Luk 9:18 | KingComments | STEP | After His busy activities with the crowd, the Lord feels the need to pray. For this He withdraws to be alone. This is also important for us. When we have been engaged in our work, in which our attention has been taken up by all sorts of things, we need to withdraw for a moment to speak with the Lord. The disciples are with Him, but do not disturb Him. When He has finished praying, He has a question for them. This question arises from His prayer. He has spoken with His Father about how the people react to His message. Now He wants to teach His disciples about this. They must be aware of the people’s mind and their thoughts about Him. The disciples know what thoughts about Him are circulating. These are the same thoughts that have also reached Herod’s ears ( ). These opinions indicate that the attention of the people has been aroused, but that they do not go beyond speculations of the human spirit about the Savior. It is good to know the opinions of others about the Lord, but the big question is of course Who the disciples, and we ourselves, say He is. The Lord then asks His disciples about this, a question to which we must give an answer as well. Peter answers convincedly that He is “the Christ of God”. The Lord Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ – all names with the same meaning – Who comes from God, belongs to God, is God Himself. When we are convinced of Who He is, we will make Him known as such. The disciples were no longer allowed to do that at that time in history.

‏ Luke 9:18

Who Is Jesus?

After His busy activities with the crowd, the Lord feels the need to pray. For this He withdraws to be alone. This is also important for us. When we have been engaged in our work, in which our attention has been taken up by all sorts of things, we need to withdraw for a moment to speak with the Lord.

The disciples are with Him, but do not disturb Him. When He has finished praying, He has a question for them. This question arises from His prayer. He has spoken with His Father about how the people react to His message. Now He wants to teach His disciples about this. They must be aware of the people’s mind and their thoughts about Him.

The disciples know what thoughts about Him are circulating. These are the same thoughts that have also reached Herod’s ears (Lk 9:7-8). These opinions indicate that the attention of the people has been aroused, but that they do not go beyond speculations of the human spirit about the Savior.

It is good to know the opinions of others about the Lord, but the big question is of course Who the disciples, and we ourselves, say He is. The Lord then asks His disciples about this, a question to which we must give an answer as well.

Peter answers convincedly that He is “the Christ of God”. The Lord Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ – all names with the same meaning – Who comes from God, belongs to God, is God Himself. When we are convinced of Who He is, we will make Him known as such. The disciples were no longer allowed to do that at that time in history.