THE SECRET MEANT TO BE TOLD

Mark 8: 27-36

A secret is something that can be dangerous, or upsetting, or exciting to know.  Ministers and counselors keep sacred secrets for people.  Politicians often keep secrets under the explanation of “national security.” This week a book is being released on a one year investigation the FBI made on Beatle John Lennon at the request of the Nixon administration.  Even after this much time has passed, and with a court order, the FBI says that 10 documents need to stay classified for the sake of national security.  Families also keep secrets, sometimes unhealthy secrets. Author and Presbyterian minister, Frederick Buechner put it this way: “I have come to believe that by and large the human family all has the same secrets, which are both very telling and very important to tell … that we hunger to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anything else.  [And then he adds] It is important to tell, at least from time to time, the secret of who we truly and fully are—even if we tell it only to ourselves—because otherwise we run the risk of losing track of who we truly and fully are, and little by little come to accept the highly edited version which we put forth in hope that the world will find it more acceptable than the real thing.”

[TELLING SECRETS, Harper, 1991, p.2-3]  Secrets sometimes embarrass us, like a sibling telling stories on another sibling about girls or boys they liked, or how poorly one of them did in sports or school, or other hurtful secrets that would have been best left unshared.  So secrets present a quandary: when to share and when not to share. Children, for example, are often taught to tell a trusted adult if someone hurts them or makes them feel uncomfortable, even if someone else told that it’s a secret. Certainly a secret about someone else is almost never appropriate to share: let them decide when and if to share their own secrets. Don’t forget that; only in rare cases are secrets meant to be told. Today’s Gospel lesson is one of them.

Some scholars have decided that the writer of Mark knew how the human mind worked.  Throughout his gospel he gives the reader the impression that they are peering in on something very important: he includes two important details about Jesus’ life: he was always on the move (the word “immediately” for example, occurs 8 times just in the first 30 verses) and he was always telling people to keep his secret. Mark 8:30, Mark 1:43; Mark 3:12 are examples.  The thing that really hooks us about Mark is that he takes us in to his confidence, telling us things about Jesus and his work that are  privileged; even the disciples know nothing about what we the readers are allowed  to know!  Scholars have called it “Mark’s Messianic Secret.” Simply put, throughout Mark’s account of Jesus’ life, when people are healed by him or taught by him and profess “You are the Christ!” Jesus charges them to tell it to no one. Is this a secret meant to be told? Scholars have wondered about Jesus’ motives of holding back news that later all were encouraged to proclaim. Some have concluded that the time wasn’t right for telling this news just yet. Followers of Jesus during his day would have been either Jews or Gentiles. Jews had set ideas from Scripture about who the Messiah would be and what he would do. He would be from the lineage of David, they said. Jesus was.  He would be powerful, and vengeful, a leader who would condemn all countries that had invaded Israel or Judah and bring victory and prosperity to his people. Jesus didn’t fit into that mold. In addition, he was not invincible: he suffered and knew pain and took rejection and rebuke without reply. History blames Jews for not believing that Jesus is the Messiah. But listening to their prophets, many understand why they are still looking for another. Few would have believed it even if Peter had proclaimed it. And what about the Gentiles?  Their own ideas about gods and blessings were quite different from the Jews. Christos” meant “anointed one” and even Gentiles would have envisioned a king, a protector, who slayed enemies and welcomed loyalty. But Jesus was just beginning his ministry; it was not time to share his healing news yet, and when it was finally time to tell, a crown of thorns, a body stripped of its robe, and a bleeding side and head gave people pause about declaring him to be Messiah.  But the disciples believed!  In today’s story, long before Jesus hung on the cross, we know Peter believed he was following the right man!  All that he left behind was worth it. He was the first disciple to answer Jesus’ question. He was ready to break into a rousing “Hallelujah!” after he had turned to Jesus and said, in effect: “I know your secret! You are the Christ!” We cannot see Jesus’ face or hear his tone of voice. But the Bible says “He charged them all to tell no one about him.”  Perhaps by way of explanation of what was to come, he said “The Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the Elders, Chief Priests, and the Scribes, be killed, and after three days rise again.” And Mark adds this editorial comment: “He said this plainly.” There was no chance for Peter to misunderstand his Lord. But he couldn’t believe it so the follower started rebuking the leader: “No way!” was his reply if we put it in modern terms. But Jesus would not be moved, and Peter must have felt most confused. He had spoken from his heart, making himself vulnerable in the company of others and he was rebuked and felt cut to the quick. One commentator put it this way: “The disciples did not want Jesus to suffer. That was because it goes against the grain to be the follower of a Messiah who suffers instead of producing spectacular victories by an effortless exercise of power; it brings no kudos, and offends the pride of [mortals.]”

Well, the secret was out, at least among disciples and those who were healed. Could it be that Mark included Jesus’ “SHHHH!” words for a different reason? Could Mark have been an early master in reverse psychology? Could he have thought that by telling his readers Jesus’ words to not tell, that they might share the story anyway?  Did you know, for example, that the oldest copies of Mark’s gospel end with the 8^th verse of chapter 16? “The women went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”  That’s where Mark’s gospel originally ended.  Male chauvinists have concluded “Of course they told, there were women!” I don’t believe that. What I DO believe is that, although Jesus told them not to tell early in is ministry, after he had risen from the grave it was time to testify, to tell the story that the man who was called the Christ by Peter actually was. Jesus had gone on speaking in riddles, saying “If you try to save your life by yourself, you will be lost; but if you lose your life following me, you will be saved.” Is that a secret? Not any more; it’s Christian theology. It was told appropriately after he rose from the dead and now Jesus’ words have the power they deserved. In hindsight, people get what he was earnestly preaching then to hearts that didn’t yet understand.

In closing, let me suggest three parts of the secret meant to be told.

          First, Jesus is the Christ, but not the kind you think. He is the long awaited Messiah who saves us by his grace and paid the price on the cross. To that you may reply “That’s no secret!? Isn’t it? The disciples didn’t share it and didn’t stand up for him at the cross. Two thousand years have gone by and still the world has not all heard and had the chance to accept or reject this news. Don’t take it for granted that others know!  That’s one of the biggest problems shy areas with Presbyterians: they don’t often invite others to decide if Jesus Christ is Lord. This is a secret meant to be told! Two tennis players and two dressed-for-church Presbyterians are in a condo elevator riding down together on a Sunday morning. “Playing tennis today?” asks the church couple? “Yup” answers the tennis couple. “Have a nice day!” they say as they part. But a different way that could have ended would have been like this: “Yep, we’re going to church;” and pointing out of their glass elevator say “We go to that white church with the steeple over there. Some Sunday we’d love to have you go with us!”  What a difference an invitation makes!

Second, even though Jesus did suffer and was rejected, he is still Messiah and Lord! Yes, his life and death were radically different from what people expected. Nevertheless, he suffered for you and for me. That won’t save us from suffering, but we will not be left as orphans: not in this life, and in the next life we will see him. That’s a secret worth sharing!

          Finally, one of the best kept secrets is that it is easier to ignore Christ than to accept him. How much easier it would be if we didn’t have obligations to Christ and His Church on Sunday mornings! The tennis and golf courses beckon! The newspaper has to be read.  But Jesus worshipped, Jesus prayed, and Jesus glorified his Father in Heaven. For us to do less makes us bystanders at the cross rather than disciples. People joining our church today know that: they have set aside this day and Sundays ahead to say “Thank you, Jesus.” Join them in rededicating your life to share and live one of the best kept secrets in the world: the secret meant to be told.

Let us pray:

O God our help from generation to generation: be with us now as we add numbers to our fellowship. Remind us to never leave behind the call to care, to live your Word, to witness to our faith, and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Jeffrey A. Sumner                                                  September 17, 2006