Participants: Glenn Russell & Ranko Stefanovic (Host)
Series Code: MTBOTB
Program Code: MTBOTB00012A
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00:21 Hi, welcome to the Books of the Book series here on 3ABN.
00:24 We're exploring the gospel of Mathew. 00:26 It's been a delightful experience 00:28 so far getting into scripture seeking God's 00:31 word, understanding Him. 00:33 I want to thank our teacher 00:34 Ranko Stefanovic, for being with us. 00:36 Ranko, it's being great to have you with us. 00:38 You're professor of New Testament 00:39 at Andrew's University for Theological Seminary. 00:42 It's wonderful to study scripture together, isn't it? 00:44 Yes, Glenn and it's a great joy 00:48 to be with you here to participate in this program. 00:51 You teach at Andrews University 00:52 there in the department of Religion 00:55 and I know that you've a great passion for ministry. 00:59 It's just a joy. Let's get right into God's word. 01:02 First we wanna seek the Lord. 01:03 We need His guidance. 01:05 So let's pray together. 01:06 Father, before we open Your word, 01:08 before we open our mouths and talk about it. 01:11 We wanna be sure that we're in harmony 01:13 with You, so we come to You now. 01:15 Take anything that might pull us away from You 01:19 and God we just wanna surrender our lives. 01:21 We commit ourselves to You as we study 01:24 Your word once again, in Jesus name, amen. 01:28 Well, Ranko, we've been looking at the movement 01:31 of the story of Jesus in the gospel according to Mathew. 01:34 And we've brought our guests 01:38 and our visitors and our listeners, 01:40 our viewers all up to Chapter 16. 01:44 What's the story been so far? 01:45 Tell us about the Jesus 01:46 that we've met in Mathew up to Chapter 16. 01:49 Yes, the very beginning we saw the Jesus 01:53 began His ministry by preaching 01:56 and teaching people in synagogues. 02:00 But evidently His teaching 02:02 did not side well with the Pharisees. 02:05 And in some later period of Jesus' ministry, 02:10 we have a strong opposition 02:12 of the Pharisees with His teaching. 02:14 So we saw that Jesus moves to the hill area in the open, 02:19 open field there teaching people. 02:21 But the Pharisees are there watching Him constantly. 02:24 Then we know that John the Baptists was beheaded. 02:29 Evidently, it was very, very hard on Jesus, 02:31 and Jesus saw the death of John the Baptist, 02:35 His own death that He anticipated to come. 02:38 And then we saw that feeding 5,000 people 02:42 and the attempt of Satan, okay to track side Jesus 02:48 from His determination to go, to die on the cross, 02:52 to die on behalf of human beings. 02:54 So, from that time on we see the opposition is increasing. 02:58 Threat is everywhere. 03:00 Spies are everywhere and we see Jesus 03:05 coming into open confrontation with the Pharisees. 03:08 Actually that opposition was initiated by the Pharisees. 03:11 Okay and it is with that thought 03:14 we are now coming to Chapter 16. 03:18 As we begin Chapter 16, Ranko. 03:20 The first verse tells us the Pharisees and Sadducees came. 03:23 It'd probably be good for us to pause 03:25 and make sure we kind of recognize these two groups. 03:27 tell us, Pharisees, Sadducees, 03:30 are they are quite different. 03:31 Tell us about them. 03:32 Actually at the time of Jesus in 1st Century. 03:36 They're two religious parties if we can call them. 03:40 Some people call them sects there in Palestine 03:44 of which Pharisees and Sadducees were probably 03:48 the most prominent ones. 03:52 Pharisees was the group 03:57 that had the strong determination 04:02 to study the will of God, the Torah, okay. 04:06 And in the same way to instruct 04:08 the people into the will of God. 04:11 So they started they dedicated themselves to study 04:14 the Torah and they went all around 04:17 and most of them were laymen. 04:18 They went all around to instruct 04:20 the people and they did not want 04:23 the Babylonian exile to be repeated. 04:25 Now, there was another threat its Rome 04:27 there and they thought that they're faithful God 04:30 and entire Israel comeback to God and to the Torah. 04:33 That God will somehow visit His people and deliver them. 04:38 They really were faithful to this scripture 04:42 most of them where good people. 04:45 However there is special group of Pharisees 04:48 that were there in Jerusalem, they were wealthy ones 04:51 and they were not the ones 04:54 who are positive characters in the four gospels. 04:59 Sadducees was a priestly class. 05:03 Not all priests were Sadducees, okay. 05:06 Okay. But all Sadducees were priests. 