Lesson # 20 | MARK 8:27-33 | THE TURNING POINT: THE SECRET TO THE SECRET REVEALED

I.              Greetings: 

 

II.  Introduction: 

   A.  We come to what most scholars think is the halfway point, as well as the turning point in Mark's Gospel.  The turning point is the secret of why Jesus seems to want to keep His disciples and those He often heals from speaking about His work.  We have noted Jesus was deliberately trying to conceal His power and never was open about what He believed His mission was, or Who He was. 

   B.  The Mystery of Who He Is Has Deepened.

            Note:  William Lane (p. 288) points out that in Mark 1:1 Jesus is called the Messiah, but this is not mentioned again until our verse here in 8:29.  The word Messiah has not been used by Jesus Himself though He has certainly provoked questions. 

            1) His power has aroused the questioning of His authority:  1:27; 2:7; 6:2. 

Re-read:  Mark 6:2

            2) His association with sinners provokes charges that He is demonic:  2:15-20; 3:22-30.  

            3) His disciples themselves are hard pressed to find categories to describe Him:  4:41; 6:51-52. 

Re-read:  Mark 4:41

            4)  Mark creates a tension that is only solved in what we are going to read next.  When this passages arrives, a whole new tone comes over the book of Mark.

            Note:  Watch what Jesus is going to do with the issue of what others think.  Watch how He handles the need to look good.  He is going to show us Who He is, and who we are to be.

 

III.  The View of Men:  What They Thought of Jesus, Mark 8:27-30.

   A.  Jesus Listens to How Men Define Him.

>>>> Have someone read Mark 8:27-30.

            Q  What did people say about Jesus? 

               An = Re-read Mark 8:28.  All of these answers speak about very prominent people.  John the Baptist was a contemporary religious success,  Elijah or one of the prophets was to be equated with greatness from the past.

            Q  What did their answer mean?

               An = Of course, it meant they were impressed with Jesus' abilities.  However, when they answered John, Elijah, or one of the past prophets they failed to see Jesus' distinctiveness.  He is like the great men of the past but yet so much more.

            Q  When Peter calls Him Messiah, what does the term Messiah (or the Christ) mean?

               An = Actually, it is a title, not a name.  It means one who is anointed by God:  royalty, priest, or prophet.  He is the "anointed one", and people were anointed for a purpose.

            Q  Is Jesus happy with Peter's insights in 8:29?

               An = Notice His next action in 8:30.  He tells them to tell no man about Him.

            Q  Why?  What is the secret to the secret of hiding Jesus' powers, or now His proper title? 

               An = For the first time Mark tells us why.  So it should be the key to all other times He said, " Tell no man".  Peter's words are correct in themselves but so were the confessions of demons (1:25; 3:12).  Jesus silenced those other voices, and He silences His disciples now.

            Note:  Jesus has a reason for keeping things quiet, He wants them to truly understand.

   B. Helping Us to Properly Define Ourselves.

            Note:  We have been watching what He was doing.  Now He will tell us what the Mission is and articulate Who He is.  Jesus starts this process by first asking the disciples to state what men think of Him.

            Q  Jesus is going to define His purpose and goal in life, but why does He want to know what men think of Him?

               An = There could be two other options here.  1) Humans put a great deal of stock in what people think of them.  Jesus was human, and I know it is so easy to pursue a good name, or to desire to impress people with my accomplishments or hoped for accomplishments.  Often our self esteem is dependent on what others think of us.  Part of the answer could be Jesus is showing His humanity.

            2) It could also be He wanted them to think, and He draws out their thinking by His question.  Perhaps, the Gospel is only understood when we participate in this way.

 

IV.  The View of God:  How God Sees Jesus' Mission and Purpose.   Mark 8:31-33

>>>> Have someone read Mark 8:31-33.

   A.  The Rejection of the Answer.

            Q  How does Peter respond?

