34. The Caesarea Philippi Confession (Mark 8:27 – 33)

The center and heart of Mark's Gospel comes in the event covered in this presentation, commonly called the Caesarea Philippi Confession of Peter. Here for the first time in Mark's narrative, human beings recognize the true identify of Jesus of Nazareth, and Peter puts the insight into a trenchant and profound declaration, 'You are the Christ.' Though his confession is correct, his understanding is faulty, and from this point on Jesus begins to explain to his followers the true meaning of the confession, beginning with the bitter and confusing announcement that the 'Son of Man must suffer.'