Sermon Tone Analysis

Background: Jesus’ Travels

In our last sermon on the life of Christ, we reviewed the miracle of Jesus casting out a demon from a Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter.

This took place in the region of Tyre, a predominantly Gentile area.

This sparked a short series of movements and events in which Jesus focused His teaching and miracle working on the gentile populace.

Jesus traveled further North through the area of Sidon, and then down to the south-eastern area of the Sea of Galilee, the area known as the Decapolis.

This is the same area where Jesus healed two demon possessed men, one of whom was possessed by a legion, and where the legion of demons filled a nearby herd of swine, ultimately drowning them in the sea.

Jesus probably didn’t spend more than 12 hours there on that occasion.

While in this area, crowds flocked to Jesus.

We read of Jesus healing a man who was deaf and mute (), teaching and healing many (), and finally Jesus miraculously feeding a crowd of 4,000 (; ).

After this time in Gentile territory, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee with His disciples to the western shore, a place called Magadan and Dalmanutha.

It is unknown where these locations are exactly, but some believe it to be close to the city of Magdala.

In this place, Jesus is confronted by both Pharisees and Sadduccees who request a sign from heaven, which Jesus refuses.

Jesus departs again, sailing with the disciples over the Sea to the northern shore.

During the trip He warns the disciples of the “leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduccees.”

(; ).

Once on the northern shore, Jesus heals a blind man near Bethsaida.

This is a unique miracle, because it is a “2-step” miracle ().

From here, Jesus travels almost 25 miles north to Caesarea Philippi.

Peter’s Confession (6; ; )

The crowds: Jesus possesses the spirit of one of the powerful Old Testament prophets.

While complimentary, this belief is simply not enough.

Who do you say that I am?

This is the real point of the conversation.

The first question is to get the disciples thinking about the topic.

The second question is what Jesus is primarily interested in.

Had they learned after more than 2 years with Jesus who He really was?

The following discourse - Peter’s confession and Jesus’ response - are saturated with Messianic expectation and language.

Even the timing of the conversation is important.

It takes place after Jesus has preached to and performed signs in the midst of both the Jews and the Gentiles.

The words and phrases in this discourse are not empty rhetoric or mere titles, they approach the truest heart of the matter: is Jesus the answer that God has promised?

As John the baptist asked, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

Peter’s confession is not merely a formula, it is the heart and soul of his belief, that, yes, Jesus is the one who is to come!

Jesus’ response then affirms that truth and validates Peter’s confession.

Peter’s Confession: Peter is the one who speaks, but he likely the spokesman for the group.

The other disciples believe this same truth.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”

“Christ” is the Greek Equivalent of Hebrew “Messiah.”

Anointed One: Prophet, Priest and King.

All of these offices are in view for the Messiah, but “king” is especially prominent.

Messianic expectation was heavily focused on God’s promise to David in , and fleshed out through other prophecies.

Let us briefly look at and then Isaiah 9

Isaiah 9:

Isaiah 9:6-

“I will raise up one after you…and I will establish his kingdom.”

()

“He shall build a house for my name

The Messiah was the one who would be “God’s anointed” - the heir to David’s throne, and the king that would rescue and restore God’s people.

The anointed one was the One who would deliver God’s people.

The Messiah was the one who would be “God’s anointed” - the heir to David’s throne, and the king that would rescue and restore God’s people.

The anointed one was the One who would deliver God’s people.

The Messiah was the Son who would be “God’s anointed” - the heir to David’s throne, and the king that would rescue and restore God’s people.

The anointed one was the One who would deliver God’s people, establishing an everlasting kingdom.

“I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son” (v.

14)

Peter’s confession emphasizes Jesus as the Son of the living God.

This title is used of God throughout the Old Testament.

It is used to invoke awe, separate God as the only true God (since He is living and idols are not), and especially in a sense that God delivers His people.

It is the living God that will drive out the Canaanites ()

David was appalled that Goliath went unchallenged for defying the armies of “the living God” and was confident He would overcome Goliath because of the living God.

Isaiah reassured king Hezekiah that even though the messenger of the king of Assyria had mocked the living God, Assyria would not overcome Jerusalem.

When Darius came to check on Daniel the morning after throwing him in the lion’s den, he recognized Daniel as the servant of the living God, and decreed his people should “tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.”

(Dan.

6:26)

Jesus, as the Son of the living God, is the ultimate method of God’s deliverance.

Where deliverance in the Old Testament came by the living God intervening for Israel, true and eternal deliverance in the New Testament is accomplished because God becomes flesh, lives among us, dies for us, and rises again.

Peter did not yet understand the necessity of Jesus’ death and resurrection, but he did recognize Jesus was the promised Messiah, the promised means of deliverance to God’s people.

There was no other who could offer deliverance or salvation, which Peter had recognized even prior to this:

We do not have to come from a Jewish background that expects a Messiah to be able to understand and lovingly appreciate Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

21st century Americans, as well as Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and all other people who have no notion of a Jewish Messiah can learn that there is one God, and Jesus is the only way to Him.

Jesus is the only way our sins can be forgive, and the only means by which we can be delivered from hell, and the only one who can offer us Heaven.

Confessing Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God is not rhetoric, and it is not a magical formula.

The words can be repeated, but is it what we believe?

Do we truly believe we need saving?

Do we believe the only way to be saved is through Jesus?

Do we believe His shed bled is the only way to be forgive, and His resurrection is the proof that He is the Son of God?

Jesus’ Response ()

Even though other confessions had been made, this is the first time one receives a blessing from Jesus like this.

At this point Peter (and the other disciples) are truly convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

They are fully dedicated to Him and His mission.

“Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you...”

A few comments about Jesus’ Response:

Many look at this statement as saying that God specifically revealed this truth to Peter through inspiration.

While possible, that doesn’t seem to fit best.

“On this rock I will build my church....”

Jesus has asked what they believed.

This isn’t a matter of direct revelation; it’s a question about the conclusion they’ve made.

What is the rock?

It is either the truth of Peter’s confession, or Peter as a representative of the apostles.

says that the household of God is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being the Chief cornerstone.

Perhaps this is what Jesus is alluding to in ?

The other option is that either Peter’s confession or the truth of Peter’s confession is the rock Jesus mentions.

This simply means the truth that Jesus is the Messiah is the bedrock foundation upon which Jesus’ church will be built.

After all, if Jesus is not the Christ, the Son of the Living God, then His church or kingdom cannot be the everlasting kingdom.

Jesus is the builder and owner of the Church, and there is only one church.

Jesus speaks in the future tense.

He had not already built His church.

While he had followers, they were not organized as “His church” yet, and would not be until some time in the future.

“The gates of hell shall not prevail against it...”

This should signal Jesus is speaking of a Spiritual kingdom.

The enemy is not Rome or any other geopolitical power; the enemy to Christ’s kingdom is death and hell.

But even this enemy will be unsuccessful.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven...”

Much could be said about this phrase and what it does not mean, but we will focus on simply what it does mean.

Peter would certainly play a unique role in the establishment of the church, but not in a way that put him above the other apostles.