Sunday School Lesson

1. Matthew 16:13-20
Who is Jesus?
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
March 5, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
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3. The Glory of God!
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4. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do
it all to the glory of God.

5. March Memory Verse
Romans 12:2 ESV
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by
testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect.

6. References
•MacArthur, John, MacArthur Study Bible (Nashville,
TN: Nelson Publishing, 1997).
•ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishers,
2008).
•Dr. Chuck Missler, The Gospel of Matthew, Session 11,
Chapters 16-17. YouTube Video

7. Introduction to Matthew 16
•It’s difficult starting a study series in middle of a book.
•Let’s take a very quick look at the Gospel of Matthew
Chapters 1-15.
•We’ll, also look at the framework for Matthew 16.

8. Introduction to Matthew 16
•This gospel was written by Matthew, a tax collector
who left his work to follow Jesus.
•Matthew is, also, called “Levi” in Mark and Luke.
•Matthew wrote his gospel to convince Jews that Jesus
is the Messiah foretold in the OT.
•He shows how Jesus in his life and ministry fulfilled
the OT scriptures.

9. Review of Matthew
• Chapter 1 – The Genealogy of Christ.
• Chapter 2 – The Birth of Christ.
• Chapter 3 – The Baptism of Christ.
• Chapter 4 – The Temptation of Christ.
• Chapters 5, 6 & 7 – The Sermon on the Mount.
• Chapter 8 – The Calming of the Storm; The Demoniacs at
Gardara.
• Chapter 9 – The Call of Matthew.

10. Review of Matthew
•Chapter 10 – The 12 Disciples Sent Out.
•Chapter 11 – Jesus’ Response to John the Baptist.
•Chapter 12 – Sabbath Issues; The Unpardonable Sin;
The leadership of Israel begins rejecting Christ and
attributes His miracles to Satan.
•After Matthew 12, Jesus only teaches to the public
and only in “parables”.

11. Review of Matthew
•Chapter 13 – The 7 Kingdom Parables.
•Chapter 14 – John the Baptist is Beheaded by Herod
Antipas (tetrarch); Jesus Feeds the 5,000; Jesus Walks
On Water.
•Chapter 15 – Jesus’ Doctrine of Sin; The Faith of the
Canaanite Woman, Jesus Feeds the 4,000.
•Chapter 16:1-12 – The Demand for a Sign.

12. Matthew 16:13-14
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say
that the Son of Man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say
John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah
or one of the prophets."

13. Caesarea Philippi

14. Caesarea Philippi at Base of Mt. Hermon

15. Caesarea Philippi
•Jesus uses this “pagan spiritual” location to further
reveal His spiritual identity.
•The setting probably helped the disciples grasp Jesus’
plan for all of His followers – The Church.
•The Transfiguration appears in this mountainous area.

16. “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
•Son of Man – Jesus’ most used self-designation.
•Designation used 88 times in NT.
•Refers to the “humanity of Jesus”.
•Refers to messianic title in Daniel 7:13-14.

17. Daniel 7:13 (The Son of Man as Messiah)
13 "I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.

18. Daniel 7:14 (The Son of Man as Messiah)
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

19. “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
• Some thought Jesus was a resurrected or new prophet.
• Deuteronomy 18:17-18
17 And the Lord said to me, 'They are right in what they
have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you
from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his
mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
• Malachi 4:5
5 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the
great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

20. How did people view Jesus?
•People focused on Jesus’ physical presence here,
because He was present in human form at that time.
•The people were expecting an earthly kingdom that
they could see, not a spiritual kingdom.
•They (Israel) had missed the spiritual side that Jesus
was the Son of God incarnate (God in the flesh).

21. The Dual Nature of Jesus – Fully God & Fully Man
• Luke 2:11
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.
• Human – is born
• A natural birth.
• A baby boy.
• God – a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
• He is God.
• He is the Lord.

22. Fully God and Fully Human
•This is confusing!
•The math does not work for human minds.
•Not 50/50 or alternating personalities.
•There have been discussions in the Church about this
for over 2,000 years!
•The Council of Chalcedon 451 AD statement:
• Recognized as two natures in perfect unity, without
measure, separation, confusion or division.

23. Incarnation = Theological Term
•The Incarnation is God becoming man.
•Latin term “incarnito” = taking on flesh.
•Term surfaced around 300 AD.
•Definition: The Incarnation refers to God in one of the
Triune modes of His existence. In on way ceasing to
be God, He revealed Himself to humanity by
becoming human.

24. The Incarnation
•John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son
from the Father, full of grace and truth.
•As the ‘God-man’, He mediates God to humans.
•As the ‘man-God’, He represents man to God.

25. Relationship of the Father and Jesus on Earth
• Jesus was subordinate (not an inferior relationship).
• Under the authority and leadership.
• Jesus was equal in essence, but different in role and
function.
• John 14:28c
28c for the Father is greater than I.
• Matthew 24:36
36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not
even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father
only.

26. Jesus as God’s Son on Earth
• He never lost His deity – Never stopped being God.
• He emptied himself of His prerogatives (privileges & glory).
• Philippians 2:6-8
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count
equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied
himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the
likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he
humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of
death, even death on a cross.

27. “All Authority” Came After the Resurrection
•Matthew 28:18
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me.

28. Jesus as Fully Human
•Physical birth, growth & development
•Fatigue – John 4:6
•Sleep – Matthew 8:24
•Food & body functions – Matthew 4:2
•Emotions – Joy (John 15:11) Sorrow (Matthew 26:37)
Loneliness & Abandonment (Matthew 26:38; Mark
15:34)
•Experienced death – Mark 15:37

29. Jesus as Fully Human with Emotions
• Joy (John 15:11)
• love (John 20:2)
• Sorrow (Matthew 26:37)
• Weeping (John 11:35; Hebrews 5:7)
• Loneliness & abandonment (Matt. 26:38; Mark 15:34)
• Controlled anger (Matt. 9:36)
• Agony & anguish (Luke 22:44)
• We learn from Jesus that it is okay to be emotional, but the
challenge is to keep our emotions in healthy boundaries.

