An Audacious Thing To Say
Peter, one of the twelve men who constantly accompanied Jesus, must have often wondered why Jesus had announced that his name would change. Peter had a good name to begin with, it was Simon, a Greek version of the name given to one of Abraham's grandsons. The new name was not particularly well-known, he was to be called 'Rock.'
Peter was perhaps more concerned with the real name of Jesus. John the Baptist had called Jesus 'The lamb of God'. Peter's brother Andrew had called him 'The Messiah' who did Peter think Jesus was?
Jesus sprang that question on the whole group one day. "Who do people say that I am?" and the answers were easy because the disciples listened to the people in the crowds around Jesus. "They say you are one of our great prophets come back from the dead." But who do you say I am?" Jesus asked the group and it was Peter who answered. You are the Christ, the son of the living God.
It was then that Jesus reminded Peter of his own name change. "You are Rock," Jesus said, "you have received this knowledge by revelation of God"
We have no idea of Peter's reaction at this time, but it cannot have been casual because he had just separated himself from all his relatives and neighbors. They would consider he had committed blasphemy because there is only one God and no other God besides him. God did not have a son in the sense that people would understand Peter's words.
Jesus immediately announced that the church he was building would be a group of people whose lives were founded on the truth that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. Since that time people have used many words to explain that God is tri-une, one God known to us as Creator, Companion and Redeemer. None of the words were sufficient, often the words tried to simplify something which cannot be simplified and caused misunderstandings. It took many words to say what the foundational truth of Christianity was; eventually the church spelt it out. Church leaders came from all over the known world and sat down together, they decided how to say who Jesus is and were challenged, and had to meet again and be even stronger in their use of words. What they said was that "Jesus is born of God, born before all worlds, not created, but of the same divine substance as God." Saying that he is born did not mean that there was a time when the son did not exist, but that he is eternally born of God in the same way that the Spirit is eternally preceding from God.
Peter was long dead when the leaders of many national churches made this statement, before then people accepted that because Jesus forgave sins, accepted worship, and referred to himself using the name for God, (I am) he was God come down from heaven for us and for our sake. Just as we do to day.
Peter never lost his national identity, he remained a Jew, a Jew who believed that God is tri-une. He took all the rich truths of his religion and aligned them with the revelation he had received. He was not alone, beginning in Jerusalem, then in Samaria, then in the farthest parts of the known world people believed in their hearts and declared with their mouths that Jesus is the Son of God. Because their sincere faith and public declaration made them partakers of the nature of Jesus, by an act of God, they became a family, they are not 'The Son of God.' but are called children of God.
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, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." [17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. [19] 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." [20] Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Peter was perhaps more concerned with the real name of Jesus. John the Baptist had called Jesus 'The lamb of God'. Peter's brother Andrew had called him 'The Messiah' who did Peter think Jesus was?
Jesus sprang that question on the whole group one day. "Who do people say that I am?" and the answers were easy because the disciples listened to the people in the crowds around Jesus. "They say you are one of our great prophets come back from the dead." But who do you say I am?" Jesus asked the group and it was Peter who answered. You are the Christ, the son of the living God.
It was then that Jesus reminded Peter of his own name change. "You are Rock," Jesus said, "you have received this knowledge by revelation of God"
We have no idea of Peter's reaction at this time, but it cannot have been casual because he had just separated himself from all his relatives and neighbors. They would consider he had committed blasphemy because there is only one God and no other God besides him. God did not have a son in the sense that people would understand Peter's words.
Jesus immediately announced that the church he was building would be a group of people whose lives were founded on the truth that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. Since that time people have used many words to explain that God is tri-une, one God known to us as Creator, Companion and Redeemer. None of the words were sufficient, often the words tried to simplify something which cannot be simplified and caused misunderstandings. It took many words to say what the foundational truth of Christianity was; eventually the church spelt it out. Church leaders came from all over the known world and sat down together, they decided how to say who Jesus is and were challenged, and had to meet again and be even stronger in their use of words. What they said was that "Jesus is born of God, born before all worlds, not created, but of the same divine substance as God." Saying that he is born did not mean that there was a time when the son did not exist, but that he is eternally born of God in the same way that the Spirit is eternally preceding from God.
Peter was long dead when the leaders of many national churches made this statement, before then people accepted that because Jesus forgave sins, accepted worship, and referred to himself using the name for God, (I am) he was God come down from heaven for us and for our sake. Just as we do to day.
Peter never lost his national identity, he remained a Jew, a Jew who believed that God is tri-une. He took all the rich truths of his religion and aligned them with the revelation he had received. He was not alone, beginning in Jerusalem, then in Samaria, then in the farthest parts of the known world people believed in their hearts and declared with their mouths that Jesus is the Son of God. Because their sincere faith and public declaration made them partakers of the nature of Jesus, by an act of God, they became a family, they are not 'The Son of God.' but are called children of God.
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, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." [17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. [19] 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." [20] Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
posted by Jessie Coates at 9:00 AM
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