The passage
      v31-32a. Having heard the disciples confess him as a messiah, Jesus now tells them that he will be a suffering messiah. In fact, his suffering, which will involve rejection and death at the hands of his own people, is necessary. It is necessary in that it is God's will, but because it is God's will, the outcome is good; the outcome is life ("rise").
      v32b-33. Peter is not willing to accept the idea of a suffering messiah and so takes Jesus aside to straighten him out - as a friend (in love) of course. The trouble is the other disciples have most likely overheard Peter's rebuke and so a public dressing-down is in order. From the beginning of his ministry, Satan has offered a way of gaining a kingdom apart from suffering and humiliation. Peter unwittingly becomes Satan's agent and repeats the temptation, and so, Jesus tells him to get back with his fellow disciples where he belongs.
      v34. Jesus now calls for decision. To those who really want to be disciples, Jesus calls for an acceptance that will likely bring with it embarrassment (shame). Three images of "coming after" serve to exegete the nature of a decision for Christ. It involves: i] denial - a loss of status through an association with a messiah in conflict with the world; ii] cross-bearing - the consequent shame of association with a humiliated, rather than a glorious, messiah; iii] and following - identification with a humble, rather than glorious master.
      v35. Mark now lists five reasons for deciding in favour of Jesus. First, the person who seeks to protect themselves from the shame of an association with Jesus will inevitably lose life itself. The person who decides for Jesus, who accepts the gospel, will gain eternal life.
      v36-37. The second and third reasons for deciding in favour of Jesus rest on the truth that there is nothing more precious than his offer of eternal life. Once lost, it can never be purchased back.
      v38. The fourth reason concerns the inevitable day of judgment. A person who is ashamed of Jesus today will find themselves on his wrong side in the day of judgment.
      9:1. Still addressing the crowd, Jesus drives home his call for decision by warning that the coming kingdom is close at hand. In fact, it will come within the generation of his listeners. The kingdom brings either blessing or cursing (judgment), so the hour of decision has arrived. This serves as the fifth and final reason for deciding in favour of Jesus.

Take up your cross
      During the 1970's the discipleship movement within Western Christianity was quite strong. It grew out of the Jesus Revolution and expressed itself in communalism and simple living. The trigger was most likely the economic downturn that preceded the boom of the 80's, along with the social division that was generated by the Vietnam war. Social upheaval, "sex, drugs, rock-n-roll", prompted a flight to fundamentals.
      In the search for a firm foundation, "cross-bearing discipleship" was promoted along with the apostolic communalism of the Jerusalem church. Luke/Acts became the source text for what was to become a powerful and influential Christian movement. Personal discipline and social activism soon found expression in fundamental, sacramental and liberal faith-circles, and continued to influence these circles into the 80's (eg. The New/Liberal Evangelical Movement).
      Our passage for study is one of the source texts for the discipleship movement. Proof texting is always a dangerous pastime at the best of times, but the gospels and Acts certainly lend themselves to the tenets of the movement.
      Jesus explains clearly to his disciples that he is a suffering messiah rather than a glorious one, although he will survive this humiliation to "rise again" (victory). He then turns to the crowd, including his disciples, and calls for his acceptance as the humiliated one, an acceptance which carries shame. For those who would like to "come after" him, accept him, commit to him, Jesus describes their decision in the terms of denial, cross-bearing and following.
      There have certainly been those who have taken Jesus' words literally. Francis of Assisi is one of the best known examples of a person who has put Jesus' "hard" words into practice. Yet, it is unlikely that Jesus' words are a call to material sacrifice, a call to povity. Some people argue that these "hard" words of Jesus serve to separate the fair-weather seeker from the genuine item, but it is more likely that they serve to remind us that the only cross-bearing that is worth anything is the sacrifice of Christ. For a believer, cross-bearing entails identifying with Christ's sacrifice on our behalf. Only in Christ's perfection do we stand perfect before God, only in his humiliation do we find acceptance.
      Yet, as we stand at the foot of the cross we are changed, our values change. So, what are the consequences of committing ourselves to Christ and his humiliation on our behalf? First, there may be some downside: humiliation, limitations, troubles and the like. On the other hand, the upside is life eternal. Second, nothing that we may have to set aside in this world can compare with life eternal. Third, life eternal is so precious, once its opportunity is lost, nothing can regain it. Forth, the alternative to life is judgment. Fifth, the judgement is now, so don't delay.

