Journey to the Cross

"The King Declares His Identity"

**Scripture:** Matthew 16:13-20 (LSB)

**Date:** March 16, 2025

**Theme:** Christ, the anointed King, reveals his divine identity and unshakable reign, building his covenant people on the rock of his truth.

**Goal:** Exalt Jesus as the sovereign Messiah whose authority defines his church and demands our confession.

#### 1. Introduction (5 minutes)

- "Last week, we saw Jesus set his face toward the cross in Mark 8, declaring his suffering, death, and resurrection with sovereign resolve—fulfilling God’s plan as the King who calls us to follow. Now, we turn to another moment of revelation."

- "Who is Jesus? The world guesses—teacher, prophet, rebel. But in Matthew 16, Christ himself answers, unveiling his glory as the King who builds an eternal kingdom."

- As we journey toward the cross, we must see the One we follow—not a mere man, but the Son of God, reigning forever.

- Let’s hear Matthew 16:13-20 from the Legacy Standard Bible, where Jesus declares who he is and what he’s building.

2. Expositional Walkthrough of Matthew 16:13-20 (25-30 minutes)

A. Verses 13-16: Christ Probes and Peter Confesses**

- **Text:** "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”

- **Exegesis and OT Ties:**

- "Caesarea Philippi"—a Gentile region steeped in idolatry, once called Paneas for the god Pan. Jesus stands here as the true Lord, echoing Joshua’s conquest of Canaan (Josh. 11:16-17), where God’s rule overcomes pagan powers. His question asserts his dominion in enemy territory.

- "Son of Man"—from Daniel 7:13-14, where one "like a Son of Man" receives an everlasting kingdom from the Ancient of Days. This title fuses humanity with divine authority, fulfilling Genesis 1:28’s call for man to rule under God, which Adam lost.

- The crowd’s guesses—John, Elijah (Mal. 4:5, heralding the Day of the Lord), Jeremiah (Lam. 3:1, a suffering servant)—see Jesus as a shadow of OT figures. They miss the reality: he’s the King of Psalm 2:6, "installed on Zion," not a mere prophet.

- Peter’s confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," nails it. "Christ" (anointed one) ties to Psalm 89:20-27, where David’s seed is God’s firstborn, and "Son of the living God" echoes 2 Samuel 7:14, where God promises, "I will be a father to him." This is no human deduction—it’s divine truth breaking through.

- **Christ Exalted:** Jesus isn’t shaped by human opinion; he reveals himself as the covenant King, the Seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:18) who blesses all nations, the Son of David whose throne endures forever. His identity fulfills centuries of promise in a single declaration.

B. Verse 17: Christ Affirms Divine Revelation**

- **Text:** "And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”

- **Exegesis and OT Ties:**

- "Blessed are you"—echoes Genesis 12:3’s blessing on Abraham’s line, now fulfilled in those who see Christ rightly. Peter’s confession aligns him with God’s covenant people, a foretaste of the church.

- "Simon Bar-Jonah" (son of Jonah)—a nod to his human frailty, yet God chooses the weak (1 Cor. 1:27). The OT’s Jonah fled revelation (Jonah 1:3); this "son of Jonah" receives it by grace.

- "Flesh and blood did not reveal"—human wisdom fails, as Isaiah 55:8-9 declares, "My thoughts are not your thoughts." Instead, "My Father who is in heaven" unveils Christ, fulfilling Deuteronomy 29:29: "The secret things belong to Yahweh our God, but the things revealed belong to us." This is sovereign grace at work, the Father drawing men to the Son (John 6:44).

- **Christ Exalted:** Jesus stands as the centerpiece of God’s revelation, the One whom the Father exalts above all earthly insight. His kingship isn’t grasped by intellect but bestowed by divine will, binding heaven and earth in Trinitarian unity.

C. Verses 18-20: Christ Builds His Unshakable Church**

- **Text:** "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.’ Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ."

- **Exegesis and OT Ties:**

- "You are Peter, and upon this rock"—a play on *Petros* (Peter) and *petra* (rock). The rock is Peter’s confession of Christ, not his person—Jesus is the true foundation (Isa. 28:16, "a tested stone, a precious cornerstone"). The church builds on him, as Psalm 118:22 prophesies: "The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone."

- "I will build My church"—*ekklesia* recalls Israel’s assembly (Deut. 4:10, "the day you stood before Yahweh"). Christ forms a new covenant people, fulfilling Jeremiah 31:31-34’s promise of a renewed community knowing God. He builds it, not us—his sovereign act.

- "Gates of Hades will not overpower"—Hades (Sheol in OT, Ps. 16:10) is death’s domain. Christ’s reign shatters it, as David sang, "You will not abandon my soul to Sheol." This victory begins at the cross, echoes in history (AD 70’s judgment on Israel), and awaits final triumph (Ps. 110:1).

- "Keys of the kingdom"—authority from Isaiah 22:22, where Eliakim holds the key to David’s house. Christ, the greater David, delegates gospel proclamation—binding and loosing sin (cf. Hos. 6:2-3, restoration through his word). "Shall have been bound" reflects heaven’s prior decree, not human initiative.

- "Tell no one"—his messiahship awaits the cross (Ps. 22) and resurrection (Ps. 16:11) for full unveiling, a timed revelation of God’s plan.

- **Christ Exalted:** Jesus is the architect and King, building an invincible church on his truth. His authority crushes death, fulfills prophecy, and governs through his word—past, present, and future.

3. Theological Reflection (7-10 minutes)

- Jesus as the Christ fulfills Genesis 49:10 ("the scepter shall not depart from Judah") and Psalm 89:3-4 (David’s eternal throne); his church is the new covenant people, sealed by his blood (Ex. 24:8 fulfilled).

- Salvation is God’s work—revealing Christ (Deut. 30:6, circumcised hearts), building his elect. We confess because he reigns, not to earn his favor.

- Hades’ defeat is won at the cross (Ps. 18:5-6), was manifest in AD 70’s judgment (Hos. 13:14, redemption from death’s power), and awaits consummation at his return with the resurrection (Dan. 12:2).

4. Conclusion and Response (5 minutes)

- "This Lent, fix your eyes on Christ—the Christ, the Son, the King. He’s not asking who we think he is; he’s declaring it. Worship him as he builds his kingdom."

- Meditate on this text—confess Christ as Lord in prayer, proclaim him to others, rest in his unshakable reign.

- "The King has spoken. His church stands. His victory is sure. Praise him."