Sermon Tone Analysis

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13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

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.”

17 Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.

18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”

20 Then he gave the disciples orders to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

Introduction

This passage forms the climax to the Long section of the Gospel It can also be found in

and which began in with Christ’s Teaching in Galilee.

The question which Jesus askes has been in view throughout the Gospel.

Matthew made it clear at the beginning of the Gospel that Jesus was the one whom God’s purposes are fulfilled through.

However, at this point, the disciples had had no formal teaching on this topic and Jesus wanted to ask them what others thought of Him and what they thought of Him.

However, at this point, the disciples had had no formal teaching on this topic and Jesus wanted to ask them what others thought of Him and what they thought of Him.

Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah forms the climax to the long section of the Gospel which began in 4:17 with Jesus’ public teaching in Galilee.

Throughout this section the question which Jesus poses in v. 13 has been increasingly in view.

While Matthew has made clear in the first part of the Gospel (1:1–4:16) his own conviction that Jesus is the one in whom God’s purposes are fulfilled, and has recorded the clear declarations of who Jesus is by God (3:17), and by the demons (8:29), he has not so far recorded any explicit declaration by Jesus of his role as Messiah (though of course much of the recorded teaching points unmistakably in that direction).

Rather we have seen the frequent amazement of the crowd at his authority in word and deed (4:24–25; 7:28–29; 9:8, 26, 31, 33; 13:54; 15:31), which has led to speculation whether he is the son of David (12:23; the title is also offered to him by suppliants in 9:27; 15:22), which no doubt gave rise to the authorities’ repeated demand for a sign to authenticate his supposed claims (12:28; 16:1).

Moreover, John the Baptist has pointed forward to a ‘coming one’ (3:11–12) and has tentatively identified Jesus in this ‘Messianic’ role (11:2–6), while Herod has confused Jesus’ ministry with that of John (14:1–2).

In this situation it is time for the issue to be clarified, but it is significant that, in accordance with the principle set out in 13:11–17, it is to the disciples in private that the clarification is given, here and in 17:1–13.

The crowds remain in a state of uncertainty, and this, as v. 20 will vividly show, is quite deliberate.

The story shows the end was drawing near and Jesus needed all the time alone with His disciples that he could get.

Jesus had allot to say and to teach them and one demanding problem was that the days till the cross were numbered and Jesus needed to be sure that they recognized who he was.

If no one recognized who he was no one would carry on his work and labor for the kingdom.

With this in mind he went with the disciples the Caesarea Philippi, because the population was mainly non-Jewish Jesus would have opportunity to teach his disciples alone.

1.

The Identity of Jesus

“Who do people say that I am?” Jesus posed this question to his disciples at a significant place and at a critical time.

Their responses started with John the Baptist and extended back to Elijah or another one of the prophets.

Jesus pressed them a second time—“Who do you say that I am?”—to which Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” ().

The location, Caesarea Philippi, was the perfect backdrop for Peter’s dramatic declaration, as the setting was rich with symbolic possibilities due to the layers of religious and historical structures that were in place by the first centuries BC and AD.

Together these contributed compelling imagery as the exchange between Jesus and his disciples unfolded.

We need to explore “backstage” in order to appreciate the rich implications of the question and the answers Jesus posed and the disciples gave.

At this point Jesues wants to know about the beliefs of the croud.

not the religious leaders who he was well aware had negitive thoughts about Him

One pressing and demanding problum that Jesus had was that His time was short, and the days until the cross were numbered.

The problum was, was there anyone who reconized who he was?

Were there any who when he departed would carry on his work and labor for the Kingdom?

Because the population was mainly non Jewish Jesus would have oppertunity to teach the twelve.

He had so much to say to them and so much to teach them, although there were many things which then they could not bear and could not understand.

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Setting

There were two Cities in ancient Israel that were named Caesarea.

They were:

1. Caesarea Maritma:

which was located on the cost of the sea of Galilee.

2. Cesarea Philippi

which is where Jesus and his disciples traveled to in this passage.

Cesarea Philippi was an about 25 miles northeast of the sea of Galilee.

Jesus and His disciples had left a region around the sea of Galilee and went northeast about 30 miles to "The district of Caesarea Philippi”.

This was a town in the extreme northeast corner of Galilee near the source of the river Jorden.

It was built by Herod the tetrarch He named the town in Honor of for Augustus Caesar.

Philipi was added to distinguish it from the coastal city of Caesarea Maritma

It was a site of Worship for the nature God known as Pan and the home of a temple dedicated to Augustus Caesar.

The fact that Jesus’ kingdom was announced here demonstrates that His kingdom is superior to Caesar’s and that he is likewise superior to all the idols and mythical God’s.

Today there are just ruins here, but the setting is very picturesque a small stream emerges from beneath two-hundred food cliff of solid Rock and small pebbles form the bed of the Jorden river.

This setting helps us understand the reference to peter and the rock in verse 18.

It was here that Christ questioned His disciples about who He was and announced the formation of the Church which would be introduced to both Jews and gentiles.

“Who do people say that the son of man is?”

Matthew is the only gospel the term “son of man” is used, all the others state “Who do people say that I am”

Christ uses this question as an attention getter, he wants to know what the general opinion of him is, but also wants to know who the disciples think he is.

The question is “What are the general views of me?”.

He wants to know the beliefs of the crowds,

He is not interested in what the religious leaders think, as he is well aware their response to him is negative.

The real question Jesus is asking is:

“ What do people understand by the title I use for myself?”

This question was asked at a critical time.

Jesus had now closed the first stage in his ministry and was just entering the last dark one.

The real question Jesus is asking is what do people understand by this title I use for myself.

The Question is what are the general views of Me?

Caesarea Philipi was an Island city located 25 miles north of the sea of Galelee.

This was a sight of worship for the nature God known as Pan. and the home of a temple dedicated to Augustus Caesar The fact that Jesus’ identity as Mesiah was announced here demonstrates that Jesus’ Kingdom is superior to Caesar’s and that he is likewise superior to all idols and mythical gods.

The inhbetents were largely gentile.

Though Jesus exercised some broader ministery here primarily he gave himself to the twelve.

“Who do people say that I am?” Jesus posed this question to his disciples at a significant place and at a critical time.

Their responses started with John the Baptist and extended back to Elijah or another one of the prophets.

Jesus pressed them a second time—“Who do you say that I am?”—to which Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” ().

The location, Caesarea Philippi, was the perfect backdrop for Peter’s dramatic declaration, as the setting was rich with symbolic possibilities due to the layers of religious and historical structures that were in place by the first centuries BC and AD.

Together these contributed compelling imagery as the exchange between Jesus and his disciples unfolded.

We need to explore “backstage” in order to appreciate the rich implications of the question and the answers Jesus posed and the disciples gave.

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

The Reply

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

The disciples replied to Jesus with What others were saying.

They first responded with John the Baptist.

Then Elijah and Third, only mentioned in the Matthew account, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

John the Baptist

A. John the Baptist was a high human figure and a Jewish National Hero.

and Many including Herod himself thought he was so great a figure that He might well come back from the dead.

The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come.

According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive.

In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.

In one can read: At that time Herod, the tetrarch herd the report about Jesus “This is John the Baptist,” he told his servants.

“He has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.”

At that time Herod, the tetrarch herd the report about Jesus “This is John the Baptist,” he told his servants.

“He has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.”

Elijah

A. This came from an old testament Prophet that Elijah would be sent by God before the great and terrible Judgment of the Day of the Lord