How Long?

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” – Mark 9:14-29 ESV

The next day (Luke 9:37), when Jesus, Peter, James, and John rejoined the other disciples, they found chaos and confusion as a large crowd encircled the other nine disciples, who were in a heated argument with the scribes. But as soon as Jesus arrived, He became the focus of attention, drawing the crowd like moths to a flame.

Like a father coming home to find his children in an unexpected predicament, Jesus tried to discern the cause of the trouble. It didn’t take Him long to discover the conflict involved His disciples. The rest of the crowd were like rubberneckers at an accident, drawn by the spectacle and curious to see what would happen next. When Jesus asked what was causing the argument, a man in the crowd spoke up.

“Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.” – Mark 9:17-18 NLT

This father came expecting to find Jesus, but instead he encountered the nine disciples Jesus had left behind. In his gospel account, Matthew describes the man kneeling at Jesus' feet, showing his high regard for Jesus and his belief that Jesus could help him. He brought his son to Jesus for healing, but when he discovered Jesus was gone, he turned to the disciples for help. However, they weren’t up to the task.

“I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” – Mark 9:18 NLT

Disappointed that he couldn't find Jesus, the anxious father turned to the disciples for help. The text makes it clear that these men made a valiant effort to cast the demon from the man’s son, but without success. Their failure is so significant because Jesus had given all the disciples authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:15). When Jesus sent them out in pairs to preach, teach, and heal, they had successfully demonstrated that authority. Mark reports that “they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:13 ESV).

Yet, on this occasion, their efforts fell short. The argument that ensued must have begun when the disciples started making excuses for their failed attempts to exorcise the demon. Perhaps they began to question whether this man or his son had broken a particular Mosaic law, and whether that violation had caused the boy’s condition. They were clearly frustrated by their inability to exercise authority over the demon and were trying to figure out what was standing in their way. When all the dust settled, they even asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” (Mark 9:28 NLT).

The scribes may have been dragged into the argument to explain the Mosaic Law and give their opinions on the boy’s condition and the demon’s persistent power over him. The whole scene had quickly devolved into a shouting match, with each side pointing fingers at the other. All the while, the boy remained demon-possessed.

Then Jesus, the one who calmed the wind and waves, entered this storm of confusion and chaos and proved He alone could bring peace and calm. Jesus, disappointed by the sordid scene before Him, voiced His frustration.

“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” – Mark 9:19 ESV

To fully appreciate Jesus’ words, one must recall the transfiguration that Jesus had just experienced on the mountaintop. For a brief moment, Jesus was transformed into His future, glorified state. Two of the great patriarchs of the Hebrew people, Moses and Elijah, joined Him, and they discussed His coming “exodus,” or departure, from this life. It was a much-needed reminder that His days on this earth were coming to a close and that He would soon return to His Father’s side. But when He descended from the mountain, Jesus encountered a scene of faithlessness and spiritual apostasy.

This recalls a similar scene from hundreds of years earlier. Moses, the great deliverer of the Hebrew people, had just spent 40 days and nights atop Mount Sinai, where he had enjoyed intimate communion with God and received the Ten Commandments. But when He descended from the mountain, he found the people of Israel worshiping a false god. He returned to chaos and confusion, brought on by the faithlessness of God’s people.

After descending from the mountain of transfiguration, Jesus witnessed a similar scene. Faith was in short supply, and the enemy was having his way among God's people. The disciples’ inability to cast out the demon had left the boy still possessed and persecuted. More importantly, their lack of faith left the people in doubt and uncertainty.

But Jesus stepped into the darkness of the moment and focused His full attention on the boy's condition. The father provided Jesus with a blow-by-blow description of his son’s condition, explaining in detail how relentlessly the demon had tormented his child. You can sense his growing desperation as he begs Jesus for help.

“But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” – Mark 9:22 ESV

At this point, he is unsure if Jesus can do anything about his son’s condition; he is losing hope. But Jesus gently rebukes the man’s timid, half-hearted faith by repeating the father’s doubtful statement, “If you can!” One can almost sense Jesus’ exasperation at the faithlessness around Him. As always, His primary concern was the 12 men He had chosen as His disciples. This whole situation resulted from their lack of faith. So when Jesus said, “All things are possible for one who believes” (MRK 9:23 ESV), He was addressing the boy's father, but also His disciples. Jesus was saying that it wasn’t a matter of whether He could heal the boy, but whether He would. This was less an indictment of the man’s faith than an exposure of his misunderstanding of who Jesus was.

The father, anxious to see his son healed, cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 ESV). He desperately wanted to believe that Jesus could heal his son, but he had seen the disciples try and fail. He remained hopeful but apprehensive and asked Jesus to remove all doubt by casting the demon out of his son. And Jesus did just as the man wished. Addressing the demon directly, Jesus commanded, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again” (Mark 9:25 ESV).

Convulsing the boy one last time, the demon obeyed and left him in a catatonic state that made it appear as if he were dead. But Jesus raised the boy, restoring him to full health.

Jesus turned this entire scene into a primer on faith. But His focus was not on the father; He was exposing His disciples' faithlessness. Matthew records that after Jesus exorcised the demon, the disciples asked why they had failed. His response must have left them stunned and confused.

“Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20 ESV

Jesus had told the father, “All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23 ESV). Jesus emphasized His own faith, not the father's. Jesus fully believed He had the power and authority to cast out the demon, and He proved it by doing so. He knew who He was and what He could accomplish with the power God had given Him. But the disciples were another matter; their belief had proven insufficient. But the problem wasn't the amount of their faith; it was their inability to understand the true source of their power. According to Jesus, even the smallest faith, combined with God's power, could “move mountains.” Faith is not a resource we possess or produce; it is confidence in God's power. 

Their ability to cast out demons did not reside in themselves; it was not a power they possessed, but it was meted out to them by God. That is why Jesus told them that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29 ESV). They had failed to understand that their earlier experience of casting out demons had been authorized by Jesus and made possible by God’s power, not their own. But they mistakenly assumed they personally possessed that power; that it was permanently resident within them.

In trying to cast out the demon, they had put their faith in themselves. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, the disciples ended up worshiping a false god: themselves. They thought they possessed power, but discovered they were powerless. So, Jesus reminded them that even the smallest faith in God's power could produce the greatest miracles. Jesus believed He had authority over the demon because He had God's power and authority at His disposal. His life proved that “All things are possible for one who believes.”

The transfiguration was a mountaintop experience for Jesus. He had communed with His Heavenly Father and two of the great patriarchs of the Hebrew faith. But when it was over, He received a stark reminder of the spiritual darkness He had come to dispel. That is why He said, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19 NLT). During His brief stay on the mountain, He, Elijah, and Moses had discussed His coming death and departure. His mind was focused on His God-ordained mission to sacrifice His life on behalf of sinful men. He knew His death was imminent and imperative because “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22 ESV). As long as He remained on earth, He knew the people would continue to struggle with doubt, fear, and faithlessness. Even His disciples would continue to wrestle with His identity and misunderstand His mission because they lacked the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus knew His disciples were operating at a deficit because they were operating in the flesh. Their faithlessness was a byproduct of their own impotence. That is why Jesus later told them, “I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49 NLT). After His resurrection and before His ascension, Jesus promised them,  “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” (Acts 1:8 NLT). 

The Holy Spirit was the missing element. Without Him, the disciples would remain powerless and faithless. But when He came, they would be radically transformed and equipped for service.

