He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things.
Chapter 8 shows Jesus exasperated with his disciples. "Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?" he asks reproachfully. After seeing him feed 5,000 people and then 4,000 more, they still worry about their next meal. Still, for all their slow-wittedness the disciples have grasped something important about Jesus. The crowds see him as a reincarnation of a prophet- Elijah, perhaps, or John the Baptist. But Peter boldly pronounces Jesus "the Christ," the Messiah long predicted by the prophets (verse 29).
It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of the word Christ to first-century Jews. Ground down by centuries of foreign domination, they are staking all their hopes on a Messiah who will lead their nation back to glory. Matthew 16:17-19 records that Jesus, pleased by Peter's impulsive declaration, lavishes praise on him. Yet Peter's brightest moment barely precedes one of his worst- a few paragraphs later Jesus identifies Peter with Satan. What transpires between these two scenes marks an important turning point in the story of Jesus' life.
To Peter and the other disciples, the Messiah stands for wealth and fame and political power- the very temptations Jesus consistently resists during his ministry. The true Messiah, Jesus knows, must endure scorn, humiliation, suffering and even death. He is the suffering servant prophesied by Isaiah. He will end up in Jerusalem on a cross, a symbol of shame rather than honor.
Peter may have grasped Jesus' identity, but he has much to learn about Jesus' mission. Not comprehending the Messiah's ultimate goal, he wants Jesus to avoid suffering. Jesus knows otherwise. From this moment on, Jesus makes a strategic turn, leaving Galilee to head toward the capital of Jerusalem, where he will meet his fate.
1 comment:
Jesus opens this new direction in His ministry by declaring His identity as the Christ. The disciples would soon learn that they would follow this Suffering Servant to the shamefilled, scandelous cross and find the true source of glory there.
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