Jesus in preparation for their ministry he had to bring the disciples to an acknowledgment of his true status before God and man; he had to reveal to them the circumstances of his death and what this would impose on them, and had to manifest also the glory that will ultimately be revealed. The apostles were ready for the glory, but did not realise that the cross must come before the crown; nor did they understand what true discipleship of the Lord required in the way of personal self-sacrifice. All this had to be taught them in such a way that the lesson would never be forgotten. To that end, he sought the help and guidance of his Father. In a quiet place, undisturbed by the crowds that usually flocked around him, and with the apostles also standing apart, he gave himself up to solitary prayer, communicating with his Father in heaven, seeking His aid in the revelation that was about to be given to the disciples. Then, having completed his prayer, he beckoned his apostles to him, and as they made their way along, he asked them a question:
"Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?"
There probably was a pause as they thought out the answer. They knew, from the idle guesses of the people, that in spite of all his labours, in teaching, and miracles, the Messiah had not been recognised by the very people he had come to save. Many were wondering who he really was. Some repeated the verdict of the guilty, conscience-smitten Herod, and decided he was John the Baptist; others who may have heard him sternly denouncing the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, likened him to the fiery Elijah; others, again, who had witnessed his tender compassion for the unfortunate, saw in his pathos and feeling, the manifestation of a Jeremiah sent to save the nation from disaster; but most only looked upon him as a prophet, proclaiming the will and purpose of God. The light had been revealed in Israel, but the eyes of men were too blind to see it.
The disciples replied: “Some say John the Baptist, others say, Elijah, others again, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
None were now saying that he was the Christ!
They had acknowledged that a short time before, but his rebuff of the people in the synagogue of Capernaum had turned many disciples from him, and had discouraged the people from looking upon him as king. His popularity was surely waning. That, in fact, was what the answer of the apostles confirmed! "Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." But Jesus continued his questioning:
"But who do you say that I am?"
The answer came boldly from Peter. He repeated, even more dogmatically, the statement he had made when so many were turning from the Lord outside the synagogue in Capernaum (John 6:66).
"You ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD!"
It was a declaration of the greatest significance.
As "the Christ," it meant that he was the King of Israel, the One who would fulfil the promises made to Eve (Gen 3:15), to Abraham (Gen 22), and to David (2 Sam. 7). And these required that the nation of Israel must be restored, Christ must reign as king, the blessings of his rule must be extended throughout the world, with the worthy granted immortality to share it. The declaration comprehended the fullness of the gospel message proclaimed to Abraham:
"In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Gal 3:8,16).
By "the Son of the living God," Peter meant that he was, in a very special sense, the Son of Yahweh. This was a tremendous statement for any Jew to make, for whilst some may have looked upon him as a son of God by divine selection and guidance of the nation (see Exo 4:22-23; Deut 14:1; Hos. 1:10), Peter's words signified much more than that, and implied that Jesus was literally the Son of Yahweh by divine begettal.
To confess such teaching as that, would be considered blasphemous by most Jews and would, indeed, be blasphemy except that in Jesus' case it is true. The declaration meant that he was the manifestation of the Father from heaven by divine begettal through the virgin Mary, and that all he did and was, stemmed from the strength that he derived from God.
Only "God in Christ" could perform the miracles that the disciples had seen (Acts 2:22). Only "God in Christ" could gain the victory over flesh that his complete sinlessness and character revealed (2Cor 5:19). Only "God in Christ" could utter such words of wisdom and doctrine of salvation, such as he expressed (John 12:49). Peter's confession shows that the doctrine of the Trinity is a blasphemous error, but that people must really understand the doctrine of God Manifestation if they would truly know Jesus.
It reveals that the Lord derived strength from a Power outside of himself in order to manifest the divine likeness as he did, and implies that all must do likewise who would walk in the ways of God (Phil 4:13).
Insight
"Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?"
There probably was a pause as they thought out the answer. They knew, from the idle guesses of the people, that in spite of all his labours, in teaching, and miracles, the Messiah had not been recognised by the very people he had come to save. Many were wondering who he really was. Some repeated the verdict of the guilty, conscience-smitten Herod, and decided he was John the Baptist; others who may have heard him sternly denouncing the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, likened him to the fiery Elijah; others, again, who had witnessed his tender compassion for the unfortunate, saw in his pathos and feeling, the manifestation of a Jeremiah sent to save the nation from disaster; but most only looked upon him as a prophet, proclaiming the will and purpose of God. The light had been revealed in Israel, but the eyes of men were too blind to see it.
The disciples replied: “Some say John the Baptist, others say, Elijah, others again, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
None were now saying that he was the Christ!
They had acknowledged that a short time before, but his rebuff of the people in the synagogue of Capernaum had turned many disciples from him, and had discouraged the people from looking upon him as king. His popularity was surely waning. That, in fact, was what the answer of the apostles confirmed! "Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." But Jesus continued his questioning:
"But who do you say that I am?"
The answer came boldly from Peter. He repeated, even more dogmatically, the statement he had made when so many were turning from the Lord outside the synagogue in Capernaum (John 6:66).
"You ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD!"
It was a declaration of the greatest significance.
As "the Christ," it meant that he was the King of Israel, the One who would fulfil the promises made to Eve (Gen 3:15), to Abraham (Gen 22), and to David (2 Sam. 7). And these required that the nation of Israel must be restored, Christ must reign as king, the blessings of his rule must be extended throughout the world, with the worthy granted immortality to share it. The declaration comprehended the fullness of the gospel message proclaimed to Abraham:
"In thee shall all nations be blessed" (Gal 3:8,16).
By "the Son of the living God," Peter meant that he was, in a very special sense, the Son of Yahweh. This was a tremendous statement for any Jew to make, for whilst some may have looked upon him as a son of God by divine selection and guidance of the nation (see Exo 4:22-23; Deut 14:1; Hos. 1:10), Peter's words signified much more than that, and implied that Jesus was literally the Son of Yahweh by divine begettal.
To confess such teaching as that, would be considered blasphemous by most Jews and would, indeed, be blasphemy except that in Jesus' case it is true. The declaration meant that he was the manifestation of the Father from heaven by divine begettal through the virgin Mary, and that all he did and was, stemmed from the strength that he derived from God.
Only "God in Christ" could perform the miracles that the disciples had seen (Acts 2:22). Only "God in Christ" could gain the victory over flesh that his complete sinlessness and character revealed (2Cor 5:19). Only "God in Christ" could utter such words of wisdom and doctrine of salvation, such as he expressed (John 12:49). Peter's confession shows that the doctrine of the Trinity is a blasphemous error, but that people must really understand the doctrine of God Manifestation if they would truly know Jesus.
It reveals that the Lord derived strength from a Power outside of himself in order to manifest the divine likeness as he did, and implies that all must do likewise who would walk in the ways of God (Phil 4:13).
Insight
