Matthew 16:16 is a revelation of 'Jesus as the Christ'. This revealed Jesus as the highest authority both in Heaven and on Earth;after this revelation, Jesus pronounced the believers' authority; the foundation upon which we stand as believers and upon which the Church is built.Indeed, 'Jesus is the Christ', the Lord of all.
One minute Jesus calls Simon "Peter" then next moment he calls him "Satan" because Simon tries to persuade Jesus to put his bodily desires before God's purpose. Today we recognise so many who teach one thing and practice another and we wonder why are they teachers if they recognise God's truth but dont reach out for it themselves?
This at the end of chapter 16. You continue to read into chapter 17 where Christ explains to the desciples that John the baptist was the re-incarnation of Eli'as "But I say unto you, That Eli'as is come already and they knew him not," Verse 13 "Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist." I believe there are Christians still here from the time of Christ. yinsh
V.18 Thoughts on when and how to prevail. If hades (the underworld) does not prevail, apparently the church does. Is this agressive victory only at the resurrection of the just in Christ, or is it being won during our life on earth? Jesus continues to compliment Peter by saying that he would posses the keys of the kingdom of heaven while on earth. Wouldn't believers on this solid rock also be able to bind the underworld powers and loose those that are enslaved to sin. We've got the power in the name of Jesus.
I agree with most of the comments above. Here is another line of reasoning to consider. 1 Corinthians 11:3 says that woman has a head which is man, man has a head which is Christ, and Christ has a head which is God. Whatever privileges were given to Peter does not dimishish the fact that he has a head and that is Christ. As the scripture point out "The head of every man is Christ." What else do we know about Christ? Ephesians 1:22 says that God made him head over all things to the congregation. This means that those who are given oversight in the congregation still answer to Jesus as their head. They must exercise their authority in imitation of Christ and accoring to Christ teachings not their own. Please keep these thoughts in mind as I continue.
The Catholic Church has elevated Peter and all who succeed him as Pope. This non-biblical or Latin term means "father or Papa." Jesus specifically taught his disciples which included Peter not to call anyone on earth "father" in a religious reverencial way. ( Matthew 23:9, 10) The Jewish religious leaders desried titles of sorts. Jesus instead said that all you are brothers. Since the Catholic Church says that it is perfectly scriptural to call these men Popes they are in effect saying that Peter an all who succeed him are fathers of the church. If they are fathers then this makes them head. However, if Paul said that Jesus is head and if the Catholic Church says Peter and the rest are heads then the Church has two heads. They go against the headship arrangement for the Christian Congregation and they go agaisnt s direct order from Christ not to be called father.
People can call Peter a rock all they want and as mentioned by the comments above he was rock like in his faith and in his confession of Jesus being the Christ, Son of the living God. He certainly was outspoken and often times did speak for the other apostles during Jssus time and after. But this did not make him Pope or father of the Church.
The first mention of the one church Jesus is building. This Bible word "church" has been wrongly used to mean; meeting house, the regular meeting of a sect, or the religious organization itself. Since the word meant "assembly of called out ones", there are other Bible uses of "church". In Acts 7:38, "church in the wilderness" refers to the assembly of those called out of Egypt. The church or body of Christ that he said he would later build, most likely began after the resurrection when believers were delivered and translated into his kingdom (Col.1:13 & Heb.9:17). The Apostle Peter was not yet converted at the last supper(Lu. 22:32). Possibly, when Jesus said,"Tell it unto the church" in Matt. 18:17, He was referring to another assembly, since his church would only be built later. Believers are they which have been called out of this failing world system and are being assembled into a living organism. The gates of hell fail to defend its demonic prison when His church, with His weapons, invade its borders. The weapons of our warfare...are mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down anything that attempts to imprison people from experiencing God ( 2 Cor. 10:4). We are the aggressors with a promised victory. Thanks be to God, through Jesus, we are more than conquerors.
My friend Richard thank you for your sincerity and love of Christ that you shrae with me and many. I post often and to be honest feel that I would like to post more. I'm almost hesitant to explore the possibilities of this site. I try to add something to contribute to be caring to others and praise our beautiful Lord. Thank you Richard for remembering me in such a way. We all are in need of this fellowship. Have a beautiful day, a gift from God..and so on and so forth in Christ always. Pam
My friend Richard thank you for your sincerity and love of Christ that you shrae with me and many. I post often and to be honest feel that I would like to post more. I'm almost hesitant to explore the possibilities of this site. I try to add something to contribute to be caring to others and praise our beautiful Lord. Thank you Richard for remembering me in such a way. We all are in need of this fellowship. Have a beautiful day, a gift from God..and so on and so forth in Christ always. Pam
i dont see what u r saying here, i understood it by Peter knowing who Christ was, and how flesh and blood could not reveal it, but the Spirit of the Father, how the keys were given cuz of the knowledge of revelation.... DISIPLINE???
