Some commentators describe Mark’s gospel as a passion account with a long introduction. Mark begins the account of Jesus in Chapter 1 with John the Baptist and never stops running. In the first 7 chapters, Jesus demonstrates who is He is and even offers His disciples explanations in private. Even with constant attention from Jesus, it took a considerable time for His disciples to catch on (but I suspect in their sandals, we would have reacted much the same). In Mark chapter 8 the disciples finally start to get an idea of who they’re dealing with. “Who do people say that I am?” Jesus asks. The disciples offer up a couple of answers and then it gets more personal. “Who do you say that I am?” Immediately after Peter jumps in and declares “you are the Christ,” the journey to the cross escalates. Jesus begins to tell the disciples that He would die and be raised from the dead, something they've not heard before.
All along the way in those first 8 chapters, Jesus continued to prod the disciples and check their progress. A number of times He challenged their lack of understanding, yet waits until they begin to understand the magnitude of His presence before revealing the reason for His presence. To Mark, everything so far was preparation. Now that his disciples were catching on, Jesus would put the plan into full action. “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly.” A chapter later three of the disciples witness the transfiguration of Jesus, see Moses and Elijah, and hear the voice of God speaking from the heavens. Not exactly the confusing parables they were used to. After that, Jesus explains that He must die and rise from the dead twice more and enters Jerusalem behind people calling out “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David.”
Confrontations with the religious leaders also escalate – they no longer have to travel to Galilee to challenge Jesus because He had planted Himself in the temple grounds – teaching, driving out the money changers, telling parables against religious leaders, and silencing them with His authority. Jesus even explains to His disciples events that will transpire after He has died, risen, and ascended like the destruction of the temple and His triumphal return. At the last Passover meal, Jesus makes an astonishing statement, “Take [this bread]; this is My body” and “This [cup] is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” And then, He is betrayed.
Before His entry into Jerusalem, Jesus shushed anyone who publicly announced His identity. Demons were tormented by His very presence. When they identified Him as the Son of God He rebuked them. Jesus insisted upon silence from those he healed. Even when His disciples began to understand why Jesus had come, “He warned them to tell no one about Him.” But, warnings stopped when Jesus entered Jerusalem. And now, in the hands of the high priest, the chief priests, the elders, the scribes, and the Roman government Jesus makes His identity crystal clear. "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? And Jesus said, I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." “Pilate questioned Him, Are You the King of the Jews? And He answered him, It is as you say."
And there He stands, at the brink leaning too far forward, past the point of no return. No more need to postpone the inevitable, His calling was clear. It was time. There were promises His Father made that must be kept and all creation was waiting.
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