Peter and the Disciples

We have come to a turning point in the Gospel of Mark. Through the first 8½ chapters, we have seen Jesus healing, teaching, casting out demons, calming storms, and feeding thousands. There has been a focus on crowds: Mark has used the words “crowd” or “multitude” 25x in describing Jesus’ ministry.  

The crowds were amazed at Jesus, but most didn’t fully understand who He was. And the same was true for the 12 disciples – they saw all the miracles and heard all the teaching up close. They were committed to Jesus, but they weren’t really clear about who He was and what that meant. They needed clarity.  

In Mark 8:27-38, we can finally see the fog beginning to clear – because Jesus reveals not only His true identity, but also His true mission, and the true meaning of following Him.