In this most remarkable account, Jesus turns common thinking on its head. For in the world, vying for place, position or recognition is not just sought after, it is celebrated. It is the essence of competitive sports. It is how we seek promotion on the job. It fuels academicians to be sure they publish as often as they can. Even actors strive foe the Emmys, BAFTAs and Oscars even as muscians want Grammys, advertising execs Clios. How many Facebook, Instagram of TikTok followers? Even Pastors can seek status based upon congregation size, sermon videos watched etc.
Pride is a pervasive evil.
Don’t get me wrong, striving for excellence is good and right. Feeding off of the recognition is not. But we are a pride-based race. Humility is not prized. Status is.
Note first: What is it about these children? Simple, being great in the Kingdom isn’t even on their radar screen. They are just about the business of being – children. Some sort of ranking in Heaven or the Kingdom to come isn’t even glint in the far reaches of their sub-conscious. Status in the Kingdom is absolutely meaningless to to them.
And so it ought to be with us.
Yes, Scripture speaks of properly seeking rewards in Heaven – but never status. Ever.
Note second: The child was set in their midst by another, not by him or herself.
How is it that we are even in the Kingdom at all? By sovereign grace. Period. We must be set there by His sovereign hand. We have no merits to earn it; no power to accomplish it; no means to even recommend ourselves to it.
As Jesus took this little child, calling the child to Himself and putting the little one in their midst, so it is with our salvation.
Status has no place in the equation anywhere.
Note third: The child is humble. Not assuming he or she has anything to add, but looking to be added to.
More, for a child’s humility is best seen in utter and absolute dependence. And unless we are humbled to the very same degree of absolute dependence, we will not even be IN the kingdom. So, who might be the greatest in the Kingdom is just plain the wrong question.
Greatness in the kingdom is a matter of one’s realization of need of grace. Those are greatest in God’s eyes, (not man’s) who know their need the most, and look only to Him.
Note first: What a most striking balance there is in our Lord in this account.
When it came to truth, especially the truth of the Gospel or about God, Jesus didn’t hesitate to offend anyone or everyone.
But when it was not such a matter, a Gospel matter, here, in what is nothing more than a social custom, Jesus is concerned not to give any needless offense.
This is greatly instructive to us. It is of Kingdom important that we are clear which hills are those to die upon, and which are not so grave. Especially in our interaction with un-Believers.
As in this account, we are reminded that in the whole of the New Testament, neither Christ nor His Disciples are ever recorded as having been offended or taking offense themselves. And they were most certainly ill-treated. This tendency to take offense it seems is found only in their opposers.
I wonder at how easily, I, we, in this generation make so much of offenses. Perceived or real ones. We imagine ourselves wounded at almost every turn. Something conspicuously absent both in our Lord and those who suffered with Him.
Perhaps the ease of our circumstances, the perceived “rights” upon which our society prides itself, the general acceptance we have as Christians – which opens us to precious little true persecution – has made us imagine the world (and people in general) owe us some level of courtesy and regard. Our skins grow exceedingly thin. Every bump is considered battery. Every slight, real sin.
But this is not the Biblical model.
Given the New Testament examples, it would appear we are to be more concerned with not giving unnecessary offense to others, than whether or not they may offend us. We, are about to inherit eternity. And will we wrangle with one another over momentary sensitivities?
Jesus flexes with those around Him as far as He can as long as it does not touch the Gospel.
Is this tax right? No.
Is it fair? No.
Is it wrongfully enforced? Yes.
Is it costly? Yes.
Is it an example of what we hear so much about today – “Government over-reach? Yes.
It was in fact a Jewish tax imposed by the corrupt Sadducean religious leadership and didn’t even have the backing of Roman law. It was just expected.
You would have thought Jesus would use this as a platform on which to denounce corruption in the “Church” leadership.
But He does not such thing.
Is it worth getting into a snit about? No.
Why not?
Because it has nothing to do with the Gospel.
So in the end, so what?
As Christians we might face all kinds of places both in and outside of the Church where what might be unfair and even costly might be imposed upon us.
So what?
What do we gain for the Kingdom by getting our noses out of joint over things which in the end, have no real eternal significance?