30. As a Human, Jesus was Tempted
• Matthew 4:1-2
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to
be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and
forty nights, he was hungry.
• Hebrews 4:15
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every
respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

31. Jesus and Temptation
•We (humans) are born with a “sin nature” that was
inherited from Adam.
• (2 earthly parents)
•Sin nature = inward desire or inclination to sin.
•Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through
one man, and death through sin, and so death spread
to all men because all sinned—

32. Jesus and Temptation
•Jesus was NOT born with a “sin nature”.
•(1 earthly parent and 1 heavenly parent)
•Jesus had the nature of Adam before Adam sinned.
•Jesus is called the “Second Adam or Last Adam”.
•Jesus had the ability to sin, but made the choice to
not sin.

33. The Temptation of Jesus
•In order for us to be saved from sin, Jesus had to
succeed where Adam failed.
•Where Adam as a man broke God’s covenant, to be
our redeemer, Jesus as a man had to keep God’s
covenant.
•Like Adam, Jesus was tempted to disbelieve God’s
Word.
•Jesus never gave in to Satan’s lies.

34. Matthew 16:15
15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
•What was Jesus asking and why?
•Jesus was getting ready to explain His death and
resurrection.
•Jesus already knew where each disciple was
spiritually in their understanding.
•Peter answered for the group.

35. Matthew 16:16
16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.”
•They were in Caesarea Philippi surrounded by temples
to dead pagan gods.
•As the “the Son of the living God” Jesus was alive with
them and also the fulfillment of the OT promise of the
divine Son and anointed King eternal.

36. Matthew 16:17
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.
•Peter could not have come to this revelation on his
own power.
•This applies to us, also, in that the Holy Spirit reveals
this to us in accepting Christ as our Savior.

37. Matthew 16:18
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.
•This is one of the most controversial and debated
passages in scripture.
•Why?
•Let’s look at Peter’s name first.

38. Peter’s Name Change by Jesus
• John 1:40-42
40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus
was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his
own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the
Messiah" (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of
John. You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).
• Cephas means “rock” in Aramaic and translated to “Peter or
petros” in Greek also meaning “rock”.

39. Matthew 16:18 (Again)
18 And I tell you, you are Peter (petros – small rock),
and on this rock (petra – large rock) I will build my
church,
•The rock that Jesus is referring to is not Peter.
•Many believe that Jesus was pointing to himself as He
said “on this rock I will build my church”.
•Jesus was referring to himself
•“I will build MY church”!
•The church will be His Bride!

40. Why is Peter claimed to be the 1st Catholic Pope?
•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.

41. Christ was Rock that followed Israel out of Egypt.
•1 Corinthians 10:1-4
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that
our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed
through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in
the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same
spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed
them, and the Rock was Christ.

42. Jesus is the Foundation of the Church.
•1 Corinthians 3:10-11
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a
skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and
someone else is building upon it. Let each one take
care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a
foundation other than that which is laid, which is
Jesus Christ.

43. Christ is the Cornerstone of the Church.
•Ephesians 2:19-22
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but
you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of
the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being
the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure,
being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the
Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a
dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

44. “and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
•Gates of hell; gates of hades; gates of death.
•Gates were the stronghold & protector of a city.
•Hell/Hades are considered the place of death.
•Jesus may have been referring to His upcoming
resurrection and conquering death for us.
•Is the church attacking the gates of hell, or are the
gates of hell attacking the church?
•Jesus and the church are victorious.

45. The “gates of hell” in Caesarea Philippi now.

46. Matthew 16:19-20
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,
and 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 charged the
disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

47. What are the “keys of the kingdom”?
•Keys are used to lock & unlock doors.
•In this case, it is the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven.
•Jesus is laying the foundation for His church and the
disciples will be the leaders.
•He is giving authority for the disciples to invite all
people into the church.
•The “binding and loosing” is church authority &
discipline of members (Matthew 18).

48. “keys of the kingdom” given to the church
•The “binding and loosing” is church authority &
discipline of members.
•Jesus gives guidelines for church discipline (Matthew
18:15-20).
•Without faith in Christ, the door to heaven is locked
(John 3:18).

49. Lesson Application
•Matthew 16:15
15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?”
• The most important question in life!
• Every person must answer this question.
• Everyone!
• Your answer to this question makes a difference in two
worlds:
1) Here on earth now.
2) Where you will spend eternity.

51. Peter gave the correct answer!
•Matthew 16:16
16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.”
• Jesus is the Christ (Messiah).
• Jesus is God’s Son.
• Jesus paid for our sins.
• Jesus is the only way to God.

52. Jesus said it another way.
• John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but in order that the world might
be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only Son of God.

54. Next Sunday
Matthew 17:1-13
Is Jesus Fully God?
“The Transfiguration of Jesus”
Dr. Bill Boteler
March 12, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

55. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16 ESV
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life.”
John 14:6 ESV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

56. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 3:23 ESV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a ESV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life
to pay the penalty for our sins.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death
explained in Revelation 21:8.

57. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Revelation 21:8 ESV
8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for
murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars,
their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,
which is the second death.”
Romans 5:8 ESV
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.

58. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 6:23b ESV
23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 ESV
7 “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his
God and he will be my son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be conquers.

59. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 10:9-10 ESV
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is
justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:13 ESV
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”

60. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
If you have questions or would like to know more, Please,
contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/