“‘What about you?’ Jesus asked, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’” - Matthew 16:15-16
Have you ever googled Jesus? Typing “Jesus” into your Google image search produces many pictures. Every picture contains a particular message, a point the artist was making. For example, there are depictions of Jesus that emphasize his masculinity. Comic book illustrations of the Bible do this often. Jesus appears shirtless with muscles flexed. Even on the cross, he has chiseled abs and bulging biceps. The message behind such images is that Jesus is the ultimate hero. He is the strong and mighty victor who can subdue evil and vanquish the enemy.
Such strength-oriented images are contrasted with depictions that highlight Jesus’ compassion. Jesus is often fair-looking, thin, and genteel. He is surrounded by images of vulnerability, such as sheep or children. The point here is that Jesus is caring, the supreme comforter, and supports our lives. He is the one who journeys with us in our tears and joins us in our weaknesses.
Of course, there are the historical images etched in stained-glass windows and religious artistry. Jesus is depicted as a blond-haired, blue-eyed, white man who is more English than an Israelite. Again, a particular point is being made in such a representation.
What is your picture of Jesus? Jesus asks us all, “Who do you say that I am?” Answering this question, however, is not as easy as it first seems. Like the early disciples and the gamut of images on Google, there is a multiplicity of answers today. How do we decide which picture of Jesus is correct?
The Jesus of Our Imagination
Some people have extreme and fanciful ideas when it comes to Jesus’ identity. Some believe that Jesus was an extraterrestrial from outer space. Others see Jesus as the incarnation of the Archangel Michael. In Jesus' own day, a popular theory was that Jesus was the raised presence of the recently beheaded John the Baptist (Matthew 14:2). In fact, this was such a popular view that when Jesus asks the disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ this was their first response (Matthew 16:14).
The intriguing thing about such fanciful ideas is that these are not easy to believe! Think about it: believing Jesus to be the raised presence of John the Baptist to torment and dethrone Herod is not a more logical explanation of who Jesus is. Nor is it more rational or evidence-based to believe that Jesus came to Earth from a distant planet. Such wild ideas are just as much a statement of faith as it is to believe in Jesus' messianic identity. Why is it, then, that some people will believe the most outrageous of ideas about Jesus but find the idea that Jesus is the incarnate one far too unreasonable?
The answer is simple: the Jesus of our imaginations is easy to dismiss. He holds no power or authority over our lives. After all, if Jesus was simply an alien who came to earth for a certain time, then we owe him no allegiance. A Jesus of our imagination is one we get to look to only when it serves our purposes. Sure, he might offer inspiration occasionally, but the Jesus of our imagination offers no transformation. Like all figments of our imagination, he is entirely illusory. Thus, there is no danger that Jesus will call us beyond our comforts or ask us to do what we do not want. Our life is securely in our hands,
The Jesus of Our Image
The conversation between Jesus and the disciples concerning his identity opens the door for one of the great confessional statements in scripture. In an act of bold faith, Peter steps forward and declares,
“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” - Matthew 16:16
Through faith, Peter confesses Jesus’ identity. In the very next moment, however, as Jesus explains that he will suffer and die, Peter rejects Jesus’ words. “Never, Lord!” he cries, “This will never happen to you” (Matthew 16:22). In other words, Peter sets out to correct Jesus’ faulty understanding of his identity. Peter assumes that he knows more about the messianic role than the Messiah himself.
Peter imposes his ideas of who Jesus should be and what he should do to him. When he rebukes Jesus, he steps away from the very credal statement he just made. In this moment, Peter attempts to force Jesus to be the Messiah made in Peter’s image.
We do the same whenever we divorce Jesus from the sacrifice of the cross. A Jesus who is simply a teacher of loving ethics, who inspires us but never challenges us, is not the Jesus of scripture. A Jesus that simply reinforces our viewpoint on the world, the church, or the people around us is a person made in our own image. In doing so, we stand in judgment over Jesus. We place ourselves in control of Jesus’ identity and his message. Can we really call Jesus Lord if we believe Jesus lives in our likeness?
Jesus Truly Revealed
Authentic Christian faith is about accepting Jesus as he comes to us. In fact, when Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” he does not suggest that they decide who Jesus is. The disciples are not asked to wade through an array of pictures and discern which is most accurate. Similarly, it is not up to us to figure out the ins and outs of Jesus’ identity. Jesus reveals himself in a particular way, speaking plainly about who he is and what he came to do. Scripture records this with amazing historical accuracy.
Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah, the son of the living God, was based on the revelation of God. He didn’t think his way to such a statement. The Lordship of Jesus wasn’t something he decided but received. The question we ponder, therefore, is not, “Do you understand who Jesus is?” or “What image of Jesus do you prefer?” The true question for our faith is, “Will you receive Jesus?”
In his classic work “Mere Christianity,” C.S. Lewis wrote: “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. This man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Of course, we may still have questions. Like Peter, we may stumble about in our faith and not fully understand the wide implications of Jesus' messianic identity. This is natural. After all, we are all imperfect people reaching out to the perfect one who comes to us. But the fact is, Jesus makes himself known. On the cross, Jesus revealed himself as the savior of our lives, who enters the darkest places to bring us hope and new life. On the cross, Jesus revealed that he is the one to take our sins upon himself, thereby freeing us to live our lives in the unrestricted grace and love of God. On the cross, Jesus revealed himself as the one to be worshiped, adored, and received.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/PeteWill
