04_Biblica_1_A_Ossandon_Layout 1 05/11/12 12:18 Pagina 383 383 BARTIMAEUS’ FAITH However, immediately after his confession, it is Peter who does not accept the itinerary of Jesus, which includes rejection and death (8,31-32). Then Jesus assimilates Peter’s way of thinking to peo- ple’s opinions (8,33). Therefore, Jesus’ characterization remains still unfinished: although a step has been taken in the manifestation of Jesus’ identity, the revelation goes on. He is the Messiah, but not as human beings, not even those closest to him, understand it. The reader wonders whether Peter and the other disciples will accept the messianism described by Jesus. Just as the Father’s voice had approved Jesus’ humiliation among sinners after his baptism, the Father shows again his support to his Son, now in front of witnesses ― Peter, James, and John (9,2-13). But Jesus’ transfiguration could foster a triumphalist understanding of his messianism, as in fact will become evident in 10,32-45. There- fore, Jesus commands Peter, James, and John to tell no one ― until he is risen ― what they have seen, that is, his glory, not what they have heard, the Father’s words. In the following episodes, Jesus will make efforts to correct the understanding of the Messiah held by Peter and implicitly shared by the others. The formation of the disciples appears clearly in Jesus’ words after their argument on who is the greatest (9,33-37) and after the request made by the sons of Zebedee (10,32-45). To enter the kingdom they must receive it like children (10,13-16). The episode of the rich man (10,17-31) underlines the need of leaving everything to follow Jesus, a teaching which completes his statements about the value of life and the world in 8,35-37 and 9,42-48. By correcting their notion of the Messiah, Jesus also corrects the idea that the dis- ciples hold of themselves. Their mission must be identified with that of Jesus 18. Finally, when Jesus and the disciples go out of Jericho, the last city before going up to Jerusalem, Bartimaeus, the last character in the Gospel to benefit by a miracle, is also the only one who follows Jesus after being healed. Jesus praises his faith, the same faith he has missed in his disciples. And Bartimaeus has abandoned his man- tle, that is, all his possessions. At the end of the section on the way, he offers a symbol, parallel to that of the blind man of Bethsaida 19. 18 ALETTI, “La construction”, 32. 19 On this episode, see E. SALVATORE, “E vedeva a distanza ogni cosa”: il racconto della guarigione del cieco di Betsaida (Mc 8,22-26) (Aloisiana 32;