“But what about you:” he asked.  “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”  Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.  He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.  He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

After the acknowledgment that He is the Christ, Jesus begins to prepare them for His death.  What a short-lived jubilation – Messiah is revealed, the long-awaited One is here, and what???  He’s going to die?!?!?!?!?

They had seen the miracles and not understood.  They had waited for their physical King and Saviour for hundreds of years.  He is about to show them that His kingdom is spiritual and not physical.  From His death will come an immeasurably huge kingdom filled with uncountable numbers of sinners saved by grace.  They couldn’t know that now.  Now is full of sadness, but resurrection joy is very close!