-Matthew 16:23
Just moments before this scathing rebuke, Jesus seemed elated. He'd asked His disciples, "Whom do you profess Me to be?"
Just moments before this scathing rebuke, Jesus seemed elated. He'd asked His disciples, "Whom do you profess Me to be?"
Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but my Father in the heavens. 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."
Jesus led His disciples approximately 120 miles north of Jerusalem to the foot of Mt. Hermon. The "Gates of Hades" wasn't merely figurative. It was (and still is) a literal place with a long history of idol worship by both Israel and pagan cultures. It was a lush and fertile setting with a deep, dark cave in the side of a gigantic rock. In Jesus' day, people believed it to be the literal entrance (the Gates) to Hades (the underworld, where the dead reside).
Scholars frequently point out Peter's "confession" as the pivot in Matthew's Gospel. Jesus did NOT commend Peter for a confession. Instead, the Eternal Son was elated the Father had blessed Peter by beginning to reveal the truth of the Gospel to Him through the Holy Spirit.
Even in our interpretation and understanding of Scripture, we somehow find a way to make it about ourselves rather than about the relentless pursuit, the faithfulness, goodness, patience, grace, and lovingkindness of God Almighty.
Peter's profession of Jesus was underdeveloped at this point, and therefore silence was necessary. Earlier in chapter 16 Jesus warns the disciples regarding the deficient and defective teachings (yeast) of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their idea of Messiah was grossly perverted.
The religious leaders believed Messiah would come as an unstoppable military leader to overthrow all foreign oppressors and establish Israel as the permanent dominant military force in the world. They rejected the authority of Scripture in favor of the Oral Law, i.e. "the traditions of the elders."
Long ago Israel jettisoned what Isaiah and the prophets said about Messiah coming to give sight to the blind, causing the lame to walk, curing the diseased, restoring the brokenhearted and disillusioned, and being the humble, obedient, Servant of The Lord.
In Psalm 26:3 David pleads with God in prayer, "Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind." That's because David's heart was on the things of God and not the things of man.
Blessings,
-Kevin M. Kelley
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com
Jesus led His disciples approximately 120 miles north of Jerusalem to the foot of Mt. Hermon. The "Gates of Hades" wasn't merely figurative. It was (and still is) a literal place with a long history of idol worship by both Israel and pagan cultures. It was a lush and fertile setting with a deep, dark cave in the side of a gigantic rock. In Jesus' day, people believed it to be the literal entrance (the Gates) to Hades (the underworld, where the dead reside).
Scholars frequently point out Peter's "confession" as the pivot in Matthew's Gospel. Jesus did NOT commend Peter for a confession. Instead, the Eternal Son was elated the Father had blessed Peter by beginning to reveal the truth of the Gospel to Him through the Holy Spirit.
Even in our interpretation and understanding of Scripture, we somehow find a way to make it about ourselves rather than about the relentless pursuit, the faithfulness, goodness, patience, grace, and lovingkindness of God Almighty.
Peter's profession of Jesus was underdeveloped at this point, and therefore silence was necessary. Earlier in chapter 16 Jesus warns the disciples regarding the deficient and defective teachings (yeast) of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their idea of Messiah was grossly perverted.
The religious leaders believed Messiah would come as an unstoppable military leader to overthrow all foreign oppressors and establish Israel as the permanent dominant military force in the world. They rejected the authority of Scripture in favor of the Oral Law, i.e. "the traditions of the elders."
Long ago Israel jettisoned what Isaiah and the prophets said about Messiah coming to give sight to the blind, causing the lame to walk, curing the diseased, restoring the brokenhearted and disillusioned, and being the humble, obedient, Servant of The Lord.
They'd exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They believed Messiah would avenge the destruction of the temple and priesthood, the demise of the kingship, and the loss of their land by divine military supremacy.
