The Greater Picture
Before I reflect on this bible verse, we have to imagine this scene. Although the exact setting is uncertain, we know that Jesus was with his disciples and foreshadows what will happen to him. In short, he tells them that he will be killed and rise again.
Imagine how the disciples are feeling at this time. After years of being their mentor and shaping them, being some that they can always rely on, the Messiah tells them that he is going to die. Even though the details of what he said are unclear, it is shown that He doesn’t say He wants to die, He doesn’t say how, and He doesn’t say why. And what exactly is meant by ‘rise again’? I’m sure it would be hard for you to imagine someone so close to you telling you that they are going to die with no further explanation.
We can infer that this feeling of disbelief is what causes Peter to ‘rebuke’ Jesus. Or we could just imagine that Peter feels the world would be a worse place without him. It is true, Jesus had changed the lives of many through His preaching and healing throughout Israel. He had healed the blind, deaf, sick, fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, and raised a saint from the dead. He was the Son of God! Why would He need to die now?
But here is what Jesus is saying: these endless questions and concerns that Peter has are ‘human things’; they are things that are of no value in the Kingdom of Heaven. In these next few days, Jesus was about to complete the mission that He was sent on. He would defy death and prove to everyone for the final time that He was the Messiah. He would start a movement that would change the world to this day, making his name known to everyone, and bringing glory to God.
Dear God, please allow us to see the greater picture of work that you are doing in our lives as we fail to notice. What may seem to be vain and misfortunate is sometimes your work disguise. Amen.
Kirsten Bowles