"WHO IS JESUS?" (First in a Series entitled: "Journeying With Jesus.)
INTRODUCTION: If you were asked "Who Is Jesus?" how would you respond? How would your friends or family respond to that question? More than likely you would get a variety of answers. Some saying he was a great prophet, a good teacher, other he was a good man. Some might say he was a messenger of God or model for life. There are those who might say he was the promised Messiah and maybe that he was the Son of God. These in no way exhaust the possible responses to the questions.
After being with his disciples for two and half years, Jesus wanted to know how well they were comprehending who he was. So he took the disciples away from the crowds to a city called Caesarea Philippi. (See above map.) Caesaria Philippi was a city of amazing history. Caesaria's former name was Balinas, named after the Baal. It was the center of worship for Baal. Later the name was changed to Bainas which came from the Greek word Panias, after the god "Pan." Pan was the god of nature. Above the city was a grotto, cavern where the god was said to have been born. (Pantheist: worship nature.) When Philip, one of the sons of King Herod the Great, became ruler of that region he rebuilt and renamed the city after Caesar, Emperor of Rome and himself. (Matthew 16:13-20)
Caesaria Philippi was also the source of the Jordan River. Out of a large cliff above the city gushed forth a stream of water at the base of Mt. Hermon. The Jordan River had a major significance in Jewish history, for it was the river the people of God crossed to enter the "promised land." It was the same river in which Jesus was baptized. On the top of the hill was glistening white marble temple to the Roman ruler, Caesar, who many saw as a god.
Here at the center of all this history and theistic worship, the homeless Galilean carpenter asked his disciples, Who do people say that I am? The disciples responded: Some say John the Baptist; other say Elijah and still others one of the prophets. Jesus then asked: But who do you say I am?
Peter answered: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus gave his disciples strict orders not to tell anyone about who he was because at this point they didn't fully understand the significance of that confession - nor would anyone else. Everyone expected the Messiah to come as the conquering king, even though Jesus was the Messiah.
From then on, Jesus began telling the disciples plainly that: "It was necessary that the Son of Man go to Jerusalem and that he must suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, leading priests, and teacher of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day be raised to life. (Matthew 16:21)
This marked a turning point, similar to the "official" start of Jesus' ministry in Galilee: Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of God is near. (Matthew 4:17)
The New Emphasis was on Jesus' ultimate reason for coming to this earth. Jesus needed to re-teach what "Messiahship" really meant.
Jesus had said to Simon (Matthew 16:17-18) You are blessed, Simon son of John because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you, that you are Peter (which means rock) and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
When Jesus tells his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer terrible things. Peter took Jesus aside and began rebuking for saying such things. Heaven forbid Lord. This will never happen. to you!
Jesus turned to Peter and said: "Get away from me Satan! You are a dangerous trap for me. You're seeing things merely from a human point of view and not from God's.
Peter, Jesus' friend and devoted follower had just eloquently proclaimed Jesus' true identity, sought to protect Jesus from suffering. Peter and the disciples need to learn that if Jesus didn't die, they would remain in the power and control of Sin and Death.
The 40 days of Lent are a time for remembering that Jesus began his ministry right after his baptism, in the wilderness north of the Dead Sea. For 40 days Jesus did not eat. He faced the Temptations of Satan. (Matthew 4:1-11) He did not give in. Satan was saying: "You don't have to go hungry. You can use your power to turn rocks into bread. Do something spectacular and the people will follow you. You don't need to die."
Now as Jesus begins his Journey to Jerusalem Peter is the human voice, prompted by Satan, saying "You don't need to suffer humiliation, pain and death." Jesus used such harsh words on Peter to correct the misunderstanding about the Messiah. Jesus needed to re-teach the disciples about Messiah.
Two contrasting ideas about the Messiah. The Jewish idea about the Messiah, documented in a book: History of the Jewish People in the Time of Christ by Schurer.
Before the Messiah would come there would be terrible tribulation, called Messianic Travail. It was a time of "birth pang." bringing in the new age (Age to Come.) Every conceivable horror was to burst into the world. All standards of honor and decency would be torn down. The world would be in moral and physical chaos.
Into that chaos would come Elijah the forerunner and herald of the Messiah. Elijah would heal the breaches and restore order. Next week I will write about the Jesus' "Transformation on Mt. Hermon."
As the disciples were descending from that mountain, they asked Jesus: the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first? Jesus replied: "I tell you Elijah has come, and they have done to him, everything they wished." (John the Baptist) Yet Scripture also says: The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected.
The Messiah would come and inaugurate the Kingdome of God. The Messiah would follow King David's royal line, becoming King of Israel. He would be a super-human crashing into history remaking the world and vindicating God's people. From Babylonian captivity to the time of Jesus, five hundred years had passed, and the people of Israel were never independent and always dominated by a foreign power. First the Babylonians, then the Persians, Syrians, Greeks and then the Romans. Thus, the people were anxiously waiting for the Messiah to come.
Nations would ally themselves against God. The world would not readily accept the Messiah.
The result would be the total destruction of the hostile powers. Those who abused God's people and exploited the helpless would be destroyed.
