The Question

The Question

Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? (Mark 8:27)

 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? (Luke 9:18)

 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (Matthew 16:13)

 I consider this question of great magnitude for all of mankind: for this question must be answered, and God the Father will hold all men accountable on how they answer this profound question. This is not (1+1=2) one plus one equals two, or the square root of 777, for the answer to Christ’s question equals eternity. All of mankind throughout history have been brought to the same question: some have answered foolishly, <<To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1) The fool answers this question according to his own heart, he is relying on his fallen ancestor (Adam) to give him wisdom over his approaching eternal state.

When Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden the first revealed conversation in Scripture was between Cain and the Almighty God. Read the text (Genesis 4:6-15) Cain never addressed the Almighty as God or Lord, or any other divine name. He was a fool, not knowing the power of the omnipotent God who had created him. We also have no record in the line of Cain of any of his descendants calling on God. We also have no record of Abel speaking to the Lord in Genesis.

However, in the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11, we have a man of faith and the first mention of a man of faith in Abel. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) First thing that we need to notice is that Abel was a man of faith among God’s faithful. He was the first of the line of faith mentioned, and concerning his eternal state, he being dead yet speaketh. In Genesis, this man of faith cries out to God by his blood being shed and spilt upon the ground. God heard the voice of Abel’s blood. And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10) Compare Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Regarding the faith of Abel, the question is settled. In Genesis 4:26 we have men of the line of Seth calling on the name of the Lord. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. Seth was the godly seed to replace Abel. We have this in the words of Eve, For God, said she, has appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. If we ponder on her statement, we see that both Cain and Abel were separate in God’s eyes. Abel was the promised seed of the woman, in which the ultimate promised seed of all time, the Lord Jesus Christ, would come. However, when Cain slew Abel God did not stop, He gave Eve another seed to replace the seed of Abel. And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.(Genesis 4:25) Then it was in Seth’s line that men began to call on the name of the Lord. Remember I said there was no mention of Cain’s line ever calling on the name of the Lord, or seeking their Creator. The separation of the wheat and the tares began in the beginning of man’s history.

Whom do men say that I am?

The I AM

Man was given the opportunity to answer the divine question, Whom do men say that I am? This question is repeated in the first three gospels. Each one of these gospels deals with the position of Christ as the ultimate Son of man. He also drifts us back into the Old Testament with the I am: ‘I AM.’ Remember that in the gospel of John, Christ made the profound statement of His eternal Person. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58) He revealed Himself (to the Jews) as the great I AM, the God of the burning bush. This gives us the evidence of the eternality of both the Son of God and as the Son of man. They are both linked together in the divine eternal counsels of God.

JEHOVAH

The titles and names of our great God and Savior are many. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew the Creator of all things as God Almighty. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.(Exodus 6:3) In Exodus 6:3 we have the declaration of God giving the children of Israel a new name, the name JEHOVAH. He would be known by this name by the children of Israel. This name JEHOVAH appears approximately 2000 times in the word of God. JEHOVAH, the self-Existent One, the Eternal One, but let us continue on.

SAVIOR

The name Savior is translated Joshua and Jesus. In Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8 we see the name Joshua, however, in both of these Scriptures the same God and Savior Jesus is referred to, as Christ was the Rock that followed the children of Israel through the wilderness. Christ also in His divine Being led the children of Israel into the land, even though the human leadership of Joshua who was appointed by God, it was the divine Person of Christ who led them into the land under the title of Jesus Savior. Once in the land the Lord Jesus appeared as the Captain of the Lord’s host. In Exodus 6:3 we have God revealing for the first time His name of JEHOVAH, which in our English translation is LORD. As JEHOVAH, He was the great God, and Savior of the nation of Israel. He proclaims this in the Book of Isaiah that He only is the Savior of Israel.

