Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings explains how Jesus reveals His identity, builds His church, and exercises authority through the keys of the kingdom. The passage shows a victorious church advancing against darkness, the necessity of the cross before glory, and Christ coming in judgment and reward within that generation. It calls believers to align their thinking with God’s Word and follow Christ fully.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 16:19, Ephesians 2:20, Matthew 16:18, John 15:16, 1 Kings 22:10, Deuteronomy 21:19, Joshua 24:1, Proverbs 31:23, Revelation 3:7, Isaiah 22:22, Acts 5:1–11, 1 Corinthians 5:1–13, 2 Corinthians 2:6–9, 1 Timothy 1:20, Matthew 18:17, John 20:23, Titus 3:10, 1 John 3:2, Revelation 12:11, Matthew 16:20, John 6:15, Matthew 16:28, Matthew 16:21-23, Acts 1:11, Revelation 2:5, Revelation 2:16, Revelation 3:11, Revelation 22:7, Revelation 22:20, Matthew 24:21, Luke 21:18, Matthew 16:27-28, Matthew 16:27, Revelation 22:12, Ephesians 2:8, Matthew 5:16, Matthew 23:5, John 14:12,
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Setting the Context of Matthew 16:18-28
We are continuing in Matthew 16, working chapter by chapter and verse by verse. We are beginning again at verse 18, returning to the context because we stopped in the middle of a verse last week. There are two major emphases tonight, and reading the context is necessary to flow properly.
The focus is on Jesus building His church. The question is whether the church is holding the fort until Jesus comes, or whether it is a force that storms darkness. Is the church defeated and waiting to escape, or is it an overcoming church presented to Him without blemish (Ephesians 5:27)? These are real issues, and we must determine where we stand.
Matthew 16:19
19 And 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.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The keys of the kingdom are given to the church through Peter, with authority to open and shut. What the church prohibits, heaven will prohibit, and what the church permits, heaven will permit (Matthew 16:19). Binding and loosing describe this authority. Heaven does not override what the church allows or forbids. This principle connects directly to prayer and spiritual authority.
Jesus then began to tell the disciples about His crucifixion and resurrection (Matthew 16:21). This did not align with their expectations of Christ. Peter resisted this idea, and Satan attempted to offer a crown without a cross (Matthew 16:22–23). There is no crown without a cross in the kingdom of God. Salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8), but the chapter closes with a promise Jesus makes to that generation concerning His coming (Matthew 16:28), which demands careful attention.
Who Do You Say That I Am?
To reestablish context, Jesus asked the disciples who people said He was. They answered that some saw Him as John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or a prophet (Matthew 16:13–14). Jesus then asked who they believed Him to be (Matthew 16:15). The issue was not public opinion, but personal revelation.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Many people see Jesus only in one aspect, such as baptism, salvation, or restoration. Jesus demands a complete answer. He is the Christ, prophet, priest, and king. He fulfills everything the Old Testament declared Him to be.
The disciples had to arrive at the same conclusion Peter did. This revelation was not spontaneous. Scripture already shows they knew who Jesus was. They had earlier confessed Him as the Son of God (Matthew 14:33), and Peter affirmed Him as the Christ in John 6:67–69. This moment in Matthew 16 was not a new realization, but part of Jesus leading them into deeper understanding.
This was Jesus working His way into what He was about to reveal. Once they knew without doubt that He was the Christ, He began to show them why He had come. His purpose was to build His church (Matthew 16:18). They already knew who He was, but now He was giving them a deeper revelation concerning His first work. His first event as Christ was the building of the church (Matthew 16:18).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Jesus asked the disciples who they believed Him to be. Peter answered that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:15–16). Jesus affirmed that this revelation did not come from flesh and blood, but from the Father in heaven (Matthew 16:17). He then declared that upon this rock He would build His church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Jesus stated that He would give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. What was bound on earth would be bound in heaven, and what was loosed on earth would be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). This establishes the authority connected to the church and its role in God’s purposes.
