Mark 8:27-33
Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, “Who do the people say I am?”"Some say ‘John the Baptizer,’” they said. “Others say ‘Elijah.’ Still others say ‘one of the prophets.’”
He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”
Peter gave the answer: “You are the Christ, the Messiah.”
Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive.” He said this simply and clearly so they couldn’t miss it.
But Peter grabbed him in protest. Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. “Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works.”
December 5th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Jesus you are a scary Messiah. I’m like Peter… I want to grab you and protest against this whole suffering thing, because it scares me that following you means following that bit too.
December 7th, 2007 at 11:55 am
It\’s interesting that Peter gets the answer right…but he hasn\’t got a clue what Messiah means. I guess he sees Jesus as going to be this millitant-type, all guns blazing, saviour of the Jewish nation, not a self-sacrificial saviour. I can certainly be like Peter too…..solve a problem getting in there head-on (hopefully not too militantly!) rather than be there sacrificailly serving others. It\’s in the sacrificial serving that the change occurs.