You can turn in your Bibles to Matthew 16. Matthew 16. We're going to read the entire chapter and then focus in on verses 13 to 18. So I will read Matthew 16, beginning at verse one.
Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and testing him, asked that he would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, when it is evening you say it will be fair weather for the sky is red and in the morning it will be foul weather today for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the sky but you cannot discern the sign of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
And he left them and departed. Now, when his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, Oh, you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up, nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread, but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the son of man, am? So they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the son of the living God.
Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Then he commanded his disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.
Amen. Well, let us pray.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your holy scriptures. We thank you, Lord God, again for the fact that we can gather to consider your word, to study it, to receive that ministry of the Holy Spirit who works by it. We do pray, Lord God, that you would bless this time, that Christ Jesus would truly be found communing with his people, walking among this lampstand. Lord God, that we would avail much of the preaching of your word, of the hearing of your word, of gathering together in worship.
And again, that you might be glorified by this exercise of your saints. And we pray in Christ's name. Amen.
Introduction
Well, this portion of Scripture that we're going to be looking at this morning and verse 18 this evening, verses 13 to 18 of Matthew 16. It's a very important passage of Holy Scripture. The preacher again says that every time he comes to a text of Holy Scripture. Very important.
But with regards to our focus on this section, 13 to 18, there are three things at least, three reasons at least, why this passage is very important by way of introduction. First off, for a proper Christian identification of Jesus. It is the task of the gospel writers. It is the task of the early church in a way to properly communicate the right identification of Jesus Christ.
The mission of Matthew as a gospel writer from the outset of giving the genealogy in the first chapter is to write concerning the identity of the glorious Christ the glorious Son of God, identified in the genealogy as Son of David, Son of Abraham. You see, the Gospel writers don't give us a deposit of simply narrative for narrative's sake, but they narrate the life, ministry, death, and resurrection, the events of Jesus Christ, in order to set forth Christ as the Christ. Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that by believing we may have life, in His name. It is important, again, for a proper Christian identification of Jesus.
This text is important, secondly, for a reflection upon the divine blessing of a right knowledge of Jesus. This text calls us, by reading it, by considering it, to rejoice in the blessing of being found in Christ Jesus. the blessing, the happiness, the blessed state of being a Christian, of being in the army of the Lamb, of being one called from out of darkness into marvelous light. As we consider this passage, we should perhaps by no help from the preacher, but by divine aid, rejoice in our standing in Christ Jesus. And thirdly, and this is what we'll look at more tonight, for the comfort and the courage of church, the stuff, the matter, of verse 18 of Christ building his church in the gates of hell, not prevailing against it.
This text is important for the comfort, for the courage and for the confidence of Christ's church. As we look at this passage now, we're going to look at it under three headings, the questions, the answers and the benediction. The questions. the answers and the benediction.
The Questions Christ Poses
First, with regards to the questions, France in his commentary very quickly writes this small sentence. These questions must be at the heart of Matthew's theological task. In other words, the questions that Christ asked that Christ asks here, these are at the heart of what Matthew is doing in his gospel writing, in his narration, in his disclosing the facts and the works of Jesus Christ to us. He is seeking to answer these questions that Christ poses to his disciples.
First note here, the questions, verse 13, when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, this is the first question, who do men say that I, the son of man, am? And then we see in verse 15, after their response to that question, he said to them, but who do you say that I am? First off, it's important to note that these questions don't reflect ignorance, of course, on the part of Jesus Christ. These reflections do not.
These questions do not reflect ignorance on the part of Jesus Christ, our Savior. He is not someone he is not. merely a man who is lacking data, who is needing to be satisfied by the acquisition of information. Whenever we see Jesus Christ asking questions, whenever we see Jesus Christ approaching the scribes and the Pharisees, the Sadducees, approaching his disciples and asking questions, it is Jesus Christ with divine and messianic purpose asking a question unto a designed end, to elicit a response, and then to proclaim truths and promises based upon either a right response or a wrong response. And so here we have Christ employing the first question regarding the common populace, regarding the crowds, he is employing this question in order to elicit the confession of his disciples when he asks the second.
