Jesus Is the Smartest Person Who Ever Lived

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Matthew 22:15-22

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

 
 

Jesus is really smart. Like brilliant! Like the smartest-man-who-ever-lived kind of smart. (This is one of the reasons the early church called him “Lord.”) Most people today wouldn't think of Jesus as being in even the top 10 smartest people who ever lived, but he is.

To cite a tiny example, consider his response to the Pharisees and the Herodians about paying taxes "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." It is a GENIUS answer, and even his enemies admitted this:

"When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away." [22:22]

“[D]espite the countercultural character of the kingdom that rejects the ultimacy of the social structures of this present world (Mt 4:18- 22; 10:34-39), life in the kingdom involves fulfilling the obligation to pay taxes (Mt 22:15-22) and thus offer support for the proper functions of government.” —David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God

Jesus is brilliant. And there is nothing about your circumstances that bewilder him today--he is completely competent to get you through life, all the way to the other side.

Trust him.

 

The Wedding Crasher

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Matthew 22:1-14

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 
 

This is a very difficult, troubling parable, and it will offend our modern sensibilities.

So, is the problem Jesus, or are we the problem?

Essentially, this is a parable about the necessity of responding to God’s invitation of the Kingdom. And if you do respond, you must do so on God’s terms, not your own. What is keeping you from completely responding today to the invitation of Jesus? What do you need to leave behind?

 

The Parable of The Two Sons and The Parable of The Tenants

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Matthew 21:28-46

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

 
 

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS (MATTHEW 21:28-32)

"God requires productive and obedient living from his people.... How did people ever get the idea that obedience to the will of God is optional?... Any separation of believing and doing is a distortion of the gospel message and is directly confronted by this parable. A person cannot believe apart from obedience....

“This parable also encourages us to remember that initial responses are not ultimate responses. An initial refusal does not have to stay a refusal, and an initial agreement is not enough. It must be lived."

—Klyne Snodgrass, Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus

 

THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED TENANTS (MATTHEW 21:33-46)

This is a parable of judgment against the Jewish religious leaders, who will lose what they have because of their wicked refusal to listen to the Son of God.

This parable is also a challenge to each of us: what are we doing with the spiritual potential God has given us? Are we laboring in the Kingdom to produce more fruit, or are we just wasting its potential? Don't be deceived—Jesus says that we will each be held accountable for our actions.

 

Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig Tree?

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Matthew 21:18-27

18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

 
 

A fruitless fig tree was an Old Testament symbol of God's judgment on Israel's idolatry and corruption. For example:

“‘I will take away their harvest,
declares the Lord.
There will be no grapes on the vine.
There will be no figs on the tree,
and their leaves will wither.
What I have given them
will be taken from them.'” [Jeremiah 8:13, NIV]

So, the episode with the cursed fig tree is a living parable Jesus is acting out in front of the disciples. He is showing them the consequences for the hard-heartedness of the religious leaders, namely that the Temple will soon be destroyed.

At the time Jesus is speaking the Temple and its leadership would have seemed permanent and unassailable. And yet within a generation (in AD 70) the entire thing would be overthrown as a consequence of Israel’s rejection of Jesus. (Look at the leadership’s dishonesty in verses 23-27.) Jesus wants his disciples to have faith that God hears their prayers and can do the seemingly impossible.

 

The Reason Jesus Overturned The Tables

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Matthew 21:12-17

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

“ ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”

17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

 
 

The reason there were moneychangers and merchants in the temple courts in Jerusalem was so that pilgrims who came in from far away could easily buy an animal for sacrifice. Galilee is in the north of Israel, e.g., and I'm told it was at least a two week walk from there to Jerusalem. Obviously, it wasn't practical for Jews coming to worship and sacrifice in Jerusalem to bring animals with them, and the Jews of the Diaspora wouldn't even have the appropriate currency with them, hence the need for the moneychangers.

