“Who do you say that I am?” —Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost 13A/Proper 16A (Matthew 16)

Matthew 16:13-20 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

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.

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                Quests for the historical Jesus and numerous theological reflections, pondering whether Jesus is human or divine or both human and divine. If the latter, then how does that work? Ultimately, however, it all comes down to a person's confession. As Jesus addressed his followers, he asked the most pertinent question: “Who do you say that I am?” The input from theologians and Bible scholars; preachers and philosophers can help provide background, but in the end, we have to make our own confession. We have to answer Jesus’ question. Likely, we’ll not all answer the same. That’s the way it’s always been. As we ponder the text, we hear the question and we hear one answer from a follower of Jesus, which gets commendation from Jesus. Is Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question the one you would give? Or not? Hold on to that question until I have a chance to explore more fully the context and implications of this reading. Then, we can in our own ways respond to Jesus’ question: “Who do you say that I am?”

                When we consider the question of Jesus’ identity, we can approach the question objectively from a historical point of view. While there are still a few holdouts, most people accept the idea that Jesus of Nazareth was a historical figure living in the first century of the common era. It’s largely accepted that he was executed by the Roman government, probably for sedition/rebellion. The Romans didn’t take kindly to people whom they perceived as challenging their authority. If there was to be a king or queen in a region of the empire, that person was placed in that position by the Roman authorities. Therefore, if Jesus went about the region proclaiming the coming God’s kingdom, a kingdom that hadn’t been given clearance by the Romans, was a threat. If he was a threat, he had to be dealt with. That’s the Roman response to Jesus. It’s likely the Romans were joined by Jewish collaborators who recognized that their own power, such that it was, depended on the largesse of their Roman overlords. That’s one way of looking at the question of Jesus’ identity. However, that’s not the primary concern of this passage.

                Looking back at Jesus’ conversation held in the district of Caesarea Philippi, we might want to take note of the location. The name of the city includes an acknowledgment of Caesar, ruler of the Empire, and Philip, son of Herod the Great, and the vassal ruler of the region. It is an area that was known to be a center for the worship of false gods, that is it wasn’t a Jewish-dominated area. It’s possible that Matthew places this conversation about identity that includes Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Son of God in a location where that confession is contrasted with the confession made in that region that Caesar is the Son of God. Thus, this district had both political and religious significance. What better place to have a conversation about Jesus’ identity? 

                Placing this reading in its larger context, we’ve seen Jesus reveal God’s realm through parables (Matthew 13), miracles (Matthew 14), interaction with Gentiles that involve healings, and another feeding (Matthew 15), this time of four thousand people. Then when we turn to Matthew 16, Jesus has difficult conversations with Jewish religious leaders who ask for signs that he is a representative of God. Jesus answers them with a cryptic, rather apocalyptic message. Then he warns his disciples about the “yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees;” that is, the teaching of these two parties who opposed Jesus’ ministry. Most of this activity takes place around the Sea of Galilee (except for that brief detour to Tyre). Now, Jesus takes his disciples to a place further north, a place that is much more Gentile than Jewish, so he can have a conversation about the state of the ministry.

                Jesus begins the conversation by asking the disciples what they had heard from the crowds. Who do they say the “Son of Man” is? In other words, who do they say, “I am?” The disciples give a litany of answers. Some say Jesus is John the Baptist (apparently risen from the dead), or perhaps he’s Elijah or maybe Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Alan Culpepper warns us against moving too quickly to the next question. He notes that “the fact the people are speculating about Jesus, suggesting that he was John the Baptist or one of the prophets, clearly implies that they were identifying him with notable scriptural figures. Matthew links Jesus closely with John the Baptist (3:1-2 and 4:17; 3:13-15; 14:2), of whom Jesus says ‘among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist’ (11:11). Jesus identifies John with the expected Elijah (11:14).” [Matthew, NTL, p. 309]. All of these answers have eschatological dimensions. Culpepper writes that the references to Jesus being one of the prophets is eschatological because “it was widely held that prophets would not arise again Israel until the end times.” Therefore, even if these answers were, Culpepper notes, “inadequate from a Christian perspective,” they would have “carried significant eschatological implications.” [Matthew, NTL, p. 309]. These answers set up well the next question, which Jesus poses to the disciples.  

                The question Jesus poses is quite simple, and it’s a question he poses to us as well: “Who do you say that I am?” Being that I am part of a non-creedal tradition—Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)—we do not ask prospective members or candidates for baptism their thoughts on a lengthy creed or statement of faith. We simply ask whether they will make the Good Confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that he is their Lord and Savior.” That confession is essentially the same one Peter made in response to Jesus’ question, except for the word about Jesus being Lord and Savior. It’s not that those words aren’t biblical, it’s just not part of Peter’s response. When it comes to the meaning of Christ/Messiah and Son of God, candidates for membership aren’t asked to define their terms. They might see themselves affirming Jesus’ divinity or they may not. 