05:09 They were wealthy ones. 05:11 By the way when we read the gospel says, 05:14 they really are stealing money from people. 05:16 They use advantage of the temple 05:19 they develop entire business there around the temple. 05:22 They were very liberal in the teachings. 05:25 All their goal was to protect their wealth 05:28 and to take as much money from people as possible. 05:32 The two parties they did not like each other. 05:36 But there is something very interesting is. 05:39 In their effort to destroy Jesus, 05:41 see these two groups are mentioned here together. 05:45 Now the Sadducees, they compromise more with Romans 05:50 in order to keep their system going, 05:52 their scheme that they had of the temple. 05:54 But they were centered more in Jerusalem. 05:56 That's why they don't have as much of a conflict 05:58 with Jesus early in His ministry. 06:00 But Jesus was now became a threat to them, 06:03 because they're afraid if something 06:05 happens because of Jesus teachings and the Romans 06:08 come to punish the-- people etc., who'll suffer? 06:11 They'll suffer because all their wealth will be gone. 06:13 So He's threatening. 06:14 He's threatening to them. 06:16 Jesus' teaching present a threat. 06:17 The same was with the Pharisees. 06:19 They were rich Pharisees, they're from Jerusalem. 06:22 So these two opposing groups unite to come after Jesus. 06:25 Unite together. They didn't like but the common 06:28 course actually united them together. 06:31 All right where should we go in Chapter 16? 06:34 Yeah, we go Chapter 16 06:35 and you'll see that we don't want now 06:37 to go detail by detail, but they are there Jesus 06:42 and asking question after the question, 06:44 group after group trying to confuse Jesus. 06:47 You know, somehow that they have a material later 06:50 to accuse him, how He was deceiving people. 06:53 How He was against the Mosaic Law etc. 06:57 But praise God Jesus was always able to respond to them. 07:01 So they were not able really to hard upon Jesus there. 07:05 It's interesting that He tells His disciples. 07:08 Verse 6 of Chapter 16, 07:10 "Take heed and beware of the leaven 07:12 of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 07:15 So He's giving a warning to His disciples. 07:17 These religious leaders especially Pharisees, 07:19 they were well looked up to. 07:22 So, Glenn, do you remember that when Jesus 07:25 gave that warning about blasphemy 07:30 against the Holy Spirit and part to bless in. 07:31 It was in the context 07:33 of the confrontation with the Pharisees. 07:36 So from that time on really the Pharisees are sinking, 07:39 sinking there in their unbelief. 07:41 And now with the text that you just read Jesus 07:45 makes the public statement of other Pharisees. 07:47 Jesus reveals the intentions. 07:50 He is not sparing them any longer. 07:53 So you see the confrontation is everywhere. 07:56 Threat to Jesus is everywhere. 07:59 John the Baptist is there. 08:01 By the way if we go back Ezekiel Chapter 14, Glenn. 08:05 What do you read there in verses 1 and 2, Chapter 14? 08:11 "At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports 08:13 about Jesus and he said to his servants, 08:16 "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! 08:18 Therefore these powers are at work" 08:21 Okay, so, what we have even Herod 08:23 is becoming interest in Jesus. 08:25 This is Herod who killed John the Baptist. 08:30 Evidently now he is seeking Jesus 08:32 because keeping in mind his territory thousand, 08:35 thousand people are following Jesus. 08:37 So Jesus is threat to him. 08:39 And evidently Jesus became concerned about His ministry. 08:45 He knew that Satan is messing up. 08:48 So Jesus now decides to do something. 08:51 And this is actually the beginning 08:53 of our new section that we have. 08:55 I will really like to ask you Glenn, 08:56 if you can read verses 13 to 20 of Chapter 16. 08:59 And here we find one of the greatest questions 09:02 that can ever be asked. 09:03 Great questions, it's a very significant important text. 09:05 The Christians have debated about this text. 09:08 Many views were developed on base of this text. 09:11 We would like to take some time. 09:13 "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, 09:16 He asked His disciples, saying, 09:18 Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? 09:23 So they said." Well, "Some say John the Baptist, 09:26 some say, Elijah, and others Jeremiah 09:28 or one of the prophets. 09:30 He said to them, But who do you say that I am? 09:34 Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, 09:37 the Son of the living God. 09:39 Jesus answered and said to him, 09:40 Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, 09:43 for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, 09:46 but My Father who is in heaven. 09:48 I also say to you that you are Peter, 09:50 and on this rock I will build My church, 09:52 and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 09:56 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, 09:58 whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, 10:01 whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 10:04 Then He commanded His disciples 10:06 that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Messiah." 10:09 Okay, in the light of the background 10:12 that we just described. 10:14 Jesus decides to go, 10:15 He says to the district of Caesarea Philippi. 10:20 Philippi. Okay, let us explain a little bit 10:21 about this territory, this is very important. 10:24 You know, Herod the great the one who tried 10:26 to kill Jesus when He was born. 10:29 After his death because of his bad reputation 10:33 that Herod had the Romans 10:35 did not want to appoint one of his sons 10:38 to be the ruler of entire Palestine as Herod was. 10:42 They actually divide Palestine into three major 10:45 parts in among his three sons. 10:49 So we have Archelaus who was there in Judea. 10:54 He very soon was replaced by procreators. 10:59 Then there Galilee was actually--he's oldest, 11:04 second oldest son which was Herod Antipas. 11:07 This is the one that we just read in verse 14. 11:10 But there is the third you know, 11:12 who killed John the Baptist but the third son 11:14 which was Herod Phillip. 11:16 He was completely there on the territory of modern Syria. 11:19 He was in that territory. 11:22 He was completely different person 11:24 from the rest of Herod's. 11:25 He was very peaceful ruler. 11:28 So many times I mean several times 11:31 when Jesus experienced threat, 11:35 when Jesus needed some rest, to rest in peace. 11:40 Jesus would go here to this territory to little bit relax. 11:44 Jesus needed some times you know for Himself. 11:48 And that's evidently reason 11:51 in view of the threat all around Jesus. 11:53 Jesus decided to go there to Caesarea Philippi 11:59 to be alone with His disciples 12:01 there to spend some restful time there. 12:04 And this question that He asked the disciples. 12:06 Who do you say that I am? 12:07 I know, I know for me personally 12:08 that was probably the greatest life question, 12:11 I've to think through. 12:13 As a young man I remember pondering who is Jesus? 12:18 Is He God? Is He who he says He is? 12:21 Do I believe His word? 12:23 This is the essential question. 12:25 Is there enough evidence to accept Him as my Savior? 12:27 And the disciples had to go on record. 12:29 And of course, Peter speaks up. 12:31 Yeah, you say, who the people would say that I am. 12:36 We saw Herod said, he's the John the Baptist. 12:38 Other people you know, they said some of the prophets. 12:42 But then Jesus says to His disciples 12:43 this is what the people say about me. 12:46 But what do you really? 12:48 Keep in mind, we are now approaching 12:50 to those final days of Jesus' ministry. 12:54 We will see that verse 21. 12:57 It's actually the point from which Jesus 13:00 is now going to Jerusalem to die. 13:01 Just we are talking about the last few weeks 13:03 of Jesus' ministry. Keep in mind. 13:06 Jesus is about to die. 13:09 After His death there is ascension to heaven. 13:12 Jesus will leave His disciples. 13:14 The disciples are supposed to continue His ministry, 13:18 so that Jesus want to be clear 13:21 with them that they know who He is. 13:24 So He's asking them. 13:26 So what do you say, that I am? 13:28 No, it's not enough just to say, 13:31 Jesus was a good man. 13:32 He was a great teacher as Jesus 13:35 was something more than a good man, 13:38 something more than what a teacher is. 13:41 And the question that Jesus asked His disciples, 13:43 He's asking to each one of us today. 13:45 Exactly and the answer you were the Christ, Messiah. 13:49 What do you say that I am? 13:50 Doesn't matter what other people say. 13:52 Is it your conviction? What do you say that I am? 13:54 And this word, Christ meaning messiah, 13:56 the son of a living God. 13:58 So Peter gives a good answer. 13:59 Yes. It's a great answer. 14:01 I want to hear what Jesus has to say about Peter's answer. 14:04 We're gonna be right back after a break to explore 14:06 one of the most important passages 14:08 in this section of Mathew. 14:10 We'll be right back after the break. |
Revised 2014-12-17