GREATNESS OF CHRIST

I need to extend yesterday's post on the greatness of Jesus, flowing out of my reading this morning. Matthe 16 could be described as the central or turning point in Christ's ministry. It is here we find Jesus asking his disciples "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" Matthew 16:13
We realize that the Jewish people of that day would consider no reference person outside of the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish oral history. Sure, some at least would know of Roman and Greek gods and goddesses. But they did not live in the kind of multi-ethnic, multi-religious, pluralistic culture which is so familiar to most of us. Thus if asked to "identify" Jesus, and using comparison, no one in that culture would have made any reference to non-Jewish figures as say, Canadians might today to Buddha, Mohammed, Gandhi, etc.
But they did know their important Jewish figures. So the disciples answer was: "well Lord, they compare you to (or think you are the second coming of) John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the other prophets". Parallel this to what I wrote yesterday, and what you can hear from others in our culture: "Jesus is very important, like one of the other great teachers or prophets of history." That is what many of the people were saying.
Then Jesus asked "Who do you say I am?" To paraphrase: "Is that all you think of me? Do you agree with that low view of who I am?"
Thank God for Peter, who answers so well for the other eleven. "You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God!" Matthew 16:16 Peter affirms "You are Greater! You are not just another wonderful prophet. You are not merely doing the great things they did and teaching great truths like they did. You are unique. You are greater, you are the Greatest!"
Jesus accepts this confession of faith. He affirms that Peter is correct. He asserts that on this confession of faith; and on this man Peter, (the first to preach the Good News after the Holy Spirit comes in Acts 2), Jesus will begin to build his church. And ever since, the true, orthodox, faithful Church of Jesus Christ around the world has continued to affirm the uniqueness and greatness of Christ. Like Peter and the Apostles we, in our pluralistic world must confess this truth. Jesus deserves nothing less. We can settle for nothing less.