He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:15-16
I recall from my college marketing class, our professor taught about obtaining marketing data. Marketing, much like political polling, can be difficult to obtain factual answers from those people targeted for the survey. I remember him talking about a marketing surveying company working for one of the large automobile companies. They posed a simple question directed to the head of the household. For example: “What type of car would you like to purchase next time?” They would answer back; “Something practical and family oriented like a
In Matthew 16:13, Jesus takes the direct opposite approach from the marketing model above. He starts out by asking “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples answered with the factual answers that they heard the people say. Some say ‘John the Baptist’ others say ‘Elijah’, ‘Jeremiah’ or one of the prophets. These answers were in line with the messianic expectations held in Israel (Deut. 18:15-18, Mal. 4:5). Jesus then personalized the question and asked: “But who do you say that I am?” (v15). Peter spoke up and said: “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Jesus then affirmed Peter’s answer and said that it wasn’t revealed by “flesh and blood” but by the Father in Heaven.
The first question I have is why was this revealed to Peter and not the group of disciples as a collective group? No doubt Peter spoke for the group, but the answer may be found in verse 18 when Jesus said “Peter, upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell will not prevail (overpower it-NASB)”. For much of the early church period, Peter was the spokesman and leader of the apostles.
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,”
Ephesians 2:19-20
It’s not that Peter had any more authority than the others, but he did take the lead at Pentecost and we see his leadership through the first 12 chapters of Acts (Acts 2:14, 3:12, 4:8, 10:44,11,2). The phrase “upon this rock” has been interpreted 3 ways. (1) Peter himself; (2) His confession; or (3) Christ and his teachings. Most scholars lean to the first option because this entire pronouncement is directed towards Peter. No doubt Peter played an important role in the early church.
The gospel (Christ’s finished work on the cross for payment of our sins, and his resurrection from the dead,
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14
2 Comments
Ken Hubbard
I have always believed that the “rock” Jesus spoke of was the revelation itself.
Danny
The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Paul said no other foundation can be laid except that which is laid WHICH IS CHRIST.( 1 Cor.3:11)The church is built upon the revelation of who Jesus is and what He has done for us and as us on the cross.
As the old song says, on Christ the solid rock I stand , all other ground is sinking sand.