September 12, 2009 - The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

SCRIPTURE STUDY
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
PROPER 19,YEAR B
SEPTEMBER 13, 2009


The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Sunday closest to September 14
Proper 19
Year B
RCL

Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-8:1
Psalm 116:1-8
James 3:1-12
Mark 8:27-38


The Collect

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-8:1

Wisdom is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.
She is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light she is found to be superior,
for it is succeeded by the night,
but against wisdom evil does not prevail.
She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and she orders all things well.


Psalm 116:1-8

1
I love the LORD, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *
because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.

2
The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
I came to grief and sorrow.

3
Then I called upon the Name of the LORD: *
"O LORD, I pray you, save my life."

4
Gracious is the LORD and righteous; *
our God is full of compassion.

5
The LORD watches over the innocent; *
I was brought very low, and he helped me.

6
Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
for the LORD has treated you well.

7
For you have rescued my life from death, *
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.

8
I will walk in the presence of the LORD *
in the land of the living.


James 3:1-12

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Mark 8:27-38

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."


EXEGESIS:

VERSES 27-38: THE CONTEXT

This lesson is bracketed by the story of Jesus healing a blind man at Bethsaida (8:22-26) and another blind man, Bartimaeus, at Jericho (10:46-25). During this period, Jesus is struggling with disciples who are blind to the truth that he would teach them. "Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear?" he asked (8:18). "Do you not yet understand?" (8:21). In his great confession (v. 29), Peter shows that he has caught a glimpse of the truth, but the following verses will show that his vision was distorted by his prior understanding of messiahship.

In verses 31-33, Jesus speaks to the disciples. In verses 34-38, he calls the crowd to join the disciples in hearing the criteria for discipleship.

This is the first of three occasions in this section where Jesus predicts his suffering and death (see also 9:31 and 10:33-34). On all three occasions, the disciples demonstrate their lack of understanding and Jesus responds by expanding his teaching on discipleship.

"The significance of this text lies in its paradoxes. I learn who I am by discovering who Jesus is. The way to self-fulfillment is the way of self denial." (Williamson, 156)


VERSES 27-30: YOU ARE THE MESSIAH

27Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way (Greek: te hodo) he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah (Greek: Christos)." 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.


"Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi" (v. 27a). Jesus has most recently been at Bethsaida (8:22-26), a town on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. Now he travels to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, about 25 miles (40 km) further north, at the foot of Mount Hermon. This far to the north, and symbolizes a major turning point in his ministry. He has been working in Galilee, a relatively friendly place, healing and teaching. Now he will begin his journey southward toward Jerusalem, the center of the opposition to him and the place where he will die.

"and on the way" (te hodo) (v. 27b). The phrase, "the way" (te hodo) is important to this Gospel. John the Baptist came to prepare the way (hodon) of the Lord (1:2), and Mark uses the word hodo at 9:33; 10:17 and 10:32, 52 to remind us that Jesus and his disciples are on their way to Jerusalem, where Jesus will be crucified. Caesarea Philippi seems like an odd place for Jesus to begin such a significant journey. Its roots are more Greek and Roman than Jewish.

"Who do people say that I am?" (v. 27c). Earlier named Paneas after the Greek God Pan, the city was then named Caesarea to honor Caesar Augustus. They built a temple to Caesar not far from the temple to Pan. Then they changed the name to Caesarea Philippi to honor the local ruler, Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod the Great –– and to distinguish this city from another Caesarea located on the Mediterranean shore. "It was here, amid the interplay between the forces of nature and the deification of the state in the emperor, that Christ asked his disciples: "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" (Myers, 180).

"John the Baptist; …Elijah; …one of the prophets" (vv. 27-28). Earlier, when Jesus was performing miracles, people speculated regarding his identity and came up with these same three possibilities –– and in the same order (6:14-15). The people think of Jesus, not as the Messiah, but as a great man like one of the great men of their history. They have their own ideas about the Messiah, and Jesus does not fit the mold. They think of the Messiah as David's successor, who will drive out the Roman garrison, re-establish Israel's glory, and usher in a golden age. To accomplish these goals, they expect the Messiah to use traditional power –– military or economic dominance. They expect the Messiah to be a super-man –– a man like other men except for his greater power. Jesus re-defines power to mean drawing people to himself through love. His love will be expressed in self-denial and cross-bearing.

