Although labeled "Feeding the Five Thousand", this reading contains so much more:
- An initial sending of the twelve to preach the Kingdom of God;
- Herod hearing of Jesus' preaching, and wondering what was going on;
- Jesus asking "who do the crowds say I am; who do you say I am?";
- Jesus instructing his disciples that those who would follow him must "deny themselves and take up their cross daily";
- The Transfiguration and appearance with Moses and Elijah.
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| The Transfiguration |
This is the climax of his time in Galilee -- by the end of chapter 9 Jesus "set[s] his face to go to Jerusalem."
And so it is a time of intense teaching of who Jesus is, and what it takes to be a disciple. He is heralding a new time -- the reign of God, not human governments, a time when his followers will be called upon to take very big risks to continue his ministry.
Who do you say Jesus is? What does it mean to you to take up your cross daily?
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