Lesson 41


The Gospel According to Mark

World English Bible translation

 Today's Scripture

8:27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?"

8:28 They told him, "John the Baptizer, and others: Elijah, but others: one of the prophets."

8:29 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

8:30 He charged them that they should tell no one about him. 8:31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 8:32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 8:33 But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men."  


Today's Lesson 

Today's Scriptures are some of the most important in this gospel. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ and Jesus accepts the title for Himself. Men might say that Jesus is like one of the prophets, perhaps even one of the greatest of prophets. But, for those to whom God has revealed the truth about His Son, they acknowledge that He is the Anointed One. God had revealed this much to Peter. But, like all of us, Peter's revelation was limited.

 

After Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus began to teach the disciples about what would happen in the future. He told them that He would have to suffer and that all the religious authorities of the country would reject him. He told them that He would be killed and after three days He would rise again. He was candid with them about everything that would happen and this upset them to hear Him say these things. When Peter tries to draw Jesus aside and make Him quit saying such things, Jesus delivers one of His harshest rebukes of Scripture. "Get behind me, Satan!"

 

The story of Peter in this passage is the story of all of us who follow Christ. Peter acknowledges Jesus as Christ in one moment and then in another He is trying to tell Jesus what to do. We are quick to say the words, but we are slow in making the words reality. To believe that Jesus is the Christ should lead us to repentance and obedience. But often after we accept Jesus as our Savior, we want to follow our own path and continue to live our lives as solitary individuals. We claim Him as Christ and yet we do not allow Him to be Lord of our lives.

 

Jesus is the Christ, just as Peter confessed. That means that He is God's Anointed that has been sent to mediate God's will in this world. He speaks the words of God and we must listen. If Jesus says that the future will be a certain way then that is the way it shall be. We may not argue with Him or negotiate a better deal. Jesus is Lord. This means that when He speaks we must listen and obey.

 

Have you confessed that Jesus is the Christ? And, if He is, have you allowed that confession to truly affect the way you think and the way you live?

 

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