Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
00:00:36.16\00:00:37.69
Father in heaven, once again
it's a wonderful joy to be here
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to open Your Word and to
study the great things that are
00:00:44.18\00:00:48.14
contained therein.
00:00:48.17\00:00:49.25
We ask that as we study that
famous passage of Matthew 16
00:00:49.28\00:00:54.52
that Your Holy Spirit
will be with us to guide
00:00:54.55\00:00:57.76
us and to teach us.
00:00:57.79\00:00:59.92
And we thank You for
hearing our prayer for we ask it
00:00:59.95\00:01:03.25
in the precious name of
Your beloved Son Jesus, Amen.
00:01:03.28\00:01:07.95
Probably by now some of you are
wondering how the Roman Catholic
00:01:07.98\00:01:15.44
Church can teach these doctrines
about Mary if there is no
00:01:15.47\00:01:22.80
Biblical testimony to the
effect that Mary was the mother
00:01:22.83\00:01:27.81
of God, that she
was born immaculate,
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that she was
conceived without sin,
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that she was assumed
to heaven, and so on.
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Well the fact is today we are
going to study the reason why
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Roman Catholics believe in these
teachings even though they are
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not contained even
implicitly in Holy Scripture.
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The basis of their belief
is founded on a passage that we
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find in Matthew 16.
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Before we read that passage,
I would like to share with you
00:02:04.26\00:02:08.66
the Roman Catholic view and
interpretation of this passage.
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Basically what they say is that
when Jesus ascended to heaven
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He left Peter here on earth as
His Vicar, or as His successor.
00:02:19.15\00:02:26.78
When Peter died he
then left a successor on the
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throne in his place.
00:02:31.55\00:02:33.38
And this process has continued
without interruption until
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the present day
Pope Benedict IVI.
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Basically as
Christ's representative,
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the Roman Catholic Church
believes that the pope has
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the ability, and the
power, to preserve, explain,
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and define the Word of God.
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Not only the written word,
but also the oral traditions
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that have been passed on
from generation to generation.
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As he sits on the
cathedra, or the papal throne,
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he chairs church councils.
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He also writes encyclicals
and pastoral letters.
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And in this way he defines,
and clarifies, and dictates
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many of the beliefs of
the Roman Catholic Church.
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Many of these things are not
found explicitly in the Bible,
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or even implicitly, but they
are to be accepted and believed
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because of the
position that the pope occupies
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in the divine economy.
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Basically the idea is that when
the pope speaks ex cathedra,
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that is when he
speaks from his throne,
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his declarations are infallible.
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And what he teaches is to
be accepted without question
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by the faithful in the church.
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In other words, his teaching
is as if it is the teaching
00:04:08.90\00:04:13.90
of Jesus Christ Himself.
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What he teaches cannot be
revised, changed, or abolished
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under any circumstances.
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And what he teaches in
the realm of faith and morals,
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that is doctrine and practiced,
must be obeyed implicitly
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by the members of the church.
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In this way many of the
teachings of the Roman Catholic
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Church have been passed on
without the smallest thread of
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evidence from Holy Scripture.
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For example, the idea
that Mary is the mother of God,
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the idea that Mary was
conceived immaculately,
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the idea that Mary
was a perpetual virgin,
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the idea that Mary was assumed
to heaven immediately after
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her death, actually
three days after her death,
00:05:05.56\00:05:07.95
and her body saw no corruption.
00:05:07.98\00:05:10.09
These teachings are
considered to be dogmas of the
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Roman Catholic Church, and
they come as a result of this
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process that I
have just described.
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There are many other teachings
of the Roman Catholic Church
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which fit into this same
category, which we're not
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dealing with in this particular
series; for example the idea
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of infant baptism,
baptism by aspersion,
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that is by sprinkling,
purgatory, auricular confession,
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that is confession of your sins
to a priest, the use of images,
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the celebration of Lent,
and the observance of Sunday
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as the day of rest.
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All of these have come into the
church not as a result of what
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Scripture teaches, but as a
result of this idea of apostolic
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succession, and the
absolute infallible authority
00:05:59.15\00:06:03.00
of the teaching office of
the Roman Catholic Church.
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Now you ask, Where do
they get this idea from?
00:06:06.91\00:06:11.21
Well, the fact is that the
greatest text which is used
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is found in Matthew 16.
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And we want to go there now to
Matthew 16, and we're going to
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examine this
passage in great detail.
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We will begin at verse 13.
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Jesus was in Caesarea
Philippi, which is right outside
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the northern border of
Israel, and He was about to ask
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His disciples
two great questions.
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Let's notice those
questions as we find them,
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beginning in verse 13.
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But Jesus wasn't concerned about
what others thought of Him.
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He wanted to know what His
disciples thought about Him.
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And so He says in verse 15:
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And then, of course, Peter,
who appeared to be the spokesman
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of the disciples, had an
immediate answer in verse 16.
00:07:30.57\00:07:35.76
In other words, the
Messiah, the anointed One.
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In other words, Peter was saying
that Jesus was the Messiah.
00:07:48.57\00:07:52.60
But Peter didn't even
understand what He was saying.
00:07:52.63\00:07:55.90
This didn't come from
an intuition from his mind,
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it was revealed to him directly
by God, because he didn't
00:07:59.17\00:08:02.57
even understand
what he was saying.
00:08:02.60\00:08:04.13
Notice verse 17:
00:08:04.17\00:08:05.84
In a few moments we're going
to notice that Peter definitely
00:08:20.19\00:08:23.48
did not know what
he was talking about.
00:08:23.52\00:08:24.97
He did not know what kind of
Messiah Jesus was going to be.
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And then, of course, comes the
verse that the Roman Catholic
00:08:29.11\00:08:33.22
Church uses to try and
prove what is called the Petrine
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claims of the
Roman Catholic Church;
00:08:37.16\00:08:39.49
The idea that Peter was
the rock upon which Jesus
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founded His church.
00:08:43.84\00:08:45.26
Lets notice Matthew 16:18.
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And I'm going to interject
some remarks as we go along.
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Jesus says:
00:08:53.54\00:08:55.29
Petros
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The Greek word is Petros.
00:09:09.09\00:09:12.41
Now the word
petros means a pebble.
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It means a small stone.
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And the word is
in masculine gender.
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That's very
important to remember.
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It is not feminine gender.
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It is masculine gender.
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In fact it's used to describe
the seed that was planted
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in stony places in
the parable of the sower.
00:09:32.87\00:09:36.96
So you're talking
about small stones.
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In other words Jesus is saying,
You, Peter, are a pebble.
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You are a small stone.
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But then Jesus says, And on
this rock, actually in the Greek
00:09:47.83\00:09:54.96
it says, on this the rock.
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It has the definite article.
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In other words on
this rock, on this petra,
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I will build My church.
00:10:04.64\00:10:07.97
Now the word petra here
is in the feminine gender,
00:10:08.00\00:10:12.12
which means that it cannot
apply to Peter, because the word
00:10:12.15\00:10:15.70
petros is in the
masculine gender,
00:10:15.73\00:10:18.21
and they would have to agree.
00:10:18.24\00:10:19.74
So Jesus is
saying, You are Peter.
00:10:19.77\00:10:23.04
You are a small moving stone.
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You are a pebble. But upon this
petra I will build My church.
00:10:26.21\00:10:33.54
Now the word petra
does not mean small stones.
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It means the solid rock.
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In fact it's used to describe
the bedrock upon which the man
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built his house when the
winds and the storms came.
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It's also used to
describe the tomb of Jesus,
00:10:47.77\00:10:51.71
which was hewn in the rock.
00:10:51.74\00:10:55.04
In other words, you're
dealing with solid rock here.
00:10:55.08\00:10:58.05
Jesus is saying, You are Peter.
00:10:58.09\00:11:00.26
You are a pebble, if you please.
00:11:00.29\00:11:02.46
You are this small moving stone.
00:11:02.50\00:11:04.60
But upon this petra I will
build My church, and the gates
00:11:04.63\00:11:10.18
of Hades shall not
prevail against it.
00:11:10.21\00:11:14.39
Now interestingly Jesus
used the same word, petros,
00:11:14.42\00:11:20.33
but in the Aramaic
language to describe Peter.
00:11:20.36\00:11:23.71
Notice John 1:42, John 1:42.
00:11:23.75\00:11:30.36
It's the same word, petros,
but in a different language.
00:11:30.39\00:11:35.23
It is in Aramaic. It says there:
00:11:35.26\00:11:38.19
That's in Aramaic.
00:11:53.86\00:11:56.14
So Peter was a movable stone, an
unstable stone, if you please.
00:12:01.39\00:12:07.48
A small stone. But
the church was going to
00:12:07.51\00:12:10.76
be built upon the Rock.
00:12:10.80\00:12:13.73
Now, obviously from this
passage, Jesus is pointing at
00:12:13.76\00:12:17.74
Peter, and He saying, You
are Peter, but upon this Rock,
00:12:17.78\00:12:21.73
upon Myself, I
will build My church.
00:12:21.76\00:12:25.44
Does the Bible corroborate the
idea that the Rock represents
00:12:25.47\00:12:30.51
God, and more
specifically Jesus? Absolutely!
00:12:30.54\00:12:35.21
By the way, do you know
that even the unanimous consent
00:12:35.25\00:12:39.48
of the fathers of the
Catholic church do not agree
00:12:39.52\00:12:42.64
on who the rock is?
00:12:42.67\00:12:44.74
Allow me just to mention that
Origin, who is one of the early
00:12:44.77\00:12:48.63
church fathers, said
that the rock means every
00:12:48.67\00:12:51.55
disciple of Christ.
00:12:51.59\00:12:52.89
Tertullian, another one of the
early church fathers said that
00:12:52.92\00:12:57.55
the entire church is
meant as the rock upon which
00:12:57.58\00:13:01.91
the church is built.
00:13:01.95\00:13:03.18
Cyprian, he said the entire
body of the bishops is the rock.
00:13:03.21\00:13:10.16
Chrysostom said that the
rock is the faith which was
00:13:10.19\00:13:14.73
confessed by Peter.
00:13:14.76\00:13:16.02
And even Saint Augustine,
one of the greatest theologians
00:13:16.06\00:13:19.63
of the Catholic church said
that the rock was not Peter,
00:13:19.66\00:13:23.20
but rather Christ.
00:13:23.23\00:13:24.36
But then he said it must be
admitted that there are some
00:13:24.39\00:13:27.42
today who believe
that the rock is Peter.
00:13:27.45\00:13:30.91
The question is, What does
the Bible teach about the rock?
00:13:30.94\00:13:35.40
Well, you look in vain in
Scripture to find one text
00:13:35.43\00:13:40.19
where the rock is
spoken of as a human being.
00:13:40.22\00:13:43.96
In fact, notice
Deuteronomy 32: 3, 4.
00:13:44.00\00:13:48.29
In Hebrew culture if you
said that a man was the rock,
00:13:48.33\00:13:51.69
it would have been blasphemy,
because they knew that all
00:13:51.72\00:13:55.51
throughout the Old Testament,
the rock represented God.
00:13:55.54\00:13:59.29
Notice Deuteronomy 32:3, 4.
00:13:59.33\00:14:02.73
And, by the way, as
you're looking for these verses,
00:14:02.76\00:14:05.71
allow me to say that God
is spoken of as the rock also
00:14:05.74\00:14:08.62
in verse 13, verse 15, verse 18,
verse 30, verse 31, and verse 37
00:14:08.66\00:14:14.96
of this same chapter. Notice:
00:14:15.00\00:14:17.54
Notice this text says that
He is what? He is the Rock,
00:14:38.16\00:14:45.72
Now the New Testament
corroborates this idea.
00:14:45.76\00:14:49.39
Notice 1 Corinthians
10:3, 4, 1 Corinthians 10:3, 4.
00:14:49.42\00:14:55.13
Do you remember the water
that came forth from the rock?
00:14:55.16\00:15:00.83
Notice how that is
interpreted by the apostle Paul.
00:15:00.86\00:15:04.17
We find there all ate the same
spiritual food, and all drank
00:15:04.20\00:15:11.71
the same spiritual drink.
00:15:11.75\00:15:13.73
For they drank of that
spiritual petra. Interesting!
00:15:13.77\00:15:20.83
They drank from that
spiritual petra, or rock,
00:15:20.86\00:15:25.64
that followed them,
and that rock was Peter.
00:15:25.67\00:15:30.41
That's not what the text says.
00:15:30.45\00:15:32.12
It says that
rock was whom? Christ.
00:15:32.16\00:15:35.65
Now that's the apostle Paul.
00:15:35.69\00:15:37.21
How did Peter
understand the rock?
00:15:37.25\00:15:38.75
Did Peter understand
himself to be the rock?
00:15:38.79\00:15:41.60
Notice Acts 4:11, 12.
00:15:41.63\00:15:44.61
I think we should let
Peter interpret Peter.
00:15:44.64\00:15:46.78
You know, if Peter was the
rock he would have told us so.
00:15:46.82\00:15:47.85
But nowhere in the writings
of Peter will you find that he
00:15:49.76\00:15:53.08
believed that he was the rock.
00:15:53.11\00:15:54.27
Notice Acts 4:11, 12.
00:15:54.30\00:15:57.33
Here Peter is speaking and
he's quoting the Old Testament.
00:15:57.37\00:16:01.72
He says, This is the stone which
was rejected by you builders,
00:16:01.75\00:16:06.98
which has become
the chief cornerstone.
00:16:07.01\00:16:09.81
He's speaking about Jesus.
00:16:09.84\00:16:10.99
Nor is there salvation in
any other: for there is no other
00:16:11.02\00:16:16.08
name under heaven given among
men, by which we must be saved.
00:16:16.11\00:16:21.05
So he's saying Jesus
is the stone that the
00:16:21.09\00:16:25.43
builders rejected.
00:16:25.46\00:16:26.49
And somebody might say, Well,
the word stone is used there.
00:16:26.52\00:16:29.72
It's not the word
petra, and it's true.
00:16:29.75\00:16:31.83
But it's not petros either.
00:16:31.87\00:16:33.99
It is the word lithos.
00:16:34.02\00:16:36.89
And lithos is many times
used synonymously with petra.
00:16:36.92\00:16:41.05
Now allow me to read a
text where lithos and petra
00:16:41.08\00:16:45.17
are used synonymously of Jesus.
00:16:45.20\00:16:47.71
Notice 1 Peter
2:6-8, 1 Peter 2:6-8.
00:16:47.74\00:16:55.25
Here we're going to
find that lithos and petra
00:16:55.29\00:16:58.15
are used synonymously.
00:16:58.19\00:17:00.52
It says there in 1 Peter 2:6:
00:17:00.55\00:17:04.22
That is that stone.
00:17:25.18\00:17:26.21
That's lithos.
00:17:30.12\00:17:31.19
Once again lithos.
00:17:38.92\00:17:40.13
Petra of offense.
00:17:43.96\00:17:46.72
So do you see that lithos
and petra are used to refer to
00:17:46.75\00:17:52.21
Jesus Christ by Peter himself?
00:17:52.25\00:17:55.54
And then he says, They stumble
being disobedient to the word
00:17:55.57\00:18:00.83
to which they
also were appointed.
00:18:00.87\00:18:04.65
Now somebody might say,
but Pastor Bohr, why does Jesus
00:18:04.69\00:18:08.79
say, You are Peter and upon this
rock I will build My church?
00:18:08.82\00:18:15.21
Why doesn't he say, Upon
Me I will build My church?
00:18:15.24\00:18:19.17
You are Peter and upon
Me I will build this church.
00:18:19.20\00:18:22.72
Why does He say, Upon this
rock I will build My church?
00:18:22.76\00:18:26.25
Well, because this was
an idiom which was used
00:18:26.28\00:18:29.60
in that day and age.
00:18:29.64\00:18:30.67
Allow me to give you a couple
examples from other places where
00:18:30.70\00:18:34.92
Jesus is speaking.
00:18:34.95\00:18:36.19
Notice John 2:19
and also verse 21.
00:18:36.23\00:18:40.93
I want you to see that
Jesus refers to Himself
00:18:40.97\00:18:45.79
as this rather than Me.
00:18:45.83\00:18:49.93
Notice John 2:19.
00:18:49.96\00:18:52.64
Then the Jews said, It has taken
forty-six years to build this
00:19:01.65\00:19:06.13
temple, and you will
raise it up in three days?
00:19:06.17\00:19:10.26
Did He refer to the temple
of His body as this temple?
00:19:15.00\00:19:19.79
Yes, He did. He could have said,
Destroy Me, and in three days
00:19:19.82\00:19:23.26
I will raise it up.
00:19:23.29\00:19:24.32
Notice another
example in Matthew 21:42
00:19:24.35\00:19:29.63
as well as verse
44, Matthew 21:42, 44.
00:19:29.67\00:19:35.17
He's referring to Himself.
00:19:43.96\00:19:45.62
And now notice, who is
that stone? Jesus, right?
00:19:53.56\00:19:57.23
Notice what He
continues saying in verse 44:
00:19:57.27\00:20:00.90
So obviously Jesus refers
in this passage to Himself as
00:20:10.84\00:20:16.81
this stone, just like He
does this rock in Matthew 16.
00:20:16.84\00:20:22.74
Now what does it mean that the
church is built upon the rock?
00:20:22.78\00:20:27.87
Does it mean that
it's built on Peter?
00:20:27.90\00:20:30.53
Does it mean that it's
built on every human being?
00:20:30.57\00:20:33.49
Actually, it means
that it's built on Jesus.
00:20:33.53\00:20:37.40
But it's built on
Jesus in what sense?
00:20:37.43\00:20:39.99
That's the big question.
00:20:40.02\00:20:41.42
Well, go with me
to Ephesians 2:19-22.
00:20:41.45\00:20:45.48
Obviously Jesus is
in heaven, isn't He?
00:20:45.51\00:20:49.46
So in what sense can the earthly
church be built upon Jesus?
00:20:49.50\00:20:53.89
Well, as you're looking
for the text, allow me to say,
00:20:53.93\00:20:57.16
that the church is built on
Jesus in the sense that it is
00:20:57.20\00:21:00.40
built upon the Word of Jesus.
00:21:00.44\00:21:03.14
It's built upon the Word of God.
00:21:03.17\00:21:05.37
Notice Ephesians 2:19-22.
00:21:05.40\00:21:09.93
By the way, that means the
Old Testament and the what?
00:21:26.46\00:21:29.70
and the New Testament.
00:21:29.73\00:21:31.44
And, by the way,
who's the center of the Old
00:21:31.47\00:21:33.60
and New Testament?
00:21:33.63\00:21:34.66
Let's continue reading.
00:21:34.69\00:21:35.72
What? See this is the church.
00:21:49.45\00:21:51.62
The church is the
dwelling place of God.
00:22:01.20\00:22:03.65
Know you not that you are
the temple of the Holy Spirit?
00:22:03.69\00:22:06.19
the apostle Paul said
to the Corinthian church.
00:22:06.22\00:22:08.53
So upon what is
the church built?
00:22:08.57\00:22:11.22
It is built upon the foundation
of the apostles, and prophets;
00:22:11.25\00:22:14.79
that is the writings of the
Old and New Testament authors,
00:22:14.83\00:22:18.51
and the center of both
that keeps them together is who?
00:22:18.55\00:22:22.72
Jesus Christ! Notice also
the parable that Jesus gave in
00:22:22.75\00:22:26.89
Matthew 7:24,
26, Matthew 7:24, 26.
00:22:26.92\00:22:35.57
It's speaking about building
your house upon the rock,
00:22:35.61\00:22:38.40
and building your
house upon the sand.
00:22:38.43\00:22:40.49
And, incidentally, do you
know that the apostle Paul,
00:22:40.53\00:22:44.87
in 1 Timothy 3:15 calls
the church the house of God?
00:22:44.90\00:22:49.17
So when it says here that
the house is built on the rock,
00:22:49.21\00:22:54.61
it means that the
what is built on the rock?
00:22:54.64\00:22:57.56
the church is built on the rock.
00:22:57.60\00:22:59.48
And we, of course, individually,
we are also temples of the
00:22:59.51\00:23:02.90
Holy Spirit, should also
build on what? on the rock.
00:23:02.94\00:23:06.62
Now let's read that passage.
00:23:06.66\00:23:08.50
It begins in verse 24, and,
of course, we're only going to
00:23:08.53\00:23:11.83
read 24 and 26.
You know this parable.
00:23:11.86\00:23:14.35
Therefore... Listen to this.
00:23:14.38\00:23:17.29
In other words,
whoever listens to My word...
00:23:19.85\00:23:21.72
Whoever practices the word.
00:23:23.65\00:23:25.51
What does it mean to
build the house on the rock?
00:23:31.50\00:23:33.62
What does it mean to
build the church on the rock?
00:23:33.66\00:23:35.71
It means to hear the sayings of
Jesus, and to what? to do them.
00:23:35.74\00:23:40.04
You see, Jesus is the
Word of God in two senses.
00:23:40.07\00:23:43.29
He is personally the
Word of God, but the Bible is
00:23:43.33\00:23:46.52
the written Word of God.
00:23:46.55\00:23:47.65
It's Jesus in written form.
00:23:47.68\00:23:49.38
So to build on Jesus
means to build on what?
00:23:49.41\00:23:53.73
It means to build
on Holy Scripture,
00:23:53.76\00:23:56.90
which is a revelation of Jesus.
00:23:56.93\00:23:59.43
And then we notice
it says in verse 26:
00:23:59.46\00:24:02.89
In other words, if you
listen to the words of Jesus,
00:24:12.81\00:24:14.82
and you don't pay
any attention to them,
00:24:14.85\00:24:16.52
you're building on the sand.
00:24:16.55\00:24:18.06
If you believe the words of
Jesus, and you practice them,
00:24:18.09\00:24:21.53
then you are building
upon what? upon the Rock.
00:24:21.56\00:24:25.02
So to build upon the rock means
to build upon the Word of God,
00:24:25.05\00:24:30.66
who is Jesus Christ.
00:24:30.69\00:24:33.01
Now it's interesting in this
parable you have a reference to
00:24:33.04\00:24:37.42
winds, and you have
a reference to floods.
00:24:37.45\00:24:40.97
Do you know that this is
an allusion to what later
00:24:41.00\00:24:44.13
John wrote in the
book of Revelation.
00:24:44.16\00:24:45.98
He speaks in Revelation 7 about
the winds of strife which are
00:24:46.01\00:24:49.68
about to be
released upon the world.
00:24:49.71\00:24:52.24
And in chapter 12 he speaks
about the persecution of the
00:24:52.27\00:24:55.19
church, by speaking about
this serpent who spews water out
00:24:55.22\00:24:59.91
of his mouth to drown the woman
by the flood, the Bible says.
00:24:59.94\00:25:03.55
In other words there's a great
tribulation that is coming upon
00:25:03.58\00:25:05.98
the world, and only those
who hear the words of Jesus
00:25:06.01\00:25:09.97
and obey those words,
who are built on the Rock,
00:25:10.00\00:25:13.37
will be able to stand.
00:25:13.40\00:25:15.00
And that
includes us individually,
00:25:15.03\00:25:16.98
but it also includes
the church corporately.
00:25:17.01\00:25:20.73
Now let's continue our study
of this very important verse.
00:25:20.76\00:25:25.55
We've dedicated it a
long time to talk about
00:25:25.58\00:25:27.59
the issue of the rock.
00:25:27.62\00:25:28.65
Now lets ask the question, What
is meant by this verse when it
00:25:28.68\00:25:32.24
says that upon this Rock we
build, and the gates of Hades
00:25:32.27\00:25:39.51
will not prevail against it?
00:25:39.54\00:25:42.50
That is against those
who are built upon the Rock.
00:25:42.53\00:25:46.61
Notice 1 Corinthians 15:55.
00:25:46.64\00:25:50.47
Let's take a look at
the word Hades for a moment.
00:25:50.50\00:25:54.30
The word Hades
actually means the grave.
00:25:54.33\00:25:57.76
Notice 1 Corinthians 15:55.
00:25:57.79\00:26:02.58
Here the apostle Paul is quoting
a text from the Old Testament.
00:26:02.61\00:26:05.65
He's quoting the
book of Hosea 13:14.
00:26:05.68\00:26:09.53
He says this:
00:26:09.56\00:26:11.87
Do you see that Hades is coupled
with death in that verse?
00:26:20.17\00:26:23.95
O death, where is your sting?
00:26:23.98\00:26:27.30
O Hades, where is your victory?
00:26:27.33\00:26:30.13
Now he's getting this quotation
from the Old Testament.
00:26:30.16\00:26:32.62
Let's notice Hosea 13:14,
Hosea 13:14. It says there:
00:26:32.65\00:26:41.38
God is speaking.
00:26:43.39\00:26:44.42
The word there for grave is
Sheol, which is equivalent to
00:26:47.83\00:26:53.29
the word Hades that we
just read in the New Testament.
00:26:53.32\00:26:55.91
And so it says:
00:26:55.94\00:26:57.05
Do you see, once again, that
to ransom from the power of the
00:27:02.95\00:27:08.12
grave is the same thing
as redeeming them from death?
00:27:08.15\00:27:11.52
And then notice:
00:27:11.55\00:27:13.46
And so basically Hades is what?
00:27:20.96\00:27:23.92
It's the place of death.
00:27:23.95\00:27:26.13
It is the place of the grave.
00:27:26.16\00:27:28.80
Now why does Matthew 16
speak about the gates of Hades,
00:27:28.83\00:27:35.15
or the gates of death?
00:27:35.18\00:27:36.86
Simply because the ancients
believed that at death you were
00:27:36.89\00:27:39.79
shut in a prison.
00:27:39.82\00:27:40.86
And unless somebody
came to unlock the prison,
00:27:40.89\00:27:45.24
you were there
indefinitely, forever.
00:27:45.27\00:27:47.85
Let's notice a couple of verses
from Scripture that speak about
00:27:47.88\00:27:51.26
death as having gates.
00:27:51.29\00:27:53.43
Notice Psalm 9:13,
14, Psalm 9:13, 14.
00:27:53.46\00:28:01.47
Here the psalmist says:
00:28:01.50\00:28:04.51
Notice that he says that
God lifts him up from the what?
00:28:25.53\00:28:29.16
from the gates of death.
00:28:29.19\00:28:32.15
And death is
synonymous to Sheol or to Hades,
00:28:32.18\00:28:35.58
to the grave so to speak.
00:28:35.61\00:28:37.22
Now notice Isaiah 38:10, 11.
00:28:37.25\00:28:40.62
Here it doesn't speak
about the gates of death,
00:28:40.65\00:28:43.09
it actually speaks
about the gates of Sheol.
00:28:43.12\00:28:46.05
The very word, equivalent
word in the Old Testament
00:28:46.08\00:28:48.86
to the word Hades
in the New Testament.
00:28:48.89\00:28:51.20
It says there in Isaiah 38:10:
00:28:51.23\00:28:54.38
That's the exact
Hebrew equivalent to Hades
00:29:01.65\00:29:04.99
in the New Testament.
00:29:05.02\00:29:06.05
Notice, the gates of Hades.
00:29:06.08\00:29:07.95
See what it means to
go to the gates of Sheol?
00:29:15.85\00:29:17.61
It means that you're deprived
of the remainder of your years,
00:29:17.64\00:29:19.96
because you are what? dead.
00:29:19.99\00:29:22.24
Now immediately
we ask the reason.
00:29:35.09\00:29:37.79
Why is it that the gates of
death, or the gates of hell,
00:29:37.82\00:29:44.12
will not prevail
against the church,
00:29:44.15\00:29:47.09
which is built upon the Rock?
00:29:47.12\00:29:49.08
Why is this? Because the
church is built upon Peter? No!
00:29:49.11\00:29:53.55
Because the church
is built upon whom?
00:29:53.58\00:29:56.34
The church is built upon Jesus.
00:29:56.37\00:29:58.64
But why will the gates
of death, or of the grave,
00:29:58.67\00:30:01.98
not prevail against the church?
00:30:02.01\00:30:03.89
Because the
church is built on Jesus.
00:30:03.92\00:30:06.45
The context itself of this
passage tells us the reason why.
00:30:06.48\00:30:11.62
You see, in the context, in the
succeeding context, we find that
00:30:11.65\00:30:17.43
Peter says to Jesus, when Jesus
says, I'm going to Jerusalem.
00:30:17.46\00:30:20.84
I'm going to die. I'm going
to resurrect the third day.
00:30:20.87\00:30:23.58
Peter didn't hear the
part about the resurrection.
00:30:23.61\00:30:25.66
He says, O no, that's
not going to happen to You!
00:30:25.69\00:30:27.57
The Messiah doesn't die.
00:30:27.60\00:30:28.84
The Messiah reigns on
the throne in Jerusalem.
00:30:28.87\00:30:31.45
And what does
Jesus say to Peter,
00:30:31.48\00:30:33.73
who supposedly
was the first Pope?
00:30:33.76\00:30:35.47
He says, Get thee behind Me,
what? Get thee behind me Satan.
00:30:35.50\00:30:40.17
Notice that Jesus was
saying, I'm going to die,
00:30:40.20\00:30:43.27
and I'm going
to what? resurrect.
00:30:43.30\00:30:45.84
In other words, Jesus is
saying the gates of the grave,
00:30:45.87\00:30:48.73
the gates of death
are not going to what?
00:30:48.76\00:30:51.65
They're not going to prevail
against Me; and therefore they
00:30:51.68\00:30:56.16
will not prevail
against the church.
00:30:56.19\00:30:58.18
Lest you're wondering about
this, in the succeeding context
00:30:58.21\00:31:03.43
of Matthew 16, it's very
interesting to find that at
00:31:03.46\00:31:07.87
the last verse of
Matthew 16, Jesus says this:
00:31:07.90\00:31:12.96
Isn't that interesting?
00:31:24.18\00:31:25.73
Jesus says there's some of
the disciples here who are not
00:31:25.76\00:31:28.53
going to taste death
until they see Jesus Christ
00:31:28.56\00:31:31.66
coming in His kingdom.
00:31:31.69\00:31:32.72
Well, the fact is all of
those people are dead today.
00:31:32.75\00:31:34.96
So how do you explain this?
00:31:34.99\00:31:37.53
You have to go to chapter 17.
00:31:37.56\00:31:39.80
And in chapter 17 we're
told that Jesus was transfigured
00:31:39.83\00:31:43.93
in the sight of His disciples.
00:31:43.96\00:31:45.75
How many of them?
three: Peter, James, and John,
00:31:45.78\00:31:51.37
whom Jesus had taken
to the top of the mount.
00:31:51.40\00:31:53.61
Those are the some: some of
you will not die until you see
00:31:53.64\00:31:57.84
the Son of man coming
in His glorious kingdom.
00:31:57.87\00:32:01.25
Now do you know that on
the Mount of Transfiguration
00:32:01.28\00:32:05.24
was standing Jesus, transfigured
and changed like He will look
00:32:05.27\00:32:09.83
when He comes
in power and glory.
00:32:09.86\00:32:12.04
And the Bible says
that also there with Jesus
00:32:12.07\00:32:15.61
were Moses and Elijah
that came to speak with Jesus.
00:32:15.64\00:32:20.53
It's interesting to notice that
Moses died, and according to
00:32:20.56\00:32:24.82
Scripture, I don't have time
to get into all of the details,
00:32:24.85\00:32:27.41
according to
Scripture, he resurrected.
00:32:27.44\00:32:29.73
Michael the archangel
came, according to Jude 9,
00:32:29.76\00:32:32.96
to resurrect Moses and
transport him to heaven.
00:32:32.99\00:32:36.89
And, of course, Elijah was taken
to heaven in a fiery chariot
00:32:36.92\00:32:41.15
from among the living.
00:32:41.18\00:32:42.50
In other words, on the
Mount of Transfiguration
00:32:42.53\00:32:44.61
you had a miniature kingdom.
00:32:44.64\00:32:47.50
You had Jesus as He will
appear when He comes in power
00:32:47.53\00:32:51.78
and glory, because He died,
but He did not remain dead.
00:32:51.81\00:32:55.38
The gates of death
and of the grave did not
00:32:55.41\00:32:57.93
prevail against Him.
00:32:57.96\00:32:58.99
He died and resurrected, and
therefore He will come again.
00:32:59.02\00:33:02.10
But notice that the
gates of death did not prevail
00:33:02.13\00:33:04.83
against Moses either.
00:33:04.86\00:33:06.49
Moses represents
those who die in Christ;
00:33:06.53\00:33:08.98
the dead in
Christ shall rise first.
00:33:09.01\00:33:11.30
The gates of death did
not prevail against Elijah
00:33:11.33\00:33:14.13
because Elijah was transported
to heaven from among the living.
00:33:14.16\00:33:17.03
In other words, the
reason why the gates of death,
00:33:17.06\00:33:20.29
and the gates of the grave
do not prevail against Jesus,
00:33:20.32\00:33:24.65
or against the church, is
because Jesus resurrected,
00:33:24.68\00:33:27.96
and He is going to
resurrect His church;
00:33:27.99\00:33:30.06
He's going to
resurrect His people.
00:33:30.09\00:33:32.01
In fact, notice Acts
2:27, 31, Acts 2:27, 31.
00:33:32.05\00:33:42.38
And, by the way, I'm
going to read this from the
00:33:42.42\00:33:45.89
New International Version, which
is the most popular version
00:33:45.93\00:33:49.22
in the Christian church
today, because I believe that it
00:33:49.25\00:33:52.51
expresses it more clearly.
00:33:52.54\00:33:54.14
David said about
Him, that is about Jesus,
00:33:54.17\00:33:58.92
I saw the Lord always before me.
00:33:58.95\00:34:02.52
Because He is at my right
hand, I will not be shaken.
00:34:02.55\00:34:07.75
Therefore my heart is
glad and my tongue rejoices.
00:34:07.78\00:34:12.30
My body also will live in hope,
because You will not abandon me
00:34:12.33\00:34:19.67
to the grave. By the
way, that's the word Hades.
00:34:19.70\00:34:23.21
You will not abandon me to
the grave, nor will You let
00:34:23.24\00:34:27.93
Your Holy One
see what? see decay.
00:34:27.96\00:34:32.61
In other words, Jesus was
not going to stay in the grave.
00:34:32.64\00:34:36.00
He was going to resurrect.
00:34:36.03\00:34:37.06
The gates of death
would not prevail against Him.
00:34:37.09\00:34:40.07
And because they would
not prevail against Him,
00:34:40.10\00:34:42.15
they would not
prevail against His church.
00:34:42.18\00:34:44.67
It wasn't because the
church was built on Peter.
00:34:44.70\00:34:47.82
I mean Peter died
according to Scripture.
00:34:47.85\00:34:50.28
Jesus said that He was
going to stretch out His arms,
00:34:50.31\00:34:52.45
other people were going
to stretch out His arms.
00:34:52.48\00:34:54.31
He wasn't going
to do it voluntarily.
00:34:54.34\00:34:56.36
In other words, Jesus
was saying that He was
00:34:56.39\00:34:58.27
going to be crucified.
00:34:58.30\00:34:59.44
Peter died. He's
still in the grave awaiting
00:34:59.47\00:35:02.42
the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:35:02.45\00:35:04.98
Notice Revelation 1:17, 18.
00:35:05.01\00:35:09.14
You know, it's comforting
to know that the gates of death
00:35:09.17\00:35:12.88
have someone who can open
those gates with the keys,
00:35:12.91\00:35:17.05
with the key.
Notice, Revelation 1:17, 18.
00:35:17.08\00:35:22.89
And here it's speaking
about the church. It says there:
00:35:22.92\00:35:26.49
John is seeing Jesus.
00:35:27.76\00:35:29.43
And now notice:
00:35:32.57\00:35:34.77
Who has the keys? Peter, right?
00:36:00.26\00:36:03.52
That's not what the text says.
00:36:03.55\00:36:05.66
The text says that Jesus
has the keys of the grave.
00:36:05.69\00:36:09.27
See Jesus went into the
grave; He came out of the grave.
00:36:09.30\00:36:12.90
And when He came
out of the grave,
00:36:12.93\00:36:14.34
He brought the keys
with Him, so that the church,
00:36:14.37\00:36:17.89
the church was not
going to fail either.
00:36:17.93\00:36:19.55
Because Jesus is going to open
the tombs of those who accept
00:36:19.59\00:36:23.47
Him as Savior and Lord.
00:36:23.50\00:36:25.03
The dead in Christ
are going to rise again
00:36:25.06\00:36:27.66
according to Scripture.
00:36:27.69\00:36:28.86
He says, Because I
live, you will live also.
00:36:28.89\00:36:32.50
In other words, the center
of this passage is not Peter.
00:36:32.53\00:36:35.64
The center of this passage
is none other than Jesus Christ.
00:36:35.67\00:36:39.76
Now you say, but Pastor, there's
still some things to read about
00:36:39.79\00:36:43.66
this text because in verse
19 we find that Jesus said that
00:36:43.69\00:36:49.66
He was going to give
Peter the keys of the kingdom.
00:36:49.69\00:36:53.54
Now let's read that verse.
00:36:53.57\00:36:55.42
Matthew 16:19.
And I will give you...
00:36:55.45\00:37:01.02
Now Jesus is speaking to Peter.
00:37:01.05\00:37:03.01
I will give you the keys
of the kingdom of heaven.
