The most important and
contentious question faced by the Early Church was this: “Who is Jesus?” There were those who questioned the humanity
of Jesus, primarily those from a Gnostic viewpoint, and there were those who
doubted the full divinity of Jesus, led by Arius. At the Council of Nicea in AD 325, these
issue were brought to the forefront by the Emperor Constantine who had no
tolerance for division within the Church.
The resulting creed solidified the Orthodox position on the person of
Jesus, and even though it didn’t eliminate for good those who would occasional challenge
the Church’s teachings on the full humanity and full divinity of Jesus, it did
set the boundary as to what those teaching would be.
This same question about who Jesus really is was actually
asked, by Jesus, of his disciples. The
disciples had a much closer and prolonged experience with Jesus than the
crowds, and thus were able to see beyond the possibility that Jesus might be
John the Baptist defying death, or Elijah back to fulfill Malachi’s prophecy,
to the truth behind all of the miracles.
Peter spoke up for the disciples to declare of Jesus, “the Christ of God”. This declaration by Peter reflects the belief
by the disciples that Jesus had been chosen by God to fulfill the long-awaited
role of Messiah. “Christ” is the Greek
equivalent of “Anointed One”, a term that in Israelite history could refer to
both the kings who were anointed by before assuming the throne, and the priests
who were anointed before they began to serve in the temple. Jesus, as the Messiah, would go on to fulfill
both leadership roles, as the priest-king, descended of David with the right to
sight upon the throne, but also performing the priestly duty of offering a sacrifice
on the behalf of the people.
Rather than basking in the glow of their acknowledgment,
Jesus immediately informs his disciples that his role as Messiah will be far
different than anyone anticipates.
Instead of glory and victory on the battlefield, the Son of Man “must
suffer many things”, be betrayed by his own people, and killed. This shocking revelation must have made the
disciples stagger, how could God’s Messiah suffer like the prophets of old, how
could his own people possibly reject him, and how could he fail to overcome
their attempt to kill him? Before they
can even process this wholly unexpected prediction, Jesus finishes it off with
the finale to his mission, “and on the third day be raised to life.”
Was Peter right to declare that Jesus was the
Messiah? Absolutely, but he had no idea
what God’s Messiah was really here to do.
The incarnation of Jesus, God made flesh, has far loftier goals than
mere political solutions, far more lasting than simply being a good role
model. The Christ will change everything
between God and mankind, not through his miraculous power, but through his
willingness to accept an unjust death.
Who is Jesus? He is the Christ,
the Son of Man and the Son of God, sent to live, die, and be raised to life to
save us from our sins.
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