Four Thousand fed on a menu of seven loaves of bread and a few fishes after which Jesus and the disciples went aside to rest. Caesarea Philippi was a coastal town and noted for its beauty and grandeur. This was the second Caesarea and was built by the Tetrarch, Philip, a governor under Tiberius Caesar. Since it was built by Philip and dedicated to Tiberius, he called the area Caesarea Philippi. It was like leaving the hustle and bustle of Kansas City and driving to the Lake of the Ozarks. It was during this brief vacation from the work that occasioned their “going aside to rest awhile.” Who could, without rest and bit of distraction, survive the hard work of ministry especially in the face of such opposition from the Jews?

1. A time for rest

2. A teaching moment to aid the disciples in their ministry insuring that they knew instinctively what to preach in his behalf.

3. The time of departure from his disciples was at hand.

Jesus, I think, was a bit down. Think not that he did not grow weary. Think not that he did not feel the shots he had to endure from the lips of wicked men. Think not that as fully man he did not experience all that every man experiences, yet without sin.

Some of the best people I know have periods where they need to get away and refresh themselves and enjoy a bit of diversion for a spell (See Spurgeon).

There was, however, another reason for the turning aside with his disciples. The 21^st verse of Mat.16 reveal that reason: From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Surely, this was not going to be taken well, and he knew it. Peter certainly did not take it well and said so causing Jesus to pointedly say to Peter, get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Christ soundly rebuked this little stone and literally charged him with being a stumbling block to his purpose. Your advice is not sound and should I listen to you I would be turning from my mission that I came to fulfill. Your thinking is in spirit, the same as everyone else – you don’t want what God wants, but what unregenerate man wants. Any way, Jesus did not savor causing distress among the men he loved, but he chose this time to break the news to them for the first time that he was going to die!

The Divine interrogatives were not concerning what the Scribes and Pharisees said about who he was. There was no doubt as to their estimation of Jesus. They called him a blasphemer, a liar, a insurrectionist, a sorcerer empowered by the devil, and they wanted to kill him and did, but by the will and for the purpose of God: (Ac 2:23-24) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

NOTE:

I.THERE WAS DIVISION AMONG THE PEOPLE REGARDING CHRIST — Who do men say that I, the son of man am?

a. Some think that Jesus came to earth to bring peace. He did, but the peace was not the kind of peace the world is looking for, he came to bring his peace to the conscience of men and liberty from the bonds of the Law. Jesus himself said, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (Mt 10:34-38 34). The sword is the revealed word of God in him and in the written word of God which testifies to him.

b. He divides families. He does not teach the destruction of a family but he declares that there will be divisions between family members regarding him. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law (35) And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household (36).

c. He teaches that because of him and the differences of opinion as to who he is will divide even a father from a son, and a son from his mother (37). He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Christ must be loved supremely, or he is not loved at all. If we are not willing to give up all earthly possessions, and forsake all earthly friends, and if we do not obey him rather than all others, we have no true attachment to him.

d. He divides the mind of a man as to whether or not he will follow Christ in his life. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me (38).

The people in Jesus’ day had seen his great works, heard his voice as of one with authority, still they did not know who he was. The people in our day have the same problem, they know the claims of the Bible as to who Jesus is, but still do not know him as the Son of the Living God.

1. Some will agree that he was a good man, but not the Son of God.

2. Some will agree that he is a prophet but not the Son of God.

3. Some are willing to believe the claims of the Sonship of Christ, but lump him in with a variety of “good men.”

4. Some believe that Jesus is “ONE way to heaven” but that there are other roads one can follow that will “get them there.”

5. Some would agree on none of his claims

6. Some would agree on some of the things he did, but not all.

7. Some became sincere hearers of his words, yet soon grow weary and leave him.

8. Some believed his claims yet still did not follow his teaching.

9. Some said he was…:

II. THERE IS UNITY AMONG THE DISCIPLES WHO WERE WITH JESUS. Whom say ye that I am?

While others (especially Herod) thought Jesus was:

a. John the Baptist

b. Elijah

c. Jeremiah

d. Or some other prophet

Peter, evidently looking around at the others and finding agreement declared uniquivically; Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God.

1. Thou art the Christ – The Messiah promised in Abraham. The Anointed son of David. The One of whom Isaiah said in his prophecy chapters 52:13 to 53:12

1. The Son of the living God – The Son foretold in Isaiah 7:14 the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive , and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

3. The Virgin Born Son of God Isa 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace . 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

III. THERE IS UNITY BETWEEN THE BELIEVER AND THE FATHER IN HEAVEN. Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

1. The Holy Spirit had not yet come, therefore Jesus informed Peter and the disciples that it was his “Father which is in heaven” who revealed this truth.

1. There is nothing in the natural man that could hear such truth and understand it apart from God.

1. Today, no one may call Jesus Lord except influenced by the Holy Ghost.

1. Today, it is not through the prophets that one believes, anymore than the people believed the prophets concerning Jesus.

III. THERE IS UNITY AMONG THE WRITERS OF THE GOSPELS

a. Although the gospel accounts do not agree word for word of every recorded event of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ they do not disagree either. Each writer recorded the life of Christ in their own words omitting or adding to the accounts of the other writers… all agree that Christ is the Son of the living God.

b.Matthew’s account of the gospel of Christ is first in the canon of the New Testament and begins with the genealogy of Jesus as the Son of man –Verse One: the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham thus connecting him with two of the most important men of history, places Jesus as the King of Kings.

c. Mark, the second gospel in the New Testament begins with, The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Mark sets Jesus as the “Servant Son.”

d. Luke, true to a non-plagiarizing author is in agreement with the gospel accounts and says in verse one, Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us. Luke characterizes Jesus as the Son of man, the name Jesus favored to use describing himself (Son of man is found 30 times in the New Testament). In 19:10 He writes regarding the Lord, For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

d. John begins his account of the gospel of Jesus Christ by stating that Jesus is the eternal Son of God, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God (vs. 1,2).

The Jews had forgotten these prophecies evidently, for even today Judaism refuses to believe that God had a Son.

They deny a “virgin birth” of one who would be called a Son of God whose name is Emmanuel (God…with us).

That this Son of God of whom they do not believe, is the promised one to sit on the throne of their beloved King David knowing that this prince of peace must come from the linage of David.

IV. BUT…HOW ABOUT YOU?

1. Can you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and all the while believe it to be so, you shall be saved… Ro 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. How is this true? Because no one can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (1 Co 12:3).

1. Do you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead? If so, you shall be saved Ro 10:9-10 if thou shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

1. You may encounter division between yourself and others. “To this day the Jew curses the name of Christ, and all who claim He is the Son of God; Another will say that Jesus is an imposter. Some passionately hate the Son of God, and Satan despises him and seeks his termination…know that there is no room in the heart of man for both Christ and the devil, one or the other must forever perish.

Calvin wrote that, “Christ, who is properly the author of reconciliation (peace), is, on account of the wickedness of men, the occasion of discord.”

V. FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE…

If you can say that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God it is not because of man. If you can say that then, blessed art thou: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

When opportunity arises and the question if posed…But who do you say that I am? If you are truly a Christian you will know what to say, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!