 I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour. (Isaiah 43:11)

 Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me. (Isaiah 45:21)

 For he said, Surely they [are] my people, children [that] will not lie: so he was their Saviour.(Isaiah 63:8)

The man Joshua (their leader) was appointed by JEHOVAH to take the children of Israel into the land of promise; however, he was not their Savior. Jesus was their Savior. Whether you translate His name, the name of Jesus, Joshua or Savior, He is one and the same, the Son of man, the Son of God. In the Old Testament, God

 Whom say the people that I am?

The Lord Jesus asked His disciples, Whom say the people that I am? Notice their reply in Luke 9:19, They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. The first part of their reply contained the word ‘some’, and some considered Him to be John the Baptist, of course, those ‘some’ were wrong.

What the world was saying (or better still what the nation of Israel was saying) was that ‘some’ were calling Him John the Baptist. Then we have more of the same spirit. As the first ‘some’ were wrong, the second, ‘some,’ or ‘others’ declared that He was Elias, and then ‘some’ considered Him to be Jeremiah. Now, all these ‘somes’ threw their hands up in the air, and said, I don’t know, maybe one of the prophets. This is exactly where we are today: some men say that they follow John the Baptist, No, here is another man, and some like his name, so some will follow him. Then there is a group of ‘somes’ who follow denominationalism with all its many names. Some are tied to an earthly place, they like the name of the church, or the building that they attend. That will not satisfy God the Father. The words of the Lord Jesus continues on with, But whom say ye that I am. (Matthew 16:15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? The first question that was asked was to His disciples, yet they came up with all kinds of answers that were far from the truth. Many today, when asked for an answer to their faith, give all kinds of reasons and names, and places for the basis of their faith. I’ve even talked with people who have told me that their genealogy determines their faith. They have told me, My great grandfather went to this church, all their faith and their eternity is placed on their great grandfather and not the Person of Christ. So, the Lord Jesus looked at His disciples and asked them the second time, But whom say ye that I am? Notice that at the close of this verse, the Holy Spirit of God reminds us of the burning bush with ‘I AM.’ One only has to compare Exodus 3:14: And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. The Lord Jesus had to bring them back to the burning bush.

Remember that in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 3, God first announced Himself to Moses as the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Exodus 3:6: Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. In the case of Moses, he was receiving divine revelation from the God of the burning bush. Later the LORD would declare to Moses that this One, this God, was the self-Existent One, the Eternal God, the great I AM.

BUT WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM?

 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (Matthew 16:15)　

 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. (Mark 8:29)

 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. (Luke 9:20)

Through the Lord’s question, But whom say ye that I am? Christ was bringing His disciples back to the burning bush because they are about to receive a revelation from on high. So now the question therefore is, whom say ye that I am? The answer comes not from man, but from on high, yes, God used Peter, thus Peter stated, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. This is the miracle: the Lord Jesus looked on Peter and said, This did not come from you Peter, but it came from my Father which is in heaven. He is the one who has revealed this to you, for Peter had spoken as He was led of the Spirit of God. This revelation was not of man, but of God. This was the Father speaking, not from a cloud or an open door in heaven, or even parting the heavens, but God was speaking through revelation to a man by God’s Holy Spirit. Flesh and blood had not revealed this to man, the Son of the living God was revealed from heaven as God. The Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to Abraham, as the Almighty God; as God revealed Himself to Moses as the great I AM; as God Himself revealed Himself to the nation of Israel as JEHOVAH. Now, God revealed the Son of God, God’s Christ, the anointed One by revelation to Peter, and to further this wonder, God the Father speaks from a cloud in the next Chapter. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. (Matthew 17:5)

Why are these two Chapters (Matthew 16 and Matthew 17) so important? First, God the Father speaks through Simon Peter, and the revelation is given, Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16) This was a declaration of who the Lord Jesus was. In Chapter 17, however, it is God the Father giving His approval of the One who was revealed in Chapter 16 as the Son of the living God, and in Chapter 17, we have the divine approval from the very voice of God the Father. The declaration that was made in both these chapters are the combination of who this One was, who this One is. This same One, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Man in heaven for us now; however, one cannot know this Man the Son of the living God except through divine revelation. For the Spirit of God must reveal Christ to the heart of man. The world cannot accept that the children of God are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but they are born of God, and therefore they become part of God’s divine possession. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13) This is a divine calling from a divine Man in heaven.

