The church was established by Jesus Christ
Matthew 16:13-20
The church is the place where christians begin to live life of faith after they heard the gospel and believed in Jesus Christ. Indeed the church is the center of christians' life of faith. Christians worship God and associate with others in the church. By the way, someone of christians did not understand concerning the church, even though they have lifestyle in the church as this. They just think about church building when they say the church. So that they call church building to holy temple. The holy temple was the place to worship God in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, there was the holy tent where Israel worshiped God. The holy tent was made as what God ordered to Moses for Israel always worship and meet God. Then somewhile later Solomon made the temple instead of holy tent. We call it to the holy temple. Nowadays we may understand church building as like the holy temple, because Israel worshipped God in the holy temple. But we can realize that the holy temple dose not mean church building in the New Testament.
Jesus Christ said to the Jews that his body is the temple. Namely the body of Jesus is the temple because Jesus Christ who is God came into the world with human body. Apostle Paul said that christians who believed in Jesus Christ and received salvation is the temple of the Holy Spirit, namely holy temple. In other words, those who believe in Jesus as saviour and the Holy Spirit dwells in their heart is the holy temple. Therefore we need to consider what the church means in the New Testament. In the New Testament, the word of the church first was used in Matthew 16:13-20.
1. The confession of faith concerning Jesus Christ.
People's thoughts concerning Jesus Christ
Jesus asked to his disciples what people's thoughts were when they arrived at region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea Philippi is beautiful and calm town where was at 40Km of north from lake of Galilee and on the mountain Helmon 345m(Mark 8:27). This town was small but was extended by Philip, son of king Herode. Philip called this town Caesarea Philippi because he wanted to memorize the name of Roman emperor Tibelius Caesar and his name Philip. Almost people of the town were the Gentile and idolaters.
Jesus felt that he had to teach his disciples after he settled a half account of his ministry for he prepares suffering of the cross. He asked them what people thought concerning him. Son of Man is the word which Jesus used well when he said himself. The reason Jesus said himself to Son of Man is two. First, Jesus has personality and character of God(John 5:26), namely he was God who all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form(Colossians 2:9), and he was perfect man who completes God's will in the world. Second, he meant himself one who was as like saviour, Messiah prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14.
His disciples answered people's estimation about Jesus. Someone said the Baptist John, someone said Elijah, someone said Jeremiah. This means that people did not have complete knowledge about Jesus who is Son of Man. Even though they almost understood him as the prophetic person or a person connected Messiah to come, no one understood what Jesus is exactly the Messiah.
They thought Jesus to the Baptist John, because he worked for God with powerful spirit and strength(Luck 1:17, 80), and his message was almost at one with Jesus' message of the kingdom of God(Matthew 4:17).
They thought Jesus to Elijah, because he was one of the prophet who rebuked people's depravity and apostacy jealously(1 Kings 19:10), and in Malachi it was written that he come again and make the way of Messiah before Messiah comes(Malachi 4:5,6). But Jesus said to the Jews that the Baptist John is Elijah(Matthew 11:14). As this the Jews misunderstood Jesus, because they could not see his Divine nature because of their unbelief.
They thought Jesus to Jeremiah, because he most shed tear for Israel in the Old Testament(Jeremiah 9:1; 14:17; 31:16). Therefore they connected easily Jeremiah to Jesus who wept for Jerusalem(Luck 19:41).
They also said Jesus to one of the prophet, because at that time they had eschatological expectation. At that time, many of them expected that great prophet will appear to prepare the end of the world as like Moses, Isaiah, Ezra.
His disciples confessed concerning Jesus
After Jesus heard people's thought through his disciples, he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" This may mean that Jesus did not accept people's opinion. In other words, Jesus asked his disciples that people exactly did not understand me, but how do you recognize me. You means just not some disciple but twelve disciples. Therefore Peter's confession was twelve disciples' answer.
Simon Peter first answered than other disciples. He confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This confession is the most perfect one of confessions about Jesus, and core of christians' confession. In this confession, we can find human nature(the Christ) and divine nature(the Son of God) of Jesus.
The Christ means one who was anointed. This means that Jesus is God's servant anointed from God to work for God. In the Old Testament, those who were anointed as God's servants were priests, kings and prophets(Exodus 29:29; 30:30; 1 Samuel 16:13; 26:11; 1 Kings 19:16; Psalms 89:20; Isaiah 45:1). Therefore Jesus was true Messiah who will complete the work of the Priest, King and prophet(1:1; Luck 1:32,33; Acts 3:22, 23; Hebrew 4:15; 5:6,10). What Jesus is the Son of God emphasizes his divine nature that he was sent from God(John 7:28,29; 8:18,19), and was one with God(John 5:17,18; 10:29,30 33).
2. The church of the Lord was established on the confession of faith
Jesus admired Peter's confession
After Jesus heard Peter's confession, he rejoiced and admired him calling as Simon son of Jonah. As this, Jesus called his name as Simon son of Jonah to reveal what he was fisher from Galilee. Because Peter could say true confession about Jesus who is the Son of God by not his wisdom nor position nor knowledge, but God's grace.
Jesus said to Peter, "Blessed are you." Because his confession did not come from himself, but God made him know it. This means that Peter could confess because God revealed it to him. In other words, one who made Peter know it is not his parents but God. Man means sinner who has corrupt human nature and his natural talent or knowledge or wisdom(Galatians 1:16; Ephesians 6:12; Hebrew 2:14). Peter utterly could not understand spiritual truth by his nature. In other words, we cannot understand mystery of gospel by corrupt reason or uncircumcised understanding. We cannot understand the word of God unless the Holy Spirit shines the light on our heart.
