Saint Michael's Chapel

09/06/2026

Reconciliation
A Homily Prepared For Sunday, September 6, 2026
The Collect
Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Commentary on the Scripture Selection;
This passage is one of the more difficult teachings of Christ as it prescribes a confrontational process for dealing with conflict within the church and a harsh penalty for those who refuse to listen. Ironically, both prior to this passage and afterwards we find parables and teachings of forgiveness. In verses 10-14 we find the parable of the Lost Sheep and in 21-35 we read the parable of the Unforgiving Servant.
These three lessons give us important guidance as they illustrate the value that God places on the lost individual, the procedure of reconciliation, and a teaching illustrating how God sees those that seek forgiveness for their transgressions but yet refuse to forgive others.
“if thy brother sin against thee” . The words,“against you,” are not found in some of the better (older, more reliable) manuscripts. If we drop “against you,” the focus is on the other person’s sins. If we include those words, the emphasis is on the personal nature of the offense—sin committed against our self. Either way, Jesus’ words make sense. If we become aware of sin, whether or not directed against us, we have a responsibility to initiate action and, if possible, to effect a remedy. We are not to gossip or sulk, but to confront.
This philosophy often pits the Christian against those that choose to live lifestyles that the bible plainly cites as abomination. But in addition to lifestyle choices, there are anyone of a number of sins (substance abuse comes to mind) that are destructive and harmful, and Christians are called to quietly help the sinner to find reconciliation with God.
‘’...show him his fault between thee and him alone” The goal is to regain the offender—to help the sinner in his/her struggle against sin. That implies a confrontation designed to win the offender back instead of driving him/her farther away. Unless done in a spirit of gentleness and humility, the confrontation is likely to do more harm than good—to become another occasion for sin.
“...between thee and him alone” This is the most discreet and least threatening possible intervention. It protects the offender against unnecessary embarrassment, permitting correction before the offense becomes general knowledge. Even if the remedy requires that the offense become more widely known, the offender can be seen as taking corrective action rather than as suffering public exposure. If there is any hope for the offender to retain his/her dignity, this first step makes it possible.
“But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established.” The requirement for two or three witnesses comes from Torah law: “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15). This protects people against unfair accusations, and is echoed in 1 Timothy 5:19: “Don’t receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.” The church is to be deliberate, careful, and fair in its discipline.
“And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.” If he will not heed the church, Jesus says to treat him as the Jews treated a Gentile or publican (tax Collector) However, while the Jews shunned Gentiles and publicans, Jesus called a tax collector to be one of the twelve, so this state of shunning or anathema, must not be absolute, but within reason.
While such discipline is harsh (and will thus be offensive to some), we should note that the discipline outlined in the New Testament is much less harsh than the beatings, amputations, and executions imposed by some religious faiths today.
Discipline is not a popular concept these days. We have a live-and-let-live attitude that is uncomfortable with the idea that anyone has a right—much less a responsibility—to discipline anyone else. Parents feel that they should be encouragers rather than rebukers. We have stripped teachers of their disciplining authority. We resent encroachments on our freedom. We say,“Who are we to judge?”
But the early church understood the deadly consequences of tolerating sin. Not only would such toleration lessen the chances that the sinner might repent, but it would also tarnish the reputation of the church itself—and the ability of the church to call others to repentance. The church was to treat the unrepentant sin of each sinner as a spiritual cancer that had the potential to destroy the whole body.
“What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” “Bind” and “loosed” have to do with forbidden or permitted activities. They also have to do with the church’s membership—who is and is not part of the body of Christ. The church dares not use this authority arbitrarily, as the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, which follows immediately (18:23-35), will show. Nevertheless, Jesus gives the church authority to discipline, clearly expecting that they will use it, and assuring them of heaven’s concurrence. The point is not that Jesus is giving the church the right to impose its judgment on heaven, but that God is giving the church the ability (with the help of the Holy Spirit) to discern judgments that God has already put in place in the heavenly realm.
