On Line Bible Study - For the week June 2 - 8, 2008

Lesson 338

Matthew 16:13-28

It’s “Sign Time”. The sign will come from without, but will be confirmed by what is believed within, and what is stated with our mouth. Here is the setting:

¹³When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴They 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?”

Where do you go to find the answer to this question? We have already been faced with a previous question: Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? (13:54.) Some believed Jesus could do what he did because he was the Son of David. Many of the religious leaders were of the opinion he could do what he did because he was in league with Beelzebul – the prince of demons. (See 12:22-24.)

Who you are has a great deal to do with what you can do. Up to this point in his gospel, Matthew has left us little doubt as to what Jesus could do. Now, in Chapter 16, he puts the critical question right in our face: Who do you think Jesus is?

Simon Peter will step up to the plate, and Jesus will impart some very important information. . .

Matthew 16: ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven…”

First, Peter’s answer is the blessed answer. Not Right are you! But Blessed are you. . . It’s a blessed answer that Peter gives. And, equally important, it is a revealed answer.

We do experiments to verify results; we test theories in search of explanations. We study laws of nature, the dependable habits of physics. We look at strands of DNA for insight, do focus groups to gauge public interest or awareness. We poll to uncover what people think. But Christianity is, at the heart of it, a revealed religion. Matthew works hard to offer some rational explanation for the belief that Jesus is the Messiah. That’s why we find so many passages from Isaiah In his gospel. Paul will work hard to make a rational case for Jesus as “Christ”. But when push comes to shove, we are not going to believe because of some algebraic equation or some law of physics. We will come to faith in Jesus because we have received revelation. It can come to us by way of some personal experience, some epiphany. But even then, we have to choose between “coincidence” or some divinely breathed moment in our lives. Flesh and blood do not provide the impetus for us to cross the line of faith in Jesus. The revelation comes from heaven.

Simon, the son of Jonah, is given a new name at the point of his declared faith – he is now “Peter” – rock – part of the foundation of the community – the ecclesia – the church – that Jesus will build. With this revelation as the integral part of its foundation, and depending on your translation, neither hell nor death will prevail against it! Such high hopes Jesus has (and Matthew, too!) for this new community! I wonder how many folks in the pews every weekend are cued in to what Jesus expects from us!

I already know the answer to that question – and so do you. Look what happens! No sooner has Peter declared his faith but that he attempts to dissuade Jesus from the Messianic Mission:

Matthew 16: ²¹From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ²²Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

This is a stark reminder to us all: Just because you have the right answer to the critical question is no guarantee that you understand the project or are willing to embrace it, even if you do understand it.

Get behind me, Satan! replies Jesus. This project is going to cost you your life! And that’s because it is the only project worth giving your life for!

It is revelation that leads to faith; but believing in Jesus is no guarantee we are truly following him. That is worth thinking about.

For next time we will look at another “sign” – Read Matthew 17:1-21.