Who do people say I am?

I try to do Lectio Divina each day at lunch as often as I can.  Today I was considering the passage in Mark 8 where Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" Everyone knows how the disciples responded and Peter's exclamation that he was the Messiah.  That bit was not remarkable, but the response Jesus gave was.  Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.  Some have posited that his time had not yet come and he wanted to avoid the people forcibly making him King.  From a rational point of view I suppose this makes sense, except for it totally dismisses the power of God and his divine providence.  Didn't Jesus say to Pilate, "You would have no power over me if it were not given from above."

Is it possible that Jesus was purposely avoiding notoriety and the public spectacle? Is it possible that the Christ hid in the shadows for a reason?  I cannot think of a time that Jesus forced his ideology on anyone.  Further, most of his teaching was done in parables, many of which his own disciples had difficulty grasping.  Mark paints a picture of Jesus crossing back and forth across the Sea of Galilee trying to avoid the crowds of thronging followers only to be found time and time again.  But herein lies the point I think.  Christ wants to be sought.  He wants us to seek him out.  He never turned away from those who found him. It is in the seeking that we experience the love of Christ.  Christ on a billboard is no savior, much of religion today promises much and delivers little because it provides all the answers.  Christ does not force himself on us, but he does ask, "Who do you say I am?"  Seek him and you will have your answer.