Q3. Peter's Confession

[MosesSole]

On 12/10/2015 at 2:21 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (Matthew 16:13-16) Whom did Peter believe Jesus to be? How did Peter come to believe this? Peter called Jesus, the Son of Living God. By that point, Peter and his brother Andrew, one of the first followers of Jesus, had seen him perform miracles and realized that only someone of divine spirit could work such miraculous acts upon the sick.

Why does Jesus command his disciples not to tell others that he is the Messiah? (Matthew 16:20). He likely was not prepared to answer for the backlash that was to come. He was waiting for the right time to announce who he was, and that time came when he was put on trial.

 

[rosegarden]

On 12/10/2015 at 2:21 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q3. (Matthew 16:13-16) Whom did Peter believe Jesus to be? How did Peter come to believe this? Why does Jesus command his disciples not to tell others that he is the Messiah? (Matthew 16:20).

a.  The Christ, the Son of the Living God.

b.  He was inspired not by flesh and blood, but by The Father in Heaven.

c.  He only told a few, His disciples and the woman at the well, and the demons knew it.  To those He healed, they were told not to publish it but they did and then Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

[Bianca]

Peter recognize Jesus as The Christ, The Son of the living God. Peter receive this information directly from The Father.

 

Jesus did not want the attention the title will bring to him by what the disciples knew. It wasn't time for it yet.

[Krissi]

Peter clearly said that he believed the promised and expected Messiah was, in actuality, Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God.

The Holy Spirit revealed this to Peter. It is possible, though not likely, that Peter arrived at this conclusion rationally, in line with the Messianic expectations of that time, but it's such an outstanding claim that it seems (to me, anyway) that it's more likely that Peter was inspired to speak those words. His understanding of what he was saying, though, must have been limited.

Jesus preferred to be called the Son of Man, which Pastor Ralph says is an ambiguous term. I'm not sure why Jesus didn't just say He was also the Son of God. The timing wasn't right or misunderstandings would result are the two explanations generally given. So, Jesus' status as God's son, the Messiah or even as God Himself, were essentially secrets entrusted to His disciples and a small group of associates.

[Niyonka16]

Q3. (Matthew 16:13-16) Whom did Peter believe Jesus to be?

ANSWER: Peter believed Jesus to be Jesus is the “Messiah” or “God's Messiah.” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” In sum, Peter did not believe Jesus was God but that He was the Christ, the Savior, the obedient and subordinate servant of the sovereign and only God-the Father.

How did Peter come to believe this (Jesus to be)?

ANSWER: In his Confession, Peter tells Jesus, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus affirms that Peter's confession is divinely revealed truth. His Father in Heaven had revealed it (his belief) to Peter. After the confession, Jesus tells His disciples about His upcoming death and resurrection.

Why does Jesus command his disciples not to tell others that He is the Messiah? (Matthew 16:20).

ANSWER: Jesus command His disciples not to tell that He is the Messiah because, once the publicity started, Jesus had more trouble defining His messiahship and setting His own agenda. It seems to me that Jesus doesn't want the people to go around saying who He is because this puts Him in a mold, a category, a title, that the people of His day had pre-defined. Jesus wants to redefine the meaning of Son of God. He wants to re-wire the circuits of what people think that it means to be the Christ, the Messiah. So until He can live it and show it, He doesn't want others to spread it. He will let His life, the cross, and His resurrection define His identity. Only then will He send His disciples out to tell the entire world who He is!