Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
Like it or not (and it is usually not), the fact of back to school soon sets in. All too quickly the eagerness to see old friends and the excitement to sport new clothes gives way to the reality of academics and the rigors of homework. Mix in some late nights and lost sleep and it gets old fast. And then, sooner or later, there are tests.
But here is the thing. Tests are not bad. There might be those who want to argue that point—specifically when they have one scheduled. But it is good to review notes and to reflect knowledge. Especially when you know the right answers.
It was test time for the disciples. Jesus and company were in northern Israel near the headwaters of the Jordan River (kind of like Lake Itasca is to the Mississippi River). They were away from the crowds—not for recreation, but for education. When they arrived at “the region of Caesarea Philippi” (Mt 15:13), Jesus quizzed them.
There were two questions. The first was: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Mt 16:13). Jesus isn’t panicking as if he cared about his approval rating. He isn’t going through a mid-ministry crisis as if he is concerned about failure. He was open about who he was—“the Son of Man.” That was his favorite designation for himself. He was true man, identifying with those he came to save—living under the law and one day dying on the cross. But he was also true God, indicated by the Scriptures (Da 7:13). He was affirming that fact—God in flesh.
Jesus was probing. Did others get it? Did his faithful band grasp it? He wanted the 12 to do some comparing, or really some contrasting.
It doesn’t appear that they had to think for long because folks were talking. The responses came immediately. “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Mt 16:14). That sounds like a multiple choice offering on an exam. Jesus, the Son of Man, is …
a) John the Baptist (cf. Mt 14:2)
b) Elijah
c) Jeremiah
d) one of the prophets
At first glance, that is not a bad list. If you are an aspiring pro athlete, you don’t mind being mentioned in the same sentence as a LeBron James or a Tom Brady. But Jesus was more, much more, than another man. The interesting thing about those possibilities is that it would have required someone coming back from the dead.
And while they are flattering, they are still faulty. Those men were not the Christ.
a) John the Baptist made clear that was not the case (Jn 1:20). But he made known who was, Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29).
b) Elijah turned the people back to God so that they could cry, “The LORD—he is God. The LORD—he is God” (1 Ki 18:39).
c) Jeremiah wrote about the “The LORD Our Righteousness” (Je 23:6). The One who would come would cover all with his perfection, his holiness.
d) The same is the case for prophet after prophet, spokesmen for and from God, who predicted the One who was to come.
In other words, we would have to choose e—none of the above. Of course, we have to add that letter to the list. (You can’t do that in school.) This is a pass/fail question. There is no grading scale of A-F, with some plusses and minuses in between. The people got an “F.”
Many do not fare much better today when they consider who Jesus is. Jesus, the Son of Man, is …
a) a good teacher who spoke about compassion
b) a grand philosopher who talked about issues
c) a merciful humanitarian who pushed for kindness
d) a magnificent physician who cared about illnesses
Those might be examples of individuals thinking well of Jesus or highly of him. But not well enough or highly enough. “F.”
Then question number two, the critical one. It comes down to this: “But what about you? … Who do you say I am?” (Mt 16:15). They had been with Jesus for two years. What had they observed as he preached sermons? What had they absorbed as he performed miracles?
Peter was ready. He rose to the occasion. There was no mistaken identity like when you think you recognize someone at the store, but when you greet them, you get embarrassed because you have tapped on the shoulder of a complete stranger. And you have to apologize. Not so with Peter. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). And he was right. (Every once in a while he had a shining moment when shooting off his mouth.) That can only be the result of being around Jesus. Like a familiar meal, the psalmist encouraged us as we spend time with God: “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Ps 34:8).
The Apostle Peter’s Creed was straightforward and spot-on as much as it was elegant and essential.
“You are the Christ” (Mt 16:16). That is, the Messiah, the Anointed One—the One who would be the Prophet to herald God’s Word in truth, the Priest to shed his blood in death, the King to establish his rule of peace. That was his work. The LORD held to his covenant, his agreement, to Moses and the Children of Israel: “I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob” (Ex 6:8). That is where ultimately the Messiah would call home.
