Word For the Day MATTHEW 16: 13-17 (KJV)

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philipi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, "Some say that thou are John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and the others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

COMMENTARY: 16:13-17 See Mark 8:27-33; Luke 9:19-21. The coasts of Caesarea Philippi: this was a town in the extreme northeast of Galilee, near the source of the Jordan. Verse 14 shows that public opinion placed our Lord on the highest human pedestal by identifying Him with one of the natural heroes of the past, John the Baptist. Herod himself was a victim of this particular superstition, (See 14:2.) From 21:15 we know that He was held in high esteem as a prophet by the people. Thou art the Christ: Simon Peter recognized and acknowledged openly the Lord's deity. He may have been speaking for all the disciples. Verse 20 suggests that it was a conviction they all now shared. Peter further used the Greek definite article "the" to designate that Jesus was the Son of the living God.
16:16 When the expression Son of God is used concerning Christ, it delineates the relationship between the first tow members of the Trinity. The Hebrew expression Son of implies one with the same nature as the father. In this sense there is no real difference between "Son of God" and "God the Son." Both emphasize the deity of Christ and His unique relationship with the Father. Illustration: When Jesus identified God as His Father, implying that He was "the Son of God," the Jews understood this as a claim to deity (John 5:18). When Peter identified Jesus as "the Son of the living God" (v. 16), it was the result of spiritual insight (v.17). Application: As we become increasingly intimate with Christ, we should also become increasingly aware that Jesus is the Son of God. (First Reference, Psalm 2:7; Primary Reference, Matthew 16:16; cf. John 3:16.)