I particularly liked how Christ takes advantage of a situation. In verse five the disciples forgot to bring bread along for their trip. Christ then sets a great example of being a great Teacher to use this goof up to educate the disciples. It makes me think of parenting and how so easily I can get frustrated when kids spill the cereal or other insignificant things. I think of how many of these situations may go by without taking advantage of those teachable moments.
Verse fifteen captures the ultimate question for all time. What defines us and how we carry out our lives depends on how we answer this question posed to Simon Peter. Is Christ just another prophet? A good teacher? A swell guy? Or the Son of God as He asserts and Simon Peter affirms in verse sixteen. This is a seeming high point for Peter as he figures out the ultimate question of the ages. But soon after in verse twenty-three Peter is chastised for his comments regarding the resurrection. Later Peter even denies Christ during a very stressful time for the disciples after the death of Christ. Yet Peter is used greatly by Christ in providing two books of the Bible. The life of Peter is a testament that God is determined to use us regardless of the messes we make - even after we come to know Him!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I really like this format for Bible Study, and have been keeping up with the readings and posts. I have one suggestion.
The daily postings have been great, but a little hit-and-miss. Is it possible for the three moderators (PK, Geoff and Eric - are there others?) to work out a rotating schedule so that there is a post each day on the reading (chapter) for the day?
I had wanted to comment on chapters 14 & 15, but those fell through the cracks!
You want it organized??? Gosh!!!!!
We have a meeting Thursday and I just added the idea of a rotation to the agenda.
Jesus tells Peter he is blessed and then proceeds to tell him why, but before He does Jesus calls him by his given name: Simon, son of Jonah. It seems Jesus wants to make it clear to Peter that He is about to reveal the reason for giving him the name Cephas, or Peter in Greek meaning “a stone.” Jesus tells Peter, “flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father in Heaven.” This, we know, is an absolute necessity for salvation. No one will find salvation without coming to Christ, and nobody can come to Christ unless the Father draws him or her to Him.
During the Bread of life discourse Jesus tells the Jews, “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will in no way cast out.” (John 6:37) And again He said, “And this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all which He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day.” (John 6:39) And yet again He said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who has sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)
So Peter’s confession, which was a result of a revelation from God, was exactly what Jesus was looking for. So Jesus continued, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Mat 16:18)
Jesus is saying that upon this foundation, which is salvation by faith in Christ of whom man can know with certainty that He is the Christ, if indeed God has made it known to him, He will build His church. This being the case, how does one come to believe? Jesus said in His great prayer in John chapter 17, “And I do not pray for these [the eleven] alone, but for those also who shall believe on Me through their word.” (Joh 17:20)
This is the foundation, Petra, the Rock, which is Christ Jesus the chief cornerstone in which the builders rejected. Peter’s name, Petros, could have represented what the apostles were called to do - lay the foundation of Christ. The Apostle Paul said to the church in Corinth, “For any other foundation can no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ.” (1Co 3:11)
(Forgive me for posting this a second time, but the first was mistakenly buried to listing from sometime ago)
As I read through the Gospels again, I am struck by the way Jesus responds to the religious rulers. Obviously they were deserving of rebuke, but Jesus’ choice of words tended to be harsh and apparently spoken very publicly, when He also could have chosen to soften the blow and deliver it more discretely.
At the risk of blasphemy, I ask this question:
Since much of what Jesus said and did was done in a very purposeful way so that “the scriptures might be fulfilled,” is it possible that He intentionally addressed them in this fashion as to provoke them to wrath to the point of crucifixion?
Interesting thought. I think Jesus was both public and harsh in his rebuke of the religous leaders for several reasons:
- they were distorting God’s word publicly and so needed to be refuted publicly
-he sought to expose their hypocrisy as ‘leaders’ who only sought to burden those under them and not to serve
-they were a hinderance to those who truly wanted to follow after God
The first mention we have of the Pharisees seeking to kill Jesus is in Matt. ch 12, after they have tried to trap Jesus by questioning Him about His healing of a man. In this particular instance his language toward them is fairly mild– a gentle rebuke by comparison, yet their response is to huddle together and plot how they might kill Him.
All that just to say that in my opinion, while I’m sure the way Jesus spoke to them didn’t help help any–regardless of how He addressed them, the religous leaders would have plotted to kill Jesus because He exposed them for what they were doing and what was in their hearts.
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