Keys to the kingdom

Morsels of food are delicious because of the little things, the subtle seasonings, the dash of salt, the sprinkle of garlic, the garnish of parsley, the touch of glaze, or the hint of lemon.  Ahhhh - so delicious!

Jesus traveled to the countryside right outside of Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16.17-19).  There is no telling where he and his band of 12 were standing, but it must have been in view of the cliffs behind the beautiful springs that fed the town's water reservoir.  The contrast of the white and marble temples of Zeus and Pan to the brown bluffs above them was a scenic feast.

As Jesus watched the comings and goings of the townspeople and visitors walking the steps of temples to other gods, he posed a question to his band of 12.  "Who do people say that I am?" (we still have this rhetoric ploy to get others' reactions).  Jesus wanted to know.  There were no temples to him, only one temple in Jerusalem to his father.  So in this town where people visited temples to the Romans' important gods, he might have wanted to gauge how much more work he had left to do in order for his closest followers to believe with unwavering confidence that he was the son of the true God .  And it would be a good opportunity for his 12 to hear themselves compare others' assessments of him to that of their own.

Peter makes a statement that all believers make when they realize who Jesus is.  "You are the one God promised, the son of the living God."

             

The other apostles' reactions are not given in the story, so there is no way to know how much agreement or silence they exhibited to this declaration.  But Jesus' reaction is very clear.  "Flesh and blood hasn't revealed this realization to you, but my father in heaven."  The next words are punned, so Jesus' wit is apparent.  Ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν (You are a rock and on this rock I will establish my band of followers).   Peter's name πετρος is also the word for rock or stone.  Perhaps Simon is being named here by Jesus, or perhaps Simon is simply being called a rock.  After all, the twelve were standing on a rock bluff or looking at it.  The name stuck with Simon.  Even Paul in his later writings refers to Simon as the rock (Peter).  The second time rock is used, πετρα, rock is what Jesus was going to establish his band of followers on.  If Jesus was standing or looking at the bluffs overlooking the temples of Zeus and Pan, then he was going to build something like what they were looking at built into the side of the rock cliffs.  He said he would build something on a rock which would invite followers to come and admire.  The Twelve could see the temples of Zeus and Pan and the people flocking to see them.  So, you know they were wondering what would Jesus build?  But, Jesus was talking of establishing a realization, that he was the promised one, the son of the living God. That would be the rock base, the basis, for his εκκλησια (band of followers), not a building.

At the back of the temple of Zeus, naturally carved into the side of the mountain, was a cave leading down into the Earth.  The cave was known as the Gates of Hades.  There were several of these gates around the ancient Grecian world.  This was one.   After entering the temple, one would have seen the elaborate doors that had been built in front of this entrance.  When opened, they would allow someone to enter the underworld.  The underworld was usually considered the place for dead souls. (It was not the equivalent of modern hell.)  Pluto was its guardian.  He was aware of everyone who entered and once in, he would not allow anyone to leave.  Jesus addressed this aspect of the temples and the cliffs while the twelve were peering at it.  He said that the Gates of Hades would not stand against his establishing people's awareness of him as Son of God.  Easily the reference is to Jesus' eventual resurrection.  The gates of the underworld would not be able to keep him locked behind them in the place of the dead, even as powerful as Pluto was reported to have been.  

This trip to the cliffs and temples was a powerful image for the moment Jesus had hoped for.

The tasty morsel for me appears after Peter's words of realization.  Jesus told Peter he would give Peter the keys to the kingdom.  But, Jesus wanted to assure him that he would be with Peter every step of the way.  In verse 19, Jesus said, "ο εαν δησης επι τη γης εσται δεδεμενον εν τοις ουρανοις και ο εαν λυσης επι τη γης εσται λευμενον εν τοις ουρανοις."  The best way to describe the meaning of these words is with the title of a recent movie, As Above, So Below.  Jesus illustrated this idea in his model prayer, "Our father in heaven, we honor your name.  Let your kingdom come.  Let your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven."  So, Jesus's words of assurance came in two parts.  The first part, "Whatever you find that you need on Earth is what has already been needed in Heaven," referred to the rock base, the awareness that Jesus is the son of the living God.  And, the second part was another pun.  First, "Whatever you will overthrow on Earth is what has already been overthrown in Heaven," namely the temples acknowledging other Gods.  Second, "Whatever you will conquer on Earth is what has already been conquered in Heaven," namely the power of Pluto to hold Jesus (or anyone in his band of followers) in the world of the dead.  These words surely gave Peter confidence that he would not have to be bulldozing a new way.  What he would be asking of others had already been overcome or overthrown in Heaven.

Yes, absolutely, the trip to the cliffs and temples was a powerful image for the moment Jesus had hoped for with the Twelve... and with me too.