INTRODUCTION
At the middle of Matthew’s story of Jesus, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ ( 16:16 ). But he doesn’t yet understand what that means. He still has to learn that being Christ means taking up a cross and losing life to find it.

THE TEXT
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ . . . ” (Matthew 16:13-28).

PETER THE POPE?
This passage is central for the Roman Catholic defense of the papacy, but the New Testament doesn’t support this. Jesus elsewhere promises all the apostles (even the whole church) the power to bind and loose (v. 19; cf. Matthew 18:18-29; John 20:19-23). Peter is promised these privileges as the chief of the apostolate, but all the apostles share the same privileges. Peter is very prominent early in Acts, but after chapter 12 he nearly drops out of the story. If he has a successor in Acts, it’s James the elder of Jerusalem or Paul. The New Testament never locates Peter at Rome (“ Babylon ” in 1 Peter 5:13 is Jerusalem ; cf. Revelation 17-18). Though there are early testimonies from the Fathers that he helped organize the Roman church and was martyred there, there is no indication in the New Testament that the church at Rome holds a primacy among the churches.

PETER THE ROCK
Some Protestants, reacting to Roman Catholics, claim that Jesus founded His church on Peter’s confession rather than Peter as a person. But Jesus’ pun (“ Petros ” is a “ petra ,” a rock) clearly identifies Peter himself as foundational to the church (v. 18). Paul picks up this same image when he describes the church as a building founded on the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20 ; cf. Revelation 21:14 ). Jesus is the chief cornerstone, and Peter with James and John form the other cornerstones of the house (cf. Matthew 17:1).

KEYS AND GATES
Jesus is the Davidic “Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16 ; cf. 2 Samuel 7:14 ), a new Solomon building up His church as the palace and temple of God . The image of the “keys” is taken from Isaiah 22:15-25, where Shebna the steward of the royal house is given a key to open and shut. “Gates” in Scripture are places of judgment and rule. So Jesus’ promise that the “gates of hell” cannot stand against the church is a promise that the decisions and condemnations of Satanic enemies will not stand; the pronouncements of the church will.

MISSION OF JESUS
Once Peter makes his confession, Jesus begins to disclose that His mission requires Him to suffer and die in Jerusalem , and to be raised on the third day. Peter rebukes Him, but Jesus condemns Peter’s rebuke as a Satanic stumbling block. “God’s interests” involve self-giving in death, while man’s interest is in self-preservation. Jesus’ cross is not a contradiction of His divine nature, but a revelation of it. Jesus has already called His apostles to take up a cross (Matthew 10:38 ), and He reiterates that call here. The cross issues in life because the Son of Man will vindicate those who follow Him in taking up the cross (vv. 27-28).