Markus 8:27-29

Peter’s Confession

8:27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. ¹  On the way he asked his disciples, ²  “Who do people say that I am?” 8:28 They said, ³  “John the Baptist, others say Elijah, ⁴  and still others, one of the prophets.” 8:29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, ⁵  “You are the Christ.” ⁶ 

[8:27]  ¹ map Fpr location see Map1 C1; Map2 F4.

[8:27]  ² tn Grk “he asked his disciples, saying to them.” The phrase λέγων αὐτοῖς (legwn autois) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[8:28]  ³ tn Grk “And they said to him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[8:28]  ⁴ sn The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come. According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.

[8:29]  ⁵ tn Grk “Answering, Peter said to him.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Peter answered him.”

[8:29]  ⁶ tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[8:29]  sn The term χριστός (cristos) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in LXX into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”). In the intertestamental period it developed further into a technical term referring to the hoped-for anointed one, that is, a specific individual. In the NT the development starts there (technical-specific), is so used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.