“Who do you say that I am?” Luke 9:20
Peter had an answer to Jesus’ question: “The Christ of God” (9:20). What does it mean to confess that Jesus is “the Christ”?
“Christ” means “anointed one.” The whole Old Testament points to someone who will be anointed by God. The title given to this person is “Messiah” (in Hebrew) or “Christ” (in Greek).
What will the Christ be anointed for? All through the Bible story, God is engaged in: 1) Revealing Himself so we may know Him (prophets who spoke God’s Word), 2) Reconciling us to Himself so we can come to Him (priests who offered sacrifices), and 3) Ruling the world so that his purposes may be fulfilled (kings who ruled God’s people).
These prophets, priests, and kings were like signposts pointing forward to the anointed one. The Christ is the one in whom God would make Himself fully known, the one through whom God would offer peace and reconciliation to all people, the one by whom God would deliver his people from all their enemies.
Then Jesus comes and asks his disciples: “Who do you say I am?” Peter says, “The Christ of God.” Throughout the history of the church, this has been the central confession that marks a person as a Christian.
Many want to make their own definition of a Christian, but in the Bible a Christian is one who believes and confesses, as Peter did here, that Jesus is the Christ.
Do you understand what Peter was saying? Think through whether you are able to take your stand with him.
