"He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again." Mark 8:31
Peter had made a noble confession of his faith in Christ as the promised Messiah, and now Jesus tells him what that Messiahship meant, and how He was to fulfill His mission. It was not as the disciples expected. They were looking for His manifestation as an earthly king. But He tells them that the way to His throne — was through suffering, and by the cross!
It is to be noticed, that while the way He marked out lay through darkness and sorrow — at the end there would be glory, "and after three days rise again." Thus there was to be no failure in His mission.
Paul taught the believers in Christ: "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God!" The tribulation was hard — but they would go through it; and beyond was the kingdom of Heaven!
In the Twenty-third Psalm there is a verse often quoted: "Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow." In these words there is a suggestion of gloom — but the writer is going through it; then comes "and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!" So here the dying of the Savior seemed to be failure; but the rising again meant glory, victory, and eternal blessedness. He was simply going through death — as the appointed way to His throne.
This quiet announcement by our Lord of what was in store for Him, reminds us of an element of sorrow in Christ's life from which we are mercifully spared. He knew before hand every inch of His path of woe. The shadow of His cross lay upon His soul through all His earthly years. We sometimes rashly say that we wish we could see our future; but really it is a most gracious provision of our own life — that we cannot see an hour before us. To know the future would only darken the present, and unfit us for duty. It is far better that it is hidden.
Be the first to react on this!
J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.