Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Isa 22.19-23;
Ps 137;
Rom 11.33-36;
Mt 16.13-20
The definitive Christian response
Jesus asks, “Who do you say that the Son of Man is?” The passage explains why Jesus initially told His disciples and those He healed not to reveal His identity.
Jesus avoided public claims about being the Messiah because people misunderstood what the Messiah would be. Many expected a political or military leader, while Jesus came as a humble Savior.
His miracles were acts of compassion, not demonstrations intended to make Him famous. He did not want people to see Him merely as a wonder-worker.
Jesus often called Himself the “Son of Man.” The title has roots in Scripture, particularly Daniel, where it refers to a heavenly figure who receives an everlasting kingdom from God.
Peter eventually recognized Jesus’ true identity and declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Yet Jesus still commanded the disciples to remain silent because the full meaning of His identity would only become clear through His Passion, death, and Resurrection.
The secrecy was part of God’s plan of salvation. If Christ’s enemies had fully understood that He was the Lord of glory, they might not have crucified Him. Yet the Crucifixion was necessary for the Resurrection, which would reveal His divine identity.
At the Crucifixion, the Roman centurion proclaimed, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” The hidden identity of the Son of Man was finally being revealed.
After the Resurrection and especially at Pentecost, the disciples were empowered to proclaim openly that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God to all nations.
In summary, our Lord Jesus deliberately revealed His identity gradually because His mission could only be fully understood through the Cross and Resurrection. The question He ultimately puts to every person is: “But you, who do you say that I am?” Peter’s answer—that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God—is presented as the definitive Christian response.
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