Matthew 16:13–20 (ESV)
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
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 Jeremiah
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 is one of the greatest passages in the Gospel. Jesus is clearly identified as
the Christ... the Messiah. Simply break this reading down to three points:
1) “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
2)
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
3) 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.
The church is built on Peter’s confession, not Peter.
I pray: “You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Amen.