What Do People Say About ME?

 "One day, when JESUS was praying alone, not far from HIS disciples, HE asked them, 'What do people say about ME?'  And they answered, 'Some say, that YOU are John the Baptist; others say, that YOU are Elija; and still others, that YOU are one of the prophets of old, risen from the dead.'  Again, JESUS asked them, 'But who do you say that I AM?'  Peter answered, 'The Messiah of GOD.'  Then JESUS spoke to them, giving them strict orders not to tell this to anyone." - Luke 9:18-21 

(What do people say about ME?  And you, what did you tell them about ME when you were among them?  Who did you tell them I WAS?  Peter answers first, confident that they were not wrong in presenting their teacher as the Messiah, the One sent by GOD.

JESUS does not deny that HE is, but HE forbids them to make it known from then on, because, according to the people, the Liberator had to crush HIS enemies.  Can the apostles simply call Liberator, one who will die on a cross?

By comparing this text with Mark 8:27 and Matthew 16:13, we come to the following conclusion: Matthew combined in a single story two different events in which Peter was first in proclaiming his faith.  The first episode is the one that Luke relates at this point.

In the second, Peter recognized JESUS as the Son of GOD and received the promise that Matthew recalls.  Perhaps this took place after the multiplication of the loaves: compare with John 6:66-69, or perhaps after the Resurrection: compare with John 21:15-17, which insists not on faith, but on the love that JESUS can see in Peter.  See also Galatians 2:7-8.)

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