Matthew 16:13-20 Who do men say that I am?

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

When Jesus’ fame was increasing, he took His disciples to a mountain region to ask them who the people believe that he is. Jesus knew that a crucified king was a stumbling block to the Hebrews and even to his own disciples. But Peter rightly confesses him to be the promised Messiah. Jesus blesses him for this insight proclaiming that his knowledge was revealed to him by the Father who reveals himself to whom he pleases. Because of this, Jesus proclaims that Peter will be the one on whom the church will be built, which was a mystery in the New Testament because there was no prophecy of the church in the Old Testament.

Daily Prayer: Father, just as Peter needed Your good will to know and understand Christ’s true identity, in the same way the gospel is foolishness in the world unless they have been given the power to discern the truth from You. For this reason, through the church, open the eyes, ears, and the hearts to the audiences in the world who hear the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ died and arisen again for the forgiveness of sins so that they do not perish, but have Eternal Life in the name of Your Son. In Jesus name and for his sake I pray Amen.