Jesus Rejects the Title "The Christ"

Mark 8:27-38

Below is a rough translation and some preliminary notes about Mark 8:27-38, the Revised Common Lectionary’s gospel reading for the 17^th Sunday of Pentecost. Because this text comes up several times in the common lectionary, I am not approaching it quite as naively as I usually try to approach the texts. It is my contention that this story is wrongfully identified as “Peter’s Profession of faith,” an instance of the “Messianic Secret,” and “Jesus’ First Prediction of His Death.” I believe this is a heated roadside argument between Peter and Jesus over which direction they should take. I will explain my position at the end of the translation, but I am going to go with the most intense interpretation of the words found in this story to demonstrate how contentious I believe Mark intends it to be. I am certainly willing to concede that other translation choices are possible. 

 

Also, in 2024, I am slogging/blogging my way through the Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025." If you are interested, you can read it on my other blog, Mark of St. Mark.  

 ²⁷ Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς κώμας Καισαρείας τῆς Φιλίππου: καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐπηρώτα τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ λέγων αὐτοῖς, Τίνα με λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι;

And Jesus and his disciples went into the village of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he was interrogating his disciples, saying to them, “Who do the people say me to be?”

ἐξῆλθεν AAI 3s, ἐξέρχομαι, 1) to go or come forth of  1a) with mention of the place out of which one goes, or the  point from which he departs  

ἐπηρώτα , IAI 3s, ἐπερωτάω , 1) to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of,  ask, interrogate  2) to address one with a request or demand  2a) to ask of or demand of one 

λέγων: PAPart nsm, λέγω 1) to say, to speak

λέγουσιν  PAI 3p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

εἶναι PAInf, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present 

1. The verb “interrogate” (ἐπερωτάω) could be translated as “asked” (KJV, NIV, ESV, NRSV), but it also could take on a more intensive meaning because of the prefix (ἐπἱ).

 In Mt. 16:1, for example, the NRSV translates this verb that the religious leaders “ask” Jesus for a sign, but the editors make the subheading that they “demand” a sign. There are other words that could carry a much less ambiguous simple request or casual inquiry.

 ²⁸ οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες [ὅτι] Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν, καὶ ἄλλοι, Ἠλίαν, ἄλλοι  δὲ ὅτι εἷς τῶν προφητῶν. 

Yet they answered him saying, [“]John the Baptist; and others, Elijah, yet still others one of the prophets.[”]

εἶπαν: AAI 3p, λέγω 1) to say, to speak

λέγοντες: PAPart npm, λέγω 1) to say, to speak

1. This verse has evidently been worked over a bit in the scribal process. The brackets around the [ὅτι] signify that other manuscripts do not have this word. I use the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition (1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart) that is available via www.greekbible.com. It is simply not a part of my exegetical work to compare Greek texts. It seems – just from a quick glance and gut feeling – that the scribal edits here have to do with locating whether the participle “saying” is part of the quote or introduces the quote. The difference could look like this: “The disciples answered, saying ‘John the Baptists …’” or “The disciples answered, ‘They are saying John the Baptist …’”
2. The phrase “still others” is how the NRSV and NIV try to interpret the “δὲ ὅτι ” phrase.

²⁹ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπηρώτα αὐτούς, Ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνα με λέγετε εἶναι; ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος λέγει αὐτῷ, Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός.

And he was interrogating them, “But who do you say me to be?” Having answered Peter says to him, “You are the Christ.”

ἐπηρώτα, IAI 3s, 1) to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of,  ask, interrogate  2) to address one with a request or demand  2a) to ask of or demand of one 

λέγετε, PAI 2p, λέγω 1) to say, to speak

εἶναι PAInf, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present 

ἀποκριθεὶς: APPart nsm, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer 

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω 1) to say, to speak

εἶ: PAI 2s,  εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present 

1. To this point, I am going with the usual translation, "Who do ... people say/you say." Strictly, it seems to me it could be "Who are people saying/you saying." I have the feeling that Jesus is inquiring what the buzz is among the people and what the disciples are contributing to the conversation. That would make Peter's response a bit less of a profession, directly to Jesus, but more of an indication of what the disciples are adding to the buzz about Jesus. Notice that in the next verse, Jesus rebukes "them" and not just Peter. 

