They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered over to human hands. He will be killed, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
—Mark 9:30-35 (TNIV)
It was not a banner day for Jesus’ disciples. Here Mark gives us another example of their continuing failure to understand the true nature of Jesus’ saving mission and the kind of Messiah he fashioned himself to be. Indeed, Jesus’ disciples are not alone in their misunderstanding of the atoning nature of his death. Even today, there are many who deny that Jesus’ death atoned for our sins and at one time I was among those who did. The thought of God punishing his Son by torturing him to death repulsed me. Of course, in so thinking, I failed to comprehend the inseparability of the Holy Trinity and the impossible predicament of the human condition. I failed to take sin seriously enough. I failed to see that this was God himself bearing the just punishment of our sins.
This is hard stuff to think about and reflect on, but it is the heart of the Good News. When we begin to realize that we have a crucified God and not a vengeful or bloodthirsty One, we are freed to respond to God’s great love for us with joyful and grateful obedience. This, of course, is the essence of our Lenten journey (and beyond). Today, think about this crucified God of ours who loved us and gave himself for us so that we could live with him forever. Think about an appropriate response on your part to that great and gracious love and then ask God to help you respond in kind.