Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
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Big Idea of the Series: This four-week series explains the nature and purpose of the church.
It details the origin of the church; the ordinances of the church; the roles, responsibilities, and gifts of the members of the church; and the overall mission of the church.
The series is meant to assist local pastors as they share the vision for their own churches with their respective congregations.
Big Idea of the Message: Jesus Christ is the origin, foundation, and rock of the church.
Location
As we jump into this narrative Jesus is with His disciples and entering into a region called Caesarea Philippi this area was called Bashan in the Old Testament;
This area had a reputation in the region which could have made it the ideal place for Jesus to have this conversation with His disciples;
“The narrative takes place in the region of Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13), which was named after Philip the Tetrarch (one of Herod the Great’s sons) and Augustus Caesar (the famous Roman emperor).
This was a well-known center of pagan worship, including the worship of Caesar himself.
So, when Jesus asks his disciples who others and they themselves say that He is, the question is asked with this idolatrous setting in mind.
Jesus’s inquiry about His identity is made in comparison with and in relation to the identities of the pagan idols that were worshipped by others in this very area.”
(Ministry Pass Upon This Rock Sermon Series)
Show map of Caesarea Philippi location
This city is located approximately 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee near the base of Mount Hermon;
Why was this an ideal place for this conversation;
In this instance, this likely refers to the realm of the dead in general (the underworld)—similar to the Hebrew word she’ol.
Jesus and His disciples are at Caesarea Philippi, located at the base of Mount Hermon.
This region is affiliated in ancient Near Eastern, Jewish, and Greek literature with the gateway to the underworld, the gods, and other spiritual beings.
The OT also affiliates the region, called Bashan in the OT, with an evil giant clan and idolatry (Deut 2:10–12; 3:1,10–11; Josh 12:1–5).
Jesus seems to be saying that through His power, the Church will overcome the powers of evil and death itself.
So based on Jewish tradition this place was the entryway to hell - so this was the ideal place to share Christ’s power, through the church, to stand against hell;
Since the original Greek text lacks the preposition “against” in the verse, the phrase may be literally rendered “the gates of Hades shall not withstand it.”
Given this, the verse indicates that the gates of Hades, the realm of death and evil, will not be able to withstand the advance of the Church.
This passage affirms why Satan will infiltrate the local church, because he knows the true power and potential of the local church.
Identity
What’ in an identity - but let’s start at the basics what does identity mean;
Identity means - sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing - the distinguishing character or personality of an individual; (Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
(Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).)
Here Jesus asks a two part question, and it is the two part question that is being asked today “Who do men say I, the Son of Man, am?”
This question is still relevant today because people still wonder who Jesus is, yes even people in the church;
The thing is until the local church begins to acknowledge truly who Jesus is the identity of the church will be muddled;
But why would He ask such a question;
He questions their perception of the crowds’ views of his identity, not for his own information but to correct the misconceptions that have arisen.
Misconception of identity can cause confusion in understanding.
Explanation
The disciples start giving Him answers to “who men say” by sharing three possibilities;
The equation with John the Baptist recalls Herod’s fears in 14:2 and suggests that others shared these sentiments.
Elijah represents the messianic forerunner of Old Testament prophecy (see comments under 11:7–15).
Many had obviously not made the link between Elijah and John the Baptist.
It would be natural to think of Jesus also as a kind of Jeremiah, a preacher of judgment and repentance who was widely rejected by the leaders of his nation.
But Jesus pushes the question to a personal level with “But who do you say I am?” and this question was a key question then and remains so today;
Jesus presses the disciples further for their response (v.
15).
“You” here is emphatic.
“I” makes it clear that the “Son of Man” in v. 13 is Jesus.
Here is the first time in Matthew that anyone in Jesus’ audiences has unambiguously acknowledged him as the “Christ” (Christos—Messiah—see under 1:1).
I believe that Jesus is asking us, individually and as a church, the same question “But who do you say I am?”
Now Peter answers this question directly and with confidence because the answer came from outside of himself;
Peter also adds the adjective “living,” a characteristically Jewish way of referring to God to distinguish him from lifeless idols and also a reminder that only Yahweh has life in himself which he can impart to others.
But the disciples’ insight has now definitely surpassed that of their Jewish contemporaries.
How would you answer this direct question?
Understanding
So these next verses bring about denominational controversy of who or what Christ is declaring as the “Foundation” of the church;
Acknowledging Jesus as the Christ illustrates the appropriateness of Simon’s nickname, “Peter” (Petros = rock).
This is not the first time Simon has been called Peter (cf.
John 1:42), but it is certainly the most famous.
Jesus’ declaration, “You are Peter,” parallels Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ,” as if to say, “Since you can tell me who I am, I will tell you who you are.”
The expression “this rock” almost certainly refers to Peter, following immediately after his name, just as the words following “the Christ” in v. 16 applied to Jesus.
The play on words in the Greek between Peter’s name (Petros) and the word “rock” (petra) makes sense only if Peter is the rock and if Jesus is about to explain the significance of this identification.
Once Matt 13 is recognized as in no sense an absolute rejection of the Jews as a whole, it is virtually impossible to sustain the view that Jesus is here offering the church as an alternative to the kingdom.
Instead, Christ’s “church” will comprise the community of people who submit to God’s kingly rule (recall that kingdom equals kingship—God’s rule or reign).
The popular view that the church is somehow to separate itself from society, based on the derivation of ekklēsia from ekkaleō (to call out) affords a classic example of what linguists call the etymological fallacy.
Words often develop meanings over time that differ from their roots.
The only sense in which the word church in New Testament times means those who are called out is that believers routinely gather together by leaving their separate places of residence or work.
Jesus promises the indestructibility of his church.
That the “gates of Hades will not overcome it” proves cryptic because gates are naturally seen as defensive protection, while “overcome” suggests an army on the offense.
Is Jesus saying that Hades (Heb.
Sheol—the grave—probably, as with hell, in the sense of Satan’s domain) cannot conquer the church or that it cannot resist the church’s advances?
Is Satan on the defense or offense here?
The latter seems more likely.
In other Jewish literature “gates of Hades” is frequently idiomatic for “powers of death” (based on Isa 38:10).
Similarly here Jesus encourages his followers that, irrespective of how Christianity may be attacked in a given place and time, the church universal will never be extinguished.
Sects and cults which claim that true Christianity entirely disappeared from the world during certain periods of church history contradict Jesus’ teaching here.
Binding and releasing may refer to what Peter and the church leaders prohibit (bind) or permit (release).
This seems to indicate that the Church and its leadership are given authority to carry out God’s will and to oppose the powers of evil (compare Matt 12:29–32).
As the next passage indicates, Jesus knows that His messianic role will involve suffering and death, and He apparently recognizes a divine timetable for these events to unfold.
Application Point: The church is called to proclaim and worship Christ alone as Lord.
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