Corban among the Jews was a gift consecrated to God. Once it was so dedicated, it belonged to the Temple and no one else. Some zealous souls wanted to give so much to “God” that they were ignoring the basic commandment about honoring father and mother. And the Temple elite were not stopping this inflow of goods. This was one way in which what seemed to be religious and good had actually become evil, in that the very word of God was being broken.
Mark 8:11. Following both miraculous feedings (5,000 and 4,000), the people asked for a sign from Heaven! Explain.
Who can really explain the human heart? Their bellies were full, their minds were in shock. They had just seen a miracle from Heaven. Twice this had happened. But in both cases, it was not enough. What did they want? Handwriting in the sky? Thunder and lightning on demand?
The sick were being healed, the dead were being raised. Jesus’ reputation was strong and real. But one more, just one more…
Is it not like us? God intervenes, blesses us in unexpected ways, answers our prayers, then we have the audacity to ask, Please prove to me You love me, You are real, You are who You say You are, etc… No, unexplainable…
Matthew 16:18. How could “gates” prevail against the church?
Some have imagined that we believers are to storm “Hell” some way, and that Hell will not be allowed to stop us. Never saw anything like this in the book of Acts, as Jesus’ promises were being played out in real people. That’s not to say that we can’t get aggressive against demons etc. I think of Paul here, but consider how long it took even Paul to rebuke that young girl who came after him with her so-called praises.
The word here is “Hades”, the abode of the dead. I believe that what Jesus is simply saying here is that death itself will not stop this church. Though all the first Christians succumbed to death, the church itself is now more alive than ever. Martyrs galore dot our history. Tragedies. Sicknesses. Disease. Oppression. Death in a hundred ways has challenged the church, but look at her. The gates of Death have not stopped her progress, nor ever shall they. That’s a promise.
Matthew 16:19. When did “binding” and “loosing” ever occur in the ministry of the apostles?
This wording is connected to the giving of keys to Peter. We part company with Rome’s exaggeration of the place of this man, but we do admit that he was the door-opener of the early church. First the door of salvation had to be opened to the Jews, and so it was, by Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost. That same Peter, though not ultimately the apostle to the Gentiles, did open the door to them when he visited one Cornelius’ family, and was the instrument of their entry into the fold.
Two doors unlocked by the man of God. But wait. Did he ever lock a door, exclude from the Kingdom? Consider Ananias and Sapphira. Sent to an early death when lies were found on their tongues. And it could be reckoned that in his preaching there were many, as the Jews who arrested him and put him in jail, who were excluded by their unbelief of his preaching. Keys open to some but lock others out. That’s what was promised Peter and that is what Peter did.
Matthew 16:27. Are we saved by our works?
We are saved by His grace that comes in us in the form of the Holy Spirit, creating the good works that He has prepared for us to do. Sounds like just theological word-play, but this view of our works changes attitudes and reduces fear. We are not, like the Muslims, hoping that our God just might save us at the last minute if His whim so serves. We are rock solid of our salvation and gratefully working our fingers to the bone in gratitude. Makes a world of difference.
Matthew 16:28. Who did not die before they saw Jesus coming in His Kingdom?
Since the Gospel writers follow this statement with the account of the Transfiguration, we are led to believe that it was Peter, James, and John that did not die before they saw Jesus in His glory. It is the glory we all shall see at His coming, but these three were privileged to enjoy a few-minute preview at His first advent.
Matthew 17:4. Elijah never died, so we understand his coming to the mount as the recognizable prophet. But how could Moses return to earth in his earthly body?
The mystery of Moses is compounded with the story of the dispute between Michael and Lucifer over his body. The Scripture indicates that God buried him, but that we do not know where.
Was his body then recovered immediately so as to stand watch with Elijah and return, not only at the Transfiguration but also as one of the two witnesses of Revelation?
We can only speculate. And we do not want to leave Enoch out of the equation. He also never died, as Elijah, but was caught up to Heaven one day while he and the Lord were fellowshipping.
Wonderful secrets that will be made known on that day.
Luke 9:41, Matthew 17:21. Of whom is Jesus speaking here?
It’s a scary question to ask. If the disciples were included in His rebuke, it would not be the first time that He aired this frustration with their unbelief. We have come to know a “nice” Jesus in our day. And nice He is to the obedient and believing, though even with them He shows a willingness to challenge. Consider Job, for example. Wonderful Job. Righteous Job. But persecuted and tested to the max, in full sight of God and with His expressed blessing.
All of that said, it still seems to me that in this passage anyway, with the use of the word “generation”, Jesus is excluding His own. He seems to give them a pass later, explaining to them that there are certain cases, and this was one of them, where only serious prayer and even fasting would do the work. I don’t think He would rebuke them here, then tell them why they couldn’t do it, later.
Worthy of note here is the fact that, even though He said that prayer and fasting might be necessary, He healed the boy instantly, seemingly without either prayer or fasting. This leads me to believe that His entire life was one of communication with God and denial to His body of the things it craved. His life was a constant lesson to His disciples.
So, His anger was vented to the crowd. The same crowd of unbelievers who thought they could not pray to God themselves, who lived outside the law and any relationship with God, but wanted to cash in on Someone Who could believe God for them. Then when the disciples could not help them, it seems as though they were mildly rebuking Jesus for not having taught them well.
Though angry, always rightfully so, His compassion shone through, and the boy was wonderfully delivered.
Older
Top
