<p>9:18 <i>And it came to pass, as he was praying alone, that his disciples joined him; and he asked them, saying- Erotao</i>&nbsp;can mean to pray, to entreat, to ask for something- rather than to casually enquire about an opinion held. He asked the question seeking a positive answer; He was indirectly asking them to believe in Him as God's Son.</p><p><i>Who do the crowds say that I am?</i>- This was to pave the way for His more significant, personal question: Whom do&nbsp;<i>you</i>&nbsp;say I am? (:20). &quot;Say&quot; translates&nbsp;<i>lego</i>&nbsp;which more specifically means to speak rather than 'to believe' or 'to understand'. He wanted to know the words of men&rsquo;s' actual lips about Him- which again hints that the disciples were not with the Lord all the time. They were often with people when the Lord wasn't present. Psychologically, considering others' views of Christ helps us better understand where we personally stand regarding Him- indeed, this is true generally in terms of self-understanding. Hence the Lord firstly asks whom others thought Him to be, rather than simply asking the disciples whether they believed in Him as the Son of God.</p>