On Line Bible Study - for the Week September 13-19, 2010
Lesson 457
Luke 9: 18Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?" 19They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life."
20"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered, "The Christ of God."
To appreciate this profession of faith by Peter, you might want to review our previous lesson. Notice how Luke sets this up with Herod's wondering: Who is this about whom I hear such things? (Luke 9:9). That's the question Luke wants us to be asking. While the other synoptic writers (Mark and Matthew) both record Herod hearing about Jesus, only Luke has Herod ask the question regarding Jesus' identity at this point-blank range.
So, Herod inserts curiosity about Jesus into the picture.
Peter will remove any doubt as to Jesus' identity.
Here we have another interesting shift between Luke and the other two synoptic gospels, for in both Mark (8:32f) and Matthew (16:22f), we are told that Peter rejects Jesus' definition of 'messiah' and discipleship, especially as it relates to the path Jesus is going to take. Luke, on the other hand, makes no reference to Peter's intransigence.
When we put the gospels together, we might find ourselves asking: Which is more important, to say who Jesus is, or to imitate what Jesus does? Jesus describes the project, in language that is simple and straight forward.
23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
This is who he is - the suffering servant. And then he asks the question:
25What good is it to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit your very self?
From the perspective of the Gospels, this is what's on the line - not a belief system, but life itself. Life - Life in abundance! Jesus lived passionately. If we follow him, so will we.
So, Herod inserts curiosity about Jesus into the picture.
Peter will remove any doubt as to Jesus' identity.
Here we have another interesting shift between Luke and the other two synoptic gospels, for in both Mark (8:32f) and Matthew (16:22f), we are told that Peter rejects Jesus' definition of 'messiah' and discipleship, especially as it relates to the path Jesus is going to take. Luke, on the other hand, makes no reference to Peter's intransigence.
When we put the gospels together, we might find ourselves asking: Which is more important, to say who Jesus is, or to imitate what Jesus does? Jesus describes the project, in language that is simple and straight forward.
23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
This is who he is - the suffering servant. And then he asks the question:
25What good is it to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit your very self?
From the perspective of the Gospels, this is what's on the line - not a belief system, but life itself. Life - Life in abundance! Jesus lived passionately. If we follow him, so will we.
posted by Mark D at 12:34 PM
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