There are times when I deliberately bring a particular lens to reading the Gospels and it can be quite life-giving. So, I’ve been reading the Gospels through the lens of love and kindness, looking for signs of love and kindness in the Gospel, especially those moments when the protagonists have the courage to put love’s agenda first, even in the face of challenges and danger.
With that lens, it’s interesting to note that there are several occasions in the Gospels where Jesus is disappointed in his disciples, where he feels they have let him down or let themselves down, because they didn’t put love’s agenda first.
In the reading I wish to focus on (Matthew 16: 21–26) Jesus has just told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, undergo great suffering, be killed, and on the third day be raised. Peter, perhaps not hearing the bit about raised, says that this must not happen; and Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan!” Bang: the harshest words he ever says to Peter. He’s actually far more forgiving after Peter later betrays him. But here he does not mince his words. “You are setting your mind not on divine things, but on human things.”
Why would Jesus speak so strongly about this?
It’s because this gets to the very heart of Jesus’ mission. Jesus has spent his entire ministry preaching about love. Love is at the centre of everything. It is a self-less love. He’s been preaching that God loves everyone, no exceptions. He cannot back down from this selfless love. Not even the threat of suffering and death will cause him to back down. He has to see it through. If he backs down now, then God’s love and forgiveness of all people will not be visible to everyone through his death and resurrection.
Peter, though, is still thinking as a human being looking out for number one. If we unpack it a little bit, Peter is saying, “Sure, Jesus, the love thing is good, and I’m not criticising you here, but things are getting really serious now, so why don’t we put the love thing on ice for a bit and pick it up again when things have calmed down!”
But Jesus is saying, “No, let’s put love’s agenda first. Let’s have the courage to see this through. Love is more powerful than death. Love cannot be defeated: you’ll just have to trust me on this, Peter.”
Love cannot be defeated. Holy Week teaches us this. When life is tough, especially when life is tough, love has to come to the fore. That’s when we can’t compromise. That’s when we have to see it through. Holy Week sharpens our focus on this.
The Reverend Dr Theo McCall
School Chaplain