Saturday 7th June
Read Luke 9:18-20
“Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’
19 They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.’
20 ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
Peter answered, ‘God’s Messiah.’” (NIVUK)
There is acquaintance, and there is family.
Luke has structured this chapter to make it very clear what the difference is. We began with Herod hearing the rumours about who Jesus is. It seems everyone has heard about Him but no-one knows Him well enough. The rumours are repeated by the disciples now when Jesus asks what those same crowds are saying. John, Elijah or one of the prophets come back to life. Clearly different but still unsure.
Jesus asks them directly who they think He is. Those who know Him well. Those with Him when He prays privately. And they know. They may not fully understand what that means yet, and they won’t until after He really has ‘come back to life’, but right now they know who He is. It is personal knowledge. Not hearsay or acquaintance.
There is no salvation in knowing about Jesus. Only in knowing Him.
