Read | Matthew 16:13–20
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. 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. 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.” Then he gave the disciples orders to tell no one that he was the Messiah.
Click here to listen to the Scripture in ESV.
Focus
In preparation for today’s sermon, read this devotional from Kraig McNutt, M.Div.
The Gates of Hades Will Not Overpower It
based on Matthew 16:13–20
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven..." —Matthew 16:19
Embedded in the geographic setting of this account in Matthew is an important point. We read, “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi…”
An astute reader—or if you’ve been to Israel and have stood at this location—will immediately recognize this place because it is a massive site near the foot of Mount Hermon.
The site was associated with pagan worship 2,000 years ago, going back to the ancient Greeks, who worshipped the god Pan here. Herod the Great even erected a temple here to honor Augustus. An enormous cave—with a massive entrance—commands the site.
After Jesus asked his disciples who the Son of Man is, Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus may have been standing on the very foundation of rock on which the adopted son of the deified Julius Caesar was honored with a temple. This makes Peter’s confession all the more striking: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
Jesus then added, “. . . on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18). Entrances to caves, especially large ones, were viewed as gates to the underworld. A gate was the boundary and a symbol of the power beyond it.
Could there be a more powerful object lesson than this scene, with Jesus standing surrounded by his disciples? Just a few verses later, Jesus tells them that he was going to “be killed and be raised the third day” (Matthew 16:21).
As Jesus spent more and more time with his disciples, he began to disclose a very hard truth about his eventual suffering and death. This was hard stuff to accept. Peter himself rebuked Jesus about this.
But, knowing that many of the disciples would eventually be persecuted—and many martyred for their allegiance to the Messiah—he wanted them to know that death would not have the final word.
“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven...” When Jesus states that he will give Peter the keys to the kingdom, he is saying that Peter—and others with a like confession—will have authority to act on behalf of the King.
This truth undergirds the mission of every disciple. The church advances against the powers of darkness—even Hades itself—knowing that we advance under the power and authority of the One who has conquered death itself.
Pray
Ask the Lord to speak through your church family, using the unity and love of your community to clarify how he wants you all to serve and obey him together.
Going Deeper
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.
