Matthew 16:13–18

“Thou Art the Christ”

Jesus asked His disciples who other people thought He was and what the Apostles themselves believed about Him. Peter responded by bearing his testimony that Jesus was the Christ, which he received by revelation through the Holy Ghost. This lesson can help you understand and feel the importance of receiving a testimony of Jesus Christ from Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost.

Student preparation: Invite students to come prepared with how they would answer the following question: How can a testimony of Jesus Christ make a difference in someone’s life?

Possible Learning Activities

Talking with the Savior

Consider inviting students to imagine that they and a few close friends had an opportunity to speak with the Savior. They could then answer the following questions in partnerships or small groups.

• What do you think it would be like to speak with the Savior?

• If He asked you what people today think or say about Him, what would you say?

Read Matthew 16:13–14 to see how His disciples answered a similar question.

Read and mark the Savior’s next, more personal question found in Matthew 16:15. Write in your study journal how you would respond if the Savior asked you this question.

As you continue to study this lesson, think about what you have done or could do to gain or even strengthen your testimony of the Savior.

The scriptures record only the Apostle Peter’s response to the Savior’s question.

Read Matthew 16:16, and mark how Peter responded.

• What does it mean that Jesus is “the Christ”?

• What does it mean that He is “the Son of the living God?”

If you need help answering these questions, see “Jesus Christ” in the Guide to the Scriptures or “Anointed One” in the Bible Dictionary.

Consider marking Matthew 16:17 to remember that the Savior told Peter that he was “blessed” because of his testimony.

Review the following scenarios, and identify ways having a testimony of Jesus Christ could be a blessing in those scenarios.

Consider copying the following scenarios on the board. Be sensitive to students who may currently be facing these or similar situations.

1. You struggled with a condition or disease that limited your physical activity

2. You became very wealthy or very poor

3. You felt overlooked or like you didn’t belong

4. You lost a loved one

• How might your reactions to these circumstances be different if you did not have a testimony of Jesus Christ?

• What experiences have you or someone you know had where a testimony of Jesus Christ was helpful?

Consider asking follow-up questions. Some examples could be “What did you learn about the Savior from that experience?” or “What did you do in that experience that allowed your testimony of Jesus Christ to help you? Why did those actions help?”

Testimony

Imagine that someone said to you, “It’s great that Peter had a testimony, but he got to be with the Savior every day. How can I get a testimony of Jesus Christ without ever being with Him?” As you study this section of the lesson, think about how you would respond.

Read Matthew 16:17, looking for a truth about how we receive a testimony of Jesus Christ. (Note: “Bar-jona” means “son of Jonah.”)

• What truth did you find about how to receive a testimony of Jesus Christ?

Write the following bolded truth on the board to display for the remainder of the lesson. Be sensitive to students who may not feel that they have a testimony of Jesus Christ. Seek the inspiration of the Holy Ghost as you determine how to best approach this topic.

You may have identified a truth similar to the following: A testimony of Jesus Christ comes by revelation from Heavenly Father.

• Why is it important to know that our Heavenly Father is the source of revelation?

• Why might Heavenly Father want to reveal to us truth about Jesus Christ?

This testimony of Jesus Christ that comes from the Father is revealed through the Holy Ghost (see 1 Corinthians 12:3). President Russell M. Nelson taught:

The most important truth the Holy Ghost will ever witness to you is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

(Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 96)

Remember that a testimony of Jesus Christ is very personal and different for each of us.

In your study journal, write down which of the following best describes your feelings:

• I have received a testimony of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost but want it to be stronger.

• I do not feel I have received a testimony of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost.

• My testimony of Jesus Christ is as strong as I want it to be.

• I don’t understand why I would want a testimony of Jesus Christ.

Keep in mind where you feel you are with your own testimony of Jesus Christ as you do one or more of the following activities. One way we receive revelation from the Holy Ghost is through thoughts and feelings. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings that help you want, gain, or strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ.

Display the following options and instructions for students to choose from.

Activity A: What can we do to gain or strengthen our testimonies of Jesus Christ?

Create a list of some of the actions you think and feel you could do to gain or increase your testimony of Jesus Christ. To add to your list, think of experiences Peter had with the Savior in the New Testament. For examples, review Luke 5:1–11 and Matthew 14:22–33. Identify choices Peter made in those experiences that may have affected his testimony of Jesus Christ. Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost as you write down how you can make similar choices. Consider how Peter’s experiences show the importance of having a testimony of Jesus Christ.

Activity B: How did someone you trust gain their testimony of Jesus Christ?

Call, text, or email a parent, family member, or trusted friend. Ask them to share how they gained their testimony of Jesus Christ and why it is important to them. Ask about actions they felt were most helpful in coming to that testimony. Pay attention to impressions you feel about how you could follow their example.

Activity C: Where can I learn more about gaining a testimony of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost?

Watch “Increase Your Testimony” (4:59) or “The Hope of God’s Light” (6:46), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, or read or watch a portion of the talk “Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection,” by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 107–10), looking for insights on how and why to seek a testimony through the Holy Ghost.

• What did you think and feel as you read the talk or watched a video?

• Where else might you look for more experiences and information on testimonies of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost?

• Why is it important to continue to grow and strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel?

Invite students to briefly share what they found with the class or in partnerships or small groups.

Think of someone who could benefit from what you learned. Write them a brief letter explaining what you learned that could benefit them. Consider sharing your testimony of Jesus Christ and how you gained that testimony.

When you finish your letter, pause and listen for promptings from the Holy Ghost on what you need to do to gain or strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ. Write down impressions you have in your study journal, and make a plan to act on them.

If there is time, encourage willing students to share their letters with the class, including how they gained their testimonies of Jesus Christ. Encourage them to act on any impressions they received.

Commentary and Background Information

How can I gain a testimony of Jesus Christ?

Watch “The Power of a Personal Testimony,” found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 9:27 to 13:19.

How can I strengthen my testimony of Jesus Christ?

President Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society General President, gave these insights:

Are our testimonies built on the bedrock foundation of Jesus Christ and His gospel? When the storms of life press upon us, do we frantically look for a how-to book or an internet post for help? Taking the time to build and strengthen our knowledge and testimony of Jesus Christ will yield rich dividends in times of trial and adversity. Daily reading of scriptures and pondering the words of living prophets, engaging in meaningful personal prayer, mindfully partaking of the sacrament each week, giving service as the Savior would—each of these simple activities becomes a building block for a joyful life.

(Jean B. Bingham, “That Your Joy Might Be Full,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 87)

How important is living by a testimony of Jesus Christ?

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

The 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants makes it clear that being “valiant in the testimony of Jesus” [Doctrine and Covenants 76:79] is the simple, essential test between those who will inherit the blessings of the celestial kingdom and those in the lesser terrestrial kingdom. To be valiant, we need to focus on the power of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice to overcome death and, through our repentance, to cleanse us from sin, and we need to follow the doctrine of Christ. We also need the light and knowledge of the Savior’s life and teachings to guide us on the covenant pathway, including the sacred ordinances of the temple. We must be steadfast in Christ, feast upon His word, and endure to the end.

(Quentin L. Cook, “Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 43)

How do modern Apostles testify of Jesus Christ?

Watch “Living Apostles Testify of Jesus Christ” (2:16) or other videos located at ChurchofJesusChrist.org/prophets-and-apostles/what-are-the-prophets-testimonies to see some examples.

What is the rock that Jesus said He would build His Church on?

As the Savior taught Peter about revelation, He used a wordplay on Peter’s name, declaring to Simon, “Thou art Peter [Petros], and upon this rock [petra] I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). The Greek word petros means an isolated small rock or stone. The Greek word petra can also mean “a stone,” but in addition it can refer to stony soil, bedrock, or a large mass of rock. From these words we learn that it was not upon Peter as a man that the Church would be built but upon the bedrock of revelation.

Supplemental Learning Activity

A testimony of Jesus Christ does not come all at once

Consider inviting students to read the account of the blind man being healed a little at a time in Mark 8:22–26 and to consider how this account shows that we come to “see” the Savior and His hand a little bit at a time. This is often typical of how revelation comes (see 2 Nephi 28:30 and Alma 12:9–11).