Matthew Chapter 16- Part 2
True identity of the Savior and new revelation of kingdom power- Read (Matthew 16:13-19)(Mark 8:27-29)(Luke 9:18-20)
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked His disciples, saying, "Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am?" They replied, "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, "You are the Christ, son of the living God." Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it. 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."
Revelation comes to a fisherman turned fisher of men (Peter) and he gives the precise answer to Jesus' question when all others kept quiet. Jesus' acceptance of Peter's answer that he indeed is Christ, "the anointed one" and also the "son of the living God" clearly established his identity among his followers, when the general impression regarding him among the multitudes were varied. Many are averse to the fact that God is one who deals personally and gives revelation to those whom he chooses, like here he did in Peter's life. A question can then be asked why God the Father revealed this only to Peter and not to the others. The answer is that God is sovereign and he reveals that which he wishes to those whom he chooses, in ways that he chooses.
Jesus had more to say to Peter (mentioned only by Matthew)...."you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it." There are varied interpretations regarding this, with some even looking at the comma after Peter and interpreting it as Jesus speaking of himself as the "on this rock". But with authority being bestowed upon Peter in the next verse, one can conclude that Peter was being chosen as a pillar of the coming new church after Pentecost. The "binding and loosing" is again mentioned in Matthew 18 in a totally different context. Here, with Jesus laying emphasis that "the gates of hades shall not prevail against the Church that was to be built", the "binding and loosing" means having authority over satanic powers if one exercised faith and used the name and power that comes from the name of the one who mattered i.e. "Christ, the son of the living God".
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