v31
      kai hrxato (ercomai) aor. mid. "and he began" - begin. This form of words is used to break from the proceeding episode and introduce a new point. "And he proceeded to teach them", Moffatt.
      oJti "-" - Here recitative, used to emphasise Jesus' words.
      dei + inf. "must" - it is necessary. Implying that it is God's will and that therefore, the outcome will be for the best. "It was inevitable that", Phillips.
      polla paqein (pascw) aor. act. inf. "suffer many things" - to suffer much. The infinitive forms an infinitival phrase made up of this and the following infinitives, serves as the subject of the verb "is necessary". Note Jesus' shift to "Son of Man" as the suffering one. The notion of a suffering messiah is not an easy idea for the disciples to come to grips with. In the face of identity problems, Jesus often moves to his favoured self identification - the mysterious Son of Man. The messianic "Son of Man" found in Daniel is glorious, rather than suffering - an interesting twist! Mark emphasizes the extent of the suffering, including both rejection and death
      apodokimasqhnai (apodokimazw) aor. pas. inf. "rejected" - to be rejected. The infinitive, as above. Note that Mark lists the three groups involved in Jesus' humiliation.
      apoktanqhnai (apokteinw) aor. pas. inf. "killed" - to be killed. The infinitive, as above. In a reading back of tradition, the word crucifixion would be used, but Mark is preserving the original sense of the words held in the apostolic oral tradition.
      kai meta treiV hJmeraV "and after three days" - This phrase causes a timing difficulty (actually after a day and half) and so in Matthew it is "on the third day." The difficulty underlines its originality. The number three, of course, is dictated by Old Testament precedence, eg. Jonah in the big fish.
      anasthnai (anisthmi) aor. inf. "rise" - to rise. The infinitive, as above.

v32
      parrhsia/ (a) "plainly" - boldness, frank, open .... "outspokenly", Gundry. Emphasizing that Jesus made a point of telling his disciples about his coming suffering. "He said all this quite openly", RJB.
      proslabomenoV (proslambanw) aor. part. "took [him] aside" - having taken aside, taken to oneself..... Attendant circumstance participle identifying action accompanying the infinitival phrase "began to rebuke." "Take to another place." Why take Jesus aside? Is Peter embarrassed with what he is about to say, or what Jesus has just said?
      epitiman (epitamaw) inf. "to rebuke" - to sternly warn, rebuke. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "began". Peter tries to set Jesus straight. "Sternly forbade him to talk like that", Barclay.

v33
      epistrafeiV kai idwn "turned and looked [at his disciples]" - turning around and seeing his disciples. Descriptive of Jesus observing that the other disciples have most likely overheard Peter's words and therefore, a public admonition is necessary. "But when Jesus turned and saw the disciples", CEV.
      epetimhsen (epitimaw) aor. "he rebuked" - Here a public undressing. "He corrected Peter", CEV.
      uJpage opisw mou "out of my sight" - go away behind me. "Out of my sight", BAGD, is far too strong. Jesus is telling Peter to get back with the disciples and accept his authority rather than tell him what he should, or should not say. Certainly not, cease to be my disciple.
      satana (aV) "Satan" - Aligning Peter with Satan is extremely harsh, although it is most likely that the temptation which has come through Peter's words originates with Satan. The temptation is that the kingdom can come by means other than the "cup" of suffering.
      ou froneiV (fronew) "you do not have in mind" - you are not thinking about. "To take someone's side", Cranfield. Peter is lit. "not thinking the things of God, rather the things of human beings." The "things of God", in the context, is the idea that glory comes through suffering. The "things of human beings" is the idea that glory comes apart from suffering. As "all the kingdoms of the world" are Satan's domain, it is obvious that humanity will promote Satan's way to glory through power (evidenced in modern management, marketing etc.) rather than God's way to glory through humiliation (love, forgiveness, mercy, compassion ..... leading to suffering). "Your thoughts are not God's thoughts, but man's", Weymouth.

v34
      proskalesamenoV (proskalew) aor. mid. part. "then he called [the crowd] to [him]" - having called together, called to oneself, summoned. The participle forms a temporal clause, as NIV. It is important to note that Jesus calls the crowd to him, while the disciples tag along. The point is that Jesus now speaks to the crowd, as well as his disciples. The implication is that Jesus is calling all to discipleship (= identification with Christ and his cross), rather than to cross-bearing discipleship. The focus is on Jesus and his suffering, not the suffering of the disciple. If we would follow Christ we must be willing to accept a suffering messiah, which suffering we may well have to share. "[Then] Jesus called both the crowd and his disciples to him", Barclay.
      ei + ind. "if [anyone would .....]" - if [anyone/someone wishes/desires/wants to]. Conditional sentence, 1st class where the condition is assumed to be true. Here the condition is emphasized: "if anyone really does want to follow behind me..." Gundry.
      aparnhsasqw (aparneomai) aor. imp. "he must deny [himself]" - let him deny, renounce. The word is commonly taken to mean self-denial in varying degrees of selflessness. It may just mean the shame of accepting a messiah facing death, a messiah in conflict with the world. Such acceptance prompts a confrontation with the world, not renunciation of the world. "He must give up all claims upon himself", TH.
      aratw (airw) aor. imp. "take up [his cross]" - let him take up. It is hard not to see Christ's cross in this image, although, at this point of time, the image would conjure up the cross-bearing criminal who is shamed in the presence of neighbors and friends. Jesus has not said how he is to be "killed" and so rather than reflecting Jesus' suffering, the image may simply illustrate the shame involved in accepting a humiliated messiah.
      akolouqeitw (akolouqew) imp. "follow" - let him follow after .... and thus "follow as a disciple."

