Warm up question in groups of 2-3: Jesus asked his disciples who people in that day thought he was. What are ideas people have about who Jesus is today?
Matthew 16:13-20
- Why do you think Jesus asked his disciples the question about who people were saying he was? Do you think he already knew but was just priming the pump as to who they thought he was? Most likely priming the pump. Ask for further discussion.
- Why was his question for the disciples crucial at this point in his ministry? Even though he had poured his life into them well over two years, he needed to verify if they understood who he was.
- How do you think Jesus felt when Peter gave his answer? Gratified no doubt as indicated by his calling Peter “blessed.” Was Peter speaking for the whole group or just himself? In most cases he was spokesman for the group so most likely he was here as well.
- Who did Jesus say revealed his identity to Peter? His Father in heaven, not flesh and blood. What insight does this give us as to how we are to pray for those in our family, neighborhood, and work place/school who do not understand who Jesus is? That our Father in heaven would reveal Jesus to them.
- What did Jesus mean when he said he would build his church on “this rock”? Was he referring to Peter or his confession he just made? This is a very difficult verse, and many Bible scholars have a wide variety of opinions. Evangelicals are often reluctant to admit that Jesus meant he was building the church on Peter because they believe that validate the belief of the the Roman Catholic Church that Peter was the first pope. I like what Roland Leavell says in his commentary: “However, there is a sense in which the church was to be built on Peter and the other apostles as the first ‘living stones’ to be laid on the chief cornerstone.” See Ephesians 2:19-20.
- What do the “gates of Hades” refer to? Cornerstone Commentary says the domain of Satan and death.
- What do the keys of the kingdom refer to? Keys represent authority and here specifically for building the Kingdom. See Matthew 18:18 and John 20:23 as to whom Jesus also gave the same authority. Bind and loose can mean forbid and permit. Leavell says this, “The evangelistic church is using the keys, and the missionaries around the world are using the keys to open the doors of the kingdom of heaven.” For additional study see Isaiah 22:20-22.
- Why did Jesus not want his disciples to tell that he was the Messiah? Because of the wrong ideas people had about the Messiah, they would want him to do things not in line as to his real purpose as the Messiah.
Matthew 16:21-23
- Why was Peter so vehemently opposed to Jesus’ coming suffering, death, and resurrection? Perhaps it was tied to his own future. He left everything to follow Jesus, and all that would come crashing down. Do you think Peter heard Jesus say he would be raised on the third day? If he did, perhaps it didn’t really register.
- Why was Jesus’ rebuke to Peter so stern? He thought Peter understood his mission as Messiah, but now Jesus must have wondered if he really did. Why did he say Peter was a hindrance to him? Because Peter was not thinking about God’s concerns but only human concerns. Are God’s ways different from man’s ways? See Isaiah 55:8-9.
Matthew 16:24-26
- Do you think what Jesus said in 16:24-26 was in response to Peter’s protest against his predicted suffering, death, and resurrection? Based on the context, it seems so.
- What three conditions did Jesus lay out to those who wanted to follow him? Deny himself, take up his cross and follow him.
- Do people today have wrong ideas about cross-bearing and if so, what are some of them? Very much so. Some think of cross-bearing as something similar to Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Paul’s thorn was not his cross to bear. Some think of a sickness or health condition as a cross to bear. Others think of having children with certain problems is their cross. Taking up our cross means to die to self and live to Jesus.
- 16:25 is the great paradox. Why are we reluctant to “lose our life” and determined to “save our life”? We are afraid we will miss out on what is really “fun” in life. Therefore, we try to “save” our life.
- According to Jesus, what is the benefit of gaining all the pleasure and wealth of the world if we lose our soul/life?