The disciples desire for authority (vv. Trial or temptation? (Pentecost 19A), Producing the fruits of the kingdom (Matt 21; Pentecost 19A), Darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth: the scene of judgement (Matt 22; Pentecost 20A), The greatest and first commandment and a second, like it (Matt 22), On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matt 22; Pentecost 22A), Sitting on the seat of Moses, teaching the Lawbut they do not practice what they teach (Matt 23; Pentecost 23A), Discipleship in an apocalyptic framework (Matt 2325; Pentecost 2326A), A final parable from the book of origins: on sheep and goats, on judgement and righteous-justice (Matt 25; Pentecost 26A), John (the baptizer) and Jesus (the anointed) in the book of signs (the Gospel of John; Epiphany 2A), In the beginning the Prologue and the book of signs (John 1; Christmas 2B), Living our faith in the realities of our own times hearing the message of the book of signs, Righteous anger and zealous piety: the incident in the Temple (John 2; Lent 3B), Raise up a (new) temple: Jesus and the Jews in the fourth Gospel (John 2; Lent 3B), The serpent in the wilderness (John 3, Num 21; Lent 4B), The complex and rich world of scriptural imagery in the book of signs (John 3; Lent 4B), The Pharisee of Jerusalem and the woman of Samaria (John 3 and 4; Lent 23A), From the woman at the well to a Byazantine saint: John 4, St Photini, and the path to enlightenment (Lent 3A), Misunderstanding Jesus: they came to make him a king (John 6; Pentecost 9B), Claims about the Christ: affirming the centrality of Jesus (John 6; Pentecost 9B13B), In the most unlikely company: confessing faith in Jesus (John 9; Lent 4A), In the most unlikely way touching the untouchable (John 9; Lent 4A), The Father and I are one (John 10; Easter 4C), Yes, Lord, I believeeven in the midst of all of this!
When will we see justice?
Conversely the losing of ones life refers figuratively to the loss of ones ultimate, spiritual existence, the loss of ones soul14 to eternal ruin.15 This is reinforced by Jesus second rhetorical question in this discourse, For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (v. 37).
The attractive option for negotiating a paradox, which Fowler recommends, is to transfigure the paradox into another figure.
Our sacrifices are to promote Him and the gospel. They were intolerant toward someone who did not belong to their group.26 Such a negative attitude is ironic in light of the disciples helplessness in exorcizing a demon-possessed boy (vv. Similarly, the second question actually asserts that there is nothing a person can ever give in exchange for his soul. His system of transformation provides this study with a practical and viable method for interpreting verbal paradoxes. The first paradox: the silence about the central identity of Jesus. Cook, the Endeavour, and Possession Island.
Stated negatively, the refusal to lose ones life for Jesus sake and the gospels means being ashamed of Jesus and His words. So this transformation shows that not being ashamed of Jesus and His words relates to believing the importance of His passion prediction in verse 31.
1Gerhard Kittel, , in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. We now think about how our lives, our homes, our hobbies, and the years we have left can be about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
NEW CONTENT ADDED Oct 21, 2021: We added the most recent volumes available for all the existing journals. You will find that all of the life you tried to grasp and keep and hold on to slipped through your fingers.
Once he is in Jerusalem, Jesus encounters the same question from the High Priest: are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One? (14:61); and from the Roman governor: are you the King of the Jews? (15:2). You bury yourself in Bible studies, prayer meetings, reading Christian books, and listening to sermons. He invites themindeed, he commands themto enter into the public shame that he will experience in his own crucifixion. (Oxford: Clarendon, 1948), 2:1309. Scholars who take the second view are Hugh Anderson, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976), 23435; Harry Fleddermann, The Discipleship Discourse (Mark 9:3350), 5775; and Eduard Schweizer, Good News according to Mark, trans. The second paradox: the shame of the central dynamic of crucifixion. 7Joseph T. Shipley, ed., Dictionary of World Literature: Criticism-Form-Technique (New York: Philosophical Library, 1943), 417. This is not what Jesus is talking about. View all posts by John T Squires, Awesome reading. Saving oneself is a manifestation of the worlds standard of striving for authority, a standard characteristic of the religious leaders in Jesus day. First, He transfigured the paradox into the question it seems to imply. Another Time, Another Place: towards an Australian Church, Once again: affirming our diversity, celebrating joyous marriages, The Paraclete in Johns Gospel: exploring the array of translation options (John 14, 15, 16). Thus the second clause of the paradox (losing ones life), is revealed as not being ashamed of Jesus and His words. Let me be clear here.
The basis of this acceptance, which links the two expressions of receiving a child and not hindering a stranger, is the commonality of doing so in the name of Jesus (i.e., under His authority and will). It is reiterated in a variety of ways in statements made at crucial moments in the story (see 1:11; 8:29; 9:7; 10:45; 14:62; 15:39). Fourth, Jesus presented a typically indirect statement by concluding the paradoxical interaction with the metaphorical picture of a burglar and a strong man: But no one can enter the strong mans house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house (v. 27). Following JesusGive up your life to save itMark 8:35 commentaryMark 8:35 sermonMark sermon seriesParadox in the BibleStott commentary on Mark 8:35What does it mean to follow Jesus. 29Ibid., 104; and Lane, Mark, 382. But Jesus balances all this with the phrase for the sake of the Good News. Because we live for Him, we live for others. But when you truly follow me you will discover that your true life is found in giving up your life.. What you find important is reflected in your life.
25Fleddermann, The Discipleship Discourse (Mark 9:3350), 6364. Jesus third discipleship discourse includes the verbal paradox in verses 4344.
This is the rhetorical figure of metaphor,10 which can lead us into and also out of paradox.11. Jesus is not saying that every form of self-sacrifice has eternal value. Save your life from any pain, discomfort, or suffering. 3641),18 helpful word pictures or metaphors are included in the three short segments (vv. We give up our lives in order to spread the news about Jesus being Lord and the salvation He offers.
Your life represents your interests, your passions, your, your relationships, your hobbies, your pleasure, your career, and so on. The expression servant of all is also enacted in giving a cup.
two assertions relate directly to the save/lose terminology in verse 35 in a metaphorical way. In addition the expression servant of all is transformed by the picture of receiving a child.25 Jesus followers are not simply to serve those who are considered superior to them (e.g., Jesus), but also those whom society considers inferior. Setting ones mind on mere human interests (at the expense of Gods interests) results in a tragic end. Peter has identified him accurately; Jesus is the Messiah.
What Jesus is saying, If you want to follow Me you must understand that I am going to call you to a life that dies daily. The first half of the discourse (9:3641) is positive in its orientation and recommends three actions to be performed (9:37a, 39a, 41a), while the second half is negative in orientation and comprises three warnings against conduct to be avoided. Cook, the Endeavour, and the Guugu Yimithirr, James Cook, the Endeavour, twelve turtles and the Guugu Yimithirr (3). Coloniser? Based on the disciples debate about greatness, being truly great and authoritative in the sight of Jesus (i.e., being first) demands from His disciples the attitude of welcoming and caring for those people in society who are commonly viewed as insignificant and strangers (i.e., being last of all), and of ministering to them, even in ways that are viewed as insignificant by others (i.e., being servant of all). Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 482; F. Bschsel, , in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 4 (1967), 34049; Brooks, Mark, 171; and Larry W. Hurtado, Mark (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1989), 172. Jesus says, If you try to hang on to your life. What does it mean to hang on to your life? What does that look like? (Rom 11; Pentecost 12A), We do not lose hope (2 Corinthians; Pentecost 3B6B), For our instruction that we might have hope (Rom 15, Isa 11, Matt 3; Advent 2A), A new creation: the promise articulated by Paul (2 Cor 5; Pentecost 6B), Paul the travelling philosopher (1 Thessalonians; Pentecost 2125A), The sincerest form of flattery? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); On Jesus and Justa, Tyre and Decapolis (Mark 7; Pentecost15B), https://johntsquires.com/2021/03/26/reading-the-crucifixion-as-a-scene-of-public-shaming/, https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/johntsquires.com/2019/03/05/a-testing-time-forty-days-in-the-wilderness-1/, https://johntsquires.com/2021/02/22/2740/, An orderly account: a quick guide to Luke and Acts.
Instead of saving their life, the followers of Jesus are instructed to lose their life (8:35). and augmented by Henry Stuart Jones et al., 9th ed. In explaining the transformation of paradox into metaphor Fowler refers to Jesus strategy in handling a verbal paradox in Mark 3:22. This isnt an affirmingly positive acclamation of Jesus; rather, the term is used to mock and deride him in his helpless state. This shows that the pursuit of authority is not the way of Jesus; instead, servanthood is His way. The first clause has the contrasting save/lose pair (For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it), and the second clause has the same antithetical pair of words but in reverse order (but whoever loses his life shall save it).
Their life is about what they own, collected, and possess. Regarding this third step, Fowler writes, This reply does not answer the question of 3:23 explicitly, but it does imply that if the scribes really believed what they were saying they would not oppose him; they would instead encourage and congratulate him for hastening the demise of the kingdom of Satan.12. The special effect of this literary device is twofold: It forces readers to read the opposing sides thoughtfully, enabling them to become aware of the conscious execution of the words; and it makes readers ponder the meaning beyond the contradiction.
Pauls vision of One in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28) and the Uniting Church, Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945), and the commitment to seek peace (2020), Sexuality and Gender Identity Conversion Practices Bill: A Christian Perspective, The Lectionary: ordering the liberty of the preacher, Women in the New Testament (1): the positive practices of Jesus and the early church, Women in the New Testament (2): six problem passages, What do we know about who wrote the New Testament Gospels? If you think and feel that relationships are important you will make decisions that prioritize relationships. 16Harry Fleddermann, The Discipleship Discourse (Mark 9:3350), Catholic Biblical Quarterly 43 (1981): 61; and Frans Neiynck, The Tradition of the Sayings of Jesus: Mark 9, 3350, in The Dynamism of Biblical Tradition (New York: Paulist, 1967), 65.
From the human point of view, we are losing ourselves, but from the divine perspective we are finding ourselves.
The word sake has two meanings. the fight for the most respected and privileged rank?
John had attempted to hinder an unknown exorcist who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus but who did not follow Him and the disciples (v. 38). ones life also includes denying oneself, taking up ones cross, and following after Jesus and His ways. That is a reflection of your soul. The closest Jesus gets to this self-identification is his clipped response to the question put to him by the chief priest, when he is asked, are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? (14:61). (Matt 13; Pentecost 8A), Chopping and changing: what the lectionary does to the parables of Matthew (Pentecost 79A), A rock, some keys, and a binding: clues to the identity of Jesus (Matt 16; Pentecost 13A), An invitation that you just cannot accept! It also marks the change in ones eternal destiny. The scene is located at Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Herman, to the northeast of the Sea of Galilee, in the Tetrarchy of Philip. What is Jesus saying? For more helpful information on metaphor, see Sheldon Sacks, ed., On Metaphor (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979). Their soul (mind, will, emotions) is wrapped up in their possessions. 31 March 2020, Pastoral Letter to Canberra Region Presbytery: June 2020, Greet one another (2 Cor 13).
Their, Another glimpse of someone hanging on to their life is the person who is consumed with pleasure. Since Jesus, who deserves to be served as Son of Man, came instead to serve others, then they who have little authority can follow the same path of service.
About to give birth? It also includes the paradox that Jesus anticipates the public shaming that he will experience on the crossfollowed by his call to his followers, to take up the cross themselves. Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, rev. The first question basically claims that it does not profit a person at all to gain the whole world and forfeit his or her soul. 11Fowler, Let the Reader Understand, 185. Discoverer? Some translations try to capture the meaning by saying, For whoever wants to save his life (NASB). Easter Sunday Reflections. Why was I born? Im going to call you to deny yourself and take up your cross on a daily basis.