Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 9:20
He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
20. The Christ of God ] “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” Mat 16:16. “The Lord’s Christ,” Luk 2:26. After the estranging speech at Capernaum our Lord had asked, “Will ye also go away?” and then St Peter’s answer had been “we have believed and recognised that thou art the Holy One of God,” Joh 6:69 ( , B, C, D, L, &c.). Nathanael had recognised Him as “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel.” Later, Martha confessed Him as “the Christ, the Son of God,” Joh 11:27. But now for the first time the revealed mystery was openly recognised and confessed. St Luke omits the blessing of St Peter, which whatever may be its exact meaning at any rate can have conferred on him no sort of primacy or superior authority among the Apostles. See Luk 22:24-26; Mat 18:1; Joh 21:19-23; Gal 2:9; Gal 2:11, &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 20. But whom say ye that I am?] Whom do ye tell the people that I am? What do ye preach concerning me? See also on Mt 16:14; and see the observations at the end of this chapter.
The Christ of God.] The Coptic and later Persic read, Thou art Christ God. After this comes in Peter’s confession of our Lord, as related Mt 16:16, c., where see the notes and see also the observations of Granville Sharp, Esq., at the end of this chapter. See Clarke on Lu 9:62
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He said unto them, but whom say ye that I am?…. Which was the main thing he had in view in this private conference; and in order to introduce which, he puts the former question:
Peter answering: in the name of the rest of the disciples, they assenting to it:
said, the Christ of God; The Persic version reads, “Christ God”; the Messiah, who is the Son of God, and God over all, blessed for ever. The Cambridge copy of Beza’s reads, “the Christ, the Son of God”.
[See comments on Lu 2:26].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But who say ye? (H ;). Note the emphatic proleptical position of : “But ye who do ye say? This is really what mattered now with Jesus.
The Christ of God ( ). The accusative though the infinitive is not expressed. The Anointed of God, the Messiah of God. See on 2:26 for “the Anointed of the Lord.” See on Mt 16:17 for discussion of Peter’s testimony in full. Mr 6:29 has simply “the Christ.” It is clear from the previous narrative that this is not a new discovery from Simon Peter, but simply the settled conviction of the disciples after all the defections of the Galilean masses and the hostility of the Jerusalem ecclesiastics. The disciples still believed in Jesus as the Messiah of Jewish hope and prophecy. It will become plain that they do not grasp the spiritual conception of the Messiah and his kingdom that Jesus taught, but they are clear that he is the Messiah however faulty their view of the Messiah may be. There was comfort in this for Jesus. They were loyal to him.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Ye. Emphatic : “but ye, whom do ye say that I am?” The Christ of God. Each evangelist gives Peter’s confession differently. Matthew, The Christ, the Son of the living God. Mark, The Christ. See on Mt 16:15. On Christ, see on Mt 1:1.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “He said unto them,” (eipen de autois) “Then he said directly to them,” to His disciples, His band or company of followers whom He had chosen, Joh 15:16; Joh 15:27; Mat 16:15.
2) “But whom say ye that I am.” (humeis de tina me legete einai) “Then whom do you all say I am?” Mat 16:15; Joh 6:67-69; Mar 8:29. He sought to draw an expression of their opinions, or if they held different judgments.
3) “Peter answering said, The Christ of God.” (Petros de apikritheis eipen ton Christon tou theou) “Then Peter replying said, the Christ of God,” or the anointed one of God, as he answered for himself and all the others; Mar 8:29; Joh 6:69; Joh 11:27; Act 9:20.
Whatever others had to say, His own company of disciples who knew Him best, who formed His New Covenant Fellowship or church, had and expressed unreserved faith in Him, as the Redeeming Messiah who was to come, Deu 18:15-18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(20) The Christ of God.This precise form of expression is peculiar to St. Luke. It agrees substantially with the Lords Christ of the song of Simeon (Luk. 2:26).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
And then came the crucial question that would determine what was to happen from now on. ‘But who do you (all of you) say that I am?’ We can sense the tenseness that was in the air as He awaited their reply. The Apostles had now had plenty of opportunity of hearing and observing. They had been out proclaiming that the Kingly Rule of God was here. But what was their view of Him? Were they too still restricted to the views of the crowds? It was inevitable that at some stage such a question would arise.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
‘And Peter answering said, “The Christ of God”.’
We can imagine the moment of silence as they all looked at each other. Dare they tell Him what they had been thinking? And then Peter blurted out on behalf of all what they had been saying among themselves. ‘You are the Christ of God.’ To Luke, a Gentile, this was the equivalent of ‘you are the Christ, the Son of the living God’ (Mat 16:16), for he was not deeply limited by Jewish ideas about the Messiah. He was saying that He was the ‘Anointed One come from God’, not only the Messiah but more than the Messiah. In a similar situation in John Peter declares ‘You are the Holy One of God’ (Joh 6:69). All are saying the same thing. They must all be seen in the light of what the voice at Jesus’ baptism had said, of Messianic descriptions, and of the higher level of descriptions given to Jesus in the previous chapters. He is uniquely the One sent from God, not only the Messiah but an exalted Messiah, One beyond their expectations and outside their reckoning, supremely holy to God.
In these circumstances Peter is regularly the one who blurts things out. He was always the one who could not hold himself back. And the other disciples regularly looked to him to bail them out. But he is never appointed officially as leader. In Acts the twelve are deliberately seen as working as a unit even though Peter is the chief spokesman.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
Ver. 20. See Mat 16:13-14 Mar 8:28 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
20. ] See the important addition, the promise to Peter, in Mat 16:17-19 .
Luk 9:22 as far as . is nearly verbatim with Mark; the last clause nearly so with Matt. And yet, according to the Commentators, Mark has compiled his account from Matt. and Luke . The almost verbal agreement of the three in so solemn and sad an announcement, is what we might expect. Such words would not be easily forgotten.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 9:20 . : even the form of the confession, as here given, hides its significance. Peter speaks the language of the apostolic age, the Christ of God , a commonplace of the Christian faith. Mk.’s Thou art the Christ , laconic, emphatic, is original by comparison, and Mt.’s form still more sounds like the utterance of a fresh, strong conviction, a new revelation flashed into the soul of Peter.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
The Christ = The Messiah. App-98.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
20.] See the important addition, the promise to Peter, in Mat 16:17-19.
Luk 9:22 as far as . is nearly verbatim with Mark; the last clause nearly so with Matt. And yet, according to the Commentators, Mark has compiled his account from Matt. and Luke. The almost verbal agreement of the three in so solemn and sad an announcement, is what we might expect. Such words would not be easily forgotten.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
whom: Mat 5:47, Mat 16:15, Mat 22:42
The: Luk 22:67, Mat 16:16, Mat 16:17, Mat 26:63, Mar 8:29, Mar 14:61, Joh 1:41, Joh 1:49, Joh 4:29, Joh 4:42, Joh 6:69, Joh 7:41, Joh 11:27, Joh 20:31, Act 8:37, Act 9:22, Act 17:3, 1Jo 5:1
Reciprocal: Mar 8:27 – and by
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Peter’s confession means “the Anointed one of God.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Verse 20
We ourselves associate so strongly with every portion of the Savior’s life the idea that he was the Messiah, that it is, difficult for us to realize that thus far, there had been no positive evidence brought before the minds of the disciples that he was really the promised Redeemer. Even this conversation does not seem to contain an absolute and direct acknowledgment of it. John the Baptist had before sent some of his disciples to put the question to him, but they received an indirect answer. (Luke 7:19-23.) The demoniacs were in some cases disposed to proclaim him as the Christ, or Messiah; but he always suppressed their intentions; so that, hitherto, a great uncertainty had hung over the minds of the disciples in respect to the person and character of their Master; and, from subsequent remarks made by the apostles, it would appear that all doubt on this subject was not even now entirely removed.
Luke 9:21-26. By these remarks,–addressed first (Luke 9:22) to the disciples and then (Luke 9:23-26) to all his followers,–Jesus intends to check the worldly and ambitious aspirations which they might have been forming, now that they began really to believe that their Master was the Messiah;–supposing, too, that the kingdom of the Messiah was to be established in great outward splendor.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Speaking for the other disciples Peter answered that Jesus was the Messiah whom God had sent (Psa 2:2; Dan 9:26; cf. Isa 9:6-7; Isa 11:1-16). In saying this Peter rejected the notion that Jesus was just a prophet, even one of the greatest prophets. This is how Moslems view Jesus today. Rather he believed that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.
It is not difficult to know just what Peter’s concept of the Messiah was when he made this confession of faith. When Peter’s brother first invited him to come and see Jesus, Andrew referred to Jesus as the Messiah (Joh 1:41). However, most of the Jews of Peter’s day believed that the Messiah would be a descendant of David who would overthrow the Romans and establish the kingdom of God on earth. They did not view Him as deity. Matthew recorded Peter’s full confession including, "the Son of the living God" (Mat 16:16). This is a clear statement of Jesus’ deity. Why did Luke not include that phrase since it would have clarified what Peter meant? Probably he did not see that as necessary since the title "Christ" had become synonymous with a divine Messiah among Gentiles to whom Luke (and Mark) wrote (cf. 1Jn 5:1). Thus Luke appears to have assumed that his readers would understand Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah as a confession of His deity.