"And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again. He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
In today's lesson Jesus, for the first time, admits to His Disciples that He is the Son of God. He goes on to tell them not to mention that to anyone else.
Jesus did not want the people to learn that He was indeed the promised Messiah until after He had completed His soul saving sacrifice and had ascended back to heaven.
It would be the duty of His Apostles to spread the good news of redemption after Jesus had gone back to be with the Father.
Had all the people known Jesus was the promised Redeemer too soon, it could have caused those who followed Him to disobey the Law of Moses, which remained in full effect until Jesus had completed His sin remitting sacrifice and fulfilled that Law for all who would believe.
There are many today who contend that Jesus taught Christianity, when in fact, He did not. He could not have since there could be no Christianity until after He had accomplished His divine mission, His death, burial, and glorious resurrection.
This lesson demonstrates that we should always study whatever each individual lesson in the New Testament within the intended context. We should likewise pay special attention to whom each individual lesson is addressed. Remembering that Jesus taught secrets to His Apostles, and parables to the masses.
Much of the New Testament was written to the Jews only, much was written to the unknowing, and much was written only to the members of Christ's Church. It is up to us to discern the difference.~
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