Excellent work. I will add just a wee bit more.
It gets worse for the religious. Jesus is not even talking about the ekklesia of the present administration. How could he? The Mystery of the Body of Christ was hidden in God. It was not revealed until Paul received the Revelation from God. How can we force the BOC, the Church of this present dispensation, into a time and revelation that is primarily about Israel?
Matthew 16:19-20 (ASV)
19 I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ.
What do keys do? They unlock or open. What were they to? The Kingdom of Heaven. What is the KOH? It is an Earthly Kingdom from Heaven, Jewish and exclusive in character, national in its aspect, subject of many OT prophecies, with Jesus as the King. It is the primary theme of Matthew’s Gospel from start to finish. So, how do we force a Christian denomination into that?
Note carefully in Acts that Peter did not go to the nations, but rather, almost exclusively to the Jews - examine Acts for yourself and note who is addressed and where by Peter. He along with the apostles continued following Jewish Law and traditions which caused conflict as Paul started his ministry to the Gentiles. It took a supernatural vision in Acts 10 for Peter to reluctantly share with a Gentile, who just as easily could have been a Jewish proselyte. Even Paul, who was specifically called to go to the Gentiles, still visited synagogues and debated with Jews until God’s final declaration to Israel in Acts 28 to the Jewish leaders in Rome. It was at this point, Paul was given the revelation of the Body of Christ, which was a Mystery hidden in God. This is the dispensation we find ourselves in presently. Like in the wilderness, Israel stumbled because of unbelief for 40 years. The nation was conquered, the people dispersed among the nations, and the KOH postponed.
Binding and loosing, or authority, was given to all Jesus’ followers. (see Matthew 18:18-20 and many others). This is a wonderful Revelation for Believers that will have to wait for another time. Let’s continue through Matthew 16.
Peter received this wonderful Revelation from God. When you continually hear God’s Word, the Holy Spirit reveals the Truth. That is exactly what happened in this case with Peter’s confession. Observe what Jesus tells them in verse 20 - tell no man that he was Christ. Why didn’t Jesus restrict them from mentioning that Peter was the rock that the Roman church will be built on, and the first pope in a long line of religious monarchs? (BTW see Matthew 23 for Jesus’ indictment of organized religion and religious potentates)
It was the REVELATION from God that Jesus was Christ, the Messiah or Anointed One of prophecy that was his concern. Why do you suppose Jesus told them NOT to share this wonderful revelation? Wouldn’t this Truth be worth sharing with the world?
Matthew 16:21-23 (ASV)
21 From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
22 And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.
Verse 21 provides a clue. Jesus began telling them what was about to happen - the coming rejection, suffering, cross, and the resurrection. Israel was going to reject their King and the KOH, and crucify him. Look what Peter did, the man who moments ago had this wonderful revelation was now under the influence of the enemy. Jesus rebuked the spirit that was influencing Peter, because he had his mind not on God’s Will, but instead the things of men. That in a nutshell, is why you don’t build churches on men. You build them on something that will never fail, the Eternal Word of God. (Deuteronomy 32:1-4, Psalm 119, Matthew 7:24-25, Luke 6:47-49, John 1:1-13, Acts 4:8-11, 1 Peter 1:18-25, 2:6-8)
Matthew 16:23 makes a good case for not putting men on a religious pedestal. However, you don’t even need to go there. A simple understanding of the plan of God revealed in His Word would end all such confusion regarding this passage. You can find bad “popes” in every denomination throughout time. That is why there is only one Head, Jesus, in the Body of Christ.
Matthew 16:24 (ASV)
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Follow a religion? Peter? Or Jesus?
Matthew 16:27 (ASV)
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds.
This is clearly referring to the 2nd Advent of Jesus at the end of the Tribulation. This is most applicable to Israel, which will be the focus of the last 7 years, and the Gentiles who rejected God’s Grace. For further evidence, note the last few words - render unto every man according to his deeds. That has nothing to do with the Body of Christ in this dispensation where there NOW is no condemnation. Also, try finding the title Son of man for Jesus in the Chruch Epistles. He is the Head of the Body, we are joint heirs with him, made alive in Christ and seated in Heavenly Places.
1 Corinthians 3:11 (ASV)
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Excellent post.