The Gates of Hades will not Prevail

The background to this account is quite significant. Philippi Caesarea is a place of great religious history and importance in terms of pagan worship. A beautiful area that overlooks lush orchards and agricultural fields. It is said to have some 14 temples at one point representing many pagan God’s where worshipped and sacrificed to. Four of the major head waters of the Jordan flow out from this city. There was a marvelous temple of white marble built to the godhead of Caesar that would be destroyed in an earthquake 300 years later. All of this representing all the splendor and glory and beauty of the worlds religions. It’s against this backdrop that Jesus brings his disciples for retreat and then asks them this great question. He is asking the disciples to give their estimation of him in comparison to all of this.

“Gates of Hades”

Literally they are standing at the foot the gates of hades/underworld. This is the mount where people had sacrificed to their pagan dietes who were deities of the underworld. There pagan gods were etched into the mouth of this cave were this practice would take place. We know with what fear and superstition people were struck with in regard to hades. It’s the place were people go and never come back. Unless they can appease their god in some way…..

Psalm 68. Is a Psalm about Jesus conquering Mount Bashan or the gates of hades. Eph 4. quotes this in relation to Jesus descent into hades.

What he is saying is he is going to emerge from that cave a conquerer, and in that conquering, because of my indestructible life, because I am both God’s Messiah on my mission to destroy the works of the devil and God’s natural eternal Son, I will accomplish this by my own power. Not even death can stop me from building my church. Which is interesting because he is going to talk about his own death in just a moment.

If God has conquered the mount. If Christ has conquered the gates of hades. If God in Christ is victorious of all the powers of hell. Then what can stop him from building his church. Can anything stop Him. Can the death of the apostles? The death of the Martyrs?

No. He has the Keys of death

Rom 8.

What is one of the major themes of Peter’s sermons in Acts? The fact of the resurrection.

1& 2 Peter.