December 25th, 2014. YOU ARE When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? Matthew 16:13 The centrality of Christ is the rock upon which the Lord builds the church. Where there is the centrality of Christ, there is the building of the church. The Lord opens up the significance of building upon this rock in Matthew 16:13- 18:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? 14 So they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them, But who do you say that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar- Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Peters confession, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, is both definite and singular: Christ is uniquely the Son, and He is the only Son, distinct and particular. The Lord responded to Peters confession by saying that what he saw was not revealed to him by flesh and blood, but by the Father. Although these verses are familiar to us, we may have overlooked their real impact on our Christian lives. To make a confession based upon revelation that Jesus, the Son of Man, is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is to be a person who is reduced, focused, and centred upon one Person. is a confession that Christ is the unique anointed One He is the One appointed to live out the Fathers life, do the Fathers will, and accomplish everything in Gods economy. To confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God is to acknowledge Him as the One who has the approved relationship with the Father, as well as the proper relationship with all things, both negative and positive. This confession is an all- inclusive utterance concerning the Christian life. It is a confession that recognizes that Christ is all and in all. AND WHEN JESUS CAME TO THE COASTS OF CESAREA PHILIPPI. Mark says that this conversation took place during the journey. Luke says that it took place while he was praying, and while there were none in company with him but his disciples. Matthew is not so exact in mentioning the time. All the three unquestionably relate the same narrative; and it is possible that Christ may have stopped at a certain place during that journey to pray, and that afterwards he may have put the question to his disciples. There were two towns called Cesarea, of which the former was more celebrated, and had been anciently called The Tower of Strato; while the latter, which is mentioned here, was situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon, not far from the river Jordan. It is for the sake of distinguishing between these two towns that Philippi is added to the name; for though it is conjectured by some to have been built on the same spot where the town of Dan formerly stood, yet, as it had lately been rebuilt by Philip the Tetrarch, it was called Philippi. Who do men say that I am? This might be supposed to mean, What was the current rumor about the Redeemer, who became the Son of man? But the question is quite different, What do men think about Jesus the Son of Mary? He calls himself, according to custom, the Son of man, as much as to say, Now that clothed in flesh I inhabit the earth like other men, what is the opinion entertained respecting me? The design of Christ was, to confirm his disciples fully in the true faith, that they might not be tossed about amidst various reports, as we shall presently see.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 13:54:40 +0000
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