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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar_8:27-30
27Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, "Who do people say that I am?" 28They told Him, saying, "John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets." 29And He continued by questioning them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ." 30And He warned them to tell no one about Him.
Mar_8:27-30 This event is a watershed event in the Gospel of Mark. The miracle stories that affirm the power, authority, and deity of Jesus cease. From this point on the emphasis is the crucifixion. Mark's Gospel changes from a focus on who He is to His great redemptive act (i.e., what He did).
Mar_8:27 "to the villages" Mat_16:13 has "into the district of." Jesus wanted to do two things (1) get away from the crowds and (2) preach in all the villages. In this case reason #1 is predominate.
▣ "Caesarea Philippi" This city is about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee in a predominately Gentile area. It was controlled by Herod Philip, not Herod Antipas.
▣ "on the way He questioned" As they were walking Jesus began (imperfect tense) conversing with them.
▣ "'Who do people say that I am'" Mat_16:13 has "Son of Man," which was Jesus' self-chosen title. This is the central religious question.
Mar_8:28 "John the Baptist" This was Herod Antipas' opinion, as well as some of the people's opinion (cf. Mar_6:14; Mar_6:16; Luk_9:19).
▣ "Elijah" This would imply that Jesus was the forerunner of the Messiah (cf. Mal_4:5).
▣ "one of the prophets" Mat_16:14 has "Jeremiah." All of these options involved a resuscitation and were honorific titles, but not exclusively Messianic.
Mar_8:29 "'who do you say that I am'" This is plural and was addressed to all the disciples. "You" is emphatic in Greek because the pronoun is fronted (i.e., put first in the sentence).
▣ "'You are the Christ'" Peter, the extrovert of the group, answers first. This is a transliteration of the Hebrew "Messiah" (BDB 603), which means "the Anointed One." Jesus was reluctant to publicly accept this title because of the Jews' false political, militaristic, and nationalistic interpretations. In this private setting He accepts, even seeks this title. The parallel of Mat_16:16 has the full title, "the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Mark (Peter's recorder) omits Jesus' praise of Peter (cf. Mat_16:17; Mat_16:19).
Mar_8:30 "He warned them to tell no one about Him" This is another example of the Messianic Secret so common in Mark (cf. Mar_1:33-34; Mar_1:43; Mar_3:12; Mar_4:11; Mar_5:43; Mar_7:24; Mar_7:36; Mar_8:26; Mar_8:30). They knew the title but not the mission!