It’s one of the verses that stops you in your tracks. Is it a threat? Is it a promise? Is it meant to inspire? Is it meant to terrify? They’re words from the mouth of Jesus recorded for us by Mark in his gospel. Read them for yourself. 

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”” ‭Mark‬ ‭8:38‬ ‭

Wow. 

Yikes. 

What should we do with this passage? I read this and because of my conditioning and the lens through which I read the scriptures, what I hear Jesus saying is, “if you’re ashamed of me, you’re going to hell.” Just to be clear, I don’t think that’s what Jesus is saying, but that is what I hear. What do you hear?

When studying a passage, it’s always good to know the context and to dig into the words. Let’s start with what the words in this passage actually mean. The main word that shapes the contour of this thought is ashamed. In the Greek, it’s the word epaisxýnomai. It means, disgraced, like someone singled out because they misplaced their confidence or support. It could also mean a person who believed a big lie and is humiliated because of it. The prevailing idea is that someone is humiliated because they wrongly aligned with someone or something. 

Now, the context is very important also. Remember, Jesus is speaking to a culture that is entrenched in a honor and shame paradigm. In the West, we operate based off of a guilt and innocence paradigm, but Jesus’ first disciples did not. In an honor and shame culture, the worst offense you could perpetrate against another is be to bring shame upon one’s family or friends. When Jesus says, “the Son of Man will be ashamed of you,” there was no worse reality in the minds of Mark’s readers.  

We know this feeling, even in our guilt and innocence culture. When you did something wrong as a child, did your parents ever look at you and say, “I’m so disappointed in you”? That feeling was the worst, wasn’t it? I would much rather have been punished by my parents than have them utter those dreaded words. That’s the feeling that Jesus is talking about in Mark 8:38.

Now, here’s where more context becomes helpful. The gospel Mark was written John Mark, but it was dictated to him by Peter. This important because Peter knew a think or two about being ashamed of Jesus, didn’t he? On the night that Jesus was handed over the the Roman authorities to be crucified, Peter denied Jesus three times. 

The most poignant description of the emotion behind the betrayed is captured by Luke. Listen to what he wrote in Luke 22:59-62,

“About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

‭‭The Lord turned and looked right at Peter. Can you imagine those eyes. Those eyes that looked at Peter hours earlier as he was washing his feet. Those eyes that looked at him as they walked along dirts roads and talked about life in the kingdom of God. Those eyes that declared that he had healed Peter's mother-in-law. Those eyes locked with Peter’s right after he betrayed Jesus. 

Ashamed. 

Can you imagine that moment? Jesus is saying in Mark 8:38 that you don’t ever want to feel the emotion and reality of that moment. I imagine that as Peter dictated his gospel to John Mark, it brought back all sorts of memories of going outside and "weeping bitterly.” 

Regret.

Shame.

However, like I said previously, Jesus isn’t talking about heaven and hell. He’s not saying, “If you deny me in this way, you’re going to hell.” How do we know that? Well, quite simply, that is not what he said. We also have Peter as a great example declaring to us that this is not an unpardonable sin.

Jesus’ point in Mark 8:38 is that we need to live today in light of the end. He’s promising that he will one day come back and that when he does, our lives will be laid bare before him. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to suffer the pain of that moment of knowing that I’ve let down someone who has loved me so powerfully and passionately. Jesus is telling us that we don’t want to experience that moment; Peter knows the pain of being in that place and he uses his gospel account to point us to a better way.

Ashamed. If we feel that way toward Jesus now, Jesus says that he will feel that way towards us upon his return. 

Today, let’s live in light of the end and let us hold fast to faith in Jesus.