Who is Jesus?
Jesus is at a critical phase in his ministry. He has completed the foundational aspects of his teaching to his disciples, explaining the Kingdom of God, how humanity is to live. They have both seen and heard. He has expressed it through his life and carried out healings and miracles to support it and bring release to people. His disciples have gone with the flow and stepped out as a group to copy his ministry. He now wants to know what has actually sunk in. Is he able to go on to the next phase?
Before each phase we find Jesus in prayer, discussing with his Father whether this was the time to move forward and how to confirm this.
To open up the topic, he asks “Who do the people say that I am?”. He then broaches the important question “Who do you say that I am?’. When Jesus is out of hearing, what discussions are the disciples having about him. What have they concluded about who he is?
This question has always been, and still is posed. We cannot avoid this question, and the answer always requires action, to follow or reject Jesus.
From the start of his mission this has been the question, where the devil asks “If you are the Son of God…”. At Nazareth, the people marvel but ask “Is this not Joseph’s son?’. The demons in a man cry out “…you are the holy one of God.” Herod was greatly perplexed.
The people at the time related him to their own history, thinking he was a prophet returning. Our view, vision of Jesus can be blinkered by our history and views expressed around us, whether through church, religion or all sorts of -isms. Jesus has to sometimes break through all of this background and ask “Who do you say that I am?’. He wants a personal relationship with each of us.
In answer, Peter says “The Christ of God”. The Christ is the anointed one, the Messiah. See ‘A Sign’.
As part of his mission Jesus had fulfilled the ‘requirements’ of a Messiah set out in the Old Testament. Peter has seen this.
Jesus was the ‘Son of God’ bringing hope of a new humanity. See ‘Son of God’.
In response Jesus introduces the new phase, a new message. He predicts his own death and resurrection.
This was a new challenge with which the disciples, let alone the people, struggled. They expected Jesus, as Messiah, to rule and destroy all enemies, a new King David who would use force to achieve it. However, Jesus does not use force but sacrifice to achieve victory. Discipleship similarly involves rejection, death and resurrection. Jesus needed to overcome first before we can overcome in him.
He therefore told his disciples not to share the new message at this time, as possibly he needed to consider how to express it carefully. It was probably one of the topics of conversation at the Mount of Transfiguration where he was going next.
He does not refer to himself as the ‘Son of God’, but as ‘Son of Man’. See ‘Study Son of Man’. Jesus identifies with us, but wants to bring in a new humanity, a new son of man.
This passage ends the first phase of Jesus’ ministry. His focus becomes the new mission, his aim being Jerusalem and his death, resurrection and ascension. However, he appears to take a circuitous route, as he spends time on the way for significant encounters that were important to enable more teaching and expression of the Kingdom of God.
Background
Luke chapter 9 verses18 to 27 - And it happened that while he (Jesus) was praying alone, the disciples were with him, and he questioned them, saying, "Who do the people say that I am?" They answered and said, "John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again." And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." But he warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day." And he was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, he is the one who will save it. "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. "But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God.”
From the start of his mission this has been the question, where the devil asks “If you are the Son of God…” (Luke chapter 4 verse 3). At Nazareth, the people marvel but ask “Is this not Joseph’s son?’(verse 22). The demons in a man cry out “…you are the holy one of God.” Herod was greatly perplexed (chapter 9 verse 7).
The people at the time related him to their own history, thinking he was a prophet returning (chapter 9 verse 19). Our view, vision of Jesus can be blinkered by our history and views expressed around us, whether through church, religion or all sorts of -isms. Jesus has to sometimes break through all of this background and ask “Who do you say that I am?’. He wants a personal relationship with each of us.
In answer, Peter says “The Christ of God” (verse 20). The Christ is the anointed one, the Messiah. See ‘A Sign’.
In response Jesus introduces the new phase, a new message. He predicts his own death and resurrection (verse 22).
This was a new challenge with which the disciples, let alone the people, struggled (John chapter 6 verse 15). They expected Jesus, as Messiah, to rule and destroy all enemies, a new King David who would use force to achieve it. However, Jesus does not use force but sacrifice to achieve victory. Discipleship similarly involves rejection, death and resurrection (Luke chapter 9 verses 23 to 27). Jesus needed to overcome first before we can overcome in him.
He therefore told his disciples not to share the new message at this time, as possibly he needed to consider how to express it carefully (Luke chapter 9 verse 21). It was probably one of the topics of conversation at the Mount of Transfiguration where he was going next.
This passage ends the first phase of Jesus’ ministry. His focus becomes the new mission, his aim being Jerusalem and his death, resurrection and ascension (verse 51).