Christ Alone Builds the Church
This sets the context for where this lesson’s teaching begins. Jesus Himself builds the church (Matthew 16:18). It is not built by pastors, elders, deacons, or saints. Though people often believe they can build it better, the work belongs to Christ alone. He decides how it is built and upon whom He builds it.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
What must be understood is that the church is built upon the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ directing the work (Ephesians 2:20).
Ephesians 2:20
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
I begin by pointing out that Jesus Himself builds the church. He is the architect, and we work for Him. If we belong to Jesus, then our lives belong to Him, and He has full authority over us (Romans 6:22). Belonging to Christ means obedience, even when we resist it as Jonah did (Jonah 1:1–3). We do not decide the work. We take orders from Him and follow His blueprint as He builds His church.
Matthew 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Jesus says, “I will,” which reveals His will. The will of Jesus Christ is to build His church (Matthew 16:18). Building implies time, energy, and process. Like constructing a house, it happens in stages and involves continual change. This church is a superstructure unlike anything else. Nothing compares to what He is building, and He alone determines how it is built.
Jesus also makes clear that it is His church (Matthew 16:18). He said, “My church.” Ownership belongs to Him, not to pastors, elders, or saints. Authority and direction remain with Christ alone.
The Meaning of the Church: Ecclesia
The Greek word for “church” is Ecclesia, meaning the called-out ones. It refers to the community of believers on earth and in heaven together (Ephesians 3:15). The church is both an assembly and a living body built together in Christ (Ephesians 2:19–22).
The word “ec” conveys origin and movement, suggesting that something must come out of the church. “Calio” means to call. Together, they describe a people called out by God. The church is the congregation of those called out (1 Peter 2:9), delivered from darkness and brought into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13). He translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
John 15:16
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
We did not call ourselves. We had nothing to do with it. He called us (John 15:16). When we understand that He called us and placed us, it relieves the pressure on us. This work does not rest on our effort. It rests on His call.
Then Christ Jesus makes this declaration. The gates of hell shall not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18).
This does not describe a weak or defeated church. It does not picture a church barely surviving or waiting to escape. It presents a triumphant people. The church is advancing, moving, and militant in purpose. It is built by Jesus Christ to stand against opposition. It is in the world, but it is not of the world (John 17:14–16). His church is designed to confront what stands against it.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
This is not a church holding the fort. It is a church storming the strongholds of hell. Jesus said He would build His church, and the gates of hell would not withstand it (Matthew 16:18). Gates represent control, authority, and administration within a city. They were places where leadership gathered, and decisions were made.
Gates as Places of Authority and Judgment
Scripture shows this clearly. Kings and leaders sat at the gates to govern and judge. In Samaria, the kings of Israel and Judah sat on their thrones at the gate, exercising authority (1 Kings 22:10).
1 Kings 22:10
10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Kings and city elders set at the gates to administer justice.
Deuteronomy 21:19
19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
Joshua 24:1
1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
It was considered an honor to sit among the elders at the gate.
Proverbs 31:23
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
The process of administering justice was frequently referred to as ‘ at the gate’.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Two truths are connected to the gates of hell. First, gates are fortifications meant to keep something out. Hell does not want the church advancing, but it cannot stop the church Jesus builds. No fortification can keep that church out. If Christ is building the church, the gates of hell cannot prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). If He is not building it, those gates will hold. Christ builds a militant people, not a passive one. The church He builds advances against darkness. It does not retreat or simply endure.
The second truth about gates is that they are places of counsel and administration. That is where leaders gather to devise plans. Even so, no weapon or device formed against the church will succeed (Isaiah 54:17). Whether the church advances or is attacked, it prevails if it is the church Christ builds.
The Foundation and Victory of the Church
Victory depends on Christ being the chief cornerstone and the foundation being apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20). It requires apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers working together (Ephesians 4:11), and saints being equipped for ministry (Ephesians 4:12). When the church is built according to His blueprint, no gate can overpower it. The church wins.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The word “prevail” in Matthew 6:18 means to overpower. Hell has no ability to overpower the church Jesus builds (Matthew 16:18). Satan and his rulers cannot devise any plan capable of overcoming it.
