Matthew 16:13-20, Peter's Confession of Jesus

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 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.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Comments

Jesus’ teaching mission that began in Galilee (4:17) climaxed with Peter’s confession. The identification of Jesus as the Christ occurred in private in the furthest point north Jesus ever traveled. The answers of others identified Jesus as a great man, but still a man. Peter was the first person to use the title “Christ” to describe Jesus. The term “living” contrasted the God Peter knew with the local deities who were only idols.

Jesus’ response to Peter’s statement suggested God enlightened Peter, and this confession, this “rock” (“petra” or Peter in Greek) will be proclaimed again and again. Thus, Jesus will use him to build his church, a messianic community that is Jesus’, not God’s. This Messianic community will not die and be shut in the gates of death. Peter will be the foundation stone of this new community of the restored people of God that will last forever.

Peter had a leading role with a daunting degree of authority. The image of the keys suggested a steward who regulated the administration of a house. The issue was not admission to the church, which was not what the kingdom of heaven meant, but an authority derived from a delegation of God’s authority. That authority included binding and loosing, which were technical terms for the pronouncements of Rabbis on what was not permitted (to bind) and what was permitted (to loose). An early example of Peter exercising this authority was when he pioneered and authorized the church’s acceptance of Gentiles in Acts 10-11.

The Messiahship Peter triumphantly declared will be very different than what he imagined. Jesus wanted the title Christ to be for the world, not just for the Jews. If his own disciples did not understand it, then how would the Galilean crowd? Jesus will begin a new phase of messianic teaching.

Prayer

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope

of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

(BCP, p. 816)