The Road To Jerusalem

Mark 8:31; 9:31-32; 10:32-34
By Harold Dinsmore, M.Div.
© 2008 Harold Dinsmore

I believe most of you are well acquainted with television news programs.  One of my favorites of the past was “On the Road” with Charles Kurlat.  He would hit the road with his camera crew in search of the rural and unknown America.  I am sure it was fascinating traveling, meeting new and interesting people, seeing different points of interest and getting paid for it.  Not too bad a job!

Jesus entire ministry was on the road.  His roadies were quite a different lot, but faithful.  They were there almost every step of the way.  Jesus was constantly on the move, meeting new people, teaching, declaring God and the kingdom to men.  From north to south, occupied Israel was roughly 180 miles long and 70 miles wide near the middle of the area.  This would compare to the area east from Kansas City to Booneville and south to Table Rock Lake.

Jesus was on a lengthy road trip.  He had been to the north at Tyre and Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee on to the south and east to the Decapolis, then back north to Bethsaida and then further north to Caesarea Philippi.  It was at this point we pick up the narrative in Mark 8:27-31.  Following Peter’s famous confession of Jesus being the Christ, Messiah Jesus reveals to them these startling words in verse 31.  “Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and rise after three days.”