13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say [a]that the Son of man is? 14 And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say unto thee, that thou art [b]Peter, and upon this [c]rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ.
Footnotes
- Matthew 16:13 Many ancient authorities read that I the Son of man am. See Mk. 8:27; Lk. 9:18.
- Matthew 16:18 Greek Petros.
- Matthew 16:18 Greek petra.
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah – Matthew 16:13-20
Jesus has come into Caesarea Philippi and has entered a district where Roman Paganism is the dominant belief. The area includes a temple and grotto near the gates of Hades where dead idols are displayed.
The people of this region are accustomed to seeing statues and idols – and they will be tempted to see Jesus as one of them. But He tells them that He is not like those statues and idols – He is the true God, the living God.
This is a most significant conversation that begins in Matthew 16:13-20. It is an important part of the story of Jesus’s ministry.
What Peter says in verse 16 is one of the most important confessions of faith ever made by a disciple. It confirms what he had been taught by the apostles, and it is also the beginning of what is known as “the kingdom.”
Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the Living God (verse 16) is a great confession of faith. It is a confession that carries with it a great blessing from God. It is also a testimony to the transforming power of faith, and it is a mark that Peter will be called “the rock” upon which the church will be built.
Jesus commends this bold confession by Peter, telling him that it is a sign of God’s blessing. He tells him that it will lead the disciples to overcome their culture and Hades itself, by bringing them to the knowledge of God’s salvation in the resurrected Christ.
