Could you help me understand Mk 8:27-33 … Peter said, “You’re the Christ”?

Question

"Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”"

I though “Christ” referred to Jesus' crucifixion, and in this passage, well; it sounds like “Christ” was a common word back then, and this confuses me. Anyways, I have major brain block today --- any kind helpers out there?

Answer 1

"Christ" does not refer to Jesus' crucifixion.

The Old Testament is full of prophesies about an "Anointed One" of God that was to come as a King, Prophet, and Priest. In Hebrew, the word for "Anointed One" is "Messiah". So all the Jews were expectantly waiting for the Messiah to come (and many Jews today are waiting for their Messiah to come, just as Christians are waiting for THE Messiah to return, Jesus Christ).

In Greek, "Annointed One" is "Christ". So Anointed One = Messiah (Hebrew) = Christ (Greek).

When Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, Peter was saying that Jesus was the Anointed One of God, the Messiah, to whom Jews were waiting for to bring about the redemption of the world. Most of the Jews were desperately waiting for "the Messiah" or "the Christ", to free them from the oppression of the Roman empire.

The confusion was that many Jews expected Jesus to become King immediately, and awaited Jesus to take over physically and rule on earth. That's why it confused the Apostles when Jesus spoke of His coming death and resurrection. They were all confused and didn't know what He was talking about. Even Peter said this wouldn't happen to Jesus, but Jesus rebuked Peter saying that this was the very reason that He had come to earth...to die! He was born to die, as Savior of the world, sacrificing Himself by paying the penalty for our sins on the cross, so that we may be forgiven and saved.

So...expounding more:
Jesus is His name:
Jesus = Iesous in Greek = Yehowshuwa in Hebrew = Jehovah saves = I AM saves = the LORD saves

Christ is His title:
Christ = Christos in Greek = Messias/Mashiyach in Hebrew = the Messiah = the Anointed One

So, when we say, "Jesus Christ", we are also calling Him "I AM's Saving Messiah" or "the LORD's Anointed Savior".

Hope this helps.

Grace and peace in Christ!

Answer 2

You must get your languages in order here: Christ, from the Greek Christos, means Anointed One
It is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah. Those during Jesus time were in expectation of a Messiah (check Daniel 9:25) to come and establish God's Kingdom. Crucify comes from the Latin Crux, which currently means cross, although in relation to the Greek Stauros (referring to the instrument by which Jesus was executed) it simply meant an upright piece of timber. There is no relation between the words 'Christ' and 'crucifix' . . .

Answer 3

"Christ" is a royal title meaning "the anointed one". It refers back to the Old Testament tradition of anointing kings with oil to symbolize their status as the chosen leaders of God's people. "The Christ" used in New Testament literature is describing the long awaited Messiah, the savior that the Jews were anticipating and that the world was waiting for, the ultimate king.

Understanding the meaning of this word explains in part why it was so difficult for many of the Jews in the first century to accept Jesus as the Christ. They were anticipating a great and powerful earthly king, like king David, who would overthrow the governments that were oppressing them and restore to them the land that God had promised to Abraham. However, they were confronted with Jesus and his kingdom. It was so much bigger and greater than any earthly kingdom in history, that many failed to recognize it because it looked so very different from everything they had ever known.

Answer 4

How did Jesus people know him? Read all these passages and that should give you a idea of who Jesus is and the meaning of the term Christ. Christ simply means anointed, its Messiah in Hebrew. priest, Kings, pots and pans were anointed. Only Christians has confused the true meaning. They instead made it refer to Jesus when others were also Christs or Messiahs or anointed. When it refers to Jesus, its used as a title to allow Jesus to stand out among the rest of the bible Characters. But yes read these passages and you should come to your conclusion.

(mat.14:5,21:11,21:46)
(lk.24:19,7:16,13:33)
(jn.4:19,6:14,7:40,9:17)

how did Jesus describe himself? (lk.13:33)

(mt.13:57,mk.6:4,lk.4:24,
jn.4:43)

also look in a concordance and look for the word Christ in Hebrew where its first being used. that's the true meaning.

Answer 5

Christ wasn't a common word back then, but everyone had heard that there would be a Messiah, or Christ. Peter is recognizing Jesus for who He is...The Christ, The Messiah. The same story is found in Matt. 16, and verse 17 Jesus commends Peter saying "Blessed art thou...for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven."

Answer 6

There were various opinions about the identity of Jesus. Some thought he was Elijah or one of the prophets. And many thought he was a risen John the Baptist. With credulity like that just about anyone could later be passed off as the risen Christ.

Answer 7

First of all you didn't quote the whole passage:

27And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?

28And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

29And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

30And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

31And 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 scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

Peter recognized that Jesus was the Christ, but didn't understand yet that Jesus had to die for the sins of the world. The disciples at that time, were still expecting Him, as the Messiah to establish His Kingdom IMMEDIATELY on EARTH. That's why Jesus rebuked Peter in verse 33

Answer 8

the Christ ... the prophesied Son of God ... that passage isnt complete ... theres more to it ... Jesus told him He was a rock after that ... a stone ... and that He was the Christ had been revealed to him, then He went on to say that upon this rock He would build his church ... the rock refferring to the spiritual revelation ...

Answer 9

"Christ" is Christos in Greek. It means the anointed one or the messiah.

Answer 10

Christ means "Messiah", or "Annointed one"

lmao i love your name, giggly giraffe. are you related to the giraffe from toys r' us? =P