14: Peter’s declaration & Jesus’ transformation – Mark 8:27-9:13

8²⁷ Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸ And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” ³⁰ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. 

Jesus foretells his death and resurrection

³¹ Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³² He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” 

³⁴ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶ For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷ Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸ Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his

9Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” 

The transfiguration

² Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³ and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. ⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷ Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” ⁸ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

The coming of Elijah 

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. ¹¹ Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹² He said to them, “Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? ¹³ But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.” NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Where is Jesus at this point? Who is with him? What does he ask them? How do they respond? What is the difference in the two questions? How does Peter answer the second question? How does Jesus respond to Peter’s answer? What does Matthew add to Jesus’ words?

2. What does Jesus tell the disciples about his future? How does Peter react to this? How does Jesus respond to Peter this time?

3. What does Jesus tell the crowd about following him? What image does he use? What does he say about a relationship with him? How do you suppose the crowd reacted to this advice?

4. What does Mark describe next? Who is with Jesus? Where are they? What happens at this point? Who is with Jesus? What are they talking about [see Notes]? How do the disciples respond to this situation? What does Peter propose? Why do you think he does this? What happens after Peter’s proposal? How do the other Gospel writers describe this event?

5: What do the disciples ask Jesus? Why would they have this question? Who is Jesus actually talking about?

Get Personal

Have you had an “Aha!” moment in your walk with Christ? What did you see or understand about Jesus? About faith? About your life? What led you to this understanding or clarity? How has it affected your faith adventure?

(Cross-references to Matthew and Luke are given in brackets)

8:27-30. Peter’s declaration about Jesus — Matthew adds to Peter’s answer and Jesus’s response: Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven,” [Matt 16:14-20].
Luke includes only Jesus’s questions and the disciples’ and Peter’s response, [Luke 9:18-20].
8:28. Prophet — in Deut 18:18 God says he will raise a prophet from among his people.
8:31-33. Jesus predicts his death — Matthew and Luke’s versions are very similar to Mark’s, except that Matthew mentions going to Jerusalem, [Matt 16:21, Luke 9:22].
8:32-33. Peter’s rebuke to Jesus — Matthew includes this incident and says Jesus called Peter “a stumbling stone,” [Matt 16:23]. Luke does not include this exchange between Peter and Jesus.

8:34-9:1. Shoulder your cross — Matthew’s version is close to Mark’s, [Matt 16:24-28], except that Jesus does not talk about “being ashamed,” and instead says, The Son of Man . . . will repay everyone for what has been done, [Matt 9:27].
Luke’s version of Jesus’s statement is almost identical to Mark’s, [Luke 9:23-27].
9:2-13. The transfiguration — Matthew’s version is very similar to Mark’s. He does say the disciples were overcome by fear at God’s voice. He does not say the disciples discussed “rising from the dead,” but he does say the disciples realized Jesus was talking about John the Baptist in reference to Elijah, [Matt 17:1-13].
Luke’s version places the transfiguration eight days after Peter’s declaration and reports that Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus about his departure . . . in Jerusalem. Luke does not mention the disciples’ fear or terror, but says they were weighed down with sleep. He does include the conversation about Elijah, [Luke 9:28-36].
9:7. Listen — this echoes Deut 18:15 where Moses says, The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people. You must heed such a prophet.
9:11. Elijah — in the last verses of the Old Testament, God says, Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, [Malachi 4:5].