Death and Life – Mark 8:27-38

A text – 8:27-38

8:27  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?” 8:28  And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 8:29  He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 8:30  And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

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. 8:32  He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 8:33  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.” 8:34  He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 8:35  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. 8:36  For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 8:37  Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 8:38  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.”

A reflection:

Jesus has been traveling with and teaching his disciples, his “students,” for a long time by this point in their travels. Many scholars say his earthly ministry lasted for 3 years; that means this is the half-way point. They have known Jesus a year and a half. They have traveled with him, heard him teach, seen miracles of healing, participated in the feeding of thousands… but who is he? Peter says, “You are the Messiah.” This means Peter believes Jesus to be the promised leader who will overturn their country’s oppression under a foreign power and right all the wrongs, bringing them into peace and prosperity. Peter has big plans, and having known Jesus for over a year, he knows Jesus can do them.

No wonder when Jesus then begins to tell his followers that he will be hounded by the religious leaders, persecuted, and put to death, Peter says, “Now wait a minute!” Peter does not want his nation’s long-awaited hero to die. But Jesus knows that he will die, in order to win an even bigger battle than Peter is thinking of: to conquer death. Jesus is trying, at this point in his journey with his disciples, to share with them what being a follower really means. It means certainty that God loves you, and peace knowing that when you die in service to the Lord, you will not die but instead live eternally.

This kind of victory isn’t what the disciples are expecting. No one is expecting this. But death is right in the middle of followership, isn’t it. Glory and eternity comes for Jesus and his disciples, but not before death finds them all. But that is the amazing thing about Easter. After death for Jesus, comes life. They all saw it. And after death, for us believers too, comes life. We have his word on it. We have his life on it.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for being our protector. Help us to understand that there will be a high cost for following you, but that there is also new life after death. Help us to help those who are grieving remember your promise: the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection. Amen.