PUBLIC SHAME, PUBLIC GLORY
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that, as you taught your disciples, through them you are teaching me. I want to be a receptive student as I read about the things you said and did. Please give me an open mind and heart.
Read MARK 8:31 – 9:1
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Jesus Predicts His Death
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
The Way of the Cross
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
Footnotes
- Mark 8:35 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verses 36 and 37.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Read Isaiah 53:1–6 and turn it into thanks to Jesus.Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, I’d like a word with you in private’ (see v. 32). Having earlier affirmed that Jesus was the Messiah (v. 29), Peter felt the need to
spell out to him what this meant. In Peter’s mind, this was not a title associated with suffering and death.
Jesus suddenly turned this private moment into a very public correction of Peter, not only before the full group of disciples but also the crowd (v. 34). Suffering was an integral part of Jesus’ own destiny, and it was also an essential part of being his disciple. This was not a secret, private matter. Followers of Jesus would need to publicly acknowledge their allegiance to a suffering Messiah, and this would entail risking the same rejection and abuse (vv. 34, 35).
People need to know this before they take even the first step in following him. The paradox at the heart of following Jesus is this: true life, the life of the kingdom, is possible only when the old life dies (vv. 35–37). This has to be worked out in full view of our contemporaries, just as the eventual rule of the Messiah would be public and visible (v. 38). In fact, it would be visible even in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection (9:1).
Apply
Have you turned your allegiance to Jesus into a private, internal matter? How is he calling you to acknowledge him in front of your contemporaries? How can verse 38
help you face the possible consequences?
Closing prayer
As I seek to serve you, Jesus, help me to follow you with determination, to be ever growing in grace and willingness to suffer for your sake, whatever the cost.
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