Opposition to Christ and His Church
Jesus later tells His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to face elders, chief priests, and scribes (Matthew 16:21). These national leaders, who should have received Him, instead sought to kill Him (Matthew 26:3–4). This same pattern applies to the church. The world does not welcome the church and will oppose it when given the opportunity (John 15:18–19). There is always a Jerusalem and a Sanhedrin, but the church cannot be destroyed because the gates of hell cannot prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
The church Christ builds is victorious. This passage presents the church not as a defeated body waiting to escape, but as a conquering force. This is the first reference to the church in the New Testament (Matthew 16:18), making it the foundational picture. The church is shown as a force that fills the earth with the knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11:9). That is its purpose.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Jesus then speaks of the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16:19). Binding and loosing represent authority. Scripture shows that keys are used to open and shut doors (Revelation 3:7; Isaiah 22:22).
Revelation 3:7
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Isaiah 22:22
22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
A key opens or closes a door. That is the simple idea behind the keys of the kingdom. With the keys, there is authority to loose and bind, to open and close (Matthew 16:19). Jesus spoke directly to Peter, but Peter represented the twelve apostles, and the twelve represent the church as we throughly discussed in our last lesson.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Although Jesus addressed Peter personally, the principle extends beyond him. Peter was the leader of the twelve apostles, and through him the authority of the keys was demonstrated. The concept is not limited to Peter alone, but flows from Peter to the apostles and then to the church.
Peter clearly exercised this authority. He preached the first message to the Jews (Acts 2:14), and three thousand were saved (Acts 2:41). Later, he preached again, and many more believed (Acts 4:4). In this way, Peter opened the door of the kingdom, but that’s not all.
Peter also went to the house of Cornelius and preached to the Gentiles (Acts 10:34–35). As he preached, the Gentiles received the gospel and the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44–48). This shows that Peter literally used the keys to open the kingdom to both Jews and Gentiles.
Authority Extended Beyond Peter
However, Peter did not retain this authority alone. The other apostles also preached after Matthias was added to the twelve (Acts 1:26). This confirms that Jesus was justified in speaking directly to Peter while intending the authority to extend to the whole apostolic foundation.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Peter’s leadership among the twelve is recognized (Matthew 10:2), and the apostles together form the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20). From this foundation, the authority of the keys is carried forward to the church.
This same principle is later applied directly to the church (Matthew 18:18). The church is called to open the kingdom and bring people into God’s rule (Matthew 28:19). One of its purposes is to seek and bring in sinners (Luke 19:10).
Alongside opening the kingdom, there is also a locking or disciplinary aspect. This is often overlooked, but the early church practiced discipline. The church in Acts ministered with discipline, as seen in the account of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Acts 5:1–11
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Apostolic Discipline and Restoration
Peter effectively shut the door on Ananias and Sapphira. They entered with deception, lying to the Holy Ghost, the apostles, and the church. Peter spoke a word of judgment, and the matter ended. Their action demonstrates authority and discipline.
This example is given to show that Peter ministered with discipline. The same principle appears in Paul’s writings. In 1 Corinthians 5:1–13, Paul addresses the case of a man in the church involved in fornication. Paul confronted the situation and acted decisively, turning the man over to Satan for correction. This shows that discipline was practiced beyond Peter and was part of apostolic ministry in the church.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
1 Corinthians 5:1–13
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
This is being shared to show a New Testament principle. The church Jesus Christ builds ministers with discipline. Discipline is part of how the church functions. It is connected to binding and loosing, to opening and shutting, and to the authority of the keys. These ideas work together.
This same individual addressed earlier in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 is seen again later. In 2 Corinthians 2:6–9, Paul refers to the same young man. The situation shows that discipline was applied, followed by restoration, confirming that correction was part of the church’s ministry.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
2 Corinthians 2:6–9
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
Discipline Always Aimed at Restoration
Who Paul shut the door on, he opened the door again. Okay. He did use his key, but he let him back in. Now, the only purpose for discipline is to bring him back in. If there’s another reason, then we’re missing the purpose.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The only reason I discipline my children is not that I like to beat them. The only reason I minister to my children is to correct them, so they’ll walk more properly and uprightly (Proverbs 22:6). I don’t believe God gets a big kick out of beating me sometimes. But the Bible still says that, who He loves, He what? He’ll chasteneth (Hebrews 12:6). And if He loves me, he’ll spank me. He’ll correct me. And that’s what church discipline must be built around.
