Eyes of Faith Start Here - Mark 8:27-33

Mark 8:27–31 ESV

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged 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.

The Person of Christ Reviewed

Look at verses 27-20

While walking on the road Jesus asks them what people are saying about him.

Sometimes people ask questions for different reasons. One reason is they want to know the answer. I don’t know, so I ask.

Another is not so that I learn information but its to help others arrive at certain information.

That’s more of what Jesus is doing here. Do you follow me and bleieve what the crowds believe about me?

Some say he’s John the baptist. Remember, John was beheaded by Herod because of his wife and his step daughter. Herod himself heard of Jesus and believed that John the Baptist had come back from the dead and that would explain to him how Jesus had these miraculous powers—only a ghost of some sort could do that.

And many think the same thing. This has gotta be John!

Some say he’s Elijah. What is that significant?

Elijah was revered by the Jews. If the Jews had heroes of the faith, they would be looking to men like Moses and Elijah. Elijah worked many miraculous wonders, and Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return ahead of the coming of the Messiah. So maybe this Jesus guy isn’t the Messiah himself, but rather the forerunner Elijah, and thus Messiah would be coming soon.

Others say he is one of the prophets. That alone would be significant. There has not been a prophet of God in Isreal for 400 years. Between Malachi and the time of Jesus, the Jews did not recognize anyone as have the prophetic authority of someone like Jeremiah, or Isaiah. But this Jesus guy, I mean Wow! Remember what the people said about him back in chapter one: Who is this? He teaches as one who has what? Authority, yes. Not like the scribes!

He’s clearly something different than the other leaders we have around us.

So Jesus, whoever he is, is definitely a significant character, and definitely someone worth considering.

But then he asks them in verse 29....

But who do you say that I am. The way the sentence is structured in the original the you is emphasized. Who do YOU say that I am?

Peter speaks up with boldness and makes the confession of the ages: You are the Christ.

You are the Messiah.

You are the one we’ve been looking for. The one we’ve been longing for. The one that was to come and restore all things. The one who was to come and bring deliverance. The one who save Israel.

You are the Christ.

I find Jesus response to be interesting. Consistent with the Messianic Secret that we’ve seen throughout this book, he tells, them, okay good, you’ve got it. Don’t tell anyone.

Jesus still has a plan and a timeline, and he continues to guard that. This is not the time for you to publically declare me to be the Messiah. Not now.

But this is an amazing moment of clarity for the disciples, isn’t it??

It’s like, finally, you get something right, for once.

They’ve seen Jesus cast out legions of demons. He’s declared forgiveness for sins. He’s calmed the stormy seas. He’s walked on water. He’s multiplied food. He’s raised people from the dead.

It’s only natural for them to conclude that He is, in fact, the messiah, right? I mean, aren’t these things aspects of what the prophets spoke of when they prophesied about the messiah??

At different points in our study of this book we have gone back and read what Isiah wrote, and how Jesus fulfills those words.

They get it, right? He’s the messiah!

They, partially, get it. Remember, this is fresh off the scene where Jesus had to challenge their failure to see and understand, and then provide a living parable to them with the two stage healing of the blind man. They do see, but it’s only a partial sight. They embrace that Jesus is the Messiah, but they do not yet see and understand his purposes in this coming.

The Purpose of Christ Revealed

The Priority of Christ Reinforced

Eyes of faith begin with a right understanding of who Jesus is.

Eyes of faith embrace Jesus on His terms—not ours.