FOCAL TEXT Matthew 16:13 17, 21 26 BACKGROUND Matthew 16:13 26 MAIN IDEA Truly believing in Jesus means following Jesus no matter the cost. QUESTION TO EXPLORE How much do you believe in Jesus? TEACHING AIM To lead the class to decide as individuals that they will express their belief in Jesus by following him Lesson Eleven Believing Means Following UNIT THREE Further Instructions on Genuine Discipleship 124
Lesson 11: Believing Means Following 125 BIBLE COMMENTS Understanding the Context In Matthew 11:1 16:12, the chapters leading up to the focal passage for this lesson, the Gospel of Matthew prompts the reader to consider how to answer the question, Who is Jesus? The early verses of chapter 11 present an account of how an incarcerated and yet still inquisitive John the Baptist... sent word by his disciples and said to him, Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another (Matthew 11:2 3). In response, Jesus cited the evidence of his ongoing ministry and the results of his work. Although indirect, this was the final encounter between John and Jesus in the Gospel. Jesus offered uncommon praise for John but promised that there would be greater individuals in the kingdom of heaven: Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matt. 11:11). Matthew 14 records John s death at the hand of Herod Antipas. Between the two episodes about John the Baptist in chapters 11 and 14, Jesus continued his ministry of teaching, feeding, and healing. In these chapters, Matthew highlights the parable of the sower (13:1 23) and several parables of the kingdom (13:24 58). After the account of the death of John the Baptist, the Gospel of Matthew records several other incidents, including the feeding of two multitudes (14:13 21; 15:29 36) and the long-distance healing of a persistent Canaanite woman (15:21 28). This flurry of activity resulted in continued speculation about the identity of Jesus that mirrored John s earlier question, Are you the one? (11:2). In Matthew 16, Jesus opponents became the inquisitors, coming to him and asking for a sign from heaven (16:1). Jesus deft answer and misunderstood warning to his disciples to watch out, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees (16:6) highlights both the building conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders and the continued dullness of his disciples. The disciples ongoing lack of understanding about the identity of Jesus becomes the centerpiece of the focal passage. Simon Peter plays an important role in the focal passage, and Matthew s presentation of Peter is unique and complicated. Compared with the Gospel of Mark, Matthew has a much more sympathetic and
126 Unit Three: Further Instructions on Genuine Discipleship heroic portrayal of Peter. Matthew celebrates Peter as a representative figure who has significant insight (16:16); receives special praise (16:17 20); and does things that only Jesus can do in the other Gospel accounts (14:28 33). Simultaneously Matthew also highlights Peter s weakness, stubbornness, and lack of understanding. Matthew presents Peter as a disciple who at times comprehends and follows Jesus, and at other times falls short of the radical demands of discipleship. Interpreting the Scriptures The questions raised in the focal passage, Matthew 16:13 17, 21 26, have to do with the important issues of comprehending the identity of Jesus and following Jesus as a disciple. Following Jesus: Understanding Jesus Identity (16:13 17) 16:13 14. Jesus moved north from Galilee toward the territory of Herod Phillip. The tetrarchy of Phillip and the district around Caesarea Philippi constitute Jesus furthest travel outside of Galilee and away from Jerusalem recorded in Matthew. Following this episode, Jesus would set his face towards Jerusalem and move with steady resolve toward that goal. Jesus asked his disciples two probing questions: Who do people say that the Son of Man is? and Who do you say that I am? The parallel passage in Mark 8:27 30 makes the first question more specific, Who do people say I am? Here, Matthew recalled Jesus use of the phrase Son of Man, which may indicate a reference to himself with some messianic overtones. The disciples responses to the first question present a myriad of incorrect understandings about the identity of Jesus: John the Baptist presumably raised from the dead; Elijah, appearing as a necessary precursor to the coming of the Messiah (see 17:10 11); Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Matthew s unique inclusion of Jeremiah may suggest that some onlookers had taken Jesus to be a prophet of doom and destruction in the mold of the ancient prophet. All the reported conclusions about the identity of Jesus were incorrect.
