Mark 8:31-38 - The Enemy is Us
Mark 8: 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. 32) He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33) But turning and looking at his disciples, he 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. 35) 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. 36) For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37) Indeed, 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.”
Background: Today’s passage follows immediately on a discussion of Jesus’ Messiahship. He has just healed a blind man and his disciples are trying to understand just who this new rabbi really is. As we pick up the story, Peter has just declared that Jesus is the Messiah. This passage must be understood in that context.
Expectations of Messiah: The people of Israel had yearned for centuries for the One promised of God who would come into their lives and nation and rescue them. Over time, very specific ideas about Messiah grew up, drawing largely on the words of the prophets and especially of Daniel. Several things about Messiah were assumed. 1. Messiah would be a human being and nothing more. The radical monotheism of Israel could not conceive of what we call “incarnation, that is, God becoming human and remaining God. 2. Messiah would be chosen by God for God’s purpose of restoring Israel to right relationship with God and ensuring the bounty of God’s promises. 3. Messiah would be a military hero. Foreign domination was understood as a major reason for Israel’s troubles. Messiah would end that domination. 4. Messiah’s coming would produce undeniable and lasting results. There would be no doubt about who he was and what he had accomplished. 5. Messiah’s reign would result in peace, unity, justice and blessing for all.
What was Peter’s problem? Peter expected Messiah to be what I just described. In light of that, Jesus’ words about suffering and rejection (failure) were incomprehensible. That was not how he thought God got things done. He thought that if he could just work with Jesus a little more that he could straighten him out!
The Role of Suffering: Today’s lesson is one of the strongest pronouncements about the necessity of Jesus’ suffering and the inevitability of the suffering of those who follow him. Why is this necessary? The text does not explain God’s thinking to Peter or to us. We are simply told that the suffering of Jesus is necessary. It is interesting that he does not say that the suffering was specifically ‘willed’ by God. Rather, it is a part of the divine plan, permitted and dealt with. If suffering, according to the divine plan of God, was somehow necessary for Jesus, what is the role of suffering for his disciples? It is inevitable in an unbelieving world. It is important to remember that suffering does not have value for its own sake. It is, rather, a tool or opportunity for or route to wholeness and salvation. Suffering is not called for except for the sake of the gospel or for bearing witness to the gospel. Even then, the faithfulness that may result in suffering is the path to true life.
Word Study
Vs. 31 – Son of Man – this term in complex. It is how Jesus most often referred to himself and it is a title used of Messiah.
Must – important word. It means “necessary” and implies a divine plan.
Be killed – This is Jesus’ first prediction of his death in Mark’s Gospel.
Vs. 32 – quite openly – this does not mean publicly. It means plainly, understandably.
Rebuked – this is the word used for silencing a demon in an exorcism! This is astounding and reflects Peter’s fear of what others will think and do. This fear is the quality that will lead him later to deny Jesus.
Vs. 33 – rebuked – a different word. It is a harsh word, almost a curse.
Satan – Jesus here uses the name of Satan to symbolize the power of evil. He is saying to Peter that he (Peter) is functioning as an instrument of evil.
Divine things – God’s ways.
Human things – human beings’ partial and selfish priorities.
Vs. 34 – deny – say no to self, exercise self-control, put the demands of the gospel above personal feelings.
Take up cross – the disciples would have had no trouble grasping the meaning of this even before Jesus’ crucifixion. The landscape was littered with crosses. It was the most common form of execution. He is saying that to follow Jesus, a disciple must be willing and ready to die for him. This verse is a very clear job description for Christian living.
Follow me – it is important to remember that we are never called to go it alone. We are only called to go where Jesus has already gone.
Vs. 35 – life – refers to more than physical life. It also refers to spiritual life.
Vs. 36 – forfeit – waste, give up, give over, give away.
Vs. 38 – ashamed – literally, half-hearted, apologetic attitude.
Questions for Personal Reflection
- What expectations do you have about Jesus? How has he proved to be different from those expectations?
- Have you ever had an experience that you would call ‘redemptive’ suffering, that is suffering that has brought you to a new and better place by going through it?
- What does it mean to you to know that Jesus has gone before you in painful times?
- Have you ever found yourself opposed to God and to what God was trying to do? What happened? What were you afraid of? How did it work out?
- Have you ever had to defend the Gospel at personal expense? What did you lose? What did you gain?