By: Bertram Charles

Scripture: Matthew 16: Verse 15

After the Pharisees had tried unsuccessfully to ensnare and to entrap Jesus and to bring him before the civil authorities to prosecute him and to put him to death, Jesus warned his disciples to take heed and be aware of the doctrines of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Jesus compared their doctrines to leaven and advised his disciples to examine the hypocrites; watch them; be on guard lest they should become corrupt and infected with their teachings.

After performing his day’s work of teaching, performing miracles and defeating the enemy, Jesus and his disciples went away from the crowd for prayer and meditation. When they were alone at Caesarea, Jesus asked his disciples: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is ? “ Jesus called himself the Son of Man because he was truly and really man. He was subject to the infirmities of human nature. He was afflicted, abused and humiliated. He suffered pain, anguish, hunger, thirst, trials, tribulations and hurt. He was bruised, disgraced, insulted, scourged, mocked and scorned but of a Divine Nature and without sin.

Jesus was willing to hear the account of the people from his disciples and posed the above question to bring out their confession of their faith in Jesus. The disciples answered: the common people said John the Baptist; some Elijah; Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. These were the sentiments of the masses that followed Jesus. They had a good opinion of Jesus on account of his ministry and miracles but they fell short of the true knowledge of Christ as the Divine Son of God. The Scribes and the Pharisees opined that Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners; a gluttonous man; a drunkard; a liar and a lunatic.

Then Jesus asked his disciples: “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Have you settled the question of who Jesus is?