Lesson 11: Believing Means Following 127 16:15 17. When the questioning became more personal, the immediacy and number of responses dwindled. While most of the disciples appeared dumbfounded by the question, Peter stepped forward with what appears to be the A+ answer: You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God (16:16). Peter likely understood and hoped that the Messiah the Christ, the anointed one would act and sound like the anointed of God presented in Scripture. Peter envisioned Jesus like a prophet or king of old, as a conquering hero speaking forth God s truth and marching on Jerusalem to expel the hated Romans. In his account, Mark cleverly placed this episode after an account of Jesus healing a blind man in the town of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22 26), where Jesus must touch the man twice in order for the blind man to see clearly. Peter, like the blind man, had seen partially, but not fully. Jesus praised Peter s insight (Matt. 16:17) and acknowledged that Peter had achieved a special understanding about the identity of Jesus. Although not included in the focal passage, the Gospel of Matthew presents a remarkable encounter between Jesus and Peter in which Jesus announced the reward for Peter s insight. The exchange involves a clever pun on the meaning of the name Peter that works partially in Greek and completely in Aramaic (Pétros = Peter, and pétra = rock in Greek; Kepha = Cephas and kepha = rock in Aramaic). The metaphor of Peter as the rock is most often interpreted as a reference to Peter and the other disciples being the foundation of the church but may also point to Peter s dullness and lack of understanding that turns this rock into a stumbling block (16:23). Here again, the Gospel of Matthew reveals its peculiar view of Peter. The same Peter who walked on the water in 14:22 32 now proclaimed the true identity of Jesus; however, the same Peter who sank into the waves for lack of faith would misunderstand the nature of Jesus as Messiah and suffer rebuke (16:23). Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom and the responsibility of binding and loosing people on Earth. These signs of authority speak to Peter s status in the early church, but they are tempered by other texts that give similar authority to all the disciples (John 20:23; Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:14).
128 Unit Three: Further Instructions on Genuine Discipleship Following Jesus: Understanding the Way of the Cross (16:21 26) In Matthew 16:21 26, Jesus spoke the first of three passion predictions (see Matt. 17:22 23; 20:17 19; compare Mark 8:27 9:1; 9:30 37; 10:32 45). These statements about Jesus impending betrayal, arrest, trial, beating, execution, and resurrection present Jesus self-understanding about what he must do and experience when he reached Jerusalem. Perhaps more importantly, they also give important information about the nature of radical discipleship, which includes self-denial, cross bearing, and following Jesus. 16:21 23. Jesus spoke plainly about the way of the cross without employing parables, riddles, or pithy sayings. Jesus clear expectation about what would happen to him when he got to Jerusalem prompted Peter to take Jesus aside and rebuke him sharply. While Mark presents an indirect conversation (Mark 8:32), Matthew records a specific dialogue between Jesus and Peter. On hearing what lay ahead for Jesus, Peter strongly objected, God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you (Matt. 16:22). When presented with the truth of Jesus identity as the Messiah, Peter showed himself to be in conflict with Jesus. The sharp contrast between Matthew s recollection of Peter s words and actions in 16:16 and 16:22 23 is dramatic and pointed. Peter showed himself to be a disciple who had some understanding of Jesus identity and purpose while also misunderstanding the true nature of that identity and purpose. Peter s misguided understanding of the identity of Jesus led to an erroneous understanding of the nature of discipleship. Jesus needs no protectors shielding him from the world. Rather, Jesus needs disciples who understand and embrace his identity as the Messiah who suffers, dies, and lives again. 16:24 26. Jesus describes the cost of discipleship in terms of self-denial, cross bearing, and close following (16:24). Jesus presents potential disciples with a paradox: For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. The paradox of losing life to save it confounds and repels many potential followers. Matthew has already shown that some come seeking to follow Jesus and fall away when faced with the rigors of radical discipleship (8:18 22). Many in Jesus day would have found these essential elements of radical
