Jesus is teaching His disciples in a systematic manner in the gospel of Matthew. He tells them about their identity in Christ and what they look like in the spirit or in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 16:13-19 "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Phillippe, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon answered and said 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Peter first recognizes Jesus for Who He is, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Peter recognizes Jesus for Who He is spiritually, the Son of God, God dwelling with them in the flesh. Jesus then calls Simon by his given name, but then calls him Peter. Jesus sees Simon spiritually as well and calls him Peter, which means rock or stone. Jesus then says that upon this rock I will build my church. This rock is not Peter, but the revelation that God will live in people. God did not dwell in any of the Old Testament saints, but He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Jesus is going to show the disciples what they look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God in the beginning of chapter 17. God dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit is the rock upon which the church is built. It is the key to understanding the kingdom of God within us.
Matthew 16:21-23 "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Jesus did not say that Peter was Satan. He was saying that Peter was not thinking about spiritual matters but upon the natural things of men. Peter had changed from thinking about spiritual realities just a few moments ago, recognizing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Matthew 16:24-28 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself (deny his identity in the flesh) and take up his cross, and follow Me (recognize who we are in the spirit realm). For whoever desires to save his life (psyche or old thought life) will lose it (his new spiritual identity), but whoever loses his life (his old thought life) for my sake will find it (his new spiritual identity). For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul (his spiritual identity)? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (his thought life or his new identity)? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
Luke 9:27 makes this more clear to our thinking. "But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."
Jesus is getting ready to reveal to some of His disciples, Peter, James and John, what we look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God, which is within us when we are born again. Many teachers describe the Mount of Transfiguration in different ways and to mean different things. But it doesn't help me to know that Jesus was transfigured in the past or that He will be transfigured in the future when He appears. It does benefit me to know what I look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God right now. God is dwelling in me by His Spirit. My spirit has been transformed and shines as light on the inside of me. That is what Jesus is revealing to His disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration in the first verses of Matthew 17.
Matthew 17:1-5 "Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
Peter refers to this experience in the epistle of 2 Peter. 2 Peter 1:4 "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these (promises) you may be partakers of the divine nature (the glory of God inside of us when we are born again), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (our flesh that is not yet redeemed).
He continues to refer to this experience later in the first chapter of 2 Peter. Verse 16-19 "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed (we have a more sure word of prophecy, more sure than what we heard or saw on the holy mountain), which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;"
Of all the things that Peter could have said, what is the conclusion that Peter drew from this experience? We are to pay close attention to the revelation that Jesus gave us of who we are, until the light dawns within our hearts and the morning star (sun) arises in YOUR HEARTS. We are to hold on to the revelation of who we are in the spirit realm or the kingdom of God until the kingdom of God is revealed in and through us.
Keith Oliver
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