“The Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). That is, true God. That is his person. He is alive and active, who gives physical and spiritual life. He fulfilled the law perfectly and his death counts universally.
If that was what Peter would have scribbled on a piece of paper for a short answer question, he would have gotten an “A.”
But Jesus reminds him that Peter did come up with that on his own, figuring it out after some careful and concentrated study. “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven” (Mt 16:17). That kind of knowledge was above him and beyond him. Flesh and blood cannot impart that. But the Father can instill that. He uncovers that like a teacher unveils new math facts to his students. He has done the same as the Holy Spirit allows us to call Jesus “Lord” (1 Co 12:3; Explanation of Third Article). That is completely and entirely a gift of God.
Matthew records this assessment, intending for us to stand beside those men. “But what about you? … Who do you say I am?” (Mt 16:15). We don’t have to sweat or squirm. As Jesus inquires, we echo Peter. It is short and simple admission: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). “You are the promised Savior who hung on the cross and headed out of the grave. For me.” The faith that God carefully created in our hearts confidently comes out of our mouths (Ro 10:10). Know the right answer about the Christ—true God, true man, who took on our sin to take away our guilt. We get an “A.”
There was more to Jesus’ lesson plan. The rest is lecture. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (Mt 16:18). Jesus uses a play on word in the original. The name “Peter” does mean “rock,” like a stone. But Jesus isn’t planning on constructing his church on a person, but on his profession. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” is the rock, like bedrock (Mt 16:16), something solid that will support a foundation like a family home or a downtown skyscraper (Mt 7:24,25).
Peter did not always live up to his name. He could be more sandy than sturdy like when he failed to see why Jesus had to go to the cross or when he fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mt 16:22; 26:40). But the strength was in his confession. And note two important words—“I” and “my.” “I will build my church” (Mt 16:18). Know the right answer about the church. It belongs to Jesus and he blesses it.
Jesus brought the church into existence. He will be with it for eternity. So much so that Jesus could contend: “And the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Mt 16:18). Hell itself will not be powerful enough to withstand such an acknowledgment. Despite what it seemed then or now as enemies launch their attacks, those called out of darkness will defeat the devil. And with thrilling success. We can march out and march on to free those who are held captive by Satan. And the church will not fail. “And the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Mt 16:18). That is Jesus’ promise.
That is because of the message that Jesus mentions: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19). Jesus uses an illustration that is easy to understand as we proclaim the good news about him. A key locks and unlocks, or “binds” or “looses.”
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven” (Mt 16:19). Those who hold on to their sin, they are not forgiven. They retain their sin. That is the law. Heaven is bolted shut.
“Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19). Those who come clean about their sin, they are forgiven. Jesus removes their sin. That is the gospel. Heaven is blocked open.
That is a right that a pastor has and a responsibility that we all have (Mt 18:18; Jn 20:21,22). By Jesus’ authority we declare God’s judgment or dispense God’s grace. We speak in his place. Know the right answer about the church. It announces what comes from Jesus—not forgiven or forgiven.
At first Jesus’ strict warning strikes us as strange: “Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ” (Mt 16:20). But there was reason for it. People certainly had definite misunderstandings and the disciples occasionally had different ideas about who the Christ was.
Jesus was not an earthly King, but a heavenly One. It wasn’t until after Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that these men go out as true witnesses of the Christ to spread the message about him (Acts 1:8).
We now join the disciples now as the Christian Church broadcasts the Christ (Acts 11:26)—the one and only Savior—to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Know the right answer about the Church. It points to Christ who hands us freedom from sin.
At times there is anxiousness or anxiety when it comes to tests in school. Did I catch enough from the day before? Did I cram enough the night before? There is no need for that because we know the right answer about the Christ—he is the Son of the living God. And we know the right answer about the church. It will not falter because Christ will not let it fall as it publicizes free forgiveness in him. See, tests are not bad when you have the right answers. And you do. “To him be the glory forever! Amen (Ro 11:36).
We read from Matthew 16:13-20:
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Ro 16:27).
September 10, 2017
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