Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-28
Jesus had led the disciples to a quiet place, away from crowds and excitements. The time had come to declare to them His Messiahship. It was a new epoch in His ministry.
He asked two questions. The first referred to the opinion of t he people concerning Him. “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” The disciples told Him that there were different opinions about Him. Some thought He was John the Baptist risen again; others, that He was Elijah returned to earth; still others that He was Jeremiah, or some other one of the old prophets. There still is a wide diversity of opinion among people concerning Jesus. Some think he was only a man, others, that He was a great teacher, but nothing more. Others then think that He was the only-begotten Son of God, Divine as well as human.
Jesus asked another question, “But whom shall say ye that I am?” What other people thought about Him was not half so important as the opinions the disciples themselves had of Him. We may be able to state what the creeds say about Jesus Christ, and yet never have brought ourselves to answer the more important question, “What do you think I am?” Some people tell us that it makes very little difference what our beliefs are, even about Christ — that conduct is everything in life. But it is of greatest importance what we think of Christ. If we think of Him as only a man, though the best of men, the wisest of teachers, we may learn much from His words and from His life; but can one only a man be to us all that we need to find in Him to whom we look for salvation? We may change the question a little and ask: “What is Jesus Christ to you? Is He only in your creed, or is He also in your life as your personal Savior, Lord, Friend, and Helper?” This is the question that decides our relation to Christ.
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