3/18/11
Matthew 16:1-17:9 --- Mark 8:10-9:10 --- Luke 9:18-36
Matthew 16:1-17:9
The Demand for a Sign (Mk 8.11—13; Lk 12.54—56)
Matthew 16:1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Mk 8.14—21)
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 They said to one another, “It is because we have brought no bread.” 8 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread? 9 Do you still not perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How could you fail to perceive that I was not speaking about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” 12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus (Mk 8.27—30; Lk 9.18—20)
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (Mk 8.31—33; Lk 9.21—22)
21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
The Cross and Self-Denial (Mk 8.34—9.1; Lk 9.23—27)
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
The Transfiguration (Mk 9.2—13; Lk 9.28—36; 2 Pet 1.16—18)
Matthew 17:1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Mark 8:10-9:10
Mark 8:10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
The Demand for a Sign (Mt 16.1—4)
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod (Mt 16.5—12)
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” 16 They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” 17 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
Jesus Cures a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” 24 And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus (Mt 16.13—20; Lk 9.18—20)
27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (Mt 16.21—28; Lk 9.21—27)
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 9:1 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
The Transfiguration (Mt 17.1—8; Lk 9.28—36; 2 Pet 1.16—18)
2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
The Coming of Elijah (Mt 17.9—13)
9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.
Luke 9:18-36
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus (Mt 16.13—20; Mk 8.27—30)
Luke 9:18 Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” 20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” This is the question we must all answer. Here it is directed to Peter. If God had not asked Peter directly, would Peter have made this confession? Remember, the Jews were expecting a messiah, but not THE MESSIAH. They were expecting a man, not God. As I said, this is a question God asks all of us, each of us. Over and over God confronts us with things in our everyday life that science and statistics cannot explain. Why do we shrug our shoulders and go on? Remember the young autistic high school basketball player who scored over 20 points in the last four minutes of the only high school basketball game he ever played in? Coincidence? I like to think of it as a little God reminder. We get them all the time. We all encounter them, but we dismiss them. What about the woman who stopped and picked up the golden eagle that had over a hundred porcupine quills in its head? Why did the eagle let her pick it up and put it on her lap and drive it to a vet? This is crazy and something none of us should do. I like to think of it as a God moment. These God moments happen all the time. People walk away from car accidents that seem miraculous, because they are. Some people are cured of terrible diseases. Who can honestly say they have never had a miracle, something they cannot explain, that kept them from a serious accident, even death? God is alive and well and God is asking each of us what God asked Peter. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.”
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection (Mt 16.24—28; Mk 8.31—9.1)
21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
23 Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. 25 What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? 26 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
The Transfiguration (Mt 17.1—8; Mk 9.2—8; 2 Pet 1.16—18)
28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
Devotionals, Videos and more ...
by Bill Federer
On this date, March 18, 1845 missionary John Chapman died, better known as Johnny Appleseed. Collecting apple seeds from cider presses in western Pennsylvania, he began planting nurseries from the Alleghenies to central Ohio, giving thousands of seedlings to pioneers. Bare foot, wearing a mush pan over his eccentric long hair, and an old coffee sack over his shoulders, Johnny’s harmony with the Indians and devotion to the Bible led William Venable to write: “Remember Johnny Appleseed--- All ye who love the apple--- He served his kind by word and deed--- In God’s grand greenwood chapel.”
Federer, B. (2003). American minute. St. Louis, MO.: Amerisearch, Inc.
by D.H. Stern
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to act justly.
A criminal’s conduct is crooked,
but the work of the pure is right.
Stern, D. H. (1998). Complete Jewish Bible-OE
: An English version of the Tanakh (OT) and
B'rit Hadashah (NT) (1st ed.). Clarksville, Md.: Jewish
New Testament Publications.
by Oswald Chambers
Shall I rouse myself up to this?
Perfecting holiness in the fear of God. --- 2 Cor. 7:1. Chambers, O. (1993). My Utmost for His Highest
“Having therefore these promises.” I claim the fulfilment of God’s promises, and rightly, but that is only the human side; the Divine side is that through the promises I recognize God’s claim on me. For instance, am I realizing that my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, or have I a habit of body that plainly will not bear the light of God on it? By sanctification the Son of God is formed in me, then I have to transform my natural life into a spiritual life by obedience to Him. God educates us down to the scruple. When He begins to check, do not confer with flesh and blood, cleanse yourself at once. Keep yourself cleansed in your daily walk.
I have to cleanse myself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit until both are in accord with the nature of God. Is the mind of my spirit in perfect agreement with the life of the Son of God in me, or am I insubordinate in intellect? Am I forming the mind of Christ, Who never spoke from His right to Himself, but maintained an inner watchfulness whereby He continually submitted His spirit to His Father? I have the responsibility of keeping my spirit in agreement with His Spirit, and by degrees Jesus lifts me up to where He lived—in perfect consecration to His Father’s will, paying no attention to any other thing. Am I perfecting this type of holiness in the fear of God? Is God getting His way with me, and are other people beginning to see God in my life more and more?
Be serious with God and leave the rest gaily alone. Put God first literally.
the Poetry of R.S. Thomas
Seventieth Birthday
Made of tissue and H2O,
and activated by cells
firing - Ah, heart, the legend
of your person! Did I invent
it, and is it in being still?
In the competition with other
women your victory is assured.
It is time, as Yeats said, is
the caterpillar in the cheek's rose,
the untiring witherer of your petals.
You are drifting away from
me on the whitening current of your hair.
I lean far out from the bone's bough,
knowing the hand I extend
can save nothing of you but your love.
Shabbat 63a
It is human nature to be excited and enthusiastic at the outset about something new. Kids get a new toy and cannot tear themselves away from it for a second. Adults make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or to stop smoking and are “gung-ho” about sticking to the program. A new president takes office and the people and the press are caught-up in the good feelings of the “honeymoon period.”
Yet, it is also human nature to quickly grow bored, complacent, or forgetful of the intense feelings that we had not too long ago. The child leaves the favorite toy in the closet and moves on to something else. The temptation to eat a rich dessert or to smoke that one cigarette are just too much for us. We soon take out our frustrations and disappointments on our leaders and mercilessly criticize and complain. The enthusiasm we once had is gone, and we fall back into our old patterns and behaviors.
The Rabbis understood human behavior and our propensity to get bored rather easily. They knew that we would be more excited about Hanukkah on the first night than we would be on the last. This may be why Bet Hillel, in designing the menorah ritual, came up with the brilliant suggestion of increasing the number of lights each night. They recognized that as our natural enthusiasm would begin to wane, our excitement and interest could be piqued by having us look forward to a menorah filled with brilliantly burning wicks at the end of the holiday week. Interestingly (and not coincidentally), the word Hanukkah means “rededication”; it signifies when the Maccabees came back to restore the desecrated Temple and to recommit themselves to all that it stood for. The message of “We raise up in matters of holiness …” is that we must rededicate ourselves to the things in our lives that are of ultimate importance.
Bet Hillel anticipated where and when the let-downs would come, and it planned ahead to compensate for them. Instead of allowing a toy to collect dust in a chest, a child can be taught the lessons of sharing and giving by being encouraged to present it to another child. Turning to a support group for assistance can be a source of great strength for someone tempted by things that can hurt them. A president can plan new initiatives at different milestones that can bring new excitement and enthusiasm to the nation.
The Rabbis counseled us to go against our nature and to strive to ascend in matters of holiness: Fight the complacency, struggle with the boredom, wrestle with the waning commitment. Make every effort to do better, not worse. Don’t be satisfied to stay at the status quo. Try whenever possible to go up in matters of holiness.
A verse never loses its contextual meaning.
Text / Mishnah (6:4): A man should not go out with a sword, a bow, a shield, a lance, or a spear, and if he did go out, he is liable a sin-offering. Rabbi Eliezer says: “These are his ornaments.” But the Sages say: “They are harmful, as it is written: ‘And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation; they shall never again know war’ [Isaiah 2:4].”
Gemara: Abaye said to Rav Dimi—some say to Rav Avya—and some say Rav Yosef to Rav Dimi—and some say to Rav Avya—and some say Abaye to Rav Yosef: “What is the prooftext that Rabbi Eliezer said that they are ornaments? As it is written: ‘Gird your sword upon your thigh, O hero, in your splendor and glory’ [Psalms 45:4].” Rav Kahana said to Mar son of Rav Huna: “This is speaking about words of Torah!” He said to him: “A verse never loses its contextual meaning.”
Context / One of the objects of jewelry mentioned in the previous Mishnah is a “golden city,” perhaps a golden pendant with a picture of Jerusalem etched into it. (Recent research shows this to be a golden tiara.) There is a famous story in the Talmud (Nedarim 50a) about Rabbi Akiva and a “golden city” tiara. Before he was a famous scholar and teacher, Akiva was a poor shepherd working for Kalba Savua (also called Bar Kalba Savua), one of the richest men in Jerusalem. The daughter of Kalba Savua, Raḥel, found something appealing in Akiva and promised to marry him if he dedicated his life to the study house. Akiva agreed, but Kalba Savua disapproved of this ignorant shepherd named Akiva. Kalba Savua cut off his daughter from her family money. She and Akiva lived in poverty, so much so that in the winter they slept on straw to keep warm. One time, as Akiva picked straw from Raḥel’s hair, he told her: “If I could, I would buy you a Jerusalem of gold!” Of course, Akiva went on to become one of the greatest sages of the Talmudic era.
In the days of the Talmud, love of Jerusalem was shown by wearing an image of the city on one’s jewelry. Today, we are more likely to sing about the city, and “Jerusalem of Gold” refers not to the tiara but to the city itself. This is largely because of the Naomi Shemer song “Yerushalayim shel Zahav,” or “Jerusalem of Gold,” written in 1967 only days before the Six-Day War. Naomi Shemer used the talmudic image as the basis for her lyrics.
The previous Mishnah listed objects (like certain jewelry) that a woman would likely wear and which may not be carried outside on Shabbat. This would be a violation of one of the traditional Shabbat prohibitions, carrying from domain to domain. This Mishnah continues the theme, listing objects that a man would likely wear. The Sages argue that these are weapons and, thus, prohibited. Rabbi Eliezer, however, sees them as ornaments. Just as a woman is allowed to wear her jewelry on Shabbat, so too a man may wear his ornaments—a sword, a bow, a shield, a lance, or a spear—in the public domain on Shabbat.
The discussion in the Gemara asks for proof from a verse, for a rabbinic argument is stronger with biblical substantiation. Thus, the verse from Psalms is cited. However, this verse was already known for its metaphoric, homiletical meaning. According to Rav Kahana, the “hero” is really a scholar, and his weapon, the “sword,” is Torah. He is answered by Mar who, while not denying the possibility of this metaphoric reading of the verse, asserts that “sword” means not only “Torah,” its assigned meaning in the Midrash, but also a weapon, its simple, contextual meaning in the psalm. Thus, Mar can answer Rav Kahana: A verse, even when used for a sermonic purpose, still retains its obvious meaning in the context.
Katz, M., & Schwartz, G. (1998). Swimming in the Sea of Talmud: Lessons for Everyday LIving
. Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society.by Diana Wallis
They are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name …so that they may be one as we are one. --- John 17:11
The preparations made by Christ for his death were the solemn recommendation of his friends to his Father, the institution of a commemorative sign to perpetuate and refresh the memory of his death in the hearts of his people, till he come again, and his pouring out his soul to God by prayer in the garden, which was the posture he chose to be found in when they apprehended him.
The fatherly care and tender love of our Lord Jesus Christ was eminently displayed in that pleading prayer he poured out for his people at his parting with them. It belonged to the priest and father of the family to bless the rest, especially when he was to be separated from them by death. This was a rite in Israel. When good Jacob was grown old, and the time came that he would be gathered to his fathers, then he blessed Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm—may he bless these boys” (Gen. 48:15–16). This was a prophetic and patriarchal blessing—not that Jacob could bless as God blesses. He could speak the words of blessing, but he knew that the effect, the real blessing itself, depended on God. Now when Jesus Christ comes to die, he will bless his children also and in this will reveal how much dear and tender love he has for them: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love” (John 13:1). The last act of Christ in this world was an act of blessing (Luke 24:50–51). --- John Flavel
Wallis, D. (2001). Take Heart: Daily Devotions with the Church's Great Preachers
(27). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.Meaning of Discipleship: Luke 9:23–26
Now the Gospel of Luke shifts its focus. Christ came, and offered new life to a world that, even after conclusive demonstration of who He is, rejected Him. But some believed. This little band of men who said, “You are the Christ, the Son of God,” launched out on new life. From now on, while Christ would still speak to the crowds and their leaders, His message was primarily for those who had trusted in Him. Jesus talked now about discipleship: about how we who are His followers can grow to experience the abundant new life that may be ours in Him. Life saved or lost (Luke 9:23–25). Many puzzle over Jesus’ warning, “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it.” We’re helped when we remember the focus of Luke. As a Christian, with new life from God, you and I have the potential to be new and different persons. We saw it earlier. Jesus said, “Be like your Heavenly Father.” God’s intention for believers is that we might bear the family resemblance of His Son. You and I are to develop into persons whose character expresses the very stamp of God’s own heredity. This is our destiny. We are to be like God throughout eternity, and, in this world, to become more and more like Him all the time. But the potential self (Luke 9:25) can be lost. We can choose to live the old way, by the values and motives that move men in this world. We can live the old life, and let the new remain unnourished, buried deep within us. If we do so choose, what we lose is ourselves, our experience on this earth of the person we could have been. Earlier we saw a great choice each person must make: Will I accept Jesus’ offer of life? Now we see a second choice: Will I become a disciple, put the old behind me, and become new? This is a question you have to answer. Will you lose your old life, or are you determined to hold tightly to it, to try and save your “self”? Or will you let go, turn away from the old for Jesus’ sake, and in so doing become the new, the true, you? * Let him deny himself (Luke 9:23). Jesus gives a profound three-part prescription to anyone who wants to come after Him (Luke 9:23). The first is: deny yourself. Self-denial doesn’t mean self-rejection. It doesn’t mean wallowing in self-loathing, or turning away from everything you enjoy because, “If you like it, it must be bad.” God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim. 6:17). We know that, far from being worthless, you and I are of infinite value. Jesus thought enough of you to die for you. If He loved you so, how can you hate or reject yourself? But denying self is important in discipleship—as long as we understand that it means deny everything rooted in the old life. Deny and reject “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the … pride of life” (1 John 2:16, NASB). Carla had been angry. She struck out at her dad with biting words, then ran to her room. After the flood of tears she felt better. But she knew too that for her to follow Jesus would now mean going to apologize. How she fought making that apology! She told herself it had been his fault—and in some ways it was. She told herself she couldn’t go and say, “I’m sorry.” Not when he should by rights apologize to her first! Everything in her struggled against the self-humbling that an apology would mean. And for a long time she stayed in her room, as the tension within her grew. Finally, Carla got up off her bed and, denying the fears and pride of her old nature, went to do what she knew Jesus wanted. This is self-denial. Growth in the Christian life demands just this: the brutal setting aside of pride and fear and of all the “rights” that the old self demands as its due, to live instead a Jesus kind of life.