So, I don't think it is the presence of the moneychangers and the merchants that is necessarily wrong; it is their abuse of their position to which Jesus is objecting. If they had offered a fair rate of exchange and fair prices, then they would have been doing the pilgrims a service. But, it seems they were price-gouging, and thereby profaning the Temple.

P.S. Unlike the adults, the children in Jerusalem understand who Jesus is.

P.P.S. The overturning of the tables in the Temple courts is a profoundly provocative act, and one that leads directly to Jesus’s death.

 

When It's Time To Fight

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Matthew 21:1-11

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ”

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

 
 

The Mount of Olives overlooks Jerusalem to the east, and on Palm Sunday Jesus comes down the Mount of Olives in a triumphant procession as he enters the city. The excitement around Jesus has been slowly coming to a boil, but each time the lid is about to blow off, Jesus calms the crowds, or quickly withdraws, or tells the people not to say anything. Palm Sunday, however, is the moment when Jesus goes public. He encourages the shouts of Hosanna and the waving of the palm branches; his procession is a deliberately provocative and political act. And, just a few days later, he'll be crucified.

So, why does he do it?

I think the answer is that it's finally time for him to engage the fight. Jesus was born to die. Up to this moment, he has been biding his time. Now that the time has come, he's ready.

At some point, the difficult thing can't be avoided--it must be engaged.

P.S. Jesus is the son of David [1:1] who finally claims David’s city— Jerusalem—as king, and for a brief time on that first Palm Sunday, the people correctly acknowledge his identity [21:9].

 

What Do You Want Jesus To Do For You?

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Matthew 20:29-34

29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

 
 

I love the directness of Jesus's question to the two blind men in Jericho:

"'What do you want me to do for you?'" [20:32]

To their credit, they are bold in their request:

“'Lord,' they answered, 'we want our sight.'” [20:33]

And they receive it. Jesus is humble and has time for beggars.

If Jesus asked you that same question today, what would you say?

 

James and John Have Their Mom Talk To The Teacher

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Matthew 20:17-28

17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 
 

The disciples still refuse to understand the Way of the Cross—they seek worldly status and hierarchy.

“Jesus insists that in the kingdom the issue of position and status is turned on its head. In contrast to the thinking of the Gentiles, who will finally kill him...it is those who most abjectly reject positions of honor and status in favor of humble submission to the needs of others who will have the greatest status in the kingdom, for this is the essential model of Jesus’ whole life, culminating in his death; he came ‘not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many’ (Mt 20:28).”

—David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God

Is there a small act of quiet service you can perform for someone else today?

 

The Most Explosive Parable In The Bible?

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We had technical difficulties with the livestream for our Bible study on Wednesday—my apologies. I’ve posted the video below. Be sure to watch all the way to the Q&A and hear the amazing questions our middle and high school students are asking!

The handout is available here.

 
 
 

Matthew 20:1-16

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.

10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

 
 

UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES

I remember the first time I really heard the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. I was in seminary, and it was the first time I understood the explosive nature of the teaching of Jesus. This parable does not make you feel good, and the more you think about it, the more disturbing it seems. It just seems fundamentally unfair that the people who have labored all day in the hot sun get paid the same as those who only put in an hour of work at the close of the day.

Maybe that's the point: there is something about the kingdom of heaven that just doesn't fit with how we think things should be. And, considering what a mess we've made of things, maybe that's very good news.

Peter has implied that Jesus owes them for following him:

“See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” [19:27]

Jesus explains that though God will reward as he has promised, he will also be abundantly generous as he sees fit:

“I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” [20:14-15]

Toward whom can you be abundantly generous today?

 

Will Jesus Ever Turn Someone Away?

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Matthew 19:13-30

13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.

16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

 
 

I don't think we ever see Jesus turn someone away. But, what we do see are people who refuse what he has to offer. The story of the rich young ruler is a good example of this: he asks Jesus how to have eternal life, and Jesus answers him honestly. Jesus tells him that his possessions will make it very hard for him to receive the kingdom. The man doesn't want to hear that, and walks away sad.

