Lukas 9:18

18 And it came about while he was davening alone, with only his talmidim with him, he questioned them, saying, Whom do the multitudes declare me to be?

Lukas 9:18 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:18

And it came to pass, as he was alone praying
To his God and Father, for himself as man, and mediator; for the success of his Gospel, and the increase of his interest; and for his disciples, that they might have a clearer revelation of him; and which they had, as appears in their after confession of him by Peter, as the mouth of them all. The place where he now retired for private devotion, was somewhere in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi; for he was now gone from the desert of Bethsaida, as appears from ( Matthew 16:13 ) and when he is said to be alone, the meaning is, that he was retired from the multitude, but not from his disciples; for it follows,

his disciples were with him,
in this solitary place:

and he asked them,
being with them alone;

saying, Whom say the people that I am?
what are the sentiments of the common people, or of the people in general concerning me? The Alexandrian copy, and the Arabic version read, "men", as in ( Matthew 16:13 ) . (See Gill on Matthew 16:13).

Lukas 9:18 In-Context

16 And having taken the chamesh kikrot and the shnei hadagim, and having looked up to Shomayim, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach said a bracha over them, and offered the betziat halechem, and was giving to the talmidim to set before the multitude.

17 And they ate and all were satisfied, and they picked up shirayim, shneym asar baskets full.

18 And it came about while he was davening alone, with only his talmidim with him, he questioned them, saying, Whom do the multitudes declare me to be?

19 And in reply they said, Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva; but others, Eliyahu Hanavi; and others, that a certain navi of the ancients has come back to life.

20 And he said to them, And you, who do you declare me to be? And in reply, Kefa said, The Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach of Hashem.