In this week’s gospel (Mk 8:27-35) Mark again shows Jesus telling his disciples not to talk about him, and again fails to explain why. This time it seems like the disciples are at last getting it – Peter acknowledges that Jesus is “the Christ”. Why would Jesus then tell them not to talk about it?
Maybe because it’s too soon? Other people aren’t ready for that message yet. In that case the reason for Jesus challenging the disciples is so they can be aware that they understand something others don’t – that’s nice – and then can bask in their private sense of superiority… I’m not so sure about that.
Perhaps more likely is that Jesus knows they aren’t yet ready to deliver the message. That is the point of the following interchange. Peter suddenly goes from being top of the class to being hammered as “Satan” – it’s hard to imagine any more extreme put down.
Poor Peter was only arguing that Jesus shouldn’t go getting himself killed. Whatever you think of his personality you have to feel a little sorry for him – it must have been a bit of a head spinner being around Jesus at times. It’s not so long ago he was feeding the crowds because he felt sorry for them and healing all sorts of people, even the most unlikely ones. Now he’s saying “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”. Not exactly an upbeat message. And he’s saying this to everyone, not just the disciples. There’s no private message for the disciples. Their declaration of faith is met with – you’re not yet ready to talk about this. And the argument with Peter shows why.
We also know Jesus is the Christ. So the question for us is: are we ready to talk about it? Have we really internalized Jesus’ message sufficiently to have given up our concern for “saving our own life”, for ensuring our own success, protecting our own interests, fighting off those that we see as a threat (and there seems to be a lot of fighting talk around at the moment). If we are willing to lose our lives, then we are ready to talk about who Jesus is. Then we will have understood what saving our life means – it means dying for others, just as Jesus did. He told us: “whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” Are we ready?