Poor old Peter. In verse 30, he calls Jesus, the Messiah. Three short verses later, Jesus is calling Peter, Satan. Poor old Jesus. In verse 30, his core inner followers affirm that he has "got it;" that he has acquired the authority / honour to undertake the real purpose of his mission. Two short verses later, Peter reveals that they are still mis-understanding and/or unwilling to follow the logic of what Jesus has been teaching them.
Year B
Pentecost 16
September 16, 2012
Sunday between September 11 and September 10 inclusive
Proper 19, Ordinary Time 24
Click here to read the complete Holy Textures background commentary on Mark 8:27-38.
Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version.
Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "Seeking Wisdom."
Clipart credit: Hermano Leon Clipart
For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this is an ideal passage for pondering the transition from summer to fall. The season of rest and recreation, of planting and tending is giving way to the season of harvesting. Within each year, and within each lifetime, come those moments when all that is past becomes the prologue for what is to come. (To paraphrase Wm. Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act 2, Scene 1.)
The questions that arise in this passage are:
- What have we learned thus far from our travels with Jesus?
- Who is Jesus - really?
- What has all this prepared us for?
- And just what is it that lies ahead?
- What will be required us to actually produce the fruit from all this preparation?
- Are we ready for what lies ahead?
Click here to read the complete Holy Textures background commentary on Mark 8:27-38.
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