Today’s Reading: MATTHEW 16:13–28
This passage is usually referred to as Peter’s confession. So, what does Peter confess?
* Jesus asks his disciples, first, who the people think he is and, then, who they say that he is.
* Peter answers: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16).
* So, he confesses that Jesus is the Christ. Good so far.
And how does Jesus interpret Peter’s answer?
* First, he says that it is revealed by the Father, by divine rather than natural means (“flesh and blood”).
* Peter has heard the truth about Christ from God. He has agreed with it and proclaimed it.
* In other words, Peter gave a good answer.
Then Jesus draws an interesting conclusion.
* He announces that he will build an unshakable church on “this rock.”
* We English speakers miss the wordplay here: Peter’s name (πετρος, petros) means “stone” in Greek, and rock is the word “petra” (πετρα). Get it?
Still, it’s pretty hotly debated what Jesus means.
* Is Peter the rock? Is his confession of faith the rock? Is Jesus the rock? (Well, Jesus is the Rock, of course, but is he this rock?)
* What will be the foundation of the Church? (Note: biblically all of those options are possible. See especially 1 Cor. 3:11 and Eph 2:20).
But I think the most telling cross-reference is 1 Pet 2:4–8.
* Why? Because Peter wrote it!
* Who does he think is the rock? Go see for yourself.
We don’t know how much time passes between v. 20 and v. 21, but we do know that they are deliberately placed in juxtaposition by Matthew.
* Like he’s done before, Jesus is taking faith in a part of the truth and challenging it to deepen and grow, this time not by miracle, but by revealing a “difficult” truth.
* Jesus begins to reveal the truth of his approaching suffering, death, and resurrection.
* And again, Peter is the one to respond. So, his good confession is followed by yet another of his bold statements.
And how does Peter respond to Jesus’ suffering?
* Well, he doesn’t like it; he thinks it is a bad plan, unworthy of his Master.
* In fact, he uses some emphatic language to rebuke Jesus (!) and reject what Jesus has just revealed.
Now, I’m choosing my words carefully to show a relationship between the first confession of Peter and this one.
* God revealed to Peter that Jesus is the Christ, and Peter proclaimed it.
* Jesus (read: God) revealed to Peter more information about the Christ, and Peter rejected it.
* Two instances of revelation, two contrasting responses.
And how does Jesus interpret this response?
* Jesus has his own strong words for Peter—even refers to him as “Satan”!
* A far cry from “Blessed are you,” and “on this rock I will build my church,” isn’t it?
* The image here is that Jesus is moving inevitably and forcefully in one direction (the cross), and Peter has stepped in his way.
* Pause for a moment and consider the arrogance of Peter. If he still maintains the truth of his first confession, he is rebuking God!
It’s probably worth mentioning that though Jesus says “hindrance,” that doesn’t mean that he can be stopped.
* Rather, Jesus recognizes the temptation that Peter is presenting; the word for “hindrance” means, literally, “stumbling block.”
* Instead of causing Jesus to change course or fall, it’s more likely that the stumbling block itself will get crushed.
Does that temptation sound familiar to you?
* Peter is saying that Jesus should avoid suffering, that he should be the victorious Messiah without being the suffering Messiah.
* Remember Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness (Matt 4)? Peter is dangling Satan’s offers in front of Christ again.
* So, when Jesus recognizes the source of such temptation, he calls out Satan’s name.
Okay, putting it all together.
* First, Peter is giving insight into the truth about Jesus, and he stands up as a proclaimer of God’s revelation.
* As a result, Jesus will build his Church and reveal more truth.
* Then, Peter ignores the things of God (which Jesus has presented with a divine authority) and instead thinks from a worldly perspective.
* In that case, Peter is pushed aside as a voice of deception.
And then, Jesus reveals another, more challenging truth—that he’s not the only one who must take up his cross.
* So, Jesus is the Christ. We agree?
* Okay, he needed to die on the cross. Got that too?
* All right. We must take up our own crosses and die to self…
Will Christ build on that truth in us? Or are we obstacles?
Clever Remarks 