The first thing we must understand about Jesus’ transfiguration is that Jesus is God. He is God full of glory and power. He also has a task, a work to do on earth, which is to suffer for our atonement on the cross and rise again from the dead for our salvation. His transfiguration is a preview of His future kingdom. Finally, we must understand that because of what God says, salvation is in Jesus alone. “This is my Son, my Chosen One, listen to Him!” This makes Christ and Christianity unique and exclusive from any other religion.

People might accuse Christians of Christian’s being arrogant for claiming to have the exclusive truth and salvation. However, it is not arrogance but faithfulness. The central pillar of the gospel is Christ alone. We must not be ashamed of the gospel but honor Christ by being faithful to Him.

Man’s Religion

‘Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep’ (Luke 9:32). They wake and see Jesus in glory standing with Moses and Elijah. It looks as if Moses and Elijah are about to leave (Luke 9:33). So Peter calls out to Jesus, “Master!” and proposes to build a tabernacle for them similar to their tradition in the Feast of Booths. Peter was simply overjoyed and wanted to stay in that environment continually. The problem with Peter’s proposal was that earlier in verse 31, Jesus had already mentioned His work and purpose which was to die on the cross. Peter had forgotten Jesus’ words. With an earthly mindset, Peter wanted to remain in this special comfort while Jesus already had determined to suffer. 

Man’s religion comes with man’s faulty reasoning. They forget the Creator and His words but only think about what they see. They live based on their observations instead of what the Creator has done and said (Romans 1:20). Man’s religion can only go as far as general revelation and reject the special revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, in Buddhism, enlightenment is achieved when a man observes and realizes certain aspects of himself. Ascetics will never reach true salvation and overcome the problem of sin and God’s judgment (Job 42:7). By their own reasoning, they will never accept Jesus Christ.

Peter tries to make three tabernacles, for Jesus plus Moses and Elijah. Another thing man’s religion tries to do is include other saviors instead of worshipping Jesus Christ alone. These foolish attempts stem from a wrong view of sin. Other religions elevate men to the same status as Jesus because they do not understand how wicked we all are. Buddha, Mohammed, and all other religious leaders are sinners. They cannot compare to Jesus the sinless One. Their religions have to rely on external works. They make foolish attempts to change or overcome through external performances (Matthew 23:27-28,34) but there is no hope in man’s religion.

God’s Presence

While Peter was talking nonsense, God appeared in a cloud and overshadowed them. They become afraid. To clarify, the cloud is not God, but God will appear and represent Himself through a cloud (1 Kings 8:10-11). God is in fact Spirit (John 4:24) without material. He is immortal, invisible, and infinite. Another distinguishing aspect of Christianity, which no other religion understands, is that God is spirit. Hence why the second of the Ten Commandments is so significant (Exodus 20:4). How we understand God determines how we respond to His words. This is a special moment where God is giving a privileged and exclusive message to a certain group. We must pay attention when God speaks. He specifically and personally tells Peter, James, and John, “This is my Son, listen to Him”.

Peter recalls this moment in 2 Peter 1:17-19. He was there and heard God speak directly while simultaneously telling us that we must pay attention to the Scriptures. This shows that the Bible is the same as God’s direct words. God speaks through the Bible. We need the Holy Spirit to understand His word (1 Corinthians 2:14). Only those who are regenerated by God’s grace can truly obey them. This is why Christianity is exclusive.

God’s message to us is, “This is my Son”. Jesus is God’s son. All the false religions and cults fail at understanding the Trinity. Jesus is the Son, who is the Word and became flesh (John 1:1,14; Hebrews 1:3-6). He is fully and exactly God. “He is my Chosen One”. Jesus is the only one commissioned by God to die in our place. Only Jesus saves us. No one else is chosen by God.

Finally, God says, “Listen to Him”. The Christian only listens to Jesus. No one else. Obedience requires faith. Even though Jesus healed many people, no one was saved without faith. Only by faith in Jesus Christ will God be satisfied. God said, “Listen to Him” and we respond in faith. 

After God finished speaking, Jesus was found alone (Luke 9:36). One day, everyone, the believer and the unbeliever will all stand before God in judgment. For those who are Christian, you will face God but it will not be alone. Jesus will be there, standing for you. Praise the Lord!

Jesus then tells the disciples not to speak of what they saw (Matthew 17:9). Based on the disciples’ silence, we see their obedience. Do you hear God’s voice declaring Jesus alone is His Son and His Chosen One and to listen to Him? A central and essential tenet of Christianity is knowing Jesus is God, our Savior and we must listen to Him.

