The Gospel of Mark
Caesarea Philippi: Mk 8,27-9,1
Caesarea Philippi is right at the north of Galilee and perhaps the evangelist considered that this was a suitable departure point for Jesus to go to Jerusalem. The journey can now be only southwards.
As we saw when we took an overall look at the chapter, Caesarea Philippi provides the fourth setting for this chapter. It would seem that Jesus and his disciples remain there until the change of time in 9,2. That's one reason why I prefer to keep the whole section together whatever the commentators and translations may propose. We have also seen how the healing of the blind man forms a hinge in the story, moving forward from the complete lack of sight in verse 21 (do you not yet understand?) to a further opening of the eyes in what follows leading up to the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus in 10,45-52.
I also read these verses as tightly put together through the three subunits:
In the first unit (verses 27-30), the question is posed: who do people say I am?
Then in the second unit (verses 31-33), Jesus teaches his disciples what this means.
Finally in the third unit (verses 34-38), the consequences for the followers of Jesus are spelt out.
To this is added an independent saying in 9,1 which acts as a conclusion to what precedes. This saying is followed by and introduces the scene of the Transfiguration (9,2-8). This as we will see when we read chapter 9 provides a context for the whole Caesarea Philippi episode.
Return now so that we can explore all this in more detail.
Who do people say that I am? 8,27-30
"On the way" is found here at the beginning of the journey south, it reappears several times during the journey (10,17.32) and at the end we are told Bartimaeus follows Jesus "on the way" (from Jericho to Jerusalem). Many translations simply say "on the road" but as we will see when we come to the Bartimaeus healing, I think there is much more to the phrase than that.
"On the way" is found in the OT. Following the Exodus, for example, the Lord led the people with a pillar of cloud "to lead them along the way" (Ex 13,21). The references to Isaish cover the three main parts of the boook. The best known is "prepare the way of the Lord" (Is 40,3).
We are told Jesus goes to the villages around Casearea Philippi, not the town itself which was a well known centre of pagan cult.
Jesus then puts the question of his identity to the disciples. We the readers already know the answer from the heading of the Gospel, 1,1.
Popular explanations then follow much as with Herod 6,14-15. Elijah went up to heaven in a fiery chariot (2 K 2,11) and was expected to return at the end of time (Mal 3,1). "One of the prophets" recalls the prophet like Moses of Dt 18,15.18. It's worth keeping in mind that both Elijah and Moses are being suggested here (see 9,3).
Jesus' question in verse 29 is quite emphatic. Greek is one of many languages where the person is normally indicated by the verb itself. Adding the pronoun "you" to the verb is therefore an emphasis.
Peter's reply in the Greek is that Jesus is the Christ. Many translations use the Hebrew equivalent "Messiah". Both mean God's anointed one. It may be that at the time of the scene, Peter's reply would have been "Messiah" with all its Jewish expectations. For later Christian generations, "Christ" would have been understood in light of Jesus as the risen Lord. I think therefore "Christ" is the better translation, the transliteration of the Greek.
We need to note at this point that the Gospel of Matthew (16,13-20) makes far more of this exchaange than either Mark or Luke. As usual, we must not read Mark with Matthew in mind.
Verse 30 is then a reminder that all is not as straightforward as it might seem. Peter has given his answer, now he has to discover just how wrong he is. What sort of Messiah Jesus is will only become clear later. Jesus now begins his teaching of what this will be.
So we can return to read this teaching.
The Son of Man must suffer: 8,31-33
There may be more to "began to" here than just a stylistic addition. The fate of Jesus is beginning to loom large in the story of the Gospel. Only Mark uses the word "teach". Jesus must teach the meaning of this journey to Jerusalem.
"Must" being the next word for our consideration. "It is necessary" would be a more literal but more cumbersome translation. This is Jesus' acceptance of his fate, the fulfilment of the will of his Father (14,36).
Jesus though refers to himself as the Son of Man, here in the sense of the prophet Daniel of the heavenly figure. Even while predicting his fate, there are deeper implications to be borne in mind.
Verse 31 is a fairly general statement "suffer many things", there is no mention of crucifixion. The rejection may echo the stone rejected by the builders of Psalm 118,22, a quotation often used in the NT. The three groups mentioned form the members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council. Then Jesus adds "after three days rise again". It's curious that the three statements are known as "passion predictions" when the resurrection is clearly stated. No doubt this is due to the traditional emphasis on Good Friday.
The first line of verse 32 is special to Mark. Here Jesus is speaking plainly or frankly to his disciples. "Openly" may be confusing because the crowd don't appear until verse 34.
Peter cannot accept this prediction, the necessity for suffering ("must" in verse 31) is not on his agenda when he called Jesus Messiah. He takes Jesus aside to try to rebuke Jesus only to be rebuked himself by Jesus in front of the other disicples in the harshest of terms. Terms which by invoking Satan recall the temptation of Jesus himself following his baptism (1,13).
Take up the cross and follow me: 8,34-38 & 9,1
There is no point in wondering where the crowd has suddenly come from. What matters is that for Mark (but not Matthew, Mt 16,24) this is public teaching, for crowd and disciples alike.
Jesus' teaching in the second part of verse 34 then begins with "If..."
This is followed by four "fors" in verses 35-38. (The NRSV for example has "for" in verses 35 and 36 but then decides it's time for a change in verses 37 and 38). The consequences of the "if" in verse 34 could hardly be made clearer. The middle two "fors" (verses 36 and 37) are rhetorical questions introduced by "what..."
10,44 indicates what denial means. Becoming a slave indicates a complete committal to service demanded by the gospel.
The cross is then mentioned. Oddly perhaps it was not mentioned in the earlier prediction of verse 31. Yet the stark reality of crucifixion would have been well known in the first century. It was a slow death as the victim struggles to breath and then the bodies were left to rot. Suffering even to such an agonising death would become the fate of many Christians just as it would be of Jesus himself. (Thus our modern implication of the cross as a metaphor for hardship seriously underestimates the reality indicated here.)
Following Jesus is then the third step, the climax of this verse. It reminds us of the call of the disciples in 1,17 when the first four disciples left everything, family and livelihood, to follow Jesus.
Verse 35 gives us the first "for". Here there is a problem for translators. "Biology" comes from the Greek word for ordinary life. The word used in this verse gives us "psychology" which is to do with life in the deep sense, the inner core of the person. "Self" might be a good understanding here. ("Soul" is a difficult word for us as it carries overtones of Greek philosophy where the soul is good ("our immortal soul") while the body is just the frame.)
Thus verse 35 again applies first to Jesus who died and rose from the dead and then to his followers. The paradox is that the way to life lies through death.
The rhetorical questions then use commercial vocabulary to make the point where true profit is to be found.
Finally, the paradox of verse 35 is repeated in verse 38 in terms of honour and shame. If a follower will not share the shame of Jesus in this world then he will not share his honour when in comes in glory.
To this 9,1 is added though it is an independent saying, shown by the introduction used only by Mark "and he said to them". It has a formal introduction "Amen I say to you". It picks up the second part of verse 38 with the note of power, a word not used by Matthew and Luke. The phrase reflects the view of the early Christians (as does 14,25) that Jesus would soon return. It's purpose here is to act as a word of encouragement after the hard teaching. An illustration of this power and glory will now follow with the scene of the Transfiguration.
We now return to the main page.
The Sunday Gospel
Isaiah 50,4-11 is known as the third song of the servant. It is not clear whether the servant is the community or an individual but for Christians the servant is always understood as applying to Jesus himself. The choice of reading therefore indicates a special focus on Jesus' first prediction of his fate, the middle part of this Sunday's Gospel.
We can now return to the main page.