You Are the Christ: Mark 8:27-30

The road to Caesarea Philippi wound through Gentile territory, past temples to Pan and shrines to Caesar. At the foot of a cliff where spring water gushed from rock, in the shadow of a cave the pagans called the Gates of Hades, Jesus asked his disciples a question:

"Who do people say I am?"

The answers came easily: "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."

The crowd had theories. Jesus was a resurrected prophet, a returned hero, a voice from the past speaking again. They were impressed but uncertain, awed but uncommitted.