Peter As The Representative of the Apostles Declares Jesus to Be the Messiah (9:18-22).
The Gospel of Luke began with a clear revelations of Jesus as Son of the Most High and as Messiah (Luke 1:32; Luke 1:35; Luke 2:11; Luke 2:30). A similar idea had been conveyed in the Temptation story where ‘Son of God' is prominent and in Jesus' quotation at Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). It has also been declared in veiled fashion in His descriptions of Himself as Son of Man, and Bridegroom, and in many of His actions and references. But now He recognises that it is time to see how far His Apostles have understood. It is one thing for us to look back and see how clearly Jesus had made it known, quite another for that small group of the ‘humble poor' to recognise that they were deeply involved in the work of the Messiah come from God. And this was what Jesus was now about to put to the test. Where they aware of Who He really was? Depending on their answer, of which He was probably already cognisant, His aim being to face them with it, from this point on all would change.
a As He was praying apart, the disciples were with Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answering said, “John the Baptiser. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again.”
b And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
c And Peter answering said, “The Christ of God”.
b But He charged them, and commanded them to tell this to no man.
a Saying, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
Note that in ‘a' we have what the crowds say, reference to John who has been executed, and the sentence ends with a resurrection. In the parallel we have what Jesus says and what the leaders of the Jews say (by rejecting Him), reference to Jesus Who will be executed, and the sentence ends with the resurrection. In ‘b' the question is put as to Who He is, and in the parallel He charges them not to tell anyone. Central to the whole in ‘c' is Peter's statement that He is ‘the Messiah of God.'