Matthew, Mark and Luke have several clear reports, with increasingly detailed words from Jesus.
Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They answered him, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.” “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am? ”Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him. (Mark 8:27-30, CSB). I take the “disciples” here to be the smaller group, perhaps the twelve and any women with them on the road at the time. (The disciples can not the same as we find in John 6:60 - those who did not believe and went back.)
We see here that these disciples - Peter answering for the group - these grasped, however falteringly, just who Jesus was. How hard was it for them to heed Jesus' command?
But, right then Jesus began to set before them the awful, or awesome, truth. Notice it was "from then on" that they were told and that Jesus began telling; that is, there was more to it. (This was the start; how many times was it, I wonder?)
From then on, Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, “I must go to Jerusalem. There the nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make me suffer terribly. I will be killed, but three days later I will rise to life.” Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. He said, “God would never let this happen to you, Lord!” Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Satan, get away from me! You're in my way because you think like everyone else and not like God” (Matthew 16:21-23, CEV).
Although the last bit above is spoken to Peter, Mark specifically indicates that Jesus was taking up the responses of the group.
It is tempting to think, “how much clearer did they want it”? I think that accepting a terminal diagnosis is hard and it is easier to be in denial until the other person has breathed their last.
In a sense we see they had enough information. But that was not going to be clearly grasped until their fixed ideas were replaced. Peter thought he knew better what God would do. Peter was reflecting the common view about their Promised One. He was saying what his community believed. Sadly, that meant he was doing Satan’s work in that moment. So strongly did Peter feel Jesus was just wrong, that he tried to “have a quiet word”; a word against the truth.
Could it happen today that a spokesperson for “true” religion could in fact serve the opposition?
Jesus told them more of the implications: 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. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 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” 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.”
(Mark 8:34-9:1, NIV)
I notice there are other people there now to hear these solemn words. I wonder if people were taken aback by hearing they were to take up their cross. I wonder if perhaps this reflects the moment of people turning back. Who would want to follow a leader to the cross? In this same space we have Jesus saying he will come with powerful support and that some then living would see answered, with their own eyes, the prayer for God’s kingdom to come. These last points were much more palatable and able to be fitted around common expectations. They were easier to fit the common misconception. However, it is never good to take only part of Jesus’ message; his message is one whole, even if we need to approach it by verses and chapters.
Why only "some" will see? Losses to the grave? I doubt it. Losses to going back or away, to following no more, seem more likely to me.
The Synoptics show that Jesus’ sharp rebuke of Peter (see above) was not fatal to their relationship. The text goes on to have him and two others share a unique and precious but overwhelming moment with Jesus. That was “The Transfiguration” - the account of it was private for a while. The particular time ended with Jesus giving them an instruction; we find Jesus teaching Peter and the two companions:
As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man[a] had risen from the dead. So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”
Then they asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?[b]”
Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt? But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.” (Mark 9:30-32, NLT). “Yet why…”, said Jesus: I find it very interesting that Jesus at that point was in discussion with these disciples about their understanding of their Bible. Is he not saying something like, if you read and listen carefully and with thought, you can find the truth? The commonly held view may be the wrong view. I think I can say their minds were really reluctant to hear what Jesus was saying. Surely Jesus was doing all he could to prepare them for what lay ahead. The three found opportunity to talk; to worry together over what Jesus had said. (They often asked each other: Sharing together would be a good idea.) However, once again they are unable to take Jesus' words at face value.
As we read on and move out of Galilee into the south (Judaea) and towards the capital the threat must have felt stronger. (John tells [11] what was going on “behind the scenes”.)
They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, (Mark 10:32, NRSVUE). Amazed? Perhaps the disciples were amazed at Jesus’ bold approach to Jerusalem in that time of warranted fear. Something about Jesus' "advance" on Jerusalem they did not expect. Notice the "began" - again a start; another point of departure from what had gone before. (We may, or do, increasingly grasp Jesus and his message.) The "began" is also a reminder we do not (could not) have a minute by minute, word by word account of Jesus.
Whatever the case, Jesus took the twelve aside to make it clear to them: “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.” (Matthew 20:18-19, CSB) That may seem crystal clear; impossibly clear. In Luke we find their reality that day: The apostles did not understand what Jesus was talking about. They could not understand, because the meaning of what he said was hidden from them (Luke 18:20, CEV).
Hidden? How was it hidden? Even for the selected 12, was it just because of the conflict between Jesus’ words and their hopes, desires and beliefs?
They were faced with "impossible to believe" ideas:
- Their Lord Jesus would be turned over
- Their Lord Jesus would die;
- Their Lord Jesus would rise.
And, anyway, why did he talk about "The Son of Man"?
I think they could not “see” until afterwards; after Jesus died and rose (then the veil would be removed).
So three recorded times in the Synoptics, Jesus told them. Then there were the instances in John, which have their own distinct theme. Perhaps from quite early in Jesus' public utterances it was increasingly present in his discourse. That would parallel increasing hostility and exclusion from the synagogues.
The chief priests and scribes had an agenda for Jesus. They had discussed their options about him. Someone must have later revealed those "Sanhedrin papers". (Future post?)
Why are we told these things? Why do we see the followers, the disciples, the Apostles, failing so? Is it to alert us to the danger that ordinary religious beliefs can block a person from knowing Jesus and knowing Jesus’ truth? Is it to show us that very clearly Jesus knew how his earthly time was to end? Do both implications apply, and do they have relevance to us?
[Or - are those warning words of mine just Allen's biases showing up, again? You have to look, read, think and decide.]
The account does show us that Jesus never gave up on those people; and neither he does, for which I am truly thankful.
And: How did Jesus know what lay ahead? The detail seems amazing. How much of it can be viewed in ordinary human terms? Look again up there at the reactions. Even if some thought him in error, there is no indication that the hearers at the time thought Jesus was some sort of soothsayer or magician. It is clear that Jesus was capable of lucid and cogent thought and sharp observation of what was around him - look at his teaching. It is also quite clear that Jesus knew his Bible and took it very seriously. In addition, we witness the close relationship with his heavenly Father and considerable time spent in prayer. Is that not some explanation and support for the reliability of the reports in the Gospels? Those are the human factors. Is that the end of the story? We must remember just who Jesus was.
Admittedly, we are in the "after the event" era, the era in which the reports became known. Our perspective is through Jesus' resurrection and the impact of the Good News. Aren't we fortunate!
Finally: the true agenda was God's, was it not? What did Jesus say on this?
From a moment in that final travel to Jerusalem there is a passage which encapsulated Jesus’ understanding of his purpose and destiny. There was an internal problem within the band of 12 and the event is preserved in Matthew and in Mark: When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:40-45, NRSVUE). They had to learn the way of personal servanthood. Was this new? They may have looked shamefaced about their problem of wanting top spot. What about "ransom"? They knew that word. How could they comprehend that Jesus was giving his life as ransom for many? Did they? Jesus as bringer of salvation, and as example to follow. (Future post)
Jesus had been treading that path and knew what he was doing. He was not troubled by doubts, even if we later see him not welcoming horrific exclusion, and cruel suffering.
(Footnote: "Betrayer" is often applied to the one of the 12, a man with his own agenda. However, the betrayal in the above is on a large scale. Not that I think Jesus and his intentions was betrayed by his own society to the foreign power. His own who did not receive him made use of the Romans.)
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NRSVUE) are from the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Note: I retain in the publishers' text where they occur the references [ ] to footnotes, but usually not the notes. You can check them out by viewing the text on-line. Often they are replicated in different translations.
Image: Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
AL: 17/03/24
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