"Who do you say I am?" is the most personal and direct question Jesus could have asked His disciples. Until that moment, they were simply following a brilliant rabbi. They had a heard a call that resonated deep in their hearts—a longing to belong to a movement that would change their city, their country, their planet, and the whole universe. However, an unspoken question—the elephant in the room, effectively—surrounded their rabbi. Who is this Jesus? This boy from Nazareth? This miracle worker? This man who knew what was in their minds and hearts before they had expressed it or even articulated these feelings to themselves? What signs had He shared with them? Were these signs from God? How could they tell the difference? How can we?
When Jesus asked them who they believed He was, they were away from home on a trip to another region. Their physical location alone was a challenge to their identity. The risks were high. To confess that Jesus was the Messiah—the Son of God—was an act of rebellion against their oppressors and their fractured community.
As we celebrate Easter 2017, we will ask ourselves to contemplate the same question Jesus posed to his disciples so long ago: "Who do you say I am?" Who is Jesus to you? Is it difficult to confess that Jesus—the Messiah—is the Son of God and wants you engaged in His mission? What would accepting Jesus as God mean for your life?
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I Am a Follower by Leonard Sweet.
Matthew: A Commentary by Frederick Dale Brunner.
Matthew for Everyone, Part 2 by N. T. Wright.
Matthew: Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament by Grant R. Osborne.
Matthew: Smyth & Helwys Biblical Commentary by Ben Witherington III.
The Desire of Ages by Ellen White.
Matthew: The Gospel of the Kingdom (The Abundant Bible Amplifier) by George R. Knight.