Matthew Chapter 16
The Pharisees and the Sadducees were two opposing religious groups.
They now seem united as they sought to find reasons or accusations that would dismiss the popularity of this new rabbi Jesus.
They wanted a sign, but Jesus called them hypocrites because they had all the signs they needed right in front of them and they refused to see the truth. It was as if Jesus told them to “get a clue” and go and study again what happened with the prophet Jonah.
Jesus had previously taught that… “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40
The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection and neither group could accept that Jesus was “the Son of Man” a title that proclaimed His deity with the Father. It was going to be a long, long time before these two religious groups would truly “get a clue”.
Jesus turned His focus to His disciples making sure that they clearly understood. He left in a boat to spend time with them.
He wanted them to see the false teachings of the religious leaders, but ironically, they were more concerned with the fact they forgot to bring bread with them to eat. When Jesus mentioned leaven – a Jewish metaphor for sin because it spreads and affects the whole loaf, the disciples thought about food. Isn’t that typical of us humans, always thinking about our stomachs.
Let's Reflect
1. What did Jesus remind them of that showed how ridiculous their concern for food was?
2. They came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, a place full of statues and temples to other gods. And Jesus asks the disciples an important question. What was it?
3. Who answered for all of the disciples?
4. He had the correct answer. He did understand that Jesus truly was the Son of the living God, that He was the Christ (the Messiah). Jesus said “on this rock I will build my ____________.” It is on this confession of faith that all of Christianity is built. Some think Jesus was saying that Peter was the rock, but Peter clearly understood that all believers are rocks upon which He builds His church. He later wrote in I Peter 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to other spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
5. Jesus had come to proclaim His Kingdom and He was about to reveal it to all of the believers in a way they could not have imagined. The Holy Spirit was going to come and dwell in each of the believers. Jesus called this what in verse 19?
6. Now that Jesus was sure that the disciples truly understood who He was, they could now be taught about the redemptive plan that was about to take place. He taught them that He must die. The same disciple that just answered for the group of disciples, Peter, now stood in opposition to the plan Jesus announced. What did Jesus say about that?
7. Jesus taught them that if they were going to be true disciples of His they would have to deny self and be wholly committed to Him to follow Him. This meant they would have to face the death of their Messiah and later to face death themselves. Jesus explained that some of them would see the start of His new kingdom before their death, because they would be eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus. Who amongst the 12 disciples would not see the resurrected Jesus?
Devotionals