I'll say that again. This question in verse 13, who do men say that I, the son of man, am? Christ is issuing that question in order to elicit the proper answer when he asks the second. But who do you say that I am?
You see, Christ wants to ask his disciples at this point in his ministry, at this point in disclosing his identity to them, instructing them, discipling them, looking back at the progression of revelation that he's given to them in his ministry. And he wants to elicit a right response to the question, who do you say that I am?
Questions With Designed Purpose
Christ often poses questions to his audience to make an impact or to introduce an occasion to instruct. Let's look at a couple examples of these. First off in Matthew 22. You can turn there with me.
Matthew chapter 22. And when you get there, you can turn to verse 41, Matthew 22, beginning at verse 41, an example of Jesus Christ bringing a question, posing a question to an audience in this case, in order to make an impact upon the audience. And of course, as Jesus Christ very often does to shut the mouths of detractors and enemies. While the Pharisees, verse 41, were gathered together, Jesus answered them, saying, What do you think about the Christ?
Whose Son is He? They said to Him, The Son of David. He said to them, How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord? Saying, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.
If David then calls him Lord, how is he his son? And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question him anymore." You see, Christ Jesus is not just wondering because he lacks information. You know, who do you guys, who do you Pharisees think That or what do you think about this? Christ, whose son is he?
I want to know, because I'm lacking information and I need my mind satisfied. No, Christ Jesus is targeting. He is seeking to put the Pharisees, as he often does, upon the horns of a dilemma. Either they confess him as the divine Messiah. or they confess their blatant ignorance in the face of clear revelation and the signs of the times.
And we see, as the Pharisees always do, they choose the Pharisaical response. No one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare question him anymore. In other words, the Pharisees resigned and abandoned themselves unto their sinful pride. We will not confess you as Christ.
We will not confess our ignorance. Those stumped by you. We will simply go off into silence and seek at least for the next three days not to trouble you. Another example that we see is in Luke chapter 24 Luke chapter 24.
No doubt you're well familiar with this one also. We have an example of Jesus Christ asking a question not out of ignorance not again as one who is lacking information in need in need of being filled with data, but rather for a particular purpose. This case to build and to introduce an occasion to instruct his disciples in proper truth. Jesus asked some questions.
Luke 24, beginning at verse 13. Now, behold, two of them. were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
But their eyes were restrained so that they did not know Him. And He said to them, What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad? You see, Jesus here, this isn't an example of Christ's ignorance and of Christ's lack of information. And the reason why I repeat that is because the enemies of Christ, those who oppose the biblical identification of Jesus as the Christ, as the Son of the living God, will come to passages like this and say, you see, Jesus Christ was ignorant of some things.
Or like passages in Scripture, whether New Testament or Old Testament, God is somehow ignorant. Your God is impotent with regards to certain things of knowledge. He needs to progress as he advances in time and in history and in the dealings with his creations and creatures. Christ asked this question for a particular purpose.
Notice, as the text continues, then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to him, Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? And have you not known the things which happened there in these days? And he said to them, What things? Again, a question, brethren, not disclosing Christ's ignorance, but the continuation of this dialogue in order to bring about instruction.
So they said to him the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified. and crucified him. But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company who arrived at the tomb early astonished us when they did not find his body.
They came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see." Now notice, this is the purpose, this is the divine design behind this dialogue, this discourse, the questions and answers. Verse 25, Then He said to them, O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken, Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? So you see, the Lord Jesus Christ poses questions like this, like those in Matthew 22.
And with regards to our text that we're considering this morning, He asks these questions in order to bring about a designed purpose and end, and an occasion for instruction and glorying in the truths that He will proclaim to His people.
The Answers to the Questions
The answers. The answers that follow these questions. Notice the answers. Christ first asks, verse 13, who do men say that I, the son of man, am?
