Epaggelia

8:27-30, Luke 9:20 adds “Christ of God”, and Matthew 16:15, uses the word “Son” indicating what kind of Christ he is. Jews in those days believed there would be different kinds of Messiahs/Christs, but God promised only one, Gal. 3:16. Every reference to this inquiry Jesus made, emphasized his Messiahship. So the different words related to describing him as the Christ, was an introduction to the world that Jesus was any and every kind of Messiah they could expect. (John 6:69 & 11:27)

8:31-33, “teaching” the disciples about his suffering, death and resurrection is very different from just telling or proclaiming it. Matthew 16:21 says “show”, which tells us he was getting to the details and purpose! v33, The idea of “Setting your Mind” on the things of God, demands a committed conviction to consciously concentrate your thinking on to Christ and no one else, for he cares for you, and has the power to do what needs to be done, where we do not, 1st Peter 5:7.

8:34-9:1, The experience of the coming kingdom will be cognitive, in reality coming to learn of an event by the five senses most human beings have, they would not experience it, solely by thought in learning, reading and thinking, but by the active experience of feeling the coming kingdom in their environment physically. They will be alive, it will happen before some of them die, that generation will not (in the most adamantly negative sense) die first before God’s kingdom comes to earth! This is one of the most astounding prophecies Jesus makes, because there are critics alive to try and prove him false, amongst the generation that would see it fulfilled. Yet they could do nothing to prevent it from happening and indeed it came to fulfillment in Acts 2.  The power of the kingdom by the Spirit affected and/or benefited thousands of people from at least 15 different nationalities., Never in the ministry of Jesus did the power (DYNAMIS – Mk. 9:1) of God bless so many people all at once., Act. 2:1-11, WORKS of God. In Acts 2:2, the presentation was with a sound of BIAIOS (violent force) wind, but no damage! In Acts 2:11, the result felt by everyone was described as “Wonderful Works” MEGALEIOS, or magnificent favor/grace from the message that sound of forceful wind presented.The apostles message powerfully established the Kingdom which Jesus initiated.

9:2-13, The Transfiguration of Jesus gives his closest disciples a look into God’s glory which is truly other-worldly. Yet, even since he received this powerful demonstration of glory, he still felt trauma in going to His cross. This work of encouragement to strengthen Jesus for the coming sacrifice, would only serve as a memory. Fore-warned is fore-armed! But we must learn as we follow Jesus, to use the memory we have of blessings in the past, to help feed our endurance for staying faithful and standfast during temptations. He still needed an angel in Gethsemane to spur him on to persevere in suffering and complete the sacrifice of his own life. As we count our blessings of answered prayers from the past, how will we stay faithful through future trials, if we do not use this Message of comfort, wisdom and prophecy? The transfiguration moved Jesus to pray in Jn. 17:24-26. Do we pray like this?

9:14-29, The failing of the disciples to cast out the demon, was blamed on a lack of faith and prayer. Jesus was adamantly frustrated at this dilemma with the disciples, but he still loved them. He proved his love by continuing to teach them. Their lack of faith v19, is spoken of and experienced by the prophets of old, Duet. 32:10-20, yet God still brought Jesus into the world through them. The miracle of healing the boy came out of desperation by the Father crying for help with his weak faith, or rather the unbelief of his belief. This should teach Christians for all time, that we can not follow Jesus with a half-hearted faith, but that we must be totally devoted and rely on only him for wisdom, forgiveness and strength to do what is right. If we only rely on him for salvation at the end of our days? What will the entirety of our daily life be like? Very much filled with failings to do what is right.