Interplanner
Well-known member
Since losing independence in 333 BC, Israel went through a series of managing foreign powers. Or under them. The Greek was the most insulting, with their desecration of the second temple. When Roman authority took over, the arrangement was the uneasy 'pivot' type. That is, if Israel would pay money to Caesar the divine emperor, considered by Rome to be an act of worship, then Israel could worship as it wanted in the confines of its temple, which was now in its 3rd period due to the remodels of Herod.
This was uneasy in many ways, and the zealots in Israel were not even certain that the 3rd temple was kosher. While they truly wanted an independent monarchy back, the Pharisees did not consider it worth fighting for.
In 6 AD, a further divisive event took place. Judas the Galilean started a revolt due to the census, Acts 5:37. There is no indication that anyone among the Pharisees had similar thoughts. If you were in Jerusalem, from that point on, you were slightly suspect of Galileans, and intriguingly, Christ called most of his followers from there.
There is no attempt by Christ to try to be the independent monarch. He is pressed to do so and refuses, Jn 6. But we may now appreciate the dilemma of Peter (and others). Somewhere after the first miracles, the disciples get the idea that he is a monarchy Christ. To them, to confess to be the Christ means just that.
We know this from what happens in the 'confession' of Peter. He confesses that Jesus is the Christ, but then Christ announces the founding of his church. That in turn is founded on the death and resurrection of Christ. That in turn elicits an outburst from Peter that such a thing will not happen.
Those are the telltale words of the account. The problem seems to be that there is now such a reaction to Christ crucified in favor of the monarchy Christ that Peter will interrupt things. All kinds of reactions result. When they find out he is serious, they are filled with grief. It is important to remember there are various kinds, and one of them is the grief of your own dreams, Mt. 17.
But the other reactions are denial and fear. However most important we read of hiddenness. This becomes hidden from them (until the right time), Lk 18:34.
This was uneasy in many ways, and the zealots in Israel were not even certain that the 3rd temple was kosher. While they truly wanted an independent monarchy back, the Pharisees did not consider it worth fighting for.
In 6 AD, a further divisive event took place. Judas the Galilean started a revolt due to the census, Acts 5:37. There is no indication that anyone among the Pharisees had similar thoughts. If you were in Jerusalem, from that point on, you were slightly suspect of Galileans, and intriguingly, Christ called most of his followers from there.
There is no attempt by Christ to try to be the independent monarch. He is pressed to do so and refuses, Jn 6. But we may now appreciate the dilemma of Peter (and others). Somewhere after the first miracles, the disciples get the idea that he is a monarchy Christ. To them, to confess to be the Christ means just that.
We know this from what happens in the 'confession' of Peter. He confesses that Jesus is the Christ, but then Christ announces the founding of his church. That in turn is founded on the death and resurrection of Christ. That in turn elicits an outburst from Peter that such a thing will not happen.
Those are the telltale words of the account. The problem seems to be that there is now such a reaction to Christ crucified in favor of the monarchy Christ that Peter will interrupt things. All kinds of reactions result. When they find out he is serious, they are filled with grief. It is important to remember there are various kinds, and one of them is the grief of your own dreams, Mt. 17.
But the other reactions are denial and fear. However most important we read of hiddenness. This becomes hidden from them (until the right time), Lk 18:34.