Peter and a Disciple's Confession (Luke 9:18-22)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. Consider This Confession

If you personally confess that Jesus is “the Christ”, what does that mean? What exactly are you saying you believe when you make that declaration? And what are the implications of making such a confession? Is it something like confessing that Devin Booker is the shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns, or that Justin Trudeau is the prime minister of Canada? Or is it more like a soldier in World War 2 confessing that Dwight D. Eisenhower was a five-star general, or maybe like a young tech-entrepreneur confessing that Steve Jobs is his role model? To what would you compare it? The Apostle John said this about such a confession at the end of his Gospel:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; [31] but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

John wrote in that passage about “believing that Jesus is the Christ”. Okay. Is that related to confessing? Yes. To confess that Jesus is the Christ is what we would call a 'confession of faith'. In most cases, saying the words doesn't necessarily require faith, but living those words does. But again, what does it mean to make this “Christ”-affirming confession? Let's turn over to another Gospel, the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9, as we explore that topic this morning.

II. The Passage: “The Christ of God” (9:18-22)

Look with me at verses 18-22. This is what Luke tells us about Jesus and his disciples...

Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him [i.e., he was praying, they were just hanging out]. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” [19] And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” [20] Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” [21] And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, [22] saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Did you know that in what are called the Synoptic Gospels (that's the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke... did you know) that Peter is the only person to clearly confess that Jesus is the Christ? That doesn't mean others didn't believe that to be true. But there is no record in these books that anyone else made this confession; the confession we find here in Luke 9:20. According to Luke 2:11 and 4:41, angels, both holy and fallen, knew he was the Christ. But again, Peter is the only human being to explicitly make this confession.

So what can we learn from Peter about making such a confession? As I mentioned last time, many simply know Peter as an apostle of Jesus. But more foundational and fundamental to his identity than his apostleship was Peter's discipleship to Jesus. And keeping this particular disciple and that particular relationship in mind, the Gospel of Luke provides every disciple of Jesus with some really good instruction and encouragement through Peter's example. So what do we learn here from Peter, our fellow disciple to Jesus?

Well, notice that Jesus doesn't correct Peter in verse 21. If Jesus wasn't the Christ, we would expect him to set Peter straight, right? But he doesn't correct this response. He clarifies or qualifies it, but He doesn't correct it. Peter had spoken the truth!

But there's an even more fundamental question, right? What does this non-English word mean? What is “the Christ”? Contrary to what some might think, “Christ” was not Jesus' last name (“Bill, let me introduce you to Jesus. Bill Smith this is Jesus Christ.”). No. Christos is a Greek word that means “anointed”. In the ancient Greek translation of the OT, people like priests, & kings, & even a foreign ruler like Cyrus the Persian were given this title, christos. But in the time of Jesus, this word had a very specific meaning. Along with the Hebrew word for “anointed” (mashiach), this title referred to the promised one from King David's family who would usher God's people into a glorious new age.

But let's talk for a minute about how the Gospel of Luke uses this title, and how that can help us understand the significance of this confession. First, “the Christ” was the one God's people were waiting for. In chapter 2 we read about a man named Simeon who was “righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel”. How did God reassure this man? 2:26... “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.” In Luke 3 we read that (v. 15) “the people were in expectation” as well. That's why they wondered “whether [John the Baptist/Baptizer] might be the Christ”. In chp. 22, the Jewish council was also wondering. So they asked Jesus, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” (v. 67)

Second, “the Christ” was the promised Savior. What did the angels of God declare to the shepherds on that first Christmas? “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (2:11) Because the people were, because all of us are, spiritually and hopelessly lost, we need to be rescued, don't we. That's why Jesus' declaration in Luke 19:10 is so wonderful: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Third, “the Christ” was the coming Lord and King. We just heard that good news that “in the city of David a Savior [had been born], who is Christ the Lord.” Even the Jewish religious leaders affirm this concept for Pontius Pilate in Luke 23:2, where we read that “they began to accuse [Jesus], saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king." So how great of a king was He? So great that, according to Jesus in Luke 20:41-44, even King David himself addressed “the Christ” as “my Lord”.

Fourth, it should come as no surprise that “the Christ” was also God's “chosen one”. Again, listen to how the Jewish religious leaders talk about “the Christ” in 23:35 as they scoffed before the cross: "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" What's so interesting about that language is that it lines up with God's own affirmation regarding Jesus on the mountain where he was transfigured. Luke 9:35... “And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” Remember, Peter confessed him as “the Christ of God”.

Fifth, and finally, “the Christ” would be the Suffering One. It's this idea that brings us right back to our main text. As I mentioned before, Jesus doesn't correct Peter's response in v. 20. But he does clarify or qualify it. How? First, he “strictly charged” these disciples, “to tell this to no one”. Why keep such good news to themselves? Because, second, the “Son of Man,” as we read in v. 22, “must suffer many things and be rejected”. Jesus qualifies Peter's confession here because he knew this kind of suffering and rejection did not line up with their ideas about “the Christ”. So after His resurrection, he stresses this idea again; that it's always been part of God's plan: (24:26) “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" (24:46) He “said to them, 'Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead...'”. Not only is this fifth point precious in that “the Christ” suffered for sinners, but just in case our ideas about this coming King are somehow off, this last point also stands as a corrective to the first four.

III. “But Who Do You Say That I Am?”

So as we think together about my initial question, I want you to notice something else about this passage. If you recall, my initial question was “If you personally confess that Jesus is 'the Christ', what does that mean?” With that in mind, look back at the first question Jesus asks. Verse 18: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” But that isn't his main concern, is it? His main concern is not the opinion of the crowds. His main concern is what his disciples believe. That's why his second question, in v. 20, is “But who do you say that I am?” So why not just ask them that straight away? Well, I believe he deliberately wanted to set up that contrast. And I believe he is setting up that contrast for us this morning.

My confession of Jesus as the Christ, your confession of Jesus as the Christ, is not about what anyone else believes. Do you agree with that? Throughout the centuries, and even today, even in churches just like ours, there is a temptation to confess Jesus as “the Christ” because it's what everyone else in our circle believes. Because it's what the people we respect believe. Because it's what someone who is important to us believes. Because it's what our family or spouse or friends believe. Because it's what our ancestors or our 'tribe' believes. Because it's what the religious commentators, writers, and artists to whom we listen believe. But this morning, through this passage the risen Jesus is asking you personally, “But who do you say that I am?”

Many confess that He is “the Christ”, but if they're honest about their heart, they're still waiting for, still looking for something else or someone else. Many confess that He is “the Christ” but deep down, don't truly believe they need a Savior. Maybe they need or needed some help here or there, a divine favor at times, but not a Savior. Similarly, many confess that Jesus is “the Christ”, but their ultimate allegiance or allegiances lie elsewhere. At the end of the day, they serve themselves, not the One whom God has chosen. And many have confessed and do confess that He is “the Christ”, but in their choices and priorities and planning, they too reject this path of suffering... the path that Jesus walked, and the path he calls his followers to walk.

You see, some confess that Jesus is “the Christ” simply because it's the right answer. And yet, they're asking the wrong questions. Whether they recognize it or are willing to admit it, such people are asking questions like, “What should I do to fit it; to belong?” or “How can I feel better about myself; to feel spiritual?” or “Where can I find a tried and true moral compass?” or “How can I become like this person I admire?” or “How can I fix this or that problematic circumstance or relationship?” But the most important question for which “the Christ” is the right answer is this: “Who could possibly save a rebel like me from God and for God, for all time?”

When Peter confessed Jesus as “the Christ”, was this the question he was asking deep down? Though his understanding needed to be refined, I believe it was. This is why Jesus, in Matthew's Gospel, responds to Peter's confession with these words, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (16:17) It's important to remember what John 9:22 tells us about the confession: “...for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.” Did Peter know about this? Whether he did or didn't, I believe he knew by this point that there was a cost to making that confession. Brothers, sisters, friends, Peter's faith is meant to challenge and ultimately encourage us this morning. How? Not only by calling us to make this confession our-selves, but to do so with understanding and sincerity. To do so with a recognition of our deep and desperate need, and through his Christ, God's available and abundant grace. And then... to live out that confession. And yes, like Peter, our understanding will need to be refined. But be encouraged that it was this disciple who would go on to declare before thousands: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) May God help each one of us “know for certain” that this remains true today.