Digging for Spiritual Gems – Matthew 16-17: Week January 19-25

Mt 16:18—Who was the rock on which Jesus built the Christian congregation?

(“You are Peter, and on this rock,” “congregation” study notes on Mt 16:18, nwtsty)
You are Peter, and on this rock: The Greek word peʹtros in the masculine gender means “a piece of rock; a stone.” Here it is used as a proper name (Peter), the Greek form of the name Jesus gave Simon. (Joh 1:42) The feminine form peʹtra is rendered “rock,” and it may denote bedrock, a cliff, or a mass of rock. This Greek word also occurs at Mt 7:24, 25; 27:60; Lu 6:48; 8:6; Ro 9:33; 1Co 10:4; 1Pe 2:8. Peter evidently did not view himself as the rock on which Jesus would build his congregation, since he wrote at 1Pe 2:4-8 that Jesus was the long-foretold “foundation cornerstone,” chosen by God himself. Similarly, the apostle Paul referred to Jesus as the “foundation” and “the spiritual rock.” (1Co 3:11; 10:4) So Jesus was evidently using a play on words, saying in effect: ‘You, the one I called Peter, a Piece of Rock, have discerned the true identity of the Christ, “this rock,” the one who will serve as the foundation of the Christian congregation.’
congregation: This is the first occurrence of the Greek term ek·kle·siʹa. It comes from two Greek words, ek, meaning “out,” and ka·leʹo, meaning “to call.” It refers to a group of people summoned or called together for a particular purpose or activity. (See Glossary.) In this context, Jesus foretells the formation of the Christian congregation, made up of anointed Christians, who as “living stones” are being “built up into a spiritual house.” (1Pe 2:4, 5) This Greek term is frequently used in the Septuagint as an equivalent of the Hebrew term rendered “congregation,” which often refers to the entire nation of God’s people. (De 23:3; 31:30) At Ac 7:38, the Israelites who were called out of Egypt are referred to as a “congregation.” Similarly, Christians who are “called . . . out of darkness” and “chosen . . . out of the world” make up “the congregation of God.”—1Pe 2:9; Joh 15:19; 1Co 1:2.

Mt 16:19—What were “the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens” that Jesus gave to Peter? (“keys of the Kingdom of the heavens” study note on Mt 16:19, nwtsty)

keys of the Kingdom of the heavens: In the Bible, those who were given certain keys, whether literal or figurative, were entrusted with a degree of authority. (1Ch 9:26, 27; Isa 22:20-22) So the term “key” came to symbolize authority and responsibility. Peter used these “keys” entrusted to him to open up for Jews (Ac 2:22-41), Samaritans (Ac 8:14-17), and Gentiles (Ac 10:34-38) the opportunity to receive God’s spirit with a view to their entering the heavenly Kingdom.
What has this week’s Bible reading taught you about Jehovah?

*** w18 April p. 16 par. 7 Imitating Jehovah—A God Who Gives Encouragement ***
7 Jesus’ apostles often quarreled over who was the greatest among them, but Jesus patiently encouraged them to humble themselves and to become servants, not bosses. (Luke 22:24-26) Peter in particular disappointed Jesus several times. (Matt. 16:21-23; 26:31-35, 75) Rather than reject Peter, Jesus encouraged him and even commissioned him to strengthen his brothers.—John 21:16.

*** w17 August p. 3 pars. 1-2 Are You Willing to Wait Patiently? ***
“HOW long?” That was the question raised by the faithful prophets Isaiah and Habakkuk. (Isa. 6:11; Hab. 1:2) When composing Psalm 13, King David four times likewise asked: “How long?” (Ps. 13:1, 2) Even our Lord Jesus Christ asked this question when confronted with the faithless attitude of those around him. (Matt. 17:17) So we should not be surprised if we find ourselves at times asking the very same question.
2 What can cause us to ask: “How long”? Perhaps we have had to deal with some form of injustice. Or maybe we are enduring old age and sickness or the pressures of living in these “critical times” that are so “hard to deal with.” (2 Tim. 3:1) Or maybe the wrong attitudes of those around us are wearing us out. Whatever the cause, how encouraging it is to know that Jehovah’s faithful servants in the past felt free to express the same question that may loom in our minds, and they were not condemned for asking it!

