This was one of the most important moments in Pedro's life, what a demonstration of faith! Imagine being there, walking with Jesus, the man from Galilee. It is a long journey, and your feet ache walking among stones and thistles is tiring, your tunic is wet with sweat, and it is hot. It's been a few days since you and your friends took a shower or changed clothes. And then Jesus looks at you and asks you, who do you say that I Am? You look at Him and you see His humanity; you notice that His hair is disordered and that the hem of His robe is dirty… Now you can understand why only Peter dared to answer: “You are the Christ”.
Today, as then, many have different ideas about who Jesus is: among Christians, some present Him as the crucified King, nailed to a cross with his head bowed down, to remind people of Christ's suffering. Others think of Jesus as more of a hippie, sweet and kind to everyone, laid back and emotional, hugging everyone, no questions asked. There are those who represent Him as the one who controls everyone and everything.
On the other hand, unbelievers who do not deny His existence say that He was a prophet and a teacher who, like many others, gave the world certain rules and regulations for life. This idea defies His deity and many do not realize the negative effect it has on our society. To say that he was just a good man is an insult.
How can we know for sure who Jesus is? Of course, we get to know Him in the scriptures, but we shouldn't just take a snapshot of Him in the four gospels, Jesus is in every book of the bible, from Genesis to Revelation, He is the same, the unchanging Holy One. Son of God, The Word and Wisdom of God, the Angel of the Lord, the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah, the one who will make war and judge the just and the unjust.
Let's not forget that having our own idea (or image) of God is idolatry. Jesus truly is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living, Holy, Righteous and Just God! I pray that every reader, like Peter, will receive the blessing of this revelation, not of flesh and blood, but of the Spirit of God.
"Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and some say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." Then he asked them: "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of John, for my Father who is in heaven has revealed it to you. You didn't learn this from any human being.
Matthew 16:14-17
