Matthew 16:13-20 - Who Do You Say I Am?
A Passion for the Good News
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Joe, or as my wife calls me, Jose. I am the Spanish-speaking pastor here, and I lead a little ministry called La Fuente on our Fig Garden campus. Yes, God does speak Spanish, just in case any of you thought He only speaks English!
Now, let me give you a fair warning: I am Latino. I come from the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere—Nicaragua. So listen to me, I am a miracle of God. If you want to hear more of my story, you can check out The Well podcast to hear what God has done in my life. But as a Latino, I am passionate. I am that neighbor who plays music at ten o’clock at night. That’s just who I am. My wife will tell you I am passionate about everything. I’m not screaming at you; I’m just passionate!
I have gone through some serious things in my life. I should have been dead twice. I am an immigrant from a very poor country, so Jesus has done incredible things in my life. You know that phrase in Ephesians, “But God”? I am the “but God” person. God rescued me out of some dark places, and I am so glad to be alive. I am crazy passionate about Jesus Christ. Amen?
Before you email me or talk to the leadership, just know that I am high energy. And I’ve only had one cup of coffee! I was part of an African American church for eight years of my life. So if you’re an “Amen” kind of person, I am your “Amen” kind of pastor. If you grew up in a Baptist church, I’m the pastor who is going to bring it. That’s just the way I am, so have mercy! My wife has been with me for twenty-five years—we’ll be married twenty-two years this November. And when you are as passionate as I am, sometimes it gets you into trouble. So she often has to tell me, “Calm down, Jose, calm down.”
I’m not here today to bore you. I am here to bring you a message of hope. I know many of you are suffering and going through difficult seasons, just like I have. I want to encourage you today with the good news of Jesus Christ.
The Questions That Shape Our Lives
We are currently in a series called Questions That Jesus Asks. There are over three thousand questions recorded in the Bible, and Jesus Himself asks about three hundred of them in the Gospels. Why? Because questions reveal the human heart. Questions draw out what is deep inside us. Even today, the questions Jesus asks challenge us to think and call us to step out in faith.
Life is completely filled with questions. Every single day, every moment of your life, you are bombarded with questions that shape the direction and vision of your future.
There are philosophical questions: What is God’s assignment for my life? Why am I here? What is my purpose? What goals has God aligned for me?
There are practical questions: What am I going to wear today? What am I going to eat? Which taco truck should I go to? Which bills do I need to pay first?
Then there are the deep personal questions: How am I going to raise my children? Is this relationship right for me? Is this the person I should marry? Who should I allow into my inner circle?
Maybe you came to church today fatigued, looking for answers to your questions. You might be thinking, “Pastor, I don’t want you to ask me another question; I came here for answers.” I understand that. But the question we are going to look at today is the single most critical question you will ever answer in your entire life.
More than any other question, this one will determine the direction of your life and your eternal destiny. You cannot afford to get this one wrong. You cannot run from it, and you cannot procrastinate answering it.
The question is this: Who do you say Jesus is?
Take a moment and ask the person sitting next to you—the one you like or the one you don’t like: “Who is Jesus to you?”
How you answer that question determines the quality and caliber of your life on this earth and for eternity. Everything hangs in the balance. Eternal life rests on your answer. The forgiveness of your sins rests on your answer. Abundant life, joy, and peace all hang on how you answer this question.
To find the answer, we go to God’s Word in Matthew chapter 16.
Matthew 16:13-17 (NASB)
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some [say] John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him, ’Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal [this] to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
The Setting: Caesarea Philippi
We must understand the context of where this conversation takes place. In the previous chapters of Matthew, Jesus had been performing miracles, feeding five thousand people, and confronting the Pharisees. He was exhausted, so He took His disciples away to a place called Caesarea Philippi.
This was a predominantly Gentile area, located about twenty-five miles north of Bethsaida. It was a beautiful region at the foot of Mount Hermon, where natural springs flowed to form the headwaters of the Jordan River. But historically and spiritually, Caesarea Philippi was steeped in pagan idol worship.
In ancient times, it was known as Balenas, a center for the worship of Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility. Later, the Greeks named it Paneas because they believed their god Pan—a half-man, half-goat deity who guarded flocks and nature—was born in a cave there. By the time of Jesus, Herod Philip had built a gleaming white marble temple there dedicated to Caesar Augustus, who was worshiped as a god.
Jesus deliberately brings His Jewish disciples to the center of pagan idolatry—a place surrounded by false gods and competing worldviews—to ask this defining question.
He begins with a general inquiry:
Matthew 16:13-14 (NASB)
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some [say] John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’
Jesus frequently referred to Himself as the “Son of Man”—a title recorded dozens of times in the Gospels that emphasizes both His true humanity and His messianic identity. In Luke’s parallel account, Jesus essentially asks, “If you run a search on My name, what are the crowds saying about Me?”
The disciples report the popular opinions of the day: Some say John the Baptist (who had recently been martyred by Herod), others say Elijah (the great miracle-working prophet expected before the Messiah), while others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets because of His weeping compassion.
We live in a modern-day Caesarea Philippi right now, especially here in California, where everybody has an opinion about spirituality and truth.
