Who do you say I am?

 Jesus asks His disciples a question:

“Who do you say I am?”

Setting:  Jesus is in the third year of His three year earthly ministry.  Caesarea Philippi is an area about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee.  He had recently been tested by the Pharisees and Sadducees to show them a sign from heaven.  They were testing Him because Jesus had gathered much favor among the people for the miracles He had been performing.

Read  Matthew 16: 13-14

What question did Jesus ask His disciples to answer?    

What answers were given by various disciples?   

Why might they have given these answers?   

In this context, a prophet would be thought of as someone through whom God would speak or someone through whom God might do a miracle.

From a human perspective, was it reasonable to wonder if Jesus was a prophet?   

Read Matthew 16: 15

Jesus asked:
“Who do you say I am”?

Do you think the various disciples were hoping someone else would answer first?   

Peter’s tendency was to act or respond quickly.  This is what he said.

Read Matthew 16: 16

What two statements did Peter make about the identity of Jesus?   

The word Messiah means in Greek: “Christos”,   in English: “the Christ” or the “anointed one”. The Jews of that day were waiting for a Messiah or Anointed One to save them.  Their belief was “the Christ” would save them from the tyrannical rule of the Roman government.

When Peter made the point, you are “the Son of the living God”,  he was implying Jesus had a divine or godly nature. 

Read Matthew 16: 17

Who does Jesus say revealed Jesus’ identity to Peter?   

If we are to come to a knowledge of the identity of Jesus, what does this statement by Jesus reveal to us?   

Read Matthew 16: 18 – 20

Peter had come to the realization of the divine nature of Jesus.  And either the other disciples had not yet come to this realization, or else they were not quite ready to admit this.

Because of Peter’s faith, Jesus told Peter (and the other disciples) that He would use Peter’s faith to build His church.  Even Hades would not get in Peter’s way, because of the faith Peter had in Jesus as Messiah and as the Son of God.

Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, “the Christ”,  the One who came to save us?   

Realize you can pray to God and ask Him to reveal this to you.  Ask God to reveal to you if Jesus is the Messiah who came to save you us from your sins and the penalty of your sins. 

Do you realize Jesus can use you in some way to help build His church?   

Once you know Him as your Savior and acknowledge Him as Lord in your life, He will use you to play a part in building His church.

 

 If you need access to the bible
verses used here go to:
Matthew 16: 13-20 @ Bible Gateway.com

 

Types of Questions:

     Observation

        Interpretation

  Application

 

If you have the Quest Study Bible:

On page 1437, in the right column read: “On what rock did Jesus build His church”?

On page 1437, in the right column read: “What are the gates of Hades”?

On page 1437, in the right column read: “What authority did Jesus give to Peter”?