Matthew 16:13-20 (NIVUK)
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’
14 They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
15 ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
16 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’
17 Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Confession time, I’m not really sure I understand all of today’s new bits in our growing reading. Is Peter the rock? Or is what his declaration reveals, that Jesus is the Messiah? I suspect the latter. What’s the business with keys and binding and loosing? I’m sure there are many suggestions out there, but I would hesitate before building a theology on this verse. However, the real mystery is in verse 17, the sense that we can only realise who Jesus is by God’s work in our lives, and yet we’re called to invite people to be part of God’s family as if it were their choice. Churches have split over this as people have drawn red lines over which it is – our choice or God’s choice. I’m going to fudge my bets and say it’s God’s choice. He has chosen us, but has given us the space to respond, because that’s how relationships are formed and built.
Father, help us to recognise in our outreach that you are at work, and give us the sensitivity not to abuse people, or push them away, but to give them respect and space to make their own responses as you did for us.
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