Whom do men say that I am?

The question still remains, Who do men say that I am? When the Lord Jesus stilled the angry sea, and hushed the gales winds His disciples simply declared, What manner of man is this? When the spies of the Pharisees returned, they stated, Never a man spake like this man. When Pilate came forth to present Christ to Israel, he could only declare, Behold, the man. When the apostle Paul proclaimed the wonders of Christ, and what he had experienced to king Agrippa, the king could only say, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. This is the problem, man cannot be persuaded, he can be informed, he can be led to the water, but God must reveal Himself to man. Although Christ had stilled the sea, He was only just a man in their eyes. Although the word of God flowed from His divine lips, He was only just a man in their eyes. Although Pilate heard the word from the true King of kings, Pilate could only see Him as just a man. Has it changed today? Many say that they know Jesus, however, to many He is just a man. God has not revealed in their hearts the revelation of His Son, Jesus Christ. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 110:1 <<A Psalm of David.>> The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. In the gospel of John, Chapter 1, verse 18 we read, No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Both of these verses, one from the Old Testament, and one from the New Testament, both contain revelation of who the Son of God is. The Psalmist stated that God cannot be separated from Himself. In John 1:18, we have the only begotten Son of the Father, who is in the bosom of God. Christ proclaimed God Almighty IN Himself, as He revealed Himself as the Creator to Adam, He revealed Himself from the bosom of the Father. This is the position where all declaration is made from, the bosom of the Father. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. From the bosom of the Father, the Lord Jesus revealed and declared Himself to Adam, to Abel, to Cain, to Seth, and to the godly seed that called on the name of the Lord. All the Old Testament saints, and those of the New Testament; they all had to answer the question, Who do men say that I am?

 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him. (John 8:28-30)

 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. (John 8:31-37)

 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:38-44)

In this section of John, Chapter 8, we have a discourse between God the Son, and the unbelieving Jews. The word of God could not penetrate their evil hearts. These were the religious leaders of the Jews, these were the men who called on the name of JEHOVAH, but God had not revealed Himself in their hearts. Man cannot enter into the presence of God without God revealing Himself to man. This is the unmentioned, and in many cases unknown work of the Spirit of God to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God to the heart of man. They could not believe Christ because they had not received Him. He came unto His own, and they received Him not. They argued the point of Moses and the prophets to their own destruction. They had refused life and liberty in Him that was standing before them. They had refused eternal life and liberty from sin because they could not see their own need. Their hearts had betrayed them in their own sin.

All Men Are Born Blind

Sin was the blind fold that concealed the Son of God before them. Man is born blind spiritually, and there is nothing that can give him sight except divine revelation, and that revelation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Only God can remove the blind fold, only God can give light to a darkened eye, And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:5) And still today, the blind continues to lead the blind until all fall off the edge of eternity. Tell me, Was the Light of God in their presence? The answer is, Yes, but they preferred darkness rather than the light of God. One should always consider John Chapter 8 and John Chapter 9 together. In John Chapter 8, we have a blindness that could not be healed, the Pharisees were spiritually blind from their birth, and yet, they would not allow the light of God to come into their hearts. In John Chapter 9, we have the absolute depth of blindness of the man who was born blind. He had never been in the presence of light, he had never even seen a shadow go by his eyelids, and yet, Jesus the Light of life passed by. It was the Lord Jesus who gave this blind man his sight. This was a great miracle. Throughout all the history of mankind, there was never such a miracle, there was never a record of a man who was born blind receiving sight. Here in the 9^th Chapter (after all the darkness of Chapter 8) a man meets sight. He meets Christ, and Christ gives him sight. He opens the eyes of the blind man to fulfill the word of God in the most miraculous way that it could ever be fulfilled, The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

