death as something that happened not only because of Jesus’ challenge to the structures of first-century Judaism but also to the authority of Rome. Ultimately for Jesus and Mark the Pax Romana was merely a superficial rearrangement of the powers of this world. The Pax Romana itself needed to be transformed by the shalom of Yahweh. In this light, then, what does it mean to deny oneself? If the invitation to follow Jesus is not a call for self-denial as that is usually construed, what is it? Once again,