Paul again ministers with his keys to Hamineus and Alexander.
1 Timothy 1:20
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
I want you to see what I’m saying about these keys. They open and allow people in, but once someone is in, they are also used for discipline. This is something we have got to get a handle on, because sooner or later, the church has got to move into it. Jesus himself speaks to this in Matthew 18:17.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Matthew 18:17
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Jesus says you go to him first and try to work it out (Matthew 18:15). If that does not work, you go to him a second time (Matthew 18:16). Then, finally, after that process, if he will not hear them even with witnesses, you tell it to the church. If he neglects to hear the church, he is to be treated as a heathen and a publican (Matthew 18:17). That is, to be shut out. The church has the authority to do that.
This is not enjoyable and is not something people like to talk about, but it is an aspect of the church. Jesus also says that whoever’s sins we, the church, remit are remitted, and whoever’s sins are retained are retained (John 20:23). That statement shows the seriousness of the authority given to the church.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
John 20:23
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Paul tells Titus, a young pastor, that if a person is a heretic after the first and second admonitions, reject the person.
Titus 3:10
10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
What I want us to see here is that these keys open the doors and allow people in, but once they are in, there is also shutting and using those keys to lock out. In these passages, the keys are shown as authority not only to allow entrance, but also to exercise discipline within the church after entrance. We need to see that, and I am not teaching it fully; I am just opening it up so we understand it is there.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Binding and Loosing in Church Practice
As Peter, the apostles, and the church carried out their mission and authority, the keys were used. The gospel was preached (Acts 2:38–41), and discipline was present in the New Testament church (1 Corinthians 5:12–13). Discipline was present then, and the question is whether it is present in the church today. I am opening that up now and leaving it to be dealt with later.
Then he speaks of binding and loosing. To bind means to bind something, and to loose means to loose or unbind something. The Living Bible expresses it as locking and opening doors, with whatever doors are locked or opened on earth being locked or opened in heaven (Matthew 16:19). The same thought appears in today’s English, where what is prohibited on earth is prohibited in heaven, and what is permitted on earth is permitted in heaven (Matthew 16:19).
If the church permits something on earth, even at the universal level, Jesus does not come behind the church and reverse it. If the church allows something, he does not prohibit it, and if the church prohibits something, he does not allow it. When the church moves, that is it, and if the church does not move, that is also it. He does not override the church’s decisions.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
This is how this ministered to me. Whatever is forbidden on earth is forbidden in heaven, and whatever is permitted on earth is permitted in heaven (Matthew 16:19). He does not override the decisions of the church. We have authority because we are his body (1 Corinthians 12:27), and he works with us, not against us.
We need to reach a point where we understand these principles. He was waiting on us (Isaiah 30:18), and when we begin to move, he moves with us (Zechariah 1:3). In this sense, he has bound himself to his church through his word (Matthew 16:19). This requires coming into one mind and one accord (Acts 1:14), so that the Spirit can move as he did in the beginning (Acts 2:1–4), and the church can impact the world as it did in the book of Acts (Acts 17:6).
The Church’s Influence in Cities and Nations
Let’s set it in a city context. If we have our fellowship in this city, our fellowship can have much to say about what happens in our city (Matthew 18:20). A 500-member church in one mind and one accord could influence an entire county. A 12,000-member church could strongly determine what happens in a state.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
When the church begins to come together and the church universal becomes united, the nation itself is affected (Psalm 133:1). When we move together and begin to bind and loose, we can influence leadership and direction (Matthew 16:19). It’s when we permit or forbid, allow or disallow, God moves with us, not against us (Amos 3:3). He does not override the decisions of the church (Matthew 16:19).
