Mark 8:22-9:1 Chetput

“The Discipline of Discipleship”

This passage is the crux of the gospel of Mark. It sits squarely in the center of the book. While this might not have been intentional on the part of the gospel writer, there seems to be a hint of God’s sovereignty and hand in placing this passage where it is. This is what Mark’s gospel is leading the readers to – making a response to who Jesus is. Jesus uniquely stands in history as the only one who challenges religious assumptions, ideologies and beliefs, demanding a response to his person and work. Here, Christology is not merely a theological doctrine that we affirm, but it becomes a truth that pushes us into a corner insisting that we make a conscious decision, either for or against Christ. There are three aspects that we will focus our attention on.

1. The Foundation of Discipleship (vv. 27-30) – is our confession of who Jesus is. This is what everything hinges on.
2. The Hindrance to Discipleship (vv. 31-33) – is the inability to perceive and/or accept all that the confession implies
3. The Practice of Discipleship (vv. 34-9:1) – is witnessed in a total denial of self and willingness to allow God to call the shots in our lives