v35
      gar "for" - Expressing cause/reason. Note: following the invitation in v34, Mark records four reasons for accepting, each beginning with this conjunction.
      ean + subj. "-" - if. Introducing a conditional sentence, 3rd class, where the condition is assumed to be a possibility.
      oJV gar ean + subj. "whoever" - for whoever [would want to save their life]. Note the parallel verses in Luke and Matthew and how Mark shapes the saying so it becomes a reason why a person should become disciples, rather than why and/or how disciples should countinue in discipleship.
      qelh (qelw) subj. "wishes" - wills, wants. The person who wants to protect their security and their standing now, rather than accept Jesus, will find they lose eternal life.
      yuxhn (h) "life" - soul, being. "Soul" is probably not intended, either here or v36, 37. The sense is "spiritual life", "being", as opposed to life in the physical body. "A life which is his true life, his soul, himself", Lagrange.
      swsai (swzw) inf. "to save" - to rescue, save, preserve, keep. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "wills". Mark has "wants to save", Lk. "seeks to preserve", Matt. "finding". Mark emphasizes decision for unbelievers.
      apolesei (apollumi) fut. ind. act. "will lose" - he will ruin, lose, destroy.... Whoever will lose, will in fact lose, not just be willing to lose, ie. whoever makes the decision to follow Jesus ("for me and for the gospel") will save their life (rescue their being for eternity). "If you want to save your life you will destroy it", CEV.

v36
      ti gar adv. "What .... for ..." - "For in what way does gaining the whole world and forfeiting his life profit a man?" As in the second sentence "for what would a man give an exchange for his life?" the answer is implied; there is nothing more precious than life. Deciding for Jesus has its downside, but its upside is far greater.
      wfelei (wfelew) pres. "[what] good is it" - does it profit, benefit. "What does anyone gain by winning the whole world at the cost of his life", REB.
      zhmwqhnai (zhmiow) inf. "forfeit" - to forfeit, fine, confiscate, lose. The infinitival phrase made up of the infinitives "to gain" and "to forfeit" functions as the subject of the verb "benefit": "what does the gaining of the whole world and the forfeiting of his life benefit a man."

v37
      doi (didwmi) aor. subj. "give" - [what] may give. Deliberative subjunctive.
      antallagma (a atoV) "in exchange" - An exchange, something given in return, purchase price. "For what could a man give that was an equal exchange for his life", Barclay.

v38
      ean + subj. "if [anyone ....]" -[ for] if [anyone, whoever]. Introducing a conditional sentence, 3rd class. Note how Mark has used the received tradition of this saying differently to Matthew, cf. Matt.10:32. Mark has dropped the words that apply to disciples and left the saying in a form that applies to everyone o} "whoever". The saying warns believers and unbelievers alike that they should not allow the shame of an association with Jesus, the humiliated messiah, to bar their acceptance of him. To do this is to bring upon themselves eternal rejection.
      epaiscunqh/ (epaiscunomai) aor. pas. subj. "is ashamed" - would be ashamed of. In the sense of "ashamed to acknowledge his relation to me", TH.
      touV emouV logouV "my words" - the words of me. "Words" is absent in some texts, so "mine" = "my people." "My words" is most likely original.
      th/ moicalidi adj. "[in this] adulterous [generation]" - adulterous. Taking the religious meaning "faithless / godless / apostate / disloyal". "Among these unfaithful and sinful people", CEV.
      oJtan elqh/ (ercomai) aor. subj. "when he comes" - whenever he comes. Forming an indefinite temporal clause. "When he comes back (returns)", Williams, is not correct. There are many comings of the Son of Man and it is dangerous to assume that all references to his coming are to his coming back to earth at the end of the age. The Daniel image of the coming of the Son of Man is of his coming to the Ancient of Days to receive his glorious kingdom, Dan.7:13. It is a coming to heaven, to the right hand of the Father, to exercise rule, and as a consequence, judgment. This coming is imaged as a coming in the clouds. It is the "coming" seen by Stephen in his vision. Closely related to this coming is Christ's coming with the angels. The angels, the messengers of God, serve to separate the just (justified) from the unjust, a task being exercised by Christ's living messengers in this last day. The judgment is "now" in that Christ's "coming" is being realized at this moment - he is bringing all things into subjection to himself. Time is always a problem in all this, eg. the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD is a paradigm of Armageddon in the last day and both are "the coming of the Son of Man." Of course, given that time is part of the creation we should not be surprised if God functions outside of time. As I used to explain to my scripture class, God is bigger than Dr. Who. God can be at different points of time at the same time, in fact, he can be at all points of time at the same time!! Anyway, Mark's point is that the coming judgment is a good reason to overcome fear and shame and trust Jesus. Do we want to be found on the wrong side in the day of judgment?