*** w17 December p. 27 pars. 18-19 Young Ones—“Keep Working Out Your Own Salvation” ***
18 As we have seen, working out your own salvation is a serious responsibility. Some of the things involved are reading God’s Word and meditating on it, praying to Jehovah, and thinking of ways that Jehovah has blessed you as an individual. Applying yourself in those aspects will boost your confidence in your privilege of having a friendship with Jehovah. That, in turn, will move you to speak up about your beliefs.—Read Psalm 73:28.
19 Jesus said: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and keep following me.” (Matt. 16:24) Clearly, discipleship—including dedication and baptism—is an obligation for you as a Christian. Yet, it opens the door to countless blessings now and to everlasting life in God’s new world. You have every reason, then, to keep working out your own salvation!

*** w16 March p. 7 pars. 15-17 Young Ones—Are You Ready to Get Baptized? ***
15 Simply stated, when you dedicate your life to Jehovah, you give up ownership of yourself. You promise Jehovah that you will put the doing of his will ahead of everything else in your life. (Read Matthew 16:24.) Any promise should be taken seriously, but how much more so a promise made to Jehovah God! (Matt. 5:33) How, though, can you demonstrate that you have really disowned yourself and that you now belong to Jehovah?—Rom. 14:8.
16 To illustrate, imagine that a friend gives you a car as a gift. He hands you the title and says: “The car is yours.” But suppose your friend adds: “I will keep the keys. And I will be the one who drives the car, not you.” How would you feel about this “gift”? How would you feel about the giver?
17 Now think about what Jehovah rightfully expects of a person who makes a dedication to him, a person who tells him: “I am giving you my life. I belong to you.” What if that person were to start living a double life, perhaps secretly dating an unbeliever? What if he were to accept employment that crippled his whole-souled service in the ministry or attendance at Christian meetings? Would that not be like keeping the keys to the car? A person who dedicates himself to Jehovah is, in effect, saying: “My life belongs to you more than to me. If there is ever a conflict between what you want and what I am inclined to want, what you want will win—every time.” That would reflect the thinking of Jesus, who while on earth stated: “I have come down from heaven to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”—John 6:38.

*** w16 July p. 11 par. 16 Seek the Kingdom, Not Things ***
16 Do not miss the point of what Jesus is saying: “If this is how God clothes the vegetation of the field . . . , will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith?” Most assuredly he will! Jesus’ disciples, though, were somewhat lacking in faith. (Matt. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20) They needed stronger faith and trust in Jehovah. What about us? How strong is our faith in Jehovah’s desire and ability to provide for us?

*** w16 November p. 6 par. 8 “Keep On Encouraging One Another Each Day” ***
8 God did not feel that because he and his dear Son had worked together for ages, there was no need to commend and encourage Jesus when he was on earth. Instead, on two occasions Jesus heard his Father speak from heaven and say: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.” (Matt. 3:17; 17:5) God thus commended Jesus and assured him that he was doing well. Jesus must have felt encouraged on the two occasions when he heard these words—at the beginning of his ministry and during the final year of his earthly life. Jehovah also sent an angel to strengthen Jesus when he was in anguish on the night before his death. (Luke 22:43) If we are parents, let us follow Jehovah’s example by regularly encouraging our children and giving them commendation when they do well. We should also give them extra support if they are facing tests of integrity day after day in school.

What other spiritual gems have you discovered in this week’s Bible reading?

*** w18 February pp. 25-26 par. 12 Move Forward as a Spiritual Person! ***
12 As we work at cultivating spirituality, holy spirit will give us the power to transform our mind. With the spirit’s help, we can gradually begin to think more and more as Christ did. (Rom. 15:5) Additionally, it will help us root out fleshly desires and cultivate qualities pleasing to God. (Gal. 5:16, 22, 23) If we find that our mind pushes us toward materialistic thinking or fleshly desires, we should not give up. Keep asking for the spirit, and Jehovah will help you to redirect your mental attitude to focus on proper things. (Luke 11:13) Remember the apostle Peter. Several times in his life, he did not respond as a spiritual man should. (Matt. 16:22, 23; Luke 22:34, 54-62; Gal. 2:11-14) But he did not give up. Gradually, with Jehovah’s help, Peter developed Christlike thinking. We can do the same.

