In the text of Matthew 16:13-20, there is some confusion that must be sorted out, but what we must not do in the midst of sorting out the confusion is miss the point.
The key of the text is the words of Jesus as He proclaims in verse 18, I will build My church.
He says, “I,” and “My.” He takes possession of His “church,” which we’ve been taught is the Greek word ekklesia, meaning simply, “an assembly of people.”
So we understand His church to be His assembly of people. This assembly is also referred to as His body. No wonder He takes it so personally! Romans 12:5 says that …we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
His assembled people, or, His church, make up His body. What a wonderful reality; To know that we are actually part of His body. As part of His body, we all serve different purposes. I Corinthians 12:18 says, God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
Don’t worry about your placement in the body, instead rejoice that God desired to place you at all! Let all who are part of Christ’s body boast, as Paul boasts, the words of the Lord from Jeremiah 9:24, “…let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me…”
The church is also referred to as Jesus’ bride. In Ephesians 5, beginning in verse 22, it sounds at first like Paul is giving a marriage seminar, until in verse 32 he says, This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
In referencing right conduct between husbands and wives, which is a good teaching, he reveals a better, deeper teaching. He teaches right conduct between Jesus as the groom and the church as His bride. In that text Paul teaches, Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her (vs 25), so that He might sanctify her…and present to Himself the church…holy and blameless (vs 26 & 27), and that He nourishes and cherishes…the church (vs 29).
This is Christ building His church. He loves His church. He works to make His church holy and blameless. He nourishes, or gives His church what it needs when it needs it. He cherishes His church.
Not buildings, but people. Not impersonal, but part of His body. Not temporary, but an infinite union of Jesus and His people.
As we continue to study the verses of Matthew 16:13-20, don’t miss the most beautiful of points. Jesus said, I will build My church and that’s you and me and all who would put their faith in Him.
Much love to you all!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
