But you, who do you say I am? (Mt 16:13-20)
21 Sunday – Year A
In my mother tongue, Tamil, while speaking about great people, speakers and writers often refer to: “the Buddha, Jesus and Gandhi”. These three persons are mentioned as a matter of fact in the same breath. We Christians may feel proud that even non-Christians refer to Jesus as a great man. Looking at it at a deeper level, this expression may not reflect the authentic experience of Jesus.
Who then is Jesus for you? Is he merely a great man? The gospel text of today once again invites us to reflect on this question.
This event – of Jesus asking his disciples – “Who do people say the Son of man is?” and “But you, who do you say I am? – is dramatised in the Gospel of Matthew by various factors that are unique to his narration: Caesarea Philippi is being identified as the geographical location for the event; the second part in the statement of Peter that goes on to recognise Jesus as the ‘Son of God’; and Jesus’ reply to Simon that confirms him as the ‘Peter’ (cephas in Hebrew which means, ‘rock’)…“and on this rock I will build my community” (Mt 16:18) This dramatic event could have meant something special for Jesus himself, and it would have had a significance for the disciples, and to Peter in particular. Let us explore the three possible implications of this event, and in so doing we might understand what it could mean for us today.
Possible Significance for Jesus: Increasing self-knowledge
We humans come to realise who we are in our interaction with other people. The other person becomes the mirror for me to recognise myself. The self-revealing interaction with others can take many forms. Direct verbal feedback is one way we learn more about ourselves from others. In a sense, perhaps, in the gospel-story of today Jesus is seeking a direct verbal feedback from his disciples for a better understanding of himself. Jesus’ own understanding of his nature and mission was a slow process right from his baptism up until his resurrection. There were some high points on this journey like his temptations, the encounter with the Canaanite woman (the gospel reading of last Sunday), the transfiguration, and the agony in the garden. Surely, the incident of Caesarea Philippi could also be added to this list.
Some of my readers and listeners – particularly those who are victims of “Catholic extremism” today – might assume that Jesus had full self-knowledge right from the time of birth. After all, he was God! And God is all-knowing! To them, my question is: why is it easier for us accept that Jesus was 100% God, and not easy to accept that Jesus was also 100% man? And, why does Luke 2:52 attribute growth to Jesus – physically, intellectually, socio-emotionally, and even spiritually?
Now getting back to the gospel text of today, Jesus elicits feedback from his disciples on two levels: one, a report of what they hear people saying. On a deeper level, Jesus also wants to know their own understanding of his person. Peter becomes their spokesperson. However, Peter’s statement: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”, is one step too far! Christ, that is the Messiah, is not expected to be the Son of the God – having the same nature with God. In the Hebrew Scriptures there is no allusion to this. (Interestingly, in Mk and Lk the 2nd part of Peter’s statement does not feature!) Did this surprise Jesus himself? Perhaps yes, because, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus begins to dramatise the reply of Peter, before he continues to talk about his impending suffering and death – and this is the matter for the gospel text for next Sunday. And Jesus is ready to embrace the dual (not dualistic) nature of his mission: to be the Son of God and to suffer!
Significance for the Apostles: To know and to love him more intimately
The event described in the gospel of today was also an invitation to the disciples to deepen and personalise their own understanding of Jesus. It is also an invitation to every follower of Jesus – including you and me. The Gospels constantly invite us to a personal experience of God in Jesus. We are called to personalise our faith that we have received in such way that we are able to know him and love him more intimately.
Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador is reported to have said: “Christianity is not a collection of truths to be believed or laws to be obeyed. Rather, Christianity is a person. Christianity is Christ.” This intimate and personal knowing of Jesus is not merely an intellectual, rational activity, but an experience that is mediated by the Spirit of God Himself.
What is unique to the Gospel of Matthew in the text that we are reflecting on today (Mt 16:13-20) is also the congratulatory note of Jesus to Simon Peter: “Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven” (Mt 16:17). When we try to know Jesus through human effort and rationality we know him only as a great man. Experiencing him as the Son of God is the result of the action of grace in us; and Christian life journey is about opening up ourselves to this grace.
Significance for Peter: To follow him more closely
The location for the event described in the gospel text of today is Caesarea Philippi. It was a Roman city at the foothills of Mt Hermon. The non-Jewish (pagan) location would have been selected by Jesus just for the sake of seclusion. And the mountainous setting could suggest a location for an encounter between God and Humans – a theophany, a revelation. Interestingly, Caesarea Philippi was also known for a temple dedicated to the Greek god Pan, who was the god of shepherds. The Greek word, ‘Paein’ would mean ‘to shepherd’. This context reminds us of John 21: 15-19, which could be considered the Johannine parallel to the synoptic version of the gospel reading of today (Mt 16:13-20; Mk 8:27-30; Lk 9:18-21). In John, Jesus wants to be sure of Peter’s love and not just his understanding of Jesus as the ‘Son of God’. In any case, in both John and Matthew, Jesus entrusts Peter with the responsibility to be the leader of His community; and this leadership would consist in shepherding.
This responsibility of service entrusted to Peter is also an invitation for anyone who has experienced Jesus as the Son of the living God. It is a call to be caring and compassionate in the believing community. It is a call to shepherd the weaklings of the community: to open the doors of the Kingdom to all; to bind the wounds of the broken-hearted; and to loosen the bonds of the weary.