NOTES for Luk 9:18-22

We often wonder why Christ asked the apostles not to tell anyone who He was, yet at times suddenly spoke about it Himself. But if we recall the moments when Christ says directly that He is the Son of God, we shall see that just before this He says something that could have shocked many people at the time and driven them away from Him, something wholly inconsistent with their image of the Messiah, for example the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel.

This is not because Christ wants it to be difficult for us to believe in Him. He wants our faith to be genuine, no matter what. He never says, “I am the Christ,” in such a way that disbelief would be impossible, because He Himself has given us freedom. Thus, in this passage of the Gospel He does not say directly, “I am God’s Christ.” He has just fed five thousand people; believing now would be very easy, but it would be faith not in God, but in a magician and wonder-worker. No, He simply asks the apostles, those who have seen Him not only feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, but also tired and silent. He asks those who are with Him all the time, for whom the question will not be coercion, who He is for them. And the apostles can answer that He is God’s Christ because they follow Him and not only listen, but also strive to fulfill His Word.