We are going to Jerusalem
Written by Rev'd John Poole | March 26th, 2021
Walking with Jesus through the Gospel of Mark. (Read or Watch the Video above)
Week 6: ‘We are going to Jerusalem…..’
Leaving Bethsaida, Jesus and his disciples go to Caesarea Philippi in the far north of Galilee. Here, Peter makes his ‘profession of faith’ in Jesus, acknowledging that he is greater than any prophet. He is in fact the Messiah. Among first century Jews there were various opinions about what the Messiah would be like, but a belief held in common was that he would by anointed by the Spirit of God and he would usher in God’s new order for Israel and the world. Peter is acknowledging that Jesus is the one for whom Israel had been waiting, whether or not he understood how this would work out. However, the ‘Messianic secret’ of Mark’s gospel is maintained as Jesus orders the disciples not to speak about him publicly in this way. For Mark, the message about Jesus’ true identity as Messiah and Son of God was not proclaimed by Jesus himself, and would only be revealed after his resurrection. The central message of the ministry of Jesus in this, the earliest Gospel, is always about his words and deeds that proclaim the coming kingdom of God.
Following Peter’s profession of faith, Jesus makes the startling statement that the vocation of the Messiah will lead to death at the hands of the authorities, followed by raising from death by the hand of God. This prediction is made three times. After the first such statement Peter rebukes Jesus saying that this surely must not happen. Jesus rebukes him back, telling him that this is purely human rather than divine thinking. He then teaches that if any would go with him on ‘the way,’ they must also take up their cross and follow him.
At this time the cross meant only one thing – crucifixion, the torturous Roman form of execution reserved particularly for those who opposed imperial authority. Other criminals, including murderers, may well have been executed but not by crucifixion. Crucifixion was not simply designed to be excruciating (from where we get that word), it was public and humiliating with a message that declared, ‘this is what we do to those who defy the Roman Empire.’ So ‘taking up the cross’ had not yet developed into a metaphor for covering a whole range of burdens and sufferings that may result from being a follower of Jesus.
After the first declaration of Jesus about what will happen to him in Jerusalem, we have the story of the Transfiguration on a high mountain (chapter 9: 2 – 8). The voice of God that spoke to Jesus at his baptism, saying ‘You are my Son, the beloved,’ now speaks to an inner group of Jesus’ disciples, ‘This is my Son. Listen to him.’ What is it they are to listen to? In the context of this section it is surely the message that Jesus is going to Jerusalem where the powers that be will kill him, and then God will raise him. So they must listen to him, and follow him on his way.
Following Jesus ‘on the way’ has three essential meanings. For some it has meant the ‘total way,’ martyrdom, as it did for Jesus himself. For everyone, however, it involves a process of personal transformation – dying to an old way of living and rising to a new way of living, or from being self and worldly-centred to being God-centred. There is an important third meaning to consider. Jesus didn’t just die, he was killed, executed by the powers that ruled his world. Being Christian, being a follower of the Jesus way, is about saying a big NO to systems such as killed Jesus. It means opposing injustice and violence (though never with more violence), and standing against many other ways of the world in the name of the kingdom of God. It is about coming to see the world as God sees it rather than being complicit with what much of society and culture considers to be normal or natural.
As Jesus reaches the territory of Judea, he gives some important teachings in response to questions that are put to him. They are complex and we can only summarise them for now. The Pharisees ask him about divorce, which the ancient Law of Moses allowed. What does Jesus think? It is a trick question, of course, designed as always to trap Jesus into saying something contrary to the revered Law of the Jews, especially the Ten Commandments. Jesus never contradicts the Law. He always goes back to root meanings or to other important scriptures. Divorce was permitted because of people’s hardness of heart, he says, but it was not God’s original intention (he quotes Genesis chapters 1: 27 and 2: 24.) Furthermore, in what was a male dominated society, where women’s rights were few, Jesus upholds the equal dignity and responsibility of both marriage partners. No reaction from the Pharisees is recorded but when Jesus is alone with his disciples, they question him about his teaching. Given his teaching on the divine intention for marriage, he makes a completely logical definition of adultery. In marriage as in every area of life, Jesus appeals to his listeners to aim for the highest ideal. Faithfulness and integrity are at the heart of his message. But his teaching cannot be used today (but sadly still is) as a weapon to condemn, marginalise or exclude those for whom the married state has not worked out or is not possible.
