MEMORY VERSE: ‘He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?’ Matthew 16:15.
LESSON AIM: To show that this is a crucial question for every human being.
‘Salvation is not something which Christ brings to us and gives to us apart from Himself. Salvation is simply Christ Himself, and there is no salvation except in receiving Christ Himself. We have just so much of salvation as we have of Christ. We are just so far saved as we have the Saviour, and it is by His coming in this way and dwelling in us, that we have salvation. Righteousness cannot be received apart from Him; and we have just as much righteousness as we have of Christ, and no more. Unless He is the indwelling Christ, the Saviour that is in us, there is no righteousness in us. We cannot separate any of these things from Christ Himself.’ W. W. Prescott: Review & Herald, April 14, 1896.
1. What were some of the ideas of Jesus’ contemporaries about who He was? Matthew 16:14.
NOTE: ‘It is true all men ought to worship the one only and true God, and obey Him alone. But ask men, “Who is God?” and what do they reply? Jesus once asked of His disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” What did they answer? Did they report a complete unanimity of opinion among men? Did not their answer show that man failed utterly to agree on that question?’ E. J. Waggoner: Present Truth, June 25, 1896.
2. What was Pilate’s question? John 18:33.
NOTE: ‘The thing for which Jesus was tried was for claiming to be a king. The first recorded question that Pilate put to Jesus was “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” Jesus at first did not answer directly, but after putting a question to Pilate, said, “My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, then I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is My kingdom not from hence.” This was a direct claim that He was a king; for if He had a kingdom, as He here declared, He must be a king. Pilate so understood it, for he asked again, “Art Thou a king then?” Jesus answered, “Thou sayest that I am a king.” Most versions give it as indicated in the margin of the Revised Version, “Thou sayest it, for I am a King.” John 18:33-37. Things are not always what they seemed outwardly. Pilate thought that he was trying a man for his life; in reality he was himself on trial, to see whom he would accept as king. ’ E. J. Waggoner: Present Truth, August 29, 1895.