We read of a very similar scene to open this chapter. In verses one through four, the Pharisees and Sadducees come to Jesus demanding a miraculous sign to prove His authority to them just as they had done in chapter 12. Jesus responded questioning them on how them they knew the signs to predict the weather, but they didn’t know the signs of the times. And just as He said in chapter 12, He mentioned the only sign they would receive was the sign of the prophet Jonah. If we are being honest, we have had or still have a degree of the Pharisees and Sadducees within us. Despite Jesus proving to us time and time again, we continue to ask for a sign. Despite seeing Him work in so many ways, we continue to need reassurance and clarity. But just as Jesus did not grant their request, there comes a time when He does not grant our request. We have to stand on His words. We have to trust Him at His words. We have to have faith that He will perform His words.
After that interaction with the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus and the disciples crossed over to the other side of the lake. It is there where the disciples realized that they did not bring any loaves of bread. Jesus rebuked them telling them to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples disregarded what He said and argued amongst themselves regarding the forgotten loaves. Jesus called their lack of faith out and referenced the miracles that He had performed with the loaves and fish. He then reiterated for them to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. It wasn’t until verse 12 that the disciples realized that Jesus was not speaking of yeast in bread but of the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. How could the disciples who had witnessed Jesus perform miracles with such little be worried about having nothing? How could they not just have faith in His power and authority? How could they allow the deceptive teachings and traditions of the Pharisees and Sadducees to override the manifestations of Jesus’ power? Friend, when I said “they”, I am referring to “us” as well.
Verses 13 through 20 contain a few of my favorite scriptures. Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”. The disciples respond. Then He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”. Peter had the revelation and insight, and we see it via his response in verse 16. Jesus called him blessed beaucse He knew Peter’s revelation didn’t come from a human viewpoint. He professed that His church would be built on the rock, and hell would not conquer against it. He professed that the Keys of the Kingdom would be ours to bind and loose on earth and in heaven. Then He told the disciples not to reveal that He was the Messiah. How have people described Jesus to you? How would you describe Jesus to someone else? In reflection, I have heard people describe Jesus as such and such. But I didn’t know Him as a healer until I faced an illness needing to be healed. I didn’t know Him as the Lord over my life until I laid my will down and picked His will up. It’s something to hear about what God has done for someone else, but it is such an honor to experience Him for yourself.
In verse 21, we read that from that point forward, Jesus began to plainly tell the disciples that He would have to go to Jerusalem, suffer many terrible things, and be killed; but he would be raised from the dead. In verses 22 through 23, we see an exchange between Peter and Jesus as Peter was speaking against God’s will. Jesus rebuked him for doing so saying that Peter was looking at the prophecy from a human viewpoint instead of God’s viewpoint. But didn’t Peter just reveal that Jesus was the Messiah from God’s viewpoint? That lets us know that our emotions can charge us to the point of our eyesight being shifted from God’s viewpoint to a human’s viewpoint. I want to encourage you to keep charge over your eyesight, friend. As the devil desires to cause our eyesight to be obscured so that we cannot see things from God’s viewpoint.
This chapter is brought to a close with verses similar to those found in chapter 10. In verses 24 through 27, Jesus reiterated that we must give up our way, take up our cross, and follow Him. We must give up our lives for His sake so that we can be saved. He questions what the benefit is with gaining the world but losing our souls. He mentioned that He would come with His angels and judge all people according to their deeds. What type of deeds would you be judged for if Jesus came back today?
Real Talk with Keve 