Mark 8

"Who do men say that I am? .... But who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:27-29)

It is a bit strange that just a while back the disciples did not really understand (Mark 8:16-21), yet they can declare that Jesus is the Christ here.

Or perhaps it was only Peter who was sure that Jesus is the Christ, since the Bible records that Peter was the one who answered.

In that case, it is even more puzzling that Peter rebuked Jesus that such sufferings and manner of dying should never occur to Him (Mark 8:31-32). If Peter had really know that Jesus was the Christ, surely he knew about the prophecies and the purpose of God coming in the flesh?

I am not sure if Peter was a rash person, guided by feelings more than anything. By feeling, he knew that Jesus was the one who is promised to come; but by feeling also, he did not want Jesus to suffer and die.

Feelings tend to bind us in the here and now, and we forgot about what's best, or what's right, in the way ahead.

We must be mindful of the things of God, not the things of men, otherwise, we are no different from Satan if we are only a hindrance to the work of God (Mark 8:33).

Jesus did not stop at the first question but continued with the second, "Who do you say that I am?"

I get the feeling that Jesus wanted the disciples to really have their own personal faith or relationship with God. We can hear what others testify about Jesus, we can hear stories passed down from our parents, grandparents, about how they believed in Jesus, but ultimately, who is Jesus to me?

Jesus wants to know the answer to that.