Luther Seminary

A daily devotion brought to you by the alumni of Luther Seminary

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Mark 8:27-38 (NRSV)

Read Mark 8:27-38 on biblegateway.com

Verse 27Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" Verse 28And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." Verse 29He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." Verse 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Verse 31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. Verse 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Verse 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

Verse 34He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Verse 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. Verse 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Verse 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Verse 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Devotion

Jesus asks a curious question. Is his speech direct? Does he really want to know what people are saying? Maybe. Or perhaps he knows well enough what people think and he wants to hear what his followers think. We all know that any answer we give about what’s on other people’s minds is bound to reflect some of our own thoughts. Jesus gets a sampling: he is John, Elijah, or some other great voice of history. What they are really saying is, “Who knows,” with an unspoken, “We certainly don’t.” Then Jesus puts them directly on the spot: “Who do you say I am?” We can almost feel the wriggling silence that follows. Peter leaps, or stumbles, in with a curious word: Messiah. Only to have Jesus respond with a stern order to hush up: “That’s-a-secret!” So, what’s to be made of all this curious speech? Don’t you want to ask: “Are you the Messiah?” Or better yet, “Just what is a Messiah?”

Prayer

Jesus, we’re curious about you. What do others say? What do we say? What is a Messiah in this place and time? Are you that one? Help us hear your answer. Amen.

Wade Wacholz ’17 M.Div. Pastor, Calvary Lutheran Church, Edina, MN