📖 Mark 8:27-9:1

The Text

Mark 8:27–9:1

27 Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"
28 They answered him, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets."
29 "But you," he asked them, "who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah."
30 And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him.

31 Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise after three days.
32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God's concerns but human concerns."

34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.
36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?
37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life?
38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
1 Then he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power."

The Sermon

Rev. 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." 21:6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life" 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

In and around the 13th century, it is often credited to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, for devising a system to break down the Bible into chapters and number them one by one. (I am not here to debate the Biblical-chapter-verse numbering system leading to a rampant rise in biblicism and taking verses completely out of context–that is a teaching for another time.) Truth be told, it is very handy. I love being able to quickly reference a Bible verse by merely mentioning its "street address". So I give this quick history lesson to lead into this: from that system, we now divide the Gospel of Mark into sixteen chapters. From there, a simple introductory study of Mark will give way to two main themes of the book, branching out from the trunk that is Christ Jesus. The first branch elaborates on who Christ is–he is God alone. The last branch speaks of what Christ must do to save his people from their sin (Matt. 1:21).

And the split is right at chapter nine. We have spent eight chapters in Mark proclaiming that Christ is God. Now make no mistake: Christ did many things in the first eight chapters. (Mark's writing vibe is one of Christ in action.) But each of those things that Christ did–his teachings, his miracles, his callings, his healings, and especially his driving out demons and his forgiveness of sins–only God can do those things. And you can try to go all modern on me and criticize a man driving out demons ("the recipient simply stopped acting like a fool") or forgiveness of sins ("there is no physical evidence from this so-called forgiveness of sins"). But the disciples who bore witness to Jesus walking on water? Now, Mark 6:52 says that the disciples were astounded because their hearts were hardened. Unbelievers will hear this account, and they don't believe it either. That is because the Spirit has yet to do a work in the apostles and in our time, yet to do a saving work in unbelievers. But from Scriptures and historical books, we know that the Spirit gives the disciples a new heart and makes his home in them. We know this because the Spirit brought to remembrance everything that Christ taught them (Jn. 14:26) and they believed it to the point of their own brutal deaths.

Mark 8:27–30 Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28 They answered him, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets." 29 "But you," he asked them, "who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 30 And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him.

In this passage, the disciples were not wrong and the people were not wrong per se. I read their answers as prophet, prophet, prophet. John the Baptizer was technically the last Old Testament prophet. All the prophets and their messianic prophecies pointed to the Christ. Abel was the first prophet and Jesus' cousin was the last one.

John's ministry was to point to Christ and glorify God. Jesus' ministry came to fulfill those prophecies and glorify God.

Elijah, among other prophetic works, preached repentance against idolatry (1 Kings 18), multiply food for those in need (1 Kings 17:14), and raised someone from death to life (1 Kings 17:22). Christ continuously preached against idolatry (Matt. 23, for example), multiply food for those in need (Mark 6:34-44, 8:1-10) and raised the dead unto life (John 11).

"Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared, but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you're willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. Let anyone who has ears listen" (Matt. 11:11-15).

While every prophet point people to God, they were not God. While each prophet, from Abel to John, was certainly a son of God, they were not the Son of God who is God. They were mere men who were saved by God to preach the gospel of God in order to point others to one who will be the fulfiller of the first preaching of the gospel in Genesis 3:15. That fulfillment of the gospel is none other than the correct and true answer from Peter's lips, "Jesus Christ is the Messiah" (Mark 8:29).

Since Jesus Christ is the Messiah, it is only logical that he fulfills the Messianic prophecies. These are not just the good ones like "will be born of a woman who will crush the head of Satan" (Gen. 3:15) or "sit on the throne of David forever" (2 Sam. 7:12-16). But this also includes our Lord being mocked, his hands and feet pierced, stripped naked because they cast lots for his clothes, and Christ himself crying out to his Father, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Ps. 22:1).

This means that Christ alone will despised and rejected by man; bearing our sickness, pains; struck down by man and God; afflicted; pierced because we are wicked; crushed because we have sinned; punished to bring us peace; God-punished, oppressed, and afflicted because we did not fix our eyes upon God; died for his people; and buried with the wicked in a rich man's tomb.

This Messiah must suffer unto death despite being the only man ever in existence to obey his Father in heaven perfectly.

Believers have the indwelling Triune God and we still have a hard time grasping Christ as a suffering servant. Peter hears Christ say, "It is necessary that I suffer and be killed." Peter, in his flesh and without the Holy Spirit, goes out of his way to rebuke the Son of God! It is as though Peter was saying, "How dare my Savior suffer and die! He cannot do that. He shall not do that. This man cannot do that to me."

Oh, Peter, don't you understand? If Christ did not suffer and die, then you would not live forever but perish in hell. If Christ did not suffer and die, then all of his people, including you and me, would not live with God forever but would perish and die in our sins forever.

The Conclusion

Believers, we do understand! We do see the Christ! Our faith is born because we have heard the preached words of Christ! We are saved by God all because of what the Son has done for us! We have the heart of God–now we have new desires for God. The Triune God has made his home in us (Jn. 14:23; Rom. 8:9-11). The Father's grace and mercies are on us every day. The Son has shed his blood for our souls, so we are clean. The Spirit will cause us and empower us to obey God's word.

What is ours to do? Hear the word of the Lord.

"If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34). Do you know what this means? You believe in Christ. What that means is that you gave over your sins, whatever that not-God thing you wanted to hold on to. That's when you denied yourself. When you sin again, and trust me, you will sin, you utterly and completely rely on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you the gift of repentance so that you can turn around from not-God and turn to fix your eyes on God (Acts 11:18; 2 Tm. 2:25; Heb. 12:17, 1-2). You and I have the Christ. We were born in sin, we have sinned, which means we have broken all the laws of God (Jam 2:10). There is nothing intrinsically good within us. Yet, God, being rich in mercy, cleansed us, made us whole, made his home in us, and gave us good works for us to do – so that we would love God and one another to the praise of his holy name (Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Jn. 4:7-8).

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it" (Mark 8:35). Only the wicked will hang onto this life because this is all they have. Those who are in Christ, this world is already growing strangely dim. Our heavenly eyes grow stronger with each passing day of his tenderest mercies. From one moment of glory to the next, we see the face of our lovely Savior more and more. Christian, there is nothing for you here. We are strangers and aliens passing through this world. Yet, while we are here, while he has designated the times and place of our dwelling, let us proclaim and share the good news and point one another towards him (Acts 17:24-26).

"For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life?" (Mark 8:36-37). Why on earth would you settle for lesser things when you have the greatest of all? We have the Christ! We behold his wonderful face. Christ is for us. Therefore, no one can be against us. (Rom. 8:31) As C.S. Lewis so famously said, "It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." Do not settle for making mudpies in the slum. Strive and reach out for the hand of our great King–the path of life, the fullness of joy, and unlimited pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:11).

"For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). Do you think Christ is on the edge of heaven, looking down upon you, waiting to return but not until he catches you being ashamed of him so he can go "AH HA!" and deny you to the Father? I know some of you might laugh, but I swear we act like this sometimes. God the Father is not up there trying to catch you slipping. Brother and sister in Christ, be honest with your thought life. If we were really honest with ourselves about what goes on in our minds and hearts, we are always slipping. Continuously sinning – but that calls for continuously repenting.

For some of us who believe in the Rapture and grew up living in absolute fear of Christ returning while we are doing something sinful and being left behind, let me ask you a question. I thought Christ came to save his people from their sins? So if I am his, and I am always sinning in thought, word, and deed, and I trust him to save me from my sins, wouldn't I want him to return right now so I can finally be saved from my sins and stop sinning forevermore?

He who testifies about these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:20).

Lord Jesus, come right now! Get here quickly!

"Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come in power" (Mark 9:1).

Many theologians and pastors preached that this kingdom of God will be here with his second coming. I can definitely see that point of view. I think the view is too limited, as though the kingdom of God is not already here. Let me ask this: What is the best way to sum up the preaching and proclamation of Christ during his earthly ministry?

