Jesus Asks a Question: “Who do you say that I am?”

Jesus Asks a Question: “Who do you say that I am?”

“Have I been with all of you for so long a time and you still do not know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. So how can you say then, ‘Show us the Father?’ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in Me?” (Jesus asking three straight questions of His disciples in John 14:9-10).  

Messiah Jesus was a Master of asking questions: some were open-ended, others were very pointed; some were out of curiosity, others were challenging; some seemed rhetorical, others seemed painfully obvious; some were to reveal Himself, others were to guide the other into self-understanding; some were intentionally provocative, others were to kick-start a conversation; some questions were asked to explore a topic to deepen understanding and stretch toward the truth; some were leading questions that He designed to suggest a particular answer, and others were questions in response to questions asked of Him; some were hypotheticals to stimulate the imagination, other questions were used  by Him as stepping stones to think logically from one point to the next. Jesus used questions to dignify the listener, letting that person know that He is taking that person seriously and listening carefully. Many of His questions were acts of friendship and used to pursue a more profound intimacy with someone. Jesus asked very few yes-no questions, and since time was usually irrelevant for Him when He was with people, He rarely asked a “when” question. Several biblical scholars have studied the gospels with Christ’s questions in mind, and they have literally counted a total of 307 questions in His various conversations. It seems that a worthy spiritual exercise when considering the many questions of Jesus is that we should take them personally, as if He was asking us that question right now.

The Question. “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi with His disciples, He asked them, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is? They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; still others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.‘ ‘But what about you?’ He asked them. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God!’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by books or teachers. My Father in heaven, God Himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And I tell you that you are Peter (‘petros’ = a small, throwable rock or stone), and on this rock (‘petra’ = a massive cliff, a site of bedrock, or an immovable rock formation) I will build my church, and the Gates of Hades will not overcome it…’” (Matthew 16:13-18).

The Evil Context for the Sacred Question.  Walk, walk, walk. Sometimes it must have seemed to the disciples that’s all they did, walk one dusty trail after another. They were always on the move, constantly walking from here to there. It is estimated by the Bible scholars who research such things that Jesus and His disciples walked an estimated 2,500-3,100 miles during their three-year ministry! The disciples endured one of their longest hikes during their third year together with Jesus, to the Greek region of Caesarea Philippi (CP) at the base of Mt. Hermon, which is 20 miles north of Capernaum, and a total of 105 miles from Jerusalem. CP was a hardcore pagan city from ancient times, earlier devoted to Baal worship, but more recently given over to the worship of the pagan god Pan. CP was completely covered in pagan shrines, temples and idols around every corner. It was not exactly a destination spot for earnest Jews, since it thrived as the center of detestable pagan worship for that whole region. All good Jews would avoid CP at all costs, and wouldn’t step a foot near there.

The Cave of Pan. Especially reprehensible was a huge cliff just outside the city that was the centerpiece of Pan worship. The cliff itself had 14 carved-out niches to display pagan relics and idols, as well as a cave at the base of it called the Cave of Pan. This gigantic rock formation had many temples built there, as well as other buildings to help the people take part in Pan worship, the fertility god that was half-goat and half-man. This Cave of Pan was popularly known in the region as the Gates of Hell. The worshipers believed that the cave opening led to the underworld, and was in fact the entrance to Hades. Near the Cave of Pan was a  large open area known as the Temple of the Dancing Goats, a horrific place that was dedicated to the purchase of goats to be sacrificed nearby. Once the goat was purchased, the owner of the goat would have a dance with that goat, and would often engage in bestiality with it. The goat would then be led to the sacrificial altar where the goat would be slaughtered and thrown into the mouth of the bottomless cave. It was said that the fast-flowing stream of water directly gushing from the mouth of the cave was always a bright red color because of the amount of blood offered there. This entire complex of temples and altars at the cliff was known to have a stench like death warmed over, of course because that is exactly what it was. This area of pagan worship could not have been more aptly named… This was indeed the Gates of Hades.