               An = Peter, one of Jesus' most trusted friends and followers does not like the answer.  In fact, Peter had the audacity to rebuke Jesus for His statements in verse 31.

            Q  How does Jesus respond to Peter's reaction?

               An = Peter is called the tool of Satan.  William Barclay says (Mark, p. 205) "It is a strange thing, and sometimes a terrible thing, that the tempter speaks to us in the voice of a well-meaning friend."

            Note: = The greek term used here for "get behind" best means "return to your rank", not "get away" (see Mark 1:17,20).  Jesus is saying Peter is now in the ranks of Satan and not in the ranks of God's army or cause.

            Jesus is calling Peter to get behind the right leader and into the right ranks.  So often we Christians are serving in the wrong army and need to be corrected.

   B.  The Secret Revealed.

            Q  What then is the secret of the secret? 

               An = See 8:31 again, because here the veil is taken off.  The Secret is that Jesus must suffer, be rejected, and killed.  Confession of Jesus as the Christ (8:29) must include the cross.

   C.  What we learn of Ourselves and Our Mission From the Secret.

            RQ  This is Mark's secret, is it ours?  Is it mine?

               An = Do I want to be a success in the eyes of men or do I want to be like Jesus "the Christ".  Am I willing to be uncomfortable, to suffer, to follow God so that key people in my life will reject me and cause me harm?

            Q  Do most Christians you know want to be a success or to follow God?

               An = Whatever most others do, it helps me to remember that to accomplish all that God really wants to do in me will cost me my life, and cause rejection by key leaders in my community.  It helps me to also remember, it is Jesus who is now shown reverence, and not those leaders.  Jesus took the way of the Cross and unto Him:  "every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord".

            Note:  If we only think about spiritual truths, but do not act on them, we will remain dead and captive to what men think.  We will remain a slave to our surroundings, not the man or woman God wants us to be.  We have to act.

            Q  What comfort zone would the Holy Spirit want you to step out of?  What humiliation will you risk so Jesus Christ and others will benefit?

               An = Write in your notes or Bible's margins the comfort zone you fear most to lose.

            Note:  But how do you get the courage to do these things? 

   D.  What We Learn of Jesus from the Secret.

            Note:  Ask everyone to turn to Isaiah 53:1-9.

>>>> Have someone read Isaiah 53:1-9. 

            Q  Can you understand Jesus Christ apart from suffering?

               An = Suffering must be there to understand Jesus, any other way is wrong. 

>>>> Have someone read Isaiah 53:10-13.

            Q  To what is Jesus' greatness tied to?

            Q  To what will our greatness be tied to if we are like our Lord?

               An = Our greatness, like Jesus', is tied to how we help others.  Not how successful we are, how many financial goals we accomplish, or how many titles and awards we gather.  Our greatness is tied to how much we help others.  Helping others can be a costly thing.  If we are like Jesus we must bear the cross.  However it will result in blessing the world, our community, families and friends.

            Note:  W. Lane, p. 296 quotes Minette de Tillesse,

            "If Jesus had allowed his glory as Son of God to shine everywhere, if he had permitted to the crowds their delirious enthusiasm, it he had allowed the demons to howl their servile confession, if he had permitted the apostles to divulge everywhere their sensational discovery, the passion would have been rendered impossible and the destiny of Jesus would have issued in triumph, but a triumph which would have been wholly human (8:33) and which would not have accomplished the divine plan of salvation."

            If Jesus would have allowed his glory as Son of God to shine to the crowds, the demons, the religious authorities, or the apostles in the way they wanted, we would not be here tonight.

            There would have been no cross, salvation, freedom from sin, fellowship of the Spirit, and hope of eternal life in heaven.

            The sufferings, rejection, death and then resurrection of Jesus are absolutely necessary.  The secret to the secret is "Jesus suffered, died and rose again for our sins".  He slowed down any other confession or understanding of Him that did not center on that fact.