Note second: Once again, we are struck by this juxtaposition between the wonder of Jesus’ transfiguration and His being drawn back into the world of pettiness and the mundane.
Captured here is the bane of every preacher’s existence isn’t it? And yet our Savior navigates it without a whisper.
First, He is on the mount and transfigured before Him. Then he is confronted with the demonized boy and his father, and the inability of His key men. And then dragged into the most meaningless controversy about this petty tax. How His spirit must have groaned in being jerked about from the divinely sublime to the most ridiculous. But He bears it all without a flutter. What a Savior.
May we learn to do the same with such utter reliance upon our God’s sovereign providences.
When bandied about from the sublime to the ridiculous, may we submit as easily to The Father’s appointments.
The events of the Mount of Transfiguration and the healing of the demonized boy completed, Jesus, James, Peter and John now rejoin the rest of the Disciples in Galilee. If, as some commentators believe, the “Mount” was Mt. Mirion, (Hermon being too high, cold and difficult for them to have spent the night there) it was about a 15-20 mile walk back to Galilee. One does wonder what the conversation must have been in the aftermath of the spectacle they had seen there. But the Spirit has not seen fit to include it. Thus speculation is fruitless.
Note first: From this point on, Jesus is steadfastly set on going to Jerusalem. And He knows full well what will transpire there as His prophecy clearly shows. But our Savior is undaunted. He knows He’ll be delivered in the hands of men. He knows He will be killed. And He knows He will be resurrected. Fully strengthened by the prospect of being raised form the dead, He faces what will precipitate His death.
How we might learn from the Captain of our faith to have the same resolve based upon the same promise, and sealed by the reality of His own resurrection being our proof. Hallelujah!
Note second: The Disciples clearly understood His words about being killed, for the were “greatly distressed.” But what is also evident, is that they did not at all comprehend a resurrection only 3 days later. If they had, their distress would have been transmuted into joyful expectation.
So it is with us so often. We know some of God’s Word, but not the whole. And thus we can have imbalanced responses to some of what is revealed.
I think of so many caught up in extreme distress over the collapse of Western Culture. Yes, considered in and of itself, that prospect can be frightening. But when balanced by the reality that Christ must see to it ALL the Kingdoms of this world must be overthrown as He finally establishes His – the final prospect ought to be a source of great encouragement. This is the mindset of John on Patmos, who can look at all the chaos and judgment and turmoil but ends with even so Lord Jesus – come quickly! Yes! Much bad stuff is right around the corner. And so is the resurrection, and the new Heavens and the new Earth!
Christian, do not be greatly distressed that this present age must disintegrate in judgment. Rejoice that it will be so at the hand of Him who in sovereign wisdom and love causes kingdoms to rise and fall – and will bring about the Kingdom of Christ in all of its glory.
This account comes right on the heels of Jesus’, Peter, James and John descending the Mount of Transfiguration. That context helps us understand the depth of Jesus’ cry in v.17 “how long?”
Note first: What an expression of Jesus’ personal grief over the ravages of sin in the human race emerges here.
And can you imagine the jolt of this scene on His humanity? He has just been glorified before 3 of His disciples, and in communion with Moses and Elijah in this glorified state – only to plunge back into a context where sin has brought demonic torture to a little boy, and the state of His own disciple’s faith is so poor, they are unable to offer any help.
I wonder if we share the same when we see such suffering?
But we need to drill down and really grasp what grieves Him so. He tells us plainly: Unbelief. That men are faithless, denying God, refusing to believe His truth and the Gospel of the Kingdom.
I fear that we are (I am) more grieved by the results of faithlessness (like what produces such aberrations as demon possession, war, rape, murder etc.) than we are by faithlessness itself.
As long as faithless people don’t bother us, we don’t seem to mind their faithlessness.
We ignore the most tragic part of their condition – while He grieved it above all else.
What does He call this condition? Twisted or perverse. Because to be oriented this way is to be upside down from the heart and mind of God.