Jesus calls every person to follow him, but we come on his terms, not our own. There are many people in the Gospels and in our time who aren't willing to accept the terms Jesus gives. Wealth is obviously a major stumbling block for us, because when we are wealthy it's much harder for us to trust Jesus first. But, wealth is not the only stumbling block in a person's life—if we want to follow Jesus, we will have to follow in the way of self-denial and sacrifice.

But Jesus tells his disciples that it will be worth it:

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” [19:29]

So, here's the question: what is the thing that's keeping you from following Jesus today?

 

Controversial and Hard Teaching On Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage

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Our Next All-Church Bible Study Will Be All About Sex, Marriage, Divorce, etc.

Our final All-Church Bible Study for 2023 is TONIGHT (11/8), 6:30-8:00 PM, and it will be all about sex, marriage, divorce, remarriage, same-sex attraction, etc.

We’ll be looking at what Jesus has to say about these topics in Matthew 19, which is today’s reading.

Bring a friend!  Going to be a great night.

 
 

Matthew 19:1-12

1 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”

10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

 
 

INTRODUCTION--JESUS IS NOT SANTA CLAUS

Haven't you ever wondered why, since Jesus was such a nice guy, meek and mild; since Jesus is basically Santa Claus in sandals and a bath robe; since Jesus never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings— haven't you ever wondered why Jesus was killed? Jesus wasn't killed by accident; Jesus was killed because the things he did and said caused people to hate him.

Matthew chapters 19-20 are a good example of the sort of things Jesus said that got him killed, because these two chapters contain some difficult, explosive teachings from Jesus. The sacrifice of the cross shapes all the teaching in this section, and to properly understand Matthew 19-20, we need to look at all of Jesus's teachings in this section together and see how self-denial and sacrifice characterize life in the Kingdom.

JESUS, MARRIAGE, & DIVORCE

In Matthew 19, Jesus speaks to the topic of marriage and divorce. In today’s commentary, I am not going to offer a comprehensive theology of marriage and divorce, and there are lots of questions I'm not going to try to answer; what I will try to do is explain what I think Jesus is saying in this passage. So, let's walk through this passage, verse by verse:

19 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” [19:1-3]

Jesus has now begun his journey to Jerusalem. He's left the Galilee in the north, and has come south. Unsurprisingly, he has drawn a crowd. And, equally unsurprisingly, the Pharisees--who hate Jesus--have come to try to trip him up. Some things haven't changed; even today, talking about marriage can get you crucified!

The question about divorce is not an earnest, truth-seeking question, because the Pharisees who ask it are trying to set a trap for Jesus. Why is this question so controversial? In the time of Jesus, there were two rabbinical perspectives on divorce: one perspective (from Rabbi Hillel) said that men could divorce their wives for any reason, and the other perspective (from Rabbi Shammai) said that divorce should be reserved for cases of adultery. In both cases, it was understood that only a husband could seek a divorce, and not a wife. Unsurprisingly, the Hillel perspective was the popular one in the time of Jesus.

As he always does, Jesus uses scripture to frame his answer. In fact, he goes back to the very beginning of the Bible itself: Genesis 1-2. (Specifically Genesis 1:27 and 2:24.)

4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” [19:4-6]

Note that Jesus doesn't actually answer their question directly, but instead talks about the purpose of marriage, as designed by God. There are 4 interesting implications to his answer:

  1. Our identities as male or female are not an accident, but part of God's purpose for our lives.

  2. Marriage makes new families. The husband comes from one family, the wife comes from another, but when they get married, a brand-new family is created through them.

  3. The marriage union is meant to be total: in the biblical language, "one flesh." Marriage is a complete union: emotional, of course, but also, in some mysterious way, bodily as well. The physical result of that bodily union, obviously, is a child. A child is the "one flesh" that results when a husband and a wife come together through sexual intercourse. A child is one, though it comes from two: a mother and a father. Even at the molecular level, this is true: the child has one DNA sequence, but that sequence has been made from the DNA of two parents. There are billions of us on this planet, and every single one of us--without exception, and whether we know them personally or not--has a biological mother and a biological father. The fact that each of us is the fruit of our parents' union is really astounding, but because it is commonplace, we overlook it.