Hades, often synonymous for hell, was believed to be the vast underground holding area for the dead. The Hebrew equivalent was Sheol. The souls of the dead were said to exist in Hades as they awaited some future resurrection of all the bodies. The upper region of Hades was a sort of second-rate paradise for those who were somehow more blessed by the gods. The lower region of Hades was the holding place for the more wicked who required more punishment.  Evidently, Pan and the lesser fertility gods spent their winters in Hades, and then were enticed to appear each spring though goat sacrifices. The worship of Pan was sexually warped and morally corrupted beyond belief in the eyes of the Jews, and the entire area around CP was single-minded in its dedication to the Greek fertility rites.

The Gates of Hell. As Jesus pointed out to His perplexed disciples, He had intentionally brought them to the detestable Gates of Hell, and He had something special to say. Jesus once again proved Himself to be a Man full of surprises, and so maybe this long trek to CP shouldn’t have thrown them off balance. But, it undoubtedly did just that. This may have even been a bit on the scandalous side, and there was even the possibility of the disciples being tainted by the evil, or even rebuked by the Temple elders when they found this out. This pagan site in CP wasn’t merely unclean, it was positively filthy.

“Who do people say the Son of Man is? But what about you? Who do all of you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15).

The Greatest Question of All Time. If there is one of the 307 questions that Jesus asked that needs to be taken personally, it’s this one. His question isn’t just important, it’s urgent. Our need to live into that question is our life mission. In many ways, the life we choose to live is our answer to that question. What is the true identity of Christ? After all is said and done, what do we believe regarding Jesus? Really now, just who is Jesus? He already knows what we’re thinking, of course. Doubts are okay, a part of being human through the ups and downs of life. Heaven knows Peter himself had some misgivings and failures in the midst of his heroically faithful life. But there is no more serious a matter before us… Are we convinced He is not a shrewd con man, a miracle-working magician, a devious liar, a misguided teacher of Scripture, perhaps even someone who is mentally unstable? Or is He the Truth, God’s sacred Answer to the riddle of life? Well, Peter sure seemed certain in his answer… his first confession of Jesus, the first confession of Christ amongst all the disciples. Peter’s confession has gone down in history as the finest summary of Christ’s identity in Scripture: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” Peter blurts out his belief in the truth that Jesus isn’t merely the long-awaited, much-prophesied Messiah. Peter was convinced that the other half of his confession is just as important, that Jesus is divine and of one being with Yahweh Himself! Jesus, the God-man, 100% human and 100% God. Jesus, the only Being in the history of the universe who is somehow 200%.

The ‘Son of Man’ Reference. Jesus gave Himself the title Son of Man throughout His ministry as recorded in the gospels, more than seventy times. Son of Man was His favorite way of describing Himself, even though He never once heard that term applied to Him by His disciples. Practically all biblical scholars believe that Jesus, at least in part, took that title from a well-known vision of Daniel’s and turned it into a title for Himself. There is much controversy, though, about what exactly this title Son of Man means. There is much debate about this, and certainly these thoughts following will not end the debate. There were times in the gospels in which Jesus called Himself Son of Man in reference to His humanity. Jesus used the title in order to remind everyone of His humble condition as a flesh and blood, generic human being, in complete solidarity with all of humanity. Matthew 8:20 probably falls in line with that thought, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” But then again, when Jesus called Himself the Son of Man, He was most likely declaring Himself to be the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Son of Man vision in Daniel 7. Many scholars claim that during Jesus’ time the Son of Man was the “highest term used in Jewish thought for the Messiah, and it was the most exalted view of the coming Redeemer.” (Brad Young, Jesus, the Jewish Theologian). So when Jesus used that title, it was commonly understood by those who heard it that He certainly intended to suggest Messiah. Although not having taken the time to certify this number, one biblical scholar claims that Jesus directly referenced the vision of Daniel as many as fifty times when using the term Son of Man.

