The technical word for a set of beliefs about Jesus and his importance is Christology. What kind of Christology does Mark reveal in 8:27-10:52?
We’ve seen in Mark’s Gospel that the “big” players like Peter often get things wrong while the “bit” players, like Bartimaeus or the father of the boy with the seizures, often get things right. Why does Mark show us this contrast?
Some scholars argue that Mark uses the transfiguration to show us Jesus’ resurrection or his return in glory. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus predicts both those “comings,” but the Gospel ends before either. How does this change the way we understand this passage?
Application Questions:
In the story about Jesus healing the boy with the spirit, the father cries out to Jesus, ““I believe; help my unbelief!”” (9:24b). Has this contradictory statements ever felt true in your faith journey?
Sometimes we trivialize Jesus’ instruction to take up our crosses: “my sick parent is my cross to bear” or “grading all those papers before January 11th is my cross to bear.” Are these individual situations the crosses Jesus meant? Are there any larger crosses Christians might be called to bear?
What does “faith” look like in these chapters? Can we have different degrees or understandings of faith and still be disciples of Jesus?