One who revealed it to Peter is the Father who is in heaven. The spiritual truth is revealed limitedly to whom have spiritual power given from God(1 Corinthians 2:11-14). As this, spiritual understanding is the core of the blessing which Peter received. Jesus called God to my Father for he revealed relation of love with God(11:27; 20:23: 26:39,42).
Jesus established his church on the confession
Jesus said to Peter, "You are Peter, I will build my church on this rock." Peter(Petros)means rock or stone separated from rock. This is called Cephas as Aramaic(John 1:42; 1Corinthians 15:5; Galatians 1:18), Cephas was used generally at that time(4:18). Somewhile ago Jesus said to him he will give this name(John 1:42), now he performs it.
Jesus said that I will build my church on this rock. The rock(Petra) means the confession that Peter testified, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus will build his church on the confession that Peter confessed. My church means that the church which Jesus will build belongs to him. In here we can realize three important fact. First, the church is built by not man but Jesus Christ. Second, Jesus builds his church on the confession. Therefore even though it is good church building, if there is no confession, it is not the church. Third, the church belongs to not man but Jesus. Therefore the church must obey not man's opinion but God's word.
In here, the church(Eklesia) means that the church is formed by those who were called from the world to the kingdom of God(John 1:16,19). At that time, even though Kumran community thought themselves as people of covenant, Jesus only said to those who followed him as his people, his church. Certainly those who believed in Jesus and became people of new covenant which was built by his blood only can self-confident as the church of Jesus(26:28). In the Old Testament, there was already Israel who was called the church of desert(Acts 7:38), but this is just symbol of the church, actually Jesus established his church when the Holy Spirit came upon christians on Pentecost. The Spirit of God came on those who was born again as new life through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and made them unite one with Jesus and become his body namely his church(Acts 2:1-4;4:32; 1Corinthians 12:13).
The gate of Hades will not overcome the church.
Jesus declared concerning his church that the gate of Hades will not overcome it. In here Hades means under world or the place of the dead. In the gate of Hades there is always death. Therefore it means that the power of death never overcome the church or even it overcome the church it will be defeated soon and submit forever. Really the church of Christ which was established by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost cannot be under the power of death. Because Jesus Christ already broke the gate of death, and rules over as the conqueror of death(Romans 6:9; Revelation 1:18). Jesus Christ who broke death and resurrected lives forever and guarantee all christians' resurrection and become eternal supporter of the church(1Corinthians 15:50-58).
The church is community to confess
The church community which Jesus built on Peter's confession is the community to confess same faith with Peter. The church is the community to confess the faith that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and resurrected and Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We also came into the church because we believed in Jesus as our saviour and were saved. We are worshipping God confessing the faith that Jesus is our saviour, our God. The church community worship God thanking grace of salvation every sunday. When we worship God, we praise God with thanksgiving about God's grace. And we who belongs to the church community confess our faith to the world. The church community must confess that Jesus Christ is Son of God and our saviour who saved us from our sins for extension of the kingdom of God. This is evangelism.
3. The church received the power of Jesus Christ
The church has the power to tie and untie in the world.
Jesus promised to Peter and other disciples that he will give the key of the kingdom of God to build the church on their confession. This text used Isaiah 22:22, there was prophesied that the Messiah who will come as descendant of David has the absolute sovereignty(Revelation 3:7). In here the key is given to whom was appointed as a manager of household and symbolizes the authority to entrust the management of storehouse and to open and close the door of storehouse. The kingdom of God means the church of Christ in wide meaning. Actually Jesus promised to Peter that he will give special power to whom confess rightly in the church. This means Peter and twelve Apostles and all church of Christ.
Then what does the key of the kingdom of God mean? It means that the church which Peter represents opens the kingdom of God to many people through declaring the gospel realized by revelation(4:23), but closes the door of the kingdom of God to others. The key of the kingdom of God which Jesus entrusted his disciples became requirement to all church include Apostles for they will be recognized by God and perform their ministry and establish the authority.
If the church ties in the world, it will be tied in heaven, and unties in the world, it will be untied in heaven. According to the Rabbi's to use word, to tie means to forbid, and to untie means to permit. These mean what Peter establishes system and encourages or performs by the authority of Apostle will be recognized in heaven, because Jesus promised and entrusted the power to rule the church to him.
The church reveals the power of Jesus
The church received the power that they make people enter the kingdom of God through the evangelism. When the gospel of the kingdom of God is declared by the evangelism, those who obey the word of truth and confess their faith will be saved and promised the life of the kingdom of God. But those who betray the gospel and reject confession concerning Jesus will be rejected from the life of the kingdom of God. Even though someone belongs to the church community, if he rejects the confession concerning Jesus, he will be cut off from the kingdom of God. This power was given the Apostles and succeeded pastors who represent the church nowadays. Therefore christians must belong to the church community, and hear and learn the gospel through pastors, and reveal the power of Jesus Christ through evangelism.
Brothers and sisters!
The church was built on the Apostles' confession by our Lord Jesus Christ. The ministry of the church was begun through Pentacost for extension of the kingdom of God. Therefore when we confess same confession with Apostles, we come into the church which is the body of Christ as member. Christians' confession become the reason to continue as the church of Jesus Christ. Therefore if we forget the confession concerning Jesus who is Christ and the Son of the living God, we cannot live as a member of the church community. When we confess whole faith, the church of Jesus will stand steadfastly. When we think about that the church has the key of the kingdom of God, we need to declare the gospel of the kingdom of God to those who did not know God until now and to guide them to the kingdom of God. The gospel must be declared through us. I hope we all will be used by our Lord for the church and the kingdom of God.
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