GOSPEL MEDITATION #199
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
Mark 8:31-38
- Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
- Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
- Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
- Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
- Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
- Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
- It is assumed this story takes place in Caesarea Philippi; Jesus is not alone with His disciples, but others are nearby.
- Isaiah, chapter 53, had spoken of the rejection the Messiah would receive culminating in the death of the suffering servant of Israel. Jesus knew the passage was about Him.
- Jesus explained all plainly to the Twelve, but Peter, perhaps speaking for himself as well as the rest, protested the meaning of Jesus’ words. The Messiah would reign as king was their mindset.
- Redemption, Salvation, eternal fellowship in heaven was the object and not the things of men. Jesus knew that Satan was behind the misunderstanding.
- Not an idiom, “Get behind me, Satan!” as Jesus knew Satan’s deception was behind Peter’s exclamation as it is with every suggestion or doctrine that denies the cross and resurrection. There is nothing new under the sun.
- Genuine conversion, real discipleship meant followers of Jesus would deny themselves (as to worldly goals), take up the cross (of suffering and shame), and follow Him however troublesome, humiliating, and painful that might prove to be. These do not save a person but do illustrate that genuine conversion is in place.
- The issue is nothing less than eternal life.