Who Is Jesus? (Lk. 9:18-21, 28-36)
I want to begin by reading a portion of the scripture we will cover today.
Luke 9:18–21 NKJV
18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”
21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one,
About a day before this, Jesus and His disciples fed nearly 10k people with five loaves of bread and two small fish that a little boy offered. Now, with everything cleaned up, the trash taken out, and the people returning home, Jesus and the Twelve hit the road. Matthew and Mark, tells us that the crew is somewhere around Caesarea Philippi which is approximately 24-28 miles north of the location of the feeding miracle near Bethsaida. Luke doesn’t tell us where these guys are and he places this event much closer to the miracle than his synoptic partners do. Plus, just like at His baptism (Lk. 3:21), Luke is the only one to tell us that Jesus was praying which was the reason He went to the deserted place near Bethsaida to begin with (Mt. 14:13).
One of the most consistent discoveries in the four Gospels is people’s ignorance about who Jesus was. That confusion or uncertainty concerning His identity has always existed. Almost every major religion, even a lot of skeptics, believe that Jesus was no more than a good moral teacher, a wise sage, a guru, or a prophet.
If they believe that He existed at all, they are not convinced of His divinity. In the Gospels, everyone from religious leaders to political leaders questioned His identity. John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, had his own doubts. Folks from His own hometown and even His family members wondered about this (John 7:3–5). The multitudes had no idea and quite honestly, neither did Jesus’ disciples. We’ll talk about that in a minute.
Today we have arrived at one of the most critical points in all of the Gospels. We have come to a place of decision-making concerning our own beliefs about Jesus in light of what the Father has clearly revealed to us. Today we are going to focus our time on three declarations,
What people say about Jesus (Lk. 9:19)
What we, ourselves, say about Jesus (Lk. 9:20)
What the Father says about Jesus (Lk. 9:35)
Again, these questions will pin down what we believe about Christ, but it will not leave us without hope.
What Do They Say (Lk. 9:18-19)
To kick things off, let’s deal with this first question Jesus asks His disciples.
Luke 9:18–19 NKJV
18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
The first thing Jesus wants to know is what have they heard from the “crowds” about who He is. And what the apostles tell Him is that the people believe He is a prophet. That’s what all of those names have in common.
Herod thought the same thing after he heard about all that Jesus was doing (Lk. 9:7-8).
Luke 9:7–8 NKJV
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,
8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.
John the Baptist, according to Jesus, was the greatest prophet born of a woman (Jn. 7:28).
Elijah was one of Israel’s most revered prophets and expected to return before the Messiah came. Both the prophet Malachi and Matthew wrote concerning this. Listen to what Yahweh says through the mouth of Malachi.
Malachi 4:5–6 NKJV
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
During the time of Jesus this same message had been circulating and the disciples questioned Jesus about it.
Matthew 17:10–13 NKJV
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.
12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
This belief that Jesus is a prophet is not without context. They aren't just making up stuff. The Jews have a historical reference for this line of thinking.
Listen to what happened in the time of Elisha the prophet.
2 Kings 4:42–44 NKJV
42 Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.”
43 But his servant said, “What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?” He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the Lord: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ”
44 So he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.
Here is this small amount of food that is miraculously multiplied to feed a crowd with plenty leftover. And, in the Gospel of John, we learn that after the miracle of feeding the 5k, the crowd is convinced, not only is Jesus a prophet - like Elisha, but He is the Prophet.
John 6:14 NKJV
14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
“The Prophet” to which they are referring is Moses.
Deuteronomy 18:15 NKJV
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
But we know from reading the words of Hebrews 3:3 that even Moses pales in comparison to Jesus.
Hebrews 3:3 NKJV
3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.
Jesus asked, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” In His day, people were more willing to believe He was a prophet reborn than the Messiah. Today, many are more comfortable believing their ancestors are actively involved in their lives than they are believing in Jesus. Many of these same people look to ancestors for guidance, protection, or intervention, while giving little thought to the Creator of all things. It’s easier for some to imagine dead humans returning in new forms than to accept that God entered humanity in Christ — and most never stop to question their beliefs.
