Mark’s Gospel has 16 chapters, and we are at the 8th chapter for this week. This, in some scholars’ view is the apex of his Gospel. In the middle of the Gospel, we have this important question asked of the reader.
The Gospel begins with the believer (Mark) declaring that Jesus is the Son of God in Mk1:1: ‘The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’ Then Mark continues this proclamation of God our Father making the assertion in Mk 1:11, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved’. Mark goes further to have the devil declaring in Mk5:7 ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God?’. Thus far, we have the believer, God our Father and the devil acknowledging who Jesus is and now Mark turn to the reader and asks the reader this pertinent question ‘Who do you say I am? in Mk 8:29. If a non-believer can attest to Jesus as God, Mk 15:39, ‘In truth this man was a son of God.’, then should you not come to the same conclusion that Jesus is the Son of God and that Jesus is Lord and master?
The answer that Jesus is waiting for cannot be supplied by anyone else but you. The answer cannot be a copied answer. To give a standard answer that you have heard is not sufficient to express the faith that you have in Jesus. When war comes, the soldier that does not believe in his commander will run away. The answer is important because it will be the basis upon which we will act. If you don’t know who Jesus is, why would you stand for him and stand for everything that he stands for?
What is your personal answer to the question, ‘Who do you say I am?’