Sunday, 22 March Responding to the Messiah. Matthew 16:1–28—17:13
This long reading comprises this one day’s reflection because of a particular significance which we will come to in a moment. But first: a very brief comment on 16:1–12…
When Matthew tells us that the Pharisees and Sadducees came together, we know there is mischief afoot. These two groups hated each other with a passion for reasons we won't go into now. To say they ‘came together’ is like saying that Liberal and Labor, or Tory and Green, or Democrat and Republican formed a joint lobby. You know that they are showing a rare united front to defeat a common enemy.
Sure enough, they demand a sign from Jesus, and he refuses. As if there hadn’t been enough signs already! Jesus warns the disciples to be on their guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. That yeast might include at least all of the following that we need to be on guard against in our contemporary Christian church:
a) Making alliances with those whom we know to be wrong for the sake of political gain;
b) Compromising historical doctrinal positions for the sake of political correctness or being seen to be ‘modern’;
c) The lure of money and political power;
d) The dead letter of the Law;
e) A refusal to allow the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow through the organisation, refreshing and reviving.
For those who love language, as I do, you might have noted the lovely phrase signs of the times. Once you develop an ear for such phrases, you will guess that this is a remnant from the earliest English translations. It was there in the earliest Wycliff New Testament, but not in later editions. It was really cemented into the English language via the Tyndale New Testament, from which we get literally hundreds of words and phrases which characterise our language today. That little excursus was just for the word-lovers. Now for the real focus of this long passage:
There are three core moments here which form the literal centre of Matthew’s Gospel. The start of Chapter 16 is almost precisely at the actual centre of the Gospel, if you do the laborious exercise of counting all the words in the Gospel in the Greek (yes, it’s sad, but I’ve done that; how do you spend your spare time?). We ought to recognise this as significant.
The three moments are:
a) Peter’s declaration of Jesus as the Messiah;
b) Jesus’ prediction of his own death;
c) The Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain.
The first of these almost certainly took place at a sacred location near Caesarea Philippi where the ancient pagan gods were celebrated and worshipped. We have come to be convinced of Jesus’ true identity as the Gospel has progressed, but this is the first moment that one of the key players has confessed it aloud
We read these words now with a mild acquiescence, a nodding approval; but make no mistake! They were cataclysmic words to a first century Jew. This was the moment for which the nation had been waiting for thousands of years. To claim that it had arrived – and for an uneducated fisherman to be the proclaimer – this was an event of serious and shocking significance. Let us not underestimate it.
Once we have grasped the enormous sense of historical moment that the disciples must have felt at this declaration, we are now in a position to understand their complete inability to understand the second event: Jesus’ statement that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised (v21). Why? He’s the Messiah! He can't be killed!
The rest of that passage reflects on the purpose of human life lived in this new revelation of the kingdom of heaven. Ever since time began, humans have wanted to preserve their lives. It is a natural instinct. Jesus turns even this most basic human instinct upside down: For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? (v25–6).
The third event builds on this new revelation about the value of life. Remember – no-one had yet witnessed a resurrection! There was a shadowy understanding of a resurrected life, as we know from hearing Martha talk about Lazarus (John 11:24), but there was nothing concrete about it.
Now we see Jesus meeting with two of the greatest Old Testament characters: Moses and Elijah. Moses had died, but God had taken care of his body, and no-one ever found it (Deut. 34:5–6). Elijah had not died, but had been taken up to heaven in a flaming, fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11).
The disciples could not understand it yet, but these two men represented the two kinds of followers of God at the last coming of Christ, at the end of this age. Many Christians (and Old Testament saints) will have died. Their bodies will have been buried, burnt, lost at sea or whatever – but God will know where they are. Moses represents these. Only God knew where Moses’ body was buried (Deut. 34:5–6). Others will still be alive in their bodies when Christ returns to claim his kingdom. Elijah represents these, as he did not die (2 Kings 2:11).
Only those who have not valued their lives more than they value the kingdom will inherit their new body and their new life in the glorious new kingdom of God.
(We might also recognise Moses and Elijah appearing again in the 11thchapter of Revelation, as the two witnesses. Their record of miracles is hinted at in Rev. 11:6, but this is not the moment to discuss that appearance.)
At this key moment, when Peter, James and John are standing with mouths open wide in astonishment, the Father speaks from heaven and affirms the declaration that Peter had made only days earlier. Peter and the disciples, as well as many of the common people, have properly responded to the revelation of the Messiah. From here on, there is a new phase in Jesus’ ministry. From here, he begins to reveal his Kingdom.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I have read these marvellous words, and I stand with Peter and repeat them before you. You are the Christ, the son of the Living God. I declare my response before this world, before you and all of heaven’s angels, and before the hordes of evil. I take my stand with you. I am your child. You are my Lord. Help me to remain faithful to you. Amen.