  4. The marriage union is meant to be lifelong—that was God’s design from the very beginning.

The Pharisees reply with an obvious point:

7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” [19:7]

In other words, they say: "Jesus, that sounds really nice, but if marriage was meant to be life-long, why is divorce sanctioned in the Old Testament?" (Divorce is really only mentioned once in the Mosaic Law—Deuteronomy 24:1-4. And there it’s not the grounds for divorce that are mentioned, but rather what happens after divorce.)

8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” [19:8-9]

The presence of sin has made divorce necessary. Rebellious attitudes toward God—“because of your hardness of heart”—meant that marriage’s original purpose would not always be realized, and so divorce is a consequence that God gives to contain the damage caused by sin—divorce is necessary so as not to make things worse. There are laws regarding how to deal with murder, e.g., but those laws about what to do with murderers only exist because people have already chosen to do murder. In the same way, laws about divorce arise as a consequence of human sin.

Jesus then states that sexual immorality breaks the marriage covenant or somehow makes marriage impossible. In that case, then, divorce is a way of acknowledging that the marriage covenant has already been abrogated.

It is important to point out that since it seems that only men who were able to divorce their wives in the time of Jesus (and not vice versa), then the practical effect of Jesus's comments is that they protect women, who, without clear divorce laws, could be cast aside for any and every reason. Jesus's words sound harsh, but they are actually helpful to women whose husbands wanted to divorce them for any and every reason.

The disciples are shocked at the implications of Jesus’s words:

10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” [19:10]

At the time of Jesus, the expectation for everyone was marriage and family. The disciples say that if marriage is supposed to be that kind of permanent union, then maybe some people shouldn’t even get married!

In response, Jesus says that there are some people God has called to celibacy and not marriage, but celibacy is not a calling for everyone, “but only those to whom it is given.”

11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” [19:11-12]

A "eunuch" is a man who has been castrated so that he is unable to reproduce sexually. Eunuchs were present in the ancient world from the Middle East to China and they were often important members of a royal household; because they were obviously unable to found their own dynasties, they were often entrusted with important matters of state. To the Jews of Jesus’s day, to be a eunuch was to be in a place of humiliation. Jesus is—once again—using a striking image to make his point.

Note what Jesus is saying:

  • Some people are, from birth, unable (or unwilling?) to procreate: “eunuchs who have been so from birth.”

  • Some people will not be able to procreate because their bodies have been mutilated by others: “eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men.”

  • Some people will choose not to marry and instead live
    a life of celibacy because they are being obedient to a particular call from God on their lives: “there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.” (Here, "eunuch" is a metaphor for celibacy.) Jesus himself is in this 3rd category, since he never married.

This entire passage is extremely counter-cultural today, and was extremely counter-cultural in Jesus’s day as well.

This teaching of Jesus flies in the face of our divorce culture. Since Governor Ronald Reagan signed the nation's first no-fault divorce law into effect in California in 1969, we have come to accept (not only in law, but in our understanding) that marriage is something that either party can end for any reason whatsoever, and once divorce papers are filed, then the marriage is over. Jesus says that, in effect, marriage is more durable than that, and that regardless of what the papers say, marriage can't be ended as easily as that, because in marriage a husband and a wife are “joined” into one. (In Greek, the word implies “glued” or “welded” into one.) This is a radical teaching.

The words of Jesus on divorce will seem radical to our culture, but his words on sex will seem INSANE. Our culture believes that a fulfilling and happy life must include sex. Think about our advertising--it's not that our advertisers use sex to sell things–though they do–it's that they also imply that a life without sex is a life not worth living. Jesus flatly contradicts this implication. In fact, he suggests that some people will choose not to marry and have sex and make these choices out of service to the kingdom of heaven.

As for other conclusions, I will let you think on these issues yourself. This is just one passage in all of Matthew's Gospel, which is but one book in the entire Bible—on marriage and divorce, we need to take the whole counsel of scripture.

