WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?

BY PASTOR MORENA CASTRO

WHEN JESUS CAME TO THE REGION OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI, HE ASKED HIS DISCIPLES, “WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THE SON OF MAN IS?”

MATTHEW 16:13 (NIV)

One of the many qualities Jesus had was curiosity. He would invite a conversation before providing an answer. This made people reflect and answer for themselves.

In this passage, Jesus asks His disciples what people say about Him. The disciples offer their report. Unsatisfied, Jesus then asks them what they think. Jesus’ question may have seemed absurd to them because He had lived with them for a long time. The disciples may have thought to themselves that they knew Him well. They saw the miracles He performed and were part of His inner circle. However, Jesus’ question implied something more profound.

Jesus probably knew that if His disciples followed Him, they believed in Him and trusted His power. This question was an invitation, not for them to repeat His teachings back to Him, but to share what was on their hearts. If Jesus took the time to ask that question, it was because the answer was relevant to Him. He wanted to hear it and perhaps check if His disciples had truly learned something from all He had shared with them.

For years we can proclaim God, as defined by the Bible, or we can reproduce passages from memory and respond mechanically. It’s important to pause from time to time and ask ourselves this question.

Moving Forward

If today you found yourself face-to-face with Jesus and He asked you: “Who do you say I AM,” how would you respond? What would you say?