Since I did a self-study on the art of Apologetics, today’s gospel reading will always be one of my favorite Biblical or Scriptural passages because this story by the evangelist Matthew wasn’t a parable…it was for real. You can read it in Matt.16: 13-20.
“13 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” 17 Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. 18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.”
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I have already written about this scripture reading so many times in the past. But this time, instead of referring this gospel passage as the scriptural roots of the Catholic Church, let me come up with a different angle that somehow, the Holy Spirit has given me so I can impart to our readers.
At the beginning of this scripture reading, the first question was posed by our Lord as to who do the people say who was the Son of Man? Notice that at the end of the question, he already pointed to himself as the Son of Man? If you studied the scriptures clearly, you will notice that our Lord Jesus Christ often used this term the Son of Man to identify him as God.
Let us quote our Lord as written in Mark 10: 45 when he said, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” This gives us an idea that the term Son of Man aptly describes the Messiah who has two natures, both divine and human. In Daniel Chapter 7 the Son of Man is described as a very exalted person, not human, but divine. This is perhaps why our Lord Jesus uses this term very often. By asking that question as to who they think is the Son of Man, Jesus was already telling his disciples that he was the Messiah.
Then our Lord poses a second question and this time he directly asked his disciples. “But who do you say that I am?” Again this question ends with “I am?” How many of you still remember how God referred to himself in the burning bush? I’m sure you have already forgotten this scripture. You can read it in Exodus 3: 13-14 when Moses was conversing with God himself.
13 But, said Moses to God, “When I go to the Israelites and say to them “The God of your fathers has sent me to you if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What am I to tell them? 14 God replied, “I am who I am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites; I AM sent me to you.” Don’t forget all his disciples were Jewish people and they have read and understood the Torah very well that God referred to himself as “I AM!”
So there we have it two questions literally pregnant with meaning and reference that our Lord Jesus Christ was truly the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. This is why when that question was asked by our Lord to his disciples, it was Simon Peter their acknowledged leader next to the Lord who answered that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
This scripture passage is also the very first time that our Lord Jesus Christ talks about creating his church saying to Simon Peter, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
Very near Caesarea Philippi there was a City called Panias, named after the Greek god Pan, whom we all know is half-man, half-goat who is depicted in sculpture playing a flute and he was worshipped by a cult in that very rocky place. Although we didn’t travel to that place last year, I was told that there was no Church there. So when our Lord said to Peter “Upon this rock, I shall build my church.” He was referring to the rock solid faith of Simon Peter, which is why he gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
Of course we know from scripture that Peter whom our Lord chastised in last week’s gospel “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” wasn’t really as rock solid as we thought him to be. In fact he even denied knowing Jesus as our Lord himself predicted during his passion on the cross. But then, he gave Peter the authority to bind and loose on earth and it will be bound and loosed in heaven. That is the sacrament of confession or reconciliation so that we who are weak can be restored to our friendship with God.