Location is important. Apparently it always has been.
Our Gospel text for this evening includes the phrase, “On the way.”
This just so happens to be a theme that runs through Mark’s gospel almost from the beginning to end.
The gospel writer, Mark portrays Jesus as being a man of action. He is always on the move…and changes locations frequently.
We know for example that the beginning of his ministry was in Galilee. Jesus was a Galilean. He was not at all a part of the Judean elite. He was from the hinterlands, the back-hills, the unsophisticated areas of Israel. He grew up and was at home in the area of day laborers, fishermen and farmers, the rural populations…
Places without consideration,
It was while they were “on the way” you may remember, that the disciples argued at length among themselves – “who was the greatest!”
In spite of what the disciples did or said, Jesus continued “on the way.”
It is later, after this that we are finally and ultimately told that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.
His face was set like stone…or like flint. He could not and would not be deterred.
It was also while “on the way” that he paused and restored the sight to blind Bartimaeus…who then, followed him, “on the way.”
According to Mark, Jesus was going places. He had a lot to accomplish and little time to accomplish it in.
Our text for this evening finds us smack dab in the middle of Mark’s gospel.
The decision has been made. The direction has been set. The location to where he is going is known. But first, a momentary – side trip.
This is like a road trip to a strange and foreign place. One could almost say that it is like a kind of “show and tell.”
Jesus takes the twelve to Caesarea Philippi. We are in Greco-Roman territory. Once more, Jesus and the twelve find themselves in unclean, idolatrous, defiled surroundings.
I tell you the location is everything…and in this case, it is very telling.
This is pagan land. This is one of those places where a good Jew does not go. It is hostile territory.
The city was actually rebuilt and renamed and redone by Herod the Great. He built a white marble Temple here in honor of the Greek – god, Pan. It was re-named for Caesar, and Philipp the Tetrarch of the region, later added his own name, as well.
Pan you may remember was the half-goat, half boy god, who played the pan-flute.
These surroundings were not friendly.
Here in this place, in this location was something actually called the “gates of hell.”
Pan was the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature, of mountain wilds and of rustic music.
Here in this location, in the midst of the Roman Empire – Jesus takes the twelve. It is here, that Jesus makes his first of three passion predictions which the twelve will not understand or get. One more time, they remain clueless.
Location matters. Location is important. Location is sometimes all telling. Location locates you. It grounds you. It gives to you a place of reference.
There in the midst of the largest empire known to mankind, Jesus asks some pretty personal questions. The disciples are being asked to witness in a foreign land. This is huge!
It is almost like a foretaste of things to come. There is an obvious reason behind this journey and this specific location.
What happens to prophets of Yahweh- God in the Roman Empire?
What happens to “messiah-figures” in the Greco-Roman world?
How are they treated? How long are they tolerated? What happens when they start amassing followers?
So, given this spot, given this location…who do people say that I am?
Better yet, who do YOU say that I am?
What happens to those who give witness in foreign territories?
Be careful what you say. Know your surroundings…know where you are … people have been killed and cut down in their prime for saying a lot less.
Later the disciples-apostles-less-Judas would be sent out to the very ends of the then, known world – to bear witness. To testify. To talk about their beliefs.
You have to start somewhere. But be careful out there. Because the world can be a very dangerous place!