Matthew 16:13-20
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
"Who do you say that I am?"
Gradually, through His teaching, preaching and performing miracles and signs, Jesus is revealing to the disciples His Human and Divine nature.
At the healing of the paralytic, the crowd is surprised, glorifying God and saying, "We have never seen anything like that!" Mark: 2:12.
At the calming of the storm, the disciples say, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!" Mark 4:41.
When Peter walks on the water and Jesus saves him when he starts to doubt, "those who were in the boat worshiped Him saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'" Matthew 14:33.
It is time to leave Galilee and go up to Jerusalem where He will be arrested, crucified, buried, and will rise, saving all humankind. Before proceeding, He wants His disciples to proclaim their faith in His person.
He goes with them to the Decapolis region, where gods of the Greek and the Roman mythologies are worshiped. There He asks them, "Who do you say that I am?" Surrounded by human handmade gods, Simon proclaims their faith saying, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the LIVING God!" (v. 16).
All kinds of false gods will vanish. There is no God but only the Living One.
Jesus is asking us today, "Who am I for you?"
We have many artificial or false "gods" in our life today: materialism; mindless consumption; greed; self-pride; arrogance and other vanities.
Among all these "gods," Jesus is asking me today, "Who am I for you?"
Take a deep breath and a few moments of reflection to respond to Him truly and honestly. If He is asking me, it means that He loves me and invites me to live as a friend of the Son of God and the Son of Man. His presence ensures healthy trust, encouragement, mercy and joy, even when life seems difficult. Thanks be to God!