Tag: Matthew 16

April 21st 2024: Mark Jenkins

Published on by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Matthew 16:13-28

Who do you say Jesus is?

In Jesus we find meaning and purpose to our lives, but we are only able to recognise who He is because God graciously opens our eyes and hearts to see.

There are many profound questions in life – will you marry me? Is it a boy or a girl?  Why do I matter? The most significant question is, ‘Who do you say Jesus is?’ Ultimately, our future depends on how we answer. Jesus’ identity is at the heart of the gospel we believe and proclaim. In verse 20 Jesus tells His disciples to tell no-one He is the Christ. Why?

Who do you say that Jesus is not only determines our future but our life now. In Jesus we find the purpose of our lives, our identity, where we belong. Here, Peter says, ‘You are the Christ.’ Matthew 16:16 is not included in the other gospels. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Matthew includes these verses to show his theme – that Jesus fulfils Old Testament prophecies, He is the King of Kings. Throughout the Coronation Service of Charles III, we heard that he not king of all, he is to serve. Society today is very unchurched and has a limited understanding of Biblical things. As Jewish people heard the prophecy of the coming Messiah, they did not understand this. Matthew tries to show Jesus is the Messiah.

This passage marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. Now Jesus has to prepare His disciples for all He is about to face. “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.” (v.21).

In this message we will explore:

  1. A timely conversation
  2. A challenging question
  3. An empowering instruction
  4. A surprising command

1. A timely conversation
Jesus knows all He is going to face. His disciples need to know who He is. This conversation is just with His disciples. The people recognised there was something special about Jesus. There were times when Jesus had alluded to His kingship (v.17) but He never used the title ‘Christ,’ He used ‘Son of Man,’ “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (v.13). Old Testament prophecies use this phrase e.g. Daniel 7.

People recognised He healed, He had power and authority over death, the elements and had outcast demons. On one occasion (Matthew 8) Jesus does not acknowledge where He has the power from. But now, Jesus asks the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” He wants to get them thinking about who he is.

2. A challenging question

Who do people say the Son of Man is? Why is this important? The disciples had been with Jesus, seen Him performing miracles. When Jesus asks them, they answer, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (v.14). ‘They’ Shows that more than one of them replied. They were talking amongst themselves. The people acknowledged Jesus was a prophet who had some authority, realising His teaching was from God, but not that He was the Son of God. They couldn’t determine who Jesus was.

Jesus then asks His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” (v.15). The answer is given by Simon Peter, the bold, brash disciple, on behalf of all of them. His answer acknowledges exactly who Jesus is. Peter clearly recognises Jesus is the Messiah, the chosen One. Why were they able to see this and the crowds were not? It was not because they were more spiritual or more educated. They were fishermen. So, how were they able to recognise Jesus was the Messiah? Because God revealed it to them (v.17). There was no possibility that Peter and the other disciples could come to this conclusion themselves. It is the same for us today, we cannot know the things of God because we are ignorant, “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” (Ephesians 4:18).

After Jesus had explained this to the disciples, Peter clearly understands. We come to see Him as our Saviour through God’s divine power. He has opened our eyes so that we may see. It is solely God’s work. By His glory, virtue and grace, He opens our hearts and we can see. It is because of all He he has done we can come to Jesus and have salvation. God has given us all things to be right with Him. All we have to do is simply respond. Have you come to Him asking for forgiveness of sins? It is only when you have done this that you will be blessed. To be blessed is to be in a state of spiritual happiness, to have a deep joy of the soul of knowing I am His and He is mine. Being a Christian is the start of our lives with God and for God. All have a part in building up His church. Jesus tells His disciples they have a part in building His church, “And 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. 19 I 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.” (v 18-19).

3. An empowering instruction

Verses 18-19 contain metaphors of great encouragement. Christ’s church will last forever. Peter’s declaration is Jesus is the Christ, the solid rock on which our faith stands. Jesus has conquered death and the grave. His Kingdom will be victorious. Jesus will use them and us to bring others into His Kingdom (v.19). In order to enter the Kingdom you have to go through a door – the key – recognising Jesus is the promised One. At the end of verse 19  Jesus tells His disciples, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew is writing to Jews. This is a common Jewish phrase. To bind means it is forbidden. To loose means allowed to enter into heaven. When a person is told who Jesus is and does not believe, they are bound. As we proclaim the gospel, we are fulfilling what God has already planned.

4. A surprising command

 “Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.” (v.20). Jesus forbids the disciples to tell anyone He is the Christ. Why? Jesus also told others the same thing. It was not the right time. In those days the title Messiah was misunderstood. Peter vehemently rejected Jesus’ prediction, “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. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (verses 21-23).

Peter was looking at the situation the way man would look at it, not God. Jesus was not a military power, He what is stablishing a spiritual Kingdom. Jesus would be a suffering servant (Isaiah 53). Jesus told them to wait until He had been crucified and resurrected.

We need to ensure we understand who Jesus is. What did Jesus come to accomplish as a saviour? What does it mean to those around us? Everyone is facing battles. Many people are looking for hope and escape, someone to rescue them. We need to be careful when we proclaim the gospel that we do not say these difficulties will disappear (Romans 8:35, John 16:33). We will face tribulation but we can know peace if we are in Christ. Jesus wants to deliver us from the punishment we deserve from our sins. When we have peace from God, we have hope and can look forward to the day when we will be with Him in eternity.

Who do you say that Jesus is? Is He your Lord? Praise God if He is!

March 6th 2022: Norman Rees

Published on by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Matthew 16: 13-17

“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. (Matthew 16: 13-17)

Jesus had just performed a mighty miracle, the feeding of 4,000. Then, confronted later on, in chapter 22, He asks the Pharisees, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” (Matthew 22:14).

But here, in this portion of Scripture, the question, “But who do you say that I am?” is addressed to the disciples, to believers. If asked this question yourself, you would probably give the same answer as Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He is! We know these answers. He is the anointed one. Right back in Genesis chapter 3 He is spoken of.

So, Peter here gives the right answer. Jesus says, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” We too can give the right answer. He is the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one. Paul, writing later to the church in Corinth says, “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit,” (1 Corinthians 12:3). This, says Jesus, has been revealed by God the Father.

Later on, Jesus said “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,” (Matthew 16:21). Peter, who had just made this confession of who Jesus was, says, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (Matthew 16:21b). Peter doesn’t want Jesus to do this, He wants Him to stay with him. Jesus responds, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23).

Peter, when Jesus asks this question of who He is, needs to have self-examination. You and I do too. We too can give the right answers, but we can still do things that don’t add up to having Christ as our Saviour. We need self-examination. What is the first thing that fills our mind when we get up? What is the last thing we do at night when we snuggle under the duvet? Do we thank God for the blessings we have received? So many won’t snuggle under a duvet because they have no bed. Do we take things for granted?

Jesus says to us today, ‘What do you think of Christ? He has saved you. Are you glad? Yes! But there’s so much more! You may know all the doctrines, but what do you think of Christ? We can be so pre-occupied we can push Christ aside. Things can creep in upon us and we almost forget we are living in the sight of God. If we are taken up with things but push Christ aside, Jesus says to you and me, ‘What do you think of me?’

We use our minds to think about mundane things but use your minds to think about Jesus. Do I walk with Him? Do I talk with Him? He is our guide, our strength in temptation. He supplies all our needs. If you are like me, you often send cards and emails with this quote, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). Our God is conscious of all our needs. He says, ‘Don’t neglect me.’ Paul says to Timothy, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12). Think about Christ. A Spurgeon says, “Think of His wounds.”

Christ lived a perfect life yet He was whipped and persecuted. He had no rest as He carried the cross to Calvary. They laid Him down upon it, yet He said not a word (Psalm 22). He died and suffered and bled for me. How often do think of that? It is good to meditate in what God has done.

When tragedies, trials and tribulations come, you can forget God. Do things to the glory of God. Don’t let your life take over from the Lord Himself. Eternity waits. After death is judgement – heaven or hell. Everyone of those lashes, the three hours of darkness, He bore it all and then triumphed. “It is finished!” Faith alone in Christ is all that gets us to heaven. The older I get, I get one day nearer to home. Look what is waiting for us – glory.

To unbelievers, we have to ask the same question, “What do you think of Christ?” Maybe you’ve never thought of these things – who He is, why He came, why was He born in a cattle shed? He came to live a perfect life. He died because we failed to live that perfect life. We are all sinners. Jesus died for you and me. Some believers think very much; they are very clever. But they may never think of Christ. They may say ‘I think Jesus is a good man.’ But here is one who stands head and shoulders above all. He is the One who can say, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father,” (John 14:9).

When we come to believe in Jesus our thoughts change. Everything is different. Jesus calls it being born again – a new start, a new life.

Unbelievers can care for family and friends, but they think horizontally. They don’t think of God. They don’t think of the life ahead. Our God knows us. Science has done wonderful things but one day, we will search where life came from. Science does not have the answer to life. God is the answer. Christ is the answer.

We read in Acts 16:17 highly intelligent men listened to Paul. He started to preach the gospel. Some thought he was mad and laughed at the thought of the Resurrection. Paul tells them who they should worship – the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe in Christ. Give your lives to Him. Some mocked. Paul preached the gospel and left. Some believed. It has that effect.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:11

He promises! Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Don’t put it off. Young people, in the Word of God, we are told, “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). When you die, if you don’t believe you will face Him as judge. Face Him now as a Saviour.