But, remember that the Way of Jesus is the way of self-denial and sacrifice and it is the way that leads to life.

So, this is a hard teaching on sex, marriage, and divorce and Jesus’s words fly in the face of what American culture teaches about these things, but let me ask, How’s it working out for us apart from Jesus? Has the sexual revolution since 1960 brought us more happiness, or more misery?

 

How To Know That You Don't Understand Forgiveness

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Our Next All-Church Bible Study Will Be All About Sex, Marriage, Divorce, etc.

Our final All-Church Bible Study for 2023 is TOMORROW (11/8), 6:30-8:00 PM, and it will be all about sex, marriage, divorce, remarriage, same-sex attraction, etc.

We’ll be looking at what Jesus has to say about these topics in Matthew 19.

Bring a friend!  Going to be a great night.

 
 

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

 
 

The basic plot of this parable is easy to follow:

  • A king forgives servant A an outrageous sum—

    the equivalent of millions and millions of dollars in

    today’s currency;

  • Servant A then refuses to forgive a much smaller debt

    that servant B owes servant A;

  • The king finds out and has servant A thrown in jail

    and tortured!

  • Then, Jesus sums up the parable:

    “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” [18:35]

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THIS STRANGE PARABLE

Remember, context matters: this parable comes at the end of an entire chapter (Matthew 18) on how to live together as the church. Verses 1-5 are about who is great in the kingdom, with the focus on humility. Verses 6-9 focus on temptations to sin. Verses 10-14 tell the Lost Sheep parable. Verses 15-20 talk about dealing with sin inside the church community. Verses 21-22 talk about forgiveness. Verses 23-35 tell the parable of the Unmerciful Servant. The central theme is verses 15-20---sin in the church--and the rest of the chapter is explanation and commentary on that theme.

Living together in the church will require humility; God will pursue sinners at great expense; sin in the church must be dealt with; we will need to forgive others over and over again; but, forgiveness should produce a response in us. The Way of the Cross—self-denial and sacrifice and obedience—shapes this entire section.

I like how Klyne Snodgrass puts it:

"This text is a clear example of the tension between two or more truths that are always present in Christian theology. The community cannot tolerate sin without confrontation and reproof, but must always love and forgive without limits... The parable prevents any presuming on grace. The church has often presented a grace that did not have to be taken seriously, but biblical grace is transforming grace. When you get the gift, you get the Giver, who will not let you go your way." —Klyne Snodgrass, Stories With Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus

Discipleship Produces Obedience

Professor Snodgrass goes on to say:

"Neither Matthew nor Jesus is legalistic, neither promotes salvation by works... but both insist that discipleship includes obedience.”

Forgiveness is limitless, but it can't be presumed, and shouldn’t be wasted. If forgiveness doesn't change us, we haven't really understood our need for it anyway. Jesus is not a sentimental Santa Claus; people prattle on about how loving Jesus is--which is true--but he is a giver who has a hard edge, and he demands a response, which you see if you actually read the Gospels.

Saving faith is obedient faith, and he has commanded us to forgive those who trespass against us.

Whom do you need to forgive today?

 

How To Deal With Sin In The Church

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Our Next All-Church Bible Study Will Be All About Sex, Marriage, Divorce, etc.

Our final All-Church Bible Study for 2023 is THIS WEDNESDAY (11/8), 6:30-8:00 PM, and it will be all about sex, marriage, divorce, remarriage, same-sex attraction, etc.

We’ll be looking at what Jesus has to say about these topics in Matthew 19.

Bring a friend!  Going to be a great night.

 
 

Matthew 18:15-20

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

 
 

Imagine if, with regard to sex abuse in the church, that Pope Francis came out and said, "Stop being so judgmental: sex abuse is not that big of a deal." Can you imagine the furor that would justifiably result? Why? Because we know that sin actually hurts people. Imagine if I, as a pastor, continued to employ someone who was stealing from the offering plate. Our church members would be justifiably angry with me.

The most frequent complaint outsiders make against the church is that it is filled with hypocrites; in other words, the problem outsiders see in the church is that Christians are not holy enough. Sin is a problem.

Today's passage shows Jesus takes sin in his church seriously and gives practical steps we can follow to confront sin in our midst for the good of the sinners themselves. Of course, it is the case that we ourselves are sinners, but that doesn't absolve us of the responsibility to lovingly confront active sin. The goal is to “gain your brother” [v. 15], that is to have reconciliation between people. But, if someone persists in unrepentant sin, then you may have to cut off relations with that person. Such decisions are serious and God has given his church great responsibility. Note the emphasis of Jesus here on what we today call due process: he instructs his disciples to proceed with evidence when he says. “take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses” [18:16]. But, in the hard work of confronting sin, the church should take comfort that Jesus will be with them and will guide them.

To whom can you seek reconciliation today? With whom do you need to have an honest conversation?

 

Children Aren't Important

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Our Next All-Church Bible Study Will Be All About Sex, Marriage, Divorce, etc.

Our final All-Church Bible Study for 2023 is Wednesday, 11/8, 6:30-8:00 PM, and it will be all about sex, marriage, divorce, remarriage, same-sex attraction, etc.

We’ll be looking at what Jesus has to say about these topics in Matthew 19.

Bring a friend!  Going to be a great night.

 
 

Matthew 18:1-14

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

 
 

This idea that children are sweet and innocent and valuable is a modern idea. In the ancient world, children were overlooked and unimportant. It is the influence of 2,000 years of Christian teaching that accounts for our culture's belief in the inherent value and importance of children. The reason this is important is because it is easy for us to misunderstand when Jesus talks about children. From today's scripture passage:

2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. [18:2-4]

The picture Jesus gives is not one of sweet sentimentality, but of humiliation: children were the unimportant, overlooked ones. They were the lowest of the low. So, to become like a child, then, is to become someone truly humble.

The next time you feel overlooked, ignored, or unimportant, remember: those who are overlooked, ignored, and unimportant are the people who are great in the Kingdom. A taste of humiliation can be used by God to prepare our character for the Kingdom. Also, that slight taste of humiliation is a gift from God, in that it enables us to share in the much greater humiliation of Christ.

 

Catching Fish With Coins In The Mouths

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Matthew 17:24-27

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

 
 

I'll admit, this is a strange story. The first part is straight-forward enough: Jesus thinks that though he doesn't actually have to pay the Temple tax, he will do so, so as to not cause an unnecessary problem. This is what it means to be the Son of God—not insisting on your rights, but living to serve others.

What happens next is startling:

“Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” [17:27]

What are we to make of that? I thought this comment from Stanley Hauerwas was helpful:

"Christians rightly desire to do great things in service to God and in service to the world. But too often Christians think such service must insure the desired outcome. We simply do not believe that we can risk fishing for a fish with a coin in its mouth. Yet no account of the Christian desire to live at peace with our neighbor, who may also be our enemy, is intelligible if Christians no longer trust that God can and will help us catch fish with coins in their mouths. No account of Christian nonviolence is intelligible that does not require, as well as depend on, miracle. Christian discipleship entails our trusting that God has given and will continue to give all that we need to be faithful." —Stanley Hauerwas, Matthew

Yes. The Jesus Way requires that we trust God’s constant provision.

Where do you need to depend on God’s provision today?

 

Imagine Two People Crossing A Bridge

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Matthew 17:14-23

14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

 
 

Imagine two people crossing a bridge over a chasm. It’s a long way down to the river below, and a fall would be fatal. One person has a great deal of faith that the bridge will hold him up; the other person is terrified that the bridge will collapse.

Question: which person’s faith will matter more?

Answer: it’s a trick question! It is irrelevant how much faith in the bridge each person has. All that matters is the reality of the structural integrity of the bridge, and if the two people actually step out on it and try to cross.

