Friday 26 September 2008

Background

Did Jesus know what was going to happen to him and understandits significance? If so, why did he not include it explicitly inhis public teachings before his death? In this passage Jesusrehearses in private with his disciples the same questions thatcaused Herod to be perplexed (Luke 9:7-9). Whowas he and what was his purpose?

The prediction of his suffering and death is the first of three inLuke's Gospel (see 9:43-45 and 18:31-34). Thesepredictions were very important in the teaching of the early Churchin understanding what had happened to Jesus and why. Given that theGospel accounts of Easter morning do not show Jesus' close circlelooking forward to a resurrection when they go to the tomb (theyare all surprised and scared in varying degrees) we might askwhether Jesus truly taught this. Did the disciples just forget ornot fully trust it, fallible and frightened people that they were?Or how much did the early Church writers massage the recordedteachings of Jesus to demonstrate the growing consensus abouthim?

While leading into an interesting textual treasure hunt thisproblem is not (nor should it be) the main focus of ourpassage.

The main question is still Jesus' own - "But who do you say that Iam?".

Not some dead hero come to life but the anointed one of God, the"Messiah", or Christ says Peter. The point is that far fromtriumphing in the world, God would transform it. The transformationwould be accomplished in his death and resurrection - and in theway of the kingdom shown in his life.

To Ponder

Does everything in Scripture need to haveactually happened for it to be 'true'?

'Fully human and fully God.' What does this meanto you in relation to Jesus in this passage?

Many still talk about Jesus as a prophet or amoral role model or a teacher. Who would you tell people hewas?