Q&A Home > B > Holy Bible

How did Simon Peter find out that Jesus was the Christ?

1. A revelation from heaven (Matthew 16:17)?


2. His brother Andrew told him (John 1:41)?



What we know about the early years of St. Peter, prior to his deep relationship of discipleship to our Lord Jesus Christ, is that he was quite opinionated. St. Andrew, having first been disciple by St. John the Baptist, shared the good news of having found the Messiah with his brother, St. Peter. St. Andrew is also attributed to have most likely told St. Philip, as well, since they were from the same town. That initial introduction led to the profound relationship which continued to develop between our Lord Jesus Christ and all of His disciples. Many miracles and events had already taken place by the time our Lord asked His disciples this question. What was St. Peter's initial assumption of who was the Messiah is unknown. Hearing others declaring that Jesus is the Christ was not something new. Demons had already proclaimed Him to be the Son of God, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? You have come to torment us before the time" (Matthew 8:29). It seems certain, though, that they (the Jews) were in a conscious and devout state of search for Him, "We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41). Therefore, it is clear that it was not just a matter of hearing those words, but what was required, was the intervention by revelation of the Holy Spirit of God. Our Lord set the stage for securing a solid foundation for the true faith, the rock upon which the church would be built and the awesome responsibility of the apostles in which to continue in establishing the church as He was preparing His disciples for His pending death and resurrection. However, in responding to the question posed by Christ, the true deity of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, was revealed to St. Peter. "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matthew 16:16). In John 1:41, it is St. Andrew who first announced his belief that they have found the Messiah. Yet, when asked this question by Christ, it is not this Apostle Andrew who made the proclamation. St. Peter did not reveal his faith until that moment. With complete and absolute conviction, he asserted that indeed Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Christ, our Lord, confirmed that St. Peter's faith was enabled by the grace of God the Father and no one else. Therefore, we ought to tell everyone about Christ our God and Savior, but must also not neglect prayer for the grace of God to help lead each person to the conviction of the true faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.