You Are The Christ

We may not always take the time to reflect on the magnitude of this confession found in Matthew 16, nor the conviction required by Peter and the apostles. For Christians we read this passage with pride to see Peter able to exclaim the truth about Jesus’ deity. But consider all the many people that witnessed all that He did and still didn’t believe. Jesus did amazing miracles and taught unlike any other; however, in the end, there were more skeptics than believers. Why?

Different reasons perhaps. People may have refused to believe in Jesus as the Christ because they didn’t want Him to be the Messiah. The Messiah many people hoped for would be one who destroys their enemies; he would bring instant prosperity to the masses, which would mean that Israel as a nation would once again be a super-power in the world, a nation to be proud of because people respected her. Jesus, in spite of His one-of-a-kind miracles, wasn’t what they were looking for; He didn’t fit the image of a super power king.

For others, it must have been fear that kept them from believing that He was truly the Son of God. In John 9 we read where the man born blind was healed and then after being healed was questioned by the Sanhedrin, simply because of who healed him and when he did it. The council asked the ex-blind man’s parents, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” And they said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” We then see why they had such caution in their answer. John 9:22 says, “His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.” Earlier in John 7:13 we see the Jewish leaders fear tactics weren’t restricted to the synagogue, they were widespread; “no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.”

While these two reasons help us see why Peter’s confession was such a bold and profound declaration considering the possible consequences for making his declaration, we can see another reason that obviously pleased Jesus to hear him confess. The scriptures revealed it to Peter! Peter was able to see how God had been working through Jesus even if He didn’t fit the image the populace had about the Messiah, and he could even see how people would hate the Messiah because of who He was. This meant Peter paid attention not only to Jesus’ teachings but also the teachings from the Law and the Prophets he received while he was growing up.

When we are convicted to trust in God’s son because we see the evidence in the scriptures, we not only see the description of the Christ prophesied about, but we can read the promises to us. Seeing God’s plan revealed in the Bible helps us to rely on the senses that only those who have the Spirit of God can see and understand. 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, “Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

The proof of His deity still penetrates many people but to believe He is the chosen one mandates that His words and instruction have authority. His words can give us confidence to trust in His existence as the Son of God, the Savior of the world, but that also means we can trust in His words for guidance throughout life.

We don’t have to be afraid of what people say about a choice to declare God’s sovereignty or His power as the Messiah. Trust in His words. It was Jesus who said in John 14:1-3, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also… (6) I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

His words are faithful, so He asks us to make the same confession concerning Christ’s identity. Are you able to make the same statement with confidence in spite of the increasing pressure to ignore or deny Jesus as anyone significant?