We reach today a high point in Mark's gospel. The disciples, who had shown so many times their lack of understanding of the meaning of Jesus' words and actions, now make a wonderful breakthrough when, through the words of Peter, they express their awareness that Jesus, their teacher and friend, is no less than the long-expected Messiah of Israel. What an exciting moment it must have been for them! How privileged and proud they must have been to be so closely related with the Saviour King of Israel.

However, they were in for a severe shock when Jesus immediately began to tell them what would happen to Him as Messiah - that He would suffer and die at the hands not of Israel's enemies or the hated Romans but at the hands of their own religious leaders. It was totally beyond their comprehension. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah but they still had to learn just what kind of Messiah He would be, that He would conquer the world not by force of arms but by death on a cross - and thus find new life for Himself and all His followers.