“Then [Jesus] asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ ‘You
are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of John, because
my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any
human being’” (Matthew
16:15-17, NLT).
When Jesus asked, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
we can sense the sudden tension in the air. They had been brainstorming the
different ways the crowds were identifying Jesus. Now Jesus was asking them for
their own view. First, I assume, there was silence. Then Peter, the spokesman
for all the disciples said: “You are the
Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus did not ask Peter
what he meant (I wonder what would it be, right?). Depending on the Bible
translation, the first title in Peter’s declaration may be “Christ”
or “Messiah.” “Christ” comes from transliterating the
Greek term Khristos, which along with
Messiah (Hebrew) means “the Anointed
One.” Peter was placing Jesus “the Anointed
One” in the singular category of the Promised One from the Old
Testament prophesies. Peter (that mean all the disciples, I assume) got the
title right, even if he didn’t fully understand what it meant. Peter would have
to discover what each of us eventually discovers – we can have the right answer about God, but there will always be more
to God than our answers. Even our right answers are only a glimpse of all God
has to reveal.
Jesus affirmed Peter and
his answer, using his formal name – “Simon, son of
John.” He declared Peter “Blessed,”
not because he had given the right answer but because that right answer had
been given to him by Jesus’ “Father in
heaven.” God demonstrated his favour on Peter’s life by giving him
the insight to speak the right answer.
Think about this: We also have been given the same insight
from God’s Holy Spirit, so that we can acknowledge Jesus as the Promised One,
the Son of God. We are, therefore, blessed by God. God’s Word makes it clear
that we can’t claim to generate the faith it takes to believe in Jesus. The
Scripture stated, “By grace you
have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God” (Ephesians 2:8). When it comes to receiving credit for our
salvation, we get none – all of it goes to Christ. Jesus himself said, “[My] Father in heaven has revealed this to you.
You did not learn this from any human being.” In that moment when we
believe, that simple act of faith is itself a gift from God. Amen – so be it.
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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