| NARRATIVE 4-2 Matt 14:1-17:27 FINAL DAYS OF PREPARATION OF DISCIPLES The Messiah Must Suffer and Die Chapters 16, 17 The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand a Sign From Heaven (Matt 16:1-4; Mk 8:11-13) The Pharisees and now joined by the Sadducees continue their attacks on Jesus. that these two theological and political enemies would join together in their opposition to Jesus is striking and illustrative of their frustration and desperation. We have not heard of the Sadducees since Matt 3:7 and will hear of them in Matthew only 7 times (4 times in Matt 16, and twice in Matt 22). The request for a sign was intended to trap Jesus and provide evidence that they might use against him. The "sign from heaven" is a circumlocution for a "sign from God." Jesus' response drew attention to the fact that they already had all the signs they needed. His comment about their ability to read natural signs indicated the duplicity of their request. Jesus strident rebuke likened them to an adulterous generation which had all the evidence it needed yet still rebelled against God. They thus were guilty of committing spiritual adultery. This is the second time that Jesus has referred to the sign of Jonah. The first was in Matt 12:40. In both cases the reference is to his resurrection from the dead. This would be the ultimate sign of approval from God. The reference is to Jonah being in the belly of the fish for three days and nights, and Jesus being in the grave for the same period. The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt 16:5-12; Mk 8:14-21) Jesus warned the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples associated this with physical bread, which they had forgotten to bring with them. Reminding them of his miracles with the five thousand and four thousand, Jesus warned them to beware of the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which was a total lack of faith. Without proper concern, the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees could spread also among others. Jesus warned the disciples to beware of this weakness. The warning was appropriate since they continued to be "men of little faith." Finally, the disciples understood Jesus warning regarding the Pharisees and Sadducees teaching and refusal to believe, and the need they had for faith. Caesarea Philippi and Peter's Confession (Matt 16:13-20; Mk 8:27-30; Lk 9:18-21) This pericope is one of the central and most significant texts in the Gospel of Matthew, and certainly for the existence of the church as the Messianic community. Although we find the confession of Peter in the triple synoptic tradition, it is obvious that it does not function in Mark and Luke with the same import as it does in Matthew. If we adopt Kingsbury's two formula outline of Matthew's Gospel, or see it as an outline of Jesus' ministry, this event comes at a pivotal point in the Gospel narrative, the turning from controversy and public ministry to the private ministry of Jesus with his disciples as he prepares them for his death. The discussion begins with the seemingly neutral question of the disciples by Jesus (although not with out import) regarding who men thought he, the Son of Man, was. The response was mixed, John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets (remember, the return of one of the prophets was considered to have eschatological significance, so the response of the disciples recognized the eschatological framework of Jesus' ministry). When Jesus asked more specifically who the disciples thought he was, Peter responded with the famous confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" Jesus response recognizes that Peter's understanding could not have come about without divine intervention, but was the result of the revelation of God. This does not necessarily mean that at that instance God had revealed this to Peter. It most likely means that human ingenuity could not have come up with the conclusion Peter has arrived at, namely, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The hand of the Father can be seen in the process that has led to Peter's understanding. God has been working his plan, attested to by both prophetic utterance and the powerful miracles of Jesus. Peter, The Rock (Matt 16:18) Jesus' response to Peter opens the door to much speculation and debate! W. D. Davies and D. C. Allen Jr. observe that this pericope is "among the most controversial in all of Scripture" (Matthew, vol. 2:623). Peter - Greek petros - petros, and rock - Greek petra - petra Both petros and petra mean rock! Petros is in the masculine gender and petra in the feminine gender. It is obvious that Jesus is making a play on the words petros and petra. Arguments that petros means a little rock, and that petra means a large underlying slab of rock simply will not hold up! The problem is enlarged further