In this text, Luke shows God’s plan to provide salvation to men through Jesus Christ alone. This plan included Jesus dying on the cross and being raised up on the third day in order to destroy sin and death. Jesus’ disciples did not agree and liked what the Lord was about to go through, which ultimately questioned God’s sovereign and perfect plan. There are those that have the same mind today; that is, not living by faith but by sight. In other words, there are those that truly submit to the will of God through faith and there are those that merely profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord but do not manifest in their lives through obedience or submission. Only those that have received God’s salvation through the gospel of Christ and behold the glorified Jesus alone.

The Originality of God’s Salvation

Man’s salvation was planned originally by God in heaven. Man’s only problem is sin and God alone is able to deal with that problem through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, there are many that fail to know that sin is their primary problem. In contrast, the originality of God’s salvation is holy as it stems from God himself who is pure and sinless.

The Continuity of God’s Salvation

Oftentimes, many think God is different from the Old Testament versus the New Testament. This cannot be further from the truth as the Old Testament and New Testament are closely connected. The NT is a continuation of the OT and it references the OT throughout (2 Tim. 3:16). From the OT to the NT, God’s plan of salvation is set before the foundation of the world in heaven. For this reason, God’s salvation is trustworthy and undoubtedly perfect.

The Integrity of God’s Salvation

God’s salvation is also full of integrity in the pages of Scripture as revealed by God. God is honest and upright in his plan of salvation through Christ alone as fulfilled and written down in his Word. In heaven, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, in their glorified state, discuss Jesus’ death and departure as it is in God’s plan. They were speaking specifically of Jesus’ exodus from death into glory and heaven.

The word of God is inspired. Even though every biblical author had a different intellectual background and personality, God communicated through the Holy Spirit to inspire their writings that brought about the inerrant and infallible word of God. 

The Historicity of God’s Salvation

God’s plan of salvation was also practical as it was planned in Heaven and applied on Earth. Therefore, Luke includes the plan of salvation to be fulfilled in Christ alone that was “about to accomplish in Jerusalem” (v. 31). Christians that have been transformed by the gospel of Christ and are continuing in a life of faith and obedience are living in Jerusalem; that is the now, for the glory of God.

In Luke 9:26, Jesus says one day He will return in His full glory. Additionally, Jesus says some will get a taste of Jesus’ glory soon. Jesus wants to show His glory (John 1:14). The transfiguration is like a movie trailer giving a snippet of the full upcoming movie. This preview of His upcoming glory shows us how amazing He is and how we will be left speechless when He comes. Many people were already impressed by His miracles and teachings (Matthew 14:33; Luke 7:16). However the Transfiguration is incomparable to what Jesus revealed before. 

Why did Jesus reveal His glory? The reason is that soon He will head to Jerusalem to suffer and die. He will not be the political and militant Messiah they thought. Matthew 16:21-23. So He shows them who He truly is so they would remember His glory. It is also to teach the disciples and produce an active faith. He reveals His glory in the kingdom of God, which is proof that Jesus will fulfill His promises. This is the foundation of our faith and obedience (Genesis 15:6). We cannot live merely religiously or like the worldly, but personally knowing Jesus because He has revealed His glory to us.

The Transfiguration is not a myth or vision or metaphor. It really happened. The Bible is infallible and inerrant. It is right in both history and spirituality. In ancient times, true scientific evidence was based on eyewitness accounts (Deuteronomy 17:6). Jesus took three men (Peter, James, and John) with Him up the mountain to be His witnesses (2 Peter 1:16). Based on their testimony we know the Transfiguration really happened.

Many commentaries differ on what Luke 9:27 applies to. Some say this verse is unrelated to what is said in verse 26. Based on the context and the connecting word “But” we know that these two verses are related. “But I say to you” can be translated as “Thus says the Lord”. Luke’s top is not the second coming but Jesus’ glory (Isaiah 42:8). Jesus is saying that some of them will get to see His kingdom, meaning His glory, as an anticipatory statement for what will happen next.

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain to pray. They are Jesus’ close disciples and key leaders of the early church. It is significant to point out that they didn’t go read or learn but to pray. Prayer is the key to God’s glory. If you wish to see Christ’s glory then we must pray and if we would glow with the glory of Christ, we must be much in prayer (Spurgeon).