When people bring children to Jesus for him to touch and bless, he uses it as an opportunity to teach the disciples to receive the kingdom of God as a child so that they can enter it. Children are innocents, wholly dependent on the gifts, care and protection of others. The kingdom is a community, a family, that is inclusive and open to all society’s ‘little ones,’ including children.
There follows a teaching about the lure of wealth. Mark tells us that a man of wealth approaches Jesus to question him. The man asks Jesus what he must do to ‘inherit eternal life.’ From the Greek translation in the Gospels eternal life is another name for the kingdom of God. It is not exclusively about ‘going to heaven.’ Jesus responds by quoting most of the Ten Commandments to which the man responds that he has kept them from his youth. Jesus does not challenge him on this but says that there is one thing he lacks. He should sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, and he will have treasure in heaven. ‘Then, come,’ says Jesus, ‘follow me.’ But the man goes away grieving for he cannot give up his possessions.
Several times in the Gospels Jesus criticizes wealth and the wealthy, and many Christians have felt uncomfortable with this, especially those who have considerable wealth. It is worth remembering that the early Church relied on its wealthy members because they had properties large enough to accommodate the community for worship and fellowship. Their resources helped the fledgling Christian communities to survive. In order to exist, the local churches today also require the financial commitment of their members, in accordance with their means. It is not wealth as such that Jesus condemns. In his time, the wealthy were part of the ruling elite, just one or two per cent of the population. Up to two thirds of the production of the vast majority peasant class, went to these wealthy people. The wealthy were either collaborators with the imperial power, or they were complicit with it. The system as it was served their interests.
So Jesus’ teaching was shaped by the conditions of his time, and that is where we should begin when we read of his attitude to wealth. Wealth went hand in hand with indifference to poverty and suffering, as it has so often since then. To relate it today and to the global reality, probably everyone reading this is in the top eight per cent of the world’s population in terms of wealth. How might such wealth be used to further God’s passion for a different kind of world?
After more debate with his disciples and a further prophecy of his Passion, Jesus is asked by two of his disciples, James and John, if they might sit either side of him in his glory! What!? Clearly, the still haven’t ‘got it.’ In spite of the Transfiguration experience which they shared, they are still not hearing or understanding Jesus. They think that following him will lead to greatness and privilege, something that Jesus is clearly not offering. The great in the world are tyrants, Jesus is saying. Whoever wants to be great in the kingdom of God must be a servant to all.
This scene is followed by the healing of blind Bartimaeus. As well as regaining his physical sight he has more insight than the disciples just referred to. His faith that Jesus could heal him leads him not simply to see again, but to see the Jesus way. He calls him ‘my master’ and he follows him along the road. This road leads to Jerusalem, to the cross and resurrection. That is where today’s journey now brings us.
Some Questions to ponder and pray about (there may well be others!):
- How is the meaning of the phrase ‘take up your cross’ different for us today than it was in Jesus’ world? What do you feel are your own crosses?
- How do we view wealth and the wealthy in our own culture, and how do our attitudes contrast with those of Jesus time? How are we called to use our financial and material resources to reflect the values of God’s kingdom?
- The last section of Mark ended with the healing of an unnamed blind man at Bethsaida (8: 22 – 26) and today’s section ends with the restoration of sight to Bartimaeus. What do you notice as you compare the two accounts? On a metaphorical level, what do these stories suggest about our own blind spots with regard to understanding Jesus and his call to us – how do our eyes need to be opened?