00:37:03.04\00:37:08.63
And whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven.
00:37:08.66\00:37:12.06
And whatever you loose on
earth, will be loosed in heaven.
00:37:12.09\00:37:16.84
Now the question is, what are
those keys which Jesus gave to
00:37:16.87\00:37:21.28
Peter with which Peter can
open the kingdom of heaven?
00:37:21.31\00:37:25.32
Well, there's a very easy
Biblical way of explaining this.
00:37:25.35\00:37:30.00
But we have to go back and
examine the case of the scribes
00:37:30.03\00:37:34.00
and the Pharisees who, by
the way, sat on Moses' cathedra.
00:37:34.03\00:37:38.56
Go with me to Matthew
23:1, 2, Matthew 23:1, 2.
00:37:38.59\00:37:47.34
cathedra. It's the
word cathedra in Greek.
00:37:56.11\00:38:00.14
They sit on Moses' throne.
00:38:00.17\00:38:02.42
They sit on Moses' seat.
00:38:02.45\00:38:03.91
Do you know what that means?
00:38:03.94\00:38:04.97
It means that they thought
that they had the authority
00:38:05.00\00:38:07.75
and the power to define, and
to explain, and to dictate what
00:38:07.78\00:38:13.20
Holy Scripture
of that time meant;
00:38:13.23\00:38:15.79
what the Old Testament meant.
00:38:15.82\00:38:17.37
But in those writings
they did not find Jesus.
00:38:17.40\00:38:20.44
And therefore instead of
opening the kingdom of heaven,
00:38:20.47\00:38:24.84
by not finding Jesus
in the Old Testament,
00:38:24.87\00:38:27.21
they were actually
shutting the kingdom of heaven.
00:38:27.24\00:38:30.10
Notice what we find in
Matthew 23:13, Matthew 23:13.
00:38:30.13\00:38:37.61
Here Jesus continues speaking
to the scribes and the Pharisees
00:38:37.64\00:38:41.49
who sit on Moses' seat,
who claim to have the absolute
00:38:41.52\00:38:44.64
power and authority
to explain Scripture.
00:38:44.67\00:38:46.93
Of course they're
explaining it without Jesus,
00:38:46.96\00:38:49.11
and without Jesus there
is no life. It says there:
00:38:49.14\00:38:52.86
Now notice this: you what?
00:38:58.77\00:39:01.04
What were the scribes
and Pharisees doing who
00:39:15.98\00:39:18.05
sat upon Moses' seat?
00:39:18.08\00:39:19.49
They were shutting the
kingdom of heaven to people.
00:39:19.52\00:39:23.95
Now why were they
shutting the kingdom of heaven?
00:39:23.98\00:39:26.75
And what were
they shutting it with?
00:39:26.78\00:39:29.76
The parallel passage in Luke
to this one is very revealing.
00:39:29.79\00:39:34.63
Notice Luke 11:52, Luke 11:52.
00:39:34.66\00:39:41.21
I'm thankful that God
gave us more than one gospel.
00:39:41.24\00:39:44.04
Because one gospel
explains the other gospel.
00:39:44.07\00:39:47.33
Notice Luke
11:52. Here Jesus says:
00:39:47.36\00:39:51.34
Oh, now we know that
they have a key that they use
00:40:00.96\00:40:04.11
to shut the kingdom.
00:40:04.14\00:40:05.17
The reason why the
door is shut is because
00:40:07.05\00:40:09.23
they've taken away what?
00:40:09.26\00:40:10.29
So, were they using the key
to unlock the kingdom of heaven?
00:40:21.06\00:40:26.56
Absolutely not! They were
actually locking themselves
00:40:26.59\00:40:31.27
out and others by not using
the key of knowledge to open
00:40:31.30\00:40:36.32
the kingdom of heaven.
00:40:36.35\00:40:37.55
Now let me ask you, What
is that key of knowledge?
00:40:37.58\00:40:42.06
Well, there's many texts
that I could read about the word
00:40:42.09\00:40:45.33
knowledge in the New Testament,
particularly in the gospels,
00:40:45.36\00:40:49.34
but allow me to read one text
that deals with the issue of
00:40:49.37\00:40:53.08
knowledge, what
knowledge we're talking about.
00:40:53.11\00:40:59.35
Luke 1:76,77, Luke
1:76, 77. It says there:
00:40:59.38\00:41:05.59
Speaking about John the Baptist.
00:41:09.36\00:41:11.60
And now notice.
00:41:19.79\00:41:21.03
What is the knowledge
that is imparted by the key?
00:41:32.33\00:41:34.68
It is the knowledge of what?
salvation, which opens the door
00:41:34.71\00:41:40.37
to where? to the
kingdom of heaven.
00:41:40.40\00:41:42.78
What were the
Pharisees doing with that key?
00:41:42.81\00:41:45.84
They were locking the door,
because they did not have the
00:41:45.87\00:41:50.77
knowledge of salvation,
because they did not see
00:41:50.80\00:41:53.83
Jesus in the word.
00:41:53.86\00:41:56.79
They did not see Jesus in
Scripture, in other words.
00:41:56.82\00:42:00.53
Notice John 5:39,
40, John 5:39, 40.
00:42:00.56\00:42:10.51
Jesus indited these
leaders and He said:
00:42:10.55\00:42:13.57
You're searching the Scriptures.
00:42:24.44\00:42:25.86
You want to teach people the
Scriptures, and you think that
00:42:25.90\00:42:29.44
in them you have eternal life.
00:42:29.47\00:42:30.86
But then He says, These are the
Scriptures which testify of Me.
00:42:30.89\00:42:35.47
And then He says in verse 40:
00:42:35.50\00:42:37.38
In other words they were locking
with the key of knowledge,
00:42:46.45\00:42:51.50
the kingdom of heaven,
because they were not preaching
00:42:51.54\00:42:55.83
the word of God, and especially
Jesus as contained where?
00:42:55.87\00:43:00.13
as contained in the word
of God, which is what opens
00:43:00.17\00:43:04.66
the kingdom of heaven.
00:43:04.70\00:43:06.10
By the way, notice Acts
14:27, 28, Acts 14:27, 28.
00:43:06.14\00:43:16.27
It says, Now when they had come
and gathered the church together
00:43:16.30\00:43:22.14
they reported all that
God had done with them.
00:43:22.18\00:43:26.24
And now notice: And that He had
what? opened the door of faith
00:43:26.28\00:43:34.48
to whom? to the Gentiles.
00:43:34.51\00:43:37.28
How did they open the
door of faith to the Gentiles?
00:43:37.32\00:43:40.37
By what? By the
foolishness of preaching.
00:43:40.41\00:43:45.02
How did they open
the kingdom of heaven?
00:43:45.05\00:43:49.59
They opened the kingdom
of heaven by using the key
00:43:49.63\00:43:52.96
of knowledge to reveal
Jesus through preaching,
00:43:53.00\00:43:56.26
and in this way people were able
to enter the kingdom of heaven,
00:43:56.30\00:44:00.72
and become citizens
of the kingdom of heaven.
00:44:00.76\00:44:04.02
In other words, the key which
God gave the Pharisees was that
00:44:04.06\00:44:09.87
through Christ in Scripture,
people could come to a knowledge
00:44:09.90\00:44:15.68
of Jesus, and enter the
experience of salvation.
00:44:15.71\00:44:19.36
By the way, did the apostle
Peter open up the kingdom
00:44:19.40\00:44:24.39
of heaven for a great
number of people in Acts 2
00:44:24.42\00:44:28.17
on the Day of Pentecost?
00:44:28.21\00:44:29.55
Oh, yes! 3,000 the
Bible says were baptized.
00:44:29.58\00:44:32.93
What did Peter do
to open the kingdom?
00:44:32.97\00:44:36.10
Have you ever read that
he quoted the Old Testament?
00:44:36.13\00:44:38.83
He quoted several
passages from the Old Testament;
00:44:38.86\00:44:41.52
from Psalm, and from Joel.
00:44:41.56\00:44:43.31
And he pointed how these
things revealed whom? Jesus.
00:44:43.34\00:44:47.61
And at the end of the story,
see he's opening the door of
00:44:47.64\00:44:51.90
salvation through
the key of Scripture.
00:44:51.94\00:44:54.90
And at the end the
people come to him and they say,
00:44:54.94\00:44:58.19
Well, what do we need to do?
00:44:58.23\00:44:59.26
And Peter says, Well, repent and
be baptized, everyone of you,
00:44:59.29\00:45:04.00
for the remission of sins,
and you will receive the gift
00:45:04.03\00:45:08.73
of the Holy Spirit.
00:45:08.76\00:45:09.79
And so they were baptized,
and 3,000 souls entered
00:45:09.82\00:45:13.20
the door of the kingdom that
day; entered the door of the
00:45:13.23\00:45:15.48
church through the
preaching of Peter.
00:45:15.51\00:45:18.65
Are you understanding
what the key is in this case?
00:45:18.68\00:45:23.23
But you're saying,
Now wait a minute, Pastor.
00:45:23.27\00:45:24.67
The passage doesn't say
key, the passage says keys.
00:45:24.70\00:45:29.58
Now do you know that in Hebrew
and Greek when a word is plural,
00:45:29.62\00:45:34.48
like keys, it means two.
00:45:34.52\00:45:36.87
Let me give you another example.
00:45:36.91\00:45:39.90
Time, times, and
the dividing of time.
00:45:39.93\00:45:47.27
How many times is times? two.
00:45:47.30\00:45:51.79
Every scholar agrees that
the word times means two times.
00:45:51.83\00:45:56.03
So when it's plural and
unqualified, it means two.
00:45:56.07\00:46:00.26
So Jesus is
giving Peter two keys.
00:46:00.29\00:46:04.95
Why did He gives the scribes
and Pharisees only one key?
00:46:04.98\00:46:08.21
Well, let me
explain the reason why.
00:46:08.24\00:46:09.79
How many portions is
Scripture composed of?
00:46:09.82\00:46:14.02
It's composed of two.
00:46:14.06\00:46:17.19
Do you know that when
the Scriptures is referred to
00:46:17.22\00:46:19.98
it's always a two-some?
00:46:20.01\00:46:21.14
For example, in Revelation
you have two witnesses.
00:46:21.18\00:46:27.65
Those two witnesses represent
what? the Old and New Testament.
00:46:27.68\00:46:33.11
You have two olive trees;
that's the Holy Spirit working
00:46:33.15\00:46:36.81
through the Old
and New Testament.
00:46:36.84\00:46:38.68
You have two candlesticks that
give light; Thy word is what?
00:46:38.71\00:46:44.78
a light and a lamp it
says in Psalm 119:105.
00:46:44.82\00:46:51.09
The sword of the Spirit
has how many edges? two,
00:46:51.13\00:46:57.37
and it's the word of God.
00:46:57.40\00:46:58.53
And the church is built upon the
writings of whom? the apostles
00:46:58.57\00:47:04.61
and the prophets;
Old and New Testament.
00:47:04.64\00:47:07.47
In other words, the
Pharisees had only one key.
00:47:07.51\00:47:11.84
Because all they had
was what? the Old Testament.
00:47:11.88\00:47:16.15
But God gives, Jesus gives
to Peter, the keys, two keys,
00:47:16.18\00:47:20.77
because he has what? he
has the Old and he has what?
00:47:20.80\00:47:25.35
and he has the New Testament.
00:47:25.39\00:47:27.40
In other words, he has all
of Scripture with which to use
00:47:27.44\00:47:31.42
the keys to open the
kingdom through preaching,
00:47:31.45\00:47:34.60
so that people can
come in and be saved.
00:47:34.63\00:47:37.32
Now the question is, Did Jesus
only give the keys to Peter?
00:47:37.36\00:47:42.03
See the Roman Catholic Church
teaches that He gave the keys
00:47:42.06\00:47:46.69
only to Peter,
and to his successors.
00:47:46.73\00:47:48.90
Do you know that Jesus actually
gave the right to open, to bind,
00:47:48.93\00:47:54.05
and to unbind to
all of the disciples.
00:47:54.09\00:48:00.59
Notice Matthew
18:15-18, Matthew 18:15-18.
00:48:00.63\00:48:07.10
So this wasn't
exclusively for Peter.
00:48:07.13\00:48:10.68
You're not dealing here
with apostolic succession.
00:48:10.72\00:48:13.51
It was given to all of
the leaders of the church.
00:48:13.55\00:48:16.31
It says here:
00:48:16.35\00:48:17.38
Is that the same expression we
found in Matthew 16? Absolutely!
00:48:59.23\00:49:03.18
But here it is a power not
given to a certain individual,
00:49:03.22\00:49:06.77
but which is given to
whom? which is given to
00:49:06.81\00:49:09.61
the church at large.
00:49:09.64\00:49:11.89
Now you say, But, Pastor
Bohr, it speaks there about
00:49:11.93\00:49:15.23
binding and loosing.
00:49:15.27\00:49:17.14
What does that mean
that the keys bind and loose?
00:49:17.17\00:49:21.46
Well, we need to
first of all understand the
00:49:21.50\00:49:24.52
tense of the verb.
00:49:24.56\00:49:25.59
You know, when you read
the text as it's written,
00:49:25.62\00:49:29.22
it gives you the impression
that whatever you bind on earth,
00:49:29.25\00:49:32.21
God is going to
immediately bind it in heaven.
00:49:32.25\00:49:34.33
And whatever you loose on earth,
God is going to immediately
00:49:34.36\00:49:37.64
loose it in heaven.
00:49:37.68\00:49:38.71
It doesn't reflect,
really, the tense of the verb.
00:49:38.74\00:49:41.90
The verb is what you
call a perfect tense,
00:49:41.93\00:49:46.10
which is a past action which has
repercussions in the present.
00:49:46.13\00:49:51.52
In other words, something
happened in the past that allows
00:49:51.56\00:49:56.92
you to bind and to loose.
00:49:56.95\00:49:58.78
Now the question is, what
happened in the past that allows
00:49:58.82\00:50:03.79
you to bind and to loose?
00:50:03.82\00:50:06.09
Actually, a perfect should
be read in the following way:
00:50:06.12\00:50:12.19
whatever you bind on earth,
will have been bound in heaven.
00:50:12.23\00:50:18.23
And whatever you loose on earth
will have been loosed in heaven.
00:50:18.27\00:50:24.73
Let me ask you, when we preach
the gospel of Jesus Christ,
00:50:24.77\00:50:29.42
can we tell people that
their sins are forgiven,
00:50:29.45\00:50:33.78
and salvation has come
to their house? Sure we can.
00:50:33.82\00:50:38.11
Do we bring salvation to them?
00:50:38.15\00:50:40.66
No, but we can declare to
them that if they've met the
00:50:40.69\00:50:45.14
conditions, they have
become citizens of the kingdom.
00:50:45.17\00:50:48.91
But let me ask you, What
was the basis for them becoming
00:50:48.94\00:50:52.64
citizens of the kingdom?
00:50:52.67\00:50:53.70
Did something happen in the
past that allowed them to become
00:50:53.73\00:50:57.41
citizens of the kingdom?
00:50:57.44\00:50:58.75
Of course. What was it?
00:50:58.78\00:51:00.02
It was the death of Jesus,
and the resurrection of Jesus.
00:51:00.05\00:51:04.08
See, what we bind has
already been bound by Jesus.
00:51:04.11\00:51:10.47
Because He did it in the past.
00:51:10.51\00:51:11.54
It's simply a person accepting
the terms and conditions
00:51:11.57\00:51:14.85
of what Jesus did.
00:51:14.89\00:51:15.94
And the same is
true with losing.
00:51:15.98\00:51:18.33
In other words, this text
is saying that whatever we bind
00:51:18.37\00:51:21.64
on earth, or whatever we loose
on earth, has already been done
00:51:21.68\00:51:27.28
in heaven by virtue of
what Jesus has done to save
00:51:27.32\00:51:31.31
people in the past.
00:51:31.34\00:51:32.42
When we preach,
who do we preach?
00:51:32.46\00:51:35.40
We preach
salvation through Jesus.
00:51:35.44\00:51:38.34
Where did Jesus save us?
00:51:38.38\00:51:40.19
He saved us on the cross.
00:51:40.22\00:51:41.96
So presently we're preaching,
if people accept the conditions
00:51:41.99\00:51:46.53
of our preaching, can we tell
them, Your sins are forgiven
00:51:46.57\00:51:51.08
on the basis of your
acceptance of Jesus? Yes.
00:51:51.11\00:51:53.72
If they reject the
message, can we tell them,
00:51:53.75\00:51:56.33
Your sins are
bound? We certainly can.
00:51:56.36\00:51:59.21
By the way, do you know
that the preaching of the gospel
00:51:59.24\00:52:02.78
can either open or shut heaven?
00:52:02.82\00:52:06.68
You say, Well, how's that?
00:52:06.72\00:52:07.91
Let me ask you, When
Moses preached to Pharaoh,
00:52:07.94\00:52:10.83
did Pharaoh shut
his heart to to heaven?
00:52:10.86\00:52:14.08
He most certainly did.
00:52:14.11\00:52:15.83
The gospel can soften or harden.
00:52:15.86\00:52:19.57
You have feelings, and Agrippa.
00:52:19.61\00:52:23.25
Almost persuadest
thou me to be a Christian.
00:52:23.29\00:52:26.36
And Paul had preach a
fantastic sermon before.
00:52:26.39\00:52:29.43
What was Paul trying to do?
00:52:29.46\00:52:31.81
He was trying to what?
00:52:31.85\00:52:32.88
He was trying to
unlock the kingdom.
00:52:32.91\00:52:34.35
But what did these men do?
00:52:34.39\00:52:38.23
Another one says, I'll call you.
00:52:38.26\00:52:40.69
Go and I'll call you
at a convenient time.
00:52:40.72\00:52:42.80
The convenient time never came.
00:52:42.84\00:52:44.46
What was happening?
00:52:44.49\00:52:46.89
The gospel was preached,
but the kingdom wasn't opened,
00:52:46.92\00:52:49.94
because they did not
accept Jesus as their Savior.
00:52:49.97\00:52:52.26
So are you understanding
the tense of the verb
00:52:52.30\00:52:54.55
that is being used here?
00:52:54.59\00:52:55.68
Now, the Roman Catholic
Church uses the idea that Jesus
00:52:55.71\00:53:01.03
re-affirmed Peter three times
after the resurrection to say,
00:53:01.06\00:53:05.70
See, Peter was
special in the sight of Jesus,
00:53:05.74\00:53:08.76
because He said, Feed
My Sheep, feed My lambs.
00:53:08.80\00:53:11.78
He didn't say
that to anybody else.
00:53:11.82\00:53:13.02
He said that to Peter.
00:53:13.05\00:53:14.37
Well, the fact is folks that the
reason why Jesus said to Peter
00:53:14.40\00:53:18.93
three times, Do
you love Me, Peter?
00:53:18.96\00:53:22.20
Do you love Me, Peter?
00:53:22.23\00:53:26.68
Feed My lambs, feed
My lambs, feed My sheep.
00:53:26.72\00:53:31.23
The reason why it
happened three times, the Bible
00:53:31.26\00:53:33.38
makes very, very clear.
00:53:33.42\00:53:34.45
By the way, this is
found in John 21:15-17.
00:53:34.48\00:53:39.54
How many times
did Peter deny Jesus?
00:53:39.58\00:53:43.63
Go with me to
John 13:38, John 13:38.
00:53:43.67\00:53:47.69
Jesus says to Peter.
00:53:53.56\00:53:54.59
So Peter denies
Jesus three times,
00:54:02.96\00:54:05.35
and Jesus
reinstates him three times.
00:54:05.39\00:54:07.71
Very clear connection
between his denial of Jesus,
00:54:07.75\00:54:11.38
and his reinstatement by Jesus.
00:54:11.42\00:54:14.36
And, by the way, that idea that
Jesus only said to Peter that he
00:54:14.40\00:54:19.13
was supposed to
shepherd the flock is simply
00:54:19.16\00:54:21.39
not true in Scripture.
00:54:21.42\00:54:22.81
Notice 1 Peter
5:1-4, 1 Peter 5:1-4.
00:54:22.85\00:54:30.02
Peter was not the only shepherd.
00:54:30.05\00:54:31.92
Actually all of the elders of
the church are called shepherds.
00:54:31.95\00:54:35.25
Notice:
00:54:35.29\00:54:36.32
Notice that Peter doesn't
say, I am the Pope. He says:
00:54:45.81\00:54:49.90
Then he says to the elders:
00:54:57.69\00:54:59.61
Is he saying, Feed my sheep?
00:55:01.62\00:55:03.04
Take care of my sheep,
Peter, to the elders? Yes.
00:55:03.07\00:55:05.65
By the way, the word overseers,
is episkopos, where we get
00:55:11.34\00:55:15.76
the word Episcopal from today.
00:55:15.80\00:55:17.40
In other words, don't be lords.
00:55:27.65\00:55:29.12
Don't rule over them.
00:55:29.15\00:55:30.94
Who is the Chief Shepherd?
00:55:36.52\00:55:38.91
Peter, right? No, it's Jesus.
00:55:38.94\00:55:41.29
Now allow me to make a few
closing remarks about Peter.
00:55:49.80\00:55:53.39
Peter was
undoubtedly a great apostle.
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He played a very important role
at the founding of the Christian
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church and the
growth of the early church.
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But allow me to share with
you several things about Peter.
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First of all, on the way
to Jerusalem, the last trip to
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Jerusalem after Jesus had
said to Peter, You are Peter,
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but I am the Rock.
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The disciples are struggling
and arguing about who's
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going to be the greatest.
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Listen, if Jesus had said that
Peter was the rock, case closed.
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What would they
have been fighting about?
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Furthermore, Peter failed.
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The gates of Hades did prevail
against him in the garden,
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and in Pilot's court.
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Furthermore, Peter, if he was
the first Pope, he was married,
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because he had a mother-in-law.
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You can find
that in Matthew 8:14.
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The Catholic church says that
Peter was the first person that
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saw Jesus after the
resurrection. Not so.
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It was Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary's.
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They say that
Peter's always mentioned
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first in all the lists.
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Not right. John 1:44 Andrew is
mentioned first, and then Peter.
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Galatians 2:7 you
have Paul then Peter.
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1 Corinthians 1:12 you have
Paul, Apollos, and then Cephas.
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1 Corinthians
9:5 Cephas is last.
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In the first general
church council James presided
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in the council.
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In other words, this
passage is speaking about Jesus,
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the great Jesus. And the
church will not fall because
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it is built on Him.
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