It says, “While He was praying”. Jesus is continually praying. He prayed for Peter when Peter denied Him. He prays in the garden before facing the cross. Jesus prayed because He was a man completely dependent on the Heavenly Father. But this time, while Jesus was praying, Jesus “became different”. Matthew and Mark say Jesus was transfigured (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2). The word is transformed, metamorphosis. It describes a change in nature, like a caterpillar to a butterfly. His change was not superficial but a complete change. Neither was His change was caused by an external force but within Himself. 

The transfiguration proves Jesus is truly God, omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, and glorious (John 17:24, Philippians 2:6). He is dazzling and unable to be gazed upon without going blind. “His clothing became white and gleaming”. His glory and brilliance come from His nature and shines brilliantly. It is not reflective but emanates from His divine being. He is truly holy and we are unable to be in His overwhelming presence (Isaiah 6:5, Revelation 1:17, Ex 34:29) Without a doubt, Jesus is God glorified. He is the Light (1 John 1:5). All light and the light of all things come from Him (Gen 1:3, John 1:3-5). We must follow Him unless we perish in the darkness (John 8:12). We must be in Jesus Christ or we are not saved. For those who are saved, when we are in heaven, we will not need a sun or moon because Jesus will be all the light we need (Rev 21:23). Jesus will come one day in full glory. This is our hope and joy.

How do we respond to the glory of Jesus Christ? We worship Him always and above all else. He is our Lord and we worship Him. Our lives must center around Him. We do all things under Him and for His glory. Lastly, we must live differently. Our lives must be problematic to this world because we follow the light of Christ. We go against the culture and its darkness. Our lives are an enigma to the world because we are different from them. The difference is our Lord, the glorified Jesus.

Self-denial is a supernatural gift from God through salvation in Christ. God’s salvation is granted in order that self-denial is possible through a life of obedience. At conversion, Christians begin a life of self-denial for the glory of God. What does this look like in everyday life? The Christian’s aim is to follow Jesus Christ as Lord according to the Word of God and imitate Christ in all things. The Lord promised those who practice self-denial salvation, prize, and honor.

Every self-denying believer is promised Christ’s salvation and deliverance. When deliverance occurs the sinner is saved from sin and self. This is the reason why Christians refuse to live a life of self, but rather to live for Christ and others. But before the Lord saves and delivers the sinner, the unbeliever is a slave to self.

Self-denial is attempted to be practiced in other religions and philosophies. However, all of them are not biblical because it is separate from Jesus Christ. Scripture clearly states self-denial is for Christ’s sake and not anyone else. The power of sin along with self is crucified with the Lord Jesus Christ through repentance and faith (Rom. 6:6). This is the only means to receive the gift of Christ’s salvation resulting in a life of following Jesus as Lord and Savior (Lk. 14:27-28). For this reason, all Christians are able to practice self-denial. In contrast, unbelievers are unable to practice self-denial and ultimately promote themselves or anything other than Christ.

Every self-denying believer is promised Christ’s prize. “For what good does it do a person if he gains the whole world, but loses or forfeits himself?” (v. 25). The Christian understands that this side of glory is short in comparison to eternity in heaven. This world is not the only life we live, but there is an afterlife where there will be judgment or award.

“Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1 Cor. 9:25). The key difference between Christians and unbelievers is that self-control or self-denial is done for the Lord’s sake or not. Moreover, there will be judgment for the Christian’s prize to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the individual believer’s faithfulness. “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done” (Rev. 22:12).

Every self-denying believer is promised Christ’s honor. “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and the holy angels (v. 26). This is a sober warning from Jesus Christ, but conversely this text can be a sobering reminder of Christ has promised.

When self-denial is practiced for the glory of God will be honored by Christ in heaven. “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9). Self-denial includes living out our faith and love for Jesus Christ in public. The testimony of the gospel of Christ is the only power and means for salvation so that others will believe and also receive the power to deny the self (Rom. 1:16).

How can we commit to not being ashamed of Jesus in this life through many difficult circumstances? Those that live in disobedience ultimately do not practice self-denial. They eventually reject Christ. However, we need to realize we are able to practice ongoing self-denial by means of God’s grace and power alone. If we are true Christians, self-denial must be demonstrated as we live cross-bearing lives. The only we can be more like Christ is to deny ourselves daily. Our faith and Christianity were only established as Jesus denied himself to the point of death on the cross.

Jesus here teaches something that at first seems paradoxical, “Lose your life to gain it”. However, this paradigm is a theme through Jesus’ ministry and teaching. Recently Budweiser hired a transgender man as their spokesperson to try to be inclusive. Since then, they have lost 5 billion dollars in company value. When someone commented on this backlash, they insightfully pointed out that Budweiser had forgotten its DNA and its core values. In a similar manner, self-denial is at the core of Christian life and one that has been forgotten. A failure to deny oneself is a recipe for a miserable and weak Christian. In verse 23, Jesus calls for everyone’s self-denial. This is set up in verse 22 where He sets the example. Our Lord suffered for us and we seek to be like Him.