What I am saying from these translations is this. If Peter prohibited or forbade something on earth, heaven would not override Peter and allow it (Matthew 16:19). If Peter opened, permitted, or allowed something on earth, heaven would not override Peter and disallow it (Matthew 16:19). Peter represents the apostles, and the apostles represent the church (Ephesians 2:20). It is the church, following the apostles, that can allow or not allow.
If this is true, it must be carefully thought through. There are cases where the church has allowed things, and that is public knowledge. If the church allowed someone to become president, it could do so. If the church were united, it could also choose not to allow it. That is the point being made. If the church allowed it, would God have stopped it? He could, but He binds Himself by His word (Matthew 16:19).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The church is involved in what holds things up, even his return. He is not waiting for a calendar moment, because no one knows the day or hour (Matthew 24:36). When we finally come together and allow him to build us the way he intends, then he can come (Ephesians 5:27). He cannot come until there is a bride without spot or wrinkle, ready to be presented to himself (Ephesians 5:27), a people coming to the measure, stature, and fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).
The Church Growing Into His Likeness
First John chapter three tells us that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2).
1 John 3:2
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
This is the church that is holding things up. If the church allows, permits, or opens doors, heaven will not come against her, and if the church does not allow, does not permit, or locks doors, heaven will not come against her (Matthew 16:19). In these verses, we see that the Lord’s church is a powerful force. He pictures her as defying hell by what she allows, what she loosens and unlocks, and by what she does not allow, what she binds and locks.
The church is the most powerful force on earth. There has never been a force like the church. She has been given all the weapons of warfare, and those weapons are not carnal but mighty through God (2 Corinthians 10:4). No nation has weapons superior to God’s nation. We are the most powerful force, yet we are like a sleeping little baby who needs to grow up and mature (1 Corinthians 13:11).
The First Purpose of the Church
The first purpose ever stated about the church is to conquer Satan and his kingdom (Matthew 16:18). Revelation tells us that they overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and by not loving their lives unto death (Revelation 12:11). That is the purpose of the church: to overcome hell.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Revelation 12:11
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Number two is to minister to God and to worship. I find more emphasis on worshiping God, ministering to him, praising him, and coming together in hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). Paul says he sings in the spirit and he sings in his understanding also (1 Corinthians 14:15). When we praise the Lord, we are told to clap our hands and shout unto God with a voice of triumph (Psalm 47:1). He wants us to minister to him.
The Lord also wants us to minister to the saints. He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12). This continues until we all come to the measure, stature, and fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). He wants the saints ministered to, and he also wants sinners ministered to.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
I do not know if you can neatly number these one, two, three, and four, because it depends on what you are dealing with at the moment. If you are dealing with a sinner, you are still overcoming the devil, but your focus is on reaching that person. If you are worshiping God, you are worshiping God. You know what I am saying.
The Lord revealed to the twelve not only that he is the Christ, which they already knew, but also that as the Christ, he would build his ultimate power, which is the church. His will is to build his church. That was the mystery. They did not understand the first coming, the first event, or the Lamb principle that required him to be slain. They could not grasp that he had to come as the Lamb before he could come as king.
Matthew 16:20
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Because of this, he charged his disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ (Matthew 16:20). The reason was that they had already tried to take him by force and make him king (John 6:15). They did not understand the Lamb principle, and that is why he told them to tell no man.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
John 6:15
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
From Silence to Worldwide Proclamation
That was before the crucifixion. When we get to Matthew chapter 28, just before the ascension, he says to go and tell all nations (Matthew 28:19). In his first coming, he said, ” Tell no man. As King with all authority, the message goes to the nations. He is coming as King of kings and Lord of lords, no longer as the Lamb (Revelation 19:16).
Matthew 16:28
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
I needed to deal with verse 28. Everything leading up to it is clear, but the disciples never understood what he meant by his crucifixion. He preached it two or three times, and they still did not get it. It did not fit their theology. They believed the Messiah was supposed to reign as king, not die. They completely missed the church because it was veiled, even though he had repeatedly taught them.