PRAYER: Oh Father, make me grieve the unbelief of men more than the mere acts which vex me most. Give me your heart and mind. For it will drive my energies to see the Gospel is preached more than any other approach to society’s ills. Yes, Jesus healed the boy, but what of those around? And what is healing if we are left in eternal darkness from the face of God in Jesus Christ. Keep us from putting temporal band-aids on the eternally terminal cancer of the soul. Let your glory in Jesus be known. Let your Gospel be preached. Let me be a messenger who boldly, clearly and endlessly proclaims the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name – and reconciliation to you through the Cross.
He grieves. Deeply. And sighs out His exasperation in the moment. It is stunning.
Note second: We must never let the doctrine of God’s impassibility (that God is not driven by external impacts upon His emotions) bleed over into imagining God is unfeeling altogether. Mercy and compassion are not stoical. God is not emotionless, but neither is He driven by or subject to His emotions. He is Lord over Himself. As Paul teaches us by the Spirit in Galatians 5, one fruit of the Spirit is self-control – which must be in perfect form in the One in whose image we are made.
And it is why some branches of Christianity err so greatly in thinking the Spirit brings a lack of self-control – like being “drunk in the Spirit”. He makes us more like the Redeemer, not less. And Jesus was never, ever, under any consideration, out of control.
Note third: We are wont to think of faith in terms of quantity. Perhaps we think this way because we conceive of Jesus’ word regarding “little” faith – as though that is quantitative. Here, Jesus dispels that idea completely.
It is not that the disciples needed greater faith, they (and we) only need faith but the size of the tiny mustard seed -that will do. It is rather that faith must be exercised, rested fully upon God. Indeed, the word rendered “little” here is more often translated “few” in the New Testament.
Some commentators note that the idea is that their faith was poor. It’s size was irrelevant. It’s quality was the issue.
In this case (as is often true of ours) faith was not utilized everywhere it could be.
We believe for this, but not for that. We trust God in some things, but not in all things. We only believe in a few areas, not in many. Oh Father, grant that our eyes might be opened, to trust you in everything, everywhere, at all times. For it is not our faith in and of itself that accomplishes anything – but the One we have faith in – You.
Note fourth: The idea here of moving mountains is simply a figure of speech, a euphemism for doing the impossible. What is normally impossible, may be possible when we believe God and obey accordingly.
It should be noted that neither Jesus, an apostle nor any others after them ever moved a single mountain. Physical mountains are not the point.
Note too, how this has to do with carrying out Christ’s commission, not miracles on demand for our own purposes. In doing His work, furthering His cause, carrying out His will, we have unbounded ability, if we will but trust His promises – trust Him.
Lenski differentiates between saving faith – which is permanent – and “charismatic faith” which would be that of those in Matt. 7 who will prophesy, cast out demons and do other mighty works, but who in the end will be found to not be “known” by Christ as His after all. Such “faith” may come and go. And it is not inherently salvific.
How we need to be sure we are Christ’s agents carrying out Christ’s work according to Christ’s means and methods. Then, in serving Him believing His will will prevail, we can go forward trusting that He can move mountains indeed.
Note first: Jesus does not want the testimony of the Disciples to rest upon visions and supernatural experiences. They are not to use this experience as a basis for their preaching, nor as a means to awe and wow the crowds with tales of the supernatural. Instead, He directs them back to helping them understand the Scriptures. In this case, the prophecies about Elijah as the Messiah’s forerunner.
And so it will be that the Disciples will latch on to this principle in their preaching and teaching. They took this so seriously, that we read nothing more of it in the Gospels – except this specific account in Matt., Mark & Luke. But it is nowhere else mentioned until Peter’s 2 letter, and that is almost certainly after the mid-sixties C.E.; no less than 30 years after the event. And in that epistle, he tells his readers that while he indeed had that experience, they are to turn their eyes, and rest their faith in “the prophetic word more fully confirmed.” This, he goes on to explicitly denominate the Scriptures.
How different from much of pop-Christianity today which is rife with people telling their dreams, visions and experiences instead of expounding the Word, and profiting off of those supposed experiences like carnival side-show barkers.
Note second: As J.C. Ryle comments, the appearance of Elijah and Moses here serves as a wonderful indication to Believers that the afterlife with Christ is a certainty and not a myth. Moses had been gone nearly 1,500 years and Elijah nearly 1,000. But here they are. Alive and well and waiting the resurrection as is true for all who die in Christ.
