What Think Ye of Jesus
Acts 1:11”What Think Ye of Jesus?” — Matthew 16:13-17
The historic truth of the person of Jesus of Nazareth is one which no one will dispute but the views concering His person are remarkably similar today as they were in His own time
A. Human View of Christ:
1. Antagonistic and Skeptical as the Pharisees
a. Matthew 12:24, Jesus to them was a plain, even evil, imposter; their sin, blasphem of the Holy Spirit
b. Matthew 11:18-19, Not even a good man; but, as Christ shows, their’s was the spirit of criticims for its own sake
2. Admiration, set subtly denying the truth
a. Herod’s servants – superstition, the resurrected John the Baptist; a leader in repentance and reform; a “Preacher”
b. Others – Elias (Elijah), a doer of miracles; Jesus but a doer of good deeds; an “Example”
c. Still others – Jeremiah or prophet, who taught by parables; Jesus but a “Teacher” of truth
3. all of these opinions held by men today; some by supposedly “Bible” teachers. Yet we see the following
a. Human views may be rationalistic, Jesus a mere man; only accept what they can comprehend when it comes to religion; how unlike their attitude to worldly things!
b. Human views may be merely superstitious; hearsay and tradition without personal knowledge.
c. Human view may fall below the truth though high.
d. No matter how high cannot be too high an estimate of Jesus.
4. those who sit under such teaching find opinions that are
a. conflicting – one “authority” disagrees with another
b. perplexing – shown a “great man” but what does He mean as a Person to them?
c. inferior – these fall short of th very obvious representation of Scripture.
B. Divine View of Jesus:
1. We know Peter’s testimony is Divine because it is borne out by
a. Historical facts
i. Baptism and God’s voice; Matthew 3:17
ii. Transfiguration and God’s voice; Matthew 17:5
iii. Resurrection and Ascension; Acts 1:11
b. Testimony
i. Of Christ Himself; Matthew 16:17
ii. of Apostles
(1) John; 1 John 1:3; John 20:31
(2) Paul; Philippians 2:4-9
iii. of men throughout history to an ever-living Christ
2. Content of Peter’s confession – Note first the majesty in Christ’s reference to Himself as the “Son of Man”, the title of His humiliation. There is no “coaching” or “leading” of the witness.
a. The Christ (Messiah, Anointed One)
i. “The” is specific; all kings, priests and prophets were anointed ones but this is “the Christ” – a special one
ii. Speaks of His threefold Divine Mission
(1). one part completed, Prophet
(2). one part continuing, Priest
(3). one part yet to be consummated, King
b. The Son of the Living God
i. “Son” used in Scriptures to speak of character: “Son of Man”, “Sons of Thunder”, “Son of belial”
ii. Living – the real and only GOd (Emphatic)
iii. as predicted in the OT, Isaiah 9:6
C. What think ye of Jesus? three possible ways:
1. Antagonism
2. Indifferent admiration; more subtle than antagonism and also more destructive; Definitely not Christian
3. Full belief and surrender to Jesus as Lord and Master, the Christ, the Savour and the Almighty Son of God