Many Jews were expecting a Messiah who would defeat their enemies.

Transcription

1 Introduction In Mark 8 we have seen the provision of the Servant in feeding the multitudes (vv.1-10). We have seen the provocation of the Servant by the religious leaders who ask for a miraculous sign (vv.11-13). We saw the power of the Servant as Jesus heals the blind man at Bethsaida (vv ). We witnessed the prompting of the Servant as Jesus asks His disciples the question of His identity (vv.27-30). Now comes the prediction of the Servant; Jesus predicts His rejection, suffering, death, and resurrection (vv.31-33). Remember the context; Jesus has asked his disciples concerning His identity. Peter under the inspiration of the Father replies; You are the Christ the Messiah, the Son of the living God (v. 29). Most people do not object to the idea of a Messiah. People are on board with a deliverer, a savior, provider and protector. People want leaders who will provide a kind of utopian paradise, a society where social justice reigns and provision is made for everyone. People take no offense to a messiah who keeps us warm and fed, housed and clothed, entertained and enlightened. Many Jews were expecting a Messiah who would defeat their enemies. The problem--the Messiah we want--verses the Messiah we have. In this brief passage a special contrast is drawn between the revelation of God s Messiah (v.31) and the revelation of Man s Messiah (vv.32-33). What does Jesus reveal? The Messiah will be rejected, suffer and die and rise from the dead! We expect temptation to come from the world, the flesh and the devil. But we rarely expect temptation to come from our friends. The Apostle John would later write (1John 3:8) This was the purpose of the appearing of the Son of God, to undo the work of the devil (NJB). The Servant s Revelation (v.31) Mark 8:31 (NKJV)31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. We come to a new stage in the teaching ministry of Jesus. Jesus begins to instruct them concerning the ministry of the Messiah. What kind of Messiah is God s Messiah? The popular conceptions of a political and social and economic liberator is about to be confronted. Look carefully at the expression And He began to teach them. In Matthew s parallel account (Matt. 16:21) we read From that time forth --that is from the time of Peter s profound confession that Jesus is the Messiah--beyond question the Messiah--the predicted Messiah-- 1

2 something significant took place. Jesus makes clear the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. The expression must suffer (dei) is remarkably strong. Must is a constraint-- a necessity. The implication is a necessary event. But why? God is love--man is corrupt. God is holy--man is fallen. God is righteous--man is unrighteous. God s Son was to die and be raised from the dead. The Lord God must provide salvation for man--and justice for Himself. The penalty must be paid. The ideal man must die the ideal death so that sin can be forgiven. There was only one ideal man--the man Jesus. The ideal man must live a perfect life--in keeping with God s commands, an ideal life, an ideal righteousness. He must die, providing the world an ideal death, and he must rise rise from the dead, providing an ideal resurrection. The idea of suffering many things includes much more than the peripheral sufferings surrounding his arrest and torture and crucifixion. Listen to the words of Jesus: The Son of Man must suffer many things. Like what? Jesus will suffer by way of anticipation! It s one thing to know you will die. But to know when and how is painful. Jesus will suffer at the ands of Satan being tested. Jesus will suffer at the hands of enemies. His face marred Isa.52:14 His back lacerated John 19:1 His brow scarred Matt. 27:29 His hands and feet pierced Psalm 22:16 His death mocked Psalm 22:12, 13,16 Jesus will suffer at the hands of his friends--betrayed and forsaken. Jesus will suffer at the hands of His Father being forsaken (Isa. 53:4). Jesus will suffer in his soul being made sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus continues to suffer--in what way? In His members the body of Christ (2 Cor. 1:15; Phil. 3:10; 1 Peter 4:13). Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed by the Germans on charges of treason and plotting to kill Hitler. He wrote; A Christian is someone who shares the sufferings of God in the world. In Hebrews 5:8 we read; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which he suffered. The writer--points to His identity SON Jesus is the Son of God. He leaves the presence of God in heaven, with all the splendor, glory, privilege, worship, praise and honor due him. Jesus is the Son of Heaven. But because Jesus humbled himself and came in fashion as a man, he is rightly the Son of Man. 2

3 We see the prediction of his suffering and resurrection in light of the past. But for the disciples-- no one had ever come back from the dead--never to die again. We cannot be sure what the disciples were thinking--when Jesus said, raised again. Something happened in the brains of Jesus disciples. The words rejection, suffering, death, are competing with all the previous ideas of a liberating savior. The expression after three days rise again seems so outrageous, so unbelievable as to go in one ear and out the other! This has never happened before. Clearly God s prophets have been rejected, incarcerated, killed, but they don t come back to life! The idea of a rejected Messiah, a suffering Messiah, a murdered Messiah was radically different from their own ideas about a Messiah. The Lord Jesus had dropped no so subtle hints; Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (John 2:19). As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up (John 3:14). I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51). What were the disciples thinking? Who came up with this crazy plan? Rejection, torture, incarceration, more torture, death, resurrection? The Lord Jesus has been hated by His enemies and misunderstood by His friends. The ministry of Jesus has been marked by dynamic power, moral perfection, deep love and profound humility. The revelation of God in Christ is the path of service, the road to redemption and forgiveness and reconciliation lies in rejection, suffering and death--but also a glorious resurrection! F.W. Grant writes; The heart of service would be revealed in sacrifice. What do you believe about suffering? Do you believe people suffer because they have done something wrong? Do you believe people suffer because they are bad? Clearly people do sometimes suffer because they are bad. But Jesus did nothing wrong. Jesus was never bad. Suffering is not always linked to conduct. Elisha Coles writes; Sin could not die, unless Christ died; Christ could not die without being made sin; nor could He die, but sin must die with Him. The poet Katharine Agnes May Kelly writes; O make me understand it, / Help me to take it in,/ What it means to Thee, the Holy One,/ To bear away my sin. We find tucked away in verse 31--a list of those who opposed Jesus. The elders, the scribes, the chief priests. 3

4 The rejection of the Messiah was prefigured in Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from...heeding my groans (REB). Isaiah wrote, He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity. John wrote He came into his own world, but his own nation did not welcome him (John 1:11). A.W. Tozer wrote; To accept Christ is to know the meaning of the words as he is, so are we in this world. We accept his friends as our friends, his enemies as our enemies, his ways as our ways, his rejection as our rejection, his cross as our cross, his life as our life, and his future as our future. Peter s Rebukes The Savior! (v.32) Mark 8:32 (NKJV) 32He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. The expression He spoke this word openly is important. The word translated openly is a Greek noun parresia--which Arndt and Gingrich defines as outspokenness, frankness, plainness of speech; that conceals nothing and passes over nothing (p.630). Jesus attempts to impart the facts about His death and the meaning of His death! When used in the dative case (as here) it is used as an adverb--hence the translation openly. But since Jesus is sharing this information with his disciples or 12 apostles the plain truth about his rejection, death and resurrection--we might even consider the word plainly (NIV). How are we to think about what we are reading? Jesus makes plain the fact of His suffering and the meaning of His suffering; Jesus makes plain the fact of His death and the meaning of His death--and the fact of His resurrection and the meaning of His resurrection. A cold wave of protest begins to grip the heart of at least one disciple! What is happening? The natural man does not receive the things of the spirit. The carnal man rebels against the idea of sacrifice and death--most certainly the death on a cross. In a few moments Jesus will reveal not only the fact of his death but the method of His death. There are two words that should never be used in the same sentence; No, Lord. The expression Peter took Him aside (proslabomenos)--means grabbed or caught hold! The implication is the massive fisherman grabbed Jesus and took him aside for a little chat! The text reads and began to rebuke Him (epitiman)--the original is strong. The language suggests--not a casual recommendation or a suggestion--but a forcible attempt to stop the idea of a suffering Servant--a suffering Messiah. The idea was repulsive and disgusting and unacceptable to Peter. 4

5 Peter attempts to argue against a cross. Peter is urging a power Messiah, a regal Messiah, a triumphant Messiah, a conquering Messiah, an enthroned Messiah. Peter is urging Jesus to follow human schemes and human expectations. Peter is urging Jesus to reject God s way and accept an alternative! In the process Peter urges Jesus to exactly what Satan urged in an earlier time in the ministry of Jesus. Satan urged Jesus to compromise--compromise God s Word-- compromise God s plan--compromise God s power (Matt.4:1-11). Can you imagine restraining and rebuking Jesus? Jesus you have it all wrong. Let us give Peter the benefit of the doubt--just for a moment! Would if Peter is saying, you don t need to do this, you don t deserve this kind of treatment. But even if Peter is filled with great motives and good intentions--his statement flies in the face of the plan of God and the will of God. Peter is zealous for God. But Peter was mistaken and ignorant in that zeal. Peter at this point either does not understand or comprehend that God was planning to save the world through the death of His Son. Peter s behavior mirrors the foolish heart of all mankind. Restrain and rebuke Jesus. Say its for his own good. Rebel, reject, recoil--at the idea of a suffering Servant who dies for the sins of the world. Rebel, reject, recoil--at the idea of a suffering Servant who demands self-sacrifice and self-denial of His followers. Make sure you make it clear that such an idea is unacceptable and repulsive. Promote a positive message of self-awareness and self-esteem. Go one step further. Promote a message of personal prosperity. Make sure you tell people they are the head and not the tail. We live in a world where even followers of Christ--believe the path and plan of God is indulgent love. God is a loving, indulgent grandparent, who s only concern is the happiness of that grandchild. The Lord tolerates the worst behavior, the most wicked rebellion, the most selfish and indulgent and foolish behavior. The cross and sacrifice and blood are repulsive. The cross is viewed only as a symbol and emblem of love--not as a shame and a reproach. Comfort and pleasure and privilege and plenty and leisure are God s true goals! Let s be done with suffering, sacrifice and self-denial. How can suffering, sacrifice and selfdenial lead to salvation from sin and reconciliation to God? The very question reveals a gigantic ignorance of the gospel! What is our problem? For most people the answer is rarely sin! For most people the answer is my husband, my wife, my boss, my kids, my health, my poverty, my circumstances, my government, my rejection, my sacrifice, my pain, my suffering, my impending death. 5

6 The Servant Rebukes Peter (v.33) Mark 8:33 (NKJV) 33But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men. Jesus looks at His disciples as if to remind Himself and Peter that this is the reason for rejection, suffering, a cross, death and a resurrection! If there is no cross how in the world will these people be saved? The word Satan means adversary. This does not mean that Peter was demon possessed or that he was controlled by Satan. Peter s words do suggest that Jesus avoid trouble and embrace ease. Peter suggests that Jesus embrace-- what is comfortable rather than what is necessary. In a sense Jesus is accusing Peter of adopting a Satanic mindset--or outlook. In what way? Satan constantly tempts and tests us to disobey God. Or if that doesn t work--to only partially obey God. But incomplete obedience is complete disobedience. Satan tests us to take the easy path, the broad path, the path of least resistance. Peter you are not mindful of the things of God, but of men. Men want to escape rejection. Human beings want to escape suffering, escape trial, escape shame, escape doing God s will. Give me the quiet path, the respectable path! This is the snare that so easily besets us. We want to save self. Isn t there an easier way than a cross? Why does honoring God involve so much rejection? Why does God involve so much suffering? Isn t there a quiet--respectable path? Jesus was tempted to reject God s will for His life. The source of the temptation? His own disciple. Peter had earlier heard from God concerning the Messiah s identity! But what kind of Messiah? Are you tempted to reject God s will for your life? Is the source of your temptation well meaning friends and family? Do they swear they are just trying to spare you from the difficult path, the way of pain, the way of sorrow, the way of trouble, the way of trial? Are they suggesting that the path of God rarely involves personal rejection, suffering, death or a resurrection? We all have our Satan--adversary--who takes different forms. Satan will come in the form of misguided zeal, laziness, or any number of guises that simply points you away from God s plan for your life. Our friend Peter has a radical change of heart after the death and resurrection of Jesus. What is that testimony? It s found in 1 Peter 1:3-4; 18-19; 21; chapter 2:24; 1 Peter chapter 3:18; 4:1. Don t despise the Lord s rebuke. Jesus rebukes Peter for his presumption. Peter has much to learn about rejection, sacrifice, suffering and resurrection! Peter will learn that God s will 6

7 and Christ s sacrifice are the necessary events to make salvation possible. The Bible says that faithful are the wounds of a friend and the wounds Jesus inflicts are the kindest of all. Peter was shortsighted. Peter s sentiment was exaggerated. Peter s audacity to think that he could help or save Jesus--commendable but wrong. Conclusion What is God s will for your life? Do you know? Are well meaning people trying to keep you from God s will because the rejection is to great, the suffering to great, the sacrifice to great, the possibility of death to great? Have you forgotten that in the end there is the promise of a glorious resurrection? Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki put it this way; The edges of God are tragedy; the depths of God are joy, beauty, resurrection, life. Resurrection answers crucifixion; life answers death. In the next few verses Jesus will lay out the cost of discipleship. 7