“19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” . In that culture, people considered a person’s name to be more than a simple label to identify that person. They believed that something of the person’s identity was tied up in the name—that the name expressed something of the person’s essential character. As is obvious from this verse, they also assumed that a name—at least some names—possessed something of the power of the one who wore that name. Therefore, when Jesus says,“in my name,” he is talking about people who have identified themselves with him and have gathered together under his authority.
Jewish worship requires the pres and words of the law are standard of two persons, but makes no mention of adult males. Two or three! A person can pray alone, as Jesus demonstrated, but coming together in Jesus’ name multiplies the power. Small churches should be encouraged by this minimal requirement! And prayer groups! And parents—if a father and mother gather in Jesus’ name to pray for their child, Jesus is present! And grandparents— sometimes parents make it impossible for grandparents to see their grandchildren, but nobody can stop grandparents from joining together to pray for their grandchild!
Benediction
God our Father, the many blessings you give to us always exceed the expression of our human longing, for you are much greater than our hearts. Direct each thought, each effort of our life, so that the limits of our faults and weaknesses may not obscure the vision you have for our world. Continue to help us Lord, with all the duties of the coming week. We ask this in the Lord's Name. Amen.

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A Homily Prepared For Sunday, September 6, 2026 The Collect Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you neve…

08/30/2026

The Way Of The Cross Matthew 16:21-28
A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 30, 2026
The Collect
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Gospel: Matthew 16:21-28
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Commentary on the Scripture Selection;
Matthew begins this part of the Gospel with a statement he has made before. In chapter four, verse 17, he wrote From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Now Matthew writes “From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things…”
We must remember that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were not writing in real time, they didn’t have smart phones to record the audio and video of everything Jesus said or did, no, they wrote about their remembrances of those events after the fact. Matthew uses this literary tool to demonstrate what he thought was an important milepost.
In my opinion, far too often we try to take in the Gospels in much the same way that we try to digest a movie or play. We often find ourselves sitting on the edge of the seat in utter disbelief that the protagonist can not see the evidence or he or she can not see or hear the antagonist getting ready to attack. To us the evidence is clear or the danger is apparent, but the protagonist—for whatever reason—can not recognize what is happening.
“..that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”
As we read the Gospel of Christ, we look upon the disciples in utter disbelief that they can not understand what Jesus is trying to tell them; that he must go to Jerusalem, be arrested, tried, crucified and resurrected. What has to happen seems apparent to us, but only after Jesus rose from the dead and appeared unto them, did his followers realize what it was that he had been telling them.
At the time of Christ’s ministry the Hebrew people were under great oppression, from the Roman occupation of Judea and the Roman’s puppet King, Herod Antipas, to the Sadducees and Pharisees that controlled the Hebrew religion and twisted it to enrich them financially. It is no wonder then that the people of Israel were watching and waiting with great expectations for the Messiah to appear. They dreamed of the day in which, he who was promised by the prophets of antiquity, would come to lead them out of bo***ge establishing a kingdom greater than that of the Israelite's days of glory during the reign of King David.
The disciples clearly thought Jesus was this deliverer.
I don’t believe that any of them ever imagined—until after the resurrection of Christ—that The Kingdom Of God that was promised to them was a spiritual kingdom and not an earthly edifice.
With this thought in mind we should be able to understand why they could not comprehend that Jesus was telling them he would have to die. In fact in the next section of this passage we find Peter, the disciple Jesus said was the rock he (Christ) would build his church upon, taking Jesus aside to rebuke him for saying he had to die.
“22 And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.”
Just a few verses back in this same chapter, verses 17-19, Matthew points out that Peter has deified or identified Jesus as the Son of the Living God. But here we see Peter taking Jesus aside, away from the view of others and rebuking Christ in the strongest manner possible. While Peter addresses Jesus as Lord, he treats him as a fallen Lord who must be helped to his feet. He rebukes Jesus, just as Jesus rebuked the wind and sea (8:26) and will rebuke a demon (17:18). Peter crosses a line—challenges his Lord’s leadership—shoulders the Lord aside and moves to the front. No rabbi would tolerate such defiance. Disciples are expected to follow their rabbi. However benign Peter’s motives, he has gone too far.
“23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.”
In chapter 4 verse 10, Jesus uses the same language to rebuke Satan for tempting him, a temptation that had Jesus accepted, the entirety of God’s plans would have been thwarted, at least for the time being. But Jesus refused the temptation then as he does now in this passage. Just moments earlier, Peter was the rock, but now he is a stumbling-block or an impediment to the will of God. Jesus sees Peter’s intervention as a spiritual stumbling block—something that has the potential to cause Jesus to stumble on his journey to Jerusalem. Jesus cannot ignore a threat of this significance. He must put Peter firmly in his rightful place.
“...for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.”
To his credit, Peter understands that Jesus is the Son of God, but Peter’s vision of the Kingdom is skewed, he wanted Jesus to succeed in building a great Earthly Kingdom, he failed understand the Kingdom was to be a spiritual one. He is trying to superimpose his vision over that of God’s plan.
This is a great lesson for us today as it was for Peter and the others two thousand years ago. The modern church often tries to superimpose the vision of its leaders over that of God’s plan by embracing all sorts of acts that are clearly in opposition of the word of God. When we embrace all sorts of abomination to make the church friendly and diverse, we are taking the easy way, the way that Jesus mentioned in chapter 7:
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (ch 7, v 13-14)
The modern church should avoid the easy way (that which leads to destruction) by embracing diversity, social justice, fund-raising, psychology, theatrics, entertainment with high production value as a service, and instead turn to the way of the cross (the hard way that leads to life) by preaching the cross, taking up our cross, serving the needy in Christ’s name (etc).
Indeed, Jesus was saying this hard way was the right way when he said:
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
This self denial that Jesus is speaking of is many things, to begin with it is an avoidance of materialistic things. Matthew 19:16-21, The Story of the Rich Young Man, is a good illustration. In the case of the rich young man, it was his obsession with materialism that was his stumbling block, my stumbling block as well as yours may be different. Dependency on drugs, alcohol, p**n or s*x, might be a stumbling block, for example. But anyone of a number of other vices would be an equal impediment to entering the Kingdom.
The way of the cross, is a way to death. Jesus said, “...whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Picking up the cross and following Christ, is a form of death, the spiritual death of the old sinner persona and the re-birth into the Kingdom as a follower of Christ. Conversely, Jesus also speaks of the opposite, the easy way and its reward; “For whosoever would save his life shall lose it.” Or rather whoever can not deny his lifestyle, here on Earth, will lose his soul.
“For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. Verily I say unto you, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” (v. 26-28)
In verses 26 to 28 Jesus points out that the reward for self denial—the way of the cross—in this life will be life in the Kingdom he will establish after that final day of judgment. He will return and render judgment to all based upon their actions in this life.
We each must plan for our future, both our senior years in this life and our eternity in the next life. To pick up and walk The Way of The Cross, seems to be a better alternative that everlasting oblivion.
In reference to chapter 7, verses 13 & 14, do you follow the wide and easy way, or have you denied the self and picked up the cross and are walking on the hard narrow way, The Way of The Cross?
Benediction
Let us go forth into the world in peace and dedicated to your service, O Lord. Let us hold fast that which is good, render to no man evil for evil, strengthen the faint‐hearted, support the weak, help the needy and the afflicted, honor all men. Let us love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of his spirit. And may God’s blessing be upon us and remain with us always. Amen.

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A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 30, 2026 The Collect Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religi…

08/23/2026

Who Do You Say I Am Matthew 16:13–20
A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 23, 2026
The Collect
Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
The Gospel: Matthew 16:13–20
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Commentary on the Scripture Selection;
Prior to chapter 16, Jesus spent much of his time addressing crowds, working miracles, and verbally jousting with scribes and Pharisees. With the exception of 16:1-4, Jesus spends chapters 16-18 instructing the disciples—preparing them for Jerusalem and his cross.