"But who do you say that I am?" (v. 29). In the Greek, the "you" is emphatic.

"You are the Messiah" (Christos) (v. 29). Christos is the Greek word and Messias is the Hebrew equivalent. Both mean "anointed." Mark began this Gospel by saying, "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ (Greek: Christou), the Son of God" (1:1) –– thus establishing Jesus as both Christ and Son of God.

• The NRSV translates Christos as Christ in 1:1 and Messiah here in 8:29. It would seem better to use Christ in both verses, maintaining the parallelism that Mark surely intended. Messiah transliterates the Hebrew mashiach, which means, "anointed." The Jews anointed three classes of people: priests, prophets and kings. Jesus is all three.

• Shortly before Jesus' death, the high priest will ask, "Are you the Christos, the Son of the Blessed One?" and Jesus will answer, "I am."

• At 15:39, at the conclusion of Jesus' journey, the centurion will restate that Jesus is God's Son.

"And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him" (v. 30). Matthew adds an account of Jesus' blessing of Peter for this confession (Matthew 16:17-19), but neither Mark nor Luke (9:18-22) includes it. Jesus orders the disciples not to tell anyone about him. Peter believes that Jesus is the Messiah, but will not understand how Jesus is redefining the role Messiah until after the resurrection. "The time for...public declaration will come in 14:61-62, but for now it is inappropriate. When that time comes, it will be Jesus himself, not the disciples, who breaks the secrecy" (France, 330).


VERSES 31-33: HE BEGAN TO TEACH THEM

31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must (Greek: dei) undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me (Greek: opiso mou), Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."


The words, "he began to teach them" (v. 31a) signal a change. Until now, this Gospel has been establishing Jesus' power and authority. Now Jesus turns his disciples away from Galilee, where he has experienced such success, and faces them towards Jerusalem, where he will die. As he changes to this new phase of his ministry, he must begin to teach the disciples what to expect.

"that the Son of man must undergo great suffering" (v. 31b). Jesus refers to himself as Son of Man rather than Christ or Messiah, which is how Peter identified him in v. 29. The title, Son of Man, is more neutral than the title, Christos. The Jewish people expect the Christos to be a great king and military leader like David, but have no such expectations of the Son of Man. "Instead of emphasizing Jesus' human nature, ...the term connotes his glorious, celestial, supernatural, indeed his divine, nature, in the sense of Dan. 7" (Grant, 768). "More sophisticated readers might know that the figure in Daniel is identified with the righteous of Israel who suffer…. (I)t promises that God has not abandoned them to the evils of the oppressor. They will be vindicated" (Perkins, 624).

While the Jews expect a triumphant Messiah, Isaiah 52:13 –– 53:12 speaks of a suffering servant who "shall be exalted and lifted up" (52:13) –– who "was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity" (53:3) –– who "was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities" (53:5) –– who "was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. They made his grave with the wicked" (53:8-9). (See also Psalm 22, Psalm 69, and Zechariah 9-14).

"the Son of Man must" (dei –– it is necessary) (v. 31b). This little word dei appears frequently in the Gospels, and in precisely this manner. Some scholars speak of it as the Divine Imperative, because it is God's will that Jesus suffer, die, and be resurrected.

"and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes" (v. 31c). These three groups comprise the Sanhedrin, the ruling body for the Jewish people. "It is not humanity at its worst that will crucify the Son of God but humanity at its absolute best…. He will be arrested with official warrants, and tried and executed by the world's envy of jurisprudence –– the Jewish Sanhedrin and the principia iuris Romanorum" (Edwards, 254).

"and be killed" (v. 31d). Jesus predicts his death, but does not yet reveal that it will be by crucifixion.
"and after three days rise again" (v. 31e). Upon hearing the word, "killed," we are inclined to stop listening, because death usually spells the end of the story –– but we must not stop listening prematurely. The bad news of Jesus' death will be trumped by the good news of his resurrection. Jesus must (dei) not only die, but he must also rise again.

"He said all this quite openly" (v. 32a). Many of Jesus' teachings have been couched in parables or stories, which conceal as much as they reveal. Here, however, Jesus "said all this quite openly" (v. 32). Given this clarity, we wonder why the disciples fail to understand. The answer, of course, is that Jesus' teachings run counter to everything that they believe. Regardless of what is said, people often hear what they expect to hear.

Also, the disciples have sacrificed a great deal to follow Jesus, and it is beginning to pay off. Jesus has been working wonder after wonder, and the crowds are responding nicely. The disciples see great possibilities ahead, and cannot welcome anything that suggests otherwise. We should not be too critical of them for refusing to accept Jesus' talk of suffering and death. It must sound to them as if he is having a bad moment and needs a bit of encouragement. Even today, having known all our lives how the story turns out, we prefer a gospel that promises success. The cross is a hard sell.

"And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him" (v. 32b). Note Peter's boldness. He has just identified Jesus as the Messiah, but now he is rebuking Jesus. How bold to rebuke even the Messiah! We too are tempted to rebuke Jesus when he fails to meet our expectations –– when he fails to answer our prayers as we expect.

"Peter 'took him' and 'began to rebuke him.' Both verbs express superiority and authority…. The issue is, who is in charge…. Jesus will not be patronized" (Williamson, 153). Note the parallel between "began to teach" (v. 31) and "began to rebuke" (v. 32).

"Get behind me" (opiso mou) (v. 33). When he first met Peter, Jesus said, "Deute opiso mou" –– "Come after me" –– a phrase translated "Follow me" in the NRSV. Peter has been coming after Jesus ever since, however imperfectly –– but in rebuking Jesus he steps out in front. Now Jesus orders him to resume his proper place as a disciple –– coming after –– following rather than leading.

"Get behind me, Satan!" (v. 33a). Jesus refers to Peter as Satan. This Gospel provides little detail about the temptation in the wilderness (1:12-13). Some scholars think of this encounter between Peter and Jesus as "the temptation story in Mark…. Mark tells the story this way so that we will recognize that the enduring temptation of Jesus' life was to resist the cross, to use his charisma to muster enough political clout to become what the crowds wanted him to become" (Johnson, 61). It seems likely that Jesus finds Peter's temptation even more dangerous than Satan's earlier temptations, because Peter is a disciple and friend rather than an opponent –– a well-intentioned man rather than the personification of evil. We are much more inclined to be persuaded by a friendly voice than by that of a known evildoer.

Note the story's twists and turns. First, Peter stuck out his neck and got the right answer. How good it feels to get the right answer! Now Jesus calls him Satan. In the blink of an eye, Peter has gone from Star Pupil to Dunce. Imagine how confused he must feel. Jesus' response makes it clear that the disciples belong behind Jesus. They are to follow, not lead.

"For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things" (v. 33b). Cousar thinks that Peter would see it very differently –– would believe that he is thinking of divine things while Jesus is introducing human things. The question is, "Which person, Jesus or Peter, knows what things are 'human things' and what things are 'divine things'? A side glance at 1 Cor. 1:18-25 would be helpful…. (T)he cross appears to be foolishness, but by God's standards it is wisdom" (Cousar, 209).

Some scholars think that Peter was one of Mark's sources for the stories in this Gospel. If so, Peter may be the source for this negative story about himself.


VERSES 34-38: DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, AND FOLLOW

34He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

"He called the crowd with his disciples" (v. 34a). Jesus has been speaking to the disciples, but now he calls the crowd to join the disciples for a lesson on discipleship. "By calling the crowd Jesus indicates that the conditions for following him are relevant for all believers, and not for the disciples alone" (Lane, 306).

"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (v. 34b). Discipleship involves self-denial and cross-bearing. At the time in which this Gospel was written, Christians were literally bearing crosses and losing their lives. These words of Jesus speaks very directly to their situation, and hold out a great promise. "The end of the road of discipleship is not crucifixion; it is resurrection…. Mark 8:34-38 is not finally about losing one's life, forfeiting the world, and unashamedly joining the Son of Man's rejection. It is finally about saving one's life, gaining one's soul, and seeing the kingdom" (Geddert, 211).