³⁰ καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ. 

And he rebuked them in order that they would say nothing about him.

ἐπετίμησεν: AAI 3s, ἐπιτιμάω See v. 32, 1) to show honour to, …  4) to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely  4a) to admonish or charge sharply 

λέγωσιν:  PASubj  3p, λέγω 1) to say, to speak

1. The verb “rebuked” (ἐπιτιμάω) gets curious treatment in this passage from translators. It shows up here and in v.32 and in v.33. In vv.32-3 almost all translations have “rebuke” (NRSV, NIV, ESV, YLT, KJV). But, in v.30, all of them soften the word to “warned” (NIV), “charged” (KJV), “strictly charged” (YLT, ESV). The NRSV doesn’t use “rebuke,” but it does maintain some of the edginess of the verb with “sternly ordered.”

2. This rebuke is often treated as yet another instance of the riddle that is posited by the phrase, "Messianic secret." The idea is that Jesus simply doesn't want the disciples to say that he is the Christ/Messiah, and then the remaining question is, why not? 

3. I am by no means questioning whether or not Jesus is the Christ, to the gospel writer or to me. I call Jesus the Christ and I serve a lovely congregation that makes that profession. And the first verse of this book names Jesus as the Christ. So, to me, that's not the issue personally or textually. The question is whether Jesus wants the disciples adding to the conversation that he is the Christ. And that continues the riddle that I think is being addressed with the phrase "Messianic secret." My reading - and who am I that anyone should care - is at the end of this translation below. 

³¹ Καὶ ἤρξατο διδάσκειν αὐτοὺς ὅτι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλὰ 

παθεῖν καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ τῶν ἀρχιερέων 

καὶ τῶν γραμματέων καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι καὶ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναστῆναι:

Then he began to teach them that it is binding that the Son of Man to suffer much, and to be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and to be killed, and after three days to rise.

ἤρξατο : AMI 3s, ἄρχω, 1) to be chief, to lead, to rule

διδάσκειν: PAInf, διδάσκω, 1) to teach  1a) to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them,  deliver didactic discourses

δεῖ: PAI 3s, δέω, 1) to bind tie, fasten  1a) to bind, fasten with chains, to throw into chains  1b) metaph.  1b1) Satan is said to bind a woman bent together by means of a  demon, as his messenger, taking possession of the woman  and preventing her from standing upright  1b2) to bind, put under obligation, of the law, duty etc

παθεῖν: AAInf, πάσχω, 1) to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a  sensible experience, to undergo  1a) in a good sense, to be well off, in good case  1b) in a bad sense, to suffer sadly, be in a bad plight  1b1) of a sick person 

ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι: APInf, ἀποδοκιμάζω, 1) to disapprove, reject, repudiate 

ἀποκτανθῆναι: APInf, ἀποκτείνω, 1) to kill in any way whatever  1a) to destroy, to allow to perish  2) metaph. to extinguish, abolish  2a) to inflict mortal death  2b) to deprive of spiritual life and procure eternal misery in hell 

ἀναστῆναι: AAInf, ἀνίστημι, 1) to cause to rise up, raise up  1a) raise up from laying down  1b) to raise up from the dead  1c) to raise up, cause to be born, to cause to appear, bring forward 

1. The verb “binding” (δέω) is typically translated as “must,” but it is a verb and it has the primary meaning of something being in chains – which gives it intensity and necessity. 

2. This is the first of three disclosures, so it seems to be the heart of Jesus' teaching about himself. This is what the disciples should be adding to the buzz. 

³²  καὶ παρρησίᾳ τὸν λόγον ἐλάλει. καὶ προσλαβόμενος ὁ Πέτρος αὐτὸν ἤρξατο ἐπιτιμᾶν αὐτῷ. 