Lesson 11: Believing Means Following 129 discipleship difficult and counter-intuitive. Many in the twenty-first century, Western church tradition will have the same reaction. Most alien to modern sensibilities, the central admonition to take up a cross stands as the most difficult requirement to interpret. As the preferred method of execution, crucifixion as employed by the Romans was a brutal and effective punishment for and deterrent against rebellion, insurrection, and crime. Most who heard Jesus radical call to discipleship would have seen and certainly would have heard about the process of crucifixion and what taking up a cross meant for recipients of Roman justice. Taking up the means of your own death was a humiliating part of a brutal execution. In addition, the bearing of the cross to the place of execution gave victims opportunity to give witness to their crimes as a powerful deterrent against other potential wrongdoers. Jesus places this brutal process at the heart of his description of radical discipleship. Prior to Jesus own crucifixion, this call to take up a cross must have sounded strange to the disciples. Watching Jesus hang from a cross, Jesus followers undoubtedly experienced confusion and fear. After learning of the power of Jesus resurrection (16:27 28), these same disciples understood the nature of radical discipleship that calls us to die to self, and to live as Jesus would have us live. The Apostle Paul understood this truth for his own life and powerfully expressed it to the believers in Galatia: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:19 20). Focusing on the Meaning The call to radical Christian discipleship challenges all who hear the message of a rigorous lifestyle of self-denial, cross bearing, and close following to the person and purpose of the crucified and risen Jesus. When the church presents Christianity as a light, part-time, volunteer job done mainly on weekends, the true nature of radical discipleship loses its understanding of Jesus identity as the anointed of God who suffers, dies, and lives again so that his followers might also die to self and live for Jesus.
130 Unit Three: Further Instructions on Genuine Discipleship Like Peter, we become people who think we know who Jesus is and what he bids us do, but we are profoundly mistaken. We have seen partly who Jesus is and what that means for those who call themselves disciples, but we have not seen fully. In his classic book The Cost of Discipleship, the twentieth-century Christian martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer powerfully states, For faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience. 1 Bonhoeffer understood at the very core of his being that radical discipleship requires more than simple assent to a set of beliefs. He took seriously James s admonition: For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead (James 2:26). Seen in light of Jesus call to radical discipleship, we understand these works as acts self-denial, cross bearing, and close following of the person and purpose of Jesus. TEACHING PLANS Teaching Plan Varied Learning Activities Connect with Life 1. Draw the following columns on a markerboard, and ask class members to match the career with one of the requirements for that career. (1) Firefighter A. Must be between 62 and 75 inches tall (2) Forest Ranger B. Must be trained in self-defense (3) Astronaut C. Must be able to work with the same people weeks at a time (4) Dog Trainer D. Must be able to carry 2 chainsaws 150 feet (5) Prison Guard E. Must be able to manually restrain large dogs (6) Offshore Fisherman F. Must have firearm training
Lesson 11: Believing Means Following 131 Answers to the matching game are: 1-D; 2-F; 3-A; 4-E; 5-B; 6-C. (A copy of the matching exercise is available in Teaching Resource Items for this study at www.baptistwaypress.org.) Lead the class in matching each career with one of its requirements. (Treat this game in a light manner rather than striving for unquestioned accuracy.) Point out that every career has certain requirements in order to fulfill the job. State that in this lesson we will discuss some of the requirements of following Jesus. As an alternative, show a clip from an infomercial or act out your own. Ask the class several times, How much would you pay for this? At the end of the infomercial state, That s not all. How much more would you pay to become a follower of Jesus? Today we will learn what following Jesus costs. Guide Bible Study 2. Enlist someone to read Matthew 16:13 14. Then state that in Jesus day there were many ideas about his true identity. Explain the verses as needed using information in the Study Guide and Bible Comments in this Teaching Guide. Invite the class to share what they hear people say about Jesus today. Point out that what a religion believes about Jesus is a way to determine whether it is a true or false religion. 3. Write the following statement on the markerboard: Who do you say I am? Lead the class to discuss why this is an important question to consider about Jesus. Invite someone to read Matthew 16:15 17. Divide the class into teams. Give each team a Bible and a concordance or a Bible dictionary. Instruct the teams to look up the titles given to Jesus in this passage ( Son of Man, Messiah, the Son of the living God ). Using these different names, work up a profile for Jesus. Allow each team to share its profile. Use the notes from the Study Guide, and lecture on the meaning of the title Christ. Using the information in the 4. Study Guide, paint a mental picture of what Caesarea Philippi may have looked like with all of the temples and statues honoring mythical gods. Point out that Jesus was in this area when he asked these questions.