In this passage, we find in verse 16, Peter confessing his faith that Jesus was indeed the messiah, the anointed one promised by the prophets, the son of God. We break from our study of John, on this day, in commemoration of Saint Peter the Apostle confessing his faith. Liturgical Churches such as the Anglican and Lutheran observe Peter’s confession on January 18 while Roman Catholics generally recognize Peter on 22 February.
“When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi,” (v. 13a). Caesarea Philippi, near Mount Hermon 25 miles (40 km) north of the Sea of Galilee, is at the boundary of the Gentile world, and is primarily a Gentile city. In earlier times, it was known for the worship of Baal and Pan. In Jesus’ day, it had a temple to Caesar. Jesus seems to go there to escape the Galilean crowds so that he might prepare his disciples for his journey to Jerusalem, which will begin at 19:1—a journey that will end in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
“Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” (v. 13b). Jesus chooses this Gentile place to reveal himself more completely to his disciples, perhaps giving us a hint of the concern for the whole world that he will make explicit in the Great Commission (28:19-20).
Rather than telling the disciples his identity, Jesus asks his disciples who people believe the Son of Man to be. Son of Man is the title Jesus most often uses to identify himself (Matthew 8:20; 9:6; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8, 32; 13:37,41; 16:13, 27; 17:9, 12, 22; 19:28; 20:18, 28; 24:27, 30, 37, 39; 25:31; 26:2, 24, 45, 64).
The title, Son of Man, comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where the Ancient of Days (God) gave to the one like a Son of Man “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
Because of its inclusive language agenda, the NRSV translates the phrase in Daniel 7:13 as “human being” rather than “Son of Man.” That is an especially unfortunate translation, given the significance of the title, Son of Man. The phrase in Daniel 7:13 is bar enas. The word bar is Hebrew for son, and enas is Hebrew for man.
The title, Son of Man, has the advantage of having none of the militaristic connotations associated with the title, Messiah. People expect the Messiah to raise an army, to drive out the Romans, and to re-establish the great Davidic kingdom. They have no such expectations regarding the Son of Man.
Jesus’ frequent use of the title in connection with his passion suggests a veiled Messianic title.
“Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. ” (v. 14). The disciples (not just Peter) tell Jesus that people think of him as:
• John the Baptist, who was murdered by Herod. John was such a powerful presence that the people would not be surprised to see him again. Indeed, Herod thinks that Jesus might be a resurrected John (14:2).
• The prophet Elijah, the worker of miracles, who was expected to reappear “before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes” (Malachi 4:5).
• The prophet Jeremiah, who had opposed the religious leaders in Jerusalem and had predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
• Or one of the other prophets.
It is clear that people think well of Jesus and have pegged him as a prophet. However, when they try to identify him, they do so in terms of past prophets. But Jesus is more than a prophet. He is the Christos—the Christ—the Anointed One of God.
It is interesting to know the people’s opinions of Jesus, but Jesus’ first question simply prepares the disciples for his second, all-important question (v. 15).
“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?” (v. 15). In verse 13, Jesus told his disciples that he is the “Son of Man.” Now he asks what they believe about him.
When Jesus says, “But who do you say that I am?” you is both emphatic and plural. He addresses this question to the disciples at large rather than to Peter only. The people are free to believe whatever they want about Jesus, but Jesus has been carefully preparing these disciples to carry on his work. They have heard his teachings and witnessed his miracles. What they think of him is critical.
How we answer this question is also critical. Uncertainty equates to unbelief at this point. To be Christian means believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Anything else is less than Christian.
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (v. 16b). Christos means “anointed” or “the anointed one.” Israel anointed people with oil to set them apart for a special role, such as prophet, priest, or king. Anointing indicated not only that God had chosen this person, but also that God would give the person the ability to fulfill the role.
