“But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Mr 14:61 AV)
Every soul must ask the same question. There are only two possible answers to this question. This is either a yes or no question. The High Priest asked this of Jesus at His rigged trial. He affirmed that indeed He is so. Yet that did not change the predisposed conclusion of the rebellious. If you are going to ask a question, you must also accept the correct answer. Is Jesus the Christ? Is he the Son of God? The answer is yes. That is not in dispute. What the soul does with the right answer is the issue at hand. For the disciple, this means a restored relationship with the Father, a changed life, and a home in heaven. For the rebellious, rejection and destruction was the response. The response did not change who Christ is or was. It did change the inquisitor’s state. Affirming the truth change one’s life and eternal state. So, too, does rejection. The question cannot be avoided. All people, of all times, and from all places, must ask the same question. The answer will always be the same. What the soul does with the truth is at play here.
We could limit the application to those who do not know Christ. That would certainly be consistent with the passage. But if we meditate on the question a bit more, this same question could be asked of the saints again and again. The title ‘Christ’ means the anointed. It is the Greek equivalent to ‘Messiah’. When the Jesus is referred to as the ‘Christ’, the word of God is testifying to the office for which Jesus came. He is the anointed messenger, king, and priest of all mankind. The question above is more pointed than what one might think. The question alludes to the right and responsibility of Jesus to reign as LORD and King. This is not a question of the mere identity of Jesus, but goes to His purpose and calling. When the child of God asks the question, he is affirming the right of Jesus to be King and LORD in his or her life. We may accept such a ruler when things are going badly. But if we are challenged by obedience and faith, the question becomes both necessary and difficult. The second identifier speaks to the power of Jesus to fulfill His purpose and calling. If Jesus is the Son of God, then He is also God. If He is God, then He possesses all power to reign. This question is a follow up to the previous one. If Jesus is the Christ, and He possesses all power to rule and reign, our only choice is to come under the Lordship of the Son of God. Theologically, we agree. Pragmatically, not so much.
Every time we disobey or live in fear or anxiety, we may think Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, but our hearts are telling us something different. This question is not a onetime deal. It has to be asked almost daily. Every time there is potential for fear, a temptation to the flesh, or an overwhelming situation, the same question must be asked. Is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? Every time the future looks bleak, the present seems impossible, or the past too traumatic to forget, the same question must be asked. Is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? Every time to world seems overbearing, the Devil harasses beyond our ability to resist, or the flesh is simply too big to fight, the question must be asked afresh. Is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? When we must say goodbye to those dearest to us, when our calling seems herculean, or friends tend to be fickle, the question must be asked again and again. Is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? This question isn’t reserved solely for the lost. It is a question for every soul. This question is not reserved for times when the soul is in jeopardy of eternal judgment. It is a question that must be asked of those who know Christ more than we would admit. So, the question is posed to you! Is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
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