Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 8:32

"And he spake the saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him." — Mark 8:32 (ASV)

The message got through to Peter, but he refused to accept it, for he followed the popular theological and political categories. A suffering Messiah? Unthinkable! The Messiah was a symbol of strength, not weakness. So Peter took Jesus aside and, amazingly, rebuked him (same word as used in 1:25; 3:12).