When Jesus, this lowly "pathetic" Nazarene of questionable birth, arrived on the scene with no sword, no army, no stature, no earthly nobility, and began preaching a Gospel of humble repentance and service rather than military dominance... He wasn't merely rejected, He was utterly despised!
Knowing the disciples' view of Messiah wasn't far from that of the Pharisees and Sadducees, He ordered them not to tell anyone He was Messiah (16:20).
When Jesus, this lowly "pathetic" Nazarene of questionable birth, arrived on the scene with no sword, no army, no stature, no earthly nobility, and began preaching a Gospel of humble repentance and service rather than military dominance... He wasn't merely rejected, He was utterly despised!
Knowing the disciples' view of Messiah wasn't far from that of the Pharisees and Sadducees, He ordered them not to tell anyone He was Messiah (16:20).
When He explained, "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 He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Peter flipped his lid.
Like the religious nutjobs, Peter was ticked! He'd just given Jesus two thumbs-up as a glowing endorsement, and the way Jesus repaid him was to say, "Now I'm headed to Jerusalem to die."
Like the religious nutjobs, Peter was ticked! He'd just given Jesus two thumbs-up as a glowing endorsement, and the way Jesus repaid him was to say, "Now I'm headed to Jerusalem to die."
That didn't jive with Peter's plans or way of thinking, so he grabbed Jesus and said, "Bro. Can I talk to you over here? Ummm... You're making me look really stupid! Never! This will never happen! It'd ruin all my marketing plans!"
Jesus responded, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for your thoughts are not of the things of God, but the things of men."
Peter's glorious "confession" goes down in a blaze of inglorious ignorance. What many herald as the "pivot" of Matthew's Gospel is subsequently exposed as human ignorance and pride. Frequently missed here is the sheer magnitude of God's goodness in beginning to reveal the fullness of the Gospel to depraved humanity.
Jesus continued, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it."
Like Peter, our minds readily drift from the things of God to the things of men. Our idea and practice of faith and church gets twisted by our warped traditions and selfish plans into something wholly unrecognizable by Christ as His Body and Bride.
Jesus responded, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for your thoughts are not of the things of God, but the things of men."
Peter's glorious "confession" goes down in a blaze of inglorious ignorance. What many herald as the "pivot" of Matthew's Gospel is subsequently exposed as human ignorance and pride. Frequently missed here is the sheer magnitude of God's goodness in beginning to reveal the fullness of the Gospel to depraved humanity.
Jesus continued, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it."
Like Peter, our minds readily drift from the things of God to the things of men. Our idea and practice of faith and church gets twisted by our warped traditions and selfish plans into something wholly unrecognizable by Christ as His Body and Bride.
We readily shift the focus from being ambassadors of the Gospel to programs, production, food, and festivals. We applaud ourselves for building projects, playgrounds, multiple campuses, the size of our congregations, and worship nights as if viable substitutes for simple, humble obedience:
1) Deny self.
2) Pick up your cross.
3) Follow Jesus.
When we do, He guarantees our twisted traditions, false teachings, pagan rituals, idol worship, "The Gates of Hades" and all the perverted things leading to death will not prevail against the Gospel: Jesus. Christ. Son of David and son of Abraham. Son of the Living God. Crucified and risen from the dead. Ascended. Coming soon to those who are eagerly awaiting Him as active ambassadors of His Gospel.
1) Deny self.
2) Pick up your cross.
3) Follow Jesus.
When we do, He guarantees our twisted traditions, false teachings, pagan rituals, idol worship, "The Gates of Hades" and all the perverted things leading to death will not prevail against the Gospel: Jesus. Christ. Son of David and son of Abraham. Son of the Living God. Crucified and risen from the dead. Ascended. Coming soon to those who are eagerly awaiting Him as active ambassadors of His Gospel.
In Psalm 26:3 David pleads with God in prayer, "Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind." That's because David's heart was on the things of God and not the things of man.
Blessings,
-Kevin M. Kelley
aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com
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