One of the most interesting and perhaps important (to the Christian Church) dialogues in the Bible took place after Jesus opened a discussion with his disciples by asking, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?"See Matt. 16:13-18.
The answers indicated a scattering of opinion—"John the Baptist," "Elias," "Jeremias, or one of the prophets." But then Jesus called for the view held by his own disciples. What Peter said and then what Jesus said provided the world with a strikingly fresh view of Church—one that lifts religious activity above the limitations of human personality.
Answers that the disciples had given to Jesus' original question concerning the general speculation focused on who Jesus was as "the Son of man." But Peter's reply was, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Mrs. Eddy interprets Jesus' question as, ". . . Who or what is it that is able to do the work, so mysterious to the popular mind?" and Peter's response as, ". . . The Messiah is what thou hast declared,—Christ, the spirit of God, of Truth, Life, and Love, which heals mentally."Science and Health, p. 137.