After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:14-15).

While Christ was on the earth, did he not continuously proclaim, "The kingdom of God is near!"?

Let me submit to you that the arrival of the kingdom of God is not with the second coming of our Lord, but it is already here! Over and over, as God walked among us, throughout the gospels, Christ proclaimed that the kingdom of God is near.

What did God promise David? "He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Sam. 7:13). When did God give his Son the kingdom? When Christ said, "It is finished!" (Jn. 19:30)

Daniel 7:13-14 I continued watching in the night visions,
and suddenly one like a son of man
was coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of Days
and was escorted before him.
He was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
so that those of every people,
nation, and language
should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that will not pass away,
and his kingdom is one
that will not be destroyed.

This passage in Daniel is not about the end times but about the moment Christ perfectly lived and died, as the suffering servant, and then appeared before God the Father as the Son of Man. For:

Phil. 2:7-11 Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death —
even to death on a cross.
For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow —
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth —
and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

My friends, the kingdom of God is here. It has already arrived. And to his disciples, whom he spoke to in Mark 9:1, did not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God in power.

Now, once they see it in power, they will die. "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force" (Matt. 11:12).

The disciples, now apostles of Christ, were once foolish, led astray, astounded at God, hard-hearted, and ignorant in disbelief. They did not truly believe in Christ when he was with them because they could not believe.

But once the Spirit was breathed upon them, their eyes and ears were opened, their minds renewed, given new hearts and born again by God, the Spirit testified to them about the Christ (Jn. 15:26) and reminded them everything that the Christ taught them and they now believe (Jn. 14:26).

And they believe until death.

• James (Son of Zebedee): Beheaded in Jerusalem by King Herod Agrippa I, becoming the first apostle to be martyred.
• Andrew: Crucified on an X-shaped cross in Greece (Patras) after converting the proconsul's wife
• Philip: Crucified upside down or stoned to death while preaching in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
• Bartholomew (Nathanael): Reportedly flayed (skinned) alive and beheaded in Armenia.
• Thomas: Martyred in India, allegedly pierced with a spear or arrows.
• Matthew: Executed with a sword or halberd in Ethiopia.
• James (Son of Alphaeus): Stoned to death and finished off with a club in Jerusalem.
• Thaddeus (Jude): Killed with arrows or an axe in Persia or Lebanon.
• Simon the Zealot: Reportedly sawed in half in Persia.
• Matthias (Replacement for Judas): Stoned and then beheaded.
• Paul: Beheaded in Rome during Nero's persecution
• John: The only apostle traditionally believed to have survived an assassination attempt (tradition holds he was boiled in oil in Rome, then exiled to Patmos) and died of natural causes.

And then Peter, quick to speak, slow to listen, who rebuked God, racist towards Gentiles and denied Christ three times, once to a little girl. And in the end, not only did Christ forgave him but charged him to be the apostle of his church--three times over: "Do you love me? Then feed my lambs, shepherd my sheep, feed my sheep," says the Lord (Jn. 21:17).

Christ was not done yet with Peter. "Peter, you are going to be led away to a place you don't want to go, and you are going to die a death you do not want to die" (Jn. 21:18-19)

Peter goes on to preach the gospel of God, and he was the apostle of the church. He would preach and shepherd until he was captured, tried, and sentenced in Rome under the rule of Nero. The way Peter was martyred was a bit peculiar. It was as though the Holy Spirit reminded him of what Christ said about his life and death, and Peter begins to vehemently protested his death sentence. As if to say:

"I don't want to die this way! I cannot die this way. You know what? Crucify me upside down! I cannot be crucified like my Lord Jesus, for I am not worthy to be crucified in such a way."

Peter started his life in unbelief and haughtiness. Then God saved him. Then Peter lived his life for his Lord and his God. And in the end, did not find himself worthy to die like his Lord Jesus because this was the great gospel he preached since Pentecost: Jesus Christ and him crucified.

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?" (Mark 8:35-36).