Who do you say that I am?

We now focus more directly on Jesus and we question to gain understanding. If we are to make any sense of this Bible Study, we must enter into our knowledge of Christ.

Matthew 16:13-17

• What is Jesus referring to when he says, "flesh and blood did not reveal this to you"?

• Who do we say that Jesus is? Is He just a cool moral teacher, a radical religious person that imposes His faith on others?

Jesus is Unique: He Makes Himself the Central Issue (John 14:6)

• These are fighting words

• CS Lewis's Trilemma

  • Liar - It is not true, but He lives and talks like it is so

    • How can we reconcile the miracles he did with the falsehood of the statements?

  • Lunatic - He is crazy enough to believe it so and thereby lives like it

    • Why would anyone follow Him?

  • Lord - he actually is God, he talks, and he lives like it.

• Jesus does not give you an opportunity to just accept His moral/spiritual teaching rather He places the logical dilemma of accepting or rejecting His divinity

Jesus’ Actions: Jesus Does What God Does

(Psalm 107:28-30, Matthew 8:23-27, 9:2-7) (Mark 4:41) Matthew 9:2-3).

Jesus’s Words: Jesus Speaks about Himself as Equal to God (John 10:30, John 8:58)

What Does This Mean for Me Jesus either is Lord, a Liar or a Lunatic.

The Name of Jesus (CCC 430), I AM (CCC 213), Christ (CCC 436): “True God from True God” (CCC 242)

Lectio Luke 15:11-32

Lectio (Portions of this information comes from an exegetical work done by Eric Gallagher either by direct quote or inspiration and other resources as well)

1. The Falling Away and Losing of Everything (Verses 11-16)

   1. The parable of the prodigal son fits right into Chapter 15 of Luke’s gospel as Christ uses the theme of things that are lost.

      1. The First Parable was about foolishness.

      2. The Second through no fault of its own

      3. This one, was not only deliberate but contrary to love and conscience

• "Two" is meant to remind the reader of every "two" in scripture.

  • Cain and Abel

  • Ishmael and Isaac

  • Esau and Jacob

  • In this parable we may notice too that there is a son that sins by omission (defect) and one by commissions (excess)

• Sirach 33:23 says “At the time when you end the days of your life, in the hour of death, distribute your inheritance.” It was common for a son to assume that he was going to receive an inheritance and that part of everything the father had worked towards was handed down to him after his father's death, but asking for it early was like requesting his “fathers’ very soul” or “demanding the father’s own death.”

  • This implies he cares not at all about being a part of the family and disregards any benefits accruing thereto.

  • His desire is to have an abundant life which, to him, is a life of freedom without limits. 

  • He views his relationship with his father as one that is controlled and limited blinding him to all that he is receiving.

• The Father anticipates the son's ambition to spend his wealth. 

  • The state of mind traces to its end

  • This shows us that the disposition of truly receiving the gift of the love of his father was never truly there.

  • After squandering, the son was not satisfied and utterly without the benefits he sought. 

    • In Leviticus 11:7 the swine is referred to as an unclean animal and "represents everything reprehensible to every Jewish sensibility, would be a curse indeed"

2. The Desolation and Remembering of the Father's Love (Verses 17-19)

• After feeling empty and hungry for some time, the son begins to recall the generosity of his father. He begins to understand that even those who work for his father at the lowest level are treated better than he has it now. 

• The son’s thoughts also point to the original desire that he had in which he desired to be free. 

• It is at this point that we see the son begin to focus more on the interior than the exterior.

• “A man who is very sick is willing to take the most bitter medicines, and place himself at the mercy of the most cruel surgeons if he knows the grievousness of his sickness, and the great danger he incurs of losing his life.”

• His greatest hope was to be a lowly servant of his father. He knew what he deserved, but hoped for so much more.

3. The Repentance and Return (Verse 20-21)

• Being that the father caught sight of his son at a distance, we can imagine that the father must have been waiting and watching for his son.

• The literal translation of embrace in this passage means “fell upon his neck.”

  • Esau ran to Jacob to embrace and kiss him (Genesis 33:4)

  • Joseph fell upon the neck of his brother Benjamin (Genesis 45:14).

• He does not use the exact phrasing he rehearsed but incorporates "Father" amid it

  • He knows what he deserves but anticipates mercy as has been shown in the Father's love so far.

4. The Father Rejoices and Bestows Mercy (Verses 22-24)

There is hardly a more scandalous message in all of the Bible, except perhaps the "Word was made flesh", than the name and meaning of that name given to the Word, "God Saves". This was a message the scribes and Pharisees could not get their head around. In fact in this parable we see the "older brother" who just doesn't understand the Father's mercy.

• The father, in his great love, does not require a full explanation, instead he immediately orders a joyous feast.

• The robe and ring 

  • symbols of honor and authority

  • Genesis 41:42 of Pharaoh giving power to Joseph and taking his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck 

  • Esther 3:10 when the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Agagite.

  • The “best” robe, also referred to as the “first robe” which is a “reference to the lost robe of grace.”

  • It signifies a restoration of what was which we call actual grace

• Sandals

  • putting shoes on his feet is a sign of the son being welcomed back into full family relationship

  • a slave would have been barefoot.

Instead of spending time praising, them for their efforts and showering them with gifts, Christ was spending time eating with sinners, healing the sick, and providing for the poor. (this parable in fact is meant to answer the questioning of the Pharisee about this tendency)

5. The Older Brother  (Verses 25-32)

• The older brother knows the benefits of remaining with His father but fails in doing it joyfully and in relationship to the father being away as he is. Not only does the older brother misunderstand the mercy, He disagrees with it. In essence, He claims that his brother made his choice and that in celebrating his return it justifies the problem. However, we notice that the Older brother has no idea what his brother has been through, and moreover, the conversion He underwent.

• Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT points out that the Younger Brother because of the knowledge of poverty he has, is able to receive so much more than the older brother who is the brother of a defect

  • Luke 7:47: Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.”

  • John 13:34-35: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

  • 1 John 4:19: We love because he first loved us.

  • In truth, the poverty is the same in both

The parable ends rather abruptly leaving the listener with a choice, inviting them to love and accept the sinner just as the father has in the parable or refusing to forgive and love. Just as the father calls the older brother to a deeper understanding of his love, Christ is calling the Pharisees and giving them an open invitation to celebrate the return of their lost brothers. 

Answering the Question "Who do you say that I am?"

This journey will track the entirety of one's life. The truth is, without our relationship with God, we are incapable of answering the question of who we truly are. Our identity has been lost in sin. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and it is only proper that we ask Him, "Who do you say that I am?"—so that we may truly know ourselves and love ourselves as God has loved us.

There comes a point where we can no longer love others in our self-hatred and regret. When we realize all we’ve lost due to our folly, it is then that we must forgive ourselves and move forward. We must return immediately to the God who loves us and who alone is capable of restoring what we lost, including our true identity.