The question about what other people think about Jesus is so easy to answer because it doesn’t require anything from us at all, we’re just reporting the news. That question doesn’t ask me to agree or disagree with what others say about Jesus I’m just to give the data.
You can go your whole life reacting to what other people think about Jesus or you can come to your own Biblical conclusions. This brings us to Jesus’ second and most important question.
What Do You Say (Lk. 9:20-21)
Luke 9:20–21 NKJV
20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”
21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one,
Now, here is a question that is much harder to answer. A question that does indeed require a lot from us. With this question we are asked to part ways with the crowd. One reason this question is so important is because it challenges us to grapple with the reality of Who Jesus really is. We cannot be indifferent. We will have to take a stand for or against Him. Unlike His previous question, this one is personal and whatever side of the question we land on will determine the trajectory of our eternal lives.
When this question was posed, Jesus may have been challenging these men to answer their own quandary. If you remember, while they were out on the water during a storm, their panic moved them to wake Jesus from His rest. After Jesus calms everything down, the wind, the waves, and the worry, the Apostles asked this question,
Luke 8:25 NKJV
25...“Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”
Who do you say that I AM? This question forces them and it forces us to search our hearts and look Jesus in the face. It forces us to either confirm or deny the countless number of times that we have heard the Truth of God about Jesus; to accept or reject all of the evidence pointing to Jesus and the many experiences we’ve had with Him.
Over and over again Jesus had been telling His disciples who He was and now, they had a decision to make for themselves. It didn’t matter what the crowds said. It didn’t matter what the government believed, they had to make up their own minds. Would they go with Herod and the crowd and believe that Jesus was just another good guy doing and teaching good things or would they see Him for who He really is?
A.W. Tozer once said,
“No religion has ever been greater than its idea of God.”[1]
“All the problems of heaven and earth, though they were to confront us together and at once, would be nothing compared with the overwhelming problem of God. That He is; what He is like; and what we as moral beings must do about Him.”[1]
Here are some of the things Jesus had been telling them while they were together:
“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger” (John 6:35).
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness...” (John 8:12).
“I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. ” (John 10:9).
“I am the true vine...Remain in ME and I will remain in you...” (John 15:1, 4).
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25).
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
“Who is Jesus to you?” That is the most important question any person will ever answer. When you stand before God on the day of judgment, this is the only question that will matter.
Not what denomination you were part of. Not how many points of Calvinism you affirmed. Not how Reformed your theology was. Not how faithfully you tithed. Not whether you believed you could lose your salvation. Not how consistent your quiet time was. Not how often you prayed. Not whether your child went to a Christian school.
None of those things will be the deciding factor. Only one thing will matter: Who is Jesus to you?
Notice something, all of the disciples answered the first question Jesus asked, but only Peter answered the second one. He calls Him the “Christ of God.” And in Matthew’s account, Jesus tells Peter that there is no way he could’ve known that unless the Father told him.
Matthew 16:17 NKJV
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
He is the Anointed One of God. The Messiah. The Jewish understanding of the Messiah was and is much different than the Christian understanding.
.As Christians we believe that Jesus is God’s Messiah. That He was the visible image of the invisible God. That He is Immanuel. God in the flesh.
According to one source, the Jewish thinker believed,
“The [messiah] will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5). He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments (Isaiah 11:2-5). He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example. He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15). But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being."[2]
With this backdrop, we may be too quick to applaud Peter for his confession here. Although he gives the right answer he obviously has the wrong understanding.
Let me explain by taking a look at the transfiguration of Jesus.
What the Father Says (Lk. 9:28-36)
Luke 9:28–32 NKJV
28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.
About a week after Peter makes his confession that Jesus is the Messiah, he, John and James are asleep on the mountain with Jesus as He prays. All of a sudden Jesus’ face shines with a blinding brilliance, like Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex. 34:29-30) and what John describes in Revelation 1:16.
After some time, Peter and the guys wake up from their nap to see Jesus talking with Moses, who represents the Law of God, and Elijah, who represents the prophets. They are talking about how Jesus was going to die to destroy the works of Satan. They are discussing how His death will finally satisfy the wrath of God and fulfill the righteous requirements of the law. They are talking about how the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ will provide one clear and irrevocable path between God and man to live in a righteous union. Earlier Jesus told the apostles,
Luke 9:22 NKJV
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”
As I stated earlier, although Peter gives the right answer to the question about who he believes Jesus is, he obviously has the wrong understanding because he places Jesus on the same level with Moses and Elijah.
Luke 9:33 NKJV
33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
It’s not wrong to see Jesus as a wise teacher.
It’s not wrong to see Him as a compassionate healer.
It’s not wrong to see Him as a powerful miracle‑worker.
It’s not even wrong to see Him as a prophet who speaks for God.
But if that’s all we see, we’ve missed the heart of who He is.
All of these descriptions about Jesus are true — but they are completely incomplete.
Jesus is the Incarnate Son of God and Savior of the world.
He is Lord and Master over all created things.
He is the Light in the dark world that we are held captive in.
He is the First and the Last.
The Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the Ending.
He is the Author and Perfector of our faith.
He is the Anchor that holds us in the storm and the Hope of our salvation.
And His is the Name above every other name.
Warren Wiersbe said that
“People had better know who [Jesus] is, because what we think about Jesus determines our eternal destiny. It is impossible to be wrong about Jesus and right with God.”[3]
Our understanding of who Jesus is should not and must not be based on what other people think. Neither should we trust our own thinking about who Jesus is. Our views and understanding of Christ must always align with what the Father has clearly revealed about Him.
Luke 9:34–36 NKJV
34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.
35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
The Father’s words did two things simultaneously. Number one, it affirmed Peter’s earlier confession that Jesus is the Messiah. He is the Christ of God. Number two, it cleared up the confusion that was still circulating in the hearts and minds of these men. The Father said He’s more than just a prophet. He’s greater than any human leader. He is My Son.
Romans 1:3–4 NKJV
3 ...born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Hear Him. As a nation, the children of Israel had been listening to the Law & Prophets, now since Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Mt. 5:17), the Father wants everybody to listen to Jesus.
Romans 10:4 NKJV
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
This is exactly the point the Author of Hebrews was making.
Hebrews 1:1–2 NKJV
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Hebrews 2:1–4 NKJV
1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
When it comes to Jesus, you can go with the crowd, you can even go with your own thinking, or you can base your belief on what God says about Him.
Respond
Here is why it matters that you come to a personal, accurate, and Biblical understanding of who Jesus is.
Jesus Himself says this,
John 8:24 NKJV
24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
However, this isn’t the heart of the Father for any of us. He wants us to live abundantly.
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
The question “Who is Jesus to you?” is the singular, most important question you will ever answer in your life. Everything hinges on it. Your eternity hinges on it. And if you get that wrong, my friends, nothing else you get right will matter.
You can get your doctrine polished.
You can get your church attendance perfect.
You can get your moral behavior cleaned up.
You can get your reputation respected.
You can get your theology refined.
You can get your spiritual disciplines consistent.
But if you miss Jesus — who He truly is — you miss the very thing your soul was made for.
Because on the day you stand before God, He will not sort through your denominational label, your theological debates, your giving record, your quiet times, or your religious habits. He will look at one thing and one thing only: your response to His Son.
If you get Jesus wrong, you lose everything.
If you get Jesus right, you gain everything.
Will you take the Father at His Word and place your hope in Jesus His Son?
Tré Clark
Britton Christian Church
7/23/2026
[1] Knowledge of the Holy, pp.1-2
[2] https:/www.jewfaq.org/mashiach#:~:text=%E2%98%B0%20
[3] Wiersbe NT Commentary,166