If you ask the world today who Jesus is, you will hear many different answers: Hindus view Jesus as one of millions of gods. Buddhists consider Him an enlightened, wise, and holy teacher, but not divine. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim He is Michael the archangel. All of these opinions have one thing in common: they strip Jesus of His true divinity.
Throughout history, human consensus has consistently been wrong. People once believed the earth was flat. Wrong. People believed the universe revolved around the earth. Wrong. People once thought tomatoes were deadly poisonous. Wrong. Human reasoning apart from God is constantly flawed. When people embrace erroneous ideas about Jesus, they end up rejecting who He truly is.
The Great Confession
After hearing what the culture was saying, Jesus turns to His followers and makes it personal.
Matthew 16:15-16 (NASB)
He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’
Simon Peter speaks up: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
“Christ” is not Jesus’ last name; it is His divine title (Christos in Greek, Mashiach in Hebrew), meaning “the Anointed One” or “the Messiah.” He is the King prophesied throughout the Old Testament—in 2 Samuel, the Psalms, Daniel, Zechariah, and Isaiah 61. He is the chosen King sent to rescue humanity, bring good news, and set the captives free.
Peter’s confession declares both the humanity and the deity of Jesus. He is the Christ, the promised King, and He is the Son of the living God. In a city filled with lifeless statues and pagan shrines, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Son of the living God.
It matters what you believe about Jesus. You cannot simply lump Him together with other great historical figures or religious leaders. You can compare Beethoven to Mozart. You can compare Michael Jordan to Bill Russell. You can compare Tiger Woods to Jack Nicklaus. You can compare Martin Luther King Jr. to Nelson Mandela.
But when you lift up the name of Jesus Christ, tell me: who can compare to Him? Who lived like Him? Who died like Him? And who rose from the dead like Him? Nobody!
Jesus Himself declared His unique identity clearly:
John 8:23-24 (NASB)
And He was saying to them, ’You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ‘Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am [He], you will die in your sins.’
Divine Revelation and Unshakable Faith
How did Peter know this? It didn’t come from human logic, family tradition, or simply hanging around religious crowds.
Matthew 16:17 (NASB)
And Jesus said to him, ’Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal [this] to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Flesh and blood did not reveal this to Peter—the Father in heaven did.
You can attend church for years, know exactly when to say “Amen,” know when to raise your hands, and know all the Christian lingo, and still miss who Jesus truly is. Being in a church building doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in McDonald’s makes you a hamburger! You cannot live off the secondhand faith of your parents. A true Christian is someone who has received God’s revelation and personally confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and their personal Lord.
Why did Jesus have this conversation at this specific moment? The very next verse gives us the reason:
Matthew 16:21 (NASB)
From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
From that moment on, Jesus began explaining that He had to go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and be raised on the third day. The disciples were about to face intense heartbreak, fear, and persecution. The only way they could stand firm through those trials was to be completely anchored in who Jesus was.
If you are living in fear, anxiety, or confusion today, it may be because you are not fully anchored in the identity of Jesus. When Jesus is truly your King and Savior, you have nothing to fear.
The Apostle John wrote his entire Gospel around this very truth:
John 20:31 (NASB)
but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Believing in Jesus brings true spiritual life—reconciliation with God, full forgiveness of sins, and adoption into His family. I grew up without a father, and that wound affected me deeply until I discovered that God is the ultimate Father who loves me unconditionally.
The Truth That Sets You Free
You might say, “Pastor, you don’t know my problems. You don’t know my past or how deep my pain is.” Look at what Jesus promised:
John 8:32 (NASB)
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’
And just a few verses later, He clarifies what that truth really is:
John 8:36 (NASB)
’So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Biblical truth is not merely abstract information; it is designed to lead you to a Person. You can possess vast biblical knowledge, but if that knowledge does not lead you into a living relationship with the Son of God, it cannot transform your life.
Think about the appliances in your kitchen. You have a refrigerator to keep food cold, a dishwasher to clean dishes, and a microwave to heat meals. Each appliance has a completely different function, yet they all share one essential requirement: they must be plugged into the same power outlet to work.
Whatever situation you are facing today, Jesus Christ is the source of life and power you need. He has the power to break your addictions, heal your past, forgive your sins, and give you a brand-new future.
Moving from Fan to Disciple
I leave you with the question Jesus asked His disciples: Who do you say that I am?
It does not matter what society says, what your family says, or what the culture says. You are personally accountable before God for your answer. You cannot remain neutral when it comes to Jesus Christ.
If you have never placed your faith in Him, today is your day of salvation. And if you are already a believer, today is an invitation to move from merely being an admirer or a “fan” of Jesus to becoming His fully devoted disciple. It is an invitation to submit your life to Him not just as Savior, but as your King and Lord.
Let’s close our eyes together in an attitude of prayer.
If you need to make this decision today, speak directly to God from your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus, today I confess that I am a sinner. I confess that my life has been broken without You. Today, I believe and declare that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, who died on the cross for my sins and rose again. Come into my life, forgive me, heal my past, and change me from the inside out. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you have wandered away from Him, come back to your Lord today. Surrender the driver’s seat of your life to Him.
Father, thank You for Your Word and for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who meets us in our deepest pain and gives us eternal life. I pray that each person here wrestles with this question until their hearts are fully surrendered to King Jesus. In His mighty name we pray. Amen.