Who do you say that I am?

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Gospel: Luke 9: 18-22

Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.

He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Matthew 16: Who Do You Say I Am? | A Kingdom Year

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The disciples have just returned from their first missionary journey, casting out demons and healing the sick. While sharing what fruit their adventure has yielded, Jesus asks them what people are saying; what’s the gossip going on in town?

He knows his actions and theirs have caused quite the stir – and rightfully so – and so he wonders, “Who do people say that I am?”

Only Peter gets it right. “The Christ of God.”

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Now that they see the big picture – they understand that Jesus is divine – he reveals more about his identity and plans.

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected…and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Such a serious turn of events would leave anyone confused and stunned. Just when Peter thought he had things figured out, Jesus turns his assumptions upside down. How can Jesus be so powerful – how can he be God! – and still suffer?

Surely, Jesus is mistaken.

Shortly after this Gospel passage, Peter pulls Jesus aside and rebukes him, which leads to Jesus then calling Peter, “Satan.”

Again, a terribly confusing turn of events.

But this is often what it’s like on the journey of faith. Just when we think we have God figured out, he reveals something else about himself.