Jesus Predicts His Death

Mark For Everyone

MARK 8.31—9.1
Jesus Predicts His Death...

...I watched from a window as the riot police got ready. They looked like sportsmen preparing for a match, putting on pads and helmets, gloves and special outer clothes. Only this wasn’t a game. It was real. They didn’t know, quite literally, what was going to be thrown at them. They appeared quite calm, but they must have been tense inside. They were being called to go off to meet danger, including possible injury or even death. Many people in our world, such as fire crews and those who work in lifeboats, face similar situations every day.

Jesus’ friends and followers were used to danger. It was a perilous time; anyone growing up in Galilee just then knew about revolutions, about holy people hoping God would act and deliver them, and ending up getting crucified instead. Any new leader, any prophet, any teacher with something fresh to say, might go that way. They must have known that by following Jesus they were taking risks. The death of Jesus’ mentor, John the Baptist, will simply have confirmed that...

Taken from Mark for Everyone by Tom Wright