Why is the Church so important? Why do we have to bother with organized religion? Can’t we just be spiritual? Lots of people ask these questions, and this passage has a lot to say about all of them.

The main action of this passage is Peter’s statement of faith. After walking with Jesus for years, hearing His amazing teaching and seeing Him do countless miracles, Peter finally gets it – Jesus isn’t just a prophet, He’s the Christ, the Messiah, the long-awaited Son of David Who would reign on his throne. But more than that, Peter understands that, in some way, Jesus was also the Son of God (Matthew 16:16).

And after Jesus rose from the dead, Peter would spend the rest of his life trying to explain the truth about Jesus to anyone who would listen. And this good news continues to form the core of the teaching of the Church today. So, we can’t satisfy ourselves merely with spiritual feelings. We can’t just decide for ourselves whatever we want to believe about Jesus – there is an absolute truth here that Peter confesses and that Jesus recognizes.

In fact, it is on this rock, Peter’s confession of faith, that Jesus promised to build His Church. And since He is the One doing the building, the Church is guaranteed success in its efforts to spread this truth, this good news. Indeed, Jesus says that the Church will be able to storm the very gates of Hell itself, that no earthly or spiritual power will be able to withstand the power of the gospel. Paul agreed, pointing to the Church’s “divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete” (II Corinthians 10:4-6).

And that idea of maintaining obedience among ourselves leads us to the keys that Jesus gave to the church (Matthew 16:19). As we Christians show and share the truth about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Church has power to bind or loose, to prohibit or allow certain beliefs and actions, according to the will of God in Heaven as expressed in the Holy Scriptures given to us. Simply put, we need to hold each other accountable for our words and actions if we are to bear a true witness to Christ in a deceptive world.

So, why did Peter suddenly understand Who Jesus is? Why was he able to make this tremendous confession of faith? It certainly wasn’t because he was so smart – after all, in Matthew 16:23 his understanding of Jesus’ ministry is so skewed that Jesus even calls Peter “Satan.” So, how was Peter able to understand as much as he did? Jesus tells him in Matthew 16:17 – because God the Father had revealed the truth to him.

And that continues to be the way that Christ builds His Church – He draws men and women to Himself, helping us understand His Scriptures by the power of His Spirit, giving us new life and thus the ability to place our trust in Him. And He draws us together into His Body, the Church, so that He might send us forth to stick together on the right path, bearing common witness to His truth and love.

Matthew 16:13-20 (NASB)

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.
19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.