Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
This is such a strange verse and counterintuitive to everything we believe as Christians. We know it to be our mission to go into all the world and preach the gospel. But Jesus charged His disciples to tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ.
Let’s trace our steps to this verse.
Matthew 16:1-4
The Pharisees and Sadducees tempted Him, asking for a sign.
It isn’t that Jesus was incapable or unwilling. It is that He had given signs. They just refused to accept them.
Matthew 16:5-12
The discussion about His feeding the multitudes.
It’s no coincidence this passage follows the previous. Even Jesus’ disciples had trouble grasping the miracles of Christ and what they meant. I read where the famous Atheist Richard Dawkins said he could not conceive of a miracle that could convince him God exists. It’s a fruitless venture. If they won’t believe what is obvious, they won’t believe anything we could point out to them.
Matthew 16: 13-17
Jesus told Peter it was not signs, miracles, or verifiable evidence that had revealed the truth of Christ to him. It was God Himself.
Matthew 16:18-19
The foundational truths of the church are laid. Those who know Christ enter into the local church and, through it, work out the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20.
Our work then is not to try to prove Jesus is the Christ. Our work is merely to serve God in the local church, preach the gospel to every creature, faithfully instruct the saved in the commandments of Christ, and trust God to reveal Himself to souls as we do this ministry.
#HiddenChrist #DivineRevelation #ChurchFoundation #GospelMission #TrustGod'sRevelation
Foundational Faith: Serving God, Preaching the Gospel, and Trusting His Revelation
To my readers:
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