Church Fathers Commentary Mark 8:27-33

"And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi: and on the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Who do men say that I am? And they told him, saying, John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but others, One of the prophets. And he asked them, But who say ye that I am? Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake the saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men." — Mark 8:27-33 (ASV)

Theophylact of Ohrid: After taking His disciples far from the Jews, He then asks them about Himself, so that they could speak the truth without fear of the Jews.

Therefore, it is said, "And Jesus and His disciples entered the towns of Caesarea Philippi."

The Venerable Bede: Philip was that brother of Herod, whom we spoke of earlier, who in honor of Tiberius Caesar named that town Caesarea Philippi. The town is now called Paneas. ¹

It goes on, "And along the way He asked His disciples, saying to them, 'Whom do men say that I am?'"

Pseudo-Chrysostom: He asks the question with a purpose, for it was right that His disciples should speak of Him more highly than the crowd. ²

The Venerable Bede: Therefore, He first asks for the opinion of men in order to test the faith of the disciples, so that their confession would not seem to be founded on the common opinion.

It goes on, "And they answered, saying, 'Some say John the Baptist, some Elias, and others, one of the prophets.'"

Theophylact of Ohrid: For many thought that John had risen from the dead, as Herod himself believed, and that he had performed miracles after his resurrection. However, after inquiring about the opinions of others, He asks them what they themselves believed on this point.

Therefore, it continues, "And He said to them, 'But whom do you say that I am?'"

St. John Chrysostom: From the very manner of the question, however, He leads them to a higher understanding and deeper thoughts about Him, so that they would not agree with the crowd. The next words show what the head of the disciples, the mouth of the apostles, answered. When all were asked, Peter answers and says to Him, "You are the Christ." ³

Theophylact of Ohrid: He confesses that He is the Christ announced by the prophets. However, the Evangelist Mark passes over what the Lord answered to his confession and how He blessed him, lest by relating it this way, he might seem to be favoring his master, Peter. Matthew, on the other hand, plainly recounts the entire event.

Origen of Alexandria: Alternatively, because Mark and Luke recorded that Peter answered, "You are the Christ," without adding what is written in Matthew, "the Son of the living God," they also omitted the blessing that was conferred for this confession. ⁴

It goes on, "And He charged them that they should tell no one about Him."

Theophylact of Ohrid: For He wished to hide His glory in the meantime, so that many would not be offended because of Him and thus earn a worse punishment.

St. John Chrysostom: Alternatively, He may have waited to establish pure faith in their minds until after the Crucifixion, which was an offense to them. For once His work was completed, around the time of His ascension, He said to the apostles, "Go and teach all nations."

Theophylact of Ohrid: But after the Lord accepted the disciples' confession, in which they called Him the true God, He then revealed to them the mystery of the Cross.

Therefore, the text continues, "And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." The evangelist adds, "And He spoke that saying openly," meaning, concerning His future passion.

His disciples, however, did not understand this sequence of truth. They could not comprehend His resurrection and thought it better that He should not suffer.

St. John Chrysostom: The reason the Lord told them this, however, was to show that after His cross and resurrection, Christ must be preached by His witnesses. Again, Peter alone, from the fervor of his disposition, had the boldness to argue about these things. ⁵

Therefore, it goes on, "And Peter took Him up, and began to rebuke Him."

The Venerable Bede: This, however, he says with the feelings of a man who loves and desires, as if to say, "This cannot be, nor can my ears accept that the Son of God is to be slain."

St. John Chrysostom: But how is it that Peter, gifted with a revelation from the Father, has fallen so soon and become unstable? Surely, however, it was not surprising that one who had received no revelation concerning the Passion would be ignorant of it.

He had learned by revelation that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God, but the mystery of His cross and resurrection had not yet been revealed to him. He Himself, however, showing that He must come to His Passion, rebuked Peter.

Therefore, there follows, "And when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter..."

Theophylact of Ohrid: The Lord wished to show that His Passion was to take place for the salvation of humanity, and that Satan alone was unwilling for Christ to suffer and for the human race to be saved. He therefore called Peter "Satan" because he savored the things that were of Satan.

In his unwillingness for Christ to suffer, Peter became His adversary—for "Satan" is interpreted as "the adversary."

Pseudo-Chrysostom: But He does not say to the devil, when tempting Him, "Get behind me," but to Peter He says, "Get behind me," which means, "Follow Me, and do not resist the plan of My voluntary Passion." ⁶

There follows, "For you do not savor the things that are of God, but the things that are of men."

Theophylact of Ohrid: He says that Peter savors "the things that are of men" because he, in a way, savored carnal affections, for Peter wished that Christ would spare Himself and not be crucified.

1. in Marc., 2, 35
2. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
3. Hom. in Matt., 54
4. in Matt. Tom., 12, 15
5. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.
6. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.