vs 21
Why? The question of the 'messianic secret' is not a simple one. Is the reason Jesus tells demons to be quiet the same reason he tells the disciples to remain silent? Or is it to do with the reason he speaks in parables? Is it because he didn't want people using the term "messiah" or "christ", because he has his own terminology (Son of Man) which he was shaping and injecting meaning into?
vs 22
Here he is, injecting some more meaning into that term, by showing what the future of the messiah is going to be. We are at a key stage here - Jesus has openly admitted who he is (don't let anyone tell you he hasn't) and is pointing the disciples towards the inevitable end of his ministry. I don't think it really matters how clear and open Jesus is about it either - this topic of death and resurrection is not a simple one to understand, even when you know what he's talking about.
vs 23
Now we've heard this story a million times, so perhaps we miss that Jesus hasn't actually said he is going to be crucified yet! So when Jesus says this, it is a little less obvious in meaning. Don't get me wrong though - the main meaning was there, because everyone knew the kind of people who were crucified, and the idea of carrying your cross is obviously going to mean something about suffering. At the time, though, it could be that they didn't realise that even Jesus would carry his cross.
vs 24
Following Jesus is for life, not just for Christmas. You can't sit on a cross for a few hours and think you've done your time.
vs 25
Good question, what good is it? The question puts into sharp relief, though, what Jesus is asking. He is asking us to put aside our ambitions to have the whole world, or any part of it.
vs 26
And that would be truly shameful. And woeful.
Interesting that the idea of Jesus returning in power and glory is already here. We have in these last couple of verses a complete view of the Christian life - focussed on Christ and his death and resurrection, the Christian's need to exemplify Christ, the return of Christ. Good summary, anyway.
vs 27
What a problematic verse! I mean, some people read it as being in the context of the transfiguration, which does some some problems. But the previous verse does tend to suggest that Jesus is saying that there will be only one generation before his return. Which obviously isn't true. Shows how problematic it can be to read things in the "plain reading of the text".
vs 28
The inner circle.
vs 29
This is what we call the transfiguration. What doeas it really mean? I think it means they saw him glorified. Which apparently means shiny. I'm sure it would have been a brilliant sight, and the meaning of it was not lost on them, especially after Peter had just confessed that Jesus was Christ.
vs 30
Moses epitomising the Law, and Elijah being the representative of the prophets. Which still irks me, because he wasn't really anything special. Except that it's possible he killed 850 priests on his own in one day. Biggest mass murder ever?
2 comments:
I'm sure I've heard it suggested (many years ago, so I may not be remembering it quite right) that the reason Elijah is the prophets' rep is because his life, like Moses', prefigured Christ's. Of course all the fine details escape me, such as exactly how his life prefigured Christ's, so it could be a load of hogwash. Whatever. Maybe he was more fun than the other prophets.
Especially that miserable Svgteadq; he was no one's idea of a good time.
Elijah and Moses are seen as representatives of the Law and Prophets before Christ, which might make it hard for them to be seen in this position as being 'types' of Christ.
Some people say that Elijah effectively started off the prophetic tradition, because he had a disciple who then went on to have a school of disciples.
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