In this miracle the man was sent by Christ to go to the pool of Siloam, and wash his eyes. And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. (John 9:7) Later this same man described to his neighbors what had happened to him, He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. (John 9:11)

When the dried cake of clay was washed away, he saw light for the first time. This poor sinner had suffered blindness all of his life. Now through heaven’s Son, the Son of the Father, the glories of heaven and earth, the Son of the living God came with sight for all mankind.

The Sight Giver

And the question was, Who do men say that I am? In John Chapter 9, He is the sight giver, but this did not settle the question. However, the Lord would bring the blind man (who had received his sight) to this question, and with his new sight, this man looked eternity in the face. And the man would ask, Who is He lord? It was the miracle of sight, and yet this miracle did not answer this question. But now, this was very important to the heart and soul of this man, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? The Spirit of Christ was leading this man in every way, He was drawing this man closer and closer to Himself. He had opened his eyes, and now he had a greater light to bestow on this man. Closer yet, it was no longer Jesus passing by in verse 1 of Chapter 9, for Jesus had been drawing this poor man to Himself for a long long time. The question again, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on. The answer comes in verse 37, and it is heaven itself in the Person of Christ who was going to reveal the One who had opened the eyes of the blind man. He introduced Himself by revelation as the Lord from heaven, the Father’s Son, He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. (John 9:36-38) Thou hast both seen him: speaking of the first rays of light to his eyes, and this brought forth the face of Jesus Christ. He had not yet seen the Christ of God. His sight had come at the pool of Siloam, but rest assured, the Spirit of God had manifested that face to this man, for all had been for the purpose of God in the counsels of God. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:4-5)

For the light had come . . . let there be light . . . And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:3). This was a revelation to this formerly spiritually and physically blind man for now he could see. And God had said that the light was good. The Spirit of God opened the eyes of the heart of the man who was born blind. He beheld the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 37, he answers to faith, and the answer to faith is always belief and worship. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 2:11) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The blind man had received light in his eyes, now he received life within his heart. He replied to the Lord Jesus, I believe. Compare Hebrews 11:6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Then this blind man worshiped the Lord of glory. The One who is both the Creator of life, and the Dispenser of Light gave Life from above to this man who was born blind. For thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and thou shalt worship him in Spirit and truth; thus, this man worshiped the Lord Jesus. Only God could accept this man’s worship, and only God could give him sight, so only God could give him a new heart and soul. What the Pharisees refused and did not receive, this man declared for all eternity to hear, I believe. And with that belief he worshiped the most high God, Jesus Christ, the glories of light had come in the glorious face of eternity. The man that was born blind had no light, then his eyes were full of light. The man that was born blind had no life, but now he had life in the life of Jesus Christ. The profound question from the Savior Himself, Who do men say that I am? This profound question has to be answered by all mankind. The only answer that will satisfy the eternal God is, Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God. Blessed are those who God the Father reveals this wonderful truth from heaven above. Faith brings sight. Sight brings grace, consequently we see the miracle in the path of this blind man. All is for the divine purpose of God till this man worshiped the one true God of heaven and earth, Jesus Christ. The chasm is great between sin and God, sin cannot pass over to God, and God cannot pass over to sin. Sin has to be judged and put away at the cross of Christ. The old man (Adam) who is born spiritually blind must put all away by denying everything including himself. Therefore, by belief in Jesus Christ, a new creature, a new creation is formed in Christ Jesus. All life must come from Christ, the Son of the living God, and this life must be revealed by the Holy Spirit of God. Answer the question of God, this is the question from our Savior Jesus Christ.

 Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

But whom say ye that I am?

Amen.

 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. (Psalm 17:15)

© Copyright 2017, Michael Haigh

Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)