“…when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” – John 14:29 NLT

“And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” – Luke 12:11-12 NLT

In the meantime, Jesus continued to teach and model what dependence on the Spirit looked like. He carried out his entire ministry in the power of the Spirit. From the moment He came up out of the waters of the Jordan, Jesus was “led by the Spirit” (Matthew 4:1 ESV). Having set aside His divine privileges, Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit's power throughout His earthly ministry. He modeled the Spirit-filled life that every believer would experience after His death and resurrection. The disciples would have to wait to experience that kind of life-transforming power, but it wouldn’t be long, as Jesus would soon make clear.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Fixated On the Physical

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” – Mark 8:11-21 ESV

After dismissing the crowd that had benefited from His miraculous transformation of the bread and fish, Jesus and His disciples sailed across the Sea of Galilee to Dalmanutha, in the region of Magadan (Matthew 15:39). It seems likely that the disciples had stashed in the bow of the boat the 7 baskets of leftover bread and fish they had gathered. Mark offers no insight into the conversations these men may have had as they sailed to their next destination, but it makes sense that they would have discussed that day's events, including the miracle Jesus had just performed.

As soon as their boat touched the shore, another contingent of Jewish religious leaders met them. Matthew records that, on this occasion, the Pharisees were accompanied by Sadducees.

“. . . the Sadducees were a wealthy, conservative party concentrated in Jerusalem. Their members were from aristocratic families of patrician and priestly stock. They refused adherence to the tradition of the elders and advocated a rigorous application of the law of Moses to the life of the nation. In general, they espoused a political and religious policy, including cooperation with Rome, aimed at preserving the status quo.” – Kingsbury, J. D., Conflict in Mark: Jesus, Authorities, Disciples. Minneapolis: Fortress
Press, 1989

Both the Pharisees and Sadducees had representatives who sat on the 70-member Sanhedrin, the high council of the Jews. But these two powerful, highly influential religious sects were not on friendly terms. While they shared a common belief in God and held the Hebrew Scriptures in high regard, they differed on many issues, including the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees rejected the idea of an afterlife, arguing instead that the soul simply perished at death. So, they rejected the whole concept of resurrection and a system of rewards and punishments after death. They also rejected any notion of a spiritual dimension populated by demons and angels, and these beliefs put them at odds with the Pharisees. Yet these two opposing parties were willing to set aside their differences to take on their common enemy: Jesus.

Mark indicates that these men confronted Jesus, “seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him” (Mark 8:11 ESV). They were not interested in seeing Jesus perform a miracle; they had already witnessed many of His more spectacular displays of power. They demanded a “sign from heaven”, some kind of celestial proof that would verify His claims once and for all. They had refused to accept any of His many miracles as evidence of His divine calling. Instead, they accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan (Mark 3:22). As Mark states, this latest encounter was nothing more than a test, an attempt to force Jesus’ hand and expose Him as the fraud they believed Him to be.

Exasperated by their stubborn refusal to receive Him as their Messiah, Jesus “sighed deeply in his spirit” and responded, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation” (Mark 8:12 ESV).

Jesus exposed their true intentions. Nothing He could have done would have satisfied their demand because they were already convinced He was a charlatan, and no sign or celestial manifestation would change their minds. Mark indicates that Jesus simply walked away, leaving these men with neither a sign from heaven nor the definitive proof that He was a fraud. But, in his gospel, Matthew adds an important detail to this same scene. He reports that Jesus confronted these men about their inability to recognize the obvious.

“You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!” – Matthew 16:2-3 NLT

They could predict the weather based on “the signs” in the sky, but they couldn't recognize the Messiah despite the overwhelming evidence around them. According to Jesus, everything He had said and done was more than enough proof of His claim to be the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah. He would not give them any other “signs” besides “the sign of Jonah.”

“Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” – Matthew 16:4 NLT

This wasn't the first time Jesus used this kind of language with the religious leaders. Matthew records an earlier encounter in which Jesus said the very same words and added, “For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights” (Matthew 12:40 NLT). Jesus used the well-known story of the Old Testament prophet Jonah to predict His own pending death, burial, and resurrection. The Jewish religious leaders would have been familiar with Jonah's story but would not have understood the connection Jesus was making.

Jesus condemned these men for their stubborn refusal to accept Him as their Messiah. Jonah had been “resurrected” from the belly of the great fish and had taken God's message to the people of Nineveh. As a result, they believed and repented. But Jesus reveals that even His death, burial, and resurrection would not be enough to make these stubborn religious leaders believe. He even predicts the outcome they will face for their unbelief.

“The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.” – Matthew 12:41 NLT

The Ninevites Jonah preached to were Gentile pagans, yet when they heard the message from God's prophet, they repented and were saved. But the Jewish religious leaders refused to receive the message from the lips of the Son of God, choosing instead to remain unconvinced and unrepentant.  Unwilling to debate further, Jesus and His disciples got back in the boat and sailed away.

What happens next reveals much about the men Jesus had chosen as His disciples. Mark records that they got back in the boat and then adds, “they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat” (Mark 8:14 ESV). So they hadn't brought the seven baskets of leftovers after all. We’re not told what they did with all that food, but only that they brought a single loaf of bread to share among 13 hungry men. Perhaps they thought Jesus could multiply that loaf too, so they decided to travel light and left the rest behind.

Whatever the thought process behind their decision, Jesus used the moment to teach a valuable lesson. His response to their oversight was a warning.

“Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” – Mark 8:15 ESV

Confused by Jesus’ words, the disciples immediately assumed He was upset with them for failing to bring enough bread. They likely began casting blame, each accusing the other for this obvious lapse in judgment. Jesus had to remind them that the quantity of bread wasn't the issue; He wasn't talking about literal bread at all.

“Why are you arguing about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened? Though you have eyes, don’t you see? And though you have ears, can’t you hear? Don’t you remember?” – Mark 8:18-19 NLT

Had they already forgotten what He had done? Were they so hard-hearted that they couldn’t recall how He had miraculously fed thousands of people on two separate occasions with nothing more than a few loaves and fishes? Their problem wasn’t a lack of bread, but a lack of faith. Despite all Jesus had said and done, they still struggled to accept Him as the Messiah. Matthew adds that Jesus confronted them for their deficit of faith. 

“O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?” – Matthew 16:8 ESV

They were fixated on the physical realm, arguing over who was responsible for their lack of bread. But Jesus was warning them about the teachings of the religious leaders. These men posed a serious threat because their prominent positions allowed them to propagate dangerous doctrines that could keep others from hearing and accepting Jesus as their Messiah. Jesus later condemned them for the infectious, deadly nature of their influence.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!” – Matthew 23:13-16 NLT

Jesus posed a rhetorical question to His disciples: “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:21 ESV). He knew the answer and was well aware that only after the Holy Spirit came would the disciples comprehend all He had said to them while He was with them. But He would continue to use His confrontations with the religious leaders as prime teaching opportunities to instruct His 12 disciples. He wanted them to keep believing, regardless of what the Pharisees and Sadducees might say.

The morning after Jesus had fed the 5,000, they showed up expecting another free meal. When Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven’ (John 6:32 NLT), they responded, “Give us that bread every day” (John 6:36 NLT). They missed the point. Their physical appetites prevented them from grasping the spiritual truths Jesus was trying to convey, and Jesus’ disciples suffered from the same problem. Despite their close relationship with Jesus, they were struggling to understand His identity as the Son of God. His miracles amazed them and His words confounded them, but they remained fixated on the physical realm.  

Their greatest need was not physical; it was spiritual. Jesus had proven He could provide bread, but they really needed the Bread of Life. They remained focused on the temporal, but Jesus kept exposing them to the eternal, just as He did with the Samaritan woman. He gave her a similar message. 

“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” – John 4:13-14 NLT

The woman’s response was immediate and predictable.

