YOU ARE THE CHRIST

Matthew 16:13-28

Key Verses 16:15-16

15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

This passage is Peter’s personal confession of Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Mainly, we can learn about the importance of making a personal confession of Jesus as the Christ and the blessings, responsibilities, and privileges in our believing and mission life that come with such a confession. The passage is applicable for new believers, those yet to confess, and even those who have confessed Jesus as the Christ a long time ago. The passage encourages us to keep knowing Jesus more and more, confess Jesus publicly and firmly, and keep following Jesus according to the way he called us to. 

Read verses 13-14. Why do you think Jesus asked his disciples about the peoples’ view of who the Son of Man is? What does the peoples’ answer show about them? 

** At this point in his ministry, a lot of people were wondering who Jesus really is (cf. Mat 12:23). Here Jesus asks, “Who do the people say the Son of Man is,” and, “Who do you say I am”. Why was Jesus concerned about what they thought about him? It was not for his own benefit or good feeling, but for the benefit of those who confess rightly. So now, for the disciples’ sake, he asked these questions to help them make a decision and personal confession.

>Matthew’s gospel (1:1) opened by proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ. His identity was clearly stated, and the rest of the chapter shows how he is indeed the Christ through God’s miraculous work to send him to the virgin Mary and Joseph. Now, about half way through the gospel, the question of whether people knew Jesus for who he is, is brought into question. It seems that after all the events so far, the miracles, teachings, and healings, in the public, that this question should now be answered. Those things were pointing to Jesus’ true identity.

** The people thought of Jesus as a servant of God, even a great one, like John the Baptist or Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets

>But what it ultimately shows about the people is that they did not have a right relationship with Jesus, for they did not know who he truly was. They fell short of knowing his true identity. The lack of knowledge of Jesus results in a lack of blessings which come from that. 

Read verses 15-16. What did Jesus ask his disciples next? How is Peter’s answer different from the peoples answer? What do you think is the significance of Peter confessing that Jesus is: a) “the Christ”; and b) “the Son of the living God”? What do you think is the significance of making a personal confession of faith?

** See verse 15. This may have been more difficult for them to answer. Now they had to give their own personal confession. 

** See verse 16. Peter confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” There is a big difference between the Christ and the prophets. The prophets were servants who spoke about the coming Christ who would save God’s people and establish God’s kingdom (beginning in the hearts of people). 

>The major difference is that Peter’s answer was right, which shows that he had formed a right relationship with Jesus. 

** “the Christ”: Peter accepted Jesus as the Christ, meaning, the coming King and Lord, for “Christ” means “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” Jesus was more than a good person, an excellent teacher, or even a great servant of God. 

** “the Son of the living God”: It means that he really saw that God was revealed, made visible, and working among them, in and through Jesus. It was like confessing, “Immanuel—God with us.” Because a son comes from a father, and the son is like the father (Gen 1:27, 5:1-3). 

>Peter’s answer was exactly correct (according to the point of Matthew 1:1, 23).

** Making a personal confession is very important. It is God’s work in a person’s life. As the last passage says, what comes out of the mouth comes out of the heart. It is important to think about the word we have heard, and the work of God that we have seen and experienced, and make a decision about God and our lives based on that, specifically, to begin with, answering Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am,” for it leads us closer to Jesus. We are not made just to be a spectator, but to develop spiritually through these things, being led to Jesus who leads us to the Father. Then, we take a clear and firm stand.  

>It is not easy to confess Jesus as the Christ, these days, for new believers or old ones. There are many pressures, especially peer pressure, which hinders from making a right confession and then leading the right kind of life. At work or school, we don’t want to stick out. We are scared to show ourselves as believing in Jesus, for this world is against Jesus and the gospel message. We may look like strange fundamentalists, we may give off the presence that people should repent—which people don’t like, or we may have to stop sinning if the people around us knew that we confessed ourselves as Christians. But we have to overcome all of these fears and pressures and make a right confession of Jesus. 

Read verse 17. How did Peter come to know who Jesus really is? Why is it a blessing to know and confess Jesus as the Christ? How was Peter’s relationship to Jesus different from the crowds in regards to knowing who Jesus is? What can we learn about how we can know who Jesus really is?

** It was God the Father’s revelation, meaning, it was the work of God in Peter’s life that he came to know and confess who Jesus really is. 

** As Peter confessed, he saw Jesus as the “Son of the living God.” He came to see and know God personally and first hand in and through knowing Jesus. To know Jesus for who he really is, is eternal life (John 17:3). Jesus came to make the Father known (John 14:7). It is such a wonderful blessing to know God personally as Peter confessed, for this is who God designed our lives to be truly blessed (Gen 1:26-28). All good and perfect things come from the Father. As we make a right confession from our hearts, the work of God grows and grows, especially in regards to knowing him and glorifying him.

** Peter had first hand experience with Jesus, for Jesus says, “Not by man.” That does not mean that we who cannot be with Jesus physically are at a loss, but it means that he devoted everything meaning business to know Jesus. He left his family and career to know and follow Jesus. He left everything for this purpose. And God honored his actions and blessed him to know and confess Christ.

 ** God is the source of revelation about Jesus. We cannot know Jesus through demanding visions in a dream, or miraculous events, or religious customs or habits, etc. Especially, I believe, God honors our decisions of faith to know Jesus at all costs. We have to have a right relationship with Jesus which comes from first listening to his word and obeying it. 

>To know who Jesus is, God himself must be there, it is not man’s work. So, Peter should have been humbled based on Jesus’ words here. And we too should remain humble as we seek to know Jesus, as revelation about who he really is comes from God. 

>This message stuck with Peter. In his letters to the churches later on, he emphasized the importance of knowing who Jesus is more and more. In 2 Peter 3:18, Peter encouraged the believers, as his final words, saying, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” [You may also wish to review 2 Peter 1:2-9.] We do not simply know Jesus up to a certain point, such as making a first confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, or my Savior, but we strive to keep knowing Jesus more and more throughout our lives.

Read verses 18-20. What was Jesus going to build his church on? What do you think his “church” refers to? What will Jesus give Peter? What privileges and responsibilities do you think this comes with? Do you think Jesus’ words also apply to all others who confess Jesus is the Christ? If so, in what way?

** See verse 18, “..and on ‘this rock’ I will build my church.” Jesus reminded Simon Peter that his name is “Peter” which means “rock.” Then Jesus said, “on this rock I will build my church.” It means that he would build on Peter. And, ‘this rock’ can also refer to Peter’s confession. He would begin a building work, a beginning, in Peter’s life based on this confession and grace. [As the book of Acts (1-5) shows, Jesus used Peter as a critical instrument to build up the early church. But we have to be careful of teachings which promote Peter in ways Jesus does not say here.] 

** The church refers to the body of believers, which is Jesus’ body. It means that based on Peter’s confession, Jesus would build his church, meaning, the extension of himself to reach this world. Not even the gates of Hades, referring to the devil’s work, can overcome Jesus’ building work in Peter’s life.

** See verses 18b-19. 1) “the gates of hades will not overcome it”: meaning, Jesus gave Peter victory over the power of Satan; 2) “I will give you the keys of the kingdom…”: meaning, Jesus gave Peter access and authority in the kingdom of heaven. [“Keys” is important, for it is plural here. It is not just a single key that was given to Peter.]

>The point is that from this time on was a turning point and real beginning point for Jesus’ building work in Peter. A right confession is a beginning, not the end.

** Peter’s life from this point comes with the privilege and responsibility of knowing Jesus more and more and revealing who Jesus is to others as the main priority that they may make such a right confession as well. 

** Jesus’ words to Peter seem very personal and apply directly to Peter. That is true. Yet, at the same time, Jesus’ words are universally applicable to all who confess him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. In the same way, Jesus builds people up according to their confession. He gives them access and authority in the kingdom of heaven, and the gates of Hades cannot overcome Jesus’ work. 

Read verses 21-23. “From that time on” what did Jesus explain to his disciples about the work of the Christ? How did Peter respond? Why did he rebuke Jesus? What warning does Jesus give? 

** See verse 21. Here Jesus shows that the sufferings, death and even resurrection, were not the work of the devil, but the work of God. It was what the Christ “must” do. This then shows the real work of the Christ which only Christ can do. To be the Christ was not about gaining worldly glory, defeating the enemies of “Israel” such as the Roman empire. This is what it meant to really be the Christ. 

** What does it mean then to the followers of the Christ? Peter’s reaction is shocking, yet understandable to us. See verse 22. 

** Jesus says that Peter had in mind “the things of men” not “the things of God” (23). Maybe Peter could not accept that such things would happen to his beloved Lord and teacher. Also, Peter may have worried about his own position and life security and ambitions.

** Jesus warns us against having in mind the things of men rather than the things of God. In the previous verses Peter was given the keys to the kingdom, but in these next verses Jesus calls him “Satan”. When we have in mind the things of men we are open to become instruments of the devil. The “things of men” refer to the things that belong to sinful man and this world, with all its passions and desires.

Read verses 24-28. What did Jesus teach Peter about the attitude one should have after making a confession of faith? What does it mean to deny oneself and take up one’s cross? Why do you think Jesus requires this? What does Jesus promise to those who follow him in this way?

** See verse 24. It is compromised of: 1) following Jesus: once we confess, the next step is to follow Jesus; 2) denying ones’ self; 3) taking up ‘his’ cross. 

** To deny one’s self is to put aside our own “self”, literally, our life, and take up Jesus’ life and purpose. It does not mean that we stop existing as individuals or to be like a weak or dumb person, but that we choose Jesus and his purpose as my own life and purpose. 

>How do you think the disciples may have understood “his cross”? They did not know yet that Jesus was going to die on a cross. The “cross” refers to more than simply saying, “The cross of mission” or other tasks or burdens we have to perform. It is much more. The cross was used by the Romans in executions only. Criminals had to carry their crosses to the place of execution. To carry one’s cross meant to acknowledge and show that one was losing his life. It means that they really had to consider their old life gone and be dead to it, but live only Jesus’ life and purpose. 

** It is so that we can truly leave behind our old life of sin, and have new life in Jesus, experiencing Jesus’ life and power as our own to the fullest extend. It means that God does not compromise in giving us life and true blessing in Jesus. It also means that for us to grow and participate spiritually, we cannot compromise with our old way of life, but consider it dead and follow Jesus absolutely by faith. That is the way to know Jesus, follow Jesus, and grow spiritually throughout all our life, day by day. 

** He promises them eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.