Luke's 9:18-27 - Jesus' Expectation Shattering Identity

Opening Question

Introduction

Up to this point in Luke’s Gospel, we as the readers have been given the responsibility to observe Jesus’ life and ministry and answer the question: “Who is this Jesus?” In fact, within the various narrative units, the individuals and groups within the stories have explicitly stated the question:

Luke 5:21 - “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Luke 7:19 - “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

Luke 7:49 - “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

Luke 8:25 - “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Luke 9:9 - “who is this about whom I hear such things?”

But now, in the passage we will look at today, Jesus poses the question to his disciples (and to us) - “who do you say I am?”

This is a foundational purpose of Luke’s Gospel, to demand a response from the reader about who Jesus is. So, in our passage today, we will see Peter answer the question on behalf of all of Jesus’ disciples; we will see Jesus correct a misunderstanding on the part of His disciples; and then we will see the implications of His identity for His disciples.

Lesson Structure

Jesus’ Identity Declared (Luke 9:18-20)

A Misunderstanding Corrected (Luke 9:21-22)

The Implications for His Disciples (Luke 9:23-27)

Luke 9:18-20 - Jesus’ Identity Declared

How can Luke say that Jesus was alone and that the disciples were with him?

Luke is making the point that Jesus is away from the crowds. He was often hounded by the crowds (which is one of the reasons Jesus would forbid people from sharing about their healing experience at times throughout the gospels). In order to spend time with His Father in prayer, Jesus would have to seek out a desolate place.

Lk. 5:16; 6:12; 11:1

On this occasion, as in Luke 11, Jesus’ disciples are with Him while He is praying away from the presence of the crowds.

At this moment, Jesus asks His disciples about who the crowds, the people who have been around Jesus throughout His Galilean ministry, say that He is.

How do the disciples answer? Have we seen this already in Luke’s gospel?

John the Baptist or one of the prophets of old.

The crowds are saying that Jesus is a resurrected prophet doing miraculous works like Elijah and Elisha did.

Lk. 7:16; 7:39; 9:7-8

Jesus’ ministry has been similar in character to Elijah and Elisha’s ministry.

So, we need to answer the question: are the crowds wrong?

They are wrong in that their answer is incomplete. Jesus is a prophet, but He is more than a prophet, as we will continue to see developed throughout Luke’s Gospel.

There is an important point of application for us here: being partially right about Jesus’ identity is not sufficient. People cannot be saved by believing Jesus was a good teacher, or a miracle working prophet, or a moral example. People must believe that Jesus is who He claims to be.

So Jesus now makes it personal for His disciples. He asks them: “But who do you say that I am?” And how does Peter respond?

And Peter responds: The Christ of God.

What is the Old Testament term that is equivalent to Christ?

Messiah - “anointed one” - anointed with oil

Let’s explore this term a bit:

The term in the Old Testament indicated someone who was “appointed by God for a certain role,” by being anointed with oil.

Kings - 2 Samuel 23:1 calls David “the anointed of the God of Jacob.” and in 1 Samuel 24:6 David calls Saul “the LORD’s anointed.”

Priests - Leviticus 21:10 says “The priest who is chief among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments...”

Prophet - 1 Kings 19:16 - “and Elisha…you shall anoint to be the prophet in your place.”

So, we can see that the term Messiah was used to designate one as set apart and appointed for a specific role. But what was the expectation for the Messiah whom Peter is identifying Jesus to be?

The Messiah was expected to be a ruler based on God’s Word to David in 2 Samuel 7.

2 Samuel 7:12-16 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

There was an expectation for a descendant of David who would reign as King FOREVER.

This idea continued to develop throughout Israel’s history as God progressively revealed more to His people about the identity and role of this Messianic ruler:

Throughout the prophets, we read about this coming descendant of David as One who will shepherd God’s people, bring them salvation, judge the nations, destroy all human kingdoms, and bring about the perfect Kingdom of God.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

Ezekiel 34:22-24

Zechariah 9:9-10

Daniel 2:44-45

Daniel 7:13-14

So, when Peter says that Jesus is the Christ of God, what do you think his expectation for Jesus was?

He and the other disciples likely expected Jesus to overthrow Rome, establish God’s kingdom on earth, exalt the Jews to the places of authority, and shepherd God’s people in peace and prosperity.

This was their understanding of Jesus’ identity.

Was their understanding of Jesus’ identity sufficient?

Luke 9:21-22 - A Misunderstanding Corrected

Why do you think Jesus tells his disciples not to tell anyone about his identity as the Christ/Messiah of God?

We have to include the context of Jesus’ words in vs. 22. In vs. 22 what four things does Jesus say must happen?

He says that He, the Son of Man,

1) must suffer many things

Rejection, persecution, beating, etc.

2) be rejected by the religious leaders

3) be killed

4) be raised from the dead

What is Jesus doing to the disciples’ understanding of what it means for Him to be the Christ?

He is correcting their misunderstanding. He is revealing to them the full extent and nature of His work.

Before their expectations for the Messiah will be fulfilled, there will first be suffering, rejection, and death.

So, back to our question, why does Jesus not want the disciples to tell others about his identity?

The disciples do not yet understand what it means fully for Jesus to be the Messiah and Jesus does not want them going about and proclaiming a misunderstood view of His identity.

