Matt 16:13-20 Knowing Christ
13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
20Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
We just read an important conversation where Jesus asked His disciples WHO they think He is. It was at a time when most people were still very confused as to His identity.
• Peter uttered the classic and now famous line: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (16:16)
• Jesus responded that it was not Peter’s good observation or insight that gave him the answer. It was a revelation from God the Father.
• Peter received help from God, just as we did when we came to know Christ.
This passage tells us of 3 revelations.
• 16:17 – The Father helping Peter know Christ.
• 16:18 – Jesus tells Peter that He will build His church.
• 16:21 - Jesus reveals His impending death and resurrection after this conversation.
Just like to share these 3 points today from this passage – the importance of:
• KNOWING HIS PERSON: “The Christ, the Son of the Living God” (v.16)
• KNOWING HIS PURPOSE: His death and resurrection (v.21)
• KNOWING HIS PLAN: “I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (v.18)
1. KNOWING HIS PERSON – “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus started by asking His disciples: “Who do people say that I am?” (16:13)
• They gave many different answers because the people did not know and they were guessing, just like many today.
• Some said he might be the reincarnated John the Baptist, or the spirit of the prophets of old like Elijah or Jeremiah.
They were not true. Jesus went on to ask the more important question: “Who do you say that I am?” (16:15)
• It was directed to the disciples and it’s personal. Who am I to you? The world may have many guesses, but what about you?
• The disciples had been with Jesus for some time and this is a good test.
• They had heard Jesus preach about the Kingdom of Heaven. They had seen the miracles He performed, including the raising of a widow’s son in Nain, the calming of a storm, the casting out of demons from a man in Gerasenes, and the feeding of 5,000.
After hearing and seeing Jesus for some time now, who is Jesus Christ?
• It is important because the answer to this question can change their lives.
• As it did to us if you are a Christian today and have also believed in Jesus Christ.
Peter proclaimed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (16:16)
• “Christ” is the Greek word for the Hebrew “Messiah” meaning the Anointed One.
• He is the Son of the living God, and in short, divine. He is not of this world.
16:17 Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
• It wasn’t Peter’s wisdom or insight that gave him the answer, it was revealed to him by God the Father who is in heaven.
• Rightly so. As the Son of the living God, it is most correct to have the living God introducing His Son to us.
• No one knows the Son except the Father, who has been with the Son from the beginning.
• John said it beautifully in John 1:1-2, “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God.”
It cannot be a knowledge that originates from “flesh and blood” - a common Jewish phrase meaning mortal man. If He is divine, then it cannot come from mortal man.
• It can only come from the Father in heaven. And it is God’s desire for all people to come to know His Son and believe Him.
• God wants to reveal it to everyone willing to listen and believe Him.
Christianity is a revelation of God, it is not a man-made religion. It did not originate with man on earth but with God above.
• Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God! He came into our world to save us from our sins. It would take some time for the disciples to understand but they did eventually.
We see in Matt 16 that the disciples’ understanding and faith in Jesus have grown.
• He was no longer just a good Rabbi (teacher) or a good prophet. He was more than that and the disciples could see.
Was Peter’s understanding complete? No. Was his faith in Jesus firm? No.
• The next passage tells us. When Jesus tried to tell him more, Peter rejected it.
• Matt 16:21 – Jesus tells them He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
• Matt 16:22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
We saw how Peter denied knowing Christ after Jesus was arrested.
• It took him some time to understand but he did. The Lord kept him and taught him.
• On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31-32, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
• The Lord encouraged him personally after His resurrection and Peter gave his life serving Christ and the church.
Although the disciples’ understanding was incomplete at this time, they could set Him apart from the confusion of the people. They were willing to believe Him.
• What made Peter’s confession so special is that it came against the backdrop of all the unbelief and false teachings about Jesus.
• No group among the people was able to openly confess Jesus as the Messiah.
• Yet despite the wrong teachings of the false teachers and the confusion among the people, Peter got it right.
