67. Peter Protests Jesus’ Death
31And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And he said this plainly.And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.a 33But turning and looking at his apostles, he rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not on the side of God, but of men. 23You are a stumbling block to me.”
34And he said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him disregard himself, and take up his responsibilities, and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life [selfishly], shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's, shall save it. 36What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? 37What shall a man give in exchange for [eternal] life? 38For whoever is not ashamed of me and of my words in this sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also not be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
(Mk. 8:31–33; Mt. 16:23; Mk. 8:34–38)
a “and began to rebuke him.”—This would indeed be an announcement hard for the apostles to accept. They have recently confessed that Jesus is the Son of God; now he tells them that he is to suffer and die at the hands of men.
This would also mean that the apostles will be left alone in the world without their beloved leader and Master. But perhaps uppermost in their minds is the inherent contradiction of this fact with their long cherished Jewish idea of a Messiah who would sit upon the throne at Jerusalem ruling the nations.
Mk. 8:31 elders, the / elders and the (RSV)
Mk. 8:33 and looking at his / and seeing his (RSV) • his apostles, he (Ch. 22, fn. a) / his disciples, he (RSV) • Satan! You / Satan! For you (RSV)
Mk. 8:34 he said / he called to him the multitude with his disciples and said (RSV) • him disregard himself / him deny himself (RSV) • his responsibilities, and / his cross and (RSV)
Mk. 8:35 life [selfishly], shall lose (KJV) / life will lose (RSV) • it, but whoever / it; and whoever (RSV) • gospel's, shall save (KJV) / gospel's, will save (RSV)
Mk. 8:36 What / For what (RSV) • and lose his own soul? (KJV) / and forfeit his life? (RSV)
Mk. 8:37 What / For what (RSV) • What shall a (KJV) / What would a (RSV) • in exchange for (KJV) / in return for (RSV) • for [eternal] life? / for his life? (RSV)
Mk. 8:38 is not ashamed / is ashamed (RSV) • this sinful / this adulterous and sinful (RSV) • also not be / also be (RSV) (158:7/1759–60)
