{"id":2822,"date":"2015-09-09T10:37:04","date_gmt":"2015-09-09T10:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/?p=2822"},"modified":"2015-09-02T20:46:14","modified_gmt":"2015-09-02T20:46:14","slug":"commentary-on-the-24th-sunday-of-the-year-b-13th-september-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/commentary-on-the-24th-sunday-of-the-year-b-13th-september-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on the 24th Sunday of the year (B) 13th September 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

PETER\u2019S CONFESSION OF FAITH. PREDICTION OF PASSION<\/strong><\/p>\n

A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 TEXT (MARK 8: 27\u201335)
<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Who Do Men Say I Am?<\/strong><\/p>\n

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare\u2019a Philip\u2019pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, \u201cWho do men say that I am?\u201d 28 And they told him, \u201cJohn the Baptist; and others say, Eli\u2019jah; and others one of the prophets.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Peter\u2019s Profession of Faith<\/strong><\/p>\n

29 And he asked them, \u201cBut who do you say that I am?\u201d Peter answered him, \u201cYou are the Christ.\u201d 30 And he charged them to tell no one about him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Passion Predicted<\/strong><\/p>\n

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly.<\/em><\/p>\n

Misunderstanding of Disciples<\/strong><\/p>\n

And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, \u201cGet behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cost of Discipleship<\/strong><\/p>\n

34<\/em> And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, \u201cIf any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel\u2019s will save it. <\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

B\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 EXPLANATION<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark\u2019s Gospel opened with the statement of his intention in writing: \u201cThe beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God<\/em>\u201d. He wrote to show that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, three words in three languages with an identical meaning. The word \u201cJesus<\/em>\u201d is a proper name, meaning \u2018God Saves\u2019<\/em>. The word \u201cChrist<\/em>\u201d is a title, as explained.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Reading serves a double purpose. It marks the end of the first section of Mark\u2019s Gospel which has been Jesus revealing himself as the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed. Peter culminates this section with his profession of faith in Jesus the Messiah.<\/p>\n

It also introduces the next section with its theme of Jesus the suffering Messiah. This section will end with the pagan centurion openly professing that Jesus is the Son of God, Marks\u2019 second intention in writing.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare\u2019a Philip\u2019pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, \u201cWho do men say that I am?\u201d 28 And they told him, \u201cJohn the Baptist; and others say, Eli\u2019jah; and others one of the prophets.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare\u2019a Philip\u2019pi<\/em>\u201d \u2014 \u201cThe villages<\/em>\u201d would have been the settlements or suburbs around this city. This city was built near a shrine dedicated to a Greek god called Pan. Herod the Great built a temple to honour the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus. Philip the Tetrarch built a new city and called it after Caesar, Caesarea Philippi. It was in this pagan environment of a former shrine to a Greek god and a city dedicated to a Roman Emperor who was regarded as divine that Jesus chose to be revealed by Peter as Messiah.<\/p>\n

\u201cand on the way<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus is now on the way to Jerusalem (Mk. 11: 1). During this journey Jesus will instruct his disciples on the spiritual journey they are to undertake, namely to follow him to Calvary.<\/p>\n

It is not coincidence that the phrase \u201con the way<\/em>\u201d occurs frequently in the following chapters: 8: 27; 9: 33\u201334; 10: 17, 52;<\/p>\n

\u201che asked his disciples, \u201cWho do men say that I am?<\/em>\u201d \u2014 There was much public speculation. There was no mention of people considering him to be the Messiah. The authorities regarded him as a breaker of the law of God (Mk. 3: 1\u20136); his relatives and friends said \u201che is beside himself<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 3: 21); the scribes said he was possessed (Mk. 3: 22); people from his home\u2013town did not believe in him (Mk. 6: 1\u20136). For the general public Jesus was no more than a prophet heralding the coming of the Messiah. So Jesus asked his disciples what other people were saying about him.<\/p>\n

And they told him, \u201cJohn the Baptist; and others say, Eli\u2019jah; and others one of the prophets.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 After he had executed John the Baptist, King Herod made enquiries about Jesus and his miraculous powers. He was told by some that Jesus was \u201cJohn the baptizer \u2026 raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him. But others said, \u2018It is Eli\u2019jah.\u2019 And others said, \u2018It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old\u2019. But when Herod heard of it he said, \u2018John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.\u2019\u201d<\/em> (Mk. 6: 14\u201316).<\/em><\/p>\n

The people and the authorities were impressed by Jesus\u2019 words and deeds but they did not know who he was. They knew he was extraordinary but they were confused as to his identity.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

29 And he asked them, \u201cBut who do you say that I am?\u201d Peter answered him, \u201cYou are the Christ.\u201d 30 And he charged them to tell no one about him.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he asked them, \u2018But who do you say that I am?<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 Jesus asks the disciples for their personal opinion. The Twelve at least had been with him from the beginning of his public ministry. They had heard his words and witnessed his miraculous and ordinary works. They had received special instruction in contrast to the other people who had followed or listened to him: \u201cTo you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 4: 11).<\/p>\n

