MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St.Mark

St. Mark 8:31-33

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WE READ in these few verses that Jesus taught his disciples about his death. His response to the way Peter reacted to this teaching shows how central and important the death of Jesus is. Anyone who opposes his death is from the devil and doing the devils work. We learn three very important truths from this teaching of Jesus.

The first thing we learn is that Jesus died as the Son of Man. This title for Jesus is not chosen at random, but with real purpose. By using this title for himself, Jesus is telling his disciples that he was to die as the Son of Man. This means that he was to die as the representative and substitute for humanity. He was to be the second Adam. The first Adam acted on behalf of all his posterity, that is the whole of the human race, and Jesus as the second Adam died on behalf of his posterity, that is all who believe on him. It tells us that Jesus was dying in their place. In himself he had no need to die. Death entered the world as a result of the first Adam's sin. Paul tells us that death reigns from Adam to the present, whenever the present may be. We all have to die because we have sinned. Jesus, as the Son of man, was sinless and there was no sentence of death that he deserved, thus he could die in the place of others, taking responsibility for their sins. Also when Jesus said he would die, he was not speaking merely of physical death, but the whole of death. He was going to suffer hell and separation from God the Father.

The second truth, which is borne out by Christ's rebuke to Peter, is expressed in the word 'must'. Jesus told them that he must suffer and die. Jesus is telling us in this expression the purpose of his coming. God had sent him into the world in order to die. This was the means God had planned, indeed the only effective means, that we might be saved from our sin. This word 'must' expresses the absolute necessity for Christ to die, and if we ask the reason why, the answer is clear. Death is the punishment for sin. The death of Jesus was that he was being punished for the sin of the world, and by his death making a full satisfaction to God and the law of God, for the sins of the whole world. Unless Jesus died their could not be any forgiveness for sinners, the reason being that forgiveness is not possible unless and until the holy law of God has been satisfied, and complete satisfaction through death has been made for our sin. It is on the grounds of Jesus' death, and the debt for sin paid in that act, that God can justly forgive us who are the sinners. Jesus told the disciples in another part of the gospels - and this was the reason he came into the world - that he came to give his life a ransom for many.

The third lesson Jesus taught his disciples here is that he would not remain in death, but would rise again. This is another glorious statement made by Jesus, and is such a strength and assurance to all believers. By this affirmation of certainty Jesus was stating wonderful things. He is giving assurance that his death was a complete satisfaction to God and the law of God for the sins of the world. The fact Jesus rose tells us that Jesus exhausted the punishment for sin completely, so that there could be no more death, no more condemnation, for all who have faith in Jesus. Next from this resurrection we are assured that Jesus made full satisfaction for the sin of the world. Jesus being released from the punishment, demonstrated by his rising from death, assures us that the whole punishment for sin was exhausted by Jesus when he died. This tells us that to trust in Jesus, and rest our eternal welfare on him and what he has done for us, is the one and only assured salvation from death, and the full assurance that we will rise with Jesus.

Peter then shows, in spite of what the Holy Spirit had taught him as recorded in the previous verses, he still had so much to learn. To Peter the death of Jesus was too awful to contemplate, and so he told Jesus he must not think or suggest such an event as his death. In fact it was the one act that would assure Jesus could be known and loved by all believers in the whole world. Peter needed to learn that the death of Jesus was the means laid down by God for our salvation.

Jesus speaks so strongly to Peter. He tells Peter that his words were prompted and virtually spoken by Satan, and that he was opposing the will of God and the love of God by so doing. All who reject the death of Jesus, or undermine its true meaning, are doing the business of Satan. They must be rebuked and resisted.

The substitutionary atonement of Jesus, where he takes the place of sinners and pays the debt of their sin in their place, is clearly taught by Jesus here. This teaching is not some doctrine invented later by the apostles or the church. Let us never be ashamed to believe that Christ died in our place. Let us take into ourselves all the wonderful assurance that Jesus took responsibility for all the sins of our living on earth, and made complete satisfaction to God and his law for us. Let us be assured and comforted that before God we are accounted holy because our Saviour has made satisfaction for our sins, and has lived a holy life in our place.