And he was saying the word openly. And taking him Peter began rebuking him.

ἐλάλει: IAI 3s, λαλέω, 1) to utter a voice or emit a sound  2) to speak  2a) to use the tongue or the faculty of speech  2b) to utter articulate sounds

προσλαβόμενος: AMPart nsm, λαμβάνω with πρός towards: to take thereto, that is to say in addition, to take besides. In NT middle, to take or receive to and for one's self

ἤρξατο: AMI 3s, ἄρχω, 1) to be chief, to lead, to rule

ἐπιτιμᾶν,v   3sg, PAI 3s, ἐπιτιμάω, 1) to show honor to, to honor  2) to raise the price of  3) to adjudge, award, in the sense of merited penalty  4) to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely  4a) to admonish or charge sharply 

1. At least we know that this disclosure is not a secret. Jesus is saying it openly. 

2. It's pretty audacious to imagine that Peter felt it was his place to rebuke Jesus for this disclosure. And, again, the word "rebuke" is the same word translated as "charged," "sternly ordered," etc. in many translations from v.30. 

³³ ὁ δὲ ἐπιστραφεὶς καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐπετίμησεν Πέτρῳ καὶ 

λέγει,Υπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ, ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν 

ἀνθρώπων. 

But having turned and having seen his disciples, he rebuked Peter and says, “Get behind me, Satan! Because you are not minding the things of God but the things of people.”

ἐπιστραφεὶς: APP nsm, ἐπιστρέφω, 1) transitively  1a) to turn to  1a1) to the worship of the true God  1b) to cause to return, to bring back 

ἰδὼν: AAP nsm, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes  2) to see with the mind, to perceive, know  3) to see, i.e. become acquainted with by experience, to experience

ἐπετίμησεν: AAI 3s, ἐπιτιμάω, 1) to show honour to, to honour  …  4) to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely  4a) to admonish or charge sharply

λέγει: PAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak 

Υπαγε: PAImpv 2s, ὑπάγω, 1) to lead under, bring under  2) to withdraw one's self, to go away, depart 

φρονεῖς: PAI 2s, φρονέω, 1) to have understanding, be wise   2) to feel, to think   2a) to have an opinion of one's self, think of one's self, to be modest, not let one's opinion (though just) of himself exceed the bounds of modesty

1. I’m curious as to what role the “having turned and having seen his disciples” plays in this conversation. Is that Mark’s way of explaining the “Satan” reference, that although v.32 implies that Peter took Jesus aside, his remark needed a strong reaction because the others were hearing it (and perhaps agreeing)? I’m speculating, but I suspect this remark is connected to the ‘taking him’ in v.32.

2. “Get behind me” is an interesting phrase. Of course, by now it has become a common phrase, because of its use in this and parallel texts. But, in a naïve reading of the text we can’t assume that this phrase has the meaning that it has collected over time. The verb could be “go,” as it is with the Syro-Phoenician woman in c.7. But the “behind me” part is how Jesus names discipleship in the next verse. Is Jesus calling Peter to become a disciple and not to presume anything more?

3. The verb “minding” (φρονέω) is a very rich term in philosophy. Hans-Georg Gadamer, in Truth and Method, for example, talks about how “phronesis” is a kind of reflective ‘wisdom.’ The KJV translates this verb as “savoring.” I think that’s better than the NIV’s weak “have in mind”. The problem is Peter’s philosophy, not his passing thought. 

³⁴ Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν ὄχλον σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἀκολουθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι. 

And having called the crowd with his disciples, he said to them, “If any wants to follow behind me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

προσκαλεσάμενος: AMP nsm, προσκαλέομαι, 1) to call to  2) to call to one's self  3) to bid to come to one's self  4) metaph.  4a) God is said to call to himself the Gentiles, aliens as they  are from him, by inviting them, through the preaching of the  gospel unto fellowship with himself in the Messiah's kingdom 

θέλει: PAI 3s, θέλω, 1) to will, have in mind, intend  1a) to be resolved or determined, to purpose  1b) to desire, to wish  1c) to love  1c1) to like to do a thing, be fond of doing  1d) to take delight in, have pleasure 

ἀκολουθεῖν: PAInf, ἀκολουθέω, 1) to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant,  accompany him  2) to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple  2a) side with his party 

ἀπαρνησάσθω: AMImpv 3s, ἀπαρνέομαι, 1) to deny  1a) to affirm that one has no acquaintance or connection with someone  1b) to forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's  own interests. Could this be the opposite of φρονεῖς in v.33? 

