CRUCIFIXION BEFORE GLORY??

Jesus has led His disciples all the way to Caesarea Philippi and told them:                    

“...upon this Rock I will build my ‘ekklesia’ [church] and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”

Are the disciple impressed? Or were they thinking...               

‘Big deal! At least He’s finally admitted to being the Messiah.           

Where to from here?                                                     

Jerusalem?? To suffer and be killed?...then rise on the third day??        

You’ve got to be kidding!’ (Matt 16:21-28)

Peter is not impressed – at all!  It looks like he now grabs ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’  - maybe by the arm (from Gk: proslambano: take aside) and gives him a piece of his mind!! (from Gk: epitimao: censure/rebuke).

How did Jesus answer?...

“Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence to me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Whamo! – take that!

Is this what Jesus meant?

So what does the Catholic Church now say?                                    

“Peter will remain the unshakeable Rock of the Church...the bishop of the Church of Rome, successor to Peter, is head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ and Pastor of the universal Church on earth.”

Does that sound to you like taking up your cross to follow Jesus Christ the Rock?

Yes guys, you heard right. Crucifixion lies ahead!