when we assume that Jesus was speaking Greek in this instance of private conversation with the disciples at Caesarea Philippi. He may have been speaking Aramaic! there is no difference between the "masculine" and "feminine" in Aramaic, they are both kepha and mean "rock"! We simply do not know! In any case Matthew wrote in Greek and he obviously felt that his audience would understand the play on words he was making. The problem is enlarged further when it is set in the context of the Protestant-Catholic debate over the Primacy of Peter as the Pope, and the anti-Catholic rhetoric that derives from this discussion. Obviously Matthew was not concerned with this debate! We must divorce our discussion from this context. Hagner (Matthew, vol. 2:470) argues that the simplest reading of this text is that Jesus was referring to Peter in his Apostolic office, and that it was on the work of Peter and the Apostles that the Messianic community was to be built (cf. Eph 2:20). Jesus does not say, nor imply, that it was on Peter's confession, as remarkable as it was, that he would build his church. He simply said that it was on Peter, the rock, that he would build his church (the play on words being that Peter [masculine] was a rock [feminine]. Hagner's argument is possible and may be the case! Many Protestant scholars, among them F. F. Bruce, R. T. France, Oscar Cullmann, et al, agree with Hagner. It is possible that the reference to rock may be to Peter's Apostolic office and not his character. On the contrary, it is possible that the rock-like confession of Peter was the play on words that Jesus was making, and that it was on the confession of the divinity of Jesus that he would build his Messianic community. It is in this manner that Calvin, Zwingli, and John Locke understood the expression. The focus of the discussion can be seen in the parallelism between Peter's confession and Jesus' confession. Davies and Allison observe that this pericope has been the object of much wasted ingenuity and special pleading! In either case, this pericope clearly states that Peter's confession and Apostolic office (which would include the full Apostolic office) are the bedrock of the foundation of Jesus' building a Messianic community! what cannot be denied is the fact that Jesus claimed that he would build this Messianic community "I will build my church"! Church - ekklhsia - ekklesia The word church appears here for the first time in Matthew and only again in the Synoptic tradition in Matt 18:17. Elsewhere the reference to the Messianic Community is to the kingdom of heaven/God. The Aramaic word underlying the Greek ekklesia is qahal which is normally translated in the LXX (Septuagint) as synagogue (Greek sunagwgh - sunagoge). In Acts, the Epistles, and in most instances in the New Testament ekklesia is the favored word, although sunagoge is occasionally used in references to the church. The Called Out Body In some circles it has been customary to determine the meaning of ekklesia from its etymology (ekklesia meaning called out). However, etymology is not a sound foundation for word study, context and usage is. Community or Assembly In an excellent study, The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today, Professor Everett Ferguson has drawn attention to the meaning of ekklesia in the New Testament. Ekklesia should be understood as the assembly or community of Christ, with an emphasis on the community as a free standing anonymous body of people in a community who assembly together on a regular basis. Hagner agrees and concludes that ekklesia in Matthew refers to the community of believers in Jesus, or the eschatological community of believers in Jesus. Ekklesia and Sunagoge It is interesting that Jesus distances his Messianic community from the Jewish Synagogue, and that Matthew makes this distinction for the sake of his community who have just been uprooted from the Temple and should not now identify with the Jewish Synagogue, for the Jewish Synagogue was not the Messianic community of Jesus! The Powers of Death (Gates of Hades NIV, NRSV) The Greek adhs - hades has reference to the place of the dead or the underworld, not to hell! In this expression Jesus was stating that not even death or the realm of the dead would prevail against this establishment of the church. This may refer to his own imminent death (the next pericope in Matthew develops this), or to the fact that death and martyrdom would not hinder the establishment and growth of the church. We prefer the reference to Jesus' death not hindering or stopping his establishment of his community. The Keys of the Kingdom Jesus gives to Peter in this instance the "key" or authority of opening the kingdom. This fits in well with the fact that it was upon Peter's Apostolic office or role that would be the foundation of the church. Historically, it was Peter who preached