Luke Part 32: Who is Jesus?

Text: Luke 9:7-9, Luke 9:18-22

At this point in Luke’s gospel, he is summarizing all of what Christ has been doing, and the emphasis is shifting to what Christ is teaching.  This section begins to discuss truths about the Kingdom of God, and about the King of that kingdom, Jesus.

At that time, there was a question raised about who Jesus was.  This is the question of the ages: “Who is Jesus?”

Like many in our society, Herod thought Jesus was just an ordinary man, and many of the people of that day thought so too.  This is an inaccurate description, the thought of Jesus being a great teacher who died a tragic martyr’s death.  This is wrong and dangerous – following this belief will get you into hell.  This “ordinary” view of Jesus is just a cover and excuse for sin.

Peter, as spokesman for the disciples, gave the correct answer: “You are the Christ of God!”  The Anointed One, the One who has come from God.  This view of one Man in whom salvation can be found, one true Messiah, flies in the face of the world.  Of course, this is to be expected – we are not of this world, and shouldn’t be expecting anything from the world.

Jesus then tells the disciples not to tell this to anyone.  This is quite remarkable.  Why did He give this command?

1. First, the Jews were looking for a political Messiah to liberate them from the Romans.  They may have interpreted Jesus’s claim to be a Messiah as an announcement that He was establishing a physical kingdom, when He was in fact establishing a spiritual kingdom.
2. Second, this was not the time for public acclamation.  This was not a time for great crowds and a mixed multitude.  Jesus wanted to spend this time with His people, giving them the truths they needed to hear and learn.
3. Third, this was during the time of His humiliation.  It was not yet time for Him to be praised and recognized.

The question of “Who is Jesus” also asks, “What kind of Messiah is He?  What is He going to do?”  Jesus explained this in verse 22: the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, must die, and must rise again on the third day.

Must suffer – it is a necessity that Christ’s sufferings would happen in order for Him to be a Messiah.  This was the Father’s will and the Son’s promise.  Christ willingly came and suffered.  The Law demands perfection and requires a penalty for failing to meet that perfection.  Man is required to pay that penalty, and, apart from Christ, he cannot.

Must be rejected – Christ was to be rejected by the religious leaders.  The Elders (the elite families, the ruling class), the Chief Priests (the families within the Levitical Priesthood), the Scribes (the theologians and interpreters of the Law) – all of these thought Jesus was just an ordinary man, and all rejected Him.

Must die – the Sacrifice must be slain.  Death is not uncommon, but Christ’s death is unique.  He died after living a sinless life, and He died alone, cut off from God by our sins which He bore.

Must be raised on the third day – This death is a victorious death, a temporary death.  Christ rose victorious over the grave.  After He rose, He discussed the Scriptures with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, saying, “Isn’t it right that the Christ would suffer these things?”

Christ is celebrated now in the heavens as the One who has triumphed.  Paul saw this glory (but he was not allowed to speak of it.)  We can’t know the glory of Christ in heaven – it is beyond us.  But the glory of Christ on earth is us, His children.  We are His people, an example, the testimony of the work that He accomplished on Calvary.  Let us live mindful of that!