Mark's Gospel, Context... a turning point

At Mark 8:22-28 we come to the turning point of the whole gospel, and the recognition on the disciples’
part that Jesus is the Messiah.
When you step back and look at the gospel as a whole, it is truly amazing that from Mark 1:1 through
Mark 8:29, there has not been a word about Jesus being the Messiah (although there was some messianic
speculation at the feeding of the five thousand, although this was reported by John, not by Mark).
Everything seems to come to a head during this journey through the region along the eastern side of the
Sea of Galilee. People have seen Jesus’ miracles, and have been asking all kinds of questions about him.
In fact, speculation was running rampant. After all that the disciples had seen Jesus do, and after all that
he had taught them, the question Jesus asks them in Mark 8:21, “do you not understand?” is finally
answered in Mark 8:29. “You are the Messiah.”5 From this point on, everything changes.
That the confession of Jesus as the Messiah comes from Peter is quite significant. He is clearly the
leader of the twelve, he serves as their spokesman, and Mark’s Gospel reflects again and again a
perspective that could have only come from Peter, who recounted these events to Mark. His confession
that Jesus is the Christ serves as a wonderful moment, which marks the end of the first half of the Gospel
and begins a dramatic change in emphasis. Jesus will now direct his teaching primarily to his disciples,
rather than to the crowds. -- Kim Riddlebarger