Right now many Christians support abortion, gay Christians, transgender Christians, and Christians without a church. They are embracing the culture and what the culture demands. They foolishly believe that they can thrive as Christians while surrendering to the culture. Instead, Jesus taught the truth, suffered, bled, and died. He stood alone against the world and they hated Him. How can we expect to partake in the life and love of Jesus while embracing the world which is against Him? We must practice self-denial. We are not saved by self-denial but it is a part of our daily lives. When we deny ourselves, we die daily, and wonderfully Christ lives in us. This is the secret and source of our indomitable joy. 

Jesus will reward self-denial while self-pursuit leads to ruin (Mt 19:29). In verse 24, Jesus says, whoever wishes to save his life, will lose it. There is no salvation without self-denial. “Save his life” is trying to keep your life as it is and a rejection of Jesus Christ. It is self-will, self-aggrandizement, and self-desire. It is a refusal to submit and surrender to Jesus Christ. Jesus came to save the world but you must first surrender and believe in Him (John 3:16). If you fail to practice self-denial then you are your own god. You are your own idol (Luke 12:19).

Salvation and self-denial are related because Jesus saves us through His self-denial. He is God. He is the Word of God made flesh. He didn’t have to come. He was baptized and went through man’s perfect obedience through serving and suffering. He didn’t have to do any of this. He was the pinnacle of self-denial. The seed must die before it can grow and bear fruit. Apostle Paul understood the sin of his former life and forsook it (1 Timothy 1:13). Those who do not practice self-denial are dead to life and alive to sin. They try to cover their old life with good deeds but they cannot remove their sinful nature. There are also those who practice easy believe-ism. The gospel is simple but it is not easy. We are saved by grace through faith. No rituals or ceremonies. True salvation requires self-denial and the Lordship of Jesus Christ which results in obedience (1 John 2:3-4). 

Self-denial is for Christian living as well. We see many miserable Christians, who although they have the sufficient Word of God, act poor and weak. Those who are bitter, frustrated, weak, or miserable still have their pride (Erick Raymond). Ray Comfort is a great evangelist who has endured great ridicule and persecution while trying to share the gospel. Yet he is still gracious, loving, and joyful to everyone. He is humble. He has set aside his pride and follows Christ. Anyone in Christ will be changed. They will have the life of Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Those who fully embrace Christ will experience the joy and strength in Him which can not be found in your own self. Continually place your life in the Word of God. Examine yourself in the light of God’s Word, repent, and bear the fruit of obedience. 

Those who love self and the world will have no love for Christ. As a result, they compromise their faith because of their misplaced love. Jesus says self-denial leads to cross-bearing. Cross-bearing requires a choice, do you love the world or Jesus Christ? Those who love Jesus will bear the cross that He bore (2 Timothy 3:12). Those who love the world will live like the world (1 John 2:16). Many people foolishly do (Proverbs 14:12). The believer has the love of God and is to love Jesus fully (1 John 2:15). We are in the world but we are not of the world. 

The warning escalates to an ultimatum in Luke 9:26. Jesus says if you fail to deny yourself and instead deny Him, then He will deny you. Jesus always keeps His word. This is not an empty warning. He said He would rise on the third day and He did (Luke 9:22). Heaven and earth will pass away but Jesus’ words will not (Matthew 24:35). So we must heed the warning of Jesus.

We are ashamed of Jesus and deny Him for various reasons. First, because of our sin. The same warning is present in Matthew 7:22-23 against those who practice lawlessness. They don’t know Christ because of their sin. Also, the cross sounds foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18,23). We do not consider the Bible as God’s word and the gospel as God’s salvation because it does not align with the world’s wisdom. Thirdly, we love the approval of man (John 12:43). We fear the rejection of men rather than the rejection of Christ. Ask yourself. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Then you must stand firm. You might get hurt, you might lose your job, you might be rejected and you might suffer. But this is our practice of self-denial.

It is a common misconception to distinguish between the term Christian and the term ‘disciple’. There is no difference. If you are a true believer, then you are a disciple of Jesus. The word ‘disciple’ simply means follower and a Christian follows Jesus. The misconception is that it is easy to be a Christian but being a disciple means sacrifice and suffering. However, it was God’s will for Jesus to save sinners by dying on the cross to accomplish our forgiveness. It was through suffering that Jesus saved us. And it is also through self-denial and cross-bearing we follow Jesus. The modern church has made it easy to be a Christian without demanding any change in men. True Christianity requires and results in change (Luke 9:23).

