Mark 8:27-38
Year B
Today’s gospel reading can be compared to the midpoint of a movie. It’s a major turning point that raises the stakes and moves the story in a new direction. Consider the heartbreak you felt when Andy left behind Woody and Buzz at Pizza Planet in “Toy Story.” How sweaty did your palms get when J. Robert Oppenheimer realized his bomb’s devasting potential in “Oppenheimer”? These moments clarify the film’s central conflict, setting up the climax.
Many believe Mark 8:27-38 heralds a similarly crucial moment in the Gospel. It signifies a shift in Jesus’ journey, moving the focus from his teachings, healings and preaching to his impending crucifixion in Jerusalem. Like all good midpoint moments, it illuminates the tension building.
The passage opens with a discussion on Jesus’ identity. In Caesarea Philippi, a seat of Rome’s imperial power, Peter proclaims Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. This declaration mirrors the language of the empire, which claimed gods selected emperors. Yet, it also challenges this notion. While the empire governs with authority over the people, the rule of God embodied in Jesus originates from and is shared with the people.
In the next scene, Jesus reveals his impending suffering. Until now, Jesus has been known for his empathy and commitment to bringing wholeness to individuals and the entire community. Unsurprisingly, Peter had a strong reaction when he heard Jesus discussing his forthcoming suffering. He had just acknowledged Jesus’ liberating deeds as evidence of God’s power and compassion by proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. Now, he struggles with the idea of Jesus facing vulnerability and death.
Yet, the suffering Jesus speaks of is not a means to an end but rather a consequence of paying attention to the pain experienced by those living under oppressive systems and working to eradicate and dismantle them. Peter’s understanding of power and suffering is centered on dominance and command while Jesus demonstrates his power through service and suffering with others.
Our journey toward collective well-being will undoubtedly lead to conflict.
This transformational perspective on power and suffering has a similar implication for Jesus’ followers. Our journey toward collective well-being will undoubtedly lead to conflict. The invitation for followers of Jesus to carry their cross reiterates the paradox of the gospel: those who want to save their life will lose it. Challenges to unjust structures and practices inevitably bring opposition. The way of the cross looks like failure. Christianity is about how to win by losing, how to let go creatively, and how the only actual ascent is descent. In this descent, we learn that God is in all things, especially our suffering, transforming them into resurrection.
At this midpoint, Jesus has reoriented the relationship between power and suffering, with challenging but hopeful implications for those who follow the descent toward love, which is a new direction.
We are at a turning point in Mark’s Gospel. From here on out, we will observe Jesus further reveal how power is found in our weakness and vulnerability. As Jesus descends to Jerusalem, this inside-out power proclamation inaugurates his suffering. The stakes rise for Jesus’ followers as they decide how to respond to the unfolding events leading to his death. At this midpoint, Jesus has reoriented the relationship between power and suffering, with challenging but hopeful implications for those who follow the descent toward love, which is a new direction.
(The interpretation of this text should be approached with caution. The call to “take up our cross” does not imply that we should endure situations or relationships that dehumanize us. Instead, it urges us to emulate Jesus by resisting harmful practices and dedicating ourselves to promoting justice, peace, and love.)
Questions for reflection
- Think of a midpoint moment in your life. Who were the characters, what was the underlying tension that became evident, and what did the climax and resolution look like?
- How does your congregation define and leverage its power?
- Name a time when your congregation experienced a disruption in their relationship to suffering. What was revealed?
Extra Credit: What’s your favorite midpoint moment in a movie?
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