Setting Our Mind on Divine Things

It’s hard to understand the motives of Peter in Mark 8:31-38.  We place our worldview into scripture and wag our finger claiming him to be an arrogant hothead for rebuking Jesus.  We do this because we’re accustomed to hearing the things that get Peter so riled up.  We’re accustomed to hearing about Jesus having to die. 

But the idea of losing a life to gain another makes no sense to Peter.  Think about his worldview.  Salvation was supposed to come to the earth as a powerful force that destroys the Roman enemies and sets the social order right.  Salvation was supposed to come in on the wings of a soldier riding a horse waving a rebellion flag.  Salvation was supposed to usurp the powers and principalities of the day, not be destroyed by them. 

And Peter thought he had all this in Jesus.  I mean up to this point Jesus had done it all right.  He’d healed the sick, cared for the needy, began usurping the powers and principalities.  So why would Jesus have to die?  Why would Jesus allow the fight to take his life when they’d come so far? 

Peter’s not arrogant, he’s angry. 

Peter’s thinking, “We’ve dedicated our lives to your ministry and mystery Jesus.  We’ve sacrificed our family, friends, funds, and fame just to get to this point, just to see you die, to see you get hurt.  I don’t think so!  We didn’t come here just to see you abandon us. You’re our savior, our messiah, our king.  You don’t get to die.  You have to fight.”

And immediately Jesus fires back, “You’re setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

And in an instant, the gavel comes down and Jesus’ point is crystal clear:  the kingdom Jesus is building isn’t like the kingdoms of the world.  His kingdom is divine. 

I wonder when we get upset with God if there isn’t some of this same feeling Peter carries in us too.  Don’t we expect God to right our wrongs, fix our brokenness?  Don’t we expect God to fight our battles and help us claim victory over whatever it is we’re up against?  Don’t we expect God to be the same messiah Peter hoped for?  Don’t we see God as the big, glorious, noble, fighter who comes in to conquer death – not be destroyed by it? 

I think we do.  At least we live our lives as if we do.  So I think Mark 8.31-38 stands as a reminder to all of us of how quickly we move from the pinnacle of scintillating success to the shame of public failure.  We must learn, as Peter had to learn, to set our mind on divine things, not human things. 

It is too easy for us to get lost in this way of life.  It is far too easy for us to think about what we need to do, when we need to do it, and how we need to get it done and to never think about how it plays a part in the larger reality of life.

I attended an Ash Wednesday service once where the pastor challenged me to give up for Lent the false sense of myself.  The false sense that I'm more important than the person beside me and that my time is more valuable and more precious than any other's. 

This is what Jesus is saying to Peter in Mark 8 – give up the false sense of who you think you are and what you’re here for.  Don’t put your mind on human things, take up the cross and follow me into the more divine things of life. 

Peter assumed, like a lot of us, that Jesus would bring vindication, advantage, and privilege to him, to his friends, to their families, and to his self-interest.  If Jesus were really the long-awaited Messiah, then the long-anticipated restoration of Israel must also be at hand.

But Jesus offers an alternate reality. 

He sees that oppression and injustice will never be rooted out by the exercise of greater force.  One earthly kingdom may displace another, but only the power of love can break the domination of evil powers. 

His way is the way of the cross, not the way of the sword (or the throne).

So Jesus returns the favor and rebukes Peter challenging him to turn away from the self-centered.  He says, "If you want to focus on divine things, then learn to 'take up the cross.'" 

This message still applies to us today - especially during Lent.