Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
v8 Jesus knew what they were saying. You do not believe me very much, he said to them. You should not say to each other that you have no bread. v9 You do not understand about me yet. Remember the 5 loaves that fed 5000 people. Remember how many baskets full of pieces that you collected. v10 Remember the 7 loaves that fed 4000 people. And remember how many baskets full of pieces that you collected then. v11 You must understand now that I was not talking about bread. But be careful about the *yeast of the *Pharisees and the *Sadducees. v12 Then the *disciples understood. Jesus was not telling them to be careful about the *yeast in the bread. He was warning them about what the *Pharisees and the *Sadducees taught. Verses 6-7 *Yeast is something that grows. People put *yeast into flour and water to make bread. It makes the mixture grow bigger. Only a very small amount of *yeast is necessary. The *disciples immediately thought about bread when Jesus mentioned *yeast. So they were very worried that they had not brought any bread with them. Verses 8-10 Jesus reminded them that he had fed 5000 men one day and 4000 men another day. He had started with very little bread, but there had been plenty. And there were lots of pieces of bread that they collected afterwards. So if they trusted him, they did not need to worry about bread. Verses 11-12 The *disciples at last realised that Jesus was not talking about actual bread. In the local language, *yeast sometimes referred to an evil way to persuade other people. Jesus was warning them not to listen to the *Pharisees and the *Sadducees. Their teaching could change the way that the *disciples thought. The *Pharisees had the wrong idea about religion. They thought that people just had to obey a set of rules. But the *disciples must not think that Gods way was only rules and ceremonies. The *Sadducees were rich. And they thought that political action would help God. They thought that God could rule through them. But Jesus did not want the *disciples to believe that possessions are very important. And they must not think that political effort would make God rule on the earth. The *disciples should not be like either the *Pharisees or the *Sadducees. The *disciples should encourage people to change their inner attitudes to God and to other people. This was the most important thing.
Verse 13 Caesarea Philippi was a town about 25 miles to the north-east from the sea of Galilee. It was in the area that Philip, Herods son, ruled. He named the place Caesars town and added his own name. Philippi means belongs to Philip. This showed that this town was distinct from the town called Caesarea on the coast. The river Jordan began in the Caesarea Philippi region. And there were many places where people *worshipped their own gods in that area. Jesus asked whether his *disciples understood who he was. First, he asked them what other people were saying about him. Verse 14 The *disciples gave four answers. They were all people who were dead. 1. John the *Baptist. Herod had been afraid that Jesus was John. Herod had been responsible for Johns death (Matthew 14:2). But he thought that John had come back to life again. 2. Elijah. The *Jews believed that Elijah would return. He would prepare the way for the *Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6). 3. Jeremiah. He had suffered because he spoke Gods true message to the people. He had spoken of a new agreement that God would make with his people. 4. Another one of Gods special servants from long ago. Verse 15 Someone can know what other people think about Jesus. But this is not enough. Everyone must think about Jesus for themselves. So Jesus asked the *disciples, What do you think about me? Jesus asks each person that same question today. Verses 16-17 Christ is the *Greek word for the *Hebrew word *Messiah. Before this, the *disciples may have thought that Jesus could be the *Messiah (John 1:41). Now they had heard what he taught. They had seen his *miracles. And Peter had become sure that Jesus was the *Messiah. But Peter did not understand this by himself. Jesus said that God had shown Peter the truth. Verses 18 The name Peter means rock. In the *Old Testament, the word rock often describes the security that God gives to his people. For example, The *Lord is my rock (2 Samuel 22:2). Jesus used the word rock or Peter as a name for Simon (John 1:43). There are several ways to explain what Jesus may have meant here. 1. The rock is Jesus himself. In Ephesians 2:20, Paul calls Jesus the chief stone (the most important part) in Gods building. 2. The rock refers to what Peter said. He believed that Jesus is the Christ, Gods Son. Everyone who can say the same thing is like a stone in Gods building (1 Peter 2:4 -8). They are the *church. The *Greek word for *church does not refer to a building or to a particular organisation. It refers to all the people who believe in Jesus. They realise that he is Gods Son. 3. Peter himself is like the first rock in Gods building. Jesus is the true foundation. And Gods building is the *church. But Peter was the first person to declare that he believed Jesus. And Peter became a leader and teacher in the *church. He was the first to speak to the crowds at *Pentecost about Jesus, the *Messiah. 3000 people became Christians that day (Acts 2). Later, he had a dream when he was staying at Joppa. As a result, people who were not *Jews believed. And Peter gave them a welcome into the *church (Acts 10:111:18). He supported the believers who were not *Jews at the *Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15). Peters authority was not his alone. Gods special servants and the men that Jesus sent out were also the foundation of the *church (Ephesians 2:20). Nothing would be able to destroy the *church. The *Greek words here mean the gates to Hades. And Hades was the place where dead people go. The *Jews thought that it was a place with gates. Death was not strong enough to shut Jesus in Hades (Acts 2:27; Psalm 16:910). The *church too is stronger than death, so nothing can destroy the *church. People may attack and kill Christians. But the whole *church does not die. Instead, it becomes stronger.
Verse 19 Keys are a sign of authority. Jesus said, I am alive. I was dead, but now I am alive again. And I hold the keys to death and Hades (Revelation 1:18). In Isaiahs time, Eliakim was a servant who had a responsible job. He had to open and shut the door (Isaiah 22:22). Peter was like that servant. He opened the door to God for thousands of people. They became part of Gods stones in his building. Every Christian has the same duty. He or she must show people the way to God. Peter guided the *church. He taught Christians how to behave in the right way. This was an honour and a responsibility. Peter shared this authority with other members of the *church (Matthew 18:18). Verse 20 The *disciples now knew that Jesus was the *Messiah. But he told them not to spread the news. He did not want people to begin a fight against the *Romans. He wanted to teach his *disciples that he would suffer. They needed to know that he would die.
Verses 25-26 People must choose. They can live their lives in their own way, or they can give up their own ambitions. They may suffer and even die with Jesus. But those people will find real life. People may gain everything that the world offers. They may have great wealth, power or fame. But it all has no value if they lose their real life. Jesus means life that will continue for ever with God. Verse 27 Everyone will have to give an account to God for the way that they have lived their life. They must do this when Jesus returns to earth in the bright light from his Father. Verse 28 People understand this promise in three ways: 1. Jesus would return with his servants from heaven while some of the original *disciples were still alive. But Jesus said that nobody knew when the end of the age would come. Only the Father knew when Jesus will return (Matthew 24:36). 2. Jesus was speaking about when he would change his whole appearance. But this change happened only one week later (Matthew 17). Many years afterwards, in 2 Peter 1:16-18, Peter wrote about the *Lord Jesus Christ, his power and the fact that he will return. Peter, James and John were there when Jesus appearance changed. They had seen him shine like the sun. But Peter was still expecting him to return to earth again. 3. After Jesus died, he became alive again. Later he returned to his Father in heaven, and then the *disciples received the power of the *Holy Spirit. Very many people became Christians. Then the *disciples were able to see the change when Jesus is king in peoples lives. They saw Gods greatness and power at work in the world.