MARK III

 AS WE CONTINUE ON THE "CONFUSION" CYCLE  THAT FOLLOWED JESUS STATEMENT IN MARK 11.) THAT HE IS TO SUFFER MANY THINGS AND THEN BE PUT TO DEATH AND THREE DAYS LATER WILL RISE FROM THE GRAVE, AND THIS STATEMENT WAS TO MUCH FOR PETER. IT MADE NO SENSE TO HIM AT ALL. THIS TALK ABOUT ABUSE AND DEATH SOUNDED LIKE NONSENSE TO HIM.-- AND HE TOLD JESUS SO. JESUS TURNED  QUITE SHARPLY ON PETER AND ADDRESSED HIM AS "SATAN" AND TOLD HIM TO GET AWAY--FROM HIM. PETER WAS OPPOSING GOD HIMSELF. JESUS POINTED OUT THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE WAY OF THE CROSS ESSENTIAL FOR HIM, BUT ALSO FOR ANYONE INVOLVED IN HIS COMMUNITY. JESUS HAD COME TO USE HIS LIFE IN THE  SERVICE OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER AND OTHER PEOPLE, TO CARRY THE CROSS OF SERVANTHOOD.MARK CONTAINS THREE OF THESE "PREDICTION"---CONFUSION---CLARIFICATION" CYCLES. THE FIRST  TOOK PLACE TOWARD THE CLOSE OF JESUS GALILEAN MINISTRY THE SECOND TOOK PLACE (9:30--32) AFTER JESUS TRANSFIGURATION (9:2:9) , SEE ALSO  EXODUS 24:15-18). THE THIRD TOOK PLACE (10:32--45) DURING JESUS JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM AND DEATH,10:1. A REFERENCE TO CONFUSION OCCURS ALSO IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRANSFIGURATION, JESUS TOLD THOSE WHO  WITNESSED THE EVENT THAT THEY WERE NOT TO SPEAK TO ANYONE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAD SEEN UNTIL THE "SON OF MAN"SHOULD HAVE RISEN FROM THE DEAD"(9:9. MARK CONTINUES; " SO THEY KEPT THE MATTER TO THEMSELVES, QUESTIONING  WHAT THE RISING FROM THE DEAD MEANT 9:10. THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND JESUS TALK ABOUT RESURRECTION BECAUSE HE DIDN'T EXPECT JESUS WOULD DIE!  WHY ALL THIS CONFUSION? APPARENTLY THE DISCIPLES ACCEPTED THE COMMON NOTION THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BRING HONOR, PRESTIGE, WEALTH, PRIVILEGE AND POLITICAL LIBERTY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE. A FEW DAYS BEFORE IS DEATH, JESUS STOOD ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AND LOOKED ACROSS THE KIDRON VALLEY TO JERUSALEM. HIS CHOICE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM WAS NO ACCIDENT. LONG BEFORE, ZECHARIAH POINTED OUT THAT WHEN ZION'S KING EVENTUALLY CAME HER, HE WOULD IN HUMILITY  ON AN ASS WHEN ON A MISSION OF PEACE. JESUS WANTED HIS MODE OF ENTRY TO SAY TO THE CROWDS THAT HE HAD NOT COME TO FOMENT POLITICAL REVOLT AGAINST THE ROMANS. HE HAD COME TO GIVE GOD'S PEACE TO SINNERS AND TO TEACH HUMANITY THE WAYS OF PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER. HIS AUDIENCE MISSED THE POINT-- AND NO WONDER. THEY WANTED A MESSIAH WHO WOULD BE A CARBON COPY OF DAVID OF OLD WHO WOULD RESTORE TO THEM THE KIND OF NATIONAL PRESTIGE THEY ONCE ENJOYED. THEY WERE BLIND! AFTER JESUS HAD ENTERED THE CITY, HE WENT TO THE TEMPLE. WHAT HE SAW ANGERED HIM. THE NEXT DAY HE RETURNED TO THE TEMPLE AND CREATED A HOLY HAVOC AMONG THE MONEY CHANGERS AND ANIMAL SELLERS. HE SENT THEIR WARES FLYING AND FORBADE ANYONE FROM CARRYING ANYTHING THROUGH THE TEMPLE (THE MISHNAH FORBADE THE IRREVERENT  USE OF THE TEMPLE AS A SHORTCUT, 11:16 HIS AUDIENCE WAS LEFT WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION. IS IT NOT WRITTEN," 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS?  (ISAIAH 56:7:11). BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF ROBBERS.