The first and key sign of a true Christian is self-denial. Self-denial is abandoning yourself. Without self-denial, there can be no change or transformation so this is where true conversion begins. Jesus gives you a new life because the old life is gone. His terms are to leave that old life behind. Matthew 7:13 says the gate is narrow and small that leads to life and few will find it. The small gate (self-denial) is unpopular and difficult. In contrast, the big gate provides comfort, pleasure, and fun. We must deny ourselves because we cannot be saved by our own efforts. Titus 3:5 says Jesus saves us not on the basis of our deeds but by His mercy. By God’s love and washing of regeneration through the Holy Spirit we are saved. This is received through self-denial and repentance.

What is self? Self is immorality, impurity, evil desires, and greed (Colossians 3:5). These wicked things will bring God’s wrath and punishment. The most important issue we must address is how to rid ourselves of this wickedness, the judgment brought on by ourselves. Self is the fleshly carnal life of nature, the life of the first Adam, which is dead in trespasses and sins. The natural man is corrupt before God. Jesus said to come after Him, we must first get rid of self to be saved.

Denial means rejecting one’s self. Peter denied Jesus three times, distancing himself, and claiming not to know Jesus at all. Denying self says not I but Christ (Galatians 2:20). Your old self is crucified. You become insensitive to your old self, your sinful self, the self that was before meeting Jesus. That self is crucified and dead and now you live in Christ. In baptism, we bury ourselves and rise in the life of Jesus Christ. The Christian is dead to sin and given a new heart and life. Their desire is to live for Christ alone. When one denies their old self, they are able to trust Jesus in all circumstances. They realize the folly of sin and the goodness of the Heavenly Father (Luke 15:17). This is the process of repentance which is a gift of God. Many people try to change but fail because man has no ability to remove sin. Only in Jesus can the old go and the new come, because only Jesus was without sin and yet suffered in our place. He denied Himself in order to save us because we could not save ourselves.

Self-denial is not just at the beginning of conversion but a continual daily practice in our lives. We must not be like Simon in Acts 8:18-19 or Demas who went back to their old ways. We must not forget who God is and who we were and what we were saved from. We must not complain or be selfish when we don’t get what we want. Instead of blaming God, we must trust in Him even when it’s hard. Self-denial is self-forgetting; it’s forgetting our popularity or our accomplishments or what we did in the past. Jesus never boasted about what He did. He was always seeking the Father’s will. Self-denying is also humbly receiving correction. It’s hard admitting you’re wrong but it is a critical part of your sanctification. Without self-denial, it’s hard to grow in holiness. Matthew 6:33 Jesus says to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Self-denial is seeking Jesus’ will, His glory, and His sovereignty. Self-denial is child-like faith (Matthew 18:2-3). Faith trusts in the Father. When we are in trouble, we run to the Father like a child crying for help.

After denying self, Jesus says you must take up your cross daily. Interestingly, Jesus said this before He was about to be crucified. Under Roman rule, only the worst of criminals would be crucified. It is one of the most painful means of execution. Cross-bearing is the willingness to endure shame, persecution, and danger for the sake of Jesus Christ. This is not just enduring the hardships of daily life. Life is hard but that’s not cross-bearing. Cross-bearing is directly related to suffering with Jesus Christ. For Christ’s sake, we endure persecution. It is standing up for the Bible and the truth of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:31) Apostle Paul says he dies daily for Christ’s sake as he risked his life while preaching Christ in hostile cities. Wonderfully, cross-bearing leads to the joy of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2). There is a heavenly joy present in daily suffering.

Lastly, Jesus says “Follow me”. Again, this is a daily and constant following. He is the suffering Messiah and the risen Messiah. We follow the Risen Lord. Some say following Jesus is painful, but it is also worth it because it results in glory. That’s why the early Christians could follow Jesus no matter the persecution. Though difficult, God provides all we need to follow Him. The disciples were sent out to preach the gospel with nothing (Luke 9:3). But in Luke 9:22 Jesus asks if they lacked anything and they responded with “no, nothing”. God graciously provided what they needed. Spurgeon observed this same provision and joy when visiting George Muller. How good God is that provides everything that was needed to help 300 orphans. How did this happen? By the daily practice of a faithful man who denied himself, takes up his cross, and followed Jesus. If we also practice true faith, then God will provide for us as well. God’s provision can be our testimony. So deny yourself, bear your cross, and follow Jesus as a true disciple.

