Big Idea: Jesus’s role as the suffering Messiah (8:27–33) provides a model for his disciples. The path of true discipleship is one of self-denying and cross-bearing.

Understanding the Text

The previous section developed the necessity and meaning of Jesus’s suffering (8:27–33). Jesus then uses his messianic suffering as the model for discipleship. The sayings in 8:34–9:1 define the implications for true followers, with the thesis statement telling how to follow (v. 34) followed by two clarifications telling why we should follow Jesus (vv. 35–37, 38) and an eschatological promise linking discipleship with the parousia (9:1).

Interpretive Insights

8:34  he called the crowd. Until now we do not know that there is a “crowd” listening; the text mentions only Jesus and his disciples. But thes…