Matthew Ch 16 v13 to 28.
Jesus asks his disciples who do people say that the Son of Man is?
It is of note that Jesus phrases it like that, the Son of Man.
It is evident that the disciples knew that Jesus was referring to himself, hence, in that light it is worth considering.
Jesus used and was known as the Son of Man. His identification with mankind was greater than his claim, as Creator through whom all things were made.
His identification extended to being a son of man! Yes, Jesus, was born through the growth of an embryo, and took on human form in its fullest sense. He was indeed born as a son of man.
Now in this truth is liberty. The logos of God, the one through whom all things were made, the eternal son, one member of the triune God! God the Father made all things through the eternal Son. And in the act of redemption of men, he also became the son of man. Only through Jesus can we truly see the Father. The Father never became flesh and blood as man, but due to the fall of man, it was a requirement for the eternal and divine Son, to become also the son of man.
When the disciples considered the phrase ‘Son of man’, they answered with a variety of outstanding ‘sons of men’. Within this is an acknowledgement that Jesus was distinct as a man, and that through him was an excellency that shone the nature of sonship. When people beheld Jesus they beheld a man, but saw sonship stamped on him. Now his earthly father was not his DNA father, and so this nature of sonship that people beheld had not come from his earthly father but his Heavenly. However, it had to be perfectly evidenced in his relationship with his earthly father, otherwise it would not be authentic or sincere.
They saw in and through sonship, a man obedient to his father, the nature that exemplified what a man ought to be.
Some say; John the Baptist, some say Elijah and others Jeremiah! Notice that they did not name a popular sports star & or great fisherman, nor a pop star. They all knew that the answer was with the prophetic messenger! And that it incorporated the direction of the heart turning towards God! They believed in a messiah, one who would follow in King Davids footsteps and conquer the land for an inheritance. They believed in one to come who would bring deliverance to the sons of men.
Jesus then asked them directly ‘But who do you say that I am’.
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”.
Now children love to get directed questions correct. And the best way of teaching is always through encouragement. Inspiration and knowledge are perfect companions and they should always be integral to correspondence, to dialogue within relationships.
Good teaching, requires asking questions, in which the answer establishes the pupil into the source of the knowledge.
Ownership comes through relationship. And that is why so many scientists are not happy children. Those who have said their is no God, no relationship nor inspiration to dialogue with!!!
“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”! What a statement to make, as a student.
What a testimony to his teacher! It exceeded the previous boundaries set by the initial question! Only the Father in heaven could give such understanding and inspiration.
Peter’s answer was threefold: You are the Christ, the SON, of the Living God.
Peter’s answer held gravity in his hands while simultaneously holding every star in its precise place. Quantum physics and relativity, the Centre of the universe stood before him.
We should view Peters response as one of a joyful child, knowing that they have obtained an answer to the question. But the answer to this question also contained a likeness at its inception, Son of man?
Peters reply was pure, liberating, inspiring. Spoken to one who was in his own form, approachable and willing to impart understanding.
Here we have the Godhead fully at work, within this dialogue the Godhead are working in unison to incorporate a man into the very fabric of the Church: the bride of Christ.
And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven”.
Jesus answered in kind, not merely to provide encouragement, but because Jesus was a Son, who did nothing unless his Father showed him too. Jesus had asked the question under the inspirational guidance and timing of his Father, and so when Peter answered the question correctly, Jesus knew of a certainty that Peter was blessed.
Jesus’s, answer also had the bounce of life of a child’s hand being raised holding behind the eyes the switch that gives sight: Everything. The light of life.
Jesus recognized that Peters reply in this dialogue was the opening of the doorway to deeper teaching concerning the redemption of the sons of men. If the Father had revealed this to him, then his father was intent on him graduating from the class with a certificate including modules in suffering.
Verse 21: From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
From verse 13 there has been a beautiful intercourse in the conversation and now suddenly that is broken with Peter taking the Lord, aside to rebuke him! This is extraordinary, as it is apparent that Peter has retained core learning: Lord!
In the footnote of my esv it states that ‘Far be it from you, Lord’ could also be read as ‘May God be merciful to you, Lord’! Which aides us in the next statement, ‘This shall never happen to you’.
Peters view of the divine was not altogether wrong, was it? That God is worthy of honor and praise, Hosanna Hosanna to the Son of David. That he is lofty, and far beyond the reach of jealous elders and priests.
And concerning the nature of man! Was Peter so incorrect? Was original man made to suffer! As Adam dialogued with the Lord, ‘Lion, Bear, Eagle and Cockatoo’, was he designed to learn through suffering.
Jesus was not like other men, Peter had stated that he was divine! And is it not correct to separate divinity from the rudiments of earthy life (And in this we have all Paul’s teaching in the book of Romans concerning the second man, and the life stream of his nature in our earthen vessels).
Peter was not so incorrect, on some fronts! But Peter was woefully wrong about one issue! The extent and magnitude of the fall. Peter did not have a comprehension of how utterly and totally Christ had to be the author and finisher of his faith – the faith required for graduation: Carried by another.