Sports provide an analogy. Games are won, not just on the playing field, but also on the practice field. To experience glory on game day, the athlete must first push himself or herself to the limit on the practice field. Physical conditioning is painful and practicing fundamentals is tiresome, but the purpose of discipline is neither pain nor boredom but victory. So it is in the spiritual realm. Spiritual discipline begets spiritual victory. The church is always tempted to offer less costly discipleship in the hope of attracting more people. A weak call, however, produces weak disciples. "A church may win people by disguising the true meaning of discipleship. But it cannot do anything with them after it gets them" (Luccock, 768).

The challenge to lose our lives for Jesus' sake conflicts with modern values. Preservation of life is a major industry. Modern medicine, proper diet, and exercise extend our lives. Cosmetics and plastic surgeons preserve our appearance. Funeral directors continue the work even after we die. We find it difficult to hear Jesus' call to lose our lives for his sake.

When this Gospel was first written, Christians were literally in danger of losing their lives for their faith. They were tempted to deny Christ to save their lives. That is still true for many Christians today. Persecution of Christians is alive and well. More Christians died for their faith in the 20th Century than in the 1st Century. The list of nations where Christians are routinely persecuted is a long one: China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, East Timor, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba –– to name only a few. We who are not subject to martyrdom need to keep that issue before our congregations. We need to support and pray for Christian brothers and sisters to alleviate their suffering in any way possible. The fact that Christ blesses Christian martyrs is no excuse for allowing our apathy to contribute to the martyrdom of our Christian brothers and sisters.

The challenges that most of us face seem trivial by comparison. Workplaces are inhospitable to Christian witness. Coaches schedule games on Sunday mornings, forcing young people to choose between sports and Jesus. People label Christians as fanatics or bigots for beliefs that run counter to the prevailing culture. These are serious and painful issues, but fall far short of the kind of persecution that Christians endured through the centuries and are still enduring even today in many parts of the world.

Since our challenges are not issues of life-and-death, we are tempted to feel that they aren't important. We would be willing to die for Christ, but find it difficult to live for Christ day by day. Fred Craddock reminds us that most Christians are never called to make the grand gesture, but are instead called to pay the price of discipleship a quarter at a time. That is not as glorious as martyrdom, but our willingness to spend quarters when they are needed is more important than our willingness to die when that is not needed.

Jesus gives a threefold standard for discipleship. We are to (1) deny ourselves (2) to take up our cross and (3) to follow Jesus. Jesus does not call us to deny our value. We are created in God's image, so how could we not have value? Neither does he call us to deny ourselves pleasure. The ascetic can be the most ego-centered person of all. "The denial of self…is making ourselves not an end, but a means, in the kingdom of God. It is subordinating the clamoring ego….for Christ's sake, for the sake of putting the self into his cause" (Luccock, 770). "It is (replacing) the self with God-in-Christ as the object of affections. It is (placing) the divine will before self-will" (Brooks, 137).

"For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?" (vv. 35-37). The game is for the biggest stakes of all –– life itself–– eternal life –– meaningful life –– life lived in the presence of the Father. There is no no-risk strategy where faith is concerned–– no safe but profitable harbor. People speak of "the leap of faith" precisely because faith, at some point, involves letting go of traditional forms of security and leaping into the darkness in the faith that Jesus will help us to land safely.

Jim Elliot, a missionary who was murdered on the mission field by the Auca Indians as he tried to minister to them, earlier assessed the risk, saying: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

"Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (v. 38). "In the first century being ashamed of Jesus and his words had particular reference to denying him in time of persecution" (Brooks, 138). The picture is of a judgment scene where we will be utterly dependent on Jesus' help. Jesus is portrayed elsewhere as our advocate (Greek: parakleton) (1 John 2:1). (The Holy Spirit is also called a paraclete –– John 14:16, 26; 15:26, etc.) A paraclete is a helper –– a defender. A defense lawyer is one kind of paraclete, and that is an appropriate image here. On Judgment Day, we will need Christ to serve as our paraclete –– our advocate –– our defender.

Because we live among an "adulterous and sinful generation" (v. 38), we cannot expect a pat on the back for faithful proclamation, but should instead expect opposition. An adulterous and sinful generation cannot abide truth. We should expect it to twist truth so it sounds like a lie –– and to deal ruthlessly with truth-tellers. Living among such people, we will always be tempted to mute our witness to Christ to avoid controversy and to escape persecution.

