Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 56:1 (Mar 2013)
Article: The Cost Of Discipleship: Losing One’s Life For Jesus’ Sake
Author: Paul Tanner

JETS 56:1 (March 2013) p. 43

The Cost Of Discipleship: Losing One’s Life
For Jesus’ Sake

Paul Tanner*

* Paul Tanner is Middle East Director of BEE World, 23262 CR 181, Bullard, TX 75757.

I. Introduction

Jesus masterfully worked with the original twelve disciples, calling them from their rather mundane way of life to transform them into fearless leaders who would lay the foundation of the church in the first century. He knew when to encourage them, when to instruct them, and even when to rebuke and correct them. He was the master teacher, while they were the ever wayward students in his classroom of faith. Perhaps Peter more than any other student of the class was most apt to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Peter’s rebuke of the Lord Jesus as recorded in Mark 8:32 is the supreme faux pas of his preparatory training with Jesus.

Peter’s off-target rebuke of his master was countered by one of Jesus’ strongest challenges to discipleship: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”1 The one who wants to be Jesus’ disciple must “lose his life” for Jesus’ sake, if he wants to save it. That the statements of Jesus found in this passage are challenging, no one denies. The greater difficulty is understanding how these statements relate to personal salvation and the eternal state. As one turns to Christian commentators, he quickly finds that a great many assume that eternal life is the issue, that is, the person Jesus has in mind is in danger of losing out on eternal life and will thus face an eternity in hell. In this paper, I will evaluate that suggestion in light of the context and conclude that Jesus had a much different thought in mind.

II. The Setting For The Story

The account of Peter’s rebuke and Jesus’ counter-challenge is found in all three Synoptic Gospels: Matt 16:21–28, Mark 8:31–9:1, and Luke 9:22–27. Of the three, Luke’s account is the shortest—he actually omits Peter’s rebuke altogether, choosing to focus on Jesus’ announcement of his coming suffering and the challenge for his disciples to also be prepared to suffer. There are other differences in the details each has chosen to record, and thus it is essential to study all three to properly interpret Jesus’ instruction and demands. We should also observe the placement of this story in the overall earthly ministry of Jesus. Up to this point, Jesus’ ministry had been centered on the Galilee region, but beginning with You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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