Is the place to begin with Jesus. It takes the question out of the more detached, observational realm—”Who is Jesus?”—and makes it personal. This is not a question about Jesus, but rather a question to Jesus. This is not an intellectual question but a relational question.
You’re likely to get a different answer if you ask someone a question about themselves directly as opposed to asking someone else about them.
Of course, such questions were seemingly a lot easier to ask when Jesus was physically present on planet earth. But only if you happened to be on the right side of the planet, in the right country, in the right town, walking down the right street at just the right moment. Which is why his resurrection (and the subsequent pouring out of his Spirit) are so central to Christian faith: because anyone can now ask him such questions and actually get a response.
“Who are you?” also pulls the question out of the past and into the present. Out of history and into today. Again, the resurrection means that Jesus not only was, but that he is.
“Who are you?” is also the place to end with Jesus. Because if it takes a lifetime to truly get to know another person—like a spouse or a sibling or a life-long friend—we can expect no less when getting to know the Son of God.
The task of the disciple is to live with this question on his or her lips day in and day out.
