マルコによる福音書8:27-37 Mark 8:27-37,

Jesus travelled with his disciples to the region of Caesarea Philippi, the most northern part of Israel. This is a quiet area with a high mountain called Mount Hermon to the north and the source of the Jordan River to the south. There Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” The people were saying that Jesus was John the Baptist who had been killed by Herod, the ruler of Galilee, and had come back to life, or that the Old Testament prophet Elijah had risen again and reappeared. When the disciples answered these things, Jesus heard them and asked them a further very important question: “But who do you say that I am?” That is, Jesus asked, “Not what other people think, but what do you, my disciples, think?”

To this Peter, who was the most active of the disciples, replied, “You are the Messiah” (REB). Messiah means “anointed one.” In Old Testament times, when people were appointed to important ministries, such as kings to rule the country, priests to conduct worship and prophets to carry on God’s word, a ceremony was held to anoint their heads with fragrant oil. The great king David also underwent the anointing ceremony before becoming a king. Therefore, the king of Israel was called the “anointed one,” i.e., the Messiah. Later, when the kingdom of Israel was divided and declined, Messiah became a term for the ideal king, or Saviour, whom the people were waiting for. Therefore, Peter’s answer, “You are the Messiah,” was the correct one.

After hearing Peter’s answer, Jesus told that he himself would be crucified, killed and resurrected on the third day. Then Peter, who had just given the correct answer, now began to rebuke Jesus as if he were Jesus’ teacher, saying, “This shall never happen to you.” Peter probably thought that Jesus would eventually go to the city of Jerusalem and become a great king like David, and make Israel a strong and rich kingdom like in the past. Then Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” This was because Peter had assumed that Jesus was the one who would do what man wanted him to do, rather than the one who would fulfil the mission given to him by God. Moreover, Peter did not realise that this idea was wrong. So Jesus severely rebuked him, saying, “Get behind me, Satan!” Then Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” “Deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,” means not to do what he wants to do, but to follow the path of the painful cross God has given him. Just as Jesus lived to die on the cross and resurrected after dying on the cross, so we can receive eternal life if we follow Jesus and live on the path of the cross of suffering.

Some people might think that this is too hard to follow. But it is not. Because when we walk following Jesus, he is always with us. And no matter what life’s hardships come, we can rest assured that Jesus will be with us. But if we try to take the easy way out and live apart from Jesus, we will suffer unexpectedly. However, if we try to walk following Jesus, even if suffering comes, we can rest assured because eternal life, just like Jesus, is prepared for us