“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” ―Matthew 16:16-28.
THE truth embodied in Peter’s great confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” is the rock of our salvation. Upon this the Church is builded. Apart from a divine Saviour there would be no Church of God in the world. It is noticeable that Jesus Himself elicited this confession by direct questioning. He knew well both the attitude of men in general regarding His true character and also that which His disciples knew Him to be. But He would have them put themselves on record, and so Peter was led to speak for them all. It meant much to the Lord Jesus to discern the working of grace in their souls, and their growth in spiritual intelligence. On the other hand, it grieved Him deeply when they failed to enter into the truth concerning the work of redemption as readily as they had grasped something of the glory of His Person. Hence His severe rebuke when Peter would have turned Him aside, had it been possible, from the death of the cross. The blunder of Peter as to this might well give us to pause, as we realize how untrustworthy are the views of even the best of men unless they are the recipients of divine revelation. How good that God has given us His Word, thus revealing wondrous mysteries kept secret from the world’s foundation!
If asked what of Jesus I think,
Though still my best thoughts are but poor,
I say, He’s my meat and my drink.
My life and my strength and my store;
My Shepherd, my trust and my Friend,
My Saviour from sin and from thrall;
My Hope from beginning to end.
My Portion, my Lord and my All.”
— J. Newton.