Mar 8:27-9:1 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Mark 8:27-9:1: 8:27–9:1 This section is the first cycle containing a prediction by Jesus of his suffering (8:31 ), an error by the disciples (8:32-33 ), and a collection of Jesus’ sayings about discipleship (8:34–9:1 ). Cp. 9:30–10:31 . Summary for Mark 8:27-38: 8:27-38 Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah and Jesus’ first prediction of his death mark a turning point in Mark’s Gospel and a new stage in Jesus’ life. The question, “Who is this man?” raised by the disciples in 4:41 , is now answered by Peter. Summary for Mark 8:27-28: 8:27-28 Philip the Tetrarch, son of Herod the Great, built Caesarea Philippi on the slopes of Mount Hermon about twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) north of the Sea of Galilee. The more famous Caesarea on the coast had been built by Philip’s father. • Who do people say I am? As a good teacher, Jesus asked a question to elicit his disciples’ understanding. The response is similar to 6:14-16 . • John the Baptist: See study note on 6:14. • one of the other prophets: Jesus was clearly considered a prophet (6:4 ; 14:65 ; Luke 7:16 , 39 ; 13:33 ; 24:19 ).

Summary for Mark 8:27-9:1: 8:27–9:1 ^a This section is the first cycle containing a prediction by Jesus of his suffering (8:31 ^b), an error by the disciples (8:32-33 ^c), and a collection of Jesus’ sayings about discipleship (8:34–9:1 ^d). Cp. 9:30–10:31 ^e.
Summary for Mark 8:27-38: 8:27-38 ^f Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah and Jesus’ first prediction of his death mark a turning point in Mark’s Gospel and a new stage in Jesus’ life. The question, “Who is this man?” raised by the disciples in 4:41 ^g, is now answered by Peter.
Summary for Mark 8:27-28: 8:27-28 ^h Philip the Tetrarch, son of Herod the Great, built Caesarea Philippi on the slopes of Mount Hermon about twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) north of the Sea of Galilee. The more famous Caesarea on the coast had been built by Philip’s father.

• Who do people say I am? As a good teacher, Jesus asked a question to elicit his disciples’ understanding. The response is similar to 6:14-16 ⁱ.

• John the Baptist: See study note on 6:14.

• one of the other prophets: Jesus was clearly considered a prophet (6:4 ^j; 14:65 ^k; Luke 7:16 ^l, 39 ^m; 13:33 ⁿ; 24:19 ^o).
Summary for Mark 8:29-30: 8:29-30 ^p But who do you say I am? In the Greek text, you is emphatic. Peter responded for the group, You are the Messiah. Peter’s confession was correct, as the command not to tell anyone about him indicates (see 3:11-12 ^q; see also 1:1 ^r; 14:61-62 ^s; Matt 16:17 ^t).
Summary for Mark 8:31-38: 8:31-38 ^u Then Jesus began to teach the disciples that he would suffer and be killed in Jerusalem and three days later ... rise from the dead. Jesus now explicitly predicted what he had revealed in veiled form (2:19-20 ^v). In response, Peter objected, so Jesus taught him and the other disciples the nature of his mission and what it really means to follow him. 8:31 ^w It was a divine necessity that Jesus must suffer (see also 9:11 ^x; 13:7 ^y, 10 ^z). The immediate cause for Jesus’ suffering was the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law (see 10:33 ^aa; 11:18 ^ab, 27 ^ac; 14:1 ^ad, 43 ^ae, 53 ^af), but the ultimate cause was the will of God.

• Jesus’ death would not be the end, for three days later he would rise from the dead.

• Three days later is a synonym for on the third day (Matt 16:21 ^ag; Luke 9:22 ^ah) and after three days and three nights (Matt 12:40 ^ai).
8:32 ^aj Peter understood what Jesus had said, but he did not accept it. Peter shared the popular idea that the Messiah was to be a victorious national ruler, so he thought Jesus’ talk of suffering and death was nonsense.
8:33 ^ak Jesus looked at his disciples before he publicly rebuked Peter; he wanted them to understand that Peter was wrong.

• Get away from me, Satan does not mean that Peter was demon-possessed. Peter spoke from a human point of view, not from God’s, so he unwittingly spoke for Satan, the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4 ^al), and repeated Satan’s temptation (cp. Matt 4:8-10 ^am).
Summary for Mark 8:34-38: 8:34-38 ^an Jesus’ invitation to his disciples and the crowd lays out the cost of being his follower.

• To give up your own way involves letting Jesus determine your goals and purposes in life. To take up your cross is metaphorical (cp. Luke 9:23 ^ao); it indicates that faithfulness to Jesus must extend, if required, even to the point of death. To follow Jesus’ teaching and example is a continual commitment.
8:35 ^ap If you try to hang on to (literally save) your life by keeping it from Jesus, you will lose it in the next world. But if you lose it to Jesus and his cause (the spread of the Good News), you will save it forever.
Summary for Mark 8:36-37: 8:36-37 ^aq The implied answer to Jesus’ rhetorical question is that possessing the entire world has no value if you give up eternal life. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” (Jim Elliot). You need your soul to enjoy the benefits of the world to come. When you forfeit your life or soul, there is nothing you can give to purchase it back.
8:38 ^ar When Jesus, as the Son of Man, returns in glory to judge the world, he will be ashamed of those who were ashamed to be identified with him and his message (cp. Matt 7:21-23 ^as; 10:32-33 ^at; Luke 12:8-9 ^au; 2 Tim 2:12 ^av).

‏ Mark 9:1

9:1 ^aw The introductory I tell you the truth indicates that the promise in this verse is important, but the meaning of the promise is much debated. It might suggest that some of the disciples will (1) witness Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (ch 16 ^ax); (2) experience the coming of the Spirit upon the church (Acts 2 ^ay); (3) see the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70; or (4) witness Jesus’ transfiguration as a foretaste of God’s coming Kingdom. Mark’s placement of the promise right before the transfiguration account (Mark 9:2-8 ^az) indicates that he probably meant the transfiguration as the fulfillment (see 2 Pet 1:16-18 ^ba).