Matthew 16:21-23
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him (Matthew 16:22). Peter’s theology did not align with the Word of God. Jesus is the Word (John 1:1), and Peter’s thinking did not align with that Word. Theology does not always align with the Word, and that creates a problem. We often do the same thing by telling the Lord what a passage in Scripture means, instead of letting the Word correct us.
Our thinking must line up with the Word of God, not the Word with our thinking (Isaiah 55:8–9). Jesus told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan,” because Peter was savoring the things of men rather than the things of God (Matthew 16:23). Peter was an offense to Jesus, meaning a stumbling block that trips someone up.
The word savoring means to exercise the mind, to hold opinions and sentiments. Peter had his mind in it, not his spirit. We do the same thing. We get our minds involved where our spirit should be leading (Romans 8:5–6). Peter had his own opinion. We do also, and our opinions must die.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The Death of Opinion and the Call to the Cross
We must crucify our opinions (Galatians 2:20), nail them to the cross with the traditions that were taken out of the way (Colossians 2:14), and then walk in His Word (Psalm 119:105). When Jesus said Peter was savoring the things of men, he meant Peter was thinking like a man rather than like God (Matthew 16:23).
God wants us to think the way he thinks. That is why he has given us his Word (Romans 12:2), his Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16), and apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). These gifts are given so that we do not think like men.
There is something in every one of us that can become an offense and cause us to stumble when we are supposed to take up our cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24). Jesus knew the cross was part of the plan from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). He and the Father agreed on it from the beginning. That was always the plan.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Satan came to Jesus and offered him the kingdoms of the world if he would worship him (Matthew 4:8–9), and Jesus answered, get behind me, Satan (Matthew 4:10). Peter was doing the same thing when he told Jesus he did not have to go to the cross or die, and Jesus answered him the same way, get behind me, Satan (Matthew 16:23). It is the same principle at work.
There is something in every one of us that becomes an offense. There is no easy way to say it. We have to die (Luke 9:23) so that he can live (Galatians 2:20). I am crucified with Christ, yet I live, not I, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20). This is what Jesus was teaching.
All of us have offenses. The answer is the same for all of us. Jesus said, get behind me, Satan (Matthew 16:23). He preached a cross commitment. He made it clear when he said, if any man will come after me (Matthew 16:24). That includes everyone who truly follows him.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
True followers and true disciples deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him (Matthew 16:24). You will find your cross and self will die. Trying to find yourself any other way is a fallacy. You think you find yourself, but you only lose yourself (Matthew 16:25). That is what verses 25 and 26 are teaching, and it is a great paradox (Matthew 16:25–26).
The Son of Man Coming in Glory and Rewarding Works
Then he says that the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and he will reward every man according to his works (Matthew 16:27).
Matthew 16:27
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The rewards do not come when we die and go to heaven. Or, at least some of them. According to this verse, the rewards come when he comes (Matthew 16:27). When he comes, he brings his rewards with him. This ties directly with Revelation 22:12.
Revelation 22:12
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 22:12 says that when he comes, he brings his rewards with him. He comes quickly, and the rewards come with his coming. We do not have to die to receive a reward.
We also need to see that if we are saved by grace, and we are, then rewards are based on works. The Son of Man comes in the glory of his Father with his angels and rewards every man according to his works (Matthew 16:27).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Salvation is entirely by grace. We are saved by grace through faith, and that is not of ourselves. It is the gift of God so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8).
Ephesians 2:8
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
We are saved wholly by grace. There is no other way to be saved. We are made righteous by grace through belief in God. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Belief is how righteousness comes.
Rewards are different. Rewards are based on works. This is a separate issue from salvation. Salvation is by grace alone, but rewards are according to works. This is a larger study, and there are many scriptures on it. One place it begins is Matthew 5:16.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Matthew 5:16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
He says to let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works. Your light shines through your works, and that is how it is seen. That is the role works play.
We are in Matthew 16:27, and this connects with what Jesus said earlier.
Matthew 16:27
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
In Matthew 23:5, he warned against doing works to be seen of men. Works are not for display or self-glory, but they still matter in relation to reward.
