St Louis UBF UBF Bible Study : Matthew 16:1-28

Bible Study Materials

Matthew 16:1-28

by Paul Choi 09/06/2015

Question

You Are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God

Matthew 16:1-20

Key Verse: 16:16

1. Read verses 1-4. Why did the Pharisees and Sadducees come to Jesus? (12:38-40) How did Jesus again rebuke them? Why did he call that generation "wicked and adulterous"? What is the sign of Jonah?

2. Read verses 5-12. Why did he warn his disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees? (12) What is the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees? Why did Jesus say they had little faith?

3. Read verses 13-14. Where did Jesus and his disciples go? What factual and objective question did Jesus ask his disciples? What was their answer and what does this mean?

4. Read verses 15-16. What second question did Jesus ask? How is this question different from the first one? What was Simon Peter's confession? What did it mean to him? How could he make such a confession? (17)

5. Read verses 18-20. What prophetic promise did Jesus make? What does this mean? What is the rock on which Jesus would build his church? What are the keys of the kingdom about which Jesus speaks? Why did he tell them to keep these things a secret?

Attachment

Mt16_1-20q -revised.doc

Message

YOU ARE THE MESSIAH

Matthew 16:1-20

Key Verse: 16:16 “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

In our lives we meet many people. To know whom we meet is very important, especially if they are those who influence our lives. We have some unmarried men and women here who expect to meet their future spouse. After spending some time and knowing each other, they may make some important decision. They make confession of love and pledge to be married. What I want to talk about today is Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus. It took more than three years for Peter to make this confession. It is not important how long it took until he made the confession, but it is how he knew Jesus and believed in him. Jesus highly valued Peter’s confession because his confession revealed who Jesus really is. At the end of this message Jesus will ask you a question, “Who do you say I am?” What will be your answer?

First, none will be given it except the sign of Jonah (16:1-4) The Pharisees were the religious leaders who taught the Scripture in their synagogues in Jesus’ day. The Sadducees were the political groups who mainly occupied the Jewish ruling council called ‘Sanhedrin’. Both groups opposed Jesus at that time. In verse 1 they came to Jesus and tested him by asking to show them a sign from heaven. Jesus showed them enough signs and wonders so that they could believe in him as the Promised Messiah and the Son of God. Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish. He healed all the sick. He drove out demons and raised the dead. He calmed the storm and walked on the water. How many more signs Jesus should give them so that they could believe? Jesus knew that they came to him not to believe but to test.

Jesus replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, “Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” (2-4) People forecast weather by interpreting the appearance of the sky. The Pharisees and the Sadducees predicted weather by interpreting the appearance of the sky, but they did not know how to interpret the signs of the times. The signs of times indicate Jesus and his dawning kingdom. Through Jesus’ teaching and the signs which he had performed they should have acknowledged that the kingdom of heaven has come through Jesus. But they intentionally opposed Jesus and denied his ministry.

Jesus answered them that a wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. (4) Here the sign of Jonah indicates the message of repentance. God called the prophet Jonah so that he might deliver the message of repentance to the people of Nineveh. But Jonah didn’t like God’s idea and ran away to opposite direction. Soon he was thrown into the sea and stayed in the belly of a huge fish for three days. In the belly of the fish he repented. Then he went to Nineveh and delivered the message of repentance. All people in the city of Nineveh from top to bottom repented and accepted God’s message. Jesus urged the Pharisees and the Sadducees to repent and accept his message.

As Jonah stayed in the belly of a fish and came out of it on third day, Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and on the third day he rose again. The sign of Jonah pointed out Jesus Christ himself. Jesus said that there is no sign but Jesus himself. Jesus himself is the message of salvation and he is the gospel. Jesus said that a wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign. These days people look for a sign. They expect something great and spectacular which can change their lives better. They want sudden and dramatic spiritual enlightenment which can make them feeling great. They are waiting for miracles in their lives. But Jesus said that none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. He means that there is nothing but the gospel of Christ Jesus which saves us from our sins and which changes our lives great. Do you expect your better life? Do you want something great happen in your life? Repent and believe in Jesus! Amen!

Second, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (5-12) Look at verses 5-6. “When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” How did the disciples interpret Jesus’ words? In verse 7 they discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” To make bread we use yeast. So, when the disciples heard about the word ‘yeast’, they immediately concluded that Jesus was talking about ‘bread’. They might have blamed for each other who forgot bringing the leftover bread. Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (8-11) Jesus rebuked their lack of faith. Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish and the seven loaves for the four thousand. Therefore, they must not worry about bread because Jesus would provide for them. But they worried about bread because they did not understand Jesus’ words.

After being rebuked by Jesus, the disciples finally understood that Jesus was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. In the Bible yeast is the negative metaphor about bad influence. Here yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees is their hypocrisy. Jesus warned his disciples of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. Jesus said in Mt 23:2,3, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” Hypocrisy means ‘act differently from what they say and teach.” The original meaning of hypocrisy in Greek is ‘act in play’. They pretended to be holy, pretended to be all right, and pretended to be obedient. Their hypocritical life looked great to the eyes of people, but Jesus warned their bad influence.

Jesus said in 10:26, “…for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” Pretence will be known as time passes by. Hypocrisy cannot be hidden. Jealousy, hatred, pride, disobedience of the Pharisees will be disclosed soon no matter how they tried to hide them. Jesus wanted his disciples to grow pure, honest, and faithful servants of God. Today no matter whose parents you are, no matter how long you have attended church service, and how many times you read the Bible, if you don’t know who Jesus Christ really is, you gain nothing. You are nobody. You don’t have to pretend to be okay. You don’t have to disguise yourself holy and righteous. God knows everything about you, all your hidden behaviors acted in darkness when you are alone. Your impure thoughts, secret desires, and selfish plans hidden in the deepest bottom of your heart will be disclosed in the light of God. God wants us to come to him as we are, naked, transparent and meet him personally. “Come just as you are. O come just as you are. Turn from your sin, let the Savior come in, And come just as you are.” Amen!

Third, who do you say I am? (13-20) Jesus and his disciples came to the region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea Philippi was the town located at the north side of Galilee. It was a quiet and solitary place where Jesus could have private time with his disciples apart from the crowd. Suddenly Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (13) Jesus asked his disciples of people’s opinion about himself. It was not a difficult question to answer. So they answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (14) King Herod thought that Jesus was John the Baptist who rose again from the dead. (Mt 14:2) People thought that Jesus was Elijah who would come at the last day and fulfill the prophecy of Malachi. (Mal 4:5) Still others thought that Jesus was Jeremiah who had suffered much for the sake of God’s kingdom. Their answers were partially right, but not perfect. How do people say about Jesus today? Some say that Jesus is a good teacher. Others say that he is a great healer. Still, others say that he is one of the four great men who created religion, and so on. Their answers are partially right, but not perfect.

Jesus asked the second question to his disciples. Look at verse 15. “But what about you? he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Now Jesus asked the disciples not people’s opinion, but the disciples’ personal faith about him. This is not an easy question for answer because it requires their subjective view and personal belief in Jesus. While other disciples were considering, Simon Peter answered. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (16) Wow! Peter gave a wonderful and perfect answer. In the past Peter made some mistakes because of his abruptness. But this time he didn’t make any mistake. He got a perfect score because of his perfect answer. But Jesus knew that this did not come from Peter, but from the Father in heaven. So Jesus said in verse 17 “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” Jesus knew that it was the work of the Holy Spirit in Peter’s heart. Here we learn that we know who Jesus really is, not by our reason or effort, but by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is not easy for us to believe in Jesus and his work by our own understanding. But when we humbly ask God to help us and to know Jesus and believe in him, the Holy Spirit works in us and helps us. (Jn 14:26)

Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Then who is the Messiah? Messiah in Hebrew is ‘Christ’ in Greek, which means ‘the Anointed One.” Jesus is the God’s Anointed Savior and Deliverer. The Israelites had waited for the Messiah who would deliver them from the hand of their enemies. But Jesus is not the political Messiah, but the spiritual Messiah who would save his people from their sins. What is sin? People treat sin lightly. But sin brings fatal consequences and its price is death. Sin leads people to death. Sin also has power to make people slave. Jesus said that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (Jn 8:34) Sin is separation from God, who is the light. Those who sin live in darkness. Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior who sets us free from the slavery of sin, who bring us from darkness to light, and who delivers us from death to life.

Jesus is not the one who has been known as one of the four great men in human history along with Buddha, Socrates, and Muhammad. They are all mere men, but Jesus is the Son of the living God. He was in the beginning. He existed as the Word before the creation of the world. The Word, the logos, took a human form and was born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. He loved us so much that he paid the price for our sins by his own blood and was buried with our sins. On the third day he rose again from the dead and became the firstfruits of our resurrection. Who can save sinners? Who can pay the price for our sins? Only the perfect God and the perfect man, Jesus Christ saves sinners. Only the blood of the Son of God can cleanse us from our sins. Jesus is the Messiah because his precious blood can make us clean from all our sins and set us free from the power of sin and Satan. Jesus is the Messiah because he conquered death and has power to bring us into the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is the Messiah because he is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him (Jn 14:6) Amen!

Today Jesus may ask you the same question, “Who do you say I am?” Who is Jesus to you? It does not matter how often you come to the church and no matter how many times you call and pray in Jesus’ name. Who is Jesus to you? Is he just a nice guy? Is he a great man like four other great people? What is your answer? The Bible says that when you confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and believe in him from your heart that he died for your sins and rose again from the dead, you are saved. (Ro 10:9,10) You receive a right to become children of God. (Jn 1:12) Your name is written in the Book of Life in the kingdom of God. Thirty years ago, I made this confession by the help of the Holy Spirit. Since then, my life has been changed. I become a new creation. How about you? Are your sins forgiven? Are you sure that you are saved? If you die today, are you sure that you go to heaven? Because this is a matter of salvation, you must be serious about your attitude toward Jesus. Jesus said in John 17:4, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Today I pray for you to know Jesus personally and ask you to make a confession of faith that Jesus is the Lord and Savior. If you don’t have confidence, you may ask the forgiveness of sins and receive Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior in your life. Acknowledge him and accept him as the King of your life. Then Jesus will guide you and lead your life into perfect peace and joy.

Jesus blessed Peter’s confession of faith. How did he bless Peter? Look at verses 18-19. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Jesus changed his name from Simon to Peter, which means ‘Rock’. Jesus promised to build his church on this rock. Jesus also promised that the power of Satan would not overcome Peter and his church because its foundation is Jesus Christ himself. No matter how Satan tries to destroy Peter and the church of Christ, he will fail because Jesus conquered sin and death through his death and resurrection. Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven. This means that whoever believes in Jesus and makes a confession of faith can enter into the kingdom of heaven.

In verse 20 Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. This was because God’s time did not come yet and people were not ready to accept Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus waited for God’s time when people could acknowledge him as the Messiah and believe in him as the Son of the living God. I want all of you to know who Jesus really is through today’s passage. Ask yourself, “Who is Jesus to me?” “What does it mean that Jesus is my Lord and Savior?” May God bless you when Jesus is your Lord and Savior and build his church on your personal confession. Amen!

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