In the book of Acts, after the disciples come to an accurate understanding of what it means for Jesus to be Messiah, the Holy Spirit empowers them to proclaim it to the ends of the earth, but at this stage, they have more yet to learn before they can go about proclaiming His Messianic identity.

So, Luke has presented to us the readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God. But he has also shown us Jesus’ corrective teaching about what Jesus’ mission as the Messiah is. Now, let’s look at the implications of His identity to the original disciples and for us as disciples today.

Luke 9:23-27 - Implications for Jesus’ Disciples

If Jesus were the type of Messiah that the disciples were expecting, what would that mean for them as His followers?

Glory! Power. Position. Authority. Peace. Prosperity. A good life in the kingdom.

With Jesus’ clarification of His identity comes a radical shift for the disciples in what it means to follow Him. Jesus not only teaches His disciples about His identity, but He also teaches them about what it means for them.

According to vs. 23, what must a person do if he or she wants to follow Jesus?

Deny himself

Denying oneself means to disregard oneself as a potential source for one’s salvation. I deny that I have the ability or wisdom to save myself.

I deny myself the right of governing or directing my own life. I entrust my life to God.

I deny myself authority over my own life and submit myself to the authority of God.

Take up his cross daily

“The background of the image is clearly a Roman picture of a criminal sentenced to die for a heinous crime. The criminal not only was crucified, but carried his own cross…Cross-bearing publicly displayed a person’s submission to the state. The criminal rebelled against the state, and so bore the penalty of punishment from it. Cross-bearing was a visible, public affair that visualized a person’s humility before the state. Thus, the fundamental idea is of submitting to the authority of another—in this case God.” -Darrell Bock

“cross-bearing means that one’s independent life is at an end, an element that reinforces the picture of self-denial and submission.”

Follow Jesus

This is a present tense continuous verb in Greek and indicates an ongoing action. A disciple must deny himself, submit to God, and then consistently and continually follow Jesus. And the path that Jesus takes, as shown in vs. 21-22, is a path of suffering before glory.

As Jesus will be rejected, so his disciples must be willing to follow Him into rejection.

As Jesus will be persecuted, so his disciples must be willing to follow Him into persecution.

“To join with Jesus is to face the opposition of others.” -Bock

Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus.

In vs. 24-25, what explanation does Jesus offer for why a disciple must do these things?

“If one wishes to save one’s life through the world’s acceptance, it will be lost because of a refusal to come to a rejected Jesus, who nevertheless does save” -Bock

Given the reality that Jesus will suffer rejection, persecution, and death, one might conclude that it would be best not to follow Him. In fact, from a human perspective, it is much safer and more comfortable not to follow Him.

The problem is that this refusal to follow Jesus in order to save one’s life leads to losing it.

However, the offer stands that for all who are willing to give up their lives for Jesus’ sake, their lives will be truly saved.

Jesus adds a rhetorical question in vs. 25. What is the answer?

NOTHING.

“The risk is greater in holding on to one’s life than in giving it over to God for Jesus’ sake.” -Bock

What does it profit you if you gain all of the world’s comforts, riches, securities, and pleasures and yet you lose your life before God for all of eternity?

“It is a shame to live life, only to miss knowing the giver of life. What one possesses in the pursuit of things in this life cannot be possessed permanently. Only God can give such benefits.” -Bock

What does Jesus add to His growing description of discipleship in vs. 26?

The one who is ashamed of Jesus and His words before men, of that person will Jesus be ashamed at His return.

To be ashamed of Jesus and His words: to reject Jesus and His teaching and be unwilling to confess allegiance to Him publicly and through one’s obedience.

If one rejects Jesus now, that person will experience eternal rejection. When Jesus returns as judge, what a person decides now about Jesus will be the determinative factor for the judgment.

A note about Jesus’ use of Son of Man: Daniel 7:13-14

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14  And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

This speaks of Jesus’ authority and glory as God. Although Jesus will suffer, be rejected, and be killed, He will also be raised and will be given all authority by which to judge the world.

Thus, a person ought to follow Jesus and endure suffering and acknowledge Him before men, because that is what will ultimately lead to life and salvation.

Finally, what does Jesus add in vs. 27?

Some will see the Kingdom of God. What is the point of this conclusion to his particular section?

Future hope that sustains the disciples through their suffering.

This likely refers to Jesus’ Transfiguration that takes place in the very next verses here in Luke’s Gospel because Peter, James, and John are able to see Jesus in His glory. But it is likely also seen in the powerful growth of the Kingdom after Jesus ascends to the Father and sends the Spirit.

The point is that the hopes that the disciples have that the Christ will conquer the enemies of God and His people, that He will establish His rule and God’s Kingdom, and that He will reign over His people in the perfect peace and prosperity of the presence of God will come to pass after the suffering.

We, Jesus’ disciples, can endure the suffering, rejection, and murderous hatred of this world because we have the hope of the Kingdom of God. We deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. We willingly lose our lives now. We boldly acknowledge Him before others no matter the cost. And we do it all because we know that the fullness of the Kingdom is coming.

“In the long run, allegiance to Jesus is worth the cost, since the story to come lasts forever.”

Application

Let’s break application into three sections. How should this passage change our beliefs, attitudes, and actions?

Beliefs

Attitudes

Actions