Recognizing Jesus As The Christ
RECOGNIZING JESUS AS THE CHRIST
LUKE 9:18-26
Nothing less than a life that is not self-centered but lived for Jesus day by day is what Jesus calls his followers to.
Verses 18-22. If Matthew and Mark are compared, it will be seen that there is a large gap in Luke’s narrative at this point. This passage corresponds with Matthew 16:13-28 and Mark 8:27–9:1. The events of almost two chapters in the two other Gospels are omitted. It is quite absurd to suppose that Luke’s abridgement of the story was not intentional. It is surprising that Luke did not include the story of the northern journey, the only excursion outside Israelitish territory, which is so prominent in Mark. One who shared the vision of Paul might have made much of the visit to Gentile territory, the story of the Syrophenician woman, and the implications of a Gentile share in the regard of Christ. Perhaps Luke had nothing new to add, and chose at this point to make one of the drastic abbreviations which are to be seen in Acts. It is a mark of his style of writing that he liked room to expand when the subject seemed of major importance and that he provided space by heavy pruning elsewhere. There was the simple consideration of the practicable length of a roll of papyrus. In both of his books Luke uses a roll of maximum length. We would surely prefer him to include the story of the Prodigal Son, and associated parables, than tell again what the other evangelists have told. And we would agree that space kept for the walk to Emmaus was well used. Writers on the New Testament become too complicated in their theorizing on these points. Luke could explain it all by unrolling one length of papyrus, rolling it again, and allowing us to try its weight, one stick in each hand, rolling and unrolling as each column is read.
9:23-26. The longer narratives in the other Gospels make it clear that these events were a climax to weeks of fellowship and instruction in the Decapolis, where the Lord sought to prepare his men for what was to happen in Jerusalem. They have recognized him as the Christ, but the implications of that confession were not to be what they had envisaged. The cross comes into the life of the one who kneels before the cross to seek forgiveness. The cross stands for sacrifice, for love to the uttermost, for surrender, and sometimes for the scorn of men.
Notes 9:18: Luke refers to Jesus praying in six places where the other Gospels make no comment (3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18,29; 11:1). All occasions are the preface to momentous words or actions. 9:20: “Christ”—Greek christos—Hebrew messiah, “anointed,” the title given to the chosen Servant of God foretold in the Old Testament. 9:22: “rejected”—Gk. implies examination and rejection. The three classes stated formed the Sanhedrin.