18One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 19“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.” 20Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah9:20 Or the Christ. Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.” sent from God!” Luke 9:18-20 NLT
This is a very important moment in the relationship between Jesus and the disciples. I assume that they had already been together for at least a year, the disciples had witnessed Jesus perform numerous miracles, he had just sent out the twelve disciples to witness to villages/towns/cities throughout Israel at the beginning of chapter 9, and they had just returned to him where they witnessed him feed well over 5 thousand people (there were 5,000 men not including women and children) with fish sandwiches using five loaves of bread and two fish (Luke 9:10-17). The disciples had walked with Jesus, heard his teachings, been given privileged behind the scenes access to him for additional teaching/training, seen how he interacted with Israelites and gentiles, but did they actually know him? Is it possible to spend time with someone, eat with them, listen to them, be blessed by them, and still not know them? It is an interesting question because Jesus knew exactly who each of them were before he called them, even knowing that Judas would betray him later, but did they know Jesus? Jesus like some of us who may be in unbalanced relationships wondered what the disciples thought of him outside of the things that he provided for them and the others. Jesus like many of us would believe that those who spent the most time with him, and that he had done the most for would actually know who he is, independent of others interpretation/perception of him.
Throughout the gospels, it mentions that Jesus would retreat to pray alone, usually after and before he performed recorded miracles. This occasion is peculiar because all of his disciples were with him, and instead of praying at that moment, he poses a question:
20Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah Sent from God Luke 9:20 NLT
Jesus is aware that the crowds don’t know who he, they just “know” what he has, or what he can provide for them. When you are used to being used and unappreciated, it can cause you to reevaluate some things, and wonder how others see and feel about you. “But who do you say I am?” For me, Jesus is my big brother, I’ve made our relationship very personal. To be a Christian is to be a follower of Christ, so I aspire to model my actions, words, and mind after Christ. He is an example of how I should love all, despite how they may feel about me, or (mis)use/treat me (Luke 6:28). He is an example that my actually family is more than blood relatives, but actually those who do the work of God along with me (Luke 8:21). I look to him on how to conduct myself when my desires or plans don’t line up with what God has planned for me, but I realize that I have to remain faithful (Luke 22:39-46), and finally he has shown me how in spite of my current circumstances, I still have an obligation to intercede and bless others (Luke 23:26-43). For me, Jesus is many things, but most importantly, he is my savior (Luke 24:44-53).
Reflection Time
Who is Jesus to you? The old folks used to sing “Count your blessings one by one…..see what God has done,” so if you are having trouble seeing or remembering what God has done in your life, then look back. More important than what he has done, search through the word to discover/learn who he is, which will help you to understand what he can do for you and others. It’s important to learn who Jesus is for yourself, and not just based on who he is or was for everyone else. An additional thing from this post that you may want to consider is to have a real discussion and with your family and/or friends about who they see you as. Oftentimes there is a disconnect between how we believe others view us, and what they actually see or feel about us. It may be worthwhile to take this assessment of yourself from those that should know you, to hopefully address some blind-spots or misconceptions. If you have the opportunity, listen to Tye Tribbett’s “Everything” for some motivation or clarity.