*** w18 March p. 7 par. 17 Baptism—A Requirement for Christians ***
17 The day of one’s baptism is a time for genuine rejoicing. It is also a time for sober reflection. Living up to one’s dedication involves hard work. That is why Jesus compared Christian discipleship to a yoke. Jesus’ disciples must “live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised up.”—2 Cor. 5:15; Matt. 16:24.

*** w17 April p. 5 par. 10 “What You Vow, Pay” ***
10 The most important vow that a Christian can make is the one with which he dedicates his life to Jehovah. Why so? Because, in private prayer, he solemnly promises Jehovah that he will use his life to serve God forever, no matter what. To use Jesus’ words, a person thus ‘disowns himself,’ gives up all rights to himself, and vows to put God’s will above everything else in his life. (Matt. 16:24) From that day forward, ‘he belongs to Jehovah.’ (Rom. 14:8) Anyone who makes a dedication vow should take it very seriously, just as did the psalmist who spoke of the vows he had made to God: “With what will I repay Jehovah for all the good he has done for me? I will pay my vows to Jehovah in the presence of all his people.”—Ps. 116:12, 14.

*** w16 June p. 32 Do You Remember? ***
Why should the pope not be considered Peter’s successor?
Matthew 16:17, 18 does not say that the apostle Peter would be head of the Christian congregation. The Bible shows that rather than Peter having primacy, Jesus was to be the cornerstone of the congregation. (1 Pet. 2:4-8)—w15 12/1, pp. 12-14.

*** w16 September p. 29 par. 3 Parents, Help Your Children Build Faith ***
3 Jesus was not afraid to ask his followers what they believed. (Matt. 16:13-15) Imitate his example. It is best, in a relaxed setting, to invite your children to express their feelings. That includes talking about any uncertainties, or doubts, they may have. A 15-year-old brother in Australia wrote: “Dad often talks with me about my faith and helps me to reason. He asks: ‘What does the Bible say?’ ‘Do you believe what it says?’ ‘Why do you believe it?’ He wants me to answer in my own words and not simply repeat his or Mum’s words. As I got older, I had to expand on my answers.”

*** w15 5/15 p. 13 pars. 16-17 Be Watchful—Satan Wants to Devour You! ***
16 Satan can fool even zealous servants of Jehovah. For example, consider what happened when Jesus told his disciples that he was about to be killed. No doubt with good motive, the apostle Peter took him aside and said: “Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this happen to you at all.” Jesus’ reply to Peter was firm: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matt. 16:22, 23) Why did Jesus call Peter “Satan”? Because Jesus understood what was about to happen. The hour approached when he would die as a ransom sacrifice and prove the Devil a liar. At that critical juncture in human history, it was not a time for Jesus to “be kind” to himself. Relaxing his guard would have been precisely what Satan wanted him to do.
17 As we near the end of this system of things, we too are living in critical times. Satan wants us to relax our guard, to “be kind” to ourselves by carving out a niche in this world, thus losing our sense of urgency. Do not let that happen to you! Instead, “keep on the watch.” (Matt. 24:42) Never believe Satan’s deceptive propaganda that the end is far off—or that it is not coming at all.

*** w15 11/15 p. 11 par. 12 Train Your Teenager to Serve Jehovah ***
12 Jesus showed insight and understood where his disciples needed help. For instance, the apostle Peter meant well when he urged Jesus to be kind to himself in order not to be killed. Jesus, however, knew that Peter’s comment reflected faulty thinking. To help him and the other disciples, Jesus gave frank counsel, stated the consequences of a self-sparing attitude, and outlined the blessings of a self-sacrificing spirit. (Matt. 16:21-27) Peter learned the lesson.—1 Pet. 2:20, 21.