Mark 9:30-32 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
Context: As Jesus speaks of the betrayal and the suffering to come he refers to himself as anthropos which is translated "Son of Man," which is a generic term which means "humanity." In this passage, it appears to be a self-reference to Jesus, the human being. The author of Mark's gospel is rather fond of writing in threes. He is a good story-teller and this oral technique of narration emphasizes the importance of the message. This is the second of three times that Jesus warns of his death and resurrection.
Going Deeper: Jesus has become so well known for the power of healing and the strength of teaching that people seek him out wherever he goes. Yet he pauses to spend time with his closest confidantes. Perhaps this teaching is too hard for those without a deep relationship with God. Perhaps only those who "set their minds on divine things" will get this teaching. As we see with the disciple the journey from self-centeredness to God-centeredness takes time. As close as they are to Jesus, the disciples still don't understand what kind of messiah he will be. Perhaps we think they are very slow ... but we are looking back through the lens of history. The disciples are looking, and moving, forward ... they are "making" history. We benefit from their struggle of fear and confusion.
The fact that the disciples struggled through their fear and confusion gives us an idea how difficult it is to discern the will of God. What is the will of God? We pray "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done." This doublet tells us to pay attention to Jesus when he talks about the kingdom ... for there we'll find the will of God!
Pondering: I often find the will of God to be illusive. How do you discern the will of God? I often find self-centeredness blocks the way to the path of discernment. What happens when we, like the disciples, struggle to make the shift from self-centeredness to God-centeredness? In my life, fear and confusion abound ... and I turn to God in prayer.
Praying: Take a moment to center your thoughts on God. Sit in the quiet and allow any feelings of fear and confusion you have about difficult situations in your life to emerge. Offer your feelings to God ... Spirit of God, you are the peace in my chaos. Help me to let go of anything that keeps me from accepting your will and following your way. Fill me with your presence and surround me with your protection. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment