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+--- Thread: NT Doctrine -- Matthew 16:13-28 (/thread-980.html)
NT Doctrine -- Matthew 16:13-28 - Ed Hurst - 01-15-2022
Mark notes that upon leaving Magdala, Jesus and the Twelve headed up to Bethsaida. This town sat on the Upper Jordan, just a bit above where it fed into the Sea of Galilee. It's just possible that this portion of the river was navigable to smaller boats, at least to a place on the banks near where we believe Bethsaida stood in those days.
At Bethsaida Jesus healed a blind man and commanded him to keep it private. From there, they took the main road toward Caesarea Philippi, some 50 miles (80 km) to the north. We don't know if they actually went to Philip's capital on the site of the ancient shrine to Pan at the foot of Mount Hermon, but Jesus did visit some of the towns in that area. At some point along this journey, Luke tells us in the parallel passage that Jesus was praying when His disciples came to join Him.
Jesus queried them on what people were saying about Him. The list included a resurrected John the Baptist, or perhaps a manifestation of some of the ancient prophets -- Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc. Pointedly He asked what they themselves thought. Peter wasted no time in taking the lead, answering that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Jesus responded that Peter was blessed to have learned this from the Father, since it clearly wasn't the consensus of mere men. This is where Jesus asserts that at some time in the future, this man they all had called Simon bar-Jonah up to this point would some day be called Peter (Petros, "a stone") who was part of something much bigger than himself (petra, "a rock formation"), a Covenant confession upon which Jesus would assemble His kingdom.
And because Peter took the lead in this confession, Jesus would have him hold the keys for when it was time to open up fresh areas of the Kingdom to redemption. This confession was to be the new identity of a kingdom that would draw in people from all over the world. Peter would be there to open new lands and peoples to the gospel.
We can be sure it confused them when Jesus commanded them not to tell others that He was the Messiah. He tried to explain once again why, and kept trying to explain it from that day forward. As they made their way around Herod Philip's tetrarchy, Jesus began explaining that the Messiah was not what they were taught to expect, and most certainly not what the Jewish leadership were expecting.
Indeed, at some point He would go to Jerusalem and confront the ruling elite. They would use the full weight of their authority to silence Him, even to the point of killing Him. Yet, on the third day after that, He would rise again in full glory. Peter took Him aside privately to warn how this kind of talk was scaring the disciples. Surely the Messiah came to rule over the nation! It appears that Peter misunderstood what it meant to hold the keys of the Kingdom.
This was yet another attempt by Satan to prevent Jesus going to the Cross, and Jesus said so. He rebuked Peter for working the opposition agenda. Jesus had no doubts about the Father's will, and politics was not a part of it.
Jesus turned and included the others in this conversation. He made it clear that He was going to carry a Roman cross and be executed. Joining Him for that kind of self-sacrifice was essential to being part of the Messianic Kingdom. If anyone clings to this life, it will be lost. But those who could give it away would save their souls. There's nothing else people could give in exchange for Eternity.
He warned them to keep their eyes on the eternal reward of obedience, the Day of Judgment when the Father will send His Son back to collect all those who served Him. In the meantime, there was a lot of serving ahead of them, as the Kingdom would keep them very busy. Jesus said cryptically that some of those standing there at that moment would be alive to see the birth of that Kingdom in which their service would begin.
RE: NT Doctrine -- Matthew 16:13-28 - jaybreak - 01-16-2022
Peter might have thought he was going to be in some leadership position in the new political regime. Not that he necessarily wanted that...I'd like to think he was more like me and would be relieved to know the "keys" meant something other than political power, but who knows?
RE: NT Doctrine -- Matthew 16:13-28 - Ed Hurst - 01-16-2022
Well, what we know about Peter is guesswork. However, we know that traditions suggest he was the eldest. He was also likely the largest physically. Not only was he the leader of the group by custom, but he was a brash and impulsive blowhard. He got away with it because he could talk his way through most situations. We see him blustering during Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin, right after he had affirmed he would willingly die with Jesus.
The issue with "keys to the kingdom" as an established phrase in those days was that the key keeper's job was to guard the various properties until he recognized the King was coming, and upon recognizing him, unlock the door at his command alone. Peter executed this job quite well when it was time to bring Jesus to the Samaritans, and later to the Gentiles.