Bible Text: Matthew 16: 13-30; Exodus 1: 8 – 2: 10 | Preacher: Rev. Berlin Guerrero | Series: 2020 | In Matthew 16, particularly verses 18 & 19, we can picture out to gates facing each other: The Gates of Hades on one side, and the door to the Kingdom of Heaven which keys will be given to Peter. And on this scene, Jesus will build his church. He says to Peter: “You, you are Petros (stone), and on this rock (petras – a mountain of a rock)[1] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

 

What is this ‘rock’ that serves as the church’s strong foundation? Is it no other than Peter’s declaration about Jesus Christ: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

 

As the world faces one of its worst health crises which consequently spur economic difficulties, social unrest and political upheavals, the church more than ever, needs to affirm this declaration to be strongly founded.

 

Where and what is Caesarea Philippi? Why did Jesus had to draw this declaration from his disciples, particularly Peter, in this particular location. What is Caesarea Philippi?

 

Caesarea Philippi is a Greek city and later became a Roman City stood in a lush area near the foot of Mount Hermon. It’s main attraction, you can say a wonder of nature, is a spring that gushed through the mouth of a cave. Water that flows from the cave was one of the biggest tributaries of the Jordan River. As an attraction, it drew people, especially worshippers of Greek gods. In particular, it became the religious centre for worship of the Greek god, Pan. The Greeks named the city Panias in his honour. Pan is the god of fertility; he is half-man and half-goat. In the cliff that stood above the city, worshippers built shrines and temples to Pan.

 

Years later, when Romans conquered the territory, Herod rebuilt the city and named it after himself. But Caesarea Philippi continued to focus on worship of Greek and Roman gods. Herod even built a temple for Augustus Caesar. But the Jews avoided this site because it served as the centre worship other gods end not of Yahweh. It was a place of dread; it was the Gates of Hell.

 

In bringing his disciples to this place of Jesus was inviting his disciples to a commitment of faith because the fight of their life is about to begin, their faith will be tested. But one thing is good, the Son of God has been revealed to them by the Father, and the church will be established. The Messiah has come.

 

Moses’ birth

 

For the Hebrew people under Egyptian rule, it took a long time before a person to arrive who shall be Yahweh’s instrument in God’s plan of freeing God’s people.

 

The context of his birth according to the verses:

1 – 7 – The whole household of Jacob (70 in all) enter Egypt. Joseph becomes instrumental in saving his family from hunger because there was famine. They thrive and multiply until all their generations were gone.
8 – A new king arose, after how many before him we it did not say. But one sure thing is that this king did not know Joseph. They have forgotten the legacy that Joseph left to the Egyptian society. What are these: Equality among Egyptians and migrants including the Hebrew people; forgiveness and justice. He built an economy that is able to sustain the Egyptian population ang other nations in need even in the midst of a protracted famine.

 

This new ruler began to create divisions in the society by saying to his people:

“Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”

 

He created a spectre of fear which is baseless. That the Hebrews cannot be trusted and will fight alongside a perceived enemy.

 

Thus began the enslavement of the Hebrew people and most probably other migrants within the Egyptian populace.:

– They set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labour.

– They built supply cities for Pharaoh, no longer for the people but for a few.

– They were ruthless and cruel and made the lives of the people bitter and hard.

– The Pharaoh ordered all male infants be killed.

 

This is the prevailing condition when Moses was born. Eventually Moses, through God’s help, led the people of Israel to freedom.

 

There is a lot of similarities in the situation in the time of Jesus’ birth:

 

– The Jews and other countries were under the rule of the mighty Roman Empire.

– There is social unrest because of widespread poverty because the Empire was siphoning all the resources it can get to feed its ruling elites, its Legions and its puppet governments in the colonies.

– The Romans were ruthless. Common crimes and opposition are punishable by crucifixion (remember the two thieves crucified with Jesus pushed to stealing because of poverty).

– The Roman rulers also created a story of abundance and progress under what is called Pax Romana or roman Peace.

– King Herod also resorted to infanticide in order to kill the baby Jesus. In order to escape, the family went to Egypt which is no longer a powerful country like before.

 

We are in a similar situation of the Hebrew people under Egypt and the Israelites under the Rome today.

 

The world’s majority population and majority of countries are considered economically impoverished; they suffer exploitation and are lorded over by the few rich and powerful on top of their social pyramids.

 

Exploitation and subjugation are always accompanied by a narrative which justifies the prevailing unjust social structure.

 

We are often brought by Jesus to the Caesarea Philippi in our lives and as God’s people to remind us that we should not let our guard down, to reaffirm our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, and recommit to Christ ministry in the world.

 

Amen.

 

[1] πετρα  πετρος; The feminine noun πετρα (Petra) means rock or rather: mountain of a rock, used to build houses on or hew sepulchres in. The masculine noun πετρος (petros) describes a loose stone that one may pick up and throw or kick out of the way.