Year A
Season after Pentecost
Proper 16 (21)
Contextual Background:
At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responds: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus blesses him and declares, “On this rock I will build my church.”
Within the Jewish Tradition:
“Messiah” evoked hopes for a liberator like David. “Son of the living God” contrasted with the lifeless idols of empire. Augustus Caesar was labeled “son of god,” the god Apollo. This offered divine sanction for their dominating ways much as Pharaoh was the son of the god Ra.
Jesus as the Son of God meant that God’s work happens starting in Nazareth, among those of low status.
The Challenge Then:
The challenge was to confess Jesus’ identity not as a conqueror but as God’s servant-Messiah, whose path was self-giving love.
The word church here is the word ekklesia – “the called out ones” like the democratic assemblies of Greek city states. This evokes the Son of Man language in Daniel 7, in which the Son of Man arrives leading to the “fully human ones” ruling together.
The Challenge Now:
Confessing Christ today can be twisted into partisan loyalty or tribal exclusivism. Many churches use Peter’s confession as an excuse for saying that only those who belong to their church or religion are really human. The true confession is living as Christ’s body: vulnerable, courageous, reconciling. These claims sound like they take Jesus seriously but make the church more like Caesar than Christ. These claims sound humble but emphasize the power and control of the pastor, usually male, over the rest of the church.
Implications for Leaders & Communities:
- Leaders: guard against turning confession into control.
- Communities: embody Christ’s life as a people of mercy and justice.
What I Am Learning:
Confessing Christ is not just words but a way of life.
The Question I’m Sitting With:
How does my confession of Christ shape how I live, not just what I say? How does our confession help us shape the church in an open circle of mutuality instead of a pyramid of power?