But when Peter said, “You are the Christ,” he was going one step further—a giant step. Israel had, for many years, been looking for God to send a savior—someone like King David of old, who had led Israel to greatness. Israel was looking for God to send a Messiah to do that again—to make Israel great again—to save Israel from oppressors such as Rome, who ruled Israel during Jesus’ lifetime. When Peter said, “You are the Christ,” he was saying, “You are the savior for whom we have waited for centuries. You are the one sent from God to save us.”
While the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ baptism don’t include the word “anoint,” some scholars think of his baptism as his anointing (see also Luke 7:46). The New Testament speaks of Jesus as filling the three roles for which anointing was appropriate: prophet (Matthew 21:11; John 6:14; 7:40), priest (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14-16; 8:1) and king (Matthew 27:11, 37, 42; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
We are not surprised to hear that Jesus is the Christ. This Gospel began with the words, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ” (1:1), and Matthew has used the word Christ several times by now (1:16-18; 2:4; 11:2).
We cannot know what the disciples thought when they first left everything to follow Jesus. Presumably they have grown in their understanding as they followed him day by day. This, however, is the first time that a disciple has acknowledged that Jesus is the Christ.
“the Son of the living God” (v. 16c). We first heard that Jesus is the Son of God at his baptism when God announced, “This is my beloved Son” (3:17). Jesus has spoken of himself as Son (11:27). The disciples earlier called Jesus the Son of God when he walked across the water to their boat and stilled the storm (14:33).
“the living God” contrasts with the lifeless idols that would dot the landscape in Caesarea Philippi.
A statement like Peter’s demands commitment. If he truly believes that Jesus is the Messiah, he will have to give his all to Jesus’ service. That is also true for us.
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona:” (Bariona) (v. 17). Bariona is Aramaic transliterated into Greek. Bar means son, and ionas means Jonah.
Peter identified Jesus as the Son of the living God. Now Jesus responds by acknowledging Simon as the son of Jonah while extending to him his blessing. In the Gospel of John, Peter’s father is identified as John rather than Jonah (John 1:42; 21:15).
Jesus calls him Simon, the name by which Simon’s father would recognize him, rather than the new name, Peter, that Jesus will give him in the next verse.
“for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (v. 17). Peter did not arrive at his insight by spiritual astuteness. God has given him this understanding of Jesus. Peter’s insight comes by revelation, not deduction. His understanding is a gift from God. Jesus is saying that Peter has had an epiphany, a sudden realization—through divine influence—that Jesus is the Son of God.
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,” (Petros) (v. 18a). Scripture refers to God as a rock (Genesis 49:24; Deuteronomy 32; 1 Samuel 2:2; 22; Psalm 18, 28, 31, 42, 62, 71, 78, 89, 92, etc., etc., etc.). Isaiah also refers to Abraham and Sarah as a rock: “Look to the rock you were cut from, and to the hold of the pit you were dug from. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you” (Isaiah 51:1-2). Given these associations, Jesus does great honor to Peter when he identifies him as Rock. He also lays on him a heavy burden of responsibility.
“and upon this rock” (petra) (v. 18b). What rock? Is it the reality that Jesus is the Son of God? Or the faith that Peter exhibits when he makes this confession? Or Peter himself?
Catholics and Protestants have divided sharply in their interpretation of these words. Catholics understand them to establish Peter as the rock upon which Jesus will build his church. They also understand Peter to have been the first Bishop of Rome and the first of an unbroken succession of Popes.
A traditional Protestant interpretation is that the rock is Peter’s confession and the reality that stands behind it—that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Protestants point to the distinction between the two rocks that Jesus mentions—“you are Peter, (Petros—masculine—a stone or rock) and on this rock (petra—feminine—conveying the idea of a rock foundation) I will build my ekklesia—my church.” Protestants have understood Jesus to be distinguishing between the rock that is Peter and the rock upon which he will build his church. However, while the New Testament was written in Greek, Jesus almost certainly used the Aramaic word, Cephas, which lends itself less well to that kind of distinction.
There has been some movement toward the center in more recent years. Protestants are willing to acknowledge Peter’s special place in the life of the early church, but do not believe that Peter was the first Pope (Bruner, 574; Long, 185-186; Hagner, in comments on v. 18; Gardner 250-251).
Personally, I find it significant that Peter’s leadership in the church was ascendant through Acts 12, after which we hear from him only once (Acts 15:7). Beginning with Acts 13, Paul is ascendant. Was that because Peter had died? Not likely. We believe that he traveled to Rome, where he was martyred c. 60-64 A.D.—a full decade after the events of Acts 12.
Protestants point out that Jesus offers his blessing to Peter, but with no suggestion that the blessing can be passed on—or that any succession is intended.
• They point out that Peter the Rock almost immediately becomes Peter the Stumbling Block (16:22-23).
• They say, “The granting of authority to Simon Peter is obviously symbolic for all the apostles (v. 19), for elsewhere in Matthew (18:18) and John (20:23) this bestowal of power is on all of them” (Craddock, 417).
• They note Jesus’ prohibition against giving to people honors that belong rightfully to the Father and the Son (23:8-12).
• They point to 1 Corinthians 3:11, which says, “For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ”.
• They note that the church is built “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). In that verse, “apostles” and “prophets” are plural, so the foundation isn’t limited to Peter.
“I will build my church” (Greek: ekklesia) (v. 18c). Ekklesia is a combination of ek (out) and kaleo(called), so it means “called out.” Ekklesia can refer to any assembly, but Jesus’ ekklesia is the church.
It is Jesus who builds the church. The church belongs to him. The apostles and other Christians play supporting roles, and those roles are important. However, Jesus has the lead role.
The word “church” is a stumbling block to some scholars, who rightly point out that there was no church (ekklesia) at the time that Jesus spoke these words. However, Jesus would surely have a vision of the community of believers that would arise after his ascension.
“and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (v. 18d). Hades is the abode of the dead, but it is also a metaphor for the demonic (Senior, 191). Jesus’ words assure us that, while the church will endure repeated assaults by the powers of evil, it will prevail in the end.
The gates of Hades prevent those inside from getting out and those outside from breaking in. However, Jesus will break death’s power by his own resurrection, which will be the first fruits of the many faithful who will be raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:23). The gates of Hades will not withstand Christ’s resurrection assault on them. The redeemed among the dead will rise again and stride confidently through the broken gates.
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 19a). The wording has its roots in Isaiah 22:22, “I will place on (Eliakim’s) shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open.” Eliakim thus became the steward of the house, responsible for opening the house in the morning, closing it at night, and controlling access to the royal presence.
In his role as gatekeeper, Peter will open the gates for three thousand people at Pentecost (Acts 2). Although he will initially resist opening the gates to Gentiles, God will persuade him to admit the Gentile Centurion (Acts 10), and Peter will become the spokesperson to the Council of Jerusalem to keep the gates open to Gentiles (Acts 15).
“and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (v. 19b; see also 18:18). Bind and release have to do with rulings regarding doctrine and ethical conduct. In Jewish usage, bind and release have to do with actions permitted and actions proscribed.
In Matthew 18:18, Jesus extends this authority to the whole group of disciples, saying, “Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” Again, this is a place where Catholics and Protestants go separate ways. Catholics believe that Peter’s authority passed from Peter to the papacy. Protestants emphasize the authority given to the group of disciples, and believe that any unique authority given to Peter ended with his death. After Jesus’ resurrection, he will tell the disciples (not Peter alone), “Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained” (John 20:22-23).
Benediction
Heavenly Father: We look for you in all the wrong places, God of the lost, and wonder why we cannot find you. In forgiving us, God of new life, you would transform our cold hearts into those melted in service to others. In granting us mercy, you challenge us to think of all those we have ignored. In gifting us with grace, you enable us to proclaim Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, as the hope, the joy, the peace the world seeks, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen