The apostles misunderstood Jesus’ being the messiah. They did not yet realize that the salvation Christ would bring required much difficulty and sacrifice.
It took the Twelve a long time to comprehend it, so Mark repeats the point three separate times between chapters 8-10. Each time, Jesus tells the apostles that the messiah must suffer and die, with clear implications that they must do the same. Jesus told Peter and the apostles that the real way to succeed is quite different. However, each time they missed the point and, in fact, they did the opposite.
More and more people today are finally beginning to understand that this is not a call to willful or heroic self-restraint, but something that demands much more of the ego. The self we need to let go of is our falsely concocted identity so that the True Self, or the self we eternally are in God, can naturally emerge.
It is always that simple and altogether difficult because we are attached to our personas, careers, masks, and agendas. They do not die easily—and yet they surely will!
Mark 8:34-35 “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”