the first gospel sermon that led to the salvation of the first Jewish converts to Christianity after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:17-40), and then the first Gentile converts to Christianity (Acts 10, 11). Binding and Loosing This rabbinic expression is found in many places in the Jewish tradition., and had a variety of usages. Fundamentally it included including and excluding people from the community, and setting the rules for behavior in the community. It was to the Apostles, first Peter, then the remainder of the Apostles that the responsibility was given to opening the doors to the eschatological community of Jesus (the church), and establishing the behavior in that community. Although in Matt 16 this had reference to Peter, later this authority is expressed in regard to all of the Apostles (Matt 18:18). It was to the Apostles that through their preaching authority was given to "shape" the church. Jesus Foretell His Death, Burial, and Resurrection (Matt 16:21-28; Mk 8:31-9:1; Lk 9:22-27) The formula, "From that time..." was one that Kingsbury identified as outlining Jesus' ministry of the structure of Matthew's Gospel. This text forms a dramatic turning point in Jesus' ministry. From this point on he turns away from the crowds and to his disciples in a person ministry intended to prepare them for his imminent suffering and death. Although Mathew had included some allusions to Jesus coming suffering and death, (Matt 9:15; 12:40), this is the first real announcement by Jesus of his suffering and death. Although Mathew will continue to narrate accounts of Jesus' powerful healings, these will no longer be the main focus of his narrative. From now on Matthew will develop the necessity and inevitability of Jesus' suffering and death. This is the first of four predictions by Jesus of his death, burial, and resurrection, the others being Matt 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 26:2. The narrative of the Gospel will shift to developing the radical nature of the call to discipleship, and the central meaning of the Gospels, namely, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Matthew records that "Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." The word "must" is a translation of the Greek dei - dei which can be translated "it is necessary". Matthew is demonstrating that the suffering and death of Jesus was not an accident, but part of God's will, purpose, and plan (heilsgeschichte). The word dei is followed by four infinitives of purpose which are all governed by the on word dei. It was necessary by God's will and purpose for Jesus:
The reference to "the elders and chief priests and scribes" represents the ruling power of the Jews, the Sanhedrin. Peter's comment "God, forbid, Lord!" is an interesting and elusive abbreviation of a Septuagintism, meaning that one should go to the Septuagint and Hebrew texts to understand the expression fully! The full Septuagintism reads something like this, "May God be gracious to you!" Perhaps a better way of translating this in this context would be "far be it from..." or "may God be gracious to you and forbid this..." It is obvious that Peter still did not understand the full implication of Jesus' Messianic ministry as the Suffering Servant Messiah of Isa 53, and of God's purpose for and in Jesus! But who would have understood this fully? Jesus' response was a strident and harsh rebuke! Paraphrasing Jesus' response we might read "Peter, you are a hindrance to God's purpose for me! You are functioning under the influence of Satan!" A major lesson we learn from this exchange, in addition to the major lesson of the central purpose of Jesus' passion, is again the radical nature of Jesus' ministry and our discipleship. Jesus' purpose, contrary to human tendencies, was not to take the easy solution to the problem. Discipleship is radical because our Master is radical! This last point will be borne out in the next pericope on discipleship. Discipleship is Taking Up One's Cross The unsettling and radical thrust of Jesus' passion pronouncement is followed by an equally unsettling and radical revelation from Jesus on the cost of discipleship. The core of this revelation is that discipleship must be modeled on Jesus' pattern of being the suffering servant of God! The model of denying one's self and taking up one's cross seen in Jesus must be the model for the true disciple! The One who "comes after" Jesus (opisw - opiso - follow, after, behind) must be willing to "follow" (akolouqew - akoloutheo - follow, accompany, go along with, follow the example, be like, be a disciple, obey) Jesus. In other words, do as I do, follow my example! We come now to the difficult question of taking up one's cross! To what does this refer? Several possibilities have been suggested:
In all probability, #6 might fit our contemporary situation, but in the context of Jesus' discussion and Matthew's communities needs, coupled together with what Jesus had taught his disciples in Matt 10:16-39, and especially Matt 10:34-39, we should understand this as a radical call to discipleship and if necessary, martyrdom. The discussion that follows in which Jesus elaborates on this comment seems to best fit the context of martyrdom. We should remember that martyrdom was a very present reality to Christians in the first century. In fact, by the second century of Christianity, discipleship was almost synonymous with martyrdom. In this vein, Jesus speaks of loosing ones life for the sake of Jesus, and whoever will save his life will lose it! The translation of yuchh - psuche (soul, psyche, life) in this context as life is a suitable rendering of the word. Most translations of psuche in Matt 16:25 translate this as life. The NIV, however, in Matt 16:26 translates psuche as soul. This is not the most felicitous translation, and it may have been better to translate psuche consistently as life in this pericope. Psuche should be translated in context, and in this instance life fits the context better, although in Matt 16:26 soul could be possible. We, however, prefer life over soul in this case and it is so translated in the RSV and the NRSV. We must observe here that in a Jewish anthropology (view of man) man is more than a mere physical body in which a spirit dwells (which is a Hellenistic, Platonic anthropology). Man is a spirtual being, not merely the housing of a spirit. In this Jewish anthropological view, life is more than physical life, but includes spiritual life as well. The Jewish view did not bifurcate (separate into two) physical and spiritual life, but conceived them to be a unit. Thus in Romans for death to be the consequences of sin implied both physical and spiritual death or ruin. With this in mind, Jesus could move comfortably from life which is physical to life which is spiritual. Considering this, it is appropriate to understand life in this sense to include soul, which represents the whole being of man, both physical and spiritual. As we proceed with Jesus arguments, we must think in Jewish anthropological constructs (man being both physical and spirtual in unity), and not like in a Gentile trifold anthropological construct (man having body, soul, and spirit). Jesus continues his argument in a somewhat circular fashion! In Matt 16:26 we should understand life to be more than merely physical life and to include the whole person here including the spirtual dimension of man. No one would choose the riches of the world in place of his whole being! Or, what price would pay for one's life? Life is very valuable and we treasure life, but by seeking to save one's life (not being willing to die for Jesus) one in fact looses it! Notice the irony of Jesus' statement. What we treasure much we loose by trying to keep or save! Satan had sought to tempt Jesus by offering him the kingdoms of the world. If Jesus had accepted Satan's offer he would not have had to die on the cross. He could have saved his life! But in saving his life he would have lost everything! Jesus' next statement adds a dramatic note to the discussion!
Valuable Reading on the cost of Discipleship! We encourage the student to read some material by and on Dietrich Bonhoeffer who died as a martyr for his Christian faith at the close of the Second World War. We recommend the following readings:
The Son of Man
Coming in His Kingdom (Matt 16:28)
Given that Matt 10:23 was
uttered by Jesus to his twelve apostles as he commissioned them to go and
preach to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, we should attempt to keep
our interpretation of Matt 10:23 in Jesus' context, before the destruction
of Jerusalem, while being aware of the fact that Matthew's context came
much later after the destruction of Jerusalem. With this in mind,
Jesus may have had in mind the fact that before some coming of the Son of
man they would not have exhausted the towns of Israel. The Jewish
mission of the apostles had to proceed unhindered by persecution and
opposition. If the "coming of the Son of man" referred to
by Jesus was the destruction of Jerusalem, and Matthew was writing after
the destruction of Jerusalem, it is possible that Matthew's purpose in
recording this unique expression was to challenge his Jewish church
community to turn away from a limited commission to Israel for the Son of
man had come in judgment on Jerusalem, and to encompass a greater
commission to disciple the Gentiles. Jesus, like Matthew, obviously
had a vision of a later Gentile mission beyond the cities of Israel and
the destruction of Jerusalem, but at this stage his focus was on the
apostles and a Jewish mission." To return to the first
lesson of Narrative 4-1
click here.
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