Two Mysteries in this Conversation: His Father, and the Messiah: MYSTERY: (Greek, “mysterion”); a sacred secret hidden in the heart of God until the appointed time of revelation; a truth that can only be known by divine disclosure; spiritual insights into God’s way of thinking and planning; hidden truths revealed by God that are beyond human intellect and reason; divine knowledge that can only be understood through the Holy Spirit; God’s thoughts and plans revealed to believers and hidden to skeptical doubters and those who choose not to believe.

The Mystery of the Father. “No one has ever seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made Him known.” (John 1:18). One could name this room in God’s heart, The Trinity Room, because it is where they are united as One. Bosom was the innermost place of the deepest relationship possible; the place of mystery inside of God where the profound union takes place; where there is complete intimate knowledge of Each Other that is reciprocal; the spiritual “womb” deep in God’s heart of hearts from which Someone is “brought forth;” the place of deepest affection, where the intimacy is reserved for the Three who are in union; it is where the Three-in-One are truly “with” each other at the deepest level possible.  In God’s heart, which is utterly holy throughout, His bosom would be considered the “Holy of Holies.” “The secret of the whole world of humanity is the love between the Father and the Son. This is at the root of it all. Upon the love between the Son and the Father hangs the whole universe.” (George MacDonald,  Knowing the Risen Lord). Jesus would often probe the profound intimacy between Father and Son, relishing the mystery. The Spirit of love shared between them is eternal, and their spiritual union is boundless. The personal relationship between Father and Son has always been so intimate that somehow they are inside of each other. There is nothing in the universe that is as tightly knit together as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit they share. Their love for each other is the energy source for all the love in the world. Without their trinitarian love for each other, there would be no love. Human love would not exist were it not for their divine love for each other.

The Mystery of the Messiah.  “My purpose is that they may be encouraged, that they may be joined together in love, and that they may have all the riches derived from being assured of understanding and fully knowing God’s mystery, which is – The Messiah! It is in Him that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.” (Colossians 2:2-3). The Hebrew Scriptures are very clear about their appointed leaders… they must be anointed. The roles of prophet, priest and king are these anointed ones, and they find their fulfillment in the Anointed One in the Gospels. This is another example of how Christianity is basically a Jewish religion. The Christian faith finds it roots in the Jewish faith. Jesus was a faithful Jew, and so much of the Jewish Bible finds its fulfillment in the Gospel story. The anointed ones in the Old Testament find their culmination in the Anointed One, the Christ, in the New Testament. Some examples: Elisha is anointed by Elijah to be a prophet; Aaron is anointed by Moses to be a priest; David is anointed by Samuel to be king. And Jesus is anointed by the Father to be Messiah at His baptism. Jesus became the Christ who holds all three offices together, prophet, priest and king, summed up in the one office of Messiah.

An Early Spokesman. Peter went out on a limb and revealed Christ’s true identity, so Jesus went right ahead and returned the favor and addressed Peter in his full name: Simon, son of Jonah. Was Peter speaking for the disciples here, representing what they all believed, or was Peter doing what he did so often and spoke for himself? We need to remember that Jesus addressed that vital question to all the disciples, not just Peter. It appears that Peter presumed all the other disciples believed as he did, and in fact it’s interesting that none of the other disciples corrected or challenged Peter’s confession. So it seems there’s a good chance that Peter’s words were in truth a reflection of the group’s faith in Jesus.

Jesus’ Response to Peter’s Confession. In must have been words full of joy, Jesus spoke a word of blessing over Peter, exclaiming that he couldn’t have arrived at this conclusion by sheer logic or human reason. It’s a mystery. Peter’s confession, says Jesus, could only have been inspired by His Father in heaven. The revelation that Jesus is a divine Messiah has been a secret kept hidden until the fullness of time.