Adam, Zac, Hayley, Jessica, Cassidy, Micah, Megan & Kati,

Removing the Veil

Part 2

I’ve read Mark many times, once was even recently, and I’m absolutely shocked how blind I was to the point Mark is making here. These different sections are really one section; Mark is weaving them together to make one point.

Messiahship and Discipleship (8:31-9:1)

Peter has just come out said it out loud for the first time: “You are the Messiah”. This triggers the turning point of Jesus earthly ministry as He pulls away from the crowds and focuses on preparing His followers. It seems like the sole point of preparation is to take their concept of “the Messiah” and tweak it beyond recognition. Now he tells them “plainly” (the Greek is “boldly” or “confidently”) that “the Son of Man must suffer”.

This is madness to the disciples. They’ve never connected the Suffering Servant in Isaiah with the Messiah – nor had anybody else. They have their Savior with them, they’re ready to bring in the Kingdom – there’s no need for suffering, much less rejection, death and resurrection. For once, Peter knows what he has to do, so he pulls Jesus aside and shows Him it doesn’t have to be this way. Jesus, tempted like He was in the wilderness, knows the source of the temptation and yells “Get behind me, Satan! You’re not setting your heart on God’s priorities, but men’s”.

Then He proceeds to show what God’s priorities are – that they involve suffering, pain and even death – not only for Him but for each of His followers. But their present pain and suffering is set against the backdrop of That Final Day when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-8)

In fact, nothing short of God Himself telling the disciples that this is the way it has to be will convince them. And that’s exactly what God does. “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him!” Listen about what? The very thing they were fighting with Jesus about – that He had to suffer and die.

The thing about the tents always confused me – why was Peter so wrong for wanting to set up tents? Edwards’ says that the proposal of tents or tabernacles was reminiscent of the hope the Jews had that one day God would dwell (literally “tabernacle”) with them. This idea of Old Testament tabernacles has been replaced; Jesus Himself was the dwelling of God among them (John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and lived (literally “tabernacle”) for a while among us).

Profiles in Suffering (9:9-13)

When Jesus tells them to keep it secret until the resurrection, they latched onto what He said and fought among themselves over what it meant – the Greek for “seized” and “sought among themselves” never have good implications in Mark. The disciples make their disagreement public with the leading question “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” – implying that “Elijah’s return to restore all things should obviate [eliminate] the need of the Son of Man to go to the cross” (Edwards).  Jesus’ response hammers back so strong, basically saying that yeah, it’s prophesied that Elijah comes first to restore everything, but it’s also written that the Son of Man should suffer many things and be treated with contempt. Elijah’s already come… and they did to Him whatever they wished”.

The three guys must’ve felt their own argument come down on them like a load of bricks. What was, a second ago, a Biblical argument to convince Jesus He didn’t have to suffer has suddenly turned into a heart-rending reminder of what Herod had recently done to Andrew’s first leader, John the Baptist. One day his followers were disciples, the next day they were grave-diggers.

This letter was written by Mark to Christians in Rome as Nero’s persecution was heating up. The idea of crosses and crucifixions was very real in their minds – or was about to be – because Nero hung Christians on crosses and lit them on fire. The whole course of Mark’s narrative here shows them how suffering isn’t just something God allows; it’s the core expression of God’s earthly will for Jesus… and for His followers.

Frail Faith in a Strong Savior (9:14-29)

Mark brings the narrative back to the idea of faith, as Jesus had been working on in the whole incident on the boat about the misplaced bread. He zeroes in on the father – I absolutely love his response here: I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! The way the boy looks to be dead and the way Jesus raised him up (literally “resurrected”) off the ground is likely for the disciples’ benefit, as He desires to bolster their belief in the resurrection.

In a sense, it seems like the disciples hadn’t even gotten that far. When he spoke to them about the resurrection in verses 9-10, they argued “about what rising from the dead might mean”. It’s like they’ve got their fingers in the ears, refusing to let the idea sink in because resurrection implies Jesus’ death – something they don’t want to imagine. Yet Jesus wants to reassure them, to show them they can make it through because of the hope of the resurrection.

I like Edwards’ point about the irony here. Jesus’ final command to silence in 9:9 was the only one that was conditional – they only had to keep their lips zipped until the resurrection. When the resurrection finally does take place, the angel commands the women the opposite – to proclaim the resurrection – yet instead they run in fear and bewilderment and say nothing to anyone (Acts 16:7-8).

Jesus, please open our lips to proclaim Your resurrection from the rooftops… or billboards. Open our eyes to the reality of Your suffering and Your death. Prepare us, please, for suffering according to Your will. We want to participate with You, to walk with You and to not be ashamed of You before men. We can’t wait to see You coming in the clouds with Your holy angels – please come soon!

-- peter