Mark 8:2-30; Acts 3:17-26
Related Sunday School Lesson, Family Bible Series, March 6

 

My Dad used to tell me, "What you don't know can hurt you." Dad dabbled with electrical appliances and small electrical jobs. Dad was not formally trained and knew enough to respect the dangers involved in what he was doing. In this week's lesson the Apostle Peter saw first hand how "What you don't know can hurt you."

Like many today, the people of Israel knew some things about Jesus, but they had refused to accept the full revelation of who He is and that enabled them to make tragic mistakes, mistakes that hurt them and the entire nation. Most world religions give Jesus the status of great teacher or prophet. Jesus was both of those things, but He was so very much more!

It is only in embracing the full revelation of who Jesus is that redemption and God's grace can be realized.

 

The question (Mark 8:27-30)

Verse 27: Caesarea Philippi was a very pagan city, the center of polygamous worship of a multitude of Roman gods. It was in this setting Jesus asked the disciples the question, "Who do men say that I am?" The residents of Caesarea Philippi, like many in the United States, wanted to make worship inclusive.

They wanted there to be a broad smorgasbord of choices in whom they worshipped. Jesus selected this setting to reveal that He alone was God's Son and that He alone could provide redemption to a lost people.

Verse 28: The responses given to Jesus' question show the confusion in public opinion over Jesus' identity. The connection with John the Baptist is somewhat confusing since Jesus and John had been seen together.

The connection with Elijah is more understandable. During Elijah's ministry there were many powerful miracles performed. Since Jesus' ministry was filled with powerful miracles this connection makes some sense, even though their ministries were completely different. "One of the prophets" shows that there were still other opinions as to the identity of Jesus.

Verse 29: The question Jesus now asks Peter and the disciples can be arguably the most important question in life. Jesus asked, "Who do you say that I am?" Public opinion has its place, but this question pushes us to the personal level of faith. Jesus is asking, "in light of all you have seen and learned of Me, have you accepted the revelation given you concerning Me?"

It's not enough to settle with public opinion about Jesus. While many who followed Jesus did so out of curiosity, this question calls for commitment. It was not enough that Jesus be publicly popular, He must be personally preeminent! Peter's response (often called his confession, see Mt. 16:16) is both bold and crystal clear: "You are the Christ."

Peter's use of the word "Christ" was clear to all Jewish people. The word "Christ" meant "Anointed One" or "Messiah sent from God." We too should have a clear and bold confession of Jesus.

Verse 30: Why would Jesus command His disciples to keep this information quiet for now? It is simple when you remember that the cross and resurrection that were yet to occur would reveal in the fullest the kind of Messiah and Christ that Jesus had come to be. Without this additional revelation, the disciples had only partial understanding of Jesus' ministry.

 

The quest (Acts 3:17-26)

Peter and John had gone to the temple like normal. However, on this day a leper was healed and this drew a crowd, giving Peter the opportunity to make clear to all people the full identity and ministry of Jesus. Peter makes clear that the miracle of the leper's healing was not by human power but was in fact a continuation of the life and ministry of Jesus, whom these very people had crucified.

Verses 17-18: Peter comforts the conviction his words had caused by reminding the people that they had crucified Jesus in ignorance. The evidence that Jesus had given them was clear, having fulfilled every prophecy right down to His death and resurrection. While the people had crucified Christ in ignorance, they now were faced with full and clear revelation that Jesus is indeed the Messiah.

Verses 19-20: Peter calls for the people to repent. The simplest meaning of repent is to change the mind. The Biblical use of the word goes deeper than the mind and includes the emotional level affected by new and further understanding.

When a person from their heart asks God to forgive them for their sin and places their faith on Jesus alone to be their Savior, they are converted and their sins are blotted out! This means that we are converted from spiritually dead people to spiritually alive in Christ.

This means that our sins that had separated us from Holy God are blotted out or taken away by Christ's payment on the cross and we now have fellowship with God as part of His family.

Verses 21-26: Peter now walks the people through the teachings of the great prophets, showing them again that God would send the Messiah to Israel so that they could be forgiven of sin. They could then be a blessing to all the nations by teaching others about Christ's love and sacrifice for them, too.

All of us who have accepted Christ must know that we were found to find others. We have been saved so that we might be about the work of sharing the gospel so that others might be saved!