I have prayed for you that your faith fail not! That it fails not when you realize the magnitude of the gulf between the true divine and a sinless son of man.
The true divine in a sinless man, produced a cry to the father that said: ‘Father forgive them, for they do not have the knowledge of what they do’.
They do not have ownership of the dialogue, they are not in the fellowship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, they do not understand thy word, nor prophesy.
The true divine in a sinless man produced a cry to the Father: Forgive them! Despite the suffering ignorantly administered.
The cross is where the dialogue goes deepest, and where the heart surgery occurs, where adoption takes place, and where the bride/church is formed.
All that is opposed to the nature and reign of the Son. All darkness and rebellion. Was absorbed by him when he became sin at Calvary: My Father why have you forsaken me!
Jesus was separated from his Father at Calvary and yet his DNA held true: Father forgive them.
‘Father into your hands I commit my Spirit’.
What we notice here is this. The Father is at the Centre of the Cross, the deepest lesson Jesus taught concerning his life here on earth was the centrality of his intercourse, of his dialogue, of his relationship with his Father. That is why the cross facilitates the ministry of reconciliation.
Be ye reconciled to God.
Even when cut off for sins, but not his own, Jesus’s faith did not fail him! Jesus was in the midst of thick darkness, and yet he believed that his Father heard every word!
He through whom all things were made, when rejected and despised by men and nailed to a cross, cried out to his Father, within his cry was the reconciliation of all things. Is our redemption positional in Christ, 100 % yes and Amen in and through the grace of almighty God.
The true divine in a sinless man produced a cry to the Father: ‘Sonship was hidden in Christ since before the foundation of the World’.
What a mystery that this cry should be there at the cross! This mystery birthed Paul into the ministry of reconciliation after having obtained letters from the High Priest (Matt Ch 16 v21), after having scales removed from his eyes to see after three days in darkness.
Upon this rock of revelation, I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
When Jesus cried out upon the cross, the veil was torn, it was torn to an incomplete type! Behind the veil there should have been the ark of testimony and the mercy seat from whence God spoke. The complete type was outside, crucified by the iron and clay of King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision. Daniel interpreted that vision as a type of Christ, and after his cave experience he proclaimed to another king: Live forever O king. An echo from the mercy seat melted down through time and eternity, to Him through whom we have eternal life: John Ch 3 v16.
Upon this rock of revelation, I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. An eternal mountain that fills the earth.
Many, believe that the very spot that Abraham offered Isaac, was the very place of the Holy of Holies, within the Temple Mount.
Genesis Ch 22.
When we consider this momentous chapter, what is the background to it! Well, all we know about Isaac, accept that he was a promised son from God, is that negative and mocking influences were removed from his formative years in the classroom. Perhaps, and in fact that is all the scripture wants us to know about Isaac up to this juncture in scripture. That he liked Sport is only later revealed. Correct nurture combined with the true promises of Gods Word produce the right results.
But what we know about Father Abraham unto this point is more detailed.
Abraham, had separated himself from other cultures and family influences, to be separated unto Gods classroom of lessons alone.
Abraham, would not be affiliated with the King of Sodom. Abraham, stood upon the moral principle that marriage and family could only be blessed by the God of heaven if it was between a man and a women!
Abraham was willing to fight for others freedom.
Abraham, did not choose the material gains of this life, but prioritized maintaining communion with God.
Abraham, when he had the order correct with his wife, obtained the inheritance of his promise, Isaac.
Abraham, rose early in the morning and obeyed the Word of God and took his only son Isaac to the place that God would show that he was to be offered.
So we see that Genesis Ch 22 is all about the Father.
Isaac’s role was merely to trust his life into his hands. No complaining, nor was their role reversal ‘Far be it from you to go up into a mountain at your age’.
And in this principle we have a key to the cross. We follow in his footsteps, and those are of the trusting son, the narrative is all about the Father.
Jesus was only able to be offered because like Isaac he knew his Fathers hand only provided that which is good.
This takes the burden out of the cross, and breathes liberty into the sons of men concerning carrying their cross.
The Father is the purpose of the Cross, all relinquished into his hands the goal. The narrative is about him, ‘For this my Son was dead and is alive again’.
Gen Ch 22 didn’t concern Isaac, but the Father, Jesus rested, spiritually, all his life in this.
Upon this rock, I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Note:
I spoke with a Turkish Cypriot this week who spoke in a particular vain towards another people group. So I told him about Corrie Ten Boom and how she forgave the prison guards who treated her sister cruelly etc. He was very polite after sharing with him from her life.
And I spoke to a lady called Mary Magdalene! Named due to the proximity of birth to the patron saint. I stated that I believed her to be the same lady in John Ch 8 as John Ch 20.
The other part of scripture I have been in this week was the Song of Solomon. I was struck with its simplicity, the dialogue and expression is simply of love. And that ought to be the kind reciprocate by the Church to the Lord.
eternalrays 