Takeaways for our Day to Days

Takeaways for our Day to Days

• April, 28 2025
• BOOK OF MARK

Who do people say I am … In the Bible in the book of Mark 8:27-29 there is an anecdote where Jesus asks his disciples the above question, “Who do people say I am? The story/anecdote goes like this: 27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” The Bible then goes on to explain how the disciples of Jesus respond to this question. 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” Now John the Baptist was a very well recognized person/prophet amongst the Jews. He was one whose whole life was ordained to be the forerunner to announce and prepare the people for the coming of Jesus. In the words of Isaiah the prophet, John the Baptist was the one who was referred to as “The voice in the wilderness calling out to prepare the way for the Lord. (Isaiah 40:3).

Likewise, Elijah too was considered the greatest amongst the prophets of God. So, in other words the disciples were basically replying to Jesus that people seem to say you are a great prophet or connect you with one of the great prophets that were before you.

In the book of Matthew, Chapter 16:15 where it references this same anecdote, the Bible says Jesus then follows up his first question with a second one. “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am? To this Peter, Jesus’s disciple reply was, 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

What can we take for ourselves from this scripture passage? Who do people say Jesus is?

For those who do not believe in Jesus, those who belong to another faith Jesus could be the Symbol/person whom Christians believe in, the God of the Christians. To the historians he may be the one who lived in the XX century, in the year xx /xx/xx? To the scientists He could be the one who defied the laws of science, To the atheist He could be totally ridiculous!

We could keep going on and on … but to the one who believes, what would they say who Jesus is? To one of them He could be the healer who Healed them from their disease(s) to another Jesus could be the one who healed their broken heart /emotions. There could still be another to whom Jesus is the God whom they meet on every Sunday, and they leave Him there and come back to him the following Sunday. To some He could be the one whom they pass the blame onto for all the things that are not right in their life and ask the question “why is God doing this to me ?’”.

He could be so many things to so many people depending on their perception of Him .However there is something very important to note in Jesus ‘s response to Peter’s perception of Him, that cannot be ignored / taken lightly.

When Peter says to me Jesus, you are the Messiah – meaning the anointed one , the chosen one chosen to deliver those who believe in Him and further affirms that Jesus is the Son of the living God, Jesus picks up that’s this perception /revelation was not something that Peter’s human mind could even fully grasp. But Peter was able to say it and seemed like he had a grasp of it, at the time.

Jesus confirms that Peter’s perception of Himself was not something that anyone could get to by themselves, by human effort and understanding alone, but was more so gifted, granted and given to him by God the heavenly Father.

Jesus further continues to say, now that you have truly perceived me as how my Father perceives me, God is able to do mighty things through that foundational perception. Against this perception and under this perception of Jesus the gates of hell cannot prevail or overcome.

Matthew 16:19 Jesus says 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.”. Thus, the takeaway we could take from this passage is that anyone who is able to perceive Jesus as whom Peter perceived, as how the Father perceives Him, when that perception is the foundation of their relationship with Jesus, then all things are possible for that individual.

Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father today I bring my perception of Jesus to you. The one that I am holding onto based on what I know or maybe based on what others have told me. I ask you Father to remove the perceptions in me that block out who you really are or limit the power of your saving grace. Plant in me O father the revelation of how you perceive Jesus and who is. For are indeed He is the Son of the living God, the Messiah who came down from heaven to set me free and save me from all my sins. Help me not to be consumed by how others perceive me, but instead to rest in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, allowing Him to reveal Himself through me,in Jesus Name I pray, Amen