ASSASSIN
07-25-2008, 06:24 PM
Sunday School Lesson For July 27, 2008
PROMISED MESSIAH
Matthew 16:13-23
BACKGROUND:
This entire quarter so far has been devoted to examining the attributes of Jesus. We conclude this series with a study of Jesus as the promised Messiah. It is interesting that Jesus was careful to avoid verbal announcements concerning His Messiahship; He rather did His job, and permitted the world to look on...
To this point in His ministry, Jesus had been in comparatively friendly territory. His Galilean ministry had not often been life threatening. The people gathered around Him to see His miracles, and occasionally to hear His sermons. But now, it is time to head toward His ultimate destination: the Cross. Jesus knows this as he makes preparation to leave the relatively friendly confines of Galilee and head to the hostile territory of Judea . One would think that since the Temple was headquartered in Jerusalem , this would be Jesus most safe haven. However it would turn out to be just the opposite. And while it was not surprise to Jesus, His disciples need preparation...
PROBING QUESTIONS (Matthew 16:13-15)
It is not unusual for a popular person to inherit varying reputations, depending on who is doing the observing. Jesus began this private talk with His disciples by asking what onlookers thought of Him. Of course, the question had to do with where Jesus fit into the prophecies of the Old Testament (their Bible at that time). This is borne out by the answers from the disciples...
“Whom do men…say I am…?” The answers came readily: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah. Why these men? The name of John the Baptist arose probably from Herod (cf. Matthew 14:1, 2). As for Elijah, the Old Testament indicated that the Messianic Age would not begin until Elijah returned (Malachi 4:4, 5); in the case of Jeremiah, it was he who predicted the Messiah’s reign (Jeremiah 23:5)...
But that was only the initial question, and called for a repetition of what others were saying about Jesus. But then, as now, the important question is intensely personal. Jesus probably brought at least a moment of silence when he turned to His disciples and said, “…now whom do YOU say I am?”
IMPORTANT ANSWER (Matthew 16:16, 17)
It appears that up to this point, most if not all the disciples were participating in the conversation. But to the second question, there was but one answer. Peter spoke up. “Thou art the Christ”, he said. What does this mean? First “Christ” is not a name; it is a title. It is the Greek rendition of the Hebrew “Messiah”. Translated, it means the “anointed one”. Jesus was the One the Jewish world had waited and watched for; yet He was present, and the world was permitting Him to pass by with little notice. It should be a warning to us today. It is all too easy to permit the Holy Spirit to pass us by with little notice...
But there is more: “…the Son of the living God” rounds out Peter’s confession. It is a repetition of the words of God at Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:9-11)...
Jesus responds by complimenting Peter while at the same time making sure that Peter didn’t go away feeling that HE could take credit for such a profound statement. No, it wasn’t Peter: it was the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter...
RESULTING PROMISE (Matthew 16:18, 19)
Volumes have been written over the years on these two verses. The Catholic Church to a large degree bases the papacy on this reference. But to us, it is a play on words. The name “Peter” in Greek is Petros; the word Jesus used for “rock” is petra . There are two differences between the two words: one means a small rock or pebble (Petros) and is masculine, while the other (petra ) refers to a large rock and is feminine. Jesus referenced the latter in talking about His church...
Now pay attention to the final five words in this sentence: I will build by church. In order to get the full meaning of that, it would be necessary to read those five words five times, giving emphasis to a different word each time...
“I” will build my church: referencing who will be doing the work...
I WILL build my church: indicating the act is in the future; the church at this point does not exist...
I will BUILD my church: it must be put together over time...
I will build MY church: it belongs to Him. He bought it with His blood...
I will build my CHURCH: it will be a company of believers universal...
And of course the question of what WAS Jesus building His church on? This writer believes it was the Holy Spirit speaking through man (as was the case here with Peter)...
Then there is the question of the “keys” of the Kingdom. Peter was given the “keys”, probably because he would be the one to preach the first sermon in the infant church (Acts 2). As to the “binding”, delivery of the Word by any God-sent messenger has that effect, because the message that comes from the Bible is pre-approved by God, and is binding...
NECESSARY MISSION (Matthew 16:20-23)
No one who is a follower of Jesus need ever be surprised about anything that happens in this world. Jesus did everything necessary to prepare His disciples for His death. But there was a problem: the same Peter who had some time ago made such a profound announcement (we can’t be sure how far in time and distance this statement was from the first), now puts his proverbial foot in his mouth. Why? Possibly because Peter realized he was following Jesus, and my be expected to suffer the same fate (and he ultimately did), or perhaps just as the Holy Spirit had used Peter earlier, Satan was now doing the same thing (this can happen to people today)...