Today’s passage answers the source of true life and how we are able to find it. Christians are given new life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This newness of life produces a transformation in the heart to love the Lord and others. In other words, having met life in Christ Jesus creates a new life in the power of Jesus’ resurrection.

Who is the real Jesus in whom there is life?

Jesus is the Son of Man. He suffered in many ways leading up to his death on the cross. This Son of Man is holy and without sin. And it is the Son of Man that demonstrates his selfless love. Therefore, those whom he saves and gives new life shall also suffer for his sake and be called to love in the same manner he did.

Jesus is humble. He voluntarily became man and laid aside his glory. As Jesus demonstrated his humility by becoming man and obedient to the point of death on the cross, Christians are to also show humility as they have been made new in the likeness of Christ. Moreover, as Christ suffered in his humility, Christians must embrace the suffering of Jesus by taking his steps. 

Jesus’ humility culminated in his death and resurrection as it was God’s master plan before the foundation of the world. This was the only way to conquer sin, death, and Satan. The Son of Man bore our sins on his body and the curse of death was placed on Jesus so that those who believe in him might have eternal life. And it is only through Jesus Christ we meet life and are given life. Upon finding this life, embracing it requires repentance and faith in Christ.

Do you have the life of Christ in your heart? Do you enjoy the Christian life?

Jesus rules as the risen Lord for those who treasure Christ in their hearts as Lord in order to enjoy him forever. Jesus was raised from death to life to demonstrate God’s power. Christians are to respond with faith in obedience. Therefore, let us have a faithful and loving relationship with him and live the life of Christ.

It’s been two and half years in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Soon His earthly work will come to a close as He fulfills the work of salvation as He dies on the cross and rises from the dead. So this portion of Scripture is very significant. It starts with Herod asking who Jesus is? Then Jesus feeds five thousand from nothing but a few fish and loaves showing everyone He is God the Creator and Provider. Then Jesus asks His disciples who others think He is and who they think He is. Through these questions, Jesus wants to reveal who He is so that they can fully trust in Him.

In Caesarea Philippi, there were some Greeks that had immigrated and settled there after Alexander the Great. It was a diverse city with many cultures and many gods. Was Jesus just one of those gods or was He a good teacher, was He a prophet or was He the true and only God? Answering this question genuinely is not just a verbal or mental acknowledgment but a trust in Jesus. Many cultural Christians claim Jesus is the Christ, but they do not obey. The true Christian constantly surrenders to Jesus in obedience because they truly know He is the Christ.

Through the posing of the two questions, Jesus is distinguishing between the crowd and the disciples. In a poll taken, 85% of people consider Jesus the most influential person in history. But the real question is, does He have power and influence over you? Do you trust Him? 

Jesus’ personal devotion

Jesus is the praying Messiah. One of the most dominating aspects of Jesus’ life is prayer. He is the God-man who prayed in all situations (Hebrews 5:7). We might think Jesus might not need to pray. In this passage, we find Jesus is praying alone. It is after praying, that He asks the disciples the question. Jesus didn’t ask because He was concerned with His public image. The question was not impromptu but born out of prayer like everything Jesus did (Luke 6:12). Jesus didn’t pray to get what He wanted but it was to gain the revelation and will of God. When Jesus prayed, God’s decree would follow (Luke 3:21-22).

Jesus’ prayers are 100% perfect obedience. Even Elijah, one of the greatest prophets, who called down fire from heaven and prayed for the dead to life, was not perfectly obedient. But Jesus is perfectly obedient and is now glorified above all names (Phi 2:9-11). He is glorified because He was obedient, He was obedient because He prayed. As confirmation that Jesus prayed obediently, God the Father anoints the Son (Mt 17:5). Therefore we can trust Him. 

Jesus is different from others

He is the unique Jesus. He is not a superhero. He is not just a great man. John the Baptist was the last and greatest prophet. As mentioned earlier, Elijah too was a supernatural prophet. Elijah also stood alone against the multitude and performed undeniable miracles. But he also feared for his life, ran away, and complained. Elijah cannot be the Christ. All the prophets, all the famous pastors and preachers, they are men like us, imperfect, born as sinners. Jesus is unique. He is the only begotten Son of God, the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14). He is eternal (Col 1:17). He is sinless. He never changes. He alone has power over death and life. He alone fulfills the hundreds of prophecies of the Messiah. You can trust Him! Until we trust Him, our hearts will not be at rest (Augustin). Actually, there is no one else that we can trust because there is no one else like Jesus.

Jesus deals with people differently

In verse 20, Jesus narrows his scope and asks the disciples directly “Who do you say that I am?”. They respond with “The Christ of God”. Jesus is the one God sent to rescue us (John 3:69). Is Jesus really the Son of God? The angels and demons confirm He is (Luke 1:32,8:28). He is truly the Son of God, the Messiah and we can trust in Him. What happens if we do not trust in Jesus? Then you will be accursed and receive punishment (1 Corinthians 16:22; Hebrews 10:29). A half trust is still trusting in yourself. It will not pass judgment.

Jesus loves His disciples, so He asked them privately. The setting is intimate. It’s not a teaching for the crowd because they were beloved and chosen. Because they were chosen, their confession did not come from their own knowledge but by the grace of God (Matthew 16:17; John 6:44). Jesus reveals the truth to the elect so that they trust in Him. 

Conclusion

He will build His church upon those He chooses and loves. In other words, Jesus trusts in us to build His church, so we trust in Him to build the church upon us (Matthew 16:18). He even shares His authority with us (Matthew 16:19). Since we have been entrusted to continue His work on earth, we must trust and obey. Our obedience and faithfulness are not something we generate by ourselves, but by the grace of God which is received by trusting in Him.

Jesus spoke in parables often in order to expose our spiritual condition. When divine truth is revealed by Jesus, the hopeful response from the hearer was repentance and faith. It is no different today as the truth of the gospel is revealed through God’s word. Today’s text is in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew in which Jesus reveals what the kingdom of God is like through many parables. What is the kingdom of God in general? The kingdom of God is wherever God reigns, and since He reigns everywhere, the kingdom of God is everywhere. Although everyone on earth is under God’s rule, that does not mean that everyone is part of God’s kingdom. Those two are separate. The only way to enter God’s kingdom is to believe in Jesus Christ.

Kingdom is priceless. Jesus is conveying the kingdom of God and its worth in the parable of the hidden treasure (v 44). Jesus is stating that the kingdom is incomparable. The hidden treasure and pearl are salvation and the preciousness of being with God in His kingdom as heavenly citizens. The value of the kingdom is objectively precious. Those that value salvation the Lord provides truly understand the objective value of it. Moreover, does this value remain for the Christian post-conversion? What the Christian values in their hearts reveal whether or not God’s kingdom continues to be the most precious or if something in the world begins to compete.

Kingdom is not evident to everyone. The treasure and value of the kingdom and salvation are not obvious to most. The light of the gospel and the glory of Christ can only be revealed by the Spirit and the grace of God. God is the One that makes it evident to the sinner. In the same manner, the world cannot understand why Christians give their lives to the Lord Jesus and continue to live that way until death.

Kingdom is pure joy. The man that sells everything in order to buy the hidden treasure in the field implies that the discovery of the kingdom is a great joy. Jesus knows the need for man’s desire for happiness. Unfortunately, most men look everywhere other than the kingdom for their joy. It is Christ’s joy in our lives that makes our lives full of joy. Knowing Christ and being in His kingdom produces an everlasting joy that can withstand anything. Jesus provides the best joy that brings true satisfaction.

Kingdom is personal. The two parables show two distinct men that find the kingdom of God. It is not enough to just be under the influence of Christianity and the church. The kingdom must be personally appropriated. 

Kingdom is discovered through many circumstances. Scripture shows how sinners find the kingdom in various ways. This is a testament to God’s abundant grace that is available to many in whatever circumstance. 

Kingdom is costly. Both men sold and bought according to the parables. There is some sort of exchange. However, the text is not implying that the kingdom can be bought. The point of the matter is that there is a cost to obtaining the kingdom. The sinner must give up all of themselves in order to gain all of Christ. There are numerous examples in Scripture where so many people that heard Christ preach could not give up everything and follow Christ. There is always a cost in order to follow Christ as Lord and Savior. 

If you’re willing to give up what is near and dear to your heart because Christ and His kingdom are far more valuable than anything, that person will enter the kingdom. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it (Matt. 16:25). All that the Lord asks is to exchange our filthy rags for His robe of righteousness. Give up your life for Christ’s sake and you shall find eternal life.

In order to obtain Christ, you must forsake all. It is foolishness to hold onto sin and judgment that ultimately leads to hell. Self must not be a lord but Christ himself must become Lord. When Christ becomes Lord, His kingdom becomes ours forever. Is the Lord’s salvation and kingdom as valuable as the hidden treasure in the field or that one pearl of great value?

Every one of the four gospels recounts the feeding of the five thousand. Each of the four gospels has its own context and purpose for including the miracle. Luke wrote to Theophilus and is using Herod’s question of ‘Who is He?’ to explain who Jesus is through the feeding of five thousand. Who is He? He is the Providing Messiah. From this miracle, we see that Jesus is both the physical and spiritual Provider. We hear many stories of men and families in the past being provided exactly what they needed to live or serve. Jesus is the Messiah and always provides what we need. As we study God’s word, we learn more deeply about our needs, especially our spiritual needs, and how Jesus has provided.

Why can we trust in Jesus to provide for us? Because of His ability, His identity, and His abundance (Mark 9:23). Jesus claims He is able to do anything.

His ability. The background of this miracle is Jesus wanting to spend time alone with His disciples, but the crowd followed them. Instead of sending them away, Jesus welcomed them. So in verse 12, after a long day of unplanned ministry, there is a messy situation caused by Jesus welcoming the crowd. The disciples complained to Jesus and they demanded Jesus send them away because they were not able to feed them or lodge them. ‘They were in a desolate place’. The circumstances were very dire and instead of trusting in Jesus, they had forgotten what Jesus had done (Luke 22:35).

Jesus challenges them. ‘You give them something to eat’. This was financially impossible (John 6:5-7). They didn’t have the money and they relied on others for their support (Luke 8:3). Even if they did have 200 denarii they wouldn’t be able to feed them all. There was no way the disciples could feed them through human ability. But when the situation is dire and dark, when all seems impossible, this is when Jesus shines brighter. This situation reminds us of God providing endless flour for Elijah and the widow’s family during the time of famine. God supplies what we need. Spiritually speaking, in the darkness of our sin, Jesus, the author of our faith, has provided salvation. He is supernatural and has done supernatural work in you. He will continue to provide for you.

His identity. Jesus is God. He is the God-man. We know God will never leave us alone without provision. He has both the desire and ability to provide. So Jesus takes the five loaves and two fish and feeds all of them. As Creator, Jesus made more than enough food from what was lacking.

‘Looked up to heaven’: Jesus looked towards His Father in heaven. This shows He is truly the Son of God (Luke 10:22; John 8:36,59). As the Son of God, He knows what we need, He knows how to provide, and He is able to provide. This demonstrates His perfect wisdom (Colossians 2:3). Wisdom is found in Jesus and you must abide in Him and in His word if you desire His provision (John 15:5-7).

Sometimes we might be in danger of Gnosticism. The modern Christian assumes Jesus provides only spiritually. We think that God’s word only applies to matters of faith but not to everyday practical matters. God feeds every bird, so how much more will God feed you (Luke 12:24; Matthew 6:32; Psalms 37:25)? To paraphrase John Macarthur – true spiritual concern for a person will be concerned with their physical well-being first. God not only provides physically but spiritually as well. Jesus’ life is seen in the feeding of the crowd where He took the loaves and fish, looked to Heaven, blessed them, and broke them. This act was like how Jesus was sent from Heaven and took on flesh which was broken on the cross so that we might eat of Him. Jesus gave food to the disciples who distributed the food. In the same way, people are saved by believing in the teaching of the apostles given by Jesus. Jesus, who is the Bread of Life, saves us from death to life. So eat from Jesus every day, because He will never run out. You will not go hungry (Deuteronomy 8:3).

If you are fed, then the Lord desires to use you to feed others. Jesus gave the food to the disciples to give to the crowd. Jesus is the source, but the disciples are the distributors. Jesus provides, but we are the ones to reach out to the community. There are so many around us who need the food that we have.

His abundance. Jesus never gives miserly or meagerly. Jesus provides abundantly. They had 12 full baskets left over. They started with nothing and ended up with an abundance. Before, they couldn’t afford to feed them even a small meal, but by the end, they couldn’t eat anymore. Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). His grace is lavished upon us (Ephesians 1:7-8). He did not spare His own Son and freely gives us all things (Romans 8:32). In Jesus we can be fully content (Philippians 4:12).

Application. During this whole meal, after they had complained, witnessing the power of Jesus, the disciples obeyed Jesus’ instructions. We too are called to willful submission to our good and providing Lord. We submit to Jesus because He loves us. We obey by loving God first and then loving others. When it comes to obedience, Jesus is our example to follow. He humbled himself and was obedient to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). For this obedience, God highly exalted Him. That Jesus is your Shepherd. He provides what we need and more. We obey Him.