And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” (Mark 8:27-29, ESV)
If a new golfer learns how to swing a club, how to chip, and how to putt, but fails to understand the rules or what a golf course is like, then he does not have the full experience of the game of golf.
Jesus confronted the darkness of evil on his own playground, putting into motion the movement of the kingdom of God.The same is true for God’s Word. When we read the text without learning the context—geographical, historical, cultural, literary, and visual—we limit our understanding to the full measure of the story and how the Scripture applies to our lives today. Context is everything!
Today’s passage is a perfect example. We have the advantage of knowing the “rest of the story,” but we need to remember that the disciples were in the story as it unfolded. Jesus could have asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” anywhere. Why did he choose Caesarea Philippi?
Located 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee at the base of Mt. Hermon and near a major trade route, Caesarea Philippi (formerly known as the city of Panias) had one of the largest springs that fed the Jordan River. The abundance of water made it an attractive location for religious worship.
To the first century Jewish audience, setting foot in Caesarea Philippi was an abomination as it was considered the most pagan city in Israel. First, it was one of three locations where Emperor worship occurred. Caesar was worshipped as a divine son of god and the savior to come. The worship of Pan, a Greek god who was half man and half goat, presented the second evil. People worshipped Pan through grotesque sexual acts in order to entice the god to bring forth fertility. And third, a large cave where people presented their worship to demons was thought to be the entrance to the underworld—the gates of Hades.
With this backdrop in full view, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter, filled with the spirit of God, answered, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Peter not only names Jesus as the Messiah, but that their God is a living God, not one of the stone statues being worshipped in Caesarea Philippi.
Jesus went to Caesarea Philippi with an agenda. He confronted the darkness of evil on his own playground, putting into motion the movement of the kingdom of God—a movement of love to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
We all struggle with idols in our hearts that leave us broken and lost. But Jesus in his loving-kindness also asks each of us, “Who do you say that I am?” May we be like Peter and respond with holy joy, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He is the one who loved us first.
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Tracy Hanson
October 26, 2017
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.