Mark 8:27 - 9:1 second time around

I thought this passage deserved two passes.

Jesus has been traveling in the area north of Galilee. This area is mixed, in both religious practices and in ethnic makeup. Locations mentioned are Tyre and Sidon, his home town of Nazareth, and the Decapolis region. After 9:1 Jesus is transfigured on the mountain and sees Moses and Elijah. After this he mostly stays in the area surrounding Jerusalem.

The area of the north is probably not even primarily Jewish. Jesus seems to walk to areas of Jewish settlement. Narareth was a small Jewish village. Tyre and Sidon we larger and probably had Jewish areas near non-Jewish or Gentile area. Many villages were not Jewish at all but these villages are never mentioned. They would be like Boston or Philadephia, divided int ethnic enclaves, Jews, Greeks, Asians, Africans, etc.

This present story occurs while Jesus and his disciples are walking between towns in the area of Caesarea Phillipi. There were towns in this area. Jesus seems to have been traveling to the Jewish towns and preaching in their synagogues.

In the Old Testament this region is called Dan, after the tribes that received it as an inheritance. This area is not dry like the south. It is hilly but full of streams, forests and vegetation. In Jesus' day it was famous for its magnificent temple cut out of the mountain known as Banias. Here sacrifice was made to the god Pan. But there were probably other gods sacrificed to and a cult of the emperor. This was likely a popular destination for pilgrims. The Bible never mentions this. Jesus and other God-fearing Jews probably tried to ignore it as best they could.

Mark leads off this passage by mentioning that they are walking through the area. This conversation like took a while. As they walked Jesus asked them who people say he is. They give his three answers. Jesus continues to question them. There is probably lots of discussion. There may be quite a few people on the road, loud distractions. Others might be passing them. Some are walking alongside them. Jesus then changes the question slightly. He asks them "Who do you say that I am?" I imagine this question was not directly answered right away. Taking to twelve (or more) moving people is not easy. They might get separated for a moment. I imagine there was some discussion amongst the disciples for how to answer this question. It may have taken a while, perhaps a mile or two before Peter got bold enough to say that they thought he was the Christ.

Jesus must have been excited, encouraged by this answer. They got it right. Jesus remarks that only by divine revelation could they have understood this. So I think it is with this encouragement that Jesus goes on to plainly explain what it means for him to be the Savior, the Messiah. However this goes awry. The disciples cannot handle the truth. I imagine if we knew all the things that would happen in our life beforehand we would not be able to handle it either.

Peter, again likely after some reaction and discussion amongst the disciples speaks up for the group. Remember they are walking down the road. Peter takes Jesus of to the other side of the road and rebukes him. Peter tries to correct him. Perhaps this is Peter's misconception of what it means to be Messiah that gets in the way. The Messiah is to be a victorious warrior, saving God's people from their oppressors. Peter tries to do this privately, without anyone else hearing.

But Jesus takes charge of the situation. He turns and makes sure they all hear his response. This makes me think they are all in on it. He corrects Peter. "Get behind me Satan, for you are not setting your mind on God' interests but man's."

Jesus then explains himself. This is climactic. This, with the following transfiguration, ends the first half of the book of Mark. For then on things are different.

Jesus has God's interests, not man's. He knows it will be hard. But this is what he was called for. Do we have God's interests or man's? I think I can only handle this is small bits, small time elements. I can seek to do God's will as I understand it. But in between it seems to me I seek after my own needs and pleasures. This is not to say that God is not happy with our having fun and so on. But overall we are to seek, and be ready to do God's will at all times.

This teaching, a follow up to Peter's rebuke is a call to be wholly given to God. "Take up your cross and follow me." "Whoever is ashamed of me in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory."

Our generation is do different than the one it which he lived. It sets it in stark contrast. Sometime the question is posed to make God the guilty one who has to explain why the world is bad. No it is we who are guilty and must explain our behavior. We are a part of this sinful adulterous generation. God is so good and loving and perfect. How can we not identify with him over and above the imperfect pleasures of this world?

MARK 8:27-9:1 [27] Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am?" [28] They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets." [29] And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter *answered and *said to Him, "You are the Christ." [30] And He warned them to tell no one about Him. [31] And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. [32] And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. [33] But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." [34] And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. [35] For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. [36] For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? [37] For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? [38] For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." [1] And Jesus was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power." NASB