Who Is Jesus? — One Question, Two Moments of Understanding

The Gospels revolve around one central question: Who is Jesus?

This question unfolds through two important moments in the lives of the disciples.

First, Jesus asks them, “Who do people say that I am?” After hearing several answers, he asks more directly, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter responds, “You are the Christ.” This is a statement of faith. Yet at that moment, Peter does not fully understand what being “the Christ” really means. This becomes clear when Jesus immediately speaks about suffering and death, and Peter strongly objects. Peter accepts the title, but not the path that comes with it.

Soon after this comes the event on the mountain, often called the Transfiguration. It is usually understood as Jesus himself being physically transformed. But there is another simple and reasonable way to read this story. The change does not happen in Jesus; it happens in the disciples. Their way of seeing Jesus is transformed. They are given a moment of insight in which they see him not just as a teacher or miracle worker, but as the center of God’s saving work. This is best understood as a vision or inner revelation.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah fits this understanding. Rather than thinking of them as literally returning from the past, they can be seen as symbols of the Law and the Prophets. Their presence expresses the idea that Israel’s Scriptures find their fulfillment in Jesus. Peter’s confused reaction—wanting to build shelters—shows that he is overwhelmed and does not yet grasp the full meaning of what he is experiencing, which is typical of visionary moments.

Afterward, Jesus tells the disciples not to speak about what they have seen until after the resurrection. This instruction makes sense if the experience is a personal revelation rather than a public event. Only after Jesus’ death and resurrection will the disciples be able to understand and communicate its meaning.

Seen this way, Peter’s confession and the mountain vision are two stages of the same journey. First comes intellectual recognition: “You are the Christ.” Then comes deeper insight: seeing what that confession truly means. Jesus does not change; the disciples do. The Gospels invite every reader to face the same question: Who is Jesus—not only in words, but in understanding?