Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:13-25)

Where: College Baptist Church

When: September 2, 2001

Why: To consider who Jesus is as the Christ, the Son of the living God; to give opportunity to respond to Him as Lord

Text: Matthew 16:13-25

Introduction

When I started dating Rita she asked, "Who are you?" Not that she hadn't met me already, or didn't know my name and some things about me. But she wanted to know what really made me tick. "Who are you really?" She still asks that sometimes, I think. My prayer and desire is that the better she gets to know me as time goes on, the more she will be blessed by who I am.

Transition

This morning we wish to answer the most important question to which you and I will ever respond: Who is Jesus? How that question is answered either fills one life with joy, meaning, and purpose, or results in ultimate despair, suffering, and hopelessness. We ponder with Peter and the disciples Jesus' pivotal question, Who do you say that I am?

(Read Matthew 16:13-25.)

Background

This passage represents the culmination of Jesus' formal teaching to His disciples. In effect, it was their final exam and it consisted of just one question: Who is Jesus Christ? The answer to the question is of utmost importance. It determines one's eternal destiny. Ultimately, it is the question that everyone must answer; no one is exempt.

For about two and a half years Jesus had taught, demonstrated, re-taught, and re-demonstrated. Now it was final exam time. Just one question. Pass or fail.

Caesarea Philippi is as far north as Jesus ever traveled during his earthly ministry. It is not far from the ancient city of Dan which had always been considered the northernmost part of the Promised Land. Near the headwaters of the Jordan River and within sight of the snow capped Mt. Hermon, it is as if Jesus was purposely getting them away from the opposition of the rulers and the adoration of the crowds for a time of reflection. As they walked through the villages near Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:27), it was exam time.

Jesus' question

^{13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" (16:13).
What is significant about Jesus using the title "Son of Man" in asking about his identity?

"Son of Man" is Jesus' most frequently used title for Himself. He used "Son of Man" around 80 times in referring to Himself.
For the Jews, the "Son of Man" unquestionably was one of the titles for the Messiah. Daniel 7:13. ¹³In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. ¹⁴He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

"Son of Man" emphasized Jesus' humanness. The Jesus did not like to think of the Messiah in terms of humanness and consequently didn't use it often.
"Son of Man" focused on Jesus' servanthood, humility, and submission to His Father which ultimately led Him to the cross. Philippians 2:5. ⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!

The peoples' answer
16:14. ¹⁴They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

What did peoples' answer say about Jesus? In their opinion . . .

He was a good man.
He was a godly man.
He was a respected man.

Jesus wasn't so concerned about what people were saying about Him. He already knew what they were saying about Him He wasn't concerned about the opinions of the Saducees and Pharisees whom He had characterized as being in coalition with the devil (Matthew 10:25; 12:24). But there were others who were processing things.
Some said he was John the Baptist. John had been beheaded already. Perhaps there was talk about John the Baptist being reincarnated in Jesus.
Some thought he was Elijah. Malachi 4:5 had established that Elijah would return before the before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.

Some thought he was Jeremiah. Perhaps they sensed Jesus' lament and grief over the rebellion of the people, very much like Jeremiah. John MacArthur suggests, "In the apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees (2:4-8), Jeremiah is said to have taken the Ark of the Covenant and the altar of incense out of the Temple and hidden them on Mount Nebo in order to preserve them from desecration and destruction by the Babylonians. Some Jews thought that before the Messiah returned to establish His kingdom, Jeremiah would return to earth and restore the Ark and the altar to their proper places in the Temple. The same apocryphal book pictures a white-bearded Jeremiah handing a golden sword to the great Jewish hero Judas Maccabaeus to use in overthrowing the Greeks (15:12-16)." Perhaps this was their hope was the Jesus was Jeremiah returned to restore temple worship.
People seem to want to speak highly of Jesus without recognizing His deity. It's the same way today. Who do you say the Son of Man is? "Why, he was a good man, a godly man, a respected man."
The Jehovah's Witnesses say he was Michael the archangel. Apologist James Walker says,

"The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, teaches that Jesus has not always existed, but was himself a created being originally named Michael, the Archangel.
"The Jehovah's Witnesses' view of Christ is explained in their book, Aid to Bible Understanding. Under the heading Michael, they state, 'Scriptural evidence indicated that the name Michael applied to God's Son before he left heaven to become Jesus Christ and also after his return. Michael is the only one said to be the `archangel,' meaning 'chief angel' or 'principle angel" (p. 1152).
"The Watchtower's Jesus is not equal to God the Father nor Eternal but is himself a created being. Under the section Jesus Christ, they teach, 'Thus the scriptures identify the Word (Jesus in his pre-human existence) as God's first creation, his firstborn Son. this son was actually a creature of God'" (Ibid, p. 918).

