Ideas From Matthew 16:13-20

Matthew 16:13-20 (WEB) Peter Confesses Jesus is the Christ

13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14 They said, "Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 I also tell you that you are Peter, {Peter’s name, Petros in Greek, is the word for a specific rock or stone.} and on this rock {Greek, petra, a rock mass or bedrock.} I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven." 20 Then he charged the disciples that they should tell no one that he is Jesus the Christ.

Using the building metaphor

The Idea of Studying the Building Metaphor Came About…​

From contemplating Jim Lokenbauer’s study of Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Son of God.

  • I would not have thought about fleshing out the metaphor from scripture otherwise.

  • Jim brought in the idea from scripture that Jesus is our cornerstone, another building construction term

  • and the church also recently concluded a study…​

    • of the "elementary truths of God’s word (NIV),"

    • "the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God (WEB)", Hebrews 5:12,

    • "a foundation" of Repentance, Faith, Instruction about Baptisms, Laying on of Hands, Resurrection and Eternal Judgement (Hebrews 6:1,2)

It appeared that the Bible had a lot to say using the building construction metaphor.

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It brings to mind the proverb that says:

Proverbs 27:17 (WEB)

17 As Iron sharpens iron;
So a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
{…​ one man sharpens another. (ESV)}

Built on the Rock (of the Confession of - Jesus is the Son of God)

Skyscrapers may seem to sit on a normal foundation just like any other building, skyscrapers require a well-planned structure to anchor them to the ground. To prevent natural forces from toppling them over, mega-tall structures need a low center of gravity, achieved by digging deep into the ground to find a soil sturdy enough to hold the weight of the building. For some of the world’s tallest buildings, that means digging as deep as 85 meters (about 93 yards). It all starts with the search for bedrock.

Beneath the loose surface deposits of soil and sand sits a layer of lithified (sediment transformed into stone) rock, called bedrock. Compacted under pressure, this solid layer of earth is the first building block in constructing a sturdy foundation for skyscrapers. Without it, the building would be prone to moving and shifting with the loose topsoil.

Matthew 16:15-18

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, _“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

1 Timothy 6:12 (WEB)

12 Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:13 (WEB)

13 I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,

Matthew 27:11 (WEB)

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "So you say."

John 18:37 (WEB)

37 Pilate therefore said to him, "Are you a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

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Corner Stone

NewStudio Architecture, Architectural Cornerstones: The Meaning, History, and Intent

In relation to architecture, a cornerstone is traditionally the first stone laid for a structure, with all other stones laid in reference. A cornerstone marks the geographical location by orienting a building in a specific direction…​

The cornerstone is fastened to the Rock and is used to align the orientation of the foundation

Psalms 118:21-23 (WEB)

21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, And have become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. 23 This is Yahweh’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

Luke 20:17 (WEB)

17 But he looked at them, and said, "Then what is this that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the chief cornerstone?'

Acts 4:11-12 (WEB)

11 "He (Jesus) is 'the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.' 12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!"

Ephesians 2:19-22 (WEB)

19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

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The Foundation

A subterranean structure designed to transmit the structural loading of a building to the underlying ground, the bedrock. Formation, subgrade, subsoil, ground; the bearing layer of soil or rock below the substructure of a building or other construction.

The foundation is fastened to the rock and is aligned to the cornerstone.
(Jesus, the cornerstone, the Apostles, and the elementary teachings are the foundation of Christianity that is fastened to the rock: that Jesus IS the Son of God.)

Ephesians 2:19-22 (WEB)

19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; 21 in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

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Hebrews 6:1-2 (WEB)

1 Therefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection—​not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, 2 of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

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Build God’s Building-House (Church-You) Upon the Foundation (which is built upon the Rock that: Jesus is the Son of God)

1 Corinthians 3:9-17 (WEB)

9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are…​, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; 13 each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. 14 If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire. 16 Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.

Hebrews 3:3-6 (WEB)

3 For [Jesus] has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God. 5 Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, 6 but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.

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Build Your "God’s House" Upon the Rock (Not upon the sand)

Matthew 7:24-27 (WEB)

24 "Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—​and great was its fall."

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Luke 6:47-49 (WEB)

47 Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who hears, and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."

Philippians 2:12-13 (WEB)

12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

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