\u201cPeter answered him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Peter is spokesman for the disciples (Mk. 8: 32; 9: 5; 10: 28; 11: 21; 14: 29). His name is first in the list of apostles (Mk. 3: 16).<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018You are the Christ.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 In the Old Testament priests, prophets and kings were anointed (the Greek noun for anointed is \u2018Christos\u2019) as a sign that they had been chosen and appointed by God. As time progressed while the Messiah would be acknowledged as being anointed as priest, prophet and king, the emphasis was placed on him being a political king for the liberation of the Jewish nation and its citizens.<\/p>\n

In the Gospel of Mark this is the first acknowledgement that Jesus is the Messiah. It is also the introduction to a new phase in Jesus\u2019 ministry. From now onwards he will instruct his disciples, much more than others, on the fundamental truths of his ministry and on their correct response.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he charged them to tell no one about him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus knew that while Peter\u2019s act of faith was legitimate and good, he did not understand the whole truth, had many ambiguities and wrong ideas and might lead others astray. Jesus called him to be silent on the point and then proceeded, in the following verses, to correct some of Peter\u2019s ideas and what the implications would be for those who followed Jesus.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he began to teach them<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus must make it clear to the disciples that the Messiah is not what they presuppose or have accepted in a pre\u2013judged manner. In spite of the clarity of the four prophecies in Isaiah, called the Suffering Servant Songs (Is. 42: 1\u20134; 49: 1\u20137; 50: 4\u201311; 52: 13\u201353: 12) no Jews at the time were prepared for the full truth about the Messiah. Jesus now enlightens them, or at least tries to.<\/p>\n

\u201cthe Son of man must suffer many things<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus, as \u201cSon of man<\/em>\u201d, is obliged to (\u201cmust<\/em>\u201d) undergo the following list because these things have been foretold in Sacred Scripture as the will of God the Father.<\/p>\n

\u201cSon of man<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This title for Jesus occurs 86 times in the New Testament and is used only by Jesus about himself. (i) It describes his life and activity on earth (Mk. 2: 10, 28; 10: 45); (ii) it describes his death and resurrection (Mk. 8: 31; 9: 31; 10: 33; 9: 9; 10: 45; 14: 21); (iii) it describes his function in the \u2018end times\u2019 as judge of glory (Mk. 8: 38; 13: 26; 14: 62).<\/p>\n

\u201cthe elders and the chief priests and the scribes<\/em>\u201d \u2014 These three groups constituted the Sanhedrin or Jewish religious council.<\/p>\n

\u201cafter three days rise again<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This expression does not refer to 72 hours. It was an accepted term in the Bible referring to a short period of suffering followed by deliverance by God (see, for example, Hos. 6: 1\u20133).<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he said this plainly<\/em>\u201d \u2014 To this point Jesus wished that his being the Messiah would be veiled because people would not understand its full meaning which is that he would have to suffer, die and rise again. He has now revealed this meaning. He is speaking openly and clearly.<\/p>\n

And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, \u201cGet behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Peter took him, and began to rebuke him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Even after Jesus\u2019 explanation Peter does not understand that Jesus \u201cmust<\/em>\u201d suffer. For him, the Messiah would bring only earthly glory and prosperity for himself and others.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Mark indicates that the rebuke is intended for the disciples also because they think like Peter the spokesman.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Get behind me, Satan!<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 Peter is not a devil but is acting in the role of the devil by opposing Jesus as he executes God\u2019s will. The Hebrew word \u2018satan\u2019 means to tempt. Jesus calls Peter a tempter who is trying to steer him off his course of suffering and death.<\/p>\n

One of the Fathers of the Church explains these words as follows: \u201cJesus did not say to the devil, \u2018Get behind me, Satan!\u2019 when he was tempted but he said to Peter, \u2018Get behind me\u2019, that is, follow me, and do not resist the design of my voluntary passion\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018For you are not on the side of God, but of men\u2019<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The people of Jesus\u2019 time were not expecting the Messiah to be a spiritual liberator but a political one.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

34 And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, \u201cIf any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel\u2019s will save it.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he called to him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This expression is used elsewhere by Jesus to introduce an important teaching which he wishes to be passed on to future adherents (Mk. 7: 14; 10: 42; 12: 43).<\/p>\n

