The Suffering Messiah

Bible Passage: Mark 8:27-33

This passage is a pivot point in the gospel of Mark. Up until now, the key issue has been around who Jesus is, and Mark has been showing us things that Jesus said and did to help us answer this. In many ways our journey as readers follows the journey of the disciples as they were on the road with Jesus and getting to know him. In these verses, they have finally understood, as Peter responds to Jesus’ question about who he is by declaring that he is the Messiah. Having now understood this big point from the first part of Mark, attention turns to a second issue: what did Jesus come to do. As we see from Peter’s follow up on this point, there is still a long way to go for the disciples to grasp the true nature of Jesus’ mission. In this sermon, we want to help hearers see that recognising Jesus as Messiah is only half the journey, and that we must also grasp the nature of his mission and allow the way of the cross to redefine our expectations.

What People Think of Jesus: Jesus opens up the conversation with an ‘easy’ question for the disciples. He wants to know what the popular opinion about him is. He has been on the road now for a while teaching and demonstrating the kingdom, and it has definitely made a stir, but it has not yet formed a clear and accurate picture in people’s minds. It seems as though people are grasping for categories to process what they have seen, and so answers include John the Baptist, Elijah, and the prophets. These are all people that had done things that in some way resembled what Jesus was doing, and there is a consistent impression that God was at work in an unusual way. However, the answer fell short of a full understanding of who Jesus is. In a lot of ways, the public opinion of the day was not too dissimilar to today. The specific names mentioned might be different (although there are still many who would call Jesus a prophet), but lots of people are aware that there is ‘something’ about Jesus but have not yet reached a clear conclusion of who he is and what the implications of this are. .

Who Jesus Is: Having received this answer, Jesus then follows up with a second question, and this one is much more personal. He wants to know the disciples’ own view of who Jesus is. In characteristic fashion, it is Peter who jumps in with a response, declaring that Jesus is the Messiah. In giving this answer, Peter is reaching for Old Testament imagery of one who is greater than the prophets; an anointed king sent by God to make all things right. There are even hints within the Old Testament promises that this figure would carry an authority beyond any mere human. This is the first point in the story that any of the disciples have truly grasped the identity of Jesus. Seeing the questions asked so directly and answered so well at this point in the gospel account is designed to make us think about our own response to that question from Jesus: ‘Who do you say I am?’

What Jesus Came to Do: When Peter correctly answered the question about Jesus’ identity it seems like a key moment, but there is still a lot more for him to understand. Popular ideas about a ‘Messiah’ were centered on an earthly ruler who would bring political and military victory in Israel. From this moment on in Mark, the focus is on showing that Jesus would be a very different kind of Messiah. At this point in the story, the disciples understand who Jesus is, but not yet what it means for him to be that person, and this gap becomes the battleground of discipleship from here to the cross. In verse 31, we see Jesus beginning to teach them that being the Messiah would involve him suffering, being rejected, and being killed, before being raised again on the third day. For Peter, this understanding of being a Messiah did not compute, and he took Jesus aside to challenge him about it, but Jesus responded with some of the bluntest words we see him speaking in any of the gospels – even calling Peter ‘Satan’. It is crucial that we understand that the way of the Messiah should not be conflated with earthly power, but is a path that involves going to the cross and suffering for the sins of his people, in order to bring deliverance from the true enemies of sin, death and the devil.

Potential Applications:

• The primary focus of this passage is on the question of who is Jesus. This is a great moment to ask people their own response to the question and invite people to put their faith in him.
• We also see a contrast between earthly power and the way of the cross. Challenge those who desire an earthly or political Messiah to instead embrace the way of the cross.
• We are surrounded by many people who have all different views of who Jesus is. This is a good moment to encourage people to share their faith with those around them to help them see for themselves who Jesus is. If there is an upcoming event like an Alpha course, it could be a good chance to ask people to think about who they can invite along.