ἀράτω : AAImpv 3s, αἴρω, 1) to raise up, elevate, lift up  1a) to raise from the ground, take up: stones  1b) to raise upwards, elevate, lift up: the hand

ἀκολουθείτω: PAImpv 3s, ἀκολουθέω, 1) to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant,  accompany him  2) to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple  2a) side with his party 

1. I apologize for the male language. In a refined translation, I would strive to make this more gender-inclusive, but since it is singular and since saying “If anyone wants … that one must …” sounds so different from plain speech, I’m translating this literally at this point.

2. For those of us who read this story two millennia after the fact, the referent for “taking up a cross” is the crucifixion of Jesus. Perhaps we can assume that was the case for Mark’s readers as well, especially since Jesus has just made the first disclosure about his impending death. Within the narrative itself, however, this is a curious reference. What did it mean – prior to the crucifixion of Jesus – to “take up your cross”? Even in disclosing his impending death, Jesus only says that he will be killed, not crucified on a cross. Did this phrase have meaning prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, or it is only meaningful as a post-crucifixion text – which would indicate that it is not a direct, real-time quote of what Jesus said? 

³⁵ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι ἀπολέσει αὐτήν: ὃς δ' ἂν 

ἀπολέσει τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου σώσει αὐτήν. 

For whoever wants to save his soul will lose it; but whoever will lose his soul on account of me and the gospel, will save it.

θέλῃ: PASubj 3s, θέλω, 1) to will, have in mind, intend  1a) to be resolved or determined, to purpose  1b) to desire, to wish  1c) to love  1c1) to like to do a thing, be fond of doing  1d) to take delight in, have pleasure

σῶσαι: AAInf, σῴζω, 1) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction  1a) one (from injury or peril)  1a1) to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one  suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health

ἀπολέσει: FAI 3s, ἀπόλλυμι, 1) to destroy  1a) to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin  1b) render useless  1c) to kill  1d) to declare that one must be put to death  1e) metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell  1f) to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed  2) to destroy  2a) to lose 

σώσει: FAI 3s, σῴζω, 1) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction  1a) one (from injury or peril)  1a1) to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one  suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health

1. It is always a challenge for me to translate “soul” (ψυχὴν). It may be translated “life,” although there are other terms that more easily translate that way. The Greek word is the root for the English words “psyche,” “psychology,” etc., referring to the mind or that part of our existence that seems identifiably different from the body, however interconnected. And, of course, in Greek philosophy, the “immortality of the soul” reified and elevated the psyche to that part of human existence that both pre-existed our birth and continues to exist after our death. One of the challenges of the early church was to translate the Hebrew concepts of life, breath, nephesh, etc., and interpret them alongside of Greek terms. I’m not sure that the process should be as finalized as it appears to be these days. 

³⁶τί γὰρ ὠφελεῖ ἄνθρωπον κερδῆσαι τὸν κόσμον ὅλον καὶ ζημιωθῆναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; 

For what profits a man to acquire the whole world and to endanger his soul?

ὠφελεῖ: PAI 3s, ὠφελέω, 1) to assist, to be useful or advantageous, to profit 

κερδῆσαι: AAInf, κερδαίνω, 1) to gain, acquire, to get gain  2) metaph.  2a) of gain arising from shunning or escaping from evil (where we  say "to spare one's self", "be spared")  2b) to gain any one i.e. to win him over to the kingdom of God, to  gain one to faith in Christ  2c) to gain Christ's favour and fellowship 

ζημιωθῆναι: APInf, ζημιόω, 1) to affect with damage, do damage to  2) to sustain damage, to receive injury, suffer loss

1. This verse could be heard in economic terms: what ‘profit’ to ‘gain’ and yet ‘lose’?  

³⁷τί γὰρ δοῖ ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ; 

For what might a man give in return for his soul?

