The Great Confession: JAMB Christian Religious Studies Questions, Answers & Notes

What The Great Confession covers in the JAMB Christian Religious Studies syllabus

The Great Confession is Peter's declaration of who Jesus truly is, at Caesarea Philippi. When Jesus asked, 'Who do you say that I am?' (after some said John the Baptist, Elijah or a prophet), Peter confessed, 'You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.' Jesus said flesh and blood did not reveal this, but His Father in heaven, and He declared, 'On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,' giving Peter the keys of the kingdom. Afterwards Jesus began to foretell His suffering, death and resurrection; when Peter objected, Jesus rebuked him ('Get behind me, Satan') — showing His Messiahship involved suffering, not just earthly glory. The confession reveals Jesus' true identity, comes by revelation from God, and calls believers today to confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour, following and serving Him.

For The Great Confession, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• Recall Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi
• Explain Jesus' identity as the Christ and the church built on this
• State that Jesus' Messiahship involved suffering; the lessons

Key facts & revision notes: The Great Confession

These are the recurring points our The Great Confession questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• The Great Confession is Peter's declaration about who Jesus truly is.
• Jesus asked, 'Who do you say that I am?' after asking who others said He was.
• Peter confessed, 'You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.'
• Jesus said flesh and blood (men) did not reveal this to Peter, but His Father in heaven.
• Some thought Jesus was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
• Jesus said, 'On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'
• Jesus said He would give Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
• After the confession, Jesus began to foretell His coming suffering, death and resurrection.
• When Peter objected to Jesus' death, Jesus rebuked him: 'Get behind me, Satan.'
• The Great Confession reveals Jesus' true identity as the Messiah, the Son of God.
• Jesus taught that His Messiahship involved suffering, not just earthly glory or kingship.
• Confessing Jesus as the Christ requires faith in Him.
• The Great Confession took place near Caesarea Philippi.
• True knowledge of who Jesus is comes by revelation from God, not human wisdom alone.
• Peter's name means a rock, linked to the confession as a foundation of the church.
• Believers today are called to confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour, like Peter.
• Jesus charged them, for the time being, to tell no one that He was the Christ.
• The confession shows the importance of a personal knowledge of and relationship with Jesus.
• A right understanding of who Jesus is should lead to following and serving Him.
• The main lesson is recognising and confessing Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Worked examples

Three The Great Confession questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How The Great Confession is tested in JAMB Christian Religious Studies

Our The Great Confession bank holds 20 questions (9 medium, 11 hard). JAMB Christian Religious Studies typically returns to The Great Confession year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer The Great Confession questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on The Great Confession. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Christian Religious Studies item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at The Great Confession is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in The Great Confession

The errors that cost marks on The Great Confession are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise The Great Confession actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Great Confession part of the JAMB Christian Religious Studies syllabus?

Yes. The Great Confession is a recognised topic in the JAMB Christian Religious Studies syllabus, covering recall Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi. You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many The Great Confession questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 20 original, JAMB-standard The Great Confession questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about The Great Confession?

The Great Confession is Peter's declaration of who Jesus truly is, at Caesarea Philippi. When Jesus asked, 'Who do you say that I am?' (after some said John the Baptist, Elijah or a prophet), Peter confessed, 'You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.' Jesus said flesh and blood did n…

How do I answer The Great Confession questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for The Great Confession. Practising timed The Great Confession questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Christian Religious Studies The Great Confession questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise The Great Confession questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start The Great Confession practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Christian Religious Studies syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.