2. Key Text
: “ ‘But what
about you?’ he
asked.
‘Who do you
say I am?’ ”
Matthew 16:15,
3. From that time Jesus began
to show 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”
Matt. 16:21,
The New Testament is clear: Jesus had to die. As He faced the
looming shadow of the Cross, Jesus prayed: “ ‘Now My soul is
troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save Me from this hour”?
But for this purpose I came to this hour’ ” John 12:27, NKJV. This
was the divine plan, conceived within the mind of God, even
“before time began” Titus 1:2, NKJV; see also 2 Tim. 1:9
4. That’s why Jesus didn’t say
simply that He was going to
suffer many things and be killed
and raised up on the third day,
but that He must face these
things. Given the nature of God,
the sanctity of the law, and the
reality of free will, His death was
the only way that humanity
could be saved from the penalty
of transgression.
This week we pick up more of the story of Jesus, though we
will focus on Peter and how Peter responded to the
ministry of Jesus as He marched toward a death planned
from “before time began.”
5. This week we studied the life of Jesus, but we
focused in Peter’s story and how he responded to
His ministry.
Peter’s
declaration:
“You are the
Christ.”
Matthew
16:13-16.
Peter, a little
stone on the
Rock.
Matthew
16:17-20.
Peter the
tempter.
Matthew
16:21-27.
Peter at the
celestial vision.
Matthew
17:1-9.
Peter and the
temple tax.
Matthew
17:24-27.
6. “Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are
the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”
(Matthew 16:16)
Jesus asked a question in two steps: “Who do
men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” [what does
the world say about Jesus of Nazareth?] and
“who do you say that I am?” [who is Jesus for
me?] (Matthew 16:13, 15).
Peter answered spontaneously because of his
character.
He still had a lot to learn about Jesus’ redeeming
work, but the Holy Spirit taught him a basic
principle of faith; Jesus—the Son of God—is the
promised Redeemer.
He had accepted Jesus as a Holy teacher (Luke
5:8). He had seen Him doing amazing wonders
and healing hundreds of people. Then He
declared Him as the Messiah.
7. The Catholic Church has taught that Jesus appointed
Peter the leader of the Church in that text.
Actually, Peter didn’t play that role in the Primitive
Church. In addition, the use of the word “rock” (πετρα)
doesn’t support that interpretation at all.
The apostles sent Peter to Samaria (Acts 8:14).
Peter obeyed the other apostles.
James was the one leading the first Council of
Jerusalem; it wasn’t Peter (Acts 15:13).
Paul mentioned three “pillars” of the Church (not
only one): James, Peter and John (Galatians 2:9).
8. “And I also say to you that you
are Peter, and on this rock I will
build My church, and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it.”
(Matthew 16:18)
NEW TESTAMENT
Paul wrote about Jesus being the Rock that led
Israel during the Exodus (1Co. 10:4)
Peter wrote about Jesus being the Rock (1P. 2:8)
OLD TESTAMENT
God is the Rock (Gn. 49:24; Dt. 32:4, 15, 18,
30, 31; 2S. 22:2, 32, 47; 2S. 23:3; Ps. 18:2, 31,
46; 19:14; 28:1; 31:2-3; 42:9; 62:2 …)
“For no other foundation can anyone
lay than that which is laid, which is
Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
“and on this rock I will build My church.”
9. “But He turned and said to Peter, ‘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)
Jesus told the disciples that He had to suffer, to
die and to resurrect.
Peter suggested an alternative plan, to avoid
the cross. He focused in this life and forgot
about the eternal life (the reason why Jesus
was willing to give up His life for us).
Peter let the devil use him as his spokesperson.
Jesus was rebuking the invisible enemy who
actually suggested that idea. He did so aloud so
all the disciples could hear it (Mark 8:33).
Jesus invited them and invites us today to
renounce everything that could make us lose
the eternal life (Matthew 16:24-27).
10. “and He was transfigured before
them. His face shone like the sun,
and His clothes became as white as
the light. And behold, Moses and
Elijah appeared to them, talking
with Him.” (Matthew 17:2-3)
God sent two men to encourage Jesus
before His sacrifice (Luke 9:31).
Moses and Elijah lived the sufferings
we face in this sinful world. They also
represented the fruits of Jesus’
sacrifice. That was the main theme of
their conversation.
Jesus was encouraged by them, so He
also encouraged the astounded
disciples (Matthew 17:7). That
experience would deeply mark Peter
(2 Peter 1:16-18).
11. “The faith of the disciples was greatly
strengthened at the transfiguration, when
they were permitted to behold Christ’s glory
and to hear the voice from heaven testifying to
His divine character. God chose to give the
followers of Jesus strong proof that He was the
promised Messiah, that in their bitter sorrow
and disappointment at His crucifixion, they
would not entirely cast away their confidence.
At the transfiguration the Lord sent Moses and
Elijah to talk with Jesus concerning His
sufferings and death. Instead of choosing
angels to converse with His Son, God chose
those who had themselves experienced the
trials of earth.”
E.G.W. (Early Writings, pg. 162)
12. “When they had come to Capernaum, those who
received the temple tax came to Peter and said, ‘Does
your Teacher not pay the temple tax?’” (Matthew 17:24)
Priests, Levites and Rabbis were exempt from
paying the temple tax.
Peter accepted Jesus as rabbi and Son of God
(John 4:31; Matthew 16:16). He tacitly
admitted that Jesus was no rabbi by answering
“yes” to that question. He wasted a chance to
testify to his faith!
Jesus explained him the inconsistency of
making the Son of God pay the tax for the
house of God (Matthew 17:25).
In spite of everything, He was willing to
renounce to His right to avoid an unnecessary
controversy. He did it by performing a miracle,
showing His power over nature and all living
beings!
13. “Angels are listening to hear
what kind of report you are
bearing to the world about
your heavenly Master. Let your
conversation be of Him who
liveth to make intercession for
you before the Father. When
you take the hand of a friend,
let praise to God be on your lips
and in your heart. This will
attract his thoughts to Jesus.”
E.G.W. (Steps to Christ, cp. 13, pg. 119)
14. Further Thought:
The story of how Jesus has Peter
pull the money, the exact amount
needed, out of the mouth of the first
fish Peter catches is extraordinary,
so extraordinary that some scho-
lars have tried to argue it away as
just a “bit of a folktale,” a cute story
to make a point, nothing more.
Of course, that’s a totally inadequate solution (it’s no solution at all,
in fact). Sure, in contrast to the other kind of miracles—for example,
healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, feeding
the hungry—this one is of a different nature altogether. In the Bible,
too, we do have the floating axe head 2 Kings 6:2–7. and the wet
fleece on the dry ground and the dry fleece on the wet ground Judg.
6:36–40; so, it’s not of a nature totally unknown in Scripture.
15. Why didn’t Jesus simply hand Peter the money and tell him to pay it
rather than perform such an amazing feat in order to solve what was
a relatively small problem? The text doesn’t say. However, as the
lesson said, it does show us the incredible power of God, which
should not be surprising to us.
After all, we see evidence of His incredible power all the time. Our
mere existence, much less than that of the visible cosmos, is an
amazing manifestation of the power of our God. If God could do this,
a specific coin in a specific fish’s mouth was nothing. Though
written in a different context, Paul’s point is so well taken: “Oh, the
depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”
Rom. 11:33, NKJV. The account in Matthew is just one more
manifestation of this truth.
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