Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 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.”
Matthew 16:16,17
Jesus’ Identity Revealed
Daily Devotion – August 29, 2023
Devotion based on Matthew 16:16,17
See series: Devotions
When they teach their children, parents have to decide whether it is better to tell them something or to let them figure it out for themselves. Many things we learn better by experience or through the process of discovery. A parent who tells their child the answer for their homework isn’t helping them learn. It is often better to guide and support children as they learn, rather than to just give them the answers.
God, our heavenly Father, wants us to know something very important. He wants us to really know who Jesus is. For 2,000 years, people have tried to figure out for themselves the answer to that question. When Jesus was on earth, many people thought he was a prophet who came back from the dead. Today, people may see Jesus as a great leader, a moral teacher, or a good example to follow. All of those are fine-sounding, complimentary descriptions, but aren’t the whole story.
The truth is, we can’t fully know who Jesus is on our own. The Bible says, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” In our verse for today, Simon Peter recognized Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus called him blessed and said, “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”
There was evidence of Jesus’ identity in his miracles and the way he loved people. There was evidence in the way he fulfilled every promise and prediction he made. But it was still impossible for human reason to fully grasp his identity. It was through the words Jesus spoke and the words recorded in the Bible—all of which pointed to Jesus—that God opened the minds and hearts of his disciples to know and believe who Jesus was.
Through the Bible, God wants you to know who Jesus really is. Hear it. Read it. Study it. And God will be working to open your mind and heart to know Jesus, your Savior.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, through your Word, open my eyes to see my Savior ever more clearly. Amen.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