The first answer is given here in verse 14. So they said, some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
The Crowd's Ignorant Answer
This answer of the general populace is given not by the general populace, of course, because Christ is speaking to his disciples. But this answer given concerning the general populace discloses the ignorance of the populace. Remember, there are two options, two realities in the lower world throughout history. Either you believe in the son that assumes certain true propositions about him, or you do not believe the son.
Whatever propositions you might assent to, whether you think he's a good man, whether you think he's a moral teacher, whether you think he's some sort of a prophet, nevertheless, you are outside of saving faith. and under God's condemnation. But we see here in the answer given, the disciples disclosing to Christ or answering Christ's question regarding men, regarding the crowds, regarding the common populace, it discloses that the common populace had an ignorance to the identity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, their ignorance, the answer of the disciples regarding the populace, regarding the crowds, and what they believe concerning Jesus isn't as bad as the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees, is it? You see, at least in one sense, if we can speak this way, they acknowledge they're not insulting him.
They're not openly mocking him. They are saying that some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah. In other words, notable men within the complex of Old Covenant religion. And so they are not as not as insulting, not as openly wicked as the scribes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
You know, they would they would answer this question. He is a glutton. He's a winebibber. He's a friend of tax collectors and sinners.
But nevertheless, this betrays the ignorance of the crowds. The ignorance of the common populace and puts them in that category of being without hope and without strength in the world, without the knowledge of Christ and without saving faith. The answer given. Or the answer given here again by the disciples regarding the common populace is building on to the proper answer that Peter gives here next.
In verse 15, the question is asked, he said to them, but who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, you are the Christ, the son of the living God. And you see, this is where Matthew is building to the answer to that question. The answer given by Peter is what Matthew is all about in his gospel.
The Matthew is given by the superintending power and oversight of the Holy Spirit in the operation of inspiration. He is disclosing the identity of Jesus Christ to to his people and to those who need to hear. Jesus is not John the Baptist. He is not Elijah.
He is not Jeremiah. He is not a prophet brought back from the dead or somehow manifested as a specter, but rather he is the Christ, the Son of the living God. A few things with regards to this proper answer to the question. First off, The answer of the disciples given by Peter reflects the progression of their understanding of Jesus, His mission, His nature, and His being.
This is a reflection here. Peter answering rightly and reflecting the progression of their grasping the instruction that Jesus Christ has given them. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Turn back to Matthew 8 for a moment with me.
Matthew chapter 8. You see, when Jesus Christ first called his disciples to follow after him, they, of course, did not have the knowledge of his identity as they do when we arrive at Matthew 16. They were ignorant concerning who this Jesus was. They did not have the data, the propositions, the knowledge, the understanding that Christ would give them and that the spirit would illumine their hearts with.
In Matthew chapter 8, though, we have an instance of the progression of the disciples, the knowledge of the disciples as it concerns Jesus Christ. Verse 23 of Matthew 8. Now, when he got into a boat, his disciples followed him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves.
But he was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us. We are perishing. But He said to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?
Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey him?" You see, as Jesus dealt with his disciples, and on most occasions his disciples alone, we see the movement of the narrative adding information and understanding to the disciples. The disciples being marked by a growth in understanding as to who this Jesus is, what his mission is and who he is in being and in nature. As we move forward in the narrative, we come to Matthew 14 and we find greater understanding on the part of the disciples in Matthew 14, beginning at verse 31.
Well, beginning at This is the occasion where Jesus is walking on the sea. We'll pick up reading in verse 27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I, do not be afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.
So he came, excuse me, so he said, come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink. He cried out, saying, Lord, save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and said to him, oh, you have little faith. Why did you doubt? And when they had got into the boat, the wind ceased. Now, notice verse thirty three.
Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped him, saying, Truly, you are the son of God. You see, as Christ deals with his disciples, the various aspects of his mission, the various things he performs, the various words of instruction that he gives mount to increase their knowledge. and their understanding of Jesus. And so we arrive at Matthew 16 and Christ's occasions this time to bring to bear the answer of Peter to the question, who do you say that I am? And Peter answers, you are the Christ. the son of the living God.
The answer here also reflects the special focus of Jesus to his disciples. You see, there is a separation that Jesus is doing here between the common populace and the crowds and his believing ones, his disciples. The common populace, you are either John the Baptist, you are You're either Elijah or Jeremiah, one of the prophets. But the disciples, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And there is a difference maker in this. Yes, of course, and to be sure, the reality that the Spirit must make a live one dead in trespasses and sins. in order to grasp, in order to understand, in order to glory in the truths concerning Christ. But also, the answer of Peter here reflects the special focus that Jesus had to His and with His disciples. Very briefly, Matthew 13, just to see this.
Jesus explains this exact reality in the context of parables given and the meaning communicated in Matthew 13, beginning in verse 11. Well, beginning in verse 10, and the disciples came and said to him, why do you speak to them in parables? He answered and said to them, because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given for whoever has to him or will be given and he will have abundance. But whoever does not have even what he has will be taken away from him.
Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive. For the hearts of this people have grown dull, their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed. lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts, in turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
For assuredly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it." See what Jesus says here in the midst of all of this glorious language given by Him, is that to you, disciples, it has been given to know the things concerning the kingdom of God. But to the common populace, those who have this identification of me that discloses their ignorance, it has not been given. Blessed are you. And this is where we need to count our gathering in church as a high and a heavy thing, not a small thing.
When we gather in church, we come to church on the Lord's Day, we shouldn't just call it a small thing, something tacked on at the end of the week, or I guess, you know, put at the beginning of the week. Not something that we just do in the course of our lives. You know, I come here. OK, I got to go to church.
It's an obligation. I need to keep up appearances, throw on my best and make sure I maintain my, you know, whatever my desired social status as being so-and-so in the church. No. We count it as a high and heavy thing that we are the special and particular focus of Jesus Christ.
You see, we are the disciples of Jesus. We are to be made aware. We are to stir up within ourselves. We are to pray that the Holy Spirit would stir up in ourselves the apprehension and the glorying in the reality that we are the peculiar, particular and special focus of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
We get to gather here on the Lord's Day as Christ's assembly. He'll later say, I will build my church. I will build my assembly. I will build my gathered ones.
And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We are the special focus of Jesus, brothers and sisters. Don't count it a small thing to come to church. counted a high and a heavy privilege that we get to gather in the name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who 2000 years ago shed his blood upon Calvary's tree, rose again victorious, ascended into heaven, and has built his church from that point onward by the preaching of the gospel, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to the praise of his name, And we get to be counted among that number of old, multitudinous saints throughout the ages who have gloried in the Savior. We shake hands with them, rejoice in our Jesus, and count it a high thing we certainly ought to, to be able to gather together in His name, in church, to hear His law, to hear His word, and to glory in His redemption.
The Content of Peter's Confession
Notice the content of Peter's answer. The content of Peter's answer again, he said to them, but who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the son of the living God. Three things here.
Gil has noted here that this is a very full confession of faith, a very full confession of faith. Notice, first of all, you are the Christ. Thou art the Christ. This is the first time this title for Jesus appears in speech in this gospel.
An interesting note. Now, the word Christ is included by Matthew in what France calls his editorial writing. But this is the first time the word Christ appears in speech. You are the Christ, the son of the living God.
What do we know by this title? What is Peter saying when he says to Jesus in his answer on behalf of the apostles, the disciples, thou art the Christ. First off, Jesus is more than a prophet and more than an Old Testament witness, isn't he? You see, this response, the right one, is set in opposition to the response of ignorance, to the response of error on the part of the common populace and the crowds.
They said John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah are one of the prophets. But Peter says, no, thou art the Christ. You are more than a prophet. You are more than an Old Testament witness.
You are the one to whom all the prophets and all of the Old Testament witnesses pointed to. You are the one proclaimed of old. You are the one promised of old. You are the one prophesied of old.
He is the one to whom the prophets pointed. He is the promised Messiah, the promised Savior. the expected Redeemer of the people of God. Now, it's important to note here that Peter, though rendering the right answer, though giving the right identification of Jesus in opposition to those who answered in ignorance and in error, that Peter did not yet have the fullness of Christology that we have now. Now, we don't look back on Peter and laugh at any measure of ignorance and that sort of thing.
Jesus Christ has been progressively revealing himself to Peter and the disciples, to his followers. At this point in redemptive history, there was not that fullness of the gathered propositions concerning Jesus that would be proclaimed even to the churches after his ascension. But nevertheless, Peter does give the right response here with regards to Jesus. You are the Christ.
We have the full Christian view. We know what that means to be the Christ, the Messiah, the expected Redeemer. You see, and then there is that defective view of the common populace and crowds that was popular during this day. Perhaps a messianic deliverance of physical redemption.
One who would save from the geopolitical oppression of Rome. One who would be a man of palm. a man of political glory outward and temporally, but rather Jesus Christ is not that false idea or identification of the Messiah, but rather the long-expected Savior, the prophesied Messiah, and the expected Redeemer of the people of God. We see the fact that Peter, though he answers rightly, we see that his proclamation and his declaration of the identity of Jesus is deficient in what follows after. or is missing some information and is not full in what follows after. Notice verse 21.
From that time, Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, Far be it from you, Lord, this shall not happen to you. But he turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan, you are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God. But the things of men, you see how quickly we see an example here of Peter right at one occasion giving the right proclamation and receiving a blessing from Jesus Christ.
But then we see that Peter's knowledge, his understanding of the Christ, the fullness of Christ's messianic work and the charge that the father has given him. There is a there is not a full view there because we have a wrong declaration, we have a wrong response, Peter even rebuking, and then Jesus issuing this curse, if you will, or this bad word given to Peter, get behind me, Satan, you are an offense to me. But nevertheless, we see in this answer the right identification of Jesus as the Christ, the promise of God, who would carry out the work of the Father. Disciples, the apostle and the rest of the disciples had not yet been given that Bible study, that post-resurrection Bible study with the broiled fish and the honeycomb and that Christ of great victory with the nail marks of victory.
They would get that Bible study, though, and they would receive the fullness of the disclosure concerning Jesus Christ. He would open up their hearts to receive the fact that it was Jesus who was proclaimed in the Old Testament, in the law of the prophets and the Psalms, and He would ascend unto God and they would there worship Him. But suffice it to say, Peter rightly proclaims, Thou art the Christ.
'Son of the Living God'
He follows that up with the Son of the living God. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus is more than just a man sent by God. That's what Peter is saying.
Thou art the Christ, but you are not just a Messiah, an anointed one, a man sent by God, but rather you are the Son of the living God. What does this mean? Well, first off, it's not a reiteration of the first identifier. He says, you are the Christ, the son of the living God.
The son is not sort of an amplification upon or synonymous with the Christ. Robert Raymond makes the note in his systematic theology that in saying you are the Christ, Peter is proclaiming something with regards to Jesus's function. He functions as the sent Messiah, the sent expected redeemer. When Peter says the son of the living God, Peter is disclosing something concerning his being, his ontology, his nature, who Christ is by being, by existence, and by nature.
The first identification of Jesus, again in this answer, is a title of function. This one, the second, is a title of being, of existence, of nature. Jesus is the Son of the living God, not a created Son. Remember that.
We are Trinitarian Christians. We profess with great glory that Jesus Christ is most certainly God. God manifested in the flesh. In the beginning was the Word.
The Word was with God and the Word was God. He is not a created son. He is not a son by virtue of the incarnation. Jesus was and is the son of man, born of Mary, born into time and in history to undertake his messianic role to save his people from their sins.
But he is not a son. He is not identified here as a son. by virtue of His incarnation. He is not the Son of God, though He is the Son of God in this sense also, but He is not the Son of God solely and alone by virtue of that time when He inaugurated His ministry at His baptism. Remember, the voice from heaven comes down.
This is my Son in whom I am well pleased. That isn't the time where Christ undertakes His Sonship or when the identification of Christ as the Son of God was inaugurated, but rather the Son. Jesus Christ is the Son by virtue of his relation to the Father in the triune Godhead. In other words, he is the Son by virtue of being.
He is the Son by virtue of existence and nature, by virtue of being the second of the eternal and glorious triune Godhead. He is co-eternal, co-glorious, equal with the father. He bears the attributes, the characteristics, the perfections of deity. He is the son of the living God.
Very glorious passage of scripture that speaks to this reality is in Matthew 11. If you can turn there for a moment, I know Pastor Butler has alluded to this passage in any theological context because it contains much theology with regards to Jesus, with regards to God, with regards to salvation, Matthew 11, 25 to 27. Matthew 11, 25-27. A note, Warfield says with regards to this passage, speaking to the Son of the living God, in some respects, this is the most remarkable utterance in the whole compass of the four Gospels.
Before we read that, listen to that again. In some respects, the most remarkable utterance in the whole compass of the four Gospels. Matthew 11, beginning at verse 25, on the Son of the Living God being a statement of His co-glory, His co-eternality, His equality with God the Father. At that time, Jesus answered and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the father except the son and the one to whom the son wills to reveal him. Come to me labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Just very briefly to highlight the fact that as son of God or when Peter says the son of the living God, not a created son, not son by virtue of anything other than his eternal relation to the Father in the triune Godhead. Matthew notes four parallels here. First, exclusive mutual knowledge.
Notice the statement here. No one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son. You see, it's parallel language being used here. The Father has knowledge of the Son.
The Son has knowledge of the Father. Both of those knowledges, if I can use that language, are not derivative, they're not acquired by the acquisition of knowledge, but they know by virtue of them being themselves, being God, being members of the triune Godhead. Just as the father or just as no one knows the father or the son except the father, also no one knows the father except the son. Also, there is the natural, the mutual necessity of revelation by father and son.
It is the divine prerogative of the father to reveal information to his creatures. It is the divine prerogative of the sun to reveal information to his creatures. Mutual lordship. Both have rights.
Both have authority. Both have unmitigated sovereignty over over the creation and their creatures. So in Matthew 16, when Peter answers, you are the Christ, the son of the living God, he is speaking concerning Christ as the promised Messiah and the son with respect to his being seen in his nature with the triune Godhead.
The Living God Distinct from Idols
Lastly, the son of the living God, the son of the living God, the third The third constituent elements in this great confession of faith, Jesus is the son of the living God. What does this speak to or what does this disclose concerning Jesus Christ? Well, first off, this identification of God has a rich history in the Old Testament, doesn't it? If you know your Old Testament, you'll know that God is identified, that Yahweh is identified as the living God, the living and true God.
He is unlike, he is not like those gods of the Gentiles, those small G gods, those statues, those things fashioned by human hands, but rather he is the living God. The identification of God here speaks to glorious truths concerning him. This identification of God speaks to glorious truths concerning him. As Gil says, he is distinguished from and is opposed unto the lifeless deities of the Gentiles, the lifeless statues of the heathen.
He is life in himself. He is the giver of life to his creatures and he provides eternal life in his son. He is able to visit punishment upon those who oppose him. He has been the provider and sustainer of his people through the ages, covenants kept, promises fulfilled and blessings given.
You see, Peter can identify Christ. Jesus as the Christ, as the Son of God, and as the Son of the living God, because he has been instructed well by Christ. Yes, he hasn't derived the fullness of information regarding Jesus. He'll rebuke him for announcing his delivering up to be killed and raised the third day.
But nevertheless, Peter knew The Christ who has been disclosed to him, he knew those glorious truths concerning him and he proclaimed him as the son of the living God. Not the God of the Gentiles, not the God of the heathens, but the living and true God who casts down idols and who destroys those who reject him.
The Benediction Pronounced
Lastly and finally, we close with the benediction. the benediction. We have the questions given, we have the answers given in response to the questions, and then we have a benediction given by the Lord Jesus Christ to Peter. The blessing is pronounced. Notice verse 17, Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah.
Just stop there for a moment and understand the nature of blessing. When Jesus says here, blessed are you, Simon Barjona, this isn't a congratulatory word given to Peter because of Peter. I think this is one of the points where the Roman Catholics err with this whole idea of blessed when they approach the Mary and the disclosure of the angel concerning Mary in the narrative, the birth narratives. Blessed are you, Mary, highly favored one.
It's looked upon or Mary is looked upon there as being the recipient of a blessing or being or being the recipient of blessing because she somehow merited it as someone strong in character, virtuous, et cetera, et cetera. But rather, Mary is blessed. Peter is blessed not by virtue of the strength of their own character or any virtues in them, but rather solely and alone by the amazing grace of God visited upon him in his own counsel and according to his own purpose. And so this is this blessing pronounced is not a congratulatory word given by Christ to Peter for a job well done.
But rather, it is God. And we'll see the reason for this pronouncement being made. But it is God who dispenses the blessing. He shows the favor according to the counsel of his own will.
And the reason for this benediction, the reason for this blessing is made clear. First, there is a negative assertion. Notice, blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven.
Divine Revelation, Not Human Reason
This negative assertion, flesh and blood, has not revealed this to you. Men do not and men cannot arrive at truth by their own strength and by their own diligence searching. Flesh and blood has not revealed these things to you. Men do not and cannot arrive at truth by the instruction of other men bringing information to them. flesh and blood has not revealed these things to you.
It is not human parentage. It is not by virtue of Simon being Bar-Jonah. It is not by virtue of Simon being the son of Jonah that he is blessed. It is not by virtue of him being a child of Abraham according to the flesh that he is blessed.
But rather, it is because of the stuff of this positive assertion, but my Father who is in heaven. but my Father who is in heaven." The necessity of divine instruction is clearly given here. When we, brethren, when we engage in the apologetic enterprise, that means when we are seeking to preach Jesus, to preach, hopefully with meekness and fear, theology to other people, we need to learn the instruction of Jesus given here. We don't stop in our apologetic zeal at the bleak picture of inability, of total inability and total depravity. We don't hammer people over the head with Flesh and blood does not reveal these things.
We don't hit people over the head with, you cannot come to Christ because you're totally depraved and totally unable. You see, whenever the bleak picture of man in his natural state is given in the Bible, it is first off in order to humble man to the recollection of or to the identification of his former state and condition or his current state and condition. It is to humble man. But you see, it is always followed on the heels by the grace of God so that God may be magnified in his redeeming activity. and taking us from that rock whence we were hewn, from the hole of the pit from which we were digged, and lifting us up to that position of being found safely in Jesus Christ unto the saving of our souls.
So we never stop with flesh and blood cannot. You are unable. You are a wretch of a man or a woman or a boy or a girl. But we, with meekness and fear, by meekness and fear, continue with the glorious good news that there is a God. who has deemed it well to save sinners in that state to life in Christ Jesus.
The second positive assertion is given by my Father who is in heaven. We see here again the necessity of divine instruction. Men can only arrive at the truth by divine action and illumination. Christianity is a revealed religion.
Christianity is a revealed religion. Unlike the religions of the world, we noticed this last time, we noted this last time. Many religions in the world suppose a God who has created. And man is left in the power of his own wisdom and philosophy and knowledge and movements to find that God and to worship Him however they discover to do.
In Christianity, we have a revealed religion. God who created has also revealed in His Word He has disclosed himself and his redemptive plan. And Peter was the blessed recipient of that divine reality. It is not the result.
Christianity is not the result of the learning of philosophers or the moving and shaking of politicians. It is a divinely revealed system of truth.
True Happiness in Knowing Christ
True happiness comes when we know Christ. Matthew Henry in his commentary says, regarding this statement, all happiness attends the right knowledge of Christ. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. Happy are you, Peter, because you know Christ.
Do we count it a blessing? Do we count this, the knowledge of Christ, as our chief blessing? Sometimes when we think of blessings and when we pray about blessings, our blessings You know, while they may be fine and while we can come to God to pray for small things, sometimes we think of blessings first in ways like this. I have a vehicle to drive.
Thank you, Lord God, for giving me something to drive to work in. Praise God that we have vehicles to transport us from home to work so that we can bring back bacon and cornflakes for our family. Praise God that we have that blessing of vehicular. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with X, Y, and Z.
Whatever physical blessings you want to insert into that particular praise to God. But, brethren, we need to, we have to, as Christians, we need to count as our chief blessing, not those things of the list of smaller consequence, but of that soul and glorious blessing of amazing grace through Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior. See, that is our chief blessing to know Christ In that, we have all happiness. All happiness, as Henry says.
We need to rejoice in and find our chief blessing in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you do that? Or is your happiness, is the caboose of your happiness, hinged to the train of your physical blessings. That sounds like a motivational speech phrase.
I'm sorry for that one. But does your happiness, does your joy depend upon the fact that you have a car? The fact that you have bacon and cornflakes on the table? The fact that your children are being nice to you and your wife is being kind?
Whatever it might be, insert anything there. Or is your happiness proportionate to, or is your happiness and your joy hinged to the glorious train of redemption in Christ Jesus? Is that wherein your happiness lies? Is that wherein your happiness lies?
Sometimes we need to get off that roller coaster rather than identify that we are the roller coaster. Jump off that thing. Jump on another ride and manifest and engage in and embrace the reality that our happiness does not depend upon any of these physical blessings, but our ultimate happiness depends on that which is in eternity. The blessings and the reality of redemption by Jesus Christ.
You see, we cannot take raiment and shelter and food into heaven, but we can take the glorious reality of the knowledge of Christ. And that will be the stuff that populates the heavenly hymn book. the glories of redemption, the glories of our Savior, the glories of our triune God. Let's attach and affix our happiness and find our joy in those blessed truths of the divine revelation of Christ to us and see all our happiness attending the right knowledge of Christ.
Application to the Unbeliever
Well, very briefly, before we close in prayer, unbeliever. You see, for the believer, we can reflect upon the divine blessings of God. the right knowledge of him, the fact that God conquered our ignorance and showed us Christ. We have many things that we can avail of in this passage. But if you're here and you're outside of Christ, is your answer or what is your answer to that question?
Who do men say that I, the son of man, am? We certainly hope that it is not like the scribes and the Pharisees that Jesus Christ is a glutton, a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners, though that third one is glorious. In their minds, it wasn't. We do hope that you don't have this identification of Jesus as wicked as the scribes and the Pharisees.
But most likely, if you're here this morning, you probably have something of that identification of the common populace in the crowds. He's a good man. You might not recognize him as a prophet in whatever worldview you have, but he's a good man, taught some good things, a moral teacher. I come to church for whatever reason.
You must arrive at this point where you confess with Peter you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. At this point, you are outside of Christ in unbelief, and it is a bleak picture for you. That bleak picture that we find in our Bibles. You stand under the wrath and condemnation of a holy God who will righteously and perfectly, with holy indignation and with wholesome severity, visit judgment upon those who do not confess Christ, who do not obey His law.
But you see, there is that blessed answer. The Christ, the Son of the living God. The disclosure of these epistle writers, the disclosure of these gospel writers is unto that end that believing you may have life through his name. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.
And it can be said of you, happy are you, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word, what it discloses concerning our precious Savior Jesus. We thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, You have by your commission, Holy Spirit, and your sent ministers of the gospel called us by amazing grace to own that truth, to glory in that truth, to believe in you. And we thank you, Holy Spirit, for dispensing unto us and applying unto us the benefits of Jesus Christ and his perfect work. Might we always see the blessing.
Might we always count that high blessing. having the right knowledge of Jesus Christ, might we look forward to that great day. We enter into glory and sing his praises forevermore. We pray in this lower world, though, until that day that you might strengthen us daily to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We would rejoice in him daily, knowing that we're saved by grace through faith in him alone.
In light of that truth, we would seek to proclaim His name to others and seek to live in accordance with His holy law. We just pray that you go with each and every one of us here this morning. Help us in all that we do, in all that we speak, in all that we do engage in, to bring you glory. And it's in Christ's name that we pray.