Matthew 23:5
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
And John 14:12,
John 14:12
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
He wants us not only to do what he did, but to do greater works. He expects us to act and to step into what he has called us to do.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The Distinction That Must Be Understood
All of these point to the truth that rewards come through works. We are not made righteous by works. We are not saved by works. However, we are rewarded according to our works. That is the distinction that must be understood.
Then he says that some standing there would not taste death until they saw the Son of man coming in his kingdom. I finally got to what I want to talk about.
Matthew 16:28
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Understanding What Jesus Meant by His Coming
I am trying to do this quickly and get us to focus on what Jesus is actually saying. He tells his twelve disciples that some of them standing there would not die until they saw the Son of man coming in his kingdom (Matthew 16:28). That means they would not die before seeing this event. Now this takes a lot of thought. What did Jesus mean?
Years ago, I sat at a breakfast with a pastor. He called me and asked me if I would meet him for breakfast. I did. We met and after the initial handshakes, seating, ordering our breakfast, etc., he asked me, “What do you think about Matthew 16:28? Do we have two-thousand-year-old men on the earth today? I smiled. I said, “No. Allow me to help you.”
This points to that generation. It has to be that generation, because Jesus said it would happen before they died (Matthew 24:34). Either some people have lived for two thousand years, or Jesus was mistaken, or this is not referring to the second coming. It cannot be the second coming.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
At the same time, it must be made clear that Jesus Christ will return. He will come again, and it will be the same Jesus (Acts 1:11).
Acts 1:11
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
This same Jesus who was seen ascending will come again in the same manner (Acts 1:11). He is coming again as the same Jesus, not as a spirit, but the one who walked with the twelve. That same Jesus will walk on this planet again.
I believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is coming again in a physical way.
The Many Comings of the Lord
I also believe there are many comings of the Lord. He promised that when his people gather, he is present in their midst (Matthew 18:20). In that sense, there are many comings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is what this particular verse is addressing.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Perhaps this is where we miss it, that we limit the Lord’s coming to one more time. Why? He is the Lord! He can come as many times and in as many ways as He wants to come.
To understand this, we have to look at Revelation. These passages must be seen in order to understand what he is talking about here. One of them is Revelation 2:5.
Revelation 2:5
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
He is speaking to the church at Ephesus, and he tells them to remember from where they have fallen, to repent, and to do the first works, or else he says he will come unto them quickly (Revelation 2:5). This was said nearly two thousand years ago. He was not threatening them with something untrue. He warned them that if they did not return to their first love, he would return, remove their candlestick, and take away their influence in the city (Revelation 2:5).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The Son of man says he is coming quickly and that he will judge them. This does not refer only to a cataclysm at the end of history. It refers to the comings of Christ in history. He was not threatening the church of Ephesus with the second coming. He said he would come against them and remove their lampstand from its place, meaning their influence would be taken away, and they would cease to be a church at all (Revelation 2:5).
Now look at Revelation 2:16.
Revelation 2:16
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Again, he says, ” Repent, or else I will come quickly.” He tells them to change the way they think and the way they do things, and to repent. He says I will come quickly. This refers to judgment on those heretics who were teaching wrong things. He says I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth (Revelation 2:16). He is not trying to trick them with an any-minute rapture, or threaten them falsely. The Son of man is promising that if they do not obey, he will remove their influence and come quickly in judgment.
Revelation 3:11
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
The Son of man, Jesus Christ, is speaking to the church of Philadelphia. Christ promised to keep them from the hour of tribulation which would come quickly (Revelation 3:10). This cannot be the second advent. It is a coming, a judgment, but not the literal advent of Christ walking among men as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
In Revelation 22:7, he says,
Revelation 22:7
7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
“Behold I come quickly, blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7). Here again the same thought appears. He is not speaking to the church directly but is prophesying. He is prophesying to Israel and, in particular, to Jerusalem, where God was said to dwell. The first-century church expected the Lord to come quickly, not the second advent, but a coming that would destroy the old covenant system and inaugurate the new covenant age.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Every time God moved from one covenant or dispensation to another, there was a cataclysm. When he moved from Adam to Noah, there was a flood. When he moved from Noah to Abraham, he confounded the languages at Babel (Genesis 11:7–9). Then, when Christ died, there was darkness (Matthew 27:45). He was moving from the old covenant age to the new covenant age, and there would again be a cataclysm. Rome was sent to destroy Jerusalem. In AD 70, Rome totally destroyed the temple and Jerusalem.