                Getting back to our reading. As is often true of Peter, he speaks first. He tells Jesus: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” We should note that Jesus had first asked the disciples what the people were saying about the “Son of Man.” Peter responded by telling Jesus that, in his view, Jesus was the “Son of the Living God.” The answers given by the people suggested precursors to the Messiah—that was especially true of Elijah—but Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah. He was willing to go beyond the views espoused by most of the people who welcomed Jesus’ ministry but weren’t ready to join Peter in proclaiming Jesus the Messiah. Therefore, Peter was confirming that in their mind, Jesus was the one they had been waiting for. If he was the Messiah then he would be the one who not only proclaimed the coming of God’s realm, but he was the one who would inaugurate that realm. 

                After Peter makes this confession, one that I made when joining Disciples congregations and asked of candidates for membership and/or baptism when they sought to join, Jesus responded by lettering Peter know that he didn’t figure this out on his own. It was God who revealed this to him. He could make this confession because God had opened his eyes to the true nature of Jesus’ ministry and Jesus’ true identity. He’d had his eyes opened by God.  While one could recognize/identify Jesus as a man from Nazareth who went about telling stories and performing miracles, Peter’s confession went deeper. To make that confession Peter needed to have his eyes opened by God. It was, Jesus told him, a matter of direct, divine, revelation. This statement by Jesus to Peter raises an important question that theologians have long debated. Can we encounter God on our own, or must we wait for God to reveal God’s self? According to Jesus flesh and blood didn’t reveal this truth to Peter. It was heaven (God). Whether Peter fully understood what he confessed is brought into question later in the story when Peter tries to dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem. Then on the night of the betrayal, Peter denied even knowing Jesus (Matt. 26:69-75). So, there were some things that Peter wouldn’t fully understand about Jesus until after Easter. Nevertheless, he acknowledged here Jesus’ true identity as Messiah and Son of God, even if he might not fully understand what that meant.

                Although it is divine revelation that opens Peter’s eyes to Jesus’ true identity, it is enough for Jesus to give Peter a commission. He tells Peter that because he had made this confession, he would have a new name (and thus identity). Jesus acknowledges Peter as Simon son of Jonah, but now he will be known as Peter, the Rock. Jesus further commissions Peter by declaring that it is upon this rock that Jesus will build his church (ekklesia). It’s worth noting that this is the first and only reference in the Gospels to the church. This word ekklesia speaks of a called-out community.

                We need to stop for a moment and consider what Jesus is saying to Peter by changing his name from Simon to Peter. As with God’s change of Jacob’s name to Israel, this signifies that Peter the person will be taking a leading role in what is to come. It’s not just the confession that is commended, it’s Peter’s new role as leader of the community. While Protestants have struggled with that part of the passage, since the Roman Catholic Church assumes primacy based on Jesus’ raising Peter’s status, we can affirm Peter’s new role in the community without having to give Rome primacy (it could be first among equals perhaps). After we affirm the newly established leadership role we can turn to the confession that Jesus is the Christ and Son of the Living God, which will serve as the foundation of this emerging movement that will participate in God’s work of bringing into existence the realm Jesus had proclaimed.

                Not only will this confession serve as the foundation for the movement, but not even Hades will stand against it. That reference to Hades is challenging as we usually think of Hades in terms of Hell, and Hell being the denizen of the Devil. Perhaps it’s better to remember that Hades is understood as the place of the dead. So, might we read this as declaring that death will not overcome the church (that would include Jesus’ own death)? Thus, as Alan Culpepper reminds us “those who worship the ‘living God’ need not fear the power of death!” [Matthew, NTL, p. 314].

                Now, this reference to the keys of the kingdom and the power to bind and loose sins, which Jesus gives to Peter, is also intriguing. Anna Case Winters suggests, rightly I believe, that “when Jesus confers on Peter the power to ‘bind’ and to ‘loose’ this corresponds with the rabbinical terms meaning authority to declare what is permitted and what is forbidden and the authority to determine membership in the community” [Matthew: Belief, p. 208]. While first addressed to Peter, it would seem that any who confesses Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God, would receive this invitation to participate in bringing the realm of God into existence. Jesus doesn’t simply envision people saying yes to the idea of God (and God’s presence in Jesus), without some sense of being part of something bigger.  If Jesus is the Messiah, the one who inaugurates the realm of God, then it would seem that those who accept the mission, become part of the team that brings that realm into existence. We needn’t simply assume that this realm that Jesus envisions is a future event with no earthly expression. Jesus never speaks of the church as a lifeboat where the perishing are rescued. This power of binding and loosing involves discerning the difference between the ways of God and the ways of the world. Thus, to receive this authority is to participate in God’s work of liberation (loosing) in the world, revealing Jesus’ messianic reign.

                Having pondered this conversation that leads to Peter’s confession and the commission given to him (and to the church built upon that confession), we return to the more personal question. Who do you say that Jesus is? How do you understand his identity? How does that confession define your own faith life?

Image Attribution: Perugino, approximately 1450-1523. Christ gives the keys of the kingdom to Peter, detail, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55925 [retrieved August 23, 2023]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Entrega_de_las_llaves_a_San_Pedro_(Perugino).jpg.