Jesus Promises to Do What He Must

Mark 8:31-33 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. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
 
PRIOR to this, Peter had confessed to Jesus, “You are the Christ.” (Mark 8:29d) That meant the disciples believed Jesus is Israel’s Messiah to redeem the nation from foreign powers. Perhaps they thought Jesus’ next words would be a call to action against Rome, to go to Jerusalem to conquer and reign.
   But then Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer…be killed…rise again.” Why did Jesus identify himself as “Son of Man” instead of “Christ” as he prophesied his suffering and resurrection?
   The Jews understood the names to be of similar character and purpose for Israel. Son of Man is a reference to one under God’s authority to rule the earth. This is revealed in Daniel 7:13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” The Jews understood the Son of Man is from God and of God. He is eternal. So then, how does “Son of Man must suffer…” correlate with these titles of the triumphant one from heaven?
   “Must” is the key word here. Jesus is on a mission. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10). “Must” means compulsion – an obligation here to fulfill the Father’s will. The Father has obligated the Son to suffering from the first promise of salvation when he told Satan in Genesis 3:15 “You will strike his heel.” Further, God’s law requires a blood sacrifice to redeem sins. And the prophets said the Messiah will suffer: Isaiah 53:11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life, and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
   The intricate weaving of the Father’s will with the Son’s incarnation is at work here. Jesus, always faithful to the Father’s will, knew what he must do. He committed himself to suffering. And he also committed to resurrection. Peter and the others should have been excited for Jesus’ ultimate redemptive work. But they couldn’t see past Jesus’ suffering promise. But without Jesus’ suffering there would be no resurrection, and there would be no way for you to live in heaven.
   Are you glad Jesus knew he must fulfill God’s promises?