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The Gospel of Matthew

The Foundation of the Church of Christ

Chapter 16:13 -20

The Lord Jesus came to "the region of Caesarea Philippi", i.e. near this town, the seat of the government of Herod Philip. The Bible mentions two other Caesareas, one located on the coast, headquarters of the province of Judea, and the other in Cappadocia, now Turkey.

Caesarea of Philippi stood far to the North, near Mount Hermon, and on the border with Syria. From this northernmost place, He would leave for the South, heading to Jerusalem where He gave himself up to be crucified.

Before leaving, He wanted to make it very clear to His disciples:

Who He was.

Everyone who really wants to be a Christian must also clearly know who He is, and what He is even now doing in the world, so that he can be saved and participate in His work.

The Lord asked two questions to His disciples:

"Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

No doubt, He knew the answer, but He wanted only to introduce the second question. The people had witnessed the signs that He had done in their midst, and had listened to His teaching. Evidently, he was not just anyone; on the contrary, everything indicated that He was a man with supernatural powers, an admirable teacher, endowed with a perfect, unblemished character. According to the answers of the disciples, the people said He was John the Baptist; others, Elijah; others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. All these had already died, but the people thought only a resurrected prophet could be as He was.

They missed discovering that He was much more than a simple human being, even a resurrected prophet. It seems that the understanding they had of the Messiah who was to come according to the prophecies of the Old Testament was not yet enough to identify Him, despite the evidence He was giving.

That question remains to be answered by each person. You cannot doubt His existence, as it is proved by undeniable historical evidence and the testimony that still exists from people who lived with him. The extraordinary signs He performed are also evidence. Some of the worst enemies of Christianity acknowledge His wisdom and His remarkable character. Many explanations are given, confusing because there is only one correct answer, which is given below.

“But who do you say that I am?"

He wanted the personal statement of each of His disciples. Each one of us needs to acknowledge personally the identity of our Saviour, in order to put our faith in Him and declare it publicly. Peter did not hesitate and promptly declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God", i.e. the Messiah promised to Israel and God the Son. Peter had accompanied the Lord Jesus closely, together with James and John, and knew intimately all that He said or did. He was not a gullible person, easily fooled, but he was sure of himself, impulsive, ready to speak directly what he thought. He was a reliable witness of what he had seen, heard, and proved everything. It is necessary that we reach the same conclusion as Peter, so that we can avail ourselves of salvation that comes only by the grace of God through faith in His son, Jesus Christ.

What the Lord Jesus is doing now

Hearing the declaration of Peter, the Lord Jesus replied that Peter was blessed, or fortunate, because it came to him by revelation from God the Father - not by natural wisdom or intellectual exercise.

He (God the Son) also had something to reveal to Peter:

1. Simon Bar-Jonah was a "stone" (petros) (such as those used in constructions). Later, Peter wrote, “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ". The raw material for construction of this spiritual house consists of people, all who have been saved by grace through faith in the redemptive work of Christ, and they are the "living stones".

2. The Lord Jesus would build His church on that "Rock" (petra), who was the Lord Jesus himself, . This is the first time He used the word "church" for an assembly of all believers in Christ. The church is likened to a building in Ephesians 2:19 -22, where Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone and the apostles (including Peter) and the prophets are the foundation. It is in line with many Scriptures which call Him stone or cornerstone (Psalm 118.22, Matthew 21:42, Ephesians 2:20, etc.), and so it was also understood by Peter (Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2: 6,7).

3. The gates of hell cannot overcome the church. The word "hell" is a translation of the Greek word hades, corresponding to the Hebrew sheol (the invisible world where the dead go). We have here the figure of two buildings, the church of Christ on the rock, and the house of death with its gates. These gates are mentioned in the Old Testament (Job 38:17; Psalm 9:13; 107:18; Isaiah 38:10) and the idea is that they only allow entrance, but not the exit of any one. However, they did not prevent Christ leaving, rising again triumphantly to the world of the living upon His resurrection. They will also not prevail against His church. Having triumphed over death, Christ is the guarantee of its perpetuity. When Christ comes for His church, the dead will resurrect and, united with the living, will be transformed into glorious new bodies, and will live with Him eternally. Therefore, "death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O hades, where is your victory? But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54 .55 .57).

4. Peter would be given the keys of the kingdom of heaven. This is not to say that Peter had authority to admit people in heaven, as seen in the anecdotes... The keys were the symbol of authority in the role of scribes, who interpreted the Scriptures for the people (Nehemiah 8: 2-8). The explanation is found in Matthew 28:18-20, where we learn that Christ gave to His apostles authority to make disciples of all the nations, to baptize believers and to teach them to observe everything that He said. It was not given only to Peter, but to all His disciples. Every believer has in his hands and should be able to convey the message of salvation from the gospel. No man or institution has the property or exclusive right over the Scriptures. Whatever Peter bound on earth would be bound in heaven, and whatever he loosed on earth would be loosed in heaven. To “link” here has the sense of tying, holding. As in the previous case, this is the opening of the gospel to all peoples. Peter was a pioneer in announcing the gospel to Jews, and then to take the gospel to the centurion Cornelius, a gentile. He was loosing (untying) the Gospel. However, the privilege was not restricted to Peter – again, it belongs to all those who make the same confession that Peter did on that occasion. It was of the other apostles, including Paul that came after, and all who belong to Christ. To hold the Gospel, without passing it on, we are tying sinners to their sin. However, if we announce it, we release salvation to the lost. And what a responsibility is ours. It is the only way to save sinners.

On that occasion, Simon bar-Jonah represented all those to whom the Holy Spirit of God leads to recognize that the Lord Jesus is the Envoy of God (Messiah, Christ), the Son of the living God Himself. They are "stones" in the spiritual building called the "Church of Christ", founded on the Lord Jesus, they have eternal life, and they can proclaim the gospel of salvation by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus, for the release of those who are captives of sin.

 

R David Jones  

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13 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?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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."

20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

Gospel of Matthew, chapter sixteen verses 13 to 20