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Mark 8:29 - Life's Biggest Decision; Who Do You Think Jesus Is?

Mark 8:29 (NIV) "But what about you?" he 
asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You 
are the Messiah."  

Mark 8:29 (NLT) Then he asked them, But 
who do you say I am? Peter replied, You 
are the Messiah.  

INTRODUCTION

Peter Answered. As spokesperson for the 
Twelve. Messiah. [NIV SB 2020 re Mat. 16:16] 

A critical climax in Marks Gospel as 
Peter, representing the apostles, recognizes Jesus 
as the promised Messiah. [NIV SB 2020] 

Peter speaks for the Twelve and confesses 
Jesus as the Christ, i.e., the divinely anointed 
leader and Messiah who they expect will liberate 
the Jewish people from the oppressive yoke of 
Rome. Peters confession is God-given (Matt. 
16:17)... Peter responded for the group, You are the 
Messiah (or the Christ; Messiah (a Hebrew term) and 
Christ (a Greek term) both mean the anointed 
one. [NLT SB 2008]  

Who Do You Say That I Am? After they 
reported the prevailing erroneous views about Jesus 
(v. 28), He asked the disciples to give their 
own evaluation of who He was. The answer every 
person gives to this question will determine his or 
her eternal destiny. You Are The Christ. Peter 
unhesitatingly replied on behalf of the 12, clearly and 
unequivocally affirming that they believed Jesus to be the 
Messiah. [MacArthur SB] 

Jesus asked the disciples who other people 
thought he was; then he asked them the same 
question. It is not enough to know what others say 
about Jesus: You must know, understand, and accept 
for yourself that he is the Messiah. You must 
move from curiosity to commitment, from 
admiration to adoration. [Life Application SB] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

Who Do You Say I Am?
   It was a transitional moment in Jesuss 
ministry. For the first time, He spoke very clearly 
and in great detail about why He came to Earth. 
He also asked a powerful question that we still 
need to answer today: Who do you say I am? 
(Mark 8:29 NLT). 
   Now, this is the most important question 
of all. Its a question that we all must 
answer. And by the way, everyone will ultimately say 
that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every Christian will 
say it, and every non-Christian will say it. 
Every atheist will say it, and every agnostic will 
say it. One day every person will say that Jesus 
is Lord. 
   They wont necessarily say it during 
their lives on Earth, but one day when they stand 
before God Almighty, they will acknowledge Jesus 
Christ as Lord. 
   The Bible tells us that at the name of 
Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on 
earth and under the earth, and every tongue 
declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of 
God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11 NLT). 
   Of course, its one thing to say that 
Jesus is Lord when were with our Christian 
friends. But will we say that Jesus is Lord when 
were gathered with family? Will we say that Jesus 
is Lord when were at work? Will we say that 
Jesus is Lord when were out and about? 
   Its one thing to make a stand with 
fellow believers, but its another thing to make 
a stand in our culture. Jesus said, If 
anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of 
Man will be ashamed of that person when he 
returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father 
and the holy angels (Luke 9:26 NLT). 
   Dont be ashamed of Jesus Christ. Speak 
up for Him. [Greg Laurie from Harvest 
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

COMMENTARY

Others That Referred To Jesus As Messiah:

   Matthew 16:16 (NKJV) Simon Peter answered 
and said, "You are the Christ, the  
   Son of the living God."

   Luke 9:20 (NKJV) He said to them, "But 
who do you say that I am?" Peter  
   answered and said, "The Christ of God." 

   John 1:49 (NKJV) Nathanael answered and 
said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son  
   of God! You are the King of Israel!"

   John 4:42 (NKJV) Then they said to the 
woman, "Now we believe, not because of  
   what you said, for we ourselves have 
heard Him and we know that this is  
   indeed the Christ, the Savior of the 
world."  

   John 6:69 (NKJV) Also we have come to 
believe and know that You are the  
   Christ, the Son of the living God."

   John 11:27 (NKJV) She said to Him, "Yes, 
Lord, I believe that You are the  
   Christ, the Son of God, who is to come 
into the world."  

   Acts 8:37 (NKJV) Then Philip said, "If 
you believe with all your heart, you  
   may." And he answered and said, "I 
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of  
   God."

   Acts 9:20 (NKJV) Immediately he preached 
the Christ in the synagogues, that  
   He is the Son of God.

What Jesus Said of Himself:

   John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, "I am 
the way, the truth, and the life.  
   No one comes to the Father except through 
Me.  

   Mark 14:61-62 (NKJV) But He kept silent 
and answered nothing. Again the high  
   priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You 
the Christ, the Son of the  
   Blessed?" 62 Jesus said, "I am. And you 
will see the Son of Man sitting at  
   the right hand of the Power, and coming 
with the clouds of heaven." 

CLOSING PEARL

Lifes Biggest Decision
   Some people are indecisive by nature, but 
Im generally not one of those people. In fact, 
I tend to be overly opinionated. Ask me about 
anything, and Ill probably have an opinion about 
it. 
   However, sometimes I can be indecisive. 
This usually involves figuring out what to order 
at a restaurant. What to order for lunch 
isnt a life-altering decision. But there are 
other decisions that are very important, like 
choosing a career or deciding whom youre going to 
marry. 
   And the biggest decision of all is what 
you do with Jesus Christ. Theres no more 
important decision than this one. 
   In Johns gospel, we find the story of 
an indecisive man, someone who let others do 
his thinking for him. He tried to appease a 
bloodthirsty, fickle crowd and his own troubled 
conscience. His name was Pontius Pilate. 
   He was like the soldier in the Civil War 
who couldnt decide which side he wanted to 
fight for. He put on the coat of the Union Army 
and the pants of the Confederate Army, and both 
sides ended up shooting at him. That is what 
happens to the person who lives in indecision. 
   Pontius Pilate was the consummate 
politician. He tried to find the middle ground and make 
everyone happy. As a result, he made the worst 
imaginable decision - a decision that he no doubt 
regretted for the rest of his life. 
   Here was the question that was brought to 
him (and is eventually brought to every one of 
us): What are you going to do with Jesus? 
   Ultimately when we stand before God, it 
wont be a sin question; it will be a Son 
question. It wont be a question of whether you 
lived a good life or your good deeds outweighed 
your bad ones. Its all about Jesus Christ, who 
is God's provision for us to get into Heaven. 
[Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; 
https://www.harvestdaily.com re John 19:16 question by Pilate] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC

John 14:6 - The 6th I AM Statement of Jesus; 
The Way-maker! 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210718-1038.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David 
DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides: 
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE 

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657