\u201cthe multitude with his disciples<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The \u201cmultitude<\/em>\u201d represents all those who would follow Jesus throughout the centuries.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u201dIf any man would come after me<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 Jesus has just told Peter to \u201cget behind me<\/em>\u201d. He does not want him to be his disciple because of his manner of thinking which is against God\u2019s way of thought. Playing on the words \u201cbehind me<\/em>\u201d he invites those who wish to be true disciples, to follow him.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018let him deny himself<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 The first stage in authentic discipleship is to be prepared to deny one\u2019s own very self (\u201chimself<\/em>\u201d), to cease being oneself, and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. It is very much more than a Lenten sacrifice.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018and take up his cross and follow me<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 The way of the cross was the Father\u2019s choice for his Son incarnate. Jesus accepted his Father\u2019s will willingly and graciously. It was not easy. He had to pray for the strength to persevere. He was given that strength. Jesus asks his followers and those who are interested in what he says and does to be prepared to follow him in this. \u201cTo give and not to count the cost\u201d (St. Ignatius).<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018For whoever would save his life will lose it<\/em>\u201d \u2014 If someone selfishly hoards one\u2019s life as one\u2019s greatest possession, one will lose it eventually; one has no control over the length of one\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018and whoever loses his life for my sake<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 One who gives over one\u2019s life to Jesus, and in that sense \u201closes<\/em>\u201d it, will \u201csave it<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018for my sake and the gospel\u2019s will save it<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 \u201cFor the Gospel\u2019s sake<\/em>\u201d does not refer to the book of the Gospels but to the Good News about Jesus, indeed to Jesus himself.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

C\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 APPLICATION<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It is a mistake to think that one can read the Bible as one glances through the daily newspaper. By its very nature as the word of God, the Bible should be read with prayerful reflection \u2014 prayerful, because one needs God\u2019s help and enlightenment; reflection to harvest the meaning deeper than mere words. One reads the Bible to assimilate and be nourished by the word of God.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is a perfect example. Jesus speaks to two groups of people: to Peter and the disciples and then to the crowd or multitude with the disciples. In the first instance Jesus is addressing his Church (Peter and disciples). He is anxious to know what the fledging Church thinks of him, who is he? He has not told the disciples explicitly but they heard his instructions and witnessed his mighty deeds, some of which, such as the multiplication of loaves and fish and walking on the sea, were clearly acts of the Creator. The religious authorities and other people who witnessed his actions regarded him as a sinner because he broke the Commandments as they interpreted them, or they considered him to be in league with the devil or crazy. Jesus was eager to find out how much he had succeeded in his teaching to the disciples.<\/p>\n

The question, \u201cWho do you say that I am?<\/em>\u201d is the central question and theme of the whole Gospel. Each follower of Jesus must answer it personally and be clear what the response means for daily living. This Jesus spelt out for the crowd, the second group he addressed. They represent all followers of Jesus.<\/p>\n

Peter was quick to give his answer on behalf of the Church: \u201cYou are the Christ<\/em>\u201d. He did not say \u201cYou are Christ\u201d but \u201cYou are the<\/strong> Christ<\/em>\u201d. \u201cChrist<\/em>\u201d is not a personal name but a title meaning \u201cthe Anointed\u201d, or in Hebrew, \u201cthe Messiah\u201d. \u201cJesus\u201d or \u201cJoshua<\/em>\u201d was his name. What \u201cJesus Christ<\/em>\u201d means is \u201cJesus is the Christ\u201d.<\/p>\n

The title \u201cChrist<\/em>\u201d occurs about 500 times in the New Testament. It was adopted from the Old Testament where it referred to the anointing of priests, prophets (those who proclaim God\u2019s word) and kings, three groups consecrated to God. Gradually the idea was developed according to which a specially anointed and consecrated person would appear in the final age of the world to bring salvation to God\u2019s people.<\/p>\n

As time further developed and the political situation in the area deteriorated, the people looked forward to the Christ (Messiah, Anointed) being a political king to relieve them of all their woes. That was the expectation of the people when Jesus was born and began his ministry. If he let it be known that he was the Christ, the people would have attempted to make him their political king. He came as a king but not in the political sense. So he did not proclaim his messianic role. The first to proclaim him as Messiah was Peter and Jesus enjoined silence on him. This hiding of his role as Messiah became known in history as the \u201cmessianic secret\u201d.<\/p>\n

What Jesus had to teach his disciples was that the Christ (Messiah) had (v. 31) to suffer, die and rise from the dead before he could be acknowledged as Messiah. Only at his trial did he acknowledge that he was the Christ: \u201c\u2018Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?\u2019 And Jesus said, \u2018I am<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 14: 61\u201362). He was executed as the Anointed \u201cKing of the Jews<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 15: 2, 12, 18, 26, 32).<\/p>\n

Jesus had to suffer before he could enter into his glory. Likewise his disciples have to follow him to Calvary and share his passion and death before they too can enter into glory. That is what it really means to be a follower or disciple of Jesus the Christ.<\/p>\n

Discipleship is not an easy task. As Jesus gave himself entirely, including his life by death on the cross for us, so disciples are expected to give themselves totally to him. This is not accomplished once and for all in a few minutes with the pouring of water at baptism. One has to grow into discipleship, that is service of Jesus and of one another. There can be no personal pre\u2013occupations. It is a matter of total giving, not seeking for oneself. Mark\u2019s Gospel will develop this theme in the remaining chapters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PETER\u2019S CONFESSION OF FAITH. PREDICTION OF PASSION A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 TEXT (MARK 8: 27\u201335) Who Do Men Say I Am? 27 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare\u2019a Philip\u2019pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, \u201cWho do men say that I am?\u201d 28 And they told him, \u201cJohn the Baptist;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2823,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2822"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2822\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2824,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2822\/revisions\/2824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}