In this chapter, Peter’s confessions in John 6 and Matthew 16 are examined, showing his profound attachment to Jesus and bold acknowledgment of His divine nature. The narrative emphasizes that spiritual life comes from truly “eating” the flesh and “drinking” the blood of Christ—not merely observing the Lord’s Supper. Peter’s declaration, “Thou hast the words of eternal life; Thou art the Holy One of God,” illustrates unwavering faith in the face of defection, highlighting the personal and eternal importance of recognizing Christ fully. The chapter also discusses the establishment of the Church and Peter’s unique role in its administration, symbolized by the “keys of the kingdom of heaven,” while clarifying the distinction between earthly and heavenly authority. It concludes with the call to discipleship: self-denial, embracing the cross, and prioritizing eternal life over worldly gain, promising ultimate reward and blessing to those who faithfully follow Christ.
John 6:23-71; Matt. 16:13-28
In these scriptures we have recorded Peter's dual confession of the Lord Jesus. It is a thing of the greatest importance to the soul to confess Christ boldly, for the Holy Ghost has said in our days, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Now when Peter made his confession in John 6, which I believe was previous to the confession in Matthew 16, the Lord Jesus Christ had not died, nor did Peter think that He was going to die. What is so beautiful to see, is that his heart was deeply attached to Christ. His was no mere head knowledge of who Jesus was; that is made quite clear by the glowing, burning confessions he makes.
We saw in a previous view of this affectionate man that when Peter walked on the water to get to Jesus, he did not quite get to Him, but that Jesus got to him, and that was what he wanted. His one desire was to get near Jesus. When the Lord was taken into the ship, immediately they were at the shore whither they would go, and the disciples then discovered that He was the Son of God.
This was the day previous to that which we get recorded in the end of the sixth of John. In that chapter we find the Lord giving forth startling, yea marvellous ministry, as He says, "I am the living bread," and "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you."
Get hold of this clearly in your soul, my reader, that unless you have eaten the flesh of the Son of Man, and have drunk His blood, you have no life in you; and do not think that this means the communion — the Lord's Supper. Nay, nay, this is the substance; the Lord's Supper is the shadow. This is the reality, the communion is the figure. A man might eat the Lord's Supper a thousand times, and yet spend eternity in hell, but no man could eat the flesh of the Son of Man and not have eternal life.
When the Lord said this, He knew that He was going to die, and to rise again and go, as man, to the right hand of God, — that He was going to do a work whereby man might be brought to God, a work which enables the believer in Him in righteousness to go to the spot where He now is; and therefore here the Lord presses the necessity of knowing Himself, of eating Himself, saying, "Whoso eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:54). Again, "He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him" (John 6:56).
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In plain words He says to the believer, We are one. In view of the gravity of this matter, let me ask you, my reader, Have you ever yet eaten the flesh, and drunk the blood of the Son of Man? That is a question that you must answer to God, and to Him alone.
It is a very happy thing to eat the Lord's Supper with the saints of God, but that is only the symbol; whereas what the Lord means here is, we must accept Him in His death, and feed on Him in death. Thereby only can we get life to our souls.
The result of this ministry of the Lord's was that the Jews murmur; and He then says, "Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?" (John 6:61-62.) He has ascended, and consequently we are immensely better off than if He were on earth. If He were on earth now — say in Jerusalem — He would not be also in Edinburgh; but being in glory, the Holy Ghost has come down to dwell among us, and to abide in each believer, and He gives us the sense of the Lord's presence no matter where we are located.
The result then of the Lord's ministry was that "from that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him" (John 6:66). They had been looking for, and hoping that He was going to set up a kingdom, in Messianic power, and glory; and when He talked to them of His death, that did not suit them at all, and many left Him.
Indeed, I suppose the defection was very great, for He turned round, and looking at the twelve, said to them, "Will ye also go away?" (John 6:67.) To this query warm-hearted Peter fervently answers, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Splendid testimony, grand confession, made too at the moment of general defection! Peter, as it were, led the forlorn hope, as he said, Go from you, Lord? Never! "We believe and are sure that thou art the Holy One of God" (New Translation).
Two things mark Peter's confession here, as he says, "Thou hast the words of eternal life," and "Thou art the Holy One of God." Peter had got deeply in his soul what He was, and what He had, as he said, "Thou art" and "Thou hast." What He is forms the stable resting-place of our souls as we pillow them on Him, and on His work. What He has forms the everlasting supply to our souls in all their varied need. He gives us all we need, and then becomes the object of our affections for ever. He gives us eternal life and eternal joy.
There was one standing by that day who was detected by Peter's exclamation, for the Lord turns round as He heard the beautiful, burning confession of Peter's soul, and says, "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" Judas loved money, not Christ. His God was gold; his master, Satan; his end, an eternal hell.
Turn now, my reader, to Matthew 16. After this noble confession of Peter's which we have been considering, the Lord had gone up to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and there had blessed the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman. Then he had gone to Galilee and Decapolis, and northward to Caesarea Philippi.
The Lord had gone out, on to Gentile ground. In this outside place, He asks His disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" Jesus likes to know what men think of Him; whether the hearts of men had risen to the moment, and the occasion; if they had found out who He was — and so He puts the question. And they answer, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets."
Almost invariably in the Gospel narratives the Lord speaks of Himself by the title of the Son of Man. He calls Himself a King but once (Matt. 25:34). He was a King, but as yet uncrowned, and throneless. Unrecognised by the nation in His proper glory, He now asks His disciples, "Whom say ye that I am?"
Your eternal destiny, my reader, depends upon the answer you can give to this question, "Whom say ye that I am?"
Peter comes magnificently to the front again, at this juncture of national indifference to the Messiah. In the buoyancy and fulness of his heart, as well as in real faith, and true attachment to the person of His Lord, he answers, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Heaven-born deliverance! and how grateful to the ear and heart of the blessed Lord it must have been.
Observe what the Lord says to Peter immediately on his confession, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to thee, but my Father which is in heaven." The Father Himself alone can teach you this blessed truth, my friend. No university curriculum, no human teaching, can impart to your soul this knowledge of the Son.
It is the inscrutability of the glory of His person that is the guarantee to faith of the divinity of Jesus. His divinity, and the fact that He is the Son of the living God, is proved by His resurrection from among the dead. The life of God cannot be destroyed, and the Son of the living God cannot be overcome of death; nay, by going into it He overcomes and destroys it. Hence it is as risen from the dead that He begins the work of which He next speaks — the building of His Church.
After saying that the Father had revealed this truth to Peter, the Lord goes on, "And I also say, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Peter was a stone, but Christ was the rock, Christ, according to the confession of Peter here, the Son of the living God.
The Lord says further to Peter, "I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." How did Peter get these keys? By the sovereign grace of Christ undoubtedly, but nevertheless they are committed to a man that is evidently going on.
And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. This is a question of administration, on earth, and in the assembly, not of how a man gets to heaven.
From this moment the Lord alters the character of the testimony concerning Himself, and "charged his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Messiah." Then we read, "From that time forth began Jesus to show to his disciples, how that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
Peter could not understand that the Lord must die, and he rebuked Him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be to thee." The Lord answers, "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence to me." If we refuse the cross, we shall not have the crown. "If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."
Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the world but loses his soul?
After these pointed queries, the Lord reveals the future blessedness of those that are His, saying, "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then shall he reward every man according to his works," adding, "There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
The meaning of these words shall be explored in the next chapter.