Answer the Question

Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ Matthew 16:13-20 (WEB)

“What about you? Who do you say I am? Imagine being in school with Jesus, the Teacher, and have Him ask this question – and He is looking at me. Peter says that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. And Jesus comes back and tells Peter clearly that it is not that he (Peter) figured it out for himself but that God gave him that revelation.

Peter was no one special. Peter was a fisherman. He may have been a good one but it is doubtful that Peter was wealthy or had received advanced Temple teaching. In Acts (4:13) we are told that the Sanhedrin made the judgment that Peter and John were ‘unschooled’ and ‘ordinary’. We are also told that the Sanhedrin was ‘astonished’ at their courage and knew they had been with Jesus. It was the Messiah and His promised Spirit who made them more than ordinary, not anything they had done on their own.

Jesus tells Peter that he is the Rock upon which He will build His Church and that satan will never defeat it! A promise from God. Peter was the beginning but he was not the only. Thousands came after Peter, including me, and Jesus’ promises are still true for me.

At that same time, Jesus felt the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, and he said: My Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I am grateful that you hid all this from wise and educated people and showed it to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that is what pleased you.

My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who really knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.

Jesus then turned to his disciples and said to them in private, “You are really blessed to see what you see! Many prophets and kings were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you that they did not see or hear.” Luke 10:21-24 (CEV)

Jesus tells them later that He is the ‘cornerstone’ (Luke 20:17). Peter was the Rock. And me? I am also a stone in Jesus’ Church. Jesus places me among the other stones as He sees in His plan. God has plans for me just as He did Peter. And Jesus is there to teach and guide me just as He did Peter. Surely Jesus is with me and will be with me until – His mission is finished (Matthew 28). “Here I am, Lord. Use me.”