Even as I pen this I think of those in my own family who have gone on before, and how they are kept in some place, cognizant and well and waiting until all in Christ are joined together. What a joy to have such an assurance recorded for us. The promise of the resurrection is but glimpsed ever so slightly here, but in grace He has let us take a quick peek behind the veil – where Christ now has gone before.
Note third: How careful we must be in trying to read current events into prophetic passages.
The Scribes were correct that Malachi 4:6 predicted that Elijah would be the Messiah’s herald. But they had built a framework around it that did not allow for the way that would be fulfilled being other than a literal appearance of Elijah – and certainly not one which included his death.
Neither the Scribes, Pharisees nor the Disciples at this point had any category for an “Elijah” like the John the Baptizer, nor for the suffering Messiah of the Old Testament. And so today, many prophecy mavens build all kinds of constructs around the prophetic portions of Scripture – especially the Revelation – and do not allow for how some of things may be fulfilled far differently than they imagine. One thinks immediately of the secret rapture theory surrounding a two-stage return of Christ.
It is a lesson for us to tread lightly in such areas. To camp on what is certain, hold tentatively what is reasonable, and refrain from insisting on what is merely speculative.
We have so many sure and clear matters in Scripture to study, know and master – that spending time wondering if some of the images in Revelation are black attack-helicopters or whether or not the Anti-Christ will drive a black Mercedes with 666 on the license plate – is nothing less than a fruitless distraction.
As one wag once said: “It isn’t the things I don’t understand in the Bible that trouble me, but the things I DO understand.”
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” is our rule. And leave the fuzzy areas to the Lord of all. “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29) They are called secret things – because that is what they are – secrets. Not for us. What is fully revealed is ours., And such revelations always lead us into living in right union and communion with God in holiness. Growing in the character of Christ and advancing His Kingdom must take precedence over all other things.
Having already commented on this event as it appears in Mark, let but reiterate what was written there, and note but one or two things in addition.
From Mark’s account: It is at this point religion and Christianity part ways. If we miss this, we miss the most important of all distinctions and truths. Jesus was not, IS not another Moses. Moses, was merely a “type” (picture of someone else ahead of time) of Jesus the Christ.
Jesus was not, IS not another Elijah. Elijah was merely another “type” (a picture ahead of time) of Christ.
While Moses represents the giving of the Law upon Sinai, Christ IS the holiness (the very nature of God) the Law is based upon. He is the substance of which the Law and Moses and Elijah are merely the shadows of.
While Elijah represents the prophets, Christ IS the Word. He does not come to give a new word from God, He comes to BE that which all of what God had said to date was pointing to and saying.
It is confused thinking on this point that leads to syncretism with other religions.
If we merely see Christ as a new lawgiver, we can syncretize or blend Christianity with the Jewish religion. If we see Christ as merely a new prophet, we can syncretize blend Christianity with Islam and a host of other false religions and cults as well.
Jesus Christ must be seen as He truly is – GOD. If He is any less, if He is marginalized in any way – we lose the very essence of Christianity. Christians are those who worship Jesus Christ as God. They are not only that, so as to prevent us from over simplifying – but we are at LEAST that from our foundation.
“This”, is God’s “beloved Son.” Whatever else we’ve heard, whomever else we have heard – we must give precedence to and listen to – Him. In fact, we can only truly understand what any of the others have said when we have Christ in His rightful place. As “Truth” – He is what interprets all things. Unless Christ Jesus is at the center of everything, nothing truly makes complete sense. It can have order or coherency on some level, but not ultimately. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:7-10 (ESV)
Here is one of those sweeping statements of cosmic and eternal focus in God – that God has “as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him.” The statement is not such that it admits of no other features – as though God could not have multiple ends in view. It does not say “as THE plan” – but certainly this is at the very core.
As our culture grows increasingly multi-cultural and as the distinctions between religions are blurred in the interest of fusing mankind together in some sort of composite “spiritual” soup – Christians must continually champion the cause of Christ above all, and Christ ALONE above all (His Father excepted – 1 Cor. 15:27 preserving the trinity).
