By Errol Fernandes, SJ
The Synoptic Gospels contain three passion, death and resurrection predictions. The predictions in Mark (8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34) can give us strength and hope in our own life situations. They can help us realise that because of Easter – which follows the passion and death of Jesus – Every Area (of our lives) Starts To Enter Renewal.
In the case of Jesus, the “predictions” must be interpreted not so much as “foretelling,” but as faith and hope statements. They are statements made in the present, about future events knowing that they WILL come to pass. They will come to pass because of the faith and hope that Jesus had in his “Abba”.
The first prediction: The first of these three, is in Mark 8:31. Before the actual prediction, Mark tells us that Jesus “began to teach his disciples”. He does not use parables now, but plain language. “He (Jesus) said all this quite openly” (8:32). It is likely that if Jesus had not taught them about the kind of Messiah/Christ he had come to be, they would have continued to think only of a glorious and conquering Messiah.
What is to happen to Jesus is ordained by God. Despite what people may do, Jesus would have the last word. To be sure, Jesus’ faith in his ‘Abba’ led him to believe that he would be vindicated. Jesus could predict that he would rise after death, because he believed in God in the present. He had faith and hope.
In all three Passion and Resurrection predictions, the Markan Jesus uses the phrase “after three days”, which would mean “the day after tomorrow”. Not only was Jesus confident that he would rise, he also knew when that would be.
The second prediction: The second passion, death and resurrection prediction in Mark is brief. It is briefer than the first. Here, the religious/political authorities are not specified. It is “into human hands” that Jesus will be handed over, and it is they who will kill him. Here too, he will rise, “three days after being killed.”
Not only was Jesus confident that he would rise, he also knew when that would be.
After the first prediction, Peter responded with shock and incredulity (8:32). After the second one, the disciples as a group do not understand what Jesus means and are afraid to ask him. The disciples are not usually reluctant to ask Jesus to explain difficult sayings (4:10; 7:17; 9:11). It is likely that their reluctance on this occasion was because they knew that the answer would be one, they would not want to hear. In other words, they understood enough to want to not understand more.
The third prediction: The third and final prediction in Mark (10:33-34) is the longest and most detailed of the three. Here the two groups which will collaborate are mentioned. Jesus will be “handed over” to the first group made up of the religious leaders. These will condemn him to death and then “hand him over” to the second group made up of political leaders who will kill him after torturing him. This sequence mentioned in this prediction, corresponds closely to the actual events of the Passion. Jesus will first be handed over (14:10) by Judas to the Jewish authorities, and then handed over (15:1) by them to the Romans. Here, like in the earlier two predictions, “he will rise again”.
What lessons can we learn from the passion, death and resurrection predictions in Mark?
No Easter without Good Friday: After each passion, death and resurrection prediction in Mark, the disciples misunderstand what Jesus says or do not want to understand. This is because none of them wants Jesus to be a suffering Messiah. They want an Easterwithout a Good Friday; they want the resurrection without the cross. However, Jesus believes that God is in control and it is God who has set the plan in motion for the salvation of the world. In this plan, there has to be trial and pain before victory, there will be a storm which will be calmed. Like the disciples, we too prefer glory without shame and ignominy, we too prefer victory without the effort and sometimes, the struggle. The truth is, however, that pain is a reality. What we can learn from Jesus is to know that there is “joy even in the midst of pain.” We need to believe like Jesus, that the cross is not the end. After the resurrection of Jesus, the cross can never be the end.
Fearlessness: If there was one striking quality that Jesus showed all through his passion and death, it was fearlessness. He had lived what he believed and was prepared to face the consequences of his action. His fearlessness led him to be bold but not abrasive, courageous but not arrogant. It was his unconditional love for all that made Jesus fearless. John explains this succinctly when he says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” (1 Jn 4:18)
The disciples on the contrary were frightened and gave in to that fear by running away. Mark states this unambiguously, “All of them deserted him and fled.” (14:50)
His fearlessness led him to be bold but not abrasive, courageous but not arrogant. It was his unconditional love for all that made Jesus fearless.
Faith: When Jesus speaks of faith (Mk 11:22-23), he defines it as believing that what one is praying for is received already. There ought to be no doubt in one’s heart. In all three passion, death and resurrection predictions, Jesus was able to predict his passion and death because he could read the signs of the times and had his ear to the ground. He could predict his resurrection because he had faith in God. In this context, it is instructive to note that when he prayed in Gethsemane, it was his faith in his “Abba” which made him cede his will to God’s will. He knew that even though every fibre of his being was asking for the cup to be taken away, it was better to drink it, if it was God’s will.
In contrast to the faith of Jesus, the faithlessness of the disciples left them defeated, disillusioned and disheartened. When we look at the situation around us, we too might be tempted to feel defeated like the disciples felt. We can, however, opt to imitate Jesus and be faithful till the very end knowing that like him, if we too accept God’s will, the cross will lead to the resurrection.
Lessons for political and religious leaders: Like in Jesus’ day, most political leaders of our time are content to feather their own nests. They care little about the people. They see people as votes not humans and live from one election to the next. The passion and death of Jesus was caused by religious and political leaders, who instigated the people, indoctrinated and brainwashed them into believing that he was against their traditions and everything they believed in. He was to be eliminated. Though, the overwhelming majority was against him, Jesus did not back down. He stood for the truth and came out victorious. We can take a cue from the Lord in our present situation. Like him, we will continue to stand for truth, non-violence and harmony.
Promise of resurrection: The resurrection of the Lord does not lie behind us, but in front of us. There is no doubt that because of the resurrection of Jesus – and his promise of the resurrection to us – that we too will be raised. However, it is also true that we have to cross over the boundary of death. When and how that will be, we do not know. What we do know is that the God who raised Jesus from the dead, will raise us too. This is why the resurrection of Jesus keeps offering hope even in the midst of hopelessness. It keeps offering faith even in the midst of faithlessness and it keeps offering love even in the midst of fear. In and through the resurrection of Jesus, Every Area (of our lives) Starts To Enter Renewal.
Fr. Errol Fernandes, SJ (BOM) is Chaplain of the Shrine of the Infant Jesus at Nashik Road. He is active on social media. He has his own YouTube Channel on which he posts videos every day. He also has his own blog which is updated every day. He can be contacted at errolsj@gmail.com.