A few years ago, I heard the expression “even a flat pancake has two sides,” meaning that every story has two sides. That thought came to mind this morning during the Gospel reading from Mark 8.
In that passage, Jesus explains the suffering He was going to endure, and Peter scolds Jesus for speaking such. Jesus then admonishes Peter with these harsh words, “Get behind me, Satan” (33)! Then He tells him, “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:33). In other words, Peter was looking at only one side of the pancake.
Maybe Peter’s rebuke of Jesus seems appropriate, since he did not want His friend talking about such horrible suffering and death. Peter might have witnessed criminals dying such brutal, grotesque and excruciating deaths at the hands of Rome. He couldn’t picture His Lord enduring such horror.
But even a rugged cross has two sides.
From the human view, Christ’s cross is that of a criminal. It is shameful, humiliating and agonizing. On the front of the cross is Jesus’ bleeding, dying, marred, disfigured body, writhing in pain. This picture was actually God at work redeeming the world through His Son.
However, behind the cross is the glorified Son in His resurrection body. Behind the cross is the reconciled world, the spotless church and the perfect Kingdom of God.
In front of the cross is Christ’s sacrifice for us; behind the cross is His glory and our eternal life.
In that passage, Jesus explains the suffering He was going to endure, and Peter scolds Jesus for speaking such. Jesus then admonishes Peter with these harsh words, “Get behind me, Satan” (33)! Then He tells him, “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:33). In other words, Peter was looking at only one side of the pancake.
Maybe Peter’s rebuke of Jesus seems appropriate, since he did not want His friend talking about such horrible suffering and death. Peter might have witnessed criminals dying such brutal, grotesque and excruciating deaths at the hands of Rome. He couldn’t picture His Lord enduring such horror.
But even a rugged cross has two sides.
From the human view, Christ’s cross is that of a criminal. It is shameful, humiliating and agonizing. On the front of the cross is Jesus’ bleeding, dying, marred, disfigured body, writhing in pain. This picture was actually God at work redeeming the world through His Son.
However, behind the cross is the glorified Son in His resurrection body. Behind the cross is the reconciled world, the spotless church and the perfect Kingdom of God.
In front of the cross is Christ’s sacrifice for us; behind the cross is His glory and our eternal life.