Are we willing to believe in Jesus today? Can we trust the Son of the living God?
If not, then who else can we trust?
2. KNOWING HIS PURPOSE: He will die and be raised on the 3rd day for our salvation
Peter’s confession marks a turning point in Jesus’ teaching ministry with His disciples.
• With their expression of faith, even though it was still weak, Jesus began to reveal more of God’s plan to them, as shocking as it was for them to hear…
• Matt 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
• Jesus would soon be crucified on the cross; He would die and be raised again to life – for their salvation.
• He did not come to deliver them from Roman rule but to free them from sin; not to free them from some political power but from the spiritual bondage to sin.
Earlier in this chapter (Mt 16), we see the Pharisees and Sadducees coming against Jesus.
• They were the religious leaders who knew the Scriptures better than many but refused to believe Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in the OT.
• They came demanding a sign but Jesus knew they did not come with a genuine desire to know Him but to find fault with Him.
• Jesus refused to give them that kind of a sign and said: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” (16:4)
What is the sign of Jonah, the only sign that Jesus was willing to give?
• This was not the first time He said this. Jesus said it earlier in Matt 12.
• Matt 12:39-40 39“An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
• The only sign He would give is His death and resurrection. He will die for the sins of mankind and be raised again on the 3rd day.
It would NOT be a sign to CONVINCE them that He was Messiah but one that would come afterwards to CONFIRM that He was.
• In their unbelief, the religious leaders would reject Jesus and seek to crucify Him.
• Jesus warned the disciples of them: “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (16:6)
• The disciples thought that He was talking about bread, but no, He was talking about their wrong teachings (16:12). Beware of the attitude of unbelief.
We believe Jesus for WHO He is and for WHAT He has done for us on the cross.
He died and rose again to give us the forgiveness of sin and a new life.
3. KNOWING HIS PLAN – “I will build My Church”
Jesus tells Peter and the disciples what He is planning to do through them.
• Matt 16:18-19 “18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus is talking about the future. It is a prophecy and a promise that He, the risen Christ at that time, will build His church through Peter and the disciples.
• They will eventually believe in Christ and be given the commission to preach the Gospel about His death and resurrection and build the church of Jesus Christ.
This is the first time Jesus uses the word “church”, which refers to the people of God, the believers of Jesus Christ.
• When the Gospel is preached to all nations, all who believe in Christ will come into His Kingdom and be the church. Those who reject will of course be excluded.
• The disciples are entrusted with the proclaiming of the Gospel and hence they have “the keys of the Kingdom of heaven”.
• Everyone is free to respond to the Gospel. Some will reject and be bound, others will believe and be set free from their sin.
Jesus has given the disciples and all of us believers today the privilege of proclaiming the Gospel and seeing lives changed.
• This is the truth that changes us, we know that.
When Jesus says, “I will build the church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (16:18) – that was in the future for them.
• We are the church now. It has become a reality, as Jesus has declared.
• We are living proof that what Jesus said has come true.
The risen Christ has been building His church since then and He is doing it today and will continue to do it until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom 11:25) – that is, until all those who are to be saved are saved.
• This is the Word of God. Jesus says nothing and no one can stop this.
We may see the church of Jesus Christ now struggling under persecution or going through lots of problems and difficulties. But this is only the perspective of men.
• But the outcome is sure. The Lord knows the outcome of it all.
• When He returns, the Bride of Christ, the Church will be ready and prepared.
That’s HIS PLAN. That’s our destiny. We are redeemed and secured in Christ.
• He is with us today and watching over us. Our life and destiny is in His hands.
• Let us praise God for all that He has prepared for us in Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
We praise you, Lord, for WHO you are and WHAT you have accomplished for us in Christ, giving us the hope of eternal life with you.
Thank you, dear Jesus, for the price you paid to redeem us and set us free to live for you. May we honour you in every way and may we continue to shine the light of the Gospel in these last days.
For your Name’s sake, we pray. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
You may hear the audio sermon with slides at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz4LpUVQk_8