Pam, hope you are still on a good path. I am concerned, as you have been silent, and I ,as a believer, would like to think if I was a young Christian, someone would be caring about me.
As a non 21st Century man, In Christ, we have to be our brothers keeper, not just rightious ghosts ,on an internet. This is not Christ's Facebook site!
"...O Yea of little faith, why reason yea among yourselves?" Your commentaries, are selfish, imperious, and while you puff each other up like fat blackbirds on highway utilities wires, the Pam's of the world lie crushed in the road, unseen by you. Open your eyes, you that see. Open your ears you that hear. Use this tool to spread the Gospel,and love each other.
Pam, I too am a sinner and I admit My failing. Forgive me, and all of us pray to hear from you soon. I pray this website will join hands to help DEFEAT the soon coming enemy. It has all been written. Read and Believe. There is no debate.
As I go through these chapters again, I am alone, at peace, with only my perfectly faithful dog at my side. God's time has let the Holy Spirit fall on me, again, and again, (I'm 61) and the absolute clarity of His words today, has made me just want to JUMP out of my house, (two stories), to be of solace and prayers for this poor poor World. Jesus wept.
Whomever let this site, post my last message, we will surely be blessed and condemned....but Jesus..... is smiling in Heaven. Myself and you have paid that price, " If any man have the name and credit of a disciple let him follow Christ in the work and duty of a disciple."(MH) We must not allow pride, or the world, to soften or distort(by man) the TRUTH. This is my Cross, and I cannot fail.
Thank you, and God, for I have found another Brother. I will pray that someday we will physically stand together. I want to look into another pair of crystal clear eyes. With the courage to lose so much, in Christ's name, for His Truth. For Pam, and so many others. God Bless, His coming is so near.......Richard
The Catholic Church has elevated Peter and all who succeed him as Pope. This non-biblical or Latin term means "father or Papa." Jesus specifically taught his disciples which included Peter not to call anyone on earth "father" in a religious reverencial way. ( Matthew 23:9, 10) The Jewish religious leaders desried titles of sorts. Jesus instead said that all you are brothers. Since the Catholic Church says that it is perfectly scriptural to call these men Popes they are in effect saying that Peter an all who succeed him are fathers of the church. If they are fathers then this makes them head. However, if Paul said that Jesus is head and if the Catholic Church says Peter and the rest are heads then the Church has two heads. They go against the headship arrangement for the Christian Congregation and they go agaisnt s direct order from Christ not to be called father.
People can call Peter a rock all they want and as mentioned by the comments above he was rock like in his faith and in his confession of Jesus being the Christ, Son of the living God. He certainly was outspoken and often times did speak for the other apostles during Jssus time and after. But this did not make him Pope or father of the Church.
Thank you for allowing my comment.
rob
As a non 21st Century man, In Christ, we have to be our brothers keeper, not just rightious ghosts ,on an internet. This is not Christ's Facebook site!
"...O Yea of little faith, why reason yea among yourselves?" Your commentaries, are selfish, imperious, and while you puff each other up like fat blackbirds on highway utilities wires, the Pam's of the world lie crushed in the road, unseen by you. Open your eyes, you that see. Open your ears you that hear. Use this tool to spread the Gospel,and love each other.
Pam, I too am a sinner and I admit My failing. Forgive me, and all of us pray to hear from you soon. I pray this website will join hands to help DEFEAT the soon coming enemy. It has all been written. Read and Believe. There is no debate.
Whomever let this site, post my last message, we will surely be blessed and condemned....but Jesus..... is smiling in Heaven. Myself and you have paid that price, " If any man have the name and credit of a disciple let him follow Christ in the work and duty of a disciple."(MH) We must not allow pride, or the world, to soften or distort(by man) the TRUTH. This is my Cross, and I cannot fail.
Thank you, and God, for I have found another Brother. I will pray that someday we will physically stand together. I want to look into another pair of crystal clear eyes. With the courage to lose so much, in Christ's name, for His Truth. For Pam, and so many others. God Bless, His coming is so near.......Richard