If one had never heard the “law” as given by Moses; if one had never heard a single one of the Old Testament prophets – yet Christ is to be preached as Paul did at the Areopagus. Christ, and Him crucified for the sins of men. The One who is appointed to come and judge the living and the dead – and who alone can reconcile us to the Father through the blood of His cross.
Note first: What an astounding, divine rebuke to Peter’s suggestion. The Father will not tolerate putting anyone else on the same footing as Jesus – even Moses or Elijah. He is to be heard above all else. No wonder then the Disciples were terrified when they heard it.
Note second: And then – to have the practical application of that, in that in spite of the vision, the appearance of Moses and Elijah, and the divine rebuke: Jesus’ words of comfort are to be received above all. How gracious He is. If we are His, we need have no fear though the Heavens themselves rebuke our sin.
This discourse is what follows Jesus’ dealing with Peter’s desire for Christ to remain. This theme is continued: Every place where our will runs counter to the Father’s – this is where our desire must be crucified. This is our cross. We do not have to die in literal crucifixion for sin – this Christ alone can do. But ours is to lay aside our desires and agenda, in favor of the Father’s eternal plans. And Oh, how hard this is at times. Heavenly Father, give me grace to see it, and do it.
Note first then: The loss of life here is not so much physical death, as it is losing our “right” to direct our own lives and to accomplish our own goals; to live for His plan and purpose.
Will we lay this down? Or will we demand that God give us the life we want, irrespective of the plan of redemption? This is the great question. And it is a question of life or death.
Note second: 21-26 Is all one with taking His easy yoke and light burden upon ourselves. It is off-loading a life built around God helping us achieve OUR goals, to being given over to devoting ourselves to God achieving His eternal plan and purpose. We lose the world – but we gain Him! We gain true LIFE, in all of its fullness.
And herein is the problem with so much of pop-Christianity today: Jesus is not our end, but rather the means to achieve some end of our own making.
We’ve lost the perspective of Asaph in Ps. 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” We’ve replaced it with “What do you have for me in Heaven beside yourself, and how can you give me the pleasures of this world?”
Yes, it is true that in Christ we are blessed even in this life. His grace toward His redeemed ones is immeasurable, and that, compounded upon common grace. But when we see these as ends in themselves rather than mere types and shadows of the glory of Christ Himself, we lose everything. At His right hand are indeed pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11). But what makes that true is that we are at His right hand – near Him – gazing upon Him – delighting in Him close up, and not through this present dark glass. David’s prayer in Ps. 17 ends with the sum of this reality: “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.”
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote it. The Stones performed it. Experts say it is one of the 100 songs that shook the world. Another says it is the most popular rock song ever written. And over 15 million people bought it to listen to over and over. And its message has been renewed and re-sung in countless ways by countless musicians. So we hear its more clever refrain in the words of Lyle Lovett:
So like the years and all the seasons pass; And like the sand runs through the hour glass; I just keep on running faster; Chasing the happily I am ever after.”
King David knew better. He knew there can be no ultimate satisfaction in this life. That lack of satisfaction is not a condition to be remedied, but a reality to be put into its proper context. For we were never meant to find satisfaction in this life. We are not meant to have that, until the resurrection.
David’s line can be taken 2 ways – and perhaps it is meant to be taken both ways.
a. When I awake in the resurrection, I will finally see your likeness God – and at last I will be fully satisfied.
b. When I awake in the resurrection, and your sanctifying work is fully done, I shall be satisfied having been conformed to your likeness.
Here alone is true satisfaction – beholding the likeness, the face of our Dear Redeemer, and being conformed to it. If we seek satisfaction anywhere else, we shall never obtain it. And if we are satisfied apart from it, we are the most blind, deceived and pitiable creatures of all.
And so we read in George MacDonald’s “The Diary of an Old Soul”
Thy fishes breathe but where thy waters roll; Thy birds fly but within thy airy sea; My soul breathes only in thy infinite soul; I breathe, I think, I love, I live but thee. Oh breathe, oh think,—O Love, live into me; Unworthy is my life till all divine, Till thou see in me only what is thine.
