Who do people say that you are? A meditative ramble on the Lectionary Gospel for 15 Sep 2024.

Mark 8:27-30

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

NT 101 for theol students. In just over a century, Wrede’s “Messianic Secret in Mark” has gone through classic understanding of how things are/were, to debunking, rehabilitation, more debunking, and back to a sort-of rehabilitation. I looked for my copy, couldn’t find it, assumed that like half of my library it’s gone to a good home. But this being a Ramble, not a learnèd paper for submission to The Journal of New Testament Studies, I can play a mind game. What happens if we reverse questioner and responder? So, Peter asks Jesus, “Who do people say that I am?”

Good question, a brave one too in light of Psalm 139 “You have searched me and you know me.” Just a couple of verses later, still in this Sunday’s lectionary reading, Jesus addresses Peter “Get behind me, Satan”. So, Satan. Or perhaps, “You’re the one who didn’t understand Transfiguration.” Or, “You’re the one who makes things worse for me by chopping off the High Priest’s servant’s ear.” Or, “You’re the one who says that you’ll never desert me, and then you fib three times - three times! - that you don’t even know me, and you run away when the soldiers take me to be crucified.” Or, “You’re the one who didn’t believe Mary Magdalene that I was raised from the dead.” Or, “You’re one of those who were so terrified of the Jews who handed me over to the Roman authorities, that you locked the door in a vain attempt to keep me out from showing that I’m alive for evermore.”

Or, and here is stupendous grace in action, “You are Peter. And on this rock I will build my church.”