Setting: Traditional Worship
Length: 26:38

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Title: Confession at Caesarea Philippi
Main Scripture: Matthew 16:13-17
Main Topics: confession of faith, OT prophets as foreruners, Son of Man, Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, Caesarea Philippi

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Matthew 16:13-17
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14They 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?"
16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

-about 11 years ago, I had the chance to study in the holy land for about a month
       

-and so, before I settle down to my usual verse by verse exposition, I want to give you a perspective of the land
       
-let’s begin by visualizing where we are….
-we are in the upper region of Galilee     

v.13…the region of Caesarea Philippi

        Caesar Augustus > Herod the Great > his son Philip the Tetrarch 

        Paneas [today, it is called:  baniyas or banyas]

        Baal Hermon

Q:  Why does Jesus bring them up here?
A:  Jesus uses the religious diversity of the place as a backdrop against which He reveals himself!

And so, surrounded by such diversity, Jesus asks them a question

"Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

John the Baptist (cf. Matt.14:1)

Elijah

Jeremiah

“…or one of the prophets…” (v.14

Q:  what do all these prophets have in common?
A:  They are all forerunners!

Q:  Why does Jesus ask his disciples what the people believed?

A:  Jesus uses the religious diversity of the people as a backdrop against which He reveals himself!
                -that in the midst of all the things people are saying about Jesus,        
15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

* Christ, the Greek word means:  anointed one

…often times, it is easy to criticize the disciples for their mistakes and lack of faith

But lest, we think that the disciples deserve all the credit, we should read on and give credit where credit is due
v.17  Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
       

The French atheist Francois Voltaire once said:
"Even if a miracle should be wrought in the open marketplace before a thousand sober witnesses, I would rather mistrust my senses than admit a miracle."

-here’s another bad guy:  John Newton
-wrote "Amazing Grace"

We live is a religiously diverse world
        And people have all kinds of opinions about Jesus
        But….who do YOU say the son of man is?

For a longer version (including up to vs.20) and including 3 parts, click:

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