ACC ~ Luke 9 v18 - 20

JESUS’ QUESTION FORCES THE DISCIPLES TO SORT OUT THE RUMORS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: You see the skillfulness of the question. He did not at once say, “Who do you say that I am?” He refers to the rumor of those that were outside their company. Then, having rejected it and shown it unsound, he might bring them back to the true opinion. It happened that way. When the disciples had said, “Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, that some prophet of those in old time has risen up,” he said to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?” Oh! how full of meaning is that word you! He separates them from all others, that they may also avoid the opinions of others. In this way, they will not conceive an unworthy idea about him or entertain confused and wavering thoughts. Then they will not also imagine that John had risen again, or one of the prophets. “You,” he says, “who have been chosen,” who by my decree have been called to the apostleship, who are the witnesses of my miracles. Who do you say that I am?” COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 49. [1]

[1] CGSL 218**.

PETER CONFESSES JESUS TO BE THE SAVIOR OF ALL

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: There are many who have been called Christ, from having in various ways been anointed by God. Some have been anointed as kings. Some have been anointed as prophets. They have been so called because they have been anointed. But he who is God the Father’s Christ is One, and One only. Not as though we are christs, and not God’s christs, belonging to some other person. There is only one Christ, because he and he alone has as his Father God who is in heaven. Since, therefore, most wise Peter, confessing the faith correctly and without error, said, “the Christ of God,” it is plain that Peter referred to Jesus as God. For Peter confessed Jesus to be God’s sole Christ, distinguishing him from those to whom the appellation generally belongs. For though he be by nature God and shone forth inexpressibly from God the Father as his only-begotten Word, yet he became flesh according to the Scripture. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 49. [1]

[1] CGSL 218-19**.

TO CONFESS JESUS AS THE CHRIST IS TO CONFESS THE FAITH

AMBROSE: Although the other apostles know, yet Peter answers for them all, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [1] Thus he who manifested both the nature and the name, in whom is the sum of the virtues, encompassed all things. Do we also ask questions about the generation of God, when Paul has judged that he knows nothing, save Christ Jesus and him crucified, and Peter thought nothing else should be confessed, save that he is the Son of God? We also scrutinize when and how he was born and how great he is in the contemplation of human weakness. Paul knew that therein was a stumbling block of a question, rather than the increase of edification, and therefore he judged that he knew nothing but Christ Jesus. Peter knew that all things are in the Son of God, for the Father has given all things to the Son. [2] EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 6.93. [3]

[1] Mt 16:16.

[2] Jn 3:35.

[3] EHG 227*.

FEEDING OF FIVE THOUSAND PROMPTS PETER’S CONFESSION

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: It came to pass that he was alone, praying. His disciples were with him. He asked them, “Whom do the multitudes say that I am?” Now the first thing we have to examine is what it was which led our Lord Jesus Christ to propose to the holy apostles this question or inquiry. No word or deed of his is either at an unseasonable time or without a fitting reason. Rather, he does all things wisely and in their season. What, therefore, do we say, or what suitable explanation do we find for his present acts? He had fed a vast multitude of five thousand men in the desert. How did he feed them? With five loaves! Breaking two small fish into morsels with them! These so multiplied out of nothing that twelve baskets of fragments even were taken up. The blessed disciples, therefore, were astonished as well as the multitudes, and saw by what had been wrought, that he is in truth God and the Son of God. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 49. [1]

[1] CGSL 217*.