What matters is not the amount of faith a person has—what matters is the object of that faith and whether that object is trustworthy or not.

If I have complete faith in a rickety bridge that collapses as soon as I step on it, then my faith is misplaced. If I have a tiny amount of faith in a bridge that can support my weight, then my faith is validated. But in either case, the amount of faith I have doesn’t matter at all.

Jesus makes the above point to the disciples in the episode of the boy with the demon. He tells them that even a little bit of faith in him is enough, because he’s the one they need to trust, not themselves. Trusting in themselves will not be effective.

Where are you placing your trust today?

P.S. We see again in 17:22-23 that Jesus is defining what faithfulness to his mission will entail: perfect obedience to the will of God, even to the point of humiliation, suffering, and death, obedience that will then be vindicated by the resurrection. And the disciples refuse to accept what he’s telling them!

 

The Transfiguration

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Matthew 17:1-13

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

 
 

The spiritual world is very near—even now at hand—and all around, and yet it is also inaccessible to us by normal human senses. The spiritual world is invisible, but it is there. From time to time, God permits us to experience the spiritual world, but those times are rare this side of the grave, like seeing a snow leopard or Halley's Comet.

Peter, James, and John are given one of those rare glimpses of the spiritual world on the Mount of Transfiguration.

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. [17:1-3]

They see Jesus as he is in the spiritual world—glorious and radiant. When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, he humbled himself and became as we are, but on the Mount of Transfiguration, his glory was unmasked.

Peter has just been telling Jesus that he won’t have to go to the cross, but here the Father tells the disciples that they need to pay attention to what Jesus has been saying:

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” [17:5]

Why does Jesus tell them not to tell anyone else about what they saw on the mountain until after the Resurrection? Because Jesus’s identity as the Son of God can only be understood after the Crucifixion and Resurrection, and the problem Jesus faces is that everyone—even his disciples—misunderstands the nature of his mission. Peter has correctly identified Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God [16:16], but now Jesus needs to show his disciples what it means that he is the Christ and the Son of God.

As we read along, we need to let the words and actions of Jesus define “Christ” and “Son of God” for us. Keep your eyes open!

 

One Sentence Summary of The Entire Plot of Matthew's Gospel

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Today we being the third and final section of Matthew’s Gospel. We begin with Jesus explaining what will have to happen, and we’ll close on Friday, December 22 with Jesus’s final instructions to his disciples, after the Resurrection. This final section is powerful, and if we read through it with open minds, it will change us.

Let’s GO.

 
 

Matthew 16:21-28

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

 
 

This third and final section of Matthew’s Gospel begins with a one-sentence summary from Jesus of all that will happen:

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. [16:21]

This verse is a thesis statement and a prediction of all that will follow. But when Jesus begins to tell the disciples that he is going to Jerusalem to suffer and die, Peter pulls him aside and rebukes him.

Why?

Because Peter wants to believe that salvation is possible without suffering and he misunderstands that for Jesus to be faithful to his mission he will have to suffer and die.

Jesus knows that suffering is inevitable, and I think the reason he reacts so strongly to Peter—“Get behind me, Satan!"—is precisely because the main temptation Jesus faces is the temptation to seek the crown without the cross. (Remember the testing in the wilderness in chapter 4.) Jesus doesn't need Peter speaking the devil's words into his ear—the way of the cross is difficult enough.

Things haven't changed. Suffering is part of life, and the faithful will suffer. The Cross comes before the Crown. Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday.

But of course, if suffering is part of life—and I'm certain that it is— that means that you will suffer if you choose faithfulness, and you will suffer if you don't choose faithfulness: both the faithful and the unfaithful suffer. The question is, will we suffer because we are walking the Way of Jesus, or because we are trying to seek our own way? Both ways are difficult, but only one way leads to life.

The sacrifice is worth it.

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” [16:24-25]

Which way are you going to choose today?

 

One Of The Most Important Sentences In History

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Matthew 16:13-20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremi- ah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

 
 

The overarching theme of this 2nd Section of Matthew’s Gospel (4:17- 16:20) is the Proclamation of Jesus the Messiah to Israel, and today we reach the climactic and final scene of this section: Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ.

