One time when Jesus was teaching His followers, He needed to clarify for them just who He was.   Jesus asked them two questions.   First, “Who do others say the Son of Man is?” Answers included John the Baptizer, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another one of the prophets of old.   All these answers assumed Jesus was a resurrected prophet, but they were wrong.

Then my Jesus turned to us and asked, “Who do you all* say that I am?” Peter answered for us—“You are Christ, God.” While Peter didn’t understand Who taught him this, Jesus made it clear to all of us that His body, the church, was founded on this principal principle—Jesus is the Christ, God Himself.    And … the gates of hell shall not overcome His church!!  Yes, us, the church.  Even hell shall not overcome us.

So who is Christ to you?  A convenient curse word?  A great teacher? According to Hebrew, Islamic, and Christian scriptures, He is indeed the greatest prophet.   The last name of Jesus?  No, a thousand times no—Christ is His title, not His name.   Christ is the Lord God Jehovah.   (In doubt?  Compare Isaiah 45:12 to Col.  1:16)

But where did Jesus have this conversation with His followers?**  When you know that, only then will you fully understand His declaration—“the gates of hell shall not overcome” His church.   Attend Bible study on Sunday mornings and learn even more.   It mends the mind and soothes the soul.

*Yes, “you all” is correct; the Greek 2^nd person is plural. 

**In the same area where the “mouth of hell” was presumably in Caesarea Philippi, at least as thought by the culture at the time.