WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT I AM?
Matthew 16:13 “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’”
QUESTION: WHO IS THE SON OF MAN?
A. This was just over 6 months before the cross. They had been with Him for more than 2 ½ years.
B. This was after the miraculous birth (1:23-25) after His baptism (3:13-17) after changing water into wine (John 2:11) after healings, casting out demons, feeding of 5,000 (14:16-21) and 4,000 (15:32-38) and after He walked on water (15:25-27) among other things.
C. This even after several conclusions had already been made about Him
1. Andrew “We have found the Messiah” John 1:41
2. Nathanael “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; the King of Israel.” John 1:49
3. Nicodemus “You have come from God...” John 3:2
4. Many “...we have heard for ourselves and we know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world” John 4:42
5. The people “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world” John 6:14
6. Peter “...You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68-69
7. The Apostles “Truly you are God’s Son” Matthew 14:33
ANSWER: FROM MAN’S PERCEPTION
A. SOME HAD LOW APPRAISALS OF THE SON OF MAN
1. Blasphemer (9:3)
2. Beelzebul (10:25)
3. Glutton, drunkard and friend of tax collectors and sinners (11:18-19)
4. Simply, “the carpenter’s son” (13:55)
B. SOME SAY JOHN THE BAPTIST
1. But Herod wasn’t convinced (Luke 9:7-9)
2. There were similarities in what they preached. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And they were both sent as messengers of God (Malachi 3:1).
C. SOME SAY ELIJAH
1. Was taken up and promised to come back (Malachi 4:5-6)
2. Fulfilled in John (Matthew 17:10-13)
D. SOME SAY JEREMIAH OR ONE OF THE PROPHETS
1. Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” and Jesus too wept over the sins of His people
ANSWER: FROM GOD’S REVELATION
A. YOU ARE THE CHRIST – Declares that He is the Anointed One of God
1. Prophet – Jesus is the word of God
John 1:1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh , and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 12:49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. (50) I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.”
2. Priest – Jesus is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek and offered Himself on the altar of the cross.
John 10:17-18 “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it up again. (18) No one has taken it from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative...”
Hebrews 7:27 “who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”
Hebrews 9:14 “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Hebrews 10:5 “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me;” (continue to 10:10)
3. King – Jesus is a King whose kingdom is not of this world
John 18:36 “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Revelation 17:14 “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”
B. THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD – Declares that He is Deity, God in the Flesh
1. The God of Creation
Colossians 1:16 “For by Him [Jesus] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
John 1:3 “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”
2. The God of Eternity
Exodus 3:14 “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’”
John 8:58 “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’”
3. The Living God Himself in human form
Isaiah 9:6 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called, Wonder, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Colossians 2:9 “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”
John 14:8-9 “Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ (9) Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, “Show us the Father”?’”
Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, God with us.”
Revelation 1:17-18 “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, (18) and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’”