Section 70 B

Section 70
THIRD WITHDRAWAL FROM HEROD'S TERRITORY 
Subdivision B 
THE GREAT CONFESSION MADE BY PETER 
(Near Cæsarea Philippi, Summer, A. D. 29.) 
MATT. 16:13-20
MARK 8:27-30
LUKE 9:18-21 

"Concerning the term Son of Man: "Over eighty times throughout Scripture, Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man. I believe there is a two-fold reason He uses this term more than any other. First, it speaks of His humility and His ability to relate. He desires to be numbered among us. Second, it speaks of His position prophetically. Dan_7:13 foretold that Messiah would be known as the Son of Man."-Jon Courson

"He does not, in the case of these mixed cavillers, argue from Scripture, but from the natural world, and he points out that, had they eyes to see and a mind to discern, they might mark tokens in historical events, in the moral and spiritual world, which attested his Messiahship as clearly as any specially given sign from heaven."-Pulpit

"Jesus mentions three points which belong to the character of a true disciple. The first is self-denial. Let him deny himself.

Take up his cross. This is the second point. St. Luke adds, "daily." He must not only be resigned to bear what is brought upon him—suffering, shame, and death, which he cannot escape, but be eager to endure it, meet it with a solemn joy, be glad that he is counted worthy of it.

Follow me. The third point. He must be energetic and active, not passive only and resigned, but with all zeal tracking his Master’s footsteps, which lead on the way of sorrows. Here too is comfort; he is not called to a task as yet untried; Christ has gone before, and in his strength he may be strong." -RWP?

"And they said (hoi de eipan). They were ready to respond for they knew that popular opinion was divided on that point (Mat_14:1.). They give four different opinions. It is always a risky thing for a pastor to ask for people’s opinions of him. But Jesus was not much concerned by their answers to this question. He knew by now that the Pharisees and Sadducees were bitterly hostile to him. The masses were only superficially following him and they looked for a political Messiah and had vague ideas about him. How much did the disciples understand and how far have they come in their development of faith? Are they still loyal?" -RWP

"It was a noble confession, but not a new claim by Jesus. Peter had made it before (Joh_6:69) when the multitude deserted Jesus in Capernaum." --RWP

On the concept of the disciples binding and loosing:

"This binding and loosing is not a picture of heaven doing our bidding; rather, it portrays us in harmony with heaven. Jesus is not saying, "Here are some keys. Whatever you want to do, I'll make it happen." No, it's just the opposite. We are to be binding and loosing even as it is done in heaven. We are to be in harmony with Jesus." -Courson


“The terms in which Jesus speaks of Peter are characteristic - warm, generous, unstinted. The style is not that of an ecclesiastical editor laying the foundation for church power, and prelatic pretentions, but of a noble-minded Master eulogizing in impassioned terms a loyal disciple” (Bruce).

We do not choose or make our cross; Christ gives each a little bit of His true Cross to bear as He pleases. -Meyer

Matthew Henry's reflections on crosses:

The troubles of Christians are fitly called crosses, in allusion to the death of the cross, which Christ was obedient to; and it should reconcile us to troubles, and take off the terror of them, that they are what we bear in common with Christ, and such as he hath borne before us.

First, It is supposed that the cross lies in our way, and is prepared for us. We must not make crosses to ourselves, but must accommodate ourselves to those which God has made for us. Our rule is, not to go a step out of the way of duty, either to meet a cross, or to miss one. We must not by our rashness and indiscretion pull crosses down upon our own heads, but must take them up when they are laid in our way. We must so manage an affliction, that it may not be a stumbling-block or hindrance to us in any service we have to do for God. We must take it up out of our way, by getting over the offence of the cross; None of these things move me; and we must then go on with it in our way, though it lie heavy. Secondly, That which we have to do, is, not only to bear the cross (that a stock, or a stone, or a stick may do), not only to be silent under it, but we must take up the cross, must improve it to some good advantage. We should not say, “This is an evil, and I must bear it, because I cannot help it;” but, “This is an evil, and I will bear it, because it shall work for my good.”