Jesus declares that knowing and confessing Jesus as the Christ is knowledge that comes from God’s revelation of that knowledge, and that those who confess Jesus as the Christ will flourish.

The church is not a charity. The church is not a social service agency. The church is not a fraternal club. The church is a group of people called and centered around Peter's confessional claim at Caesarea Phillipi: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." - Matthew 16:16

Now, the church indeed does charitable things, serves the community, and draws people together. But each of those things derives from its identity; none of those things constitutes its identity. It is Jesus himself who gives the church its identity.

As long as we hold onto Peter's claim, the forces of evil and death itself will never prevail over Christ's church.

The church’s ROCK is its unwavering commitment to the proclamation of the true identity of Jesus the Christ.

Herod is dead. Caesar is dead. Pilate is dead.

But Jesus is alive, and his church will never be defeated. Amen.

SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES

The English word "church" is a translation of a Greek word which means "called out" or “the assembled ones.” It was originally a political term that the early church co-opted. We are the "assembled ones" around Jesus the Christ.

"Peter" is really just "Rock." Peter's given name was Simon—the traditional Jewish name “Simeon"--but in this passage Jesus gives him his nickname and explains its significance—Peter’s confession about the identity of Jesus will be the "rock" on which Jesus builds his church. (By the way, the Aramaic word for "rock" is "cephas," which is why Peter is sometimes called "Cephas" in the New Testament. It seems clear that Aramaic and not Greek was the first language of Jesus and the disciples--Greek was the language of commerce and politics.)

Jesus's words to Peter are a bit confusing there at the end:

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [16:19 NIV]

What does that stuff about the binding and loosing mean? I like how David Bauer puts it:

“Jesus will give to the entire church the authority to declare what is required and what is not required for entrance into the kingdom, and God himself will validate and act on these decisions. Manifestly, the authority to declare what is required and not required does not include the possibility of contradicting the teaching of Jesus. The law continues in force and Jesus is its true interpreter (5:17-48). The judicial decisions of the church may involve adapting and applying the commands of Jesus to new situations which the church will continually encounter in the period between the resurrection and the Parousia (28:19-20), with the assurance that such ecclesial decisions will be binding.”

—David Bauer, The Gospel of the Son of God

What this means is that Jesus has given the church the responsibility— and it is a heavy and sacred responsibility—of teaching what he has taught us.

P.S. Why does Jesus tell the Twelve not to tell anyone that he’s the Messiah? Because the popular understanding of the Messianic role is not at all what the role will turn out to be, and this misunderstanding will be an impediment to Jesus’s ministry. This is why, e.g., Jesus never calls himself “Messiah,” but prefers the term “Son of Man” [see commentary on Monday, September 25]—he knows that the Jews will misunderstand if he uses the loaded term Messiah.

 

The *Real* Reason Why So Many People Claim Not To Believe

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Matthew 16:1-12

16 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 
 

Just as in 12:38-40, the religious leaders come to Jesus and ask for a sign—they want proof, in other words. But what has Jesus been doing except giving sign after sign after sign? That’s his point about the red sky—“Folks, you can easily discern when a storm is coming—are you really unable to discern who I am?”

Here’s the truth: they don’t want to understand what’s happening, because that would require them to respond. So, they would rather keep Jesus at arms' length and pretend they don’t know who he is than have to repent and listen to him.

This is exactly the reason why so many people today claim not to believe—because if they actually admitted that Jesus is who he says he is, then they would have to live differently.
And the sign of Jonah? The early Church saw Jonah as a symbol for Christ:

Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days; Jesus was in the belly of the earth for 3 days. Jonah was vomited up from death to life; Jesus was vomited up from death to life. Etc.

So, the Resurrection is the ultimate sign of the identity of Jesus. If we can’t see the empty tomb for what it is, then God help us.

P.S. The “leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees” is the false teaching that leads many people astray into unbelief.