δοῖ: AASubj 3s, δίδωμι, to give, present (with implied notion of giving freely unforced; opposed to ἀποδίδωμι). Hence, in various connections, to yield, deliver, supply, commit, etc

³⁸ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπαισχυνθῇ με καὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ 

μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται αὐτὸν 

ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων.

For whoever might be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the son of man also shall be ashamed when he may come in the glory of his father with the holy angels.”

ἐπαισχυνθῇ: APSubj 3s, ἐπαισχύνομαι, 1) to be ashamed 

ἐπαισχυνθήσεται: FPI 3s, ἐπαισχύνομαι, 1) to be ashamed 

ἔλθῃ: AASubj 3s, ἔρχομαι, 1) to come  1a) of persons  1a1) to come from one place to another, and used both of  persons arriving and of those returning 

1. There are several levels at which we can apprise what it means to “be ashamed” of Jesus and his words. It could speak to the boldness with which we proclaim a gospel that is ‘foolishness’ to some. It could speak to the situation facing Mark’s church, during a time of the diaspora caused by the destruction of Jerusalem. Some people see it as a foreshadowing of Peter’s denial and all of the disciples’ fleeing from Jesus at his arrest. In the story, however, it seems to refer to Peter’s rebuke because Peter did not accept Jesus’ disclosure that he was to suffer and die.  

REFLECTION

As I indicated in the beginning remark, I believe this story is wrongly coded as Peter’s confession, where Peter – for the first time of any disciple – gets it right in calling Jesus “the Christ.” Matthew sees it that way, with Jesus blessing Peter and saying “Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you …” etc.  But, in Mark, I don’t believe Peter’s answer is correct – at least it is not what Jesus wanted the disciples to be telling people that he was (the question is “Who are you saying me to be?”) Working under the “messianic secret” motif, many interpretations say that Peter got it right, but Jesus “sternly warned” or “charged” the disciples to keep the “Christ” identification mum because … well, the reason for the messianic secret is not so clear.

A plain reading would say that Jesus rebuked them for telling others that he was the Christ. The interpretive question is, why would Jesus rebuke them for saying that about him? We, of course, accept it as the right proclamation about Jesus. So, what’s the problem?

I argue that the ‘problem’ is that whatever Peter and the others meant by “the Christ” was in contrast with the rejection, suffering, death, and raising that the son of man was “bound” to experience. In that sense, the disciples’ answer was wrong. Peter should have answered on their behalf, “You are the son of man, the one who will be rejected, suffer, die, and be raised.” Jesus vehemently rejects being named “the Christ” in this story.

Peter’s reaction is also vehement. He rejects Jesus’ suffering and death as a necessary part of what Jesus has been preaching about the presence of the Reign of God. And, of course, Jesus’ response to Peter’s rebuke is to demand that if they want any part of what he is about, they too must be willing to die.

It seems to me that discipleship of the suffering son of man is different than discipleship of the Christ/Messiah. One is a godly reflective decision to accept rejection, suffering, dying, and rising; the other could be a human reflective decision in an attempt to “gain the whole world.” I have to think that the Roman Empire is the primary example of this kind of thinking. Imperial thinking is domination thinking; the imperial leader is the Messiah and not the son of man. And to follow an imperial Messiah would be to hitch one's wagon to his victories and glory. That seems to be the path that Peter wants to take and it may pose a sore temptation to Jesus – that is my take of the “Get behind me Satan” reference. In the end, this is not a Roman road, but a crossroad. The disciples – at this point – are not yet disciples because (led by Peter) they are not yet behind Jesus, but are imagining themselves on a different path in the manner of imperial dominion. Jesus is going the other way. It will lead to Jerusalem, his rejection, suffering, death, and rising.