Then Charged Jesus His Disciples To Tell No Man That He Was Jesus the Christ - Part 1510

People often refer to the church or synagogue as a building. However, like the distinct differences between the earthly and the spiritual, the Lord also distinguished between church buildings and temples made by hands and His church that He Himself constructed. The latter is the body of Christ -- whereby believers whom Jesus has called and ordained into His Kingdom are members. (John 15:16)

This "spiritual" is further explained by apostle Paul in I Corinthians 12. He begins by saying that when we were Gentiles, we were carried away unto these dumb idols, even as we were led. But now, when we speak by the Spirit of God, we no longer will call Jesus accursed, "and no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (I Corinthians 12:1-3)

Simon Peter told Jesus, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:15-16) How did Jesus respond? "And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:13-19)

In Luke's account, Peter identifies Jesus as "The Christ of God." (Luke 9:20)

Peter recognized that Jesus was the Lord, and that He Jesus was the key to salvation. He -- Jesus -- had the words of eternal life. "And we believe and are sure that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:68-69)

The same spiritual Rock that the fathers followed when they were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual drink; "for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:1-4)

Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 16:20)

Before some begin thinking that Peter's revelation of who Jesus was made him privileged over the other disciples, note that Jesus called Simon the son of Jona -- "thou shalt be called Cephas, which by interpretation, a stone." (John 1:42; John 21:15)

In other words, the Rock is Jesus the Christ. Right from the beginning (as evidenced in Moses' time) the Rock was Christ. And it is this Rock -- Christ --  that Jesus will build His church in this current dispensation of grace -- "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shall bind in earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16: 18-19)

Why? Because when we understand that through Christ Jesus we both have access by ONE SPIRIT unto the Father, that we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner [stone]; in whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:18-22)

Having said this however, note that Peter with the eleven did present the keys to the kingdom on the day of Pentecost when he said to those first 3,000 to be saved that this same Jesus whom ye have crucified is BOTH LORD AND CHRIST. (Acts 2:36) And when these people were pricked in their hearts, and asked Peter (standing with the eleven) what they must do to be saved, what did Peter say?

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38)

What was the result? The first 3,000 souls in one accord repented and were water baptized into the spiritual church of Jesus Christ, having received His gift of the Holy Ghost. His Spirit within, having been clothed in His righteousness. This was the beginning of the new testament church. (Acts 1:22)

"Until the day in which He [Jesus] was taken up, after that He [Jesus] through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen: to whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, and being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith He], ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:1-12)

Jesus the Christ! It was Him who was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. And this is why Jesus is the Head of the Church. And within His Church are many members but the body is one.

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into ONE SPIRIT. For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot shall say, "Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore, not of the body? And if the hear shall say, "Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where [were] the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where [were] the smelling. But NOW God hath sett the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.

And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body ... but God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honour to that [part] which lacked, that there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care for another, and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the member rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular ...." (I Corinthians 12:1-31)

Members of His Church. Not a physical building but members of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"And we are complete in Him which is the Head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ -- buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead, and you being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:1-21)

No longer are we under or after the commandments and doctrines of men -- "which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh." (Colossians 2:22-23)

But if ye then be risen with Christ, we set our affection on things above, and our life is hid with Christ in God so that when He appears -- the Head of the Church -- they shall we also appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

His Church wrought in Christ -- that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye many know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His powers to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which is wrought in Christ." (Ephesians 1:17-20)

This is why we do not settle for earthly tabernacles made of men -- because we are His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:17-23)

Stand in the offering plate.