Twenty-fourth Sunday In Ordinary Time
MARK 8:27-35 (Isaiah 50:4c-9a; Psalm 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; James 2:14-18)
This gospel reading begins with major theological geography. Up to this time in Mark’s gospel the disciples of Jesus had not yet recognized an important identity of Jesus. He and they went beyond the traditional borders of the Holy Land into the area of a major city twenty-five miles north of the Sea of Galilee – Caesarea Philippi. This city was situated at the source of the Jordan River on the slopes of Mt. Hermon. Herod the Great, died 4 B.C., had built at this location a city and a temple in honor of Caesar Augustus, and named the city Caesarea. When Herod the Great died, this area came under the rule of his son Herod Philip. He beautified and enlarged the city and renamed it Caesarea Philippi in honor of Augustus Caesar and himself. The city was a center of Greek-Roman culture with a largely pagan population. The outlying towns which were visit-ed by Jesus and Co. were under the control of this pagan city.
Such was the setting for the disciples’ first recognition of Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. For Mark it was an important catechesis that Jesus was sent not only to his own people but to all nations. Therefore the setting must be outside the traditional boundaries of Israel. Jesus takes an opinion poll of his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptizer.” John was quite dead by this time, martyred by order of Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. It was also believed that the Baptizer might return. Antipas himself was afraid that John came back to haunt him. Since Jesus had also engaged in a baptismal ministry, perhaps he was the ghost of John. “Others say you are Elijah.” Elijah was a ninth century B.C. miracle-working prophet in the Kingdom of Israel. According to 1 Kings 2:11, Elijah did not die but was raptured up to heaven in a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire. All humans however had to die. Therefore Elijah had to return to earth at sometime to die. Was Jesus the returned Elijah? Third opinion: “You are one of the prophets.” Had God raised up one of the ancient prophets who returned as Jesus of Nazareth?
Such was the public opinion about Jesus due to his baptizing and miracle-working activities. Now to the heart of the catechesis. Jesus asked his disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter, recognized spokesperson for the group, answered for all of them, “You are the Messiah!” “You are the Christ” is just as valid a translation as Messiah. The latter is derived from the Greek verb “to anoint.” The former is derived from the Hebrew verb “to anoint.” Jesus responded to this major recognition with a command to silence. In last week’s commentary his command to silence was interpreted as part of Mark’s theological device called “the Messianic Secret.” This may be the case here also, but more likely silence is commanded because of the mortal danger into which anyone came who was recognized as Messiah/Christ. This title carried the notion of kingship for the Jews. At this time and for the foreseeable future they were under Roman occupation. The Romans did not smile on would be kings, unless such kings were elevated to kingship by the Roman Senate and/or Caesar.
Jesus recognizes that his disciples were infected with the concept of political kingship for him. Therefore his next move is to describe his role as Messiah or king. Using Mark’s favorite Old Testament title for Jesus, he describes Jesus saying, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.” As if this was an incredible statement Mark writes, “Jesus said this openly.” Simon Peter did not think highly of Jesus’ statement. In fact, he totally rejected it. Simon could understand rising from the dead because the resurrection of the body was by now commonly held by many Jews of Jesus’ time. But to accept that the One whom Simon Peter had just proclaimed Messiah (Christ) would “suffer greatly and be killed,” was nonsense to him. He steps out of line as a disciple. A disciple is by definition “one who learns.”
Peter had not learned, and was about to get a hard lesson. He took Jesus aside and rebuked him for what he considered nonsense. Before Jesus responded, Mark writes that he “looked at his disciples.” Why? By his rebuke of Jesus Simon Peter had shocked and scandalized them. There was a way to correct the scandal, and Jesus took it. He in turn rebuked Simon Peter by compar-ing Simon’s rebuke of him to a temptation of Satan, “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have the thoughts of God, but only human thoughts.” Then the Marcan Jesus continues his catechesis. The suffering and the cross which Jesus was about to endure was meant not just for himself but for anyone who wishes to follow him.
“Whoever wishes to walk behind me, (as a disciple, and Peter was at fault in this matter), must deny himself, take up his own cross and follow me.” According to tradition or legend, Peter would meet exactly that fate – crucifixion. “For whoever would save his life will lose it.” Saving his own life that was a concern for Peter in the courtyard of the high priest during Jesus trial. He publicly denied with a curse that he even knew Jesus. That was the bad news. Now the Good News, “Whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel will save it.” In the time of the writing of Mark’s gospel, that could mean martyrdom.