Simply put, you cannot do Heavenly things with earthly thoughts...
A
PROMISED MESSIAH
Matthew 16:13-23
BACKGROUND:
This entire quarter so far has been devoted to examining the attributes of Jesus. We conclude this series with a study of Jesus as the promised Messiah. It is interesting that Jesus was careful to avoid verbal announcements concerning His Messiahship; He rather did His job, and permitted the world to look on...
To this point in His ministry, Jesus had been in comparatively friendly territory. His Galilean ministry had not often been life threatening. The people gathered around Him to see His miracles, and occasionally to hear His sermons. But now, it is time to head toward His ultimate destination: the Cross. Jesus knows this as he makes preparation to leave the relatively friendly confines of Galilee and head to the hostile territory of Judea . One would think that since the Temple was headquartered in Jerusalem , this would be Jesus most safe haven. However it would turn out to be just the opposite. And while it was not surprise to Jesus, His disciples need preparation...
PROBING QUESTIONS (Matthew 16:13-15)
It is not unusual for a popular person to inherit varying reputations, depending on who is doing the observing. Jesus began this private talk with His disciples by asking what onlookers thought of Him. Of course, the question had to do with where Jesus fit into the prophecies of the Old Testament (their Bible at that time). This is borne out by the answers from the disciples...
“Whom do men…say I am…?” The answers came readily: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah. Why these men? The name of John the Baptist arose probably from Herod (cf. Matthew 14:1, 2). As for Elijah, the Old Testament indicated that the Messianic Age would not begin until Elijah returned (Malachi 4:4, 5); in the case of Jeremiah, it was he who predicted the Messiah’s reign (Jeremiah 23:5)...
But that was only the initial question, and called for a repetition of what others were saying about Jesus. But then, as now, the important question is intensely personal. Jesus probably brought at least a moment of silence when he turned to His disciples and said, “…now whom do YOU say I am?”
IMPORTANT ANSWER (Matthew 16:16, 17)
It appears that up to this point, most if not all the disciples were participating in the conversation. But to the second question, there was but one answer. Peter spoke up. “Thou art the Christ”, he said. What does this mean? First “Christ” is not a name; it is a title. It is the Greek rendition of the Hebrew “Messiah”. Translated, it means the “anointed one”. Jesus was the One the Jewish world had waited and watched for; yet He was present, and the world was permitting Him to pass by with little notice. It should be a warning to us today. It is all too easy to permit the Holy Spirit to pass us by with little notice...
But there is more: “…the Son of the living God” rounds out Peter’s confession. It is a repetition of the words of God at Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:9-11)...
Jesus responds by complimenting Peter while at the same time making sure that Peter didn’t go away feeling that HE could take credit for such a profound statement. No, it wasn’t Peter: it was the Holy Spirit speaking through Peter...
RESULTING PROMISE (Matthew 16:18, 19)
Volumes have been written over the years on these two verses. The Catholic Church to a large degree bases the papacy on this reference. But to us, it is a play on words. The name “Peter” in Greek is Petros; the word Jesus used for “rock” is petra . There are two differences between the two words: one means a small rock or pebble (Petros) and is masculine, while the other (petra ) refers to a large rock and is feminine. Jesus referenced the latter in talking about His church...
Now pay attention to the final five words in this sentence: I will build by church. In order to get the full meaning of that, it would be necessary to read those five words five times, giving emphasis to a different word each time...
“I” will build my church: referencing who will be doing the work...
I WILL build my church: indicating the act is in the future; the church at this point does not exist...
I will BUILD my church: it must be put together over time...
I will build MY church: it belongs to Him. He bought it with His blood...
I will build my CHURCH: it will be a company of believers universal...
And of course the question of what WAS Jesus building His church on? This writer believes it was the Holy Spirit speaking through man (as was the case here with Peter)...
Then there is the question of the “keys” of the Kingdom. Peter was given the “keys”, probably because he would be the one to preach the first sermon in the infant church (Acts 2). As to the “binding”, delivery of the Word by any God-sent messenger has that effect, because the message that comes from the Bible is pre-approved by God, and is binding...
NECESSARY MISSION (Matthew 16:20-23)
No one who is a follower of Jesus need ever be surprised about anything that happens in this world. Jesus did everything necessary to prepare His disciples for His death. But there was a problem: the same Peter who had some time ago made such a profound announcement (we can’t be sure how far in time and distance this statement was from the first), now puts his proverbial foot in his mouth. Why? Possibly because Peter realized he was following Jesus, and my be expected to suffer the same fate (and he ultimately did), or perhaps just as the Holy Spirit had used Peter earlier, Satan was now doing the same thing (this can happen to people today)...
Simply put, you cannot do Heavenly things with earthly thoughts...
A