The question is when would the Lord totally destroy Jerusalem. Revelation 22:20 addresses this.
Revelation 22:20
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
He testifies to these things and says, surely I come quickly. Jesus is promising that he is coming quickly. John wrote this no later than AD 100, which means it was written about 1,900 years ago, and yet he says he is coming quickly. I do not believe He was trying to trick anyone. I do not believe this is referring to the second advent. To me, He is talking about coming in judgment.
He promises that he is coming quickly, and in AD 66 the Roman army surrounded and besieged Jerusalem, laying the entire area desolate (Luke 21:20). In AD 70, the city fell and was destroyed by fire. History records that the three and a half year siege was one of the most awful tragedies ever recorded. There was cannibalism, rape, starvation, robbery, and bloodshed. It was a time such as was not since the beginning of the world to that time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:21).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
The Great Tribulation and God’s Protection of His People
That statement is a direct quote from the lips of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:21.
Matthew 24:21
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
We should get a lot of consolation from that. If that was the great tribulation, and I believe that it was, that He is speaking about there, then there will never ever again be anything like it. That should be encouraging.
If this is what Jesus meant by the great tribulation, it should give us great comfort to know that nothing like this will ever happen again. According to history, no Christian died during the siege. Josephus records that when they saw Jerusalem encompassed by the armies of Rome, they slipped out. Every one of them.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
And that’s according to Luke 21, 18.
Luke 21:18
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Not a hair on their head was harmed, and they obeyed the Lord’s instruction in Luke 21 when they saw Jerusalem encompassed. This brought an end to the old covenant because the temple was destroyed; it represented the place where God dwelt. To the Jew, God dwelt in the temple. Daniel faced Jerusalem three times a day because that was where God dwelt under the old covenant (Daniel 6:10). To end that mentality and that covenant, Jerusalem had to be destroyed, and it was.
The temple where God dwelt was a stone temple, built with mortar, brick, wood, and natural materials. God destroyed that temple because he no longer lives in a temple made with hands. We are now the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16). God changed temples, and that is what Pentecost and Acts chapter 2 are about (Acts 2). Not one stone was left upon another, just as Jesus prophesied (Matthew 24:2). The Roman soldiers dismantled the temple stone by stone to retrieve the gold that melted in the fire, fulfilling everything Jesus said in Matthew 24.
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
Judgment, Covenant Fulfillment, and the Truthfulness of Christ
God judged Jerusalem because of apostasy. They rejected the Messiah, and God said that if they rejected him, he would reject them (Hosea 4:6). This judgment marked the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant, and the specific cataclysm occurred in AD 70. This is what Jesus was speaking about in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13, and it is also what he is speaking about in Matthew 16:28.
Matthew 16:27-28
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
In Matthew 16:28, there is a clear statement of a first-century coming of the Son of Man in his kingdom. Verse 27 speaks of glory, which is connected to the cloud. When Israel came out of Egypt, God’s glory was seen in the cloud (Exodus 13:21). The glory of the Father came with angels, who functioned as covenant enforcers in judgment (Matthew 24:31). If the Lord said he would come before those disciples died, then he came. The Word of God is true and does not lie (John 17:17; Numbers 23:19). Jesus does not lie (John 14:6).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28 How to See Christ Comings
What we must do is align our minds with the Word of God, not try to align the Word of God with our minds, as Peter did (Matthew 16:22–23). Anything that resists the Word must be declared as Satan and told to get behind us (Matthew 16:23). My prayer is that we would grasp these truths, recognize that our traditions and theology can become offenses, and align fully with God’s Word, which alone endures forever (Isaiah 40:8).
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28
Matthew 16 Verses 18-28
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