Note third: It is in the adoption of one of these paradigms versus the other, that the last judgment will come at Jesus’ own hands. We must consider carefully and regularly in what direction the inclination of our hearts leans.
No, in this life, it will never be perfectly so. But if we know nothing of the Holy Spirit’s ministrations in calling us back to the Cross-centered life over and over – we have great reason to fear. And, by the same token, if as a Believer, you are privileged to have the Spirit call you back over and over – how great ought your rejoicing to be.
Note lastly: How wonderfully Jesus gives glimpses at times of the glories to come in cheering and strengthening our souls. For the Disciples, there would be an astounding fulfillment of this just a few short days later on the Mount of Transfiguration.
But for all that – Peter will tell us later that Believers have something even more trustworthy than that supernatural experience for our foretaste – the sure word of prophecy. God’s personal promise that it will be so. 2 Pet. 1:19-21 “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
The exchange with Peter in this passage is one of the most sobering in all the Gospels. “Satan” (vs. 33) as we know, simply means – adversary. One can be “a” satan or an adversary of Christ and His Kingdom without it being demonic, or being “THE” Satan we most often think of as The Devil. We have grown so accustomed to using the word satan only to refer to the personal Devil, we forget that the semantic range of the word allows for how Jesus uses it here in reference to Peter.
Note first: All it takes to be God’s adversary, is to set our agenda above His. In Peter’s case here, Jesus defines being a satan as simply setting the mind on the things of man above the things – the plans and purposes of God.
Was it wrong for Peter not to want Jesus to suffer and die? Not in the most basic sense. Jesus was his friend, his mentor, The Christ. But here is the problem, in his perfectly legitimate desires to spare Jesus such things, and to suffer the loss of Jesus himself, he had no consideration whatsoever for what was best and wisest in God’s eyes, and in His plans and purposes. And in our day where everyone is supposed to be in pursuit of their own agendas, happiness, goals, ambitions and desires – the posture of submitting all of those to God is almost unthinkable. Indeed, so much preaching and teaching today would tell us exactly that – that God’s chief end is to see to it we get ours!
We’ve turned the entire paradigm on its head.
In effect, Jesus is saying to Peter: You are looking at this from your perspective, and not from God’s. You may wish me to remain for yourself, but what is the Father doing? What is His plan? This is what must guide us – not our personal desires, but what God is about in sending me to earth. And that, must culminate in my death, or there is no hope for you in eternity.
And so may we pray today: Heavenly Father, keep your plans and purposes ever before me. Let me live my life so as to be fully invested in your agenda, what you are about in this world. Let me leave my self-willed and self-constructed goals behind. Let me be immersed in your will, surrendering my own completely. If nothing gets done the way I want, let it be, as long as your will is done.
Note second: The connection between 33, and 34-38. This is what it means to take up our cross. It is quite simply to abandon our agendas for His.
Now there is no question that this applies to each and everyone of us in our lives. God doesn’t exist to guarantee we get what we want in life – especially given our skewed values and desires due to the Fall. WE exist to get Him what He is after. To fulfill His purposes and plans. You cannot read Jesus’ own words without seeing that very dynamic time after time. He only speaks what He hears the Father say; does what He sees the Father does; “I have come to do your will.”
But this has a very special application to the ministry.
In today’s climate, something has crept into how Churches search for pastoral candidates and how leaders in the Church are supposed to function within the context of being visionaries or “vision-casters” as it is often dubbed.
No man should be considered for a pastoral role based on questions like “what is your vision for this Church?” Nor ought he to be always called upon to be setting a vision. No. The question is: Do you know Christ’s vision for His Church? And if so, what is it Biblically – and how do we fit into Christ’s vision in this local assembly?
Having some sort of mystical, subjective vision for a Church quite frankly was never a part of the ecclesiastical framework until quite recently. And it is borrowed from corporate America, not the Bible.
Pastors are to give themselves over to the purposes and plans of God as articulated in His Word – not divining some hidden, secret purpose of God for some certain group of people.
Note third: Public sins need public redress. Jesus took note that the other disciples heard Peter’s rebuke and thus He needed to set it straight right then and there. This would not wait to be dealt with privately because of the immediate impact upon others.
In other words, this was not a “Matthew 18” situation. Nor is it today when public figures, both inside and outside the Church sin publicly. As with Paul’s immediate and public rebuke of Peter in Antioch – when things are done publicly which have an immediate impact on a number of people, it must be addressed then and there. Much sin today is buried under a mistaken notion of how Matthew 18 is to be carried out.
Note fourthly: Jesus’ rebuke is not simply yelling at Peter, it is remedial. Peter isn’t ousted from the Apostleship. He isn’t demoted or written off. He is corrected.
And isn’t this a most marvelous display of the mercy and grace of God in how He deals with all His blood-bought ones?
Yes, at times we greatly err. At times, we too may well be His “adversary.” Aren’t we constantly being challenged to submit our wills to His? To go back and be sure we are setting our minds on His plans and purposes rather than our own? Indeed. And He is faithful not to leave us to ourselves. To love to a better place. To still own us as His own.
There is little doubt that this is one of the most pivotal passages in the whole of the Gospels. And it is built around two eternally vital questions, and their right answers.
Note first: Jesus asks the disciples regarding the common opinion about who He is.
At first, this might not seem very important, but as we go out into the world hoping to evangelize, we need to find out people’s presuppositions before we venture to tell them the truth. When we fail to do this, we may use identical language, but with disparate if not diametrically opposed concepts.
When we speak of Jesus to a Muslim for instance, if he or she knows anything about how the Koran paints Him, then we are talking about two very different individuals. The same is true for Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and even those with little religious affiliation whatsoever. We must find a starting point where we are meaning the same thing by the words we speak before we can truly communicate with profit.
Going back a few years, it was a common saying that when someone was upset about something, they had a bee in their bonnet. An apt description. Who would be flustered if they had a bee in their hat? But if at the same time you used that saying with someone from England, it wouldn’t carry any of the same connotations. For there, the bonnet is the hood of one’s car. And who would care if there was a bee under the hood of their car? It would be nonsensical.
So who do PEOPLE say or think Jesus is, is vital before we can talk about who the Bible says Jesus is – and clarify that concept before we can share the Gospel competently.
As the Disciples were to make their way into the world for the Gospel’s sake, this issue would be front and center. So it is you see why Paul began where he did on Mars Hill. Until they were even talking about the same thing when they said “God” – misunderstanding would make Gospel unintelligible.
Note second: Illustrative of the first point, were the various notions among the Jewish population surrounding the coming of the Messiah. Hence, they would try to put Jesus into one of their preconceived categories.
Some thought Jesus might be John the Baptizer raised from the dead. Such an opinion can only come about when people look at important questions a-historically. And it is why Christians especially need to understand the historical factuality of Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection. This was troubling concept Herod had of Jesus in Ch. 14.
Other thought Jesus might be Elijah. This was more in tune with drawing an opinion from Scripture, but failing to consider the teaching of Jesus on the subject. They would have drawn from the common understanding of Mal. 4:5 where Elijah was prophesied to be the Messiah’s forerunner. But this is the designation Jesus gave to John the Baptist.
There were other Jewish legends which included other Old Testament prophets coming back to life in connection with the appearance of the Messiah.
In evangelizing, all of these false ideas of the Messiah would have to be dealt with in preaching Christ and Him crucified without misunderstanding. We can appeal to Scripture but leave out other critical Scriptural information thus failing to arrive at the truth. A whole understanding of the Bible is critical.
Note third: Peter’s famous declaration in response to Jesus’ second question: “But who do YOU say that I am?”
This, and this alone is the foundation of the Church: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Apart from this we have nothing but man made religion. Everything hangs upon and is founded upon this revelation. And any who have not had it revealed to them, are not of or in The Church.
Indeed, this is THE question everyone must answer for themselves. And make no mistake, the mere truth of the data is not salvific alone. The Devil and all the demons know who Jesus really is. The question is, having received the light of who He is, have you been reconciled to God through Him?
Thus we note fourth: Imagine how deaf, dumb, blind and hard we are, that God can appear in human flesh, do miraculous works, and speak to us directly- and yet apart from the Spirit’s working – we will not perceive Him.
We have little concept of how truly lost – lost is. Nothing short of the supernatural work of revealing Christ the soul delivers us from that death.