“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” - John 4:15 NLT

Jesus didn’t rebuke the woman for her lack of understanding; instead, He confronted her about her sinful lifestyle. He exposed that the real source of her problem was not physical but spiritual. She needed living water. Yet, when the disciples returned and saw Jesus talking with this woman, they were shocked. Yet John records that she “left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?’” (John 4:28-29 NLT).

When Jesus exposed the depth of her sinfulness, His ability to discern the darkness of her life shocked her, but His willingness to offer her eternal life amazed her. She believed and was saved, along with many of her neighbors. She forgot all about the well, the water, her past sins, and her less-than-stellar reputation in her community. She met the Messiah and was changed — for eternity. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

“Take Heart, It Is I”

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. – Mark 6:45-52 ESV

Three of the four gospels include this story, and all three indicate that it happened immediately after the miracle of the bread and the fish. Context is essential to understanding what happens and offers much-needed insight into Mark’s rather condemning conclusion: “they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” (Mark 6:52 NLT).

Mark’s harsh-sounding critique seems to paint the disciples in an unflattering light, but in context, it gives the reader a fair and honest assessment of their ongoing spiritual transformation. They were works in progress. Their comprehension of Jesus’ true identity was in a constant state of flux, and complicated by their own personal agendas and expectations. Their concepts of the Messiah were shaped by their Hebrew roots and strongly influenced by the religious indoctrination they received as young boys at the local synagogue in their hometowns. Their experiences with Jesus were informative and instructive, but also confusing and at odds with their preconceived notions of the coming Messiah.

Jesus didn't operate according to their expectations. His miracles, though powerfully impressive, didn’t seem to usher in the Kingdom the disciples had long anticipated. His words, while spoken with authority and filled with interesting stories and fascinating parables, didn’t always make sense. He spoke cryptically and about subjects that seemed out of keeping with someone who had come to be King of Israel.

So, this particular story must be viewed within the immediate context of the surrounding events. Mark indicates that as soon as the disciples finished gathering the 12 baskets of leftover loaves and fish, Jesus instructed them to take a boat to the village of Bethsaida. Jesus then dismissed the crowd and went to a secluded spot for some time alone with God the Father. Mark provides no details concerning this divine conversation between Father and Son, but it is safe to assume that it mirrored the other prayers of Jesus recorded in the gospels. These moments of isolation and intimate communion with His Heavenly Father were important to Jesus. During these occasions, Jesus shared His heart and received instructions. Perhaps He prayed for the disciples, sharing His frustration that they could not grasp the meaning of His messages and miracles. Jesus knew God had given these men to Him, but He also knew they struggled to understand who He truly was and the real purpose behind His incarnation.

After Jesus finished His time in prayer, He made His way back to the shoreline, where He saw the disciples “making headway painfully, for the wind was against them” (Mark 6:48 ESV). John indicates that “they had rowed about three or four miles” (John 6:29 ESV). 

Don’t minimize the circumstances surrounding this scene. It was around 3:00 a.m.; the sky was pitch black, the wind howled furiously, and white-capped waves pounded against the sides of the small fishing boat. The disciples, four of whom were professional fishermen, struggled to keep the boat afloat as it headed to their final destination. And Jesus witnessed all of this from the safety of the shoreline.

But then He did something extraordinary and unexpected. He stepped out into the sea and began to walk on the water, and Mark adds a very important detail to his narrative.

Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them… – Mark 6:48 NLT

Jesus walked toward the disciples but was fully intending to walk right past them and on to Bethsaida. He wanted them to see Him and take hope and confidence in Him. If He could walk on the waves in the midst of the storm, they had no reason to fear. Just the sight of Jesus walking calmly and confidently on the tops of the waves should have instilled peace in the disciples' hearts. Instead, they reacted with fear.

…but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw him. – Mark 6:49-50 NLT

They hadn't been looking for Jesus, so when He suddenly appeared, they didn’t recognize Him because they weren't expecting Him to show up in that inhospitable context. It’s interesting that the disciples showed no fear until Jesus appeared unexpectedly. There’s no indication that the disciples feared the storm. They were simply struggling against the wind and waves, trying to make their way to Bethsaida as Jesus had instructed. But their demeanor quickly shifted from focused determination to abject fear when they spotted this strange figure walking toward them amid the storm's darkness and violence.

Sensing their terror, Jesus quickly identified Himself to the frightened men.

“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” – Mark 6:50 ESV

They had not recognized Him because they had not expected Him. In fact, no one in the boat had called out to Him. In the midst of their difficulty, they had forgotten all about Jesus. They were so consumed with the task at hand that they forgot the very one who had sent them on this storm-tossed, ill-fated excursion. Seeing Jesus calmly walking on the water amid the storm should have been enough to remind them of His power and authority. They had just seen Him feed thousands of men, women, and children with nothing more than five small loaves and two fish. They had returned from a recent missionary journey, having cast out demons and performed other healing miracles. But in the wee hours of the morning, amid a storm-tossed sea, no one thought of miracles or the Messiah. They just wanted to survive.

In a characteristic act of mercy and grace, Jesus changed His plans and joined the disciples in their struggle. Rather than walk by, He entered the boat with them, and as soon as His foot touched the deck, “the wind ceased” (Mark 6:51 ESV). His presence brought peace, and the disciples “were utterly astounded” (Mark 6:51 ESV). Mark uses the Greek word existēmi, which literally means they were beside themselves. One has to ask why this particular miracle had such an impact on them. Had they not seen Jesus do other incredible, mind-blowing miracles? What was it about this one that left them “beside themselves” in wonder?

 Mark provides the answer:  “for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:51 ESV). They had not connected the dots. The bow of the boat likely held the 12 baskets of leftovers they had gathered. But they still could not understand the significance of the miracle Jesus had performed. By transforming five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed an army, Jesus had clearly demonstrated His divine power and authority over the creation. He had done the impossible. Yet, the disciples did not understand. They fully grasped the reality of the miracle because they had seen it happen, but they were blind to the message it was intended to send: Jesus was God.

Mark notes that their hearts were calloused and hardened. In their fallen human state, they couldn't discern the message behind Jesus' miracles. They failed to connect the dots and see the picture being revealed right before their eyes. But step by step, miracle by miracle, Jesus continued to disclose Himself to these men. He patiently and persistently displayed His power and authority so that, eventually, their beliefs about Him would align with God’s will, not their own. 

They believed Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah, but He was demonstrating His identity as the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. Jesus wasn’t just a man whom God had anointed as David’s seed and the rightful heir to his throne; He was God in human flesh and possessed all the power, rights, and privileges of deity. The apostle Paul explained Jesus’ divine identity in powerful terms.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
   he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

The disciples didn’t understand. Even when they had previously witnessed Jesus calm the storm, they were forced to ask, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41 ESV). His power was evident but inexplicable. This Rabbi from Nazareth could control the winds and the waves, but the disciples couldn’t grasp His true identity. Jesus was God, but because of their hardened hearts, the disciples failed to recognize Him. Yet, they would have been familiar with Psalm 46.

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

“Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. – Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Family of Faith

31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” – Mark 3:31-35 ESV

An examination of the gospel accounts in Matthew and Luke reveals that Mark took some liberties with the timeline of this event. Both of the other two gospel writers indicate that Jesus had other things to say after His response to the accusation that He was demon-possessed. According to Matthew, Jesus had some very direct and condemning words for the scribes who had been so quick to dismiss His miracles as the work of Satan. Jesus used the metaphor of a tree. If a tree is good, it will produce good fruit. If it is bad, it will produce bad fruit. So, you can know the state of the tree by examining its fruit. Then, Jesus drove home His point.

“You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” – Matthew 12:34-37 NLT

 Matthew adds that these very same scribes, accompanied by some Pharisees, would later approach Jesus and demand, “Show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority” (Matthew 12:38 NLT). These are the same men who accused Jesus of being demon-possessed. They had flatly stated, “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons” (Mark 3:22 ESV). Now, they demand that He perform a sign to validate His authority. But Jesus called them out, exposing the true nature of their hearts.

“Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign…” – Matthew 12:39 NLT

Nothing Jesus could do would convince these men of His God-given authority. He even alludes to His pending death and resurrection by recounting the familiar story of Jonah.  

“…as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.” – Matthew 12:40 NLT

Even His death, burial, and resurrection would not convince these men. They would never accept His claim to be the Son of God.

“…you refuse to repent.” – Matthew 12:41 NLT

“…you refuse to listen.” – Matthew 12:42 NLT

And Matthew records that Jesus wrapped up His condemnation of the religious leaders by comparing them to someone who had been freed of a demon. With the coming of Jesus, they had been exposed to the truth and offered freedom from their captivity to sin and death. But even after hearing the truth, they refused to accept it. So, Jesus indicates that their rejection of Him will have dire consequences. Their “demon” will return, bringing his companions with him, and leaving them in a worse state than before.

“…the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” – Matthew 12:45 NLT

In his gospel account, Luke includes a series of parables that Jesus told the crowds. One was the parable of the soils, in which He explained, “The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity” (Luke 8:14 NLT). And Luke adds another insightful message from Jesus.

“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” – Luke 8:18 NLT

So, what does all this have to do with today’s passage? Everything, because it provides context. The way Mark describes the arrival of Jesus’ family could leave the impression that they just showed up right after His confrontation with the scribes. But as we have seen, Jesus had delivered a few other salient messages before their arrival. What He had to say is crucial to understanding His response to the news that His mother and brothers wanted to see Him.

John reveals that Jesus’ own family members struggled to accept that He was the Son of God. John flatly states, “…not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5 ESV). According to Mark, their disbelief led them to conclude that Jesus had lost His mind (Mark 3:21).

None of the gospel writers tell us why Mary and her other sons showed up. According to Matthew, Jesus was given the message: “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you” (Matthew 12:47 NLT). Mark indicates that they stood outside the place where Jesus was teaching and “called him.”

Had Jesus’ brothers convinced Mary that her oldest son was crazy? Had they come to take Jesus away? Even though Mary had been given divine insight into her Son’s identity and mission, she likely struggled with His strange behavior. His actions would not have validated the message the angel Gabriel had given her more than 30 years earlier.

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” – Luke 1:31-33 NLT

Since leaving their home in Nazareth, Jesus had traveled throughout Judea and Galilee, preaching, teaching, and performing miracles. Mary had kept up with His whereabouts and heard the rumors about Him healing and casting out demons. But she had also heard about the episode in Jerusalem when He had thrown out the money changers and overturned the merchants’ tables in the temple. She knew the religious leaders had made Him a target. And it is likely that she had heard all the rumors about her Son, including that He was demon-possessed. So she showed up with her other sons to talk to Jesus. As a loving and concerned mother, she wanted to see how He was doing. But when He heard that His mother and brothers were outside, Jesus responded, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” (Mark 3:33 ESV).

At first blush, this statement seems surprisingly harsh and uncaring, but we must consider the context. Jesus had been speaking about hearing and believing, and emphasized the tendency for some to reject His ministry and message. Luke records that Jesus quoted from the prophet Isaiah.

“When they look, they won’t really see.
    When they hear, they won’t understand.” – Luke 8:10 NLT

John reports that Jesus “came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:11 NLT).

Jesus had been teaching, preaching, and healing. He called the people of Israel to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4;17 ESV). Yet some still refused to believe, including His own brothers. So when Jesus asked, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” He pointed to a relationship far more critical than mother to son or brother to brother. Being born into the same family as Jesus had not helped His brothers believe. Having a sibling relationship with Jesus was not enough to secure a faith relationship with Him. Even Mary and her sons had to believe who Jesus claimed to be.

This brings to mind a statement John the Baptist made to the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to the Judean wilderness to watch him baptize. When John saw them, he called them a “brood of snakes” (Matthew 3:7 NLT). Then he exposed the fallacy behind their assumption that, because they were blood descendants of Abraham, they were guaranteed a right relationship with God.

“Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” – Matthew 3:9-10 NLT

Notice his emphasis on the bad tree that produces bad fruit. He tells these men that being a blood-born relative of Abraham does not guarantee acceptance by God. John demanded that they repent and turn to God.

That was the very same message Jesus preached, and it applied to all, including His own family. They too would have to hear, receive, and believe. And Jesus turned and motioned to His disciples, saying, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:34-35 NLT).

According to John’s gospel, Jesus gave the only “work,” or requirement, God has placed on mankind.

“This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” – John 6:29 NLT

Everyone, regardless of their social status, religious affiliation, economic standing, or educational achievements, was required to believe in Him as the one sent from God. Being born a half-brother of Jesus did not provide you with immunity or absolve you from having to believe in His identity as the Son of God. The disciples were struggling, but continued to express their belief in Jesus. Mary and her sons were likely wrestling with the disconnect between Jesus’ behavior and their expectations. He wasn’t acting like a king and, if He was the long-awaited Messiah, His behavior wasn’t what they expected. The religious leaders flatly denied that Jesus was who He claimed to be.

But Jesus made it clear. To have a relationship with Him, everyone had to believe that He was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. As Jesus told Martha at the graveside of her brother Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When We Lose Our Identity

28 The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. 29 These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. 32 The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the descendants of Keturah.

34 Abraham fathered Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. 35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and of Timna, Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

38 The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna. 40 The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. 41 The son of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

43 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel: Bela the son of Beor, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 44 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 45 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 47 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 48 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place. 49 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor, reigned in his place. 50 Baal-hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51 And Hadad died.

The chiefs of Edom were: chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom. – 1 Chronicles 1:28-54 ESV

Paul wrote the following words of encouragement to his young protégé, Timothy:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. – 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

Little did he know at the time that his own words would eventually be included in the canon of Scripture and considered to be the inspired words of God. But when Paul wrote to Timothy and referenced the trustworthiness and God-inspired power of the Scriptures, he had the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible in mind, what we now refer to as the Old Testament.

Paul’s wholehearted commendation of the Hebrew Bible should give us pause when encountering the lengthy genealogies in 1 Chronicles. Most modern readers find these extended lists of unfamiliar names difficult to read and far from inspiring or helpful to their faith journey. But Paul would beg to differ. He believed that all Scripture was penned under the inspiration of God’s Spirit and intended for the edification and spiritual advancement of His people. Each word and every sentence was recorded and preserved by God as part of His divine revelation to mankind.

But the nine chapters of unrecognizable and unpronounceable names found in the Book of 1 Chronicles test our belief in Paul’s assessment. These genealogies tend to make no sense to us and they seem to serve no purpose. But to the chronicler's original audience, they provided a lifeline back to their heritage as God's chosen people. They had returned to the land of promise after 70 years of forced exile in Babylon. Under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple itself. But they were a ragtag remnant living in a city that still showed the signs of the Babylonian destruction and the years of neglect as the people languished in captivity.

When these chapters were penned, the Israelites were worshiping in a recently rebuilt Temple that was a mere shadow of its former glory. The once-powerful nation of Israel was weak, impoverished, and virtually defenseless. They had no king or army. They were surrounded by powerful enemies and faced the insurmountable task of reestablishing themselves in the land. Most of them had not been alive when David and Solomon had reigned over Israel. They had never seen the magnificent Temple that Solomon constructed. When they walked back into the land of Judah, their eyes were met by scenes of destruction and devastation. After seven decades of living as slaves in a foreign land, these disenfranchised people were more Babylonian than Jewish. They had lost their bearings and forgotten their rich heritage as the sons and daughters of Abraham.

So the chronicler began his book by giving his readers an extended history lesson designed to reestablish their identity as God’s chosen people. He takes them all the way back to Adam, the first man, as a reminder that they too were created in the image of God. As human beings, they represented the apex of God’s creation. But the descendants of Adam sinned against God and brought down His judgment. This led to God to choose Noah and his three sons as the means by which He would repopulate the earth with a new generation of men and women made in His image.

For the sake of his Hebrew audience, the author fast-forwarded to the life of Abraham, their patriarch and the father of their people. From this one man came the nation of the Israelites and every man and woman who read these genealogical lists could find his or her lineage outlined somewhere in the opening chapters of this book. They were part of the ongoing story of God’s people.

But more than that, they shared a heritage with David, the great king of Israel, to whom God had promised to give a long-lasting dynasty. One of David's descendants was to sit on the throne of Israel again. But at the time of the writing of 1 Chronicles, the people of God were living in Jerusalem and worshiping at the Temple, but they had no king. They were weak, defenseless, and surrounded by enemies who were less-than-ecstatic that they had returned to the land. But the chronicler wanted them to understand their unique status as God's chosen people. Much of what he wrote in this book was designed to show them who they were, how they got to be in the state they were in, and what they needed to do to see their circumstances change. Their current situation was the direct result of their own unfaithfulness and disobedience. They were reaping the results of their failure to seek God. So the chronicler wants them to understand that, as God's people, they must return to Him, and live as the true heirs of Israel.

God's hand had been on Israel from the very beginning. The lists of genealogies start with Adam and clearly reveal God's sovereign choice of Abraham and His divine selection of David. He had been active all along the way, orchestrating events in such a way that the nation of Israel would be His chosen people. And despite what would be a lengthy track record of disobedience and rebellion against His will and authority, God eventually restored His disobedient children to the land He had promised to give them as their inheritance. While they had failed to live up to His expectations and commands, He had kept His promises to them. He had miraculously provided the means by which the Temple could be rebuilt and the sacrificial system restored. He used a pagan king to make possible the return of His people to the land and the funding of the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem and the reconstruction of the Temple itself. The Temple was a symbol of God's divine presence and a reminder of God's willingness to provide forgiveness for sin and restoration to a right relationship to Him through the sacrificial system. But as the people of God, they would have to live in obedience to His commands, faithfully seeking His face and worshiping according to His standards, not their own.

After 70 years in exile, it would have been easy for the people of God to forget their identity. Most of those who returned to the land of Israel had probably been born in Babylon, and were seeing the land of promise for the first time. They had no recollection of how things used to be and no concept of the former glory of Jerusalem or the magnificence of the original Temple. They had long forgotten their unique status as the children of God. Theirs had been a life of slavery, servitude, and suffering, and while they were now living back in the land, they were doing so as a weakened, impoverished, and powerless people who had no king, no army, and no apparent hope for the future. But the chronicler takes time to remind them of their heritage. He wants them to understand the significance of who they are and the reality of their relationship with God.

Paul does a similar thing when writing to the believers in Ephesus. He reminds them, “You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV). Then he adds those two powerful words, “But God…”

Amid our former position as sin-ravaged, spiritually lifeless, flesh-driven dead men, God showered us with His mercy and grace, providing us with salvation through Christ “even when we were dead in our trespasses” (Ephesians 2:4 ESV). He gave us new life. He provided us with new hope. As a result, Paul exhorts his readers to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1 ESV). He challenges them to live up to their new status as God's chosen people. Their lives were to be marked by humility, gentleness, patience, forebearance, love, unity, and a mutual commitment to spiritual growth and maturity. Their conduct and speech were to be different. Their lifestyle was to emulate that of Christ. They bore the name of Christ and shared His status as children of God. So they were to live accordingly, putting off their old nature and putting on the new self, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 ESV).

As a child of God, I am to live differently. I must recognize my position as His son and walk in a manner worthy of my calling as His adopted child. My unique status should be apparent in my behavior. Paul told his readers to put away falsehood, speak the truth, not let their anger turn to sin, resist Satan, stop stealing, work honestly, talk righteously, extend grace, and stop grieving the Holy Spirit. He was very specific and it was likely because his readers had been used to living in such a way that their lives had been marked by behavior that was unChrist-like and unflattering to their role as God's chosen people. As God's sons and daughters, our behavior must reflect our beliefs. Our comportment must match our confession. We must live or walk in a manner worthy of our calling and in honor of the name of Christ.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Identity Crisis

18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” – Luke 9:18-22 ESV

After recounting the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, Luke jumps ahead in his narrative to a scene that took place sometime later. A comparison with the other synoptic gospels reveals that Luke chose to skip over a series of other significant events that occurred before Jesus had this important conversation with His disciples. It seems that Luke was attempting to focus on the questions surrounding Jesus’ identity. It began with Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, who was perplexed by all the rumors he had heard concerning Jesus. One of the most concerning conclusions he had heard was that Jesus was actually the resurrected John the Baptist. That prospect would not have thrilled Herod since he was the one who had ordered John’s beheading.

There were others who were speculating that Jesus was actually the prophet Elijah. They were basing their conjecture on the prophecy recorded by Malachi.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” – Malachi 4:5-6 ESV

Another rumor circulating among the people was that Jesus was “one of the other prophets risen from the dead” (Luke 9:8 NLT). But as all these wild opinions filtered into Herod’s palace, he was left with a perplexing question:

“…who is this about whom I hear such things?” – Luke 9:9 ESV

That same question filled the minds of many of those who were present at the feeding of the 5,000. They too were perplexed by this Rabbi from Nazareth. His miracles and messages intrigued them, but they were having difficulty comprehending exactly who He was. It should not be overlooked that the rumors and speculations of the people did not include Jesus being the Messiah. In fact, when Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (Luke 9:18 ESV), they too omitted any mention of Jesus being the Messiah. 

And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” – Luke 9:19 ESV

Despite the many miracles Jesus had performed, it seems that the people were not ready to crown Him as their new king. They fully recognized that there was something supernatural and other-worldly about Jesus, but He did not meet their long-held expectations concerning the Messiah. Jesus didn’t look like a conquering king. He obviously had power, but he lacked an army. He was an impressive orator, but He wouldn’t be able to talk the Romans into surrendering. In their minds, Jesus appeared to be much more like an Old Testament prophet than their long-awaited Messiah. After all, He had shown up on the scene preaching a message of repentance, and He had performed miracles much like Elijah and the other prophets had done. So, they concluded that Jesus must be the opening act for the main attraction. Since He didn’t act in a messianic manner, they assumed He must have been sent to prepare the way for the Messiah.

As always, Jesus was most concerned with the thoughts of His 12 disciples. He had chosen these men for a reason and was heavily vested in their training and preparation for the future. So, when they had answered His question, Jesus focused His attention on them, asking, “But who do you say that I am?” (Luke 9:20 ESV).

These men had spent their every waking minute with Jesus. They had seen every one of His miracles and had heard all of His messages. They enjoyed intimate access to Jesus and the privilege of hearing Him explain some of His more cryptic parables. So, Jesus wanted to know who they perceived Him to be. What was their conclusion regarding His identity? And the ever-impulsive Peter was the first to respond.

“The Christ of God.” – Luke 9:20 ESV

The term “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of “Messiah.” Peter was confessing that Jesus was the Messiah. And in his gospel account, Mathew records that Peter added the further description: “the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 ESV). Peter, speaking on behalf of all the disciples, acknowledges Jesus to be the Messiah but also the Son of God. His words revealed a level of understanding and insight that the rest of the people did not share. But Matthew lets us know that Peter did not come to this conclusion on his own. Jesus reveals that Peter had received divine insight from God the Father.

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 16:17 ESV

God had opened Peter’s partially blinded eyes so that he could see the truth of who Jesus was. This statement from the lips of Peter was like an unexpected epiphany. Even as the words came out of his mouth, Peter must have wondered whether he truly believed them. And He would go on to reveal that his understanding of who Jesus was and what He had come to do was still cloudy and indistinct. He would continue to wrestle with the weight of his own words and the expectations of his own heart. But the time would come when he and his fellow disciples would see everything clearly and distinctly.

This confession earned Peter a blessing from Jesus and yet, Jesus warned the disciples to keep this news to themselves.

…he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. – Matthew 16:20 NET

Luke adds, “he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one” (Luke 9:21 ESV). But why? What prompted Jesus to command His disciples not to disclose His true identity to the people? If He was the Messiah of Israel, why would He not want everyone to know?

It all had to do with expectations. Jesus knew that the Israelites were longing for the coming of the Messiah, but their understanding of the Messiah’s role was misguided. They had been raised to believe that the Messiah would come as a conquering king and a powerful military figure who would set them free from their oppressive Roman overlords. Even the 12 disciples were hoping and praying that Jesus was the kind of Messiah they had been taught to expect. It’s likely that Peter hoped his confession would prompt Jesus to get down to business. It was time to stop performing miracles and delivering messages. Like the rest of his companions, Peter wanted Jesus to start acting like a Messiah.

But what Peter failed to understand was that Jesus came to suffer and die, not rule and reign. He had come to sacrifice His life so that they might be freed from their captivity to sin and death. Little did they know that their real problem was not the presence of the Romans but the pervading presence of sin in their lives. Their enemy was not a foreign power but their own fallen natures. And Jesus disclosed to them the part of His mission they had failed to understand.

“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” – Luke 9:22 ESV

We know from Matthew’s account, that Peter did not take this news well.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” – Matthew 16:22 ESV

Peter was appalled by Jesus’ disclosure. He found it so reprehensible and unacceptable that he basically vowed to keep it from happening. And Jesus delivered a stern rebuke to His impulsive, yet well-meaning disciple.

“Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” – Matthew 16:23 NLT

Peter did not realize that his rash response reflected a total disregard for the will of God. In a matter of seconds, he had gone from speaking under the influence of God to contradicting the very will of God. He had let his own personal opinion and perspective get in the way. Peter had preconceived agenda for the Messiah and it did not match that of God Almighty. None of the disciples had a concept of the Messiah as a suffering servant. They had no need for a martyred Messiah. What good would a rejected and murdered Messiah do for their dreams of national deliverance and personal prominence?

But Jesus was beginning to reveal the true nature of His incarnation. He was disclosing the part of His coming that they had failed to comprehend. And even as Jesus began to open their eyes to the reality of His mission, they were unable to hear the most important part. He clearly told them that He would die but be raised again on the third day, but all they heard was the bad news. His disclosure regarding His coming resurrection went in one ear and out the other. And these men would continue to wrestle with the news that their Messiah was destined to suffer and die. They had no way of knowing that Jesus’ glorification as the Messiah must be preceded by His humiliation and execution. His death would be the key to eternal life. His sacrifice would result in deliverance. And His ultimate victory would be over sin and death, not the Romans. But Peter and his companions still had a lot to learn.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Who Is Jesus?

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. – Matthew 16:13-20 ESV

In this passage we see Jesus traveling as far north as He will ever go in His earthly ministry. He and the disciples journeyed all the way to Caesarea Philippi. At this remote location, far removed from the capital city of Jerusalem and beyond the reach of the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus isolated Himself with His disciples in order to prepare them for the events that were soon to take place. It would not be long before He began a return trip to Jerusalem, but it would be in order to sacrifice His life on behalf of sinful mankind.

It appears that one of the objectives behind this excursion to the very borders of Jewish influence was to get the disciples alone and allow them time to process all that they had seen and heard. From the moment they had answered the call to follow Jesus, they had been on a whirlwind journey marked by head-scratching messages and mind-blowing miracles. They must have been confused by the confrontations between Jesus, a man they obviously admired, and the religious leaders, for whom they had deep respect. It had to have been disconcerting to see the Pharisees and Sadducees reject Jesus and to hear Jesus refer to these seemingly righteous men as hypocrites. If Jesus was the Messiah, as the disciples believed Him to be, why weren’t the religious leaders of Israel embracing Him with open arms?

Knowing that His followers were wrestling with all kinds of questions and their own doubts about who He was, Jesus removed some of the pressure by asking the disciples a fairly easy question:

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” – Matthew 16:13 ESV

And the disciples were more than happy to answer the question.

“Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” – Matthew 16:14 ESV

There were a lot of opinions out there. And notice that each of the three options provided by the disciples involves dead men. John the Baptist was the most recently deceased, but all three of the possibilities given by the disciples involved men who were no longer living. This provides a glimpse into the mindset of the average Jew. They believed that the miracles performed by Jesus were best explained as the byproduct of a resurrected prophet. They believed Him to be somebody of great renown who had been raised back to life and been given supernatural powers.

But notice that no one was claiming Jesus to be the Messiah. He was great, but not that great. At this point, Jesus turned His attention to His disciples. He wanted to know what they thought.

“But who do you say that I am?” – Matthew 16:15 ESV

This was the more important question of the two. Jesus knew full well that there were very few of the Jewish people who were willing to recognize Him as their Messiah. They had been blown away by His miracles and left wondering at the authority behind His teaching and the radical nature of His words. But He didn’t seem to measure up to their preconceived notions of how the Messiah would appear and act.

It shouldn’t surprise us that Peter was the first to speak up in response to Jesus’ query. He was an outspoken and sometimes rash individual for whom tact seemed to be a missing character trait. Peter was always quick to speak and sometimes His tendency to put his mouth in gear before His brain was engaged got him into trouble. But in this instance, Peter gave a commendable answer.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16 ESV

His response stood in stark contrast to the common perceptions of the people. Peter boldly and unapologetically proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah. The term “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of Messiah. So, Peter was unequivocally pronouncing his belief that Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be. And, if you recall, John used very similiar words when he opened up his gospel account.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. – Matthew 1:1 ESV

But Peter refers to Jesus as the Son of the living God, not the son of David. This was an acknowledgement of Jesus’ deity. He was not just a man who had been sent by God, He was the actual Son of God. In other words, He was divine.

This statement by Peter was remarkable and Jesus acknowledged it as such.

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 16:17 ESV

In this statement, Jesus chose to refer to Peter in a manner that emphasized his humanity. He called him Simon Barjonas or Simon, son of John. And then Jesus revealed that Peter’s answer had not been the result of human wisdom or teaching, but because of insight provided by God Himself. God had opened Peter’s eyes and helped him recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Peter wasn’t smarter than the scribes and Pharisees. He wasn’t more spiritual than the Sadducees. He didn’t possess more discernment than the rest of his Jewish neighbors and friends. But God had made possible Peter’s astounding insight into Jesus’ true identity. Remember what Jesus had stated earlier in Matthew’s gospel:

“No one truly knows the Son except the Father…” – Matthew 11:27 NLT

And so, it is God alone who can reveal the identity of His Son.

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” – John 6:44 ESV

“This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” – John 6:65 ESV

Peter had been drawn to Jesus by God. He had been convinced by God that Jesus was the Messiah. And it was this confession that led Jesus to say:

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16:18 ESV

In this statement, Jesus used a play on words. He refers to Peter’s name, which in Greek is Petros and means “rock.” But He used different Greek word when He referred to “this rock.” It was the word petra. Jesus was placing the emphasis, not on Peter, but on Peter’s testimony. It was what Peter had said about Jesus that was critical. In other words, the church of Jesus Christ would be built upon the testimonies of those who expressed faith in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior. Contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, Jesus was not setting up a system of apostolic succession and establishing the office of the papacy. The real “rock” in this passage is Jesus Himself. He is what Paul later refers to as the cornerstone of the church.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. – Ephesians 2:19-21 ESV

And Peter echoed that same sentiment.

For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone…” – 1 Peter 2:6-7 ESV

Ultimately, the church is built upon the rock of Jesus Christ. He is our foundation and the one who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). And to all those who build their lives on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, He promises to give “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19 ESV).

Jesus switched from talking about their present view of His identity to the future nature of their authority. He was referring to the millennial kingdom, not the temporal period commonly referred to as the church age. There is a day coming when all those who are children of God will experience the full power and authority available to them as heirs of the kingdom of God. And Jesus clearly articulates the nature of that power and authority when He says, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19 ESV).

To a certain degree, the disciples were going to experience some of that power and authority in their earthly lives, as they proclaimed the good news and released people from captivity to sin and death. They would have God-given authority to cast out demons and heal the sick and the lame. But the greatest fulfillment of Jesus’ words are in the millennial kingdom to come when Jesus will sit on the throne of David, ruling in righteousness and justice. And all those who place their faith in Him as Messiah will rule alongside Him.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

I Am – Part 2

13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” – Exodus 3:13-14 ESV

58 “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” – John 8:58 ESV

This is the second half of our discussion regarding Jesus and His self-identification as the great “I AM.” Over the last few posts, we have been dwelling on the central role that identity played in the life of our Savior. It began with a look at the words of Paul found in Philippians 2. In his letter to the small community of believers in Philippi, a congregation he had helped to start several years earlier, Paul emphasized their need for community and gave them the following challenge: “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” And for Paul, the evidence or proof that they were living worthy of the gospel would be clear when he received the news that they were “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27 ESV).

In chapter two, Paul encouraged them to make this outcome their goal; for their own good, God’s glory, and so that his own joy regarding them might be complete.

…complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:2-4 ESV

But the key to any of this taking place would not be found in their ability to “do what Jesus did.” In other words, personal effort, self-determination, and sheer will power were not going to be enough. All Paul’s talk about by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and having one mind was not a call to behavior modification. Yes, he had called them to humbly consider others more important than themselves. He had challenged them not to be selfish or to try to impress others. But Paul knew that the secret to their success would be a change in their way of thinking, not just their behavior.

…let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 2:5 YLT

For the fourth time in a span of ten verses, Paul uses the Greek word phroneō, which can be translated as “think” or “be of the same mind.” Another important meaning of the term is “to have an opinion of one’s self, think of one’s self” (Outline of Biblical Usage). Within the context of the passage, Paul has been emphasizing the need for the Philippian believers to live in unity while facing increasing opposition. And their ability to pull that off would be based on their willingness to share the mindset of Jesus. Paul wanted them to have a proper opinion of themselves, that begins with a healthy awareness of their true identity. And Paul pointed to Jesus as someone whose own sense of self-awareness allowed Him to suffer willingly, serve selflessly, humble Himself gladly, and obey His Father’s will completely – even to the point of death.

Jesus was the Son of God. Paul makes that point quite clear. He describes Him as “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (Philippians 2:5-6 ESV). Paul opens up chapter two by using the Messianic title of Christ when referring to Jesus. Then in verse five, he calls Him “Christ Jesus.” But in verse 11, Paul switches to the designation, “Jesus Christ.” The word “Christ” is not a name, but a title, and is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word for Messiah. “Jesus” was the human name given to the Son of God. So, Paul’s use of the title “Christ” before the name “Jesus” appears to support His emphasis on the incarnation – God becoming a man. Of first importance in this 11-verse section of Paul’s letter is the title or identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God sent to be the Savior of the world.

Jesus, though a man, was on an equal level with God because He was the Chosen One, the long-awaited Messiah, and the second person of the Trinity. And He was fully aware of who He was and what He had been sent to do. Paul stresses that Jesus willingly “emptied himself” or gave up His divine privileges and prerogatives to do the will of His Father, which included His death on the cross. He knew His identity, and He was clear on His job description. There was never a doubt in Jesus’ mind about His position and purpose. And that seems to be Paul’s point. Which is why he calls the Philippian believers to share that same mindset or outlook. But how?

It all ties back to the willingness of Jesus to humble Himself completely, serve others selflessly, and give His life sacrificially – even though He was the Son of God. Jesus suffered no diminishment in His value or worth by doing these things. His decision to become a slave did not make Him any less the Son of God. His choice to become human did not impact His holiness. While His earthly existence could be viewed as a form of demotion, Jesus never saw Himself as any less than who He was: The Son of God who enjoyed unbroken community and unity with His Heavenly Father.

While Jesus lived on this earth, His actions were never intended to make Him feel better about who He was. He did not do the things He did in an attempt to impress others or win their approval. He didn’t suffer from low self-esteem or struggle with self-worth. He had no doubts about His value and felt no pressure to maintain an air of superiority. So, loving, serving, giving, sacrificing, and even dying came easy for Him.

And they should for us as well, if we share His outlook regarding identity. And this is where the primary message in Paul’s letter comes home. Jesus knew who He was and was fully aware of His purpose in life. But are we? Do we have a strong awareness of our identity and a clear understanding of our God-given purpose in life? If not, we will find it difficult to live out our faith consistently and joyfully.

So, in the remaining time we have, I want to provide you with a list of clear and compelling identity markers found in the pages of Scripture. I doubt you will see anything new. But it is my prayer that, as you read through this list, you will begin to see yourself from a new perspective: The way God sees you. As we begin to grasp the significance of our true identity, we will be better able to recognize the lies of the enemy, who is constantly whispering in our ears, “If you are the son of God…”

He wants to convince us that we are not enough, that we don’t measure up, that our God doesn’t love us, our pain is a form of divine punishment, and that we deserve better and more. He is constantly tempting us to see ourselves as something other than who we are in Christ. He wants to hear us say,

“I am…important”

“I am…a success”

“I am…happy”

“I am…satisfied”

“I am…significant”

“I am…deserving”

But Paul would have us view ourselves quite differently, and he offers us the mindset of Jesus as the means by which we can live as Jesus did. We too can reject the temptations of the enemy to seek false identities and to pursue any other purpose for lives other than the one given to us by God.

When Jesus answered the charges of those who attempted to question His identity, He simply stated, “I am.” With those two simple words, Jesus conveyed His confident awareness of who He was and what He had come to do. Nothing could dissuade Jesus from knowing His true identity and from accomplishing His God-given mission. And the same can be true for us. So, the next time Satan whispers in your ear, “Do you know who you are?” you can confidently respond:

I am…forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)

I am…redeemed (Ephesians 1:7)

I am…God’s child (Ephesians 1:3-8)

I am…a co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17)

I am…a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)

I am…God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)

I am…a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I am…justified by Christ’s blood (Romans 5:9)

I am…the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I am…set free from sin (Romans 6:18)

I am…free from condemnation (Romans 8:1)

I am…adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15)

I am…more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)

I am…a member of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27)

I am…of great value to God (Matthew 5:26)

I am…the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)

I am…an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20)

I am…a saint (Ephesians 1:1)

I am…wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)

I am…complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

I am…part of a chosen race (1 Peter 2:9)

I am…washed clean (Isaiah 1:18)

I am…holy and without blame (Ephesians 1:4)

I am…reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18)

I am…one with Christ (John 17:21-23)

That’s quite a list, and it doesn’t even begin to cover the many promises found in Scripture regarding our identity in Christ. We are blessed beyond belief, and yet, the enemy still manages to distract our minds from these great truths and cause us to seek our identity and purpose elsewhere. Unwilling to focus on who we are in Christ, we begin to look for other forms of identity in a vain attempt to feel better about who we are. But the identities the world offers us are inaccurate at best and unholy at worst. They bring out the worst in us. They are based on pride and self-exaltation. They tend to focus on what we do, who we know, or what we possess, rather than who God made us to be. Possessions, positions, prominence, power, pleasure and the perceptions of others become the measuring rods by which we assess our value and determine our purpose. But Paul would encourage us to…let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus. Think of who you are by viewing yourself through the lens of your God-given identity. And when you do, you will be able to say, because I am, I can.

Our security regarding our identity is what allows us to serve selflessly, love sacrificially, obey willingly, give graciously, live in community, and avoid the pitfalls of selfish ambition, pride, and conceit. Because I am…I can.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

I Am

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. – John 8:48-59 ESV

In the last two blogs, we have discussed the topic of Jesus and His identity. He was the Son of God who took on the form of a man but never lost His identity as the second person of the Trinity. Jesus, though fully man, was also fully God and remained so throughout His entire earthly existence, from the moment of His incarnation to His  His final breath on the cross.

In the passage above, we have yet another example of Jesus expressing His awareness of His identity as the Son of God. In fact, He takes it a step further, clearly declaring Himself to be God.

Jesus had just been accused of being demon-possessed, a charge leveled against Him by the scribes and Pharisees. They had already been shocked at the audacity of Jesus to set Himself up as some kind of authority on religious matters. To them, Jesus was an uneducated nobody who had appeared on the scene, stirring up the crowds with His miracles and radical messages. These seasoned religious leaders questioned His credibility by emphasizing His relatively young age. They saw Him as a troublemaker and viewed His teaching as antithetical to their own. They refused to accept His claim to be a messenger from God and found His tendency to refer to God as His Father to be nothing less than blasphemy.

.And His offer of eternal life really rubbed them the wrong way. After all, even Abraham, the great patriarch of their faith, had died. Did Jesus think He was better than Abraham? They even asked Him, “Who do you make yourself out to be?” And Jesus matter-of-factly responded:

“If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’ but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.” – John 8:54-56 NLT

In this statement, Jesus claims God as His Father. Not only that, He claims to know God intimately and, if Jesus said otherwise, He would be lying. And as for Abraham, Jesus states that even this revered founder of their faith had eagerly anticipated the day when Jesus would show up as God’s messenger. Not only that, Jesus claims that Abraham saw it and was glad. He had been given a vision of this day and Jesus was the fulfillment of it.

All of this was too much for the religious leaders. As far as they were concerned, Jesus was a madman and a threat to the religious status quo. But Jesus responds to their anger with an interesting statement that did little to assuage their doubts concerning Him. And the controversial nature of His words was intentional.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” – John 8:58 ESV

Other than what appears to be Jesus’ use of poor grammar, this statement may seem somewhat innocuous to us. But we can tell by the reaction of the religious leaders that they heard Jesus saying something they considered very dangerous and worthy of death. John tells us, “they picked up stones to throw at him…” (John 8:59 ESV).

The key to understanding their anger is found in the last two words of Jesus’ statement: “I am.” Two simple words, but they rocked the world of these learned men. They knew exactly what Jesus was saying and claiming. His choice of words was entirely intentional and it achieved the effect for which He was looking. By uttering those two words, Jesus was clearly declaring Himself to be God. How do we know that? First of all, by the intensity of their reaction. But more importantly, because of what they understood Jesus to be saying.

As religious leaders, they were very familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and especially the story of God’s deliverance of the people of Israel from their captivity in Egypt. In the book of Exodus, Moses recorded how God chose him to be the deliverer who would free the people of Israel from their enslavement in Egypt and lead them to the land God had promised to Abraham, generations earlier. But when Moses had received His marching orders from God, he expressed his reluctant to God by saying, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13 ESV).

Moses was concerned that the people would have no idea who he was talking about if he announced that the God of their fathers had sent him. Keep in mind, for the 400 years the people of Israel had been living in Egypt they had been worshiping the gods of Egypt. They had long ago given up on the God of Abraham. They had become Egyptianized and had acclimated themselves to the false gods of the Egyptians. And Moses was more than a bit concerned that His announcement from this unknown God would fall on deaf ears. Moses needed a name, something by which to refer to this “new” God who was going to deliver the people from captivity. And God obliged Moses’ request God by describing Himself as “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14 ESV). 

This phase sounds rather cryptic to us, but to the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, it was understood as God’s self-identification as the one who was, who is, and who is to come. It is a claim of His eternal nature, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence. It is an expression of total self-sufficiency, existence without beginning or end, and all-pervasive presence, unhindered by time and space. God’s declaration of Himself as “I am who I am” was His way of saying that He alone was God, and there were no others.

So, you can see why the scribes and Pharisees reacted so strongly to Jesus’ claim to be “I am.” He was declaring Himself to be God, and that was unacceptable and impossible. And according to Jewish law, Jesus’ claim was a crime punishable by death.

But what Jesus said was true. He was God. He was the second person of the Trinity, the holy Godhead. He was the image of the invisible God, the incarnate Son of God – Immanuel, God with us. Not only was He a messenger sent from God, but He was also the Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:1-5 ESV

Don’t miss the significance of what John is saying. Jesus was the Word and the Word was God. Yes, He was greater than Abraham, because He was Abraham’s Creator. He was greater than Moses because He was the Rock that Moses struck in the wilderness that provided water to the people of Israel (1 Corinthians 10:4).

Jesus knew who He was. He was fully aware of His identity and was not ashamed or afraid to admit it. Because it was His identity that gave Him the authority to do what He had come to do. It was C. S. Lewis who said, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God” (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).

Just a few chapters later in John’s gospel, he records another encounter between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders. This time, Jesus claims to have the ability to bestow eternal life on men. He describes them as His sheep, those who hear His voice and follow Him. When they do, He states, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28 ESV). Of course, this kind of language infuriated the Pharisees, but Jesus makes it even worse by adding, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:29-30 ESV). And His enemies didn’t miss His point, because John states that they “picked up stones again to stone him” (John 10:31 ESV). And they justify their actions by explaining, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God” (John 10:33 ESV).

Identity. It means everything. Even for those who don’t belong to Christ and who refuse to acknowledge the reality of God, identity is the driving force in their lives. It determines everything about them – what they eat, how they dress, where they live, the kinds of friends they choose, the brand of clothes they wear, the make of car they drive, and the way they feel about themselves. Every human being is in search of their identity. And we have plenty of help in determining what our identity is – including parents, peers, social media, the culture, the world of entertainment, the messages of advertisers and marketing firms, and the morally vacuous voice of modern identity politics and intersectionality.

For the believer, discovering who we are is simple. Our identity is made clear for us by virtue of our relationship with Christ. Because of Him, we are sons and daughters of God, co-heirs with Christ, righteous in the eyes of God, citizens of the Kingdom, members of the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so much more. Jesus knew who He was. Do you? And if you know who you are, do you live like you believe it? Jesus did, and so should we.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson