Who
do men say that I AM? Part 2.
Text: Matthew
16:13-20.
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea
Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of
Man, am?” So, they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others
Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I
am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God.”
Jesus
answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and
blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also
say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and
the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys
of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Then
He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the
Christ. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem
and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and be raised the third day.”
Caesarea Philippi is the turning-point of Jesus ministry, when the Gospel
message, teaching, and ministry of Jesus changes from now on, because it is
from this point onward that the shadow of the CROSS falls over the ministry
of Jesus.
To discover how far the disciples have
learnt from the lessons of Jesus, or to impress it upon them more deeply. Jesus
asks them TWO questions:
1.
First
question, “What are the result of My preaching, teaching, and the working of
miracles?" “Who do men say that I,
the Son of Man, am?”
2.
Second
question, “What impart have I made with you?” “Who do YOU say that I am?”
Verse 15.
“He
said to them, “But who do YOU say that I am?”
The time
had now come for the disciples to make a decision about Jesus. Simon Peter was
evidently the spokesman for the group. He said, “You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God” Matthew 16:16 (seen also in Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20).
“You are the Christ,” which meant the Messiah,
the Anointed One, the One who was predicted in the Old Testament, and the Lord Jesus
was the fulfillment of. Also “the Son of
the living God.” Up to this point, that was the best confession and the
highest tribute that could be made to Him. This is who Jesus is!
It is the first careful statement of the
true ministry of Jesus from His disciples. Peter the spokesman of the 12, with
faith, and boldness of heart.
Sadly, it was also, from this revelation,
that many of the followers of Jesus left Him, for it opened to them a new
understanding about the “Suffering
Servant” of the Christ, and less of His “political power.” From now on
Jesus was to speak of the CROSS more, and more, in His purpose of coming among
them.
You can speak of Jesus as prophet, as a holy
man, as a teacher, or as a spiritual leader, and few will object. But speak of
Him as Son of God, with a divine nature, of the same nature as God the Father,
and the people will line up to express their disapproval of Him.
This is the question to the Church, and
the individual believer. Which is more important than other people's opinions, it
is our OWN response to the question, and the challenge of Jesus. Jesus now
narrowed the question. He turns to those that follow Him, to those who had been
with Him.
YOU have been with Me, YOU, have seen
the healings, and heard my teachings, YOU, have seen my life, now: “Who do YOU say that I am?” Who is
Jesus in OUR lives?
Is He OUR Lord?
Is He OUR Saviour and Master?
Is He OUR healer?
Is He OUR Provider?
Is He OUR Coming King?
Verse 16.
“And Simon Peter answered and said, “YOU
are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Peter took the lead as so often he
did, who must have discussed the Messianic characteristics of Jesus among
themselves. Peter recognised and acknowledged openly the Lord's deity.
Jesus here spoke of Himself in the term
“Son of Man,” yet; Peter answered using the term “Son of God.” The “Son of God,” marked Jesus' unique
nature, and relationship to the Father God.
You are more than a man!
You are more than a prophet!
You are more than a good teacher!
“YOU ARE THE CHRIST.” The Messiah, the
anointed One of God!
Peter recognises the important and
eternal life of God as in this His Son, Christ Jesus. Peter a man, moved by the
Spirit of God, and spiritual revelation, sees God clothed in human flesh.
Peter sees, not by human nature, but
by divine revelation. And Jesus clearly recognised that Peter was using more
than human sight, but the spiritual insight of seeing, for “the pure in heart shall see God” Matthew 5:8, was God alone given.
The “Christ,” the spiritual and political leader of Israel was not expected
to be “divine.” Yet, Peter declared that He was, in the Person of Jesus the
Christ, the Son of God.
TWO truths are expressed in this
confession of faith:
1.
That Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah expected by Israel, and foretold in the
Old Testament. The conclusion of God's purpose for the salvation of the world.
You are the Christ, the Redeemer, and the
Saviour of the world.
2.
That Jesus is the Son of God, who stands in a unique personal relationship to
the Father, and this makes Him “Divine.”
You are truly man, and truly God,
unique in being, the God-Man.
Verse 17.
“Jesus
answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and
blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
Jesus was filled with joy; that Peter,
despite all appearances to the contrary, should have reached this conviction,
which was the proof of “divine revelation.” “Son of Jonah,” must have been purposely used by Jesus, to denote
Peter’s humble fleshly backdrop, to set off his spiritual proof of “divine
revelation.”
Peter’s confession of faith came by
revelation. For only God by the Holy Spirit can give YOU light, and understanding
of Christ's role in salvation, and of His Divine nature.
Only the Holy Spirit can make Christ known to
any person. No man today can call Jesus “Lord” but by the Holy Spirit. Only the
Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and reveal them to us. Jesus said, “Flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto you,” that is, “You did not learn it by being with Me.” But
by knowing Me!
Verse 18.
“And I also say to
you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates
of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Let us look at this verse carefully. On what
rock did Jesus build His church? There are those who say that it was built on
Simon Peter. Well, obviously it was not, because there is a play upon words
here. In the original Greek it is, “Thou art Petros (a little piece of rock),
and upon this Petra (bedrock) I will build my church.”
Who is the Rock? The Rock is Christ! The
church is built upon Christ. We have Simon Peter’s own description of this. In 1 Peter 2:4, referring to Christ, he
writes, “To whom coming, as unto a
living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.”
And he remembers Isaiah 28:16, “… Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect,
precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded” (1 Peter 2:6).
The church is built upon Christ; He is the foundation. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ” 1 Corinthians 3:11.
Christ is the stone, and He says on this rock
He will build His church. The church was still future when the Lord made
this statement and did not come into existence until after the death,
resurrection, and ascension of Christ, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. “I will build my church” this was in the
future.
The “gates
of hell” refers to death. The word used for hell is the Greek word hades, the Sheol of the
Old Testament, which refers to the unseen world and means “death.” The gates of
death shall not prevail against Christ’s church.
One of these days the Lord Himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout. That shout will be like the voice of an
archangel and like a trumpet because the dead in Christ are to be
raised. The gates of death shall not prevail against His church.
Verse 19.
“And I will give
you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven?
Were they given only to Simon Peter? No, Jesus gives them to those who make the
same confession made by Peter, those who know Christ as Saviour. If you are a
child of God, you have the keys as well as any person has the keys.
The keys were the badge of authority of the office of the scribes who
interpreted the Scriptures to the people (see Nehemiah 8:2-8). Every Christian today has the Scriptures and,
therefore, the keys. If we withhold the Word, we “bind on earth;” if we give the Word, we “loose on earth.” No man or individual church has the keys, to the
exclusion of all other believers. It is the Word of God that sets people free.
“And you
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:32.
We have a responsibility today to give out
the gospel because it is the only thing that can save people. This is a
tremendous revelation. Who is sufficient for these things? You and I have a
responsibility that is awesome indeed!
Verse 20.
“Then
He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the
Christ. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem
and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and be raised the third day.”
The Lord made this request because the mere
knowledge of who He is will not save you. To find salvation you must know who
He is and what He did and accept Him by faith.
Conclusion:
Do YOU know Jesus by revelation?
Peter
said,
YOU are more than John the forerunner!
YOU are more than Elijah the
foreteller!
YOU are more than Jeremiah the
watcher!
YOU are the ONE towards whom they ALL looked
upon!
YOU are the “CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”