But note fifth: How gracious God is that He overcomes our pitiable state. If He did not, none would be saved.
Note sixth: A wonderful parallel between Jesus’ building His Church, and its shadow back in 1 Chronicles 28:11-19. There, it was David’s design, the father’s design which the son, Solomon carried out. And so it is with the Church. It is the Father’s great design, but the Son is the builder. Its erection is committed to the Son. But the Son is carrying out the Father’s will, plan and purpose.
Note lastly: In regard to the keys of the Kingdom. If as Lightfoot suggests, the keys of the Kingdom are the sharing or the denying of any the Gospel – then both what glory and responsibility rests upon us. Are men kept out of the kingdom because we do not open the door of the Gospel to them? Father forgive us our neglect! Let me use those keys every single day! To deny men the Gospel, is to leave them bound in their sins.To fail to tell them the jail door is open and they may come out if they will follow Jesus to the entrance of Heaven.
Lightfoot goes on to insist this common Jewish way of speaking had to do with THINGS, not people. And thus in transitioning from the Mosaic to the New Covenant, the Apostles would be looked to to determine for the Church what was to be carried over as binding, and what was not. This was carried out at the first Church council in Jerusalem and was an issue of contention between Paul and Peter at Antioch.
And so it is this is not an issue of cause and effect, but of correspondence. As we walk with Him, submit to Him, give ourselves over to His cause ans purposes, we harmonize with Heaven itself.
Note first: What we think matters; ideas have consequences.
One cannot imbibe false doctrine and it not have an ill effect. And the ill-effects of false teaching grow with the breadth of the system taught. Hence Jesus likening the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees to leaven. Once errant teaching moves beyond mere opinion about one or two issues, and blossoms into an entire paradigm or worldview – the effect governs the entire thought process.
This is why Jude is so exercised in his short epistle. The Church must – from the pulpit to the pew – be guardians of the truth once and for all delivered to the saints.
Innovations, new revelations, novel teachings are to be examines. And if they are not faithful to the Word already given – they are to be eschewed. Not entertained. Not toyed with. Not dallied with on the fringes – rejected. If not, make no mistake, like leaven, they will permeate the whole, puff up and create an entire false system.
We must be settled that God’s revelation is complete, sufficient and sealed until the final revelation of Christ Himself in His return.
No new doctrines. No tempting little off-kilter tid-bits. No new novel slants on the Word. Isa. 8:20 – “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”
Note second: How it is Jesus rebukes the Disciple’s faith here, and not their knowledge.
One would think Jesus would point out how little His disciples knew, not how little their faith was – at least in this context.
But the connection is this: faith must be rooted in what God has said and in His character. Always. Faith is never a baseless hope or conjecture. It is not something we can conjure up on our own.
Jesus was pointing out that faith must be based upon knowledge, and that given the track record of Christ feeding the multitudes, there is no way they should have thought Him ill disposed simply because they had forgotten something like bread. What is that to One who created the worlds by His word?
Faith does not exist in a vacuum. It is rooted in knowledge of Who God is in His character, and what He has revealed in His Word.
Note third: Jesus had not given them any reason to believe He was upset with them. They had no reason to fear that. And this is why depending upon our feelings for God’s attitude about us is so misguided. We must base those things on His revelations, not our subjective feelings.
We must always make our redress to the Word of God to formulate our opinions, and God’s.
One thinks of the tragic case of that great hymn writer William Cowper.
Given to write such glorious strains as:
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill He treasures up His bright designs And works His sov’reign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flow’r.
Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain; God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.
And yet, for this and a multitude of others – written along with his dear friend John Newton – because of a dream he had where in the dream, God abandoned him – Cowper lived out the last days of his life believing he was damned.
Not because of God’s Word. Not because of the Gospel. But because he had a bad dream, which left him with feelings of despair, and concluded based upon those, he was beyond the grasp of salvation.
Beloved – we take our thoughts and our feelings from the teaching of the Word of God, nowhere else.
If not, we will live in the bubble of false doctrine. Looking large, but filled with useless air.
It is the The law of the LORD which is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. (Ps. 19:7-11)
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