Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 8]
8:25 {He looked steadfastly} (\dieblepsen\). He saw thoroughly
now, effective aorist (\dieblepsen\), he was completely restored
(\apekatest•\, second aorist, double compound and double
augment), and kept on seeing (\eneblepen\, imperfect, continued
action) all things clearly or at a distance (\t•laug•s\, common
Greek word from \t•le\, afar, and \aug•\, radiance, far-shining).
Some manuscripts (margin in Westcott and Hort) read \d•laug•s\,
from \d•los\, plain, and \aug•\, radiance.
8:26 {To his home} (\eis oikon autou\). A joyful homecoming that.
He was not allowed to enter the village and create excitement
before Jesus moved on to Caesarea Philippi.
8:27 {Into the villages of Caesarea Philippi} (\eis t•s k•mas
Kaisari•s t•s Philippou\). Parts (\mer•\) Mt 16:13 has, the
Caesarea of Philippi in contrast to the one down on the
Mediterranean Sea. Mark means the villages belonging to the
district around Caesarea Philippi. This region is on a spur of
Mount Hermon in Iturea ruled by Herod Philip so that Jesus is
safe from annoyance by Herod Antipas or the Pharisees and
Sadducees. Up here on this mountain slope Jesus will have his
best opportunity to give the disciples special teaching
concerning the crucifixion just a little over six months ahead.
So Jesus asked (\ep•r•t•\, descriptive imperfect) {Who do men say
that I am?} (\Tina me legousin hoi anthr•poi einai;\). Mt 16:13
has "the Son of Man" in place of "I" here in Mark and in Lu
9:18. He often described himself as "the Son of Man." Certainly
here the phrase could not mean merely "a man." They knew the
various popular opinions about Jesus of which Herod Antipas had
heard (Mr 3:21,31). It was time that the disciples reveal how
much they had been influenced by their environment as well as by
the direct instruction of Jesus.
8:28 {And they told him} (\hoi de eipan\). They knew only too
well. See on ¯Mt 16:14,28 for discussion.
8:29 {Thou art the Christ} (\Su ei ho Christos\). Mark does not
give "the Son of the living God" (Mt 16:16) or "of God" (Lu
9:20). The full confession is the form in Matthew. Luke's
language means practically the same, while Mark's is the
briefest. But the form in Mark really means the full idea. Mark
omits all praise of Peter, probably because Peter had done so in
his story of the incident. For criticism of the view that
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MR8.RWP.html (5 of 8) [28/08/2004 09:04:28 a.m.]