A.In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asked His twelve disciples this important question: "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
1.Notice the term "Son of Man” that Jesus used to describe Himself in this question.
a.This was a designation of the Christ that comes from Daniel 7:13, which was a prophecy Jesus applied to Himself (Matt. 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27).
b.By using this term, Jesus acknowledged His humanity and identified Himself with mankind.
2.The Son of Man was asking whether mankind recognized who He really was.This question was not for Christ’s benefit, for He already knew what people were saying about Him.This was asked for the benefit of the twelve disciples (apostles).
3.By the time Christ asked this question in Caesarea Philippi, He and His twelve apostles had travelled throughout the lands of the Jews preaching the same message as John the baptist had preached: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”The apostles knew what the people were saying about Jesus because they had been among the people.They had followed Jesus, and He had even sent out them by themselves to preach the message of the kingdom and perform signs among the Jews (Matt. 10).
B.Presently, let us consider the answers to Lord’s question both when He asked it and today.
II.WHO DID PEOPLE SAY THE SON OF MAN WAS THEN?
A.The apostles answered Jesus in this way: "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets” (Matt. 16:14)
1.By this time, John the baptist was dead because Herod had him beheaded (Matt. 14:3-12).In fact, Herod was one of those who feared that Jesus was John risen from the dead (Matt. 14:1-2).
2.Regarding Elijah, the Jews had a tradition based upon Malachi 4:5 that Elijah would return before the Christ came, and so many had connected Jesus with that tradition.They were mistaken, for Jesus said that John was the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy (Matt. 17:10-13).
3.Others believed that Jesus was Jeremiah or another prophet, but no one was giving the correct answer.
B.Christ’s apostles did not mention His enemies, but notice what they said about Him.
1.Many among the Jews and especially the Pharisees considered Jesus to be a sinner.
a.In Luke 7:34, Jesus criticized the Jews, saying, "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’”
b.When Jesus healed a blind man, the Pharisees called the healed man and maligned Jesus, saying, "Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner” (John 9:24).
2.Some accused Him of performing miracles by the power of Beelzebul and demons.
a.Jesus warned His apostles of this in Matthew 10:25 – "It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!”
b.Once when the Pharisees heard about His miracles, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.” (Matt. 12:24).
c.On another occasion, the Jews said to Jesus, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48).
3.When the Jews delivered Jesus to Pilate, they accused Him of being an insurrectionist.Even though they were expecting the Christ to come and deliver them from the Romans, they considered Jesus to be an imposter.
a.The Jews charged Jesus before Pilate, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King” (Luke 23:2).
b.The Jews further insisted on Christ’s crucifixion, saying, "We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.” (John 19:7).
c.When Pilate attempted to release Jesus, the Jews said, "If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar” (John 19:12).
C.Finally, there were a few who were at or near the truth about Jesus.
1.At Caesarea Philippi, when Jesus asked, "But who do you say that I am?” Peter gave that great confession – "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
2.Early in Christ’s ministry, Philip told Nathanael about Jesus, saying, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45; ref. Deut. 18:15).
3.The Samaritan woman suspected Jesus’ identity when she said, "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” (John 4:29).
4.Martha confessed her belief in Jesus when she said, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world” (John 11:27).
III.WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THE SON OF MAN IS TODAY?
A.The majority of the Jews in the first century rejected Jesus, and they continue to do so today.
1.Typically, the Jews believe that Jesus was a mere Jewish man who was born in Bethlehem, raised in Galilee, and killed in Jerusalem.They recognize Him as a teacher (rabbi) whose ideas were considered to be dangerous, which led to His execution by the Romans in Jerusalem.
2.There has been debate among Jews of whether Jesus, whose name in Aramaic name was Yeshua, is described in the Talmud (the book of modern Judaism) in a story about a man named Yeshu.
a.In the story, Yeshu was the son of a Jewish woman named Miriam who was betrothed to a carpenter. Miriam bore Yeshu through an adulterous relationship with a Roman soldier.Yeshu is described as a heretic who practiced sorcery and led people astray. The Sanhedrin ordered Yeshu to be stoned to death, and his dead body was hung from a tree until nightfall.
b.Some Jews have attempted to combine this story from the Talmud with Josephus’ historical account of Jesus, but there is no connection.
B.Muslims consider Jesus to be a mere man and a prophet.
1.The Quran refers to Jesus, saying, "The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger before whom many Messengers have passed away” (5:75).
2.The Quran also condemns Christians for believing that Jesus is the Son of God, saying, "May Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!” (9:30).
C.Hindus, Buddhists, and even Wiccans acknowledge Jesus, but they do not believe that He is the Son of God.
1.Hindus consider Jesus to have been a spiritual leader and a great sage.
2.Indian Buddhists consider Jesus to have been an incarnation of the Buddha.
3.Wiccans, who practice witchcraft and sorcery, also regard Jesus as a spiritual philosopher.
D.Atheists deny Jesus’ divinity (and all divinity), and some deny that any such man ever existed at all.
E.Even some who claim to follow Jesus do not believe the Bible’s revelation of Him.
1.Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus was a created being and was not God (contrary to John 1:1 and other passages).They believe that Jesus was Michael the archangel before He came to earth.They do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity (in denial of Matt. 28:19; 2Cor. 13:14; 1Pet. 1:2).
2.Likewise, Mormons also believe that Jesus was a created being.They also do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity.
3.In recent years, even some of the mainstream denominations are turning away from the Bible truth concerning Jesus as the Christ, the Savior, and the Son of God.
IV.CONCLUSION – WHAT DO YOU SAY?
A.Since Jesus came to earth, people have always said many things about the Son of Man, but what matters most to you is your belief about Him.
1.Jesus said this of our belief: "For unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).
2.He also said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
B.Will you be lured into the false, errant beliefs of the world concerning Jesus, or will you make the great confession to Him according to the truth of the Bible: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16)?
