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Jesus Calls for Total
Commitment
INTRODUCTION
It is generally considered that today’s text marks a watershed or a turning point in the ministry of Jesus. After the two and a half or so years of teaching and training the disciples, Jesus had brought them to the point where he could test them, to see if they understood who he really was.
Then as now there was much confusion about who the Messiah was and the role of the Messiah in the world. Just remember that if one does not properly understand who Messiah is, one might very likely be worshipping a false Christ.
Jesus would ask them to tell him about the differing opinions the world had of him and then confront them with the question “Who do you say that I am?”
All the time of preparation came down to that simple question. When Peter stood up for the group and gave the right answer, Jesus could then begin to prepare them for the experience of the Cross, that lay before him in Jerusalem.
Note that accepting Jesus as Messiah, following him, and totally committing oneself to him, involves a radical understanding of the things of God and a total rejection of the things of the world.
There is also the important fact that following Jesus will inevitably involve the prospect of shame, for a total commitment to Jesus, will be a shameful thing to an adulterous and sinful generation. But of course, the shame bestowed by the Son of Man on the Day of Judgment, will be much worse than the shame of the world.
The context of our text is very important, for immediately preceding our text, Jesus asked a series of serious questions, that called for answers that had to do with the truth, as seen by the persons involved. Clearly, Jesus was seeking for how people understood the truth before them, or whether they were aware of the significance of the things that were happening all around them.
The first encounter in Mark eight was with the Pharisees who came to test Jesus, trying to get him into an argument and challenging him to prove himself to them. This saddened Jesus, and he refused to do something powerful in order to impress the Pharisees. He then asked the first question : “ Why doth this generation seek after a sign?”
The Pharisees had seen his miracles, had heard about them from multitudes of people, but their hearts were such, that they would not be persuaded by even the most powerful evidence of who Jesus was. The request for a sign was made to see if they could trap him, not because they were willing to be directed toward what the many signs around them had pointed to, namely, that Jesus was indeed the expected Messiah.
Then when Jesus left them behind, he warned the disciple to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod, in other words, to be alert and attentive to the dangerous spiritual infection of the Pharisees who were filled with pride and of the Herodians who loved worldly power and pleasure.
Though Jesus was explaining spiritual truth to them, the disciples were focusing and interpreting reality in the light of unimportant things, being concerned with whether or not Jesus was talking to them about lunch.
Jesus had to ask them a series of questions that forced them to look in the direction of the truth; rebuking them for not using their eyes, their ears, being dull and having limited understanding, having short memories and of still having hardened hearts.
Before we pass any adverse comments on the behavior of the disciples, let us considered that we pay more attention to the trends in sports teams, in the stock market and in the entertainment world, than in seeking the wisdom of God and God's perspective on things.
We, like the disciples, are more often than not concerned with the silly and petty things of life. We do not behave as if our minds and our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and we are to reflect the divine presence at all times and in every place. Instead, most of us as one writer comments: …worry more about gray hairs, and the shape of our body, than anything else. Spiritual things are not primary, but to interpret everything in the light of things that have little purpose and little value.
Next in this chapter, we are told of a most curious healing by Jesus. This is the only instance of healing, where the person was not instantly and completely healed but where a two-stage process was involved. In this case Jesus led the man away from the crowd and into a private encounter, spit on the eyes of the man, and then asked him if he saw anything. Then when the man told Jesus that he saw men who resembled trees walking, Jesus then touched his eyes and the man’s sight was totally restored so that he saw people clearly.
Then even more curiously, Jesus told the man to go to his house, forbidding him to go into the town and also forbidding him to tell anyone in the town of what had happened to him.
Since this strange event occurred immediately after the rather stubborn cases of blindness in the Pharisees and worse in the disciples, it is felt that this double stage healing was a deliberate act that Jesus did to teach the disciples a lesson.
Jesus wanted to compare them to the blind man, to prepare them to understand that exposure to him and his mighty power, had only opened their eyes to a certain stage but they still experienced imperfect vision or perception.
In our text then, when he posed this most important question about himself and they gave the answer, they would more easily understand that there was much correction to be done to their view of him. In both situations poor Peter, the leader and spokesman, would bear the brunt of this lesson, both the accolade and then the rebuke.
Note also, that immediately after the encounters and teaching in our text, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, to Mount Hermon, where they experienced the staggering spectacle of seeing Jesus transfigured before them. Now, they would have a much better idea of who he, the Messiah, really was.
We must now look at examining ourselves and asking ourselves the question, “Who do you say that I am?”. This we must do in the light of Jesus’ questioning and calling out: “ Do you not yet understand?” “ Do you have eyes, but fail to see?”
THE TEXT
Verse 27. The discourse begins with Jesus communing with his disciples. There is no mention of any other followers nearby but it appears that this moment may very well have been exclusive to Jesus and His disciples. We are told Jesus was traveling through the towns of Caesarea Philippi, when the events in our text occurred.
This particular region lay at the foot of Mount Lebanon, near the source of the Jordan River, in the territory of Dan and at the northeast extremity of Palestine. The only “good”, in the sense of the least brutal son of Herod the Great, Philip, the Tetrarch governed this region. The region was named Caesarea in honour of the Roman emperor, and the name of its location Philippi, was added in order to make a clear distinction from other towns also named Caesarea, to give glory to the Roman Caesars.
While walking from one town to the other, Jesus posed the question to His disciples: Whom do men say that I am? Keeping in mind that Jesus was Man, but He was also God, we know that He already knew the answer to such a question. Jesus, in order to teach important spiritual lessons to His disciples, often used such an approach; using questions to elicit responses which would then reveal spiritual truths.
His intention was mainly to see what others that had followed Him thought, and also what those who had talked to his disciples thought. To teach someone anything, the teacher must first know where the students are, their mental and spiritual situation, and proper questioning is by far the best method to do this.
Jesus’ questions would get His disciples thinking about the hearts of men, and what might possibly be their motivations for some of their actions. But the disciples would, by analyzing the thoughts of the people with whom they were constantly in contact, and who had been pouring great adulation's on their Master, be forced to distance themselves spiritually from these people who in the main, only wanted Jesus to serve their material interests.
They truly wished to learn move about Jesus and develop a closer relationship with their God, instead of serving their own bellies. Their love for Jesus made the difference. Because of this love they were totally committed to their Master.
From Jesus’ perspective, it was very informative to hear from the disciples what they thought people might think about Him.
Coming immediately after the several incidents demonstrating spiritual blindness, and after Jesus’ healing of the blind man in stages, it is clear that this was not simply an academic question.
Jesus had done great works of power, casting out demons, healing all kinds of sickness, teaching and debating successfully, showing that he worked by the power of God.
The answer to the question of who Jesus was carried with it tremendously far reaching consequences. When men saw Jesus and did not understand who he was, and did not accept him for what he was, and rejected the claims about himself that he made, their doom was sealed.
Verse 28. The responses of the disciples told Jesus that from the miracles He performed, the people believed and thought of Him as a great man, a prophet sent from God.
In the scriptures there's nothing to support the pagan idea of reincarnation, and so the people were not thinking that the prophets they named had appeared in a new body. The different groups of people appeared to think that it was the same old prophet literally appearing back again.
When the people compared Him to the resurrected John the Baptist, Elias, or one of the prophets, individuals who they clearly and unequivocally respected and thought of as servants of God, they were in a sense paying a compliment to Jesus. Of course, prophets were people who spoke the word of God to the people, and the office was quite an elevated one. Note that the scriptures prophesied that Elijah would reappear before the ‘Great Day of the Lord, so the view of the people though distorted, had some basis.
It is also probable that while some thought Jesus was a prophet that was raised from the dead, who had come back to lead the people, some also thought that he was a new prophet sent from God.
In all these opinions, the people however seemed to still miss the truth about who Jesus really was.
Blindness is a serious thing, and that is why when the scriptures teach that the natural man is blind, it also teaches that full knowledge of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or God the Father, can never be known by the natural man by himself. In order to have true knowledge of God, or any kind of intimate relationship, God must draw one to Himself, and empower that individual, so that they know who He, God is.
The confession of the people was based on their knowledge, knowledge that was probably skewed by teachers, who intimated that the Messiah should be some earthly prince and hence appear in all the glory and splendor befitting such a ruler. Since Jesus did not completely fit that mold, many would have had difficulty coming to accept, that the life style of Jesus fitted that of a glorious, politically powerful Messiah.
It must be clearly recognized that many people today still believe that Jesus was a prophet, and others believe that he was a good teacher, who has told us many invaluable things about the ways of God.
Prophets however were just ordinary men and women, and people often chose whether or not they wanted to believe prophets. Their choice would generally affect them badly, though to a limited extent.
In the case of Jesus however, given his claims, the stakes were much higher. When the people thought about it, they considered that it was much safer to regard Jesus as a prophet, rather than recognizing that he was the Son of God. Accepting Him as such would bring much more claims for total commitment.
Verse 29. Once the disciples told Jesus who the general populace believed Him to be, then He could focus on what those closest to Him, believed He was. Once again, Jesus knows what is in our hearts and minds, better than we know ourselves.
We need to ask ourselves the proper question about who Jesus is, and leave ourselves open to God, so that he can give us the right answer. Only when we have placed ourselves in that position will we be able to know God.
Thus to know God we must wait upon Him to give us the strength and wisdom to act, and then when we are patient, God will give us the knowledge that we need, in order to grow spiritually more mature and move closer in knowledge and love towards him.
Seeing the blindness in the general public, which as mentioned indicated a lack of spiritual leadership and the current state of disbelief and sin among the people, Jesus then turned his attention to the ‘twelve’. Understanding the public was blinded, and that God’s revelation about this had been hidden from them, he asked the disciples who they thought he was.
Note there is a stress on the “you”. Jesus here refers to the group that had been given to him by God, and prepared by God for this very moment.
Peter, in character (impetuous), perhaps speaking for the whole group, responded definitely and immediately, indicating without question that Jesus was the Christ.
We are told in another gospel that Jesus also responded definitely and immediately, indicating that common deduction had not lead him to this conclusion, but that God the Father had given him this revelation (Matt. 16:17-19).
Jesus had taught his disciples many things, and had showed them all kinds of amazing displays of power. Now the disciples faced the test. Peter’s answer was sure. He was not looking for another one to come. The man in front of them was the person of whom the Scriptures had spoken.
When Peter made his confession he was saying that Jesus of Nazareth was the One whom God had anointed King over the people of God and over all the nations of the earth. He was the anointed Priest of God, and the anointed prophet par excellence. The disciples were now at this stage where he Jesus had wanted them to be.
Let us remember that the word “Christ” is simply the Greek form of the Hebrew word “Messiah”. In both languages the term Christ refers to the title of an office he holds, and it means The Anointed One, meaning the One anointed by God.
Peter was therefore declaring that they knew that he was the one that was predicted to rule over God's people and the nations of the earth. He was the promised Seed of the Woman, who would redeem the curse from the earth.
This revelation might have been shared by all the disciples, but one must pay attention to the character of Peter. He was one always leaping forward to God ( Jesus ) almost without thinking, but knowing or displaying a zeal for Christ and things eternal. In just a little bit, we see that Jesus chooses to take Peter, James and John with Him to Mount Hermon, which implies that these three were closest to understanding his true nature.
Jesus had challenged the disciples, and spokesman Peter had expressed the faith that God had given them.
This expression of faith was the rock on which all the work of the disciples would rest. Peter therefore would now be the symbol of the faith of the group.
They had been confronted by Jesus, had thought about it, reflected on it, and had expressed their coming to faith. Their first blindness had been healed, and they were now seeing things much clearer, but not totally clear.
We too must have the unwavering conviction to confess to the world who Jesus Christ is, without hesitation or fear of repercussion. Sadly, this type of zeal is generally lacking today in the rush to show that we must be open and accepting to every religion and belief, whether false or not.
Verse 30. Jesus now strangely charges the disciples not to tell anyone who he really was. This act indicates a certain level of intimacy and trust that is being built between himself and the disciples.
The revelation signals a point in their lives, where God can start teaching them more about the plan of salvation. Jesus would shortly give them a second insight into his real person but first they had to come to the understanding as to who he was and be prepared to declare it.
It was as if they saw him, but not clearly, for he was now ‘like a tree walking’.
Jesus was of course acting very wisely in not wanting them to go out and declare this knowledge, for even now the disciples still had great misunderstanding about the nature of the Kingdom of God. They still did not see him clearly, and had little idea as to how he would complete the prophecies about Messiah. They were certainly amazed and fascinated with Jesus, but did not yet really understand him truly. They would have to be quiet, until they learned what sort of Messiah they were serving.
The general public and leaders of the Jewish people didn’t have access to this knowledge, wisdom and glory due to unbelief; a problem that has plagued Israel and most of the Gentile world for many generations.
