The Great Sending, Chapter 2
Matthew 16:13-20
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do the people say that the Son of Man is?”
~ Matthew 16:13
STUDY 2: The Sending Christ,
pp. 55-57
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20
by Reverand Dr. Dean Nadasdy
“Who are you?”
This is one of the fundamental questions of those who challenged Jesus.
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
~ Matthew 16:15
From the scribes and Pharisees who were threatened by His claims of being the “Son of God” to Pilate’s question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (Matthew 27:11) people failed to understand Christ’s purpose and His message.
For those who do not believe, the question remains the same today. The message of the Missio Dei is to introduce Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, to those who do not yet know Him.
In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
The disciples are quick to answer with the names they have heard: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Their answers are not surprising, since the people well could have
recalled the promises of a future messenger in the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses declares that God will raise up a new prophet who will lead the people. Malachi 3:1 promises One who will come and prepare the way, and Malachi 4:5-6 promises the sending of Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Peter speaks for the group when he says that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus is quick to point out that this knowledge was revealed to Peter by God. Then Jesus commends Peter’s faith, claiming he is no longer known as “Simon Bar Jonah” but as Peter. It is on this faith witnessed by Peter that Christ will build his church.
In his Gospel, Matthew is clear: Jesus is the Christ. From the sweeping genealogy in Chapter 1 to the testimony of John the Baptist in Chapter 11, to the testimony of Peter in our text, Jesus is “The Christ.” It is not possible to know who Jesus is apart from understanding Him as “Messiah.” “Messiah” stems from the Hebrew word, Mashiach, which means “the chosen one.”
People may know the story of Christmas and even the story of Easter without recognizing that this Jesus is both God and man, the Chosen One to deliver us from sin through death and resurrection. Even Peter does not understand the work of Jesus (16:21-23) until he himself has been to the cross and has met the risen Messiah in the upper room.
Like Peter, we have been to the cross and have met the risen Lord. Only instead of meeting Him in a locked upper room, we meet Him in the Word and Sacraments. Because He comes to us, we are able to proclaim Jesus Christ as the Son of the Living God.
Questions to ponder with
yourself and others
- Why is it significant for believers to know that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine?
- If a friend were to ask you who Jesus is, how would you answer?
- We rejoice that our God is a “living God” who is active in our lives. Where do you see Him at work in your life right now?
Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven, I thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, who gave His life for me. I rejoice in Your love and forgiveness and pray that I may be a bold witness of Your love to those who do not yet know Jesus. Grant us Your peace and joy in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.