Friday, August 27, 2021
“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” (Matthew 16:13 KJV).
Who is Jesus the Son of Man?
Read today’s Scripture in context, along with its parallel verses: “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-16).
“And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ” (Mark 8:27-29).
“And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God” (Luke 9:18-20).
The Lord Jesus Christ is more than halfway through His three years of earthly ministry. He is far north of Galilee, in present-day Golan Heights. Caesarea Philippi abounds with pagan idolatry. Formerly, it was named “Panias,” after the Greek nature god Pan. A temple had been erected here to honor Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar (cf. Luke 2:1). Herod Philip II (cf. Luke 3:1) enlarged the city, named it after Roman Emperor Tiberias Caesar, and added the surname “Philippi” to differentiate it from the Caesarea on the Mediterranean Coast. Later, Herod Agrippa II (Acts chapters 25–26) named it “Neronias,” after Roman Emperor Nero Caesar.
Here, Christ posed His famous question, and here Peter replied with his most outstanding answer….
333 Words of Grace 