If Jesus had sent the disciples out at this stage, without they understanding who he really was, the tremendous emotional reaction that would probably arise among the people, based on incomplete evidence about him, would create great difficulty.
Verse 31. The disciples did not really understand the work of Messiah. Jesus therefore begins teaching them what the entire Scriptures taught concerning the Christ, and how all the events stated in prophecy must be fulfilled. The word used to describe how Jesus taught them was “plainly”.
Mark states clearly that Jesus now began plainly, over a period of time, to teach them about the nature of his enemies, and what the chief priests, the Scribes, the Pharisees, and the Romans would do to him. Part of the reference is to the Sanhedrin council which ruled over God’s people and the Romans who ruled over the world.
They heard about the rejection by the people, the secret and illegal trial, the mockings, the scourging, and the crucifixion. But clearly, they did not want to believe this. They found the words of Jesus unbelievable, incredible, and startling.
In their hearts they understood one thing, that this way still would lead to their Master leaving them, and the restoration of Israel being delayed.
The title Jesus use to describe himself was the clear messianic title, Son of Man. They might have expected the Messiah to relieve their suffering, but now Jesus, after agreeing that he was the Christ, was now telling them that he himself must suffer. He would not be cleaning out the corrupt leadership in Israel, and replace that with godly leadership. The Messiah would be killed.
Verse 32-33. Now, at these emphatic declarations by Jesus, which tore at their commonly held shallow and superficial ideas about Messiah, Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke him, making him know that he was not to talk like that.
Clearly Peter loved Jesus and would not wish for any harm to come to him. But God's plan was clearly not about what Peter wanted, it was about the will of God.
Note, in our lives we make the same mistake, placing our wants above God’s will.
It was very likely that Peter's reaction had been building up over the days, and finally he couldn't stand it anymore.
Peter was really telling Jesus that he was too important to sacrifice himself, just because some prophecies might have predicted suffering. He really was adopting the position of Satan, who had previously tried to get Jesus to deviate from the plan of his Father.
He wanted Jesus to think about himself first, and to take care of himself first. He should not think about suffering and death, but he should think about personal fulfillment, personal satisfaction, and immediate personal gratification. This is the philosophy of the world.
In addition, we must understand that Peter could not imagine how the Messiah would ever fulfill his mission spoken of by the prophets if he were to be killed. Certainly, the Jews were never able to reconcile the picture of the suffering Servant of Jehovah with the glorious, conquering, Messiah.
Many, even in the church, hold firmly to this position. They think that there can be a Christianity without the cross.
Jesus then sternly, directly, and bluntly rebuked Peter, but not before he looked around at the rest of the disciples. Jesus knew that Peter was acting not only in his personal capacity, but was a spokesman for all the disciples, for they were thinking the same thing.
Now, remember the character of Peter. He is one who acted impulsively at times. He was a brave spokesman who loved a fight. His motives are good, but taken from a human perspective. He was simply going in the wrong direction. We need to do, as Peter needed to do, to focus on the plan of God.
Jesus, again knowing the hearts and minds of his disciples, begins to adjust their thinking.
First, he used the word “Satan,” which can be translated as adversary. If we take that translation, then we clearly see the error of Peter’s ways, not only his ways, but that of the other disciples. It is quite simply this. If Jesus does not die, how can man be redeemed!. This is part of the plan of salvation.
The next element involved is that in dying, Jesus will display the power he has over death and so give his followers hope that there is life after death, and not just life, but an eternal one.
If we take the use of the word “Satan” and say that he, Peter was momentarily possessed by Satan, to try to prevent Jesus from fulfilling his task, then that was a serious matter, and basically Peter had to be sternly rebuked. If Jesus had followed Peter’s advice, man would be left unredeemed, and hence the possible reconciliation and communion with God would never be realized.
In addition, we must remember that every day Jesus lived, he was being tempted not to obey his Father. Satan did not only try to tempt him once and then left them alone. He was continually trying to disrupt the plan of salvation, and therefore day after day Jesus had to resist him.
Now here was Peter, his close friend, adding his pressure, joining in with the voice of evil.
Peter had to be rebuked because he was trying to play God. If he were God, his plan of salvation would be to throw off the bondage of Rome, put new priests in Jerusalem, discipline some of the bad people, and do a few things to make the rest of the people materially prosperous and happy, get rid of the Devil and his demons, and cure all that were sick.