However, Jesus warns that, on Judgment Day, he will be ashamed of the person who has been ashamed of him –– the person who has muted his/her witness. Jesus warns that he will not "be there" for that person –– will not serve as his/her advocate –– thus leaving that person vulnerable –– defenseless.

Jesus implies that the reciprocal is also true –– that Jesus will "be there" to speak for the person who has spoken for Jesus –– that he will serve as our advocate. Matthew and Luke make this explicit –– "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven" (Matthew 10:32; see also Luke 12:8). Jesus' purpose in v. 38 is not to establish grounds for abandoning us, but is rather to tell us how to gain his support and to avoid forfeiting life (v. 36).


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

Certain it is that we are saved not by one cross but by two ––
Christ's and our own.
We must be crucified with Christ,
must die with him, and rise with him
into a new way of life and being.

Arthur John Gossip

* * * * * * * * * *

In our day heaven and earth are on tiptoe
waiting for the emerging of a spirit-led, spirit-intoxicated,
spirit-empowered people.
All of creation watches expectantly
for the springing up of a disciplined, freely gathered, martyr people
who know in this life the life and power of the kingdom of God.
It has happened before. It can happen again.
Individuals can be found here and there
whose hearts burn with divine fire.
But they are like flaming torches scattered in the night.
As yet there has been no gathering of a people of the spirit.

Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

* * * * * * * * * *

If we answer this call to discipleship, where will it lead us?
What decisions and partings will it demand?
To answer this question we shall have to go to him,
for he only knows the answer.
Only Jesus Christ, who bids us follow him,
knows the journey's end.
But we do know that it will be a road of boundless mercy.
Discipleship means joy.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

* * * * * * * * * *

Faith is obedience, nothing else;
literally nothing else at all.

Emil Brunner

* * * * * * * * * *

To accept the will of God
never leads to the miserable feeling that it is useless to strive any more.
God does not ask for the dull, weak, sleepy acquiescence of indolence.
He asks for something vivid and strong.
He asks us to cooperate with him,
actively willing what he wills,
our only aim his glory.

Amy Carmichael

* * * * * * * * * *

HYMN STORY: Nearer My God to Thee

This hymn was written by two sisters. Sarah Flower Adams wrote the words and her sister, Eliza Flower, wrote the music. Together they wrote a number of hymns, but this is the only one still in common use today.

Sarah (the author of the words) enjoyed a successful career on the stage playing Lady MacBeth in Shakespearean drama, but retired from the stage due to health problems. Not long thereafter, her sister, Eliza, came down with tuberculosis. Sarah, determined to nurse her, came down with the disease as well, and both died at a relatively young age.

However, their hymn acknowledges the possibility of suffering but refuses to allow suffering to have the last word. It says:

"E'en though it be a cross
that raiseth me;
Still all my song shall be,
nearer my God to Thee."

The message of the hymn is that every experience, good or bad, can draw us nearer to God, who gives us comfort and strength.

• Bearing a cross brings us nearer to God.
• Darkness brings us nearer to God.
• Angels bring us nearer to God.
• And grief brings us nearer to God.

The things that the hymn mentions (a cross, darkness, grief) tend to be difficulties. Sometimes when life is good we tend to forget that we need God. It is the difficult times that reinforce our deep need for God's grace -- that do, indeed, bring us nearer to God.


BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Testament Library, Mark, A Commentary (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)

Brooks, James A, The New American Commentary: Mark (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991)

Cousar, Charles B., in Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV –– Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Edwards, James R., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Evans, Craig A., Word Biblical Commentary: Mark 8:27 –– 16:20 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001)

France, R.T., The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Geddert, Timothy J., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Mark (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2001)

Grant, Frederick C. and Luccock, Halford E., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Westminster Bible Companion: Mark (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)

Hooker, Morna D., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Saint Mark (Hendrickson Publishers, 1991)

Hurtado, Larry W., New International Biblical Commentary: Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1983, 1989)

Lane, William L., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974)

Moule, C.F.D., The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Gospel of Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965)

Myers, Allen C. (ed.), The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987)

Perkins, Pheme, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Williamson, Lamar Jr., Interpretation: Mark (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1983)


Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com