Peter's Declaration about Jesus

Mark 8:27-38

Good News Translation (GNT)

*************************

27  Then Jesus and his disciples went away to the
   villages near Caesarea Philippi. On the way
   he asked them, "Tell me, who do people say
   I am?"
28  "Some say that you are John the Baptist,"
   they answered; "others say that you are Elijah,
   while others say that you are one of the
   prophets."
29  "What about you?" he asked them. "Who do
   you say I am?" Peter answered,
   "You are the Messiah."
30  Then Jesus ordered them, "Do not tell anyone
   about me."

Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death
31  Then Jesus began to teach his disciples:
   "The Son of Man must suffer much and be
   rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and
   the teachers of the Law. He will be put to
   death, but three days later he will rise to life."
32  He made this very clear to them. So Peter
   took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33  But Jesus turned around, looked at his
   disciples, and rebuked Peter. "Get away from
   me, Satan," he said. "Your thoughts don't
   come from God but from human nature!"
34  Then Jesus called the crowd and his
   disciples to him. "If any of you want to come
   with me," he told them, "you must forget
   yourself, carry your cross, and follow me.
35  For if you want to save your own life, you will
   lose it; but if you lose your life for me and for
   the gospel, you will save it.
36  Do you gain anything if you win the whole
   world but lose your life? Of course not!
37  There is nothing you can give to regain your
   life.
38  If you are ashamed of me and of my teaching
   in this godless and wicked day, then the Son
   of Man will be ashamed of you when he
   comes in the glory of his Father with the holy
   angels."

*************************

Commentary taken from
'The Applied New Testament Commentary'
(Kingsway)

Peter's Confession of Christ

     Mark 8:27-29

As they were journeying to Caesarea Philippi, an important city in northern Israel, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do people say I am?"

Who is Jesus? For every man and woman on earth, there is no more important question than this.

Some people thought that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead (Mark 6:14).
Others thought He was an Old Testament prophet like Elijah or Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14; Mark 6:15).
But Jesus knew what others thought.
He wanted to know what His disciples thought. "Who do you say I am?"

Peter answered: "You are the Christ."
According to Matthew 16:16, Peter gave a fuller answer:
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

At last, the disciples' eyes were opened!
Then, according to Matthew 16:17-19, Jesus pronounced upon Peter a great blessing.
He said to Peter: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,57 for this

Mark wrote his Gospel mainly according to what Peter told him about the life of Jesus.
However, out of humility, Peter did not mention to Mark the blessing he received on this occasion; this is described only in Matthew 16:17-19.

In place of son of Jonah, some translations of the Bible say "Bar-Jona," which means the same thing (see John 1:42).

Jesus Predicts His Death

     Mark 8:31-38

Peter had just confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God (verse 29). But he still did not fully understand what Jesus came to earth to do.

Therefore, when Jesus told him that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected ... and that he must be killed, Peter could not accept it.

Jesus knew not only that He would die, but also that He would rise from the dead on the third day. The disciples didn't understand this at all.

Through Peter's lips, Jesus heard the voice of Satan again trying to tempt Him, saying "You don't have to suffer and die. I will make you a king if you worship me."

Therefore, Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Out of my sight, Satan!" Peter was not thinking God's thoughts, but man's thoughts. He was opposing God's plan and purpose. Jesus told him: "You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men".

True Discipleship
Mark 8:34-38

Now Jesus tells them an even more difficult thing: they, too, will have to suffer, and perhaps even die.

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

That means all Christians, (who are called to be disciples.) Many people say, "I want to follow Jesus," but in the end they do not follow Him. Why not?
Because Jesus says: "You must deny yourself." That means a person must give up his own desires and live only according to Jesus's desire.

Suffering and persecution will come to all who follow Jesus. There can be no crown without the cross.

Finally, Jesus says:"...and follow me." We must turn around. We must stop going our own way and start going Jesus' way.
Jesus then said an amazing thing: "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Whoever denies Jesus in order to save his life (his life in this world, his pleasures, his pride, his honour and reputation, his possessions, his physical life) will lose his life (his true life, spiritual life, eternal life).

But whoever loses his life for Jesus (that is, his life in this world,) will save his life; he will obtain true spiritual life, eternal life.

Worldly life and spiritual life are opposed to each other. To the extent we seek worldly blessings, to that extent we shall lose spiritual blessings.

The abundant life that Jesus promised to His followers, begins here in this world. Eternal life begins the moment we believe.

What would be the advantage in gaining the whole world if, as a result, one were to lose his life, that is, his eternal soul?

Life in this world is very short. Why give up eternal life with God in order to gain a few years of pleasure in this life?

Jesus said, ". . . what can a man give in exchange for his soul (life)?" The answer is: nothing.

One soul is worth more than the whole world. If our soul is lost, the loss can never be made up. Then, Jesus said, "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done".

Jesus will come again as judge at the end of the world. And He will reward us for whatever we have done for Him.

If we are ashamed of Jesus here on earth, He will be ashamed of us when He comes again at the end of the world. If we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father in heaven.

We must never be ashamed that we are Christians. We must not hide it because of fear. Jesus does not want secret followers.

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