But there would be no inner transformation, no interior cleansing. Peter's and the disciples plan would never include the Cross, the suffering, which was necessary, so that man would be free to receive life from God.
Man's plan of salvation is therefore always incomplete, a shabby substitute. It always includes self-reliance, offering God something.
But the plan of God means the end of reliance upon ourselves. The ‘Cross’ means that God is not our debtor, and we have nothing to offer him. Our salvation emphasizes dying, the elimination of the natural life, the wiping out of self, the recognition that once we are born we have nothing worthwhile or acceptable in the sight of God. One writer comments: “ Which of us, if allowed to choose the program by which we serve God, would ever include in it defeat and disaster and despair and disappointment and disillusionment and death? Yet these are the very elements, the Scriptures tell us, that God finds absolutely essential to working out his plan for us, his redemptive program. Difficulty, and danger? Yes, we would put them in. They challenge the flesh and make it appear to be something when it surmounts these. But defeat? Never! Dishonor? Never! Disaster? Disappointment? No! Death? Inconceivable! But they are what God chooses. And so the way of the Cross always hurts, causes pain, brings us to the end of ourselves.”
So as we move on to verse 34 where we are told by Jesus: “that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God”.
Verse 34-38. Men desire status, success, money and wealth, power, influence and fame, but these things are abomination in the sight of God, for his standards and values are totally different from those of the world and the flesh.
The ‘Cross’ summarizes how God views his things, and we cannot understand Christianity until we understand the Cross. Human beings would never think about the cross as the way to salvation and the elimination of sin.
Jesus therefore invites the disciples and all of us to follow his way, to get life from him on his terms. We must follow His way and his terms, or not at all. He does not compromise with us or desire to appease his followers. His invitation to follow him is a great and marvellous privilege that he has extended to us. There is no other way.
Clearly Jesus calls us to serve God the Father. What God wants is obedience from his children, even if that meant death. The simply fact is that death will have no power over us, as children of God, and so maintaining our sight on the kingdom of heaven and all of God’s righteousness, we can move through this world’s evils. Nothing can compare to the value of our soul. We should trust in God that we are secure and that He is faithful and just to keep us till the end.
The warning its clear. One writer states: “ Jesus offers allegiance to him as an opportunity, but he also issues a warning: “Depending on the choice you make, you with either save or lose your life. You will either gain or forfeit your soul. You will either find approval or disapproval when the Son of man comes in his father's glory. You are playing for very high stakes”.
Two vivid pictures comes to mind here. The first is of people who have immense riches and world renown. Their every word and deed are recorded, but they have lost their capacity for any good thing. Such people are not capable of love, friendship, prayer, or worship. They have it all, yet they really have nothing. They are nothing. The other picture is of people with worldly religion, who avoid all the stigma of faith in Christ. They never have to suffer for faithfulness to the Lord. They never take a stand if it will cost them something. They are ashamed of the one who has bought them with a price, who has included them in his embrace, and at the end of the day, when the Lord comes in his Father's glory, he will withdraw from them as they did from him. These are very powerful pictures. Such people gain the whole world but lose their souls.”
Anyone who is a follower of Jesus must deny himself, be willing to be humiliated, broken and set aside.
Self-denial is not just giving up chocolate, or sugar in our tea. To deny ourselves means ceasing to regard yourself as the center of everything, and believing that the world exists to satisfy our desires.
We therefore will not measure or praise ourselves when we are successful in facing the difficulties in life, or be sorrowful and feel slighted when life does not treat us well. We do not think of ourselves as being a great hero when we endure the terrible and unjust ways of people and the world. We do not consider ourselves great persons because we are brave martyrs, and great Christians because we bear sorrow well.
We will never support what is not right, and what cannot be defended by the word of Scripture. We do not simply conform to Christian culture and live like other Christians that we know.
We are always willing to do what the Lord requires. We do not love self, and have confidence in self. When God corrects we embrace it. We simply follow Christ.
CONCLUSION No one likes to think about the cross. We like to avoid the cross. We like to think of ourselves and we like to think that we can follow Christ and not experience the cross.
But we have to learn to choose the way and the program that God has established. His ways are not our ways.
Let us remember that after the cross there is the resurrection. We cannot let the pain of the cross stop us from getting to the resurrection. Since Jesus is with us, the pain of the cross is never as bad as we fear. His yoke it is easy, and his burden is light.
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