Summary: Jesus, wanting to prepare his disciples with an unpleasant and inconvenient truth concerning his imminent fate, gathers the troops for a conversation. He begins by asking a question that seems to come from nowhere: "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" But then he poses a more personal question -- one that leads us to ask: Who are we?
It is probably fair to say that most of us are not particularly eager to eavesdrop on what others are whispering about us -- rumormongers like colleagues in the office, distant relatives or casual friends.
This does not seem to concern Jesus, however, because in the opening verse of the Gospel reading, he asks his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
This is a gutsy move -- asking what sort of scuttlebutt is swirling on the streets. On the upside, your friends might be relieved to know that you aren't afraid to learn of whatever inaccurate rumors there may be about you.
The corporate culture, however, loves these informational and listening games. The middle managers who arrange them call these ice-breaking activities "Team-Building Moments" or something like that.
"Two Truths and a Compliment," for example, is a twist on the popular parlor game, "Two Truths and a Lie."1 Here's how this revised, corporate version works: Each team member says two true things about a specific person (related to work or personality) and also gives a compliment. The accolade should be thoughtful and focused on that person's unique contributions.
The rationale is that this little game, and others like it, fosters connections, helps team members know each other better and builds a positive atmosphere. By encouraging positive feedback and helping to create stronger bonds, more trust and better communication, the team can better understand the group's dynamics and thus work more profitably for the good of the bottom line.
That's the idea. But what's the reality? And is this the game Jesus is playing in this text?
Jesus wasn't necessarily looking for two truths and a compliment, but he was curious -- and deadly serious. In verses 21-23 of this same chapter, Jesus would drop a truth bomb about his imminent assassination and then in verses 24-28 tell this inner circle of disciples that "If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." He intended this first question to be a lead-in for a second, and more important, question. So, he asks the first question and gets the first of two truths. The question is: "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" The truth was truthfully spoken but, of course, wildly inaccurate. According to the disciples, the chinwaggers were churning out wild claims that Jesus was a cleaned-up version of his cousin John the Baptist," or one of the prophets come back to life, like Elijah, the great prophet of Israel, or one of the last prophets of Judah, the weeping prophet Jeremiah.
Today, if you were to talk to random passersby asking for opinions, the answers would differ wildly. Among the more knowledgeable responses would be that Jesus was a Jewish prophet, teacher or reformer who lived a long time ago. For some he is a personal savior, a person who's the gold standard for what it means to be good, compassionate and humble. Others might stress that he was just a human being but the best one ever. For many, Jesus is merely a cultural icon whose life has been explored in both film and on the television screen.
But instead of getting bogged down with what other people think of Jesus, let's get right to Jesus' second question -- one that cuts to the heart of our own religious and spiritual experience: "But who do you say that I am?" (emphasis added).
Jesus had many followers. But he hand-picked only 12 disciples. Of these 12, three were in an inner circle: Peter, James and John. Of these three, whose hand do you think shot up in the air? You can imagine the scene. Peter was quicker than the others. Perhaps Jesus said, "Yes, Peter?"
And Peter blurts out, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And, as they say, the rest of history. This one utterance was so astonishing, so perceptive, so powerful, that Jesus knew that only God himself could have revealed it to Peter. It would therefore be upon this Galilean fisherman that the work of God in the world would be built.
The core of this confession consists of two parts: first, Jesus is the Messiah, and second, Jesus, ipso facto, is the Son of the Living God." Let's briefly consider these expressions so foundational to our faith.
The word Messiah (meaning "Anointed One") refers to the one chosen by God to deliver Israel. In Jesus' day, the term carried connotations of a political or military leader who would liberate the people from Roman rule -- after all, people on the street were expecting a king like the illustrious David of their glorious past. However, Peter's recognition goes beyond a nationalist vision; he acknowledges Jesus as the long-awaited divine deliverer, one who brings spiritual redemption. Jesus' role, he later realized, was to usher in God's kingdom in a different way -- through suffering, death and resurrection.
Therefore, when Peter refers to Jesus as the Messiah, he is emphasizing Jesus' relationship to humanity. The second half of his confession, however, makes an even more startling revelation: This same Jesus is truly "The Son of the Living God." This is a stunning affirmation of his divinity.
This phrase is highly significant. In calling Jesus the "Son of the living God," Peter acknowledges Jesus' unique relationship with God, suggesting that Jesus is not merely a prophet who sounds a lot like Elijah or Jeremiah, but he's someone who is intimately connected to the ineffable and living God -- contrasting God with the lifeless idols of the surrounding nations. Peter's declaration aligns Jesus, who, in his sonship, enjoys a unique, eternal relationship with God, the true God of Israel.
On this day devoted to saints Peter and Paul, it is appropriate to pause and honor the central character of this little vignette. Here the focus is on Peter. Actually, Peter wasn't even Peter. Not really. His name was Simon. But that would change. Jesus says, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! ... And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." Perhaps you could say that Simon was the first to get a "Christian" name, henceforth being known as Peter, and later as Saint Peter, the Bishop of Rome, the Holy Father and first Pope of the Church. He was a fisherman; now he was the "petra" upon which the church would be anchored.2
You could say that the apostle Paul underwent a name change as well. Known as Saul when he was persecuting the church, following his conversion, he was known as Paul thereafter, the greatest evangelist the church has ever known.3
Let's pause a moment to take a closer look at this disciple who was first to intuit Jesus' true identity. Some interesting facts:
Both apostles Peter and Paul died in Rome. Tradition holds that Peter eventually traveled to the imperial capital, where he served as the first bishop of the church. During Nero's persecution of Christians, Peter was arrested and executed by crucifixion around 64 AD. According to tradition, Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Christ. His martyrdom in Rome further cements his role as the foundational leader of the Church, and his tomb is believed to be located beneath St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
The apostle Paul likewise met his death in Rome a few years later in the waning years of the Neronian era. Paul, who was a Roman citizen, was reportedly beheaded rather than crucified, which was the typical punishment for non-citizens like Peter. Beheading was considered a less painful and more "honorable" form of execution for Roman citizens.
Thus ended for both apostles, their earthly lives -- given, as Paul expresses it, as a "libation" or sacrificial offering. And, although Paul was referring to himself, it was equally true of both of these pillars of the church: they had "fought the good fight; ... finished the race; ... kept the faith."11
Two truths, and now a compliment. Paul's words are perhaps the best compliment he could have given his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He had poured out his life for Jesus. He'd given it his all. The best compliment is to live worthy of the calling to which we have been called.
Jesus said that keeping his commands is enough. By doing so, he said, we show our love. We're fruitful and not dry as the sticks used for kindling.12 Paul, perhaps says it best in Ephesians 4:1-3 where he challenges believers to live lives that are in alignment with their calling. This requires intentional discipleship. It takes patience to endure differences, gentleness to respond gracefully when frustrated, and humility to admit when we are wrong. Living "worthy of the calling" means embodying these values daily.
This we can do when we remember that the One we serve is, as Peter noted, "the Messiah, the Son of the living God"
That's a truth to remember!