Bible ReadingMatthew 16:13–2013 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
[25:44]14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
[25:44]15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
[26:20]16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
[26:10]17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
[29:12]20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Isaiah 22:15–2515 Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, “Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household, and say to him:
16 What have you to do here, and whom have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock?
17 Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you
18 and whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a wide land. There you shall die, and there shall be your glorious chariots, you shame of your master's house.
19 I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your station.
20 In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house.
24 And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father's house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons.
25 In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way, and it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken.”
[14:53]Romans 11:33–3633 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
[19:57]34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
[29:19]Observation questions- What signs in Isaiah’s words show that Shebna had used his important position to build up himself rather than to serve the people?
- What does God give Eliakim along with the authority of his office, and how is he expected to relate to the people of Jerusalem and Judah? [14:53]
- In Matthew 16, how do the crowd’s answers about Jesus differ from Peter’s answer?
- What experience helped Peter know Jesus as the one who saves him when he could not manage on his own? [26:29]
Interpretation questions- Why might Isaiah’s warning to Shebna matter for people who hold authority in a family, workplace, parish, or community? What makes authority become service rather than self-importance? [15:08]
- Paul does not resolve every question about those who have not accepted Christ, but turns to praise. How can this response help believers carry questions about loved ones, suffering, or unanswered prayers without pretending to have every answer? [19:57]
- Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” comes after he has experienced his own weakness. Why can a person’s need for help sometimes lead to a truer knowledge of Christ? [26:43]
- Jesus gives Peter the keys after Peter makes a personal confession of faith. How does this connect Christian responsibility with knowing and trusting Jesus personally rather than merely repeating religious words? [29:12]
Application questions- Where have you been entrusted with some form of authority or influence—at home, at work, among friends, or in the parish? How might you use that responsibility more clearly for the good of others rather than for your own advantage? [14:53]
- Is there a question about God, faith, suffering, or someone you love that you cannot solve right now? What would it look like to place that question in God’s hands while still praying and loving faithfully? [19:57]
- If Jesus asked you directly, “Who do you say that I am?” what answer would you give today? What experiences in your life have most shaped that answer? [28:11]
- Think of a time when you felt unable to handle something by your own strength. Did that experience make you turn toward Christ, pull away from him, or both? Where do you most need to remember that the Lord is there to save? [26:36]
- Have there been times when an old understanding of faith no longer seemed large enough for what you were facing? What deeper understanding of Christ might God be inviting you to seek now? [27:40]
- In one ordinary part of life this week—an interaction at home, a difficult conversation, a decision at work, or a moment of frustration—how could your choices show who Jesus is to you? [28:23]
- Peter and the other disciples failed repeatedly, yet Jesus did not give up on them. Where do you need to receive Christ’s patience with yourself, and where might you be called to show that same patience to someone else? [26:59]
