Opinions often shape our thinking and we react many a times to people’s opinions. The Government have opinion polls as to what people are thinking about in society and we ourselves have opinions relating to things and people. Jesus during his ministry was aware that people had different opinions as to who he was. Nonetheless, he did not shy away from nor did he try to discard the varying opinions that were held about him. In this our first of these two thoughts, we will look at when Jesus asked his disciples “who do men say that I am?” Next week his second question “who do you say that I am?”. Consequently, it is important to understand the text in which it is set more closely.
Jesus takes his disciples to a place called Caesarea Philippi and while there he asked them, “Who do men say that I am?” What is interesting about this location is that it was the centre of the then pagan worship with natural and manmade monuments which left the attendees in awe of the glistening and august temples, statues and designs. The pinnacle issue is that Jesus in the midst of all this grandeur puts himself on the line and asks the question that many of us would feel unable to ask about ourselves; other people’s opinions about us.
To ask someone’s opinion about you leaves yourself open to ridicule and disappointment. Yet Jesus was willing to make himself vulnerable, so as to ascertain the opinions of those who came across him, but more importantly, those who followed him. Those who are closest to us can sometimes be harsh in their opinion of us; oftentimes they are the ones who see us for who we really are, no airs and graces, warts and all. The disciples walked, with Jesus, talked with him, saw him heal the sick, restore sight to the blind and even raise the dead – yet Jesus wanted to know not only what was being said of him by others, but also by the disciples.
During Jesus time, there were many being healed, dead being raised and blind sight restored by various mediums, yet here was someone different and with absolute authority and who more than mere sight or even insight.
Interestingly, other people’s opinion of Jesus was high and in response to the question asked the scriptures states, ‘And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”’ Matthew 16:14. Amazing; although accolades given were astounding, it is limited, lacking and incomplete in its opinion as to the fullness of who Jesus really was. However, their lacking did not stop Jesus from being who he really was; The Christ.
‘The greatest prison people live in, is the fear of what other people think’ ~ unknown
This week, regardless of the opinions of others, know who you are and allow the light of Christ to shine through you to the glory of God.
