Matthew 16 – When God Implies, We Must Understand His Will
(Lessons on Necessary Inference)
Introduction
A. God communicates his will in three ways:
1. By explicit declaration or direct commandment.
2. By example, to show us how He wants us to do something.
3. By implication or by using metaphors and statements that lead to certain conclusions.
B. God presents the order and authority for the church in the same way.
1. We appreciate the silence of Scripture, regarding unauthorized practices for church worship.
2. The Lord's Supper, we take on the first day of the week by the example of the apostles in Acts 20:7 and the divine implication that this is the only day to take the Sacred Supper.
3. So we also accept the limits on music in worship because Ephesians 5:19 gives us authority to sing, but not to play instruments like David did in the Old Testament.
4. Thus we limit the offering to the first day of the week because 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 limits us.
5. Fleshly minded men do not want to see those divine implications, because they want to serve God according to their own desires. Therefore, they deny the strength of “Necessary Inference.” In this study, we will see the importance of drawing the conclusions that God implies.
C. All Scripture is inspired by God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Every word and precise form of words. (It is called verbal and plenary inspiration.)
1. Matthew 22:29-32. God intended to teach the reality of the eternal existence of the soul and the spirit, when he used the present verb "I am" in Exodus 3:6: "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Jesus said that God showed the world that these men were still living because He is still their God. He condemned the Sadducees for not knowing the Scriptures.
2. Jesus demands that his disciples understand and believe His teachings, both the explicit statements and the undeniable implications. He demands that we use our brain and think, that we meditate or ponder His Words.
I. Matthew 16:1-4 The Sign of Jonah
A. Jesus offered this teaching (or the prophecy) for the first time in Matthew 12:39-40.
1. He explained to them that, "Thus shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth."
2. The scribes and Pharisees together with the disciples had to conclude that the Messiah, Jesus Himself, "The Son of Man," was going to spend three days in the grave, Death, for "in the heart of the earth" can be nothing but death. They would also have to understand that he was going to rise the third day to end his stay “in the heart of the earth.” Otherwise, it would not be just three days, but forever.
B. Here in Matthew 16:1-4, Jesus repeated the metaphor of Jonah. He scolded the Jews, "Do you know how to discern the aspect of heaven, but you cannot discern the signs of the times?"
1. He called them "a wicked and adulterous generation." It is the desires of the flesh that hide the understanding of the truth that Jesus teaches. God leaves us ample evidence.
2. God will condemn us, if we ignore the implications of Scripture.
3. The sign of the resurrection of Jesus is sufficient to confirm our faith in Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God and the last Messenger and Savior of the sinful world.
4. Three times Jesus declared clearly that he was going to die and be raised the third day. Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19.
-- Romans 1:4 Says "And that he was declared the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead: Our Lord Jesus Christ."
II. Matthew 16:5-12 The Leaven of the Pharisees
A. Jesus used the figure of the yeast or “leaven” to describe the false doctrine of the Pharisees.
1. The disciples misunderstood because they were concerned about the fact that they had forgotten to bring bread when they left for the other side of the Galilee Sea.
2. Jesus had said, "Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Be attentive, be on your guard, he said. The Pharisees and scribes did not believe Jesus despite the many signs of his divine power. However, they had a lot of influence because they controlled the synagogues and the esteem that the public had for the Sacred Word that was taught there on the Sabbath days. They sowed doubt about Christ.
B. Jesus called them, "O you of little faith." Told them, "Do you still not understand and remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets did you collect?"
1. Again he repeated, "How do you not understand...?"
2. The sign of the loaves implied something, that Jesus is able to provide the sustenance for his disciples according to his pleasure. There was no need to worry so much about forgetting to take bread.
3. The concern about bread, closed their eyes to the warning that Jesus expressed about the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, and the bad influence that hindered the faith that Jesus taught.
4. In any case, Jesus still demands that men listen and understand the implications of His metaphors. We are obligated to infer the truths that God implies.
III. Matthew 16:13-20 the confession of Peter
A. Jesus asked, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
B. Then Jesus blessed Peter, “And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”
1. Although Jesus had never identified himself as the Christ, the Son of God, Peter understood that truth through the implications that God had left in his presence. The signs and powers shown and of course what God from Heaven announced when John the Baptist baptized Jesus.
2. Jesus then used several metaphors that we must interpret faithfully.
3. V. 18 "And on this rock I will build my church" The "Rock" refers to the truth that Peter confessed. The flesh and the desires of the flesh have blinded the eyes of men who seek a reason to assert authority over the church, illegitimate authority, such as that of the bishops, and "Popes." They claim to be descendants of Peter, and that Peter was the rock, the foundation of the church.
-- 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 The foundation of the Temple of God (the Church) is Christ, and specifically the teachings of Christ, which define the order, the worship, and the work of the Church.
-- Ephesians 2:19-22 So, since the Apostles are the spokesman of Christ, the family of God, the saints, “the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.” We must understand the symbolism of the temple and the family.
4. V. 19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
--The keys of the kingdom are symbols of the teachings that open the door of the church. Binding and loosing refers to the authority found in the inspired words of the Holy Spirit which Jesus would give to the apostles to begin the church, the Kingdom of Heaven.
--Carnal men who want to seize authority in the church, and govern according to the whims of men, misuse and misunderstand this figure, to give authority to the pastors, that is, the leaders in the church, that they may make laws and invent doctrines that are not in the Bible.
IV. Matthew 16:21-28 – The wickedness of not inferring according to the Will of God
A. After honoring Peter for talking about his role in building the church, he began to prepare the disciples for His death on the cross and His resurrection.
B. Because of his fleshly desires, both personal and national, Peter did not believe Jesus' prophecy of his death. He began to rebuke him, saying: “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
C. V23 “But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
1. Maybe this is the effect of the leaven of the scribes and the Pharisees.
2. Jesus called him, "Satan." The adversary of all men and even Jesus himself.
3. Peter was a stumbling block to Jesus, because the purpose of his coming to Earth was to sacrifice himself on the cross and thus become savior to sinners.
4. The reason for that error, however, was that Peter still did not think of the things of God, but of those of men. The Jews, because they were so carnal-minded, wanted the Messiah that would give them dominion over the Romans, rather than dominion over the sins and deceits of this world.
D. Peter failed because he was blind to the implications of Jesus' teachings, as to the self-denial that God demands of the saints.
1. Matthew 16:24-28 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
2. Personal sacrifice must come first. The glory of the Father on Judgment Day will judge every man according to his works, and give our reward afterwards.
Conclusion
A. When God implies truth or order, we must believe and obey.