Category: Gospel of Matthew
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The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail: The Victory of Christ and the Final Defeat of Death
Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18b (KJV) At the foot of Mount Hermon, in the face of pagan altars and a deep grotto that was thought literally to lead down to Hades, Jesus declared that he would gather a people to…
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I Will Build My Church: Jesus, Ekklesia, and the People of God
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18) From the moment of his advent in public ministry, Jesus proclaimed the impending arrival of the kingdom of God. But it was here, in his…
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The Rock of Revelation: Why Relationship with God Is the Source of All We Know
And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. (Matthew 16:17) I have to wonder what Peter thought when Jesus spoke these words to him. Throughout their time together Jesus had often spoken of his Father in familiar, intimate…
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Becoming Who We Are: Identity and Transformation in Christ
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.…
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You Are Peter: Names, Saints, and Being Ourselves Forever
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail…
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“You Are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”: The Christian Confession and the Rock of the Church
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16–17) “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” So now, Peter’s answer. From…
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“Who Do You Say That I Am?”: Jesus’s Question and the Hinge of Our Faith
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:22–33)…
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Jesus in a Land of Monsters: Spiritual Warfare, the Gates of Hell, and the Cosmic Gospel of Christ
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter…
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Try Me and See: Jesus and the Test of Obedience
Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven … But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves … Do you not yet understand, or remember?” (Matthew 16:1, 8-9, NKJV) I think I…
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Signs from Heaven and the Way to Be Saved: Jesus and the Pharisees’ Demand for a Sign
The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and as a test, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them: “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to…