04_Biblica_1_A_Ossandon_Layout 1 05/11/12 12:18 Pagina 385 385 BARTIMAEUS’ FAITH 2. The Ideological Point of View throughout Mark 8,27‒10,45 If the section on the way narrates Jesus’ efforts to teach his dis- ciples, it is not difficult to translate it into terms of an ideological point of view. At the beginning of the section, confirmed by God and followed by the narrator, Jesus reveals his point of view about his own person and mission. The progressive manifestation of this ideological point of view occupies a central place in the narrative. Almost every episode in the section ends reporting Jesus’ words. If the whole sec- tion is divided into ten episodes (8,27-9,1; 9,2-13; 9,14-29; 9,30- 32; 9,33-50; 10,1-12; 10,13-16; 10,17-31; 10,32-45; and 10,46-52), only two do not end this way: 9,30-32 and the Bartimaeus episode. On the other hand, Peter’s refusal of the cross as well as the mis- understandings of the group of the disciples can be seen as the mani- festation of another point of view. The crowd seems to be on the side of the disciples, although the reader is never informed about what they think. Both groups, as well as other minor characters, hold opinions which are usually opposite to those of Jesus, at least up to Mark 10,46-52. In what follows, I shall try to show the progressive manifestation of Jesus’ and the disciples’ points of view on the ideological plane throughout the section on the way. Mark 8,27-9,1 offers a conflict of points of view about Jesus. He wants the disciples to give people’s point of view and then their own. After the first answer, Jesus shows neither approval nor re- fusal, but his new question implies that he considers popular de- scriptions to be insufficient. After Peter’s confession, Jesus asks them to keep silence about his messianic condition, probably be- cause their point of view is still incomplete, although the text gives no reason for this command. They must accept the next teaching of Jesus. Jesus expresses his own point of view about himself con- centrating on a single point: the cross ― he says nothing about being a prophet or the Messiah. Peter ’s refusal shows an opposite point of view. It is not simply a misunderstanding of Jesus’ deeds, as in the first part of the Gospel. The vigorous reaction of Jesus is more eloquent than any comment by the narrator, whose voice is practically absent during this dialogue: he makes only a brief remark in 8,32a. He prefers to hide behind Jesus’ words.