What Are People Saying About Jesus

Jesus is now on the scene. John the Baptist, who was on the scene before Jesus, preparing the way for Him, is no longer present. In fact, John has done such a fantastic job of preparation, he has made Jesus known to many of his disciples and followers. We are told that once, when John saw his cousin Jesus, coming his way, he spoke these words to those around him. Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me. John 1: 29b – 30.

John has been killed, beheaded by King Herod and there is no repentance-preaching, water-baptizing, fearless-speaking man of God around, visible as John was. It was after this that Jesus takes up His itinerant ministry, going from place to place, doing His Father’s work. He goes around preaching that people must repent and teaches the Scriptures, boldly and confidently, as never did man speak. He did all kinds of miraculous signs and wonders, with authority and power, unsurpassed.

Jesus even chose twelve men of vastly different backgrounds to follow Him and be His assistants. He had sent out the Twelve on specific assignment, giving them authority over all evil spirits. They willingly obeyed their Master, as they went out in pairs and hit every place they set foot on, by Spiritual Storm, as it were. Mark 6: 12 – 13, gives us this report, concerning the Twelve. They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. Indeed, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the Man from Galilee, called Jesus, was doing mighty things and so were His disciples, who had left all to follow Him.

Jesus’ Name is becoming more and more, a well-known Name among all the people, near and far. So famous is His Name becoming, people begin to speculate and give their views of who this Jesus of Nazareth is. We are now drawn to Mark 6: 15. Others said, He is Elijah. And still others claimed, He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago. Note that everyone is giving his and her views about the Jesus they really do not know. Yet each speaks with confidence and self-given authority, on who Jesus is, based on their experience, their education and their evaluation.

This is most interesting and nearer home than we think. I say this, because, as we are led through the pronouncements of people, on who Jesus is to them, we may discover that many of us are viewing Jesus through those same lenses. Mind you, in the same chapter, other people are saying things about who Jesus is, but this verse has been singled out for a specific reason and to achieve a specific understanding.

The verse clearly states the pronouncements of two minds. One set of people are saying that Jesus is Elijah. Another set of people are saying that He is one of the prophets of the old time days. However, we shall spend the remainder of the time given to us in this week, to look at Elijah, for three reasons. The most obvious reason is that he is the only prophet named in the text. The other reason for looking only at Elijah, is that those who are claiming that Jesus is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago, are including Elijah, since he is one of the prophets of long ago. Additionally, we stick with Elijah, as he is known as the greatest prophet of those old time days.

We wait to receive!