SON OF THE LIVING GOD

Whom do you say that I the Son of man am?
MATTHEW 16:13

Jesus, walking down a dusty road with His evangelistic team of twelve apostles, arrived at the city of caesarea-Philippi at the mouth of the Jordan  River. He paused for a moment and said whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (Matt. 16:13).
I like the designation but which our Lord identified Him self-taught Son of man. The Son of God became the Son of man to make us the Son of God! Seventy-five times throughout the gospels, Jesus declared Himself to be the Son of man, thereby identifying with the problems of mankind. As the Son of man, He healed the sick, He fed the hungry, He wept with the bereaved. He understands our weaknesses and our frailties, in all points tempted likes as we are (Hebrew. 4:15) He is the true Son of man. He is acme of manhood. He is the apex of manliness the tallest, the noblest of men. He is the perfect example of what God ordained man to be.
Jesus knew Himself to be the Son of God, but humbly identified Himself as the Son of man in order to lead and guide humanity by His example. He also realized that the Jews did not know that He was the fulfillment of Prophecy- the promised messiah of Israel. He did not ask what the Scribes and Pharisees were saying about Him. He wanted to know what the common people thought about the miracles that followed Him wherever He went. Therefore, He said: whom do men say that I the Son of man am? (v. 13). And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist : some, Elias; and other Jeremias, or one of the prophets (v. 14).
Everywhere they went, the disciples heard the subject discussed, and had often questioned among themselves, "Who is He?" some believed Him to be the ghost of John the Baptist, who had beheaded by Herod Antipast for preaching repentance. Others thought the Prophecy in Malachi 4:5 that God would send the Prophet Elijah back to them. Was fulfilled in this man. He said unto them, but whom say ye that I Am? And Simon Peter answer and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (vv. 15-16) No doubt John the beloved was ready to answer. Philip possibly would have said something if he been fast enough. Andrew would would have been glad to make a statement, but Peter instantly broke the silence. By temperament, he seemed to be the spokesman for the group, and the answer flowed from Peter like a gushing River. Since the time Jesus had come to them walking on the water (Matt 14 :25-33), they were sure that He was Son of God, but now the Words came from Peter like explosion.
We know who you are! You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God! you are the One who is promised to Israel! Peter's confession is the greatest single declaration ever made by man  throughout history. It forever identified Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ of God. Around that one statement have been  fought the greatest world battles in all ages of Christendom.
The mystery was revealed. Jesus of Nazareth was none other than the exclusive, unique, only-begotten of the Father in heaven. He was born by the mysterious Fatherhood of God which no human intellect has fully comprehend born before the universe was created in the infinite past, so remote that no chronicle of events concerning it has been released. But somewhere in the throne room of eternity, Elohim conceived a son and cried, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God! And in this instant of time God revealed that truth to Peter and the others. Yes, Jesus, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God!