Jesus is having a bad day. First, he curses a fruitless fig tree then drives all the animals out of the Temple. Then he turns the tables over the people who are selling the animals. Havent we all had days like that?

Peter rebukes Jesus, then Jesus rebukes Peter (even calling him Satan). Do we still resist a Messiah who suffers and wish he hadnt said that thing about taking up our cross.

The Spirit of God drives Jesus into the wilderness to live among the wild beasts and be waited on by angels. Mark doesnt specify the temptations Satan offers Jesus. Does he just assume they are the same as ours?

Peter wants to stay on the mountaintop. We, too, are tempted to live for those mountaintop experiences that come along once in a while. Instead of living for the sensational experiences perhaps we are just supposed to listen to Jesus.

The man Jesus heals in this story cannot keep his mouth shut. He talks up what this itinerate preacher/teacher/healer has done for him that Jesus practically has to go into hiding. Keeping Jesus' secret doesn't seem to be a problem for most of us today.

Jesus seems to be hindered in doing what God has called him to do for all the people who want something else from him. Do we sometimes want something other than Jesus had to give?