The Mormons say Jesus was one of many offspring of Elohim. Their official doctrine will tell you that Jesus is only begotten Son of God- in the flesh. It's what they don't tell you is what is significant. Ed Decker references Mormon President Spencer W. Kimball from Mormonism official magazine, The Ensign:

"The LDS church teaches that it was in the preexistent world that Jesus and Lucifer, two elder 'brothers' (sexually begotten sons of God as we all are), vied before the 'council of the gods' for the honor of becoming the Savior of mankind. The plan that Jesus proposed was approved by the council's majority vote. In anger, Lucifer drew one-third of the brothers and sisters into rebellion against the council's decision. He then became the Devil and his followers the demons" (Decker, p. 26).

Buddhism and Hinduism will tell you that Jesus was a good man, a reincarnation of the highest order.
Islam will tell you that Jesus was a good man and prophet.
New Age adherents often view Jesus in His physical state as a Shaman miracle worker- like a witch doctor- drawing on the forces of nature to perform magical feats. Others see Him in His spiritual state as the energy force that pervades nature and is one with nature which can be tapped and used to one's own advantage.
All of these answers are incomplete or just out-right wrong. Had any of these people been with Jesus and been asked this questions, they would have failed the final exam.
Peter's answer
Matthew 16:15, 16. ¹⁵"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Peter had answered correctly. "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸And 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.

What can we learn about Jesus from this exam?

Jesus is the Christ
"Christ is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah, God's predicted and long-awaited deliverer of Israel, the supreme "Anointed One," the coming High Priest, King, Prophet, and Savior. Without hesitation Peter declared Jesus to be the Messiah, whereas the multitudes of Jews believed Him to be only the Messiah's precursor" (MacArthur).
In John 1:41, 49, Andrew and Nathaniel had already confessed their conviction that Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus is the Son of the Living God

Nathaniel had called him the Son of God and King. John the Baptist had born witness that He was the Son of God. But he didn't fit the mold of the their expectations. They began to doubt. They started to be effected by the popular opinion of the day.
But now as Peter reaffirms on the behalf of all the disciples that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, their hearts must have pounded with confession was laden with truth and dripping with theological meaning.
To name a few, let's consider the truth about the Son of God found in just one passage, Hebrews 1:1-3. In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. ³The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ⁴So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

God the Father speaks to us through the Son.
God the Father made the universe through the Son.
God the Father made the Son heir of all things.
The Son is the radiance of God's glory.
The Son sustains the universe by the authority of His word.
The Son provided purification for our sins. He died for our sins.
The Son reigns at the right hand of the Father in heaven.
The Son is superior to the angels.

God the Father reveals the Son
Matthew 16:17. ¹⁷Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

1 Corinthians 2:14. ¹⁴The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Many don't realize it, by it takes an act of God to understand the things of God. This reminds us how important God is in our lives. He gives us the insight and understanding. The truth is always there, but He turns on the light to reveal the truth.
The Son reveals God the Father.
John 14:9, 10. ⁹Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? ¹⁰Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

The Son's purpose is to glorify the Father

John 17:1-5. "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ²For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. ⁵And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Satan's response
Satan stands opposed to the truth of Peter's answer. Any other answer is OK in his book..
Matthew 16:18. ¹⁸And 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.

Jesus makes it clear that Satan and his domain are adamantly opposed to the truth of Peter's confession and all of it's implications for our life and his defeat.
Matthew 16:21-23. ²¹From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ²²Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" ²³Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

We need to make something perfectly clear: Any answer to the question, "Who do you say that I am?" that is not in essence, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God," is inspired and promoted by Satan. All other responses are half-truths or out-right lies. Jesus is more than a good man. Jesus is not just a godly man. Jesus is more than a prophet. Jesus is not a created being. Jesus is not an angel. Jesus is not a life energy permeating the essence of His creation.
Bring it home
Jesus is not just worthy of our respect, but worthy of our worship, allegiance, submission, obedience, adoration, and love.
Matthew 16:24, 25. ²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
This is our message to a lost and dying world. It is the only possible response to the Christ, the Son of the living God.
But, oh, what a life! Oh, what a Lord! "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!"
Who do you say that I am?

Resources

Decker, Ed & Dave Hunt. The God Makers: A Shocking Expose of What the Mormon Church REALLY Believes. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1984.

MacArthur, John F. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1983, [Online] Available: Logos Library System.

Packer, J. I. Concise Theology. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1993, [Online] Available: Logos Library System.

Walker, James. "The Jesus of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society." [Online] Available: http://www.watchman.org/jw/jesusjw.htm.}