We can't know for sure but Jesus may have been surprised and saddened by this. The disciples had just recognized him as the Messiah. But It's plain they didn't fully understand what that meant.
Jesus calls Peter Satan because Peter is doing the work of Satan. Peter's words are intended to take the Messiah onto a path that was not what God planned. It was the same easy path that Satan had offered Jesus at the start of his ministry, during the 40 days in the desert.
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
In his commentary on Mark 8 Adam Clark has an interesting insight into how Jews would have understood what Jesus was saying here. That text follows but with a little modernization. It seems that Jesus used the proselytism of the Jews to show the principal qualities which he required in the proselytes of his covenant.3
The proselyte is regarded as a new-born child; hence his former family connections are considered as ended, and he might legally marry his own mother or sister; but lest he come to the conclusion that his new status is less holy than his former, such unions are prohibited
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=556&letter=P
The first condition of proselytism among the Jews was, that he that came to embrace their religion should come voluntarily, and that neither force nor influence should be involved. It should be an act of free choice. This is also the first condition required by Jesus and the foundation of all the rest.
The second condition required in the Jewish proselyte was, that he should renounce all his prejudices, his errors, his idolatry, and everything that concerned his false religion; and that he should entirely separate himself from his most intimate friends and acquaintances. It was on this ground that the Jews called proselytism a new birth, and proselytes new-born, and new men; and our Lord requires men to be born again, not only of water, but by the Holy Ghost. Jesus includes all this in these words, "let him deny himself."
The third condition on which a person was admitted into the Jewish Church as a proselyte was, that he should submit to the yoke of the Jewish law, and bear patiently the inconveniences and sufferings with which a profession of the Mosaic religion might be accompanied. Jesus requires the same condition; but, instead he brings in his own doctrine, which he calls his yoke, and his cross, the taking up of which not only implies a bold profession of Christ crucified, but also a cheerful submitting to all the sufferings and persecutions to which he might be exposed, and even to death itself.
The fourth condition was that they should solemnly engage to continue in the Jewish religion, and be faithful even unto death. This condition Christ also requires; and it is comprised in these words, "follow me".
35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Jesus gives us another example here of how our nature can betray us. Our natural desire to try to have long enjoyable lives results instead in losing our long enjoyable lives. No matter how successful our lives are or how wealthy we become, death awaits us. Then what do we have of value with which to buy back our lives.
38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Certainly these words are applicable to us now but in the time Jesus spoke them they may have had additional meaning. Compared to the conquering-king Messiah most of the Jews were expecting, Jesus was a sad excuse for a Messiah. He appeared to be no more than an ordinary man and with no power. Most Jews would have been ashamed to call him Messiah. His words were those of peace and love rather than words that would lead to the destruction of Israel's enemies.
By saying "in this adulterous and sinful generation" Jesus is emphasizing that his disciples, then and now, would be making a decision between leading a sinful life and following him.
1 And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."
Jesus began his ministry by saying "the Kingdom of God is at hand"; here he says some of you will not die before it comes with power. But there are several interpretations of this verse. It is not a prophecy that Jesus' return will come while some of the disciples are still alive. But it is clear that one or more of the disciples will not see this event.
A common interpretation is that the Kingdom of God came with power at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given. It is that Holy Spirit which binds us into that unity called the Kingdom of God, also called the church. And it was after that time that the church began to grow quickly. In this interpretation the disciple that missed this coming of the Kingdom of God was Judas.
1. What mistake does Peter make when he rebukes Jesus for telling the disciples of the hardships and death to come? What can we learn from that?
He believes he knows better than Jesus what the Messiah's role is to be.
2. Jesus contrasts being ashamed of him and being ashamed of sin. Is it possible to be proud to live a sinful life?
Men and their conquests
1 NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, Winter 2011, Unit 3, February 06, Section I, C
2 NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, Winter 2011, Unit 3, February 06, Section II, A