Daily Word - Who Do You Say That I Am - Matthew 16:13-23

Scripture:
Matthew 16:13-23 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Peter's Confession of the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, (A) [a] He asked His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" [b]
14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (B)
15 "But you," He asked them, "who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!" (C)
17 And Jesus responded, "Simon son of Jonah, (D) [c] you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. (E) 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, [d] and on this rock [e] I will build My church, (F) and the forces [f] of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, (G) and whatever you bind on earth is already bound [g] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed [h] in heaven."
20 And He gave the disciples orders to tell no one that He was [i] the Messiah. (H)
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
21 From (I) then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. (J) 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, "Oh no, [j] Lord! This will never happen to You!"
23 But He turned and told Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you're not thinking about God's concerns, [k] but man's." (K)
Footnotes:
Matthew 16:13 A town north of Galilee at the base of Mount Hermon
Matthew 16:13 Other mss read that I, the Son of Man, am
Matthew 16:17 Or son of John
Matthew 16:18 Peter (Gk Petros) = a specific stone or rock
Matthew 16:18 rock (Gk petra) = a rocky crag or bedrock
Matthew 16:18 Lit gates
Matthew 16:19 Or earth will be bound
Matthew 16:19 Or earth will be loosed
Matthew 16:20 Other mss add Jesus
Matthew 16:22 Lit Mercy to You = May God have mercy on You
Matthew 16:23 Lit about the things of God
Cross references:
Matthew 16:13 : Mk 8:27-29; Lk 9:18-20;
Matthew 16:14 : Mt 14:2; 17:10; Mk 6:15; Lk 9:8; Jn 1:21;
Matthew 16:16 : Mt 1:16; Jn 11:27;
Matthew 16:17 : Jn 1:42; 21:15-17;
Matthew 16:17 : 1Co 15:50; Gl 1:16; Eph 6:12; Heb 2:14;
Matthew 16:18 : Mt 18:17; Ac 5:11; 7:38; 8:1;, 3; 9:31; 11:22;, 26;
Matthew 16:19 : Is 22:22; Mt 18:18; Jn 20:23; Rv 1:18; 3:7;
Matthew 16:20 : Mk 8:30; Lk 9:21;
Matthew 16:21 : Mk 8:31-9:1; Lk 9:22-27;
Matthew 16:21 : Mt 17:9; 20:18; 27:63; Lk 24:7; Jn 2:19;
Matthew 16:23 : 2Sm 19:22; Rm 8:5;, 7; Php 2:5; 3:19; Col 3:2;

Reflection:
At an opportune time Jesus tests his disciples with a crucial question: Who do men say that I am and who do you say that I am? He was widely recognized in Israel as a mighty man of God, even being compared with the greatest of the prophets, John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah. Peter, always quick to respond, exclaimed that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God. No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter; but only God. Jesus then confers on Peter authority to govern the church that Jesus would build, a church that no powers would overcome. Jesus plays on Peter's name which is the same word for "rock" in both Aramaic and Greek. To call someone a "rock" is one of the greatest of compliments. The ancient rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to found the world upon". Through Abraham God established a nation for himself. Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was. He was the first apostle to recognize Jesus as the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. The Lord Jesus tests each of us personally with the same question: Who do you say that I am?

Prayer For The Day:
Lord Jesus, I profess and believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You are my Lord and my Savior. Make my faith strong like Peter's and give me boldness to speak of you to others that they may come to know you personally as Lord and Savior and grow in the knowledge of your love.