A Stone Facing the Wind

Jesus ask his disciples who other people said he was.

He wasn’t asking that he might boost his ego by taking a poll.

Many claimed to be prophets, Messiah’s, or otherwise sent by God before doing anything

Jesus had been ministering throughout Galilee and only now asked about who the disciples heard other people saying.

Jesus could have asked the people himself. What was that about?

Jesus did not ask the disciples these questions while they were among their own “flesh and blood.” They were among the Gentiles.

Sometimes, we need to get away from the voices of flesh and blood to hear the clarifying voice of the Holy Spirit of God.

They were on the way to share the Gospel to the Israelites farthest north. They were still on the mission of saving the “lost sheep” of Israel.

Jesus called himself the “Son of Man.”

The disciples replied with a variety of opinions they have heard from the crowds, “John the Baptist,” “Elijah,” “Jeremiah,” or “one of the prophets.”

Called John the Baptist because:

Born around the same time

Born in the same region

Preached in the same region, to the same people

Preached a similar message

Called Elijah because

Jesus had identified John with Elijah.

Jesus’ ministry closely reflects Elijah’s.

Malachi 4:5 was understood to mean Elijah would return right before the Messiah

Called Jeremiah because

Both Jesus & Jeremiah proclaimed the judgment of God on Israel

Both were critical of the Temple cult

Both endured suffering for their ministry

Both were compared to Moses

Jeremiah announced that there would be a New Covenant & Jesus instituted it

Some people said that Jesus as no more than, “one of the prophets.”

Then, Jesus asked his disciples who they say he is.

Way to put your disciples on the spot

Jesus essentially asked them why they were following him?

Notes:

Why do we follow anyone? Why do we accept people as our leaders?

Today, there are any number of things we might consider to qualify a person as a leader.

The most outspoken person

The person with the most resources

The person with the most experience

The person with the most education

The person with the most confidence

The most critical

Yet, a person who has ALL of these, may not be able to lead others.

The Kingdom of God is different than ALL other groups of humans.

The Kingdom of God is established by Jesus, our one and true example of perfect leadership.

Jesus came among us, humble himself as one of us, and served ALL.

As far as Jesus is concerned, if someone does not have a certain faith or trust in the grace of God, they will not have the ability to lead effectively, especially as “the gates of Hades” comes against the church.

It wasn’t long before the church had to resolve its first major argument from “the gates of Hades,” whether or not the Gentiles would be included in the church.

Sometimes, as a leader, one must stand in the way of the winds that blow against the group.

The purpose of Jesus’ question was not to know the opinion of others.

His goal was to establish His identity and mission for the disciples, and so He asks who they say He is (vs. 15).

Simon Peter answers (vs. 16), You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.

Jesus calls a blessing on Simon son of Jonah, Peter

The Greek form of this name is petros, which means stone or rock. Jesus then states that He will build His church on this rock. This word rock is petra in Greek. Both come from translation of the original Aramaic word kepha. Petra is the feminine form and was used to indicated a rock which is moved, as opposed the masculine referring to an unmovable stone.

Peter’s name meaning Rock and Lee comes from Leeward Wind

Jesus singled out Peter her as a rock, or foundation on which the church was built.

Some took this meaning too far:

Roman Catholics used this text to argue for the succession of popes continuing from Peter onward, but they used it to justify infallibility and absolute authority of the pope.

Protestant Reformers understood the rock to mean Peter’s faith, which is shared by all Christians.

However, Peter was singled out for a special purpose for the church. His role was foundational for the church. Paul recognized Peter’s witness as authoritative and his name appears at the beginning of all the NT lists of disciples.

Jesus must have anticipated the future community of his disciples, the church (ekklesia)

The word ekklēsia (“church”) is used frequently in the Septuagint for the community of God’s people.

In view of the Last Supper, Jesus regarded his death as significant for the future of the church of the new covenant.

Some combination, or middle way, is true about Peter, he had a unique calling by Jesus to order the life of the early church, and the faith of the disciples in Jesus is the firm foundation set for the church.

Peter did not come to knowledge as Jesus as the Messiah on his own. He did not think it up in, “flesh and blood.” It was given to him as a gift.

God revealed to Peter that Jesus is the Messiah

Because this gift was found in him, the church would be founded on the leadership of Peter

By the blessing given to Peter, many things were discerned whether they should be a part of the new covenant community.

Circumcision

The traditional Hebrew feast days

Eating and living with Gentiles

The traditional Hebrew purity laws

Temple worship

The authority of the Torah

Women in authority

The church would find its power in Jesus Christ and the witness they bear in his name, just as Peter and the other disciples did.

These living stones provided a foundation for the church. But, Christ is the Cornerstone.

The church will last on through eternity ONLY by the grace of God.

At the end, Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone, lest people try to follow him without coming to faith in him.

When God reveals himself to us, we know that God can be relied upon.

When Jesus was revealed to Peter as the Christ Messiah, he became like the stone or rock that stands in the face of the winds of evil and corruption that others in shelter might know the bounty of God’s grace.

God is revealed to us in many ways that do not require us to reason God’s existence on our own.

God is revealed to us through the sacrificial love and nurture of another person.

God is revealed to us through miraculous provision at time when we have the least.

God is revealed to us through peace in hearts as we endure suffering.

God is revealed to us through his righteous judgment upon the evils of this world.

God is revealed in us as we join in the loving ways of God to restore the world back into relationship with him.

How will you be a part of revealing God to the world today?