Chapter # 8 Paragraph # 6 Study # 2
October 18, 2022
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
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Thesis: There is a latent, but deep-seated, antagonism in the mindset of men toward the "necessities" of God's methods that seriously hinders "disciples" from making progress.
Introduction: In our last study we considered the question of why Jesus was so insistent about His restraint upon the disciples in respect to identifying Him as The Christ. I argued that there are some truths that must be held back because men have a strong need to be led along the paths of truth little by little because they will reject God's wisdom if it is presented to them before they are ready to receive it.
This evening we are going to look a bit further into this reality because Peter, in this text, has become a poster child for the fact that men have a deeply-held antagonism to some of the truths about God that make "being a disciple" almost impossible.
- I. Jesus' Extremely Plain Speech About His Identity As The Christ.
- A. In 8:32 we are told that "Jesus was speaking 'The Word' without hiding anything".
- 1. The word translated "plainly" is used by Mark only in this one text, but it is used in 30 other New Testament texts so that we may understand its meaning: it means "without hidden/secret elements".
- 2. "The Word" has the specific context here of certain "necessities".
- B. At issue is the "problematic" distinction between the cultural concept of "The Christ" and Jesus' self-identification as "The Son Of The Man".
- 1. In Mark, "The Son Of The Man" concept has already created "waves".
- a. In 2:10 Jesus deliberately claimed the prerogative of "authority on earth to forgive sins" as "The Son Of The Man".
- b. In 2:28 He also deliberately claimed that "The Son Of The Man" is "Lord even of the Sabbath" (an issue raised by His adversaries in John 9:16).
- c. In 3:28 He uses the phrase "the sons of the men" to refer to the human offspring of post-fall Adam, giving us the ability to see that He uses "The Son Of The Man" to refer to His "pre-fall Adamic identity".
- 1) This is developed theologically by Paul in both 1 Corinthians 15:45 (where he calls Jesus "the last Adam" in contrast to "the first man, Adam" and Romans 5 (where he compares/contrasts Adam and Christ).
- 2) That this is a critical issue is clearly stated in John 10:33.
- 2. Mark's next reference to Jesus as "The Son Of The Man" is our current text, addressing certain necessities.
- a. In this text/context, the "problem" is the cultural concept of "The Christ" because it stands solidly against the necessities of "The Son Of The Man".
- b. That there is no real "problem" is declared by Jesus Himself in Mark 9:12 and 13:26.
- C. The nature of "the necessities".
- 1. "The Son Of The Man" must "suffer many things".
- 2. "The Son Of The Man" must "be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes".
- a. It was "the elders" who used their authority to determine what the "rules" were (this was at the root of the John 9:16 claim) as 7:3 and 5 declare.
- b. It was "the chief priests" who used their authority to determine what was "blasphemy" as 14:61-64 makes plain.
- c. It was "the scribes" who used their authority as "the scholars of the Law" to determine that Jesus was in league with Beelzebul as 3:22 reveals.
- 3. "The Son Of The Man" must "be killed".
- 4. "The Son Of The Man" must "after three days rise again".
- II. "Satan's" Intense Opposition To God's Methods.
- A. When Jesus was speaking "plainly", Peter took Him aside and "began" (note 8:31) to "rebuke" (note 8:30, 32, and 33) Jesus, Whom he has just identified as "The Christ".
- 1. This is an "over-the-top" expression of deep arrogance because of deep resistance to "the things of The God".
- 2. At this point, Peter becomes the poster-child of human resistance to Divine Servanthood.
- B. Satan was the original "Opponent" to God's Character, and Peter became his spokesman.
- 1. Jesus' sharp rebuke was in view of "Jesus beholding His disciples", because "discipleship" is fundamentally impossible for anyone who is clinging to "the things of men".
- 2. Jesus' sharp rebuke was also rooted in the very essence of God Who is essentially a servant by Love, and no one can be a disciple who rejects "the Love of The God".
