{"id":26107,"date":"2026-04-03T06:00:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T06:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/?p=26107"},"modified":"2025-11-26T00:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T00:06:15","slug":"whom-say-ye-that-i-am","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/2026\/04\/whom-say-ye-that-i-am\/","title":{"rendered":"Whom Say Ye That I Am?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our Christian faith must be built upon a solid foundation of scriptural understanding if it is to be real, personal and useful to us in our life\u2019s experience and fit us for eternal life. As we have seen, the Lord graciously condescended to identify Himself to His church in a series of beautiful \u2018I am\u2019 statements. What have they taught us about our Lord?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>The opinions of men<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

It is clear from the disciples\u2019 response to the Lord\u2019s question, \u2018Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?\u2019 that there were many views as to the true identity of the Lord Jesus. The disciples were invited to share what they had been hearing. The common folk were convinced there was something special about Jesus of Nazareth but there was little consensus among them. Some said Jesus was a reincarnation of John the Baptist, some said Elijah. Yet others were of the opinion Jesus was really Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. Then, just as today, there were many opinions as to who Jesus is.<\/p>\n

<\/b>The Son of Man<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Note the particular way in which the Lord framed His question. He called Himself, \u2018the Son of man\u2019. This in itself is an important title and one the Lord Jesus frequently used to describe Himself. It contained in it an implicit pointer to the Lord\u2019s human nature. He was after all, a real man, with real flesh and blood, with a real human nature. However, it also carried an Old Testament significance having been employed as a title for the Lord\u2019s chosen servant, the Messiah. The psalmist said, \u2018Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself\u2019 (Psalm 80:17).<\/p>\n

<\/b>A follow-up question<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

In asking this question the Lord Jesus was not ignorant of the minds of men and women. He knew the hearts of those who gathered around Him. His inquiry was rather to open the way for another question altogether, one designed to bring His own disciples to a moment of truth, self-examination and personal confession of their faith in Him. It is a question we all should answer. Notwithstanding what others say concerning the identity of the Lord Jesus, Christ\u2019s question to each of us is, \u2018Who do you<\/i> say that I am?\u2019<\/p>\n

<\/b>A personal question<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

This requires an honest and serious answer. It matters little what others think and say of the Lord Jesus. It matters immensely what you, what I, think of Him. Who do we say He is? Those who have sat under a gospel ministry and received the testimony of scripture concerning the Lord Jesus Christ certainly ought to have a high opinion of Him. Yet it is not simply a matter of respecting the greatness of Christ, but of worshipping Him as God and confessing Him as such. This is the testimony the Lord sought from His disciples.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>A blessed testimony<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Peter spoke first, either for himself or for all the disciples; his testimony is very pleasing. He said, \u2018Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God\u2019. This response contains many important elements of true faith. It acknowledges there is but one living God. It distinguishes Him from all the idols of fallen man\u2019s imagination. It confesses that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Christ of God. The true Messiah, anointed and appointed by God to serve His purpose according to the covenant of grace, the promises of scripture, and the prophesies of all the prophets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>One with the Father<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

It also reveals the relationship existing between God the Father and Christ the Son. John Gill points out, \u2018the Messiah was not a mere man, but a divine person, the Son of God; not by creation, as angels and men are, nor by adoption, as saints, nor by office, as magistrates, but by nature, being his own Son, his proper Son, the only begotten of the Father, of the same nature with him, being one with him, and equal to him\u2019. By this testimony Peter and the disciples confessed their faith that Jesus the Son of Man was also Jesus the Son of God and the anointed Messiah, Christ.<\/p>\n

<\/b>A knowledge of Christ<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Upon this confession the Lord Jesus at once expresses how blessed Peter is to know this divine truth. Such knowledge does not come from man or by nature. It flows from a divine source. It cannot be received and believed except it is first revealed and communicated by God the Father. The Saviour calls Peter \u2018blessed\u2019 by God for being able to speak as He did. Every true believer is equally blessed of God who can testify of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

<\/b>The glory that will follow<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

The declaration that follows from the Lord concerning building His church, the gates of hell not prevailing against it, and possession of the keys of the kingdom, show the joy with which the Saviour viewed this testimony from Peter and His disciples. Here was evidence from God in heaven that Christ\u2019s kingdom was formed, His victory was assured and His gospel would be carried by these men to the ends of the earth for the salvation of the elect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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