Matthew 16:13-16 (NIVUK)
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’
14 They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
15 ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
16 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’
Peter recognised that Jesus is more than can be contained by the popular equivalents people were trying to compare Jesus to. To Peter, Jesus was the Messiah. The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (Mašíaḥ), and means ‘anointed one’, it Greek this became χριστός (chrīstós), or as we would say, Christ. Soon King Charles will have his coronation in which he will be anointed with oil from the Holy Land. Similarly, the Israelite Kings in the Old Testament were ‘anointed ones’. The Old Testament saw that one would come who surpassed them, not merely one of God’s anointed kings, but God’s chosen one, the Messiah, God’s Son, through whom all God’s promises would be fulfilled. This, Peter says, is who Jesus is.
Jesus, you are beyond comparison, there is none like you! You are your Father’s chosen one, our leader, above all other leaders and authorities, full of love and grace and majesty. You are the answer to all his promises, our hope and salvation. We worship you.
Original photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash
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