Who Do You Say That I Am?

This above picture is very representative of who Peter thought that Jesus Christ was. Peter was so in love with Christ that at martyrdom he counted himself unworthy to be crucified like his savior was. He knew who Jesus Christ was, and it all stemmed from his initial confession of Jesus as the son of the living God.

A quick aside:
This etching was taken from the Martyrs Mirror published in 1685 by a Mennonite named Jan Luiken (1649-1712).

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

Matthew 16:13-18

"Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Who do you say that Jesus Christ is? Every morning you wake up, Jesus Christ is asking you the same question that he asked Peter 2000 years ago. He is saying Bubba "who do you say that I am?" "How are you going to live your life today?" "Are you going to live like I am the Lord of your life or are you going to live for yourself?"

You see everyday, in the way we live, we are making a continual profession of faith. Are you kind to people? Are you selfish? Are people that you come in contact with, looking at you saying "man, there is something different about that guy?"

When you are presented with the opportunity to sin, Jesus is next to you saying, "Who do you say that I am?" He must not be a part of your life. He must be Lord.

Need I remind you of his words:
"Though shalt have no other Gods before me."

He must be your everything....

There is no doubt that daily life beckons the question from Jesus Christ:

"WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?"

Godspeed!


#Here is a little extra commentary that I really like on this passage from Matthew Henry:

The Revelation of the Gospel Occurs in Pagan Territory (16:13)

Jesus has taken his disciples northward from predominantly Jewish territory, presumably to escape the crowds and spend time privately with his disciples. They have journeyed some twenty-five miles (and seventeen hundred feet uphill) from the Lake of Galilee to the source of the Jordan near the ancient city of Dan, the northern boundary of ancient Israel. The recently renamed Caesarea Philippi was as pagan a territory as one could find. It was famous for its grotto where people worshiped the Greek god Pan; its earlier name Paneas persisted even in its modern Arabic name, Baneas (compare Jos. War 1.404), and public pagan rites reportedly continued there until a later Christian miraculously demonstrated that Jesus was more powerful (Euseb. H.E. 7.17). Following Mark, Matthew emphasizes that God moves where he wills, fitting the theme of Jesus' universal mission in his Gospel (for example, 1:3, 5-6; 2:1-12; 3:9; 4:15).

People Must Recognize Jesus as the Christ (16:14-16)Outsiders' recognition of Jesus as a prophet is inadequate (16:14); those who follow Jesus closely know him as the Christ, God's Son (vv. 15-16). Herod Antipas thought Jesus was John (14:2); many Jewish people anticipated the return of Elijah and other prophets like Baruch. Viewing Jesus in such terms thus fit him into categories of thought that already existed, rather than letting the Lord redefine their categories by his identity (see comment on 4:1-11). Christ designates Jesus as the rightful king of Israel.