Who Is Jesus?
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”-Matthew 16:13-16
LENT DEVOTIONS
Pastor Jed McClellan
3/22/2025
Who do people say that the Son of Man is? If this question was asked today, we would certainly hear very different answers than the ones the disciples gave to Jesus. I don’t know anyone, Christian or not, who believe that Jesus is a reincarnation of one of the prophets. If Peter’s question was posed to the general public today, I think we would hear a lot of things like: He was a great teacher and philosopher, he is the main character of the Bible, he is the guy Christians follow, or he is my grandma’s best friend. All of these things are true in some sense, but they all miss the mark because they don’t fully capture who Jesus is.
As Christians, we know that Jesus was a great teacher and that the scriptures all revolve around him, but that head knowledge is not the substance of our confession. We confess with Peter that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” We confess that Jesus is much greater than a mere well learned philosopher. He is the anointed one, he is the true Son of God, chosen and sent by the Father to redeem his people.
In response to Peter’s confession, Jesus says that this is the rock upon which he will build his church. In other words, it is faith and trust in Jesus that gives us hope. He is the Christ, he is the one sent to save his people.
The fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One means that his word and his work have eternal significance. This is why Jesus is still recognized as a great teacher and philosopher today, even by those who do not have faith in him as the Christ. However, the eternal significance of his word goes far beyond its application for living a good life here on earth. We, as followers who confess Jesus as the Christ have faith that his word not only gives advice for a good life but actually transforms lives and gives new life. Jesus is the Christ, so by the hearing and reading of Jesus’ words we are transformed into new creations who live for him and when we confess the truth of who he is we share that new life with others.
We Pray:
Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Help us to always keep this confession at the center of our lives so that we may remain faithful to your word and share the hope we have with others. Amen.
