Smoodock's Blog

If we were to make a quick analysis of the Synoptics, with a view of understanding when folks came to believe Jesus was the Messiah, we would find that, although at least some of those who were possessed of evil spirits knew Jesus was the Messiah (Mark 1:24-25, 34; 3:11-12; Luke 4:34-35, 41), none of Jesus’ followers testified that Jesus was the Christ, until Peter’s confession. The statements in John 1:41, 45 and 49) are not the result of a heart decision, but of the testimony of John the Baptist, who claimed Jesus was the promised Messiah (John 1:34).

John’s disciples trusted him, and so believed Jesus was the Christ. Nevertheless, there is a difference between believing the word of someone else and believing Jesus (cp. John 4:39, 41-42). While I don’t mean to question the power of the Gospel to bring folks to Christ, the text, itself, seems to make a distinction between folks who believe the word of men and those who believe the word of God, when it has touched that person’s heart. The latter seems to be the stronger faith, because after Peter’s confession, Jesus seemed willing to entrust contradictions of understanding to his disciples. What would happen to your faith, if, suddenly, it was shown to you that what you believe is wrong?

We are told in the text that “from that time forward…” vis-à-vis from the time of Peter’s confession, “Jesus began to show his disciples” that he would be slain, but, afterward, he would rise again from the dead (Matthew 16:21). Nevertheless, whenever Jesus spoke of his death, the disciples simply did not understand (cp. Mark 9:31-32; Luke 9:44-45). Why? What prevented their understanding Jesus’ simple testimony that he would “be killed” (Matthew 16:21)?

The problem of understanding truth is that at times the truth contradicts one’s worldview. One’s worldview constitutes what one believes makes sense. One’s worldview is what causes one to place the sayings he hears and the events that occur in life in their proper places in his mind. This is done to makes sense of his world, and, if this wasn’t done, everything that is said or occurred would be nothing but chaotic expressions and meaningless happenstance. Without a worldview, there is no reason or logic, only chaos. It is similar to anarchy, where no government exists, and one is unable to predict what would occur next, because lawful order doesn’t exist.

Thus, when Jesus began telling his disciples that he would be crucified but afterward rise from the dead, this didn’t make any sense to them. Later, when the group was returning from Caesarea Philippi, Peter came to Jesus to express his objection to Jesus’ saying (Matthew 16:22). In Peter’s world, the Messiah cannot die. What good is a dying Messiah, when the whole purpose of the Messiah was to save the nation? The Messiah was to be a great general and king who would lead his people to victory against all their enemies. Every Jew was taught from childhood that the Messiah does not die: “Who is this Son of Man?” vis-à-vis Who is this Messiah? (John 12:34). Thus, Peter came to Jesus, saying “God be merciful to you, Lord! This must never happen to you!” (Matthew 16:22).

Jesus then turned to Peter, and the sense seems to be that he stopped walking. Mark says that Jesus turned to look at all his disciples (Mark 8:33), implying that they had discussed this on the way, and Peter was their spokesman. Therefore, Jesus addressed Peter, as he was an authority figure, telling him to get behind him, vis-à-vis begin again to follow him, because he was behaving as Jesus’ adversary, in that he was repeating the words of men, vis-à-vis doctrines of men (cp. John 12:34). In fact, this very saying of Peter was part of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees that Jesus warned them against (Matthew 16:6, 12). Obviously, the worldview of Jesus’ disciples contained the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Simply following Jesus doesn’t eliminate false doctrine that we’ve been taught and still embrace as true. We must come to recognize contradictions and embrace the real truth, vis-à-vis embrace “the thoughts of God” over men’s traditions (Matthew 16:23; cp. Isaiah 55:8). The truth, the real truth, is what God says it is, not what man says it is (cp. Genesis 2:16-17; 3:22-24). Notice what Jesus says on different occasions:

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