Scripture: Mark 8:31-35

And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Scripture commentary: Jesus as the Son of Man is the human agent of God

Jesus refers to himself as the ” Son of Man.”  The expression comes from Daniel 7:13.  Also, it refers to Jesus as the Messiah, the human agent of God who is vindicated by God.

In Mark 8, Jesus begins to speak plainly and directly to His disciples about His death and resurrection. As a result, He began to prepare them for what was coming, telling them three times that He would soon die.

Peter wanted Christ to be king, not the suffering servant. In addition, he was ready to receive the glory of following the Messiah, but not the persecution. He saw only part of the picture, not seeing God’s plan for Jesus’ life, and he was thinking of his own natural human desires and feelings.

Like Peter, we often do not see the plans that God has for our life because we are focusing only the things that we want, here and now. Do not hold on to the things of this world. Now is the time to deny the the things of this world and follow Jesus.

Note: The expression “the Son of man” occurs 81 times in the Greek text of the four Canonical gospels.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Mark Chapter 8