Then would come the renovation of Jerusalem. The city would be purified, as after each time Jerusalem was liberated from an alien power. In addition, there was the promise of a new Jerusalem coming from heaven. (Enoch 90:28-29
If this sounds familiar, it is. In Revelation we read that when Jesus returns, he will bring judgement on those who have abused God's faithful people. After a time of war there will be a time of peace and in 21:1-3 we read:
1. Then I saw a new heaven and new earth, for the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2. I saw a Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed her husband. 3. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them.
The Jewish view of the Messiah was solidly Scriptural. But Jesus told his disciples: Messiah was to endure suffering. Jesus was showing how his disciple's view of the Messiah was not totally correct. That is why he needed to re-educate his disciples regarding the Messiah.
Dispersed Jews would gather from all parts of the world in the new Jerusalem. This had not yet occurred in Jesus' day but has in ours. The Jews have their own nation made up of people from all ends of the earth. It is their dream to establish a new Jerusalem.
Palestine would be the center of the world. All people would come to her to learn from the Messiah and to have their disputes settled.
A new age of peace and goodness would be established. Isaiah's prophesies that a "Lamb will lie down with a lion and a child will play with an asp (serpent) would be fulfilled. (Isaiah 11:6-9) It is easy to see how excited the disciples were in believing that The One they had chosen to leave their families and occupations, to follow was fulfilling the characteristics of the Messiah. One can understand why the disciples wee anxiously waiting for Jesus to publicly declare that he was the Messiah freeing the Jewish people from Roman domination. It is also easy understanding why Jesus told his disciple not to breathe a word about who he was. It was necessary for them to receive additional education. Peter said: "You are the Christ." Clearly, he knew who Jesus was but needed a cleared understanding of what Christ meant.
Contrast to the Jewish idea of the Messiah: Jesus' idea about the Messiah was radically different from his contemporaries. The term Jesus used of himself "Son of Man" fully identified himself with humanity. It is also the technical term used by the Prophets for the Messiah. The Son of Man was to have attributes of Yahweh (God). No one ever called Jesus "Son of Man." Jesus intentionally used if for himself to avoid the emotional response associated with Messiah.
The real meaning of Messiah was suffering. (Isaiah 53) "Suffering Servant" was the one with which Jesus identified. It was the suffering servant who would be cruelly treated by the religious leaders and ultimately leading to his crucifixion.
Reasons why Jesus was crucifixion was not because he performed miracles or because of his teaching. Jesus was crucified because he was declared a heretic. Jesus needed to reeducate his disciples as to why he had come to this earth and why he needed to die.
CONCLUSION: Our world is crying for leadership. There are many claiming they are the "promised one." Contemporary philosophies and religions promise to bring peace if only their disciples fully obey the master. Jesus born in Bethlehem, raised as carpenter/craftsman in Nazareth, Galilee, places before us evidence and then asks the question: "Who do You say I am?" Each of us need to answer that question sometime in our life. We must decide, is Jesus the one through humanity is put right with God or is he just one of the many prophets of God? If we saw Jesus is the One through whom we come to God, we must act on that offer of life given to us. That is what Jesus meant in saying to his disciples (Matthew 16:24-27)
Anyone who wished to be a follower of mine must leave self behind and take up ones cross and come with me. Whoever cares for one's own safety is lost, but if one is lost for the sake for the Gospel, that one is safe. What does one gain by winning the whole world at the cost on one's true self? What can one give to buy oneself back? If anyone is ashamed of me and mine in this wicked and godless age, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that one when he come in the glory of hiss Fanter and of the angels.
Often, we, followers of Jesus take these words and dissolve them as if changing iron into cobwebs. In the days of the Gospel of Matthew was written, if those disciples of Jesus were asked: "In whom do you place your allegiance?" They would respond: "In Jesus of Nazareth." Taking such a bold stand could mean death. Then Jesus' words: "What do you gain, if you save your life by denying me?" take on special meaning. Saving our life on earth my ultimately lead to judgment.
Jesus' eyes were on following God, his Father even to the cross. He was asking his disciples if they would do the same. Flippantly, Peter responded: "Wherever you go Lord, we will go with you." Jesus later rebuked him: "Before the night is over you will have denied knowing me three times."
Lent is a period of reflection. A time for renewing our commitment to Jesus Christ. A time for evaluating the cost of following Jesus. And most of all, a time for renewing our decision of following Jesus no matter where it may lead us.
It starts with answering the question: Who is Jesus? The answer will determine how we live our lives. If Jesus was just another great man, failure to live as he taught has no consequences. If however Jesus is the One Through Whom We Come to God, failure to live as Jesus taught means not experiencing the significance of God's forgiveness and promise of full life. It is not enough knowing what others say about Jesus, one must know for oneself and move from curiosity to commitment, from admiration to adoration. Jesus was the one expected by the Jews, but he came in a radically different manner that they had expected. The Messiah came freeing people from enslavement not only human bondage but from spiritual bondage. Jesus was revolutionary. He did not lead a military attack against the forces of Rome, but he did attack the hold of sin had on humanity.
In accepting Jesus' offer of life, we recommit ourselves in following the One who gave his life for us so that we might have life in its fulness.
