Home
Contents

By Such Stripes Are We Healed
by Jack Shaver

©The United Church of Canada, 1985
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 0-88622-196-X
7M/12/85/APL
Used with Permission

Copyright Policy

Tuesday
The short trip from God to Satan

Matthew 16: 13-23

The biblical texts selected for this week's reflection are taken from Matthew and Mark. Some texts are found in both Gospels. It is very hard to escape the conclusion that the author of Matthew used Mark as one of his sources. The similarities in text are too exact, even to parenthetical remarks, to allow for a different conclusion. It is also apparent that Matthew does little altering of the material. The common material reflects a common tradition.

Luke, the other Gospel writer who seems to have depended on Mark's document, is a little more ready to make alterations. The material common to these Gospels shows hints of varying traditions.

John's Gospel reflects a very different tradition from that of the first three. However, all four gospels have in common the tradition which attributes large significance to the last week of Jesus' life. Passion week takes up a large part of the record. These first Christians seemed to be interested in recording not simply Jesus' teaching and healing powers, but especially the significance of his life. For them, what people came to think of him made the difference. Their point in writing was not just to proclaim that here was a teacher worthy of following, but that here was the Lord's anointed one. Therefore, Jesus' suffering and death was of utmost significance.

The story of Peter's confession, followed almost immediately by his resistance, is a parable of the message the Gospel writers are attempting to communicate.

When Peter bursts out with his confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," he is called the rock foundation of the church, because the revelation could have come to him only from God. This is what the church is all about: that people get this message from God. This is what changes things: when people come to see the glory of God in Jesus Christ. And only God can make that point.

Almost in the same breath as they tell of Peter's affirmation, both Matthew and Mark tell of his resistance. Jesus begins at this time to show his disciples that he must suffer many things and be killed. Peter, equally forthright as he was in his affirmation, will have none of it.

"God forbid, Lord! This shall
never happen to you."

That's not fit treatment for the Christ, the Son of God.

There follows Jesus' severe rebuke of Peter.

"Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."

We resist the point God is trying to make in Christ until we see this rejected one, this suffering one, this crucified one, as the glory of God.

Confession
0 Holy One, with whom all life has to do,

Our conscience is afraid of all kinds of things,

or we wouldn't be so defensive.

Our hearts have hardened about
all kinds of things,
or we wouldn't be so unfeeling.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves for we are alienated all over the place.

We are alienated from each other
as individual persons;
from one another as classes and peoples;

from the creation;

and from ourselves, our bodies and our meanings.

All because we are alienated from you.

Dear God

What we have been trusting, isn't savIng us;
We'd like to put things right between us.
But only you can do that.

Have mercy upon us,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen