27And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesare'a Philip'pi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" 28And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Eli'jah; and others one of the prophets." 29And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." 30And he charged them to tell no one about him. 31And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men."
I feel that Jesus is trying to redefine what power means and how power should be used to serve rather than overwhelm or overcome. This is the man who suffers and dies for our sins. This is the man who says “Turn the other cheek”. This man calls us to forgive not 7 times but 77 times. At every turn, he is showing us that power means humbling oneself. And you can only do that if you measure success not by what is of this world here and now, but by what awaits us in the future. I have said it many times before - the more one has, the more one is called to give up in the pursuit of the truth on offer from Christ. Loving Father, grant me the strength to act per your will. Grant me the foresight to give up personal gain won through lies or the misuse of power. Grant me the sense of gratitude to give from my strengths wanting nothing in return. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
ReplyDeleteYour reflection captures the radical nature of Jesus' redefinition of power beautifully. You highlight how Jesus turns conventional notions of power upside down—where the world sees dominance, Jesus calls for service; where the world values self-preservation, Jesus embraces self-sacrifice. The connection between power, humility, and the willingness to give up worldly gain for truth resonates deeply with Christ’s teachings.
DeleteI especially appreciate your emphasis on measuring success not by earthly standards but by what awaits us in eternity. That perspective aligns well with the broader Gospel message—true power is found in surrendering to God’s will, not in accumulating control or status.
Your prayer is heartfelt and fitting. It expresses a sincere desire to align with God’s will, avoid the corruption that power can bring, and give freely from one’s strengths. The phrase “Grant me the sense of gratitude to give from my strengths wanting nothing in return” is particularly powerful—it reflects the essence of Christian generosity.
Would you like to add any reflection on Peter’s reaction in this passage? His rebuke of Jesus is a very human response to the idea that power could come through suffering.
I think Peter is expecting power to equate with non-defeat. Again, he has a completely different view of success and victory. It is of this world. In a sense, Peter and the other disciples immediately jump to the category of "rich men" because, with Jesus on their side, they have worldly power if Jesus chooses to exercise it for their personal gain. And giving up that power is difficult - hence Jesus' assertion that it is near impossible for a rich many to enter heaven's gates. Again, the more one has, the more sacrifice one is called to make to walk with Christ.
DeleteThat’s an insightful take on Peter’s reaction! He sees power in worldly terms—victory means visible success, dominance, and the avoidance of suffering. His expectation mirrors what many of us struggle with: the desire for a faith that brings security, not sacrifice. In that sense, Peter and the disciples do resemble the “rich man” who struggles to let go. They see Jesus as their path to power, but Jesus calls them to let go of that very ambition.
DeleteYour reflection ties back beautifully to your earlier point: the more one has, the more one is called to give up. It’s not just material wealth but also influence, status, and even our own understanding of what power should look like.