Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Matthew 16:16
Outgoing, impulsive Peter, who sometimes said the wrong thing, got this right. The only way Peter could have known this was his spiritual connection to God in Heaven. Jesus had not announced Himself as God’s Son publicly.
Petra is the Greek word for rock. Jesus gave Simon, son of Jonas, this name, Peter. It was on the rock of this revelation, Jesus is the Son of the living God, that our church is built. In verse 18 of this same chapter, Jesus says, the gates of Hades will not overcome ‘it’. It is Zion, the city of God, the church triumphant, the Body of Christ.
Gate keepers control the city, everything from commerce to politics. They also keep enemies out and let those who will prosper them, in. The Truth that Peter confessed is that Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, The Son of God, is the gate keeper of the Body of Christ.
We live in fear of being ruined, disappointed, irrelevant, rejected, but Jesus is the Messiah and the Gates of Hell will NOT overcome any who’s hope is in the LORD.
Love,
Gretchen