Disciples were quick to respond to Jesus’ question: who do people say I am? When Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am," it gets trickier. But Simon Peter takes a leap of faith and boldly proclaims, "You are the Christ" or "Messiah." Peter's leap serves as an example of the discipleship to which we are all called. But how does that work?
The next thing we learn is that the one who is called Messiah will suffer greatly, be rejected by his own and offer his very life on the cross. This would have made no sense to first-century Jews, for whom "Messiah" implied a victorious king.
This gospel passage requires disciples to come to terms with a very different messianic mission: a mission that included suffering and death.
And then we learn that to be a disciple of Christ means that we share in this messianic mission! There is a heavy cost to discipleship, if one is to accept its call in sincerity and truth. There can be no discipleship without denying oneself and embracing the cross. This is a hard message. What does that cost include for each of us who call ourselves Christ's disciples today?
And finally, might there be a useful and interesting "twist" to this gospel question? What happens when we begin to ask ourselves daily, as we take up our cross and embrace our discipleship: Who does Jesus say we are?
The
author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish,
Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the
2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence
Boadt Memorial Medal.