132 Unit Three: Further Instructions on Genuine Discipleship 5. 6. Enlist someone to read Matthew 16:21 23. Lead the class to share possible reasons Peter moved so quickly from receiving a revelation from God regarding Jesus to talking like the devil. Write possible answers on the board. Lead the class to share reasons we may move so quickly from proclaiming God as King to putting our desires before God s. Write these answers on the board and compare the two lists. Discuss the implications these answers have on our ability to follow Jesus. Read Matthew 16:24 26. Share the information on the cross from the Study Guide under the heading Listen to the Answer. Lead the class to discuss, based on the information on the cross, what it means to carry our cross. Write the following statement on the markerboard. For faith is only real when there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience. 2 Call on members to respond to this statement. Lead the class to share testimonies about things they have sacrificed to follow Jesus. Encourage Application 7. Lead in a time of prayer by reading Matthew 16:24 26 again and asking the class to meditate on the verses. Next, encourage each individual to ask God what he wants them to do in order to follow him more. Teaching Plan Lecture and Questions Connect with Life 1. Ask class members to share their vocation and something of what was required to get into their vocation. Then ask class members to share what comes to mind when they hear the words follower of Christ. State that during this lesson they will examine what is required to follow Jesus.
Lesson 11: Believing Means Following 133 Guide Bible Study 2. Use information from the Study Guide to describe the setting surrounding Jesus and his disciples in Matthew 16:13. 3. Enlist someone to read Matthew 16:13 14. Explain these verses, including the answers people in that day gave about who Jesus was, using information in the Study Guide and Bible Comments in this Teaching Guide. 4. Invite someone to read Matthew 16:15 17. Then lead the class to identify the names for Jesus found in Matthew 16:13 16 ( Son of Man, Messiah, the Son of the living God ). Point out that these names were part of God s revelation of Jesus and his role as the Son of God. Explain these names briefly using information in the Study Guide and Interpreting the Scriptures in this Teaching Guide. Ask, Why were Peter s words so revolutionary? 5. Have someone read Matthew 16:21 23. Ask why Jesus may have waited until that point to start explaining to his disciples that he must suffer and die. Discuss why Peter s rebuke of Jesus was personally motivated. Ask, What were Peter s possible motives? 6. Enlist someone to read Matthew 16:24 26. Ask, What does it mean to take up our cross? Display a cross on the focal wall or on the marker board. Instruct class members to name some ways we are to lose our lives in following Jesus. Write on the cross ways we must deny ourselves to follow Jesus. Write suggestions on the cross. Allow time for class members to respond to the suggestions. Elaborate on the meaning of taking up our cross using information under Listen to the Answer and Applying This Lesson to Life in the Study Guide and Focusing on the Meaning in this Teaching Guide. Encourage Application 7. Read the following case study: Steve went on a mission trip with his church to Africa. Steve was moved as he witnessed the extreme poverty and hopelessness of the people. On his trip he felt God calling him to sell his successful
134 Unit Three: Further Instructions on Genuine Discipleship 8. insurance company, move to another city, and help the mission organization responsible for organizing the mission trip. What would you say to Steve to help discover whether this is God s will for him? Close in a time of prayer thanking Jesus for his sacrifice and committing ourselves to express our belief in Jesus by following him. N O T E S 1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Simon & Schuster, Touchtone Book, 1995), 47. 2. Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 63 64.