1. Get behind me, Satan!

We are continuing the lecture on the Gospel according to Mark. The latest reading portion showed us that Jesus retreated to pagans place to avoid conflicts in Jewish cities with Jewish authorities.

But the time has come and Jesus gets back. Today’s passage tells us about the opening of Jesus’ new activity, the journey to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was the bastion of hight priests and law teachers, in short term the anti-Jesus party. They were then making up a plot to kill Jesus.(see Mark 3:6) Previously John the Baptist, Jesus’ former teacher, had been executed by king Herod Antipas (see Mark 6:26-27)

Jesus knew very well the risk of death there. Nonetheless he decided to accept that destine as God’s will. He talked to his disciples to prepare them for what would happen. Today’s text begins with this ;- Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."(Mark 8:27-28)

John the Baptist had been arrested and killed due to his criticism of the king Herod Antipas. And those who witnessed Jesus’ divine works murmured about his identity and ;- King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him (Jesus).” (Mark 6:14)

However they did not yet recognize exactly who Jesus was, the real savior. Jesus wanted to know about the isseu ;- Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” (Mark 8:27-28)

Hearing their answers Jesus asked ;- “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ."(Mark 8:29)

The word “Christ” came from ” Khristos ” in Greek, which was translated from the Hebrew word ” Messiah (anointed)”. Jewish people of that time were longing for Messiah who should emancipate Israel from pagans’ domination and restore glory of the king David. So they called that Messiah ” son of David”, who had been chosen by God and anointed as king. Peter answered by referring to that general thinking of the people.

But Jesus was not as optimistic as Peter for the future. Jewish religious leaders were intensifying hatred of Jesus and tightened their oppression policy against his teaching. Thus the Passion in Jerusalem was inevitable, according to God’s will. Jesus predict that to his disciples ;- He (Jesus) then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)

“Must” in the verse above is “¦Ä¦Åῖ {deh’i}” in Greek, which means “to be bounded to obligation”, and in the context the obligation is the death on the Cross. God wanted it. Jesus knew that God’s work would be achieved through the Passion. He declared to his disciples his willingness of going to Jerusalem this way .

But Peter could not understand. It was impossible that Messiah sent by God would be killed, he thought. Mark reports Peter’s reaction ;- He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 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 things of God, but the things of men.”
(Mark 8:32)

“To rebuke” is translated from Greek ”ἐ¦Ð¦É¦Ó¦É¦Ìά¦Ø {ep-ee-tee-mah’-o} (censure severely)”, too strong for Peter to use toward his teacher. Then Jesus’ response became likewise .

Why did Mark describe the scene in such a direct manner?

2. Message of Mark

Ordinary humans aspire to a Messiah of glory. And they want to become one of his followers. To go with Jesus Peter left all of what he had had. He might think he could have an illustrious position when Jesus became the ruler of Israelites. Jesus was performing marvelous acts of healing and teaching with impressive words. Therefore his disciples were sure of Jesus’ earthy success. Thus they abandoned their job, property and even family.

But despite their expectation Jesus predicted his death in Jerusalem. They must be completely upset by it and consequently they reacted violently. Whereas the others might criticize Jesus’ saying severely in mind Peter rebuked openly.

The early church could not admit the uncomfortable conversation between Jesus and Peter, the founder of the church. Perhaps for that reason Luke, who wrote the Gospel after Mark *, omitted Jesus words to Peter of the same scene. (see Luke 9:21-27) Believers of the early church could not acknowledge that the church founder was once called “Satin” by Jesus.

Matthew even added phrases which praised Peter in the corresponding passage ;- Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16:17-19)

In contrast to those two writers Mark described frankly the scene. Mark also recorded Jesus’ following words ;- Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.¡ÊMark 8:34-35¡Ë

I think that Mark intended to send his own message to his church members by writing the concerning passage. At the time of Mark the church was receiving oppression from Jewish religious authority. As a result, many of believers abandoned or concealed their faith to in order to survive the hard time. But Mark appealed them for perseverance and returning to the faith. His message is emphasized by Jesus’ expression “whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it”.

3. Peter’s witness to Glory of God

During Jesus’ earthy life the faith of his disciples were not strong enough for them to be fully empowered by that.
They were scattered away at Jesus’ arrest. Nonetheless it was true that they loved Jesus. So much so when Jesus was brought to the house of the high priest Peter followed them and entered secretly in its courtyard. Peter was challenged there. When one of the priest’s servant girls said to him, “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” he answered, even three times, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”

Then at that moment ;- Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.immediately after that a rooster crowed. Peter remembered Jesus’ saying ” (Mark 14:72)

The word “to disown” here is ”ἀ¦Ð¦Á¦Ñ¦Íέ¦Ï¦Ì¦Á¦É, {ap-ar-neh’-om-ahee}” in Greek text, which was also used for “to deny” in this today’s phrase, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Peter denied Jesus instead of Peter himself, then he broke down and wept. He recognized his weakness and felt guilty.

That cowardly Peter will change by meeting resurrected Jesus. After the Cross, the hopeless disciples gat back to Galilee and took back their original job, fishermen. In front of them Jesus appeared and shared a meal together.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Peter, “Do you truly love me ?” and Peter answered “I love you”. However Jesus repeated the same question again and again though Peter’s answer was always the same. Jesus’ reiteration of three times symbolizes Peter’s denial in three times and Jesus’ forgiveness to all.

That total forgiveness of Jesus led Peter to the repentance. Therefore Jesus said to him “Feed my lambs.” (see John 21:15-17)

Jesus trusted God’s flock to Peter who had recognized his weakness through spiritual defeat.
Thus forgiveness generates repentance which allows humans to overcome their defeat. Peter, who had been received Jesus’ rebuking words “Get behind me, Satan!”, became one of Jesus’ greatest Apostles

Todya’s invocation verses are Acts 4:19-20 ;- But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

After encountering resurrected Jesus, Peter and other disciples went back to Jerusalem and commenced witnessing to Jesus by saying “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

But Jewish authorities arrested them and ordered ;- Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.(Acts 4:18)

The invocation verses were the response of Peter to that order. Peter, who had been blamed by Jesus with this expression “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men”, arrived to have in mind the things of God. His entity was changed.

We need to acknowledge our situation similar to Peter. Under painful circumstances, our witness “You must be the Christ( ¦²ὺ ¦Åἶ ὁ ¦¶¦Ñ¦É¦Ò¦Óός)” might immediately change to a curse “Jesus should be destroyed ( Ἰ¦Ç¦Ò¦Ïῦς ἀ¦Í¦Á¦È¦Å¦Ì¦Á¦Óί¦Æ¦Ø ) ”, as Peter did. (see Mark 14:71)

To such us Jesus trusted ministry of preaching. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor and theologian*, said “Jesus’ life on the earth did not end. Jesus always lives in those who follow his words”. We must keep in our mind that we received his calling to be one of those followers. Though our ministry Jesus remains in life.
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* Gospel of Luke and its sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Luke#Date
*Dietrich Bonhöffer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhöffer