Up to the point of today’s reading, Mark has given us a picture of Jesus as one who has complete authority over the forces opposed to the kingdom of God. Jesus has healed the sick, cast out demons, and miraculously fed crowds of thousands not once, but twice. Apparently Jesus’ activity has created a buzz on the streets of the Judean countryside and we find Jesus asking his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And then he makes it personal: “Who do you say that I am?”
People are still talking about Jesus. Turn on the TV you’ll hear television preachers telling you that God wants to make you rich. Walk downtown and on at least one street corner you’ll find an angry preacher with a megaphone and a sign warning you about hell. Come to St. Thomas and we’re talking about Jesus too. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what anyone else is saying — Jesus is asking, “Who do you say that I am?”
There is no question more important for us to answer, and our answer reveals a lot about our expectations. Peter got the “right answer,” but he completely misunderstood what it meant. Peter thought that the Messiah was going to be a powerful ruler — one who restored the Kingdom of Israel — and the evidence seemed to be pointing this direction. If Jesus had authority over disease and demons, if he said that the Kingdom of God that was close at hand, certainly he was getting ready to deliver Israel from the occupying Roman forces. That is why Peter felt the need to rebuke Jesus when he predicted his death and resurrection. Peter expected something different from Jesus. He expected a Messiah that was strong, not weak. But that is not how God works. Jesus shows us that true life is found through death, strength is found through weakness.
As we journey through Lent, we recognize our own weakness. We know that Easter will come — that the power of God was ultimately shown through weakness — but we are careful not to move to the end of the story too quickly. We remember the journey that led Jesus to Jerusalem and ultimately to the cross, and we hear Jesus saying, “those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will find it.” This is discipleship. Jesus doesn’t ask us who we say that he is to make sure we know the right information, Jesus asks us because he wants us to follow him. He wants to show us, through his life, death, and resurrection that the kingdom of God is near — and to invite us into the glorious life that is found by first giving ours up.
— Brian Gregory
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