Studying a Powerful Conversation with Jesus

Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you say I am?” and after that conversation, things shifted. Today we look at Luke’s account of this exchange.

Our study will include

• Luke’s purpose for writing his gospel.
• What is being asked and conveyed in this passage.
• How this conversation is recorded in other gospels.
• How this exchange is a turning point in the narrative of Jesus’ life and ministry.

Putting Ourselves in the Room with The Disciples

When we make sure we understand more nuance about the ideas presented by the Bible, we can do a better job of receiving what Biblical writers intended to communicate. This helps us keep from unintentionally applying our own box of understanding to the Bible, and will, instead, let the Bible teach us on its own terms.

The Text of Our Scripture for Today:

18 Once when Jesus was praying by himself, the disciples joined him, and he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They answered, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others that one of the ancient prophets has come back to life.” 20 He asked them, “And what about you? Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ sent from God.” 21 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell this to anyone. Luke 9:18-21 CEB

How This Helps You Read the Bible Better

Looking at this conversation in the arc of Jesus’ ministry shows us that it’s a turning point in how he interacts with his disciples.

In all three gospel accounts, this exchange precedes the point at which Jesus starts talking to his friends about the suffering he will endure as the Messiah.

We can explore many questions about the significance of these two things side-by-side. Though we can’t know with certainty what the significance of this sequence was (and its being communicated in this way), we can be sure that there was intentionality behind it.

This exploration can lay the groundwork for many intriguing questions.

How to Learn Even More as You Read

Sometimes, a new perspective or a new question can spark a wealth of excitement and fun as we study the Word.

You can learn practices designed to help you dig into passages from different angles with my FREE Guide “5 Practices for Engaging Bible Study.”  Download it today!

Here are some other helpful resources related to today’s teaching:

Here’s a great overview about Luke (the man, not the book).

A Quick Look at John the Baptist as the Foretold Return of Elijah

(As with everything on the internet, please check out your sources, and ingest the information provided through the careful lens of that source’s practices, policies, priorities, and etc.)

You might also like these other Mini Bible Studies. Check one out today!

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