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Texts of the Readings
September
13, 2009
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Betty Jane Lillie, S.C.
Is 50:5-9a
X
Ps 116:1-6,8-9 X
Jas 2:14-18 X
Mk 8:27-35
As we have followed the Gospels of
Mark we have noticed several incidents that contribute to an understanding
of the identity of Jesus. In our Gospel reading for this week we have
another such incident introduced by Jesus himself in his conversation with
his disciples. He asked them two questions.
The first question was, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mk
8:27) Then he followed up with the second question, “But who do you say
that I am?” (Mk 8:29) The answer to the first question was ambiguous:
People say different things, and generally they are not quite sure. The
second question was answered by Peter very directly. Jesus is the Christ.
Jesus instructed the disciples not to give out that information
about him at that time. Perhaps it was not yet the time for that
announcement. Or, on the other hand, maybe it is another instance of the
use of the Markan Secret. However, if that were the case, then there would
likely have been a public announcement of the information. In fact, what
Jesus began to preach was something different. He made a prediction of his
Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Whereas Peter had at first answered very
clearly about Jesus’ identity, he nevertheless did not display clarity on
the point that the Messiah would suffer.
Messianic hopes in the Hebrew Scriptures usually involved
expectation of temporal peace and well-being for the nation of Israel. They
looked for a king like David to bring prosperity and security throughout the
realm and protection from external aggression. In Peter’s response about
Jesus’ Messianic identity there may have been remnants of that thinking, and
clearly the prediction of suffering and death for Jesus as Messiah did not
fit the picture. It was a whole reversal of the popular assumption.
Jesus rebuked Peter very strongly, as much as telling him that
he had not listened to the Master. Two ideas may be involved in Jesus’
calling Peter a Satan. Maybe Jesus was intimating that this was
another of the temptations like those to which he had been subjected at the
beginning of his public life. (Mk 1:13) Or, maybe the Hebrew word Satan
which refers to something like an aggravator, was used to
describe Peter’s action here. In either case, though Peter had correctly
identified Jesus in this passage as Messiah, and on another occasion
declared that his faith would not be shaken, he later made a threefold
denial of even knowing Jesus. Peter seems to have had a hard time getting
all of this straight. Even after the resurrection when his threefold avowel
of love for Jesus seemed to have brought it all in line, we know from
history that when he was fleeing from the persecution in Rome Jesus appeared
to him and turned him around to go back to take his place among the
suffering people who were faithful. Peter’s human struggles may give us
something to ponder in our own faith life.
With the Psalmist we can praise the Lord for saving those who
call on him in their distress. In his gracious mercy he is bountiful to
those who need him. (Ps 116)
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