Rejected & Killed

To a first century Jew, the very thought that Israel’s long-awaited Messiah would ever “be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed”—that would truly have been unthinkable, the very opposite of every expectation. The illustrious Person designated by Yahweh Elohim to be King over all Israel, whose kingdom’s reach would extend to the very ends of earth, when He appeared He would be recognized and welcomed and loved and honored and served—that was the nigh-universal belief. However, the reality was to be far different.

Walking northward toward Caesarea Philippi from the Galilee, Jesus asked His chosen men about the general public’s thinking, “Who do men say that I am?” Public opinion was that Jesus was probably one of the old prophets returned, possibly Elijah or Jeremiah. They knew He was unusual and that He must have been sent from God, but they did not recognize Jesus as Messiah, the true King of Israel. The disciples, however, had another understanding. They knew Him to be the Christ, Messiah, the Son of the living God (see Mark 8; Matthew 16).

Jesus confirmed the disciples’ understanding of His identity: the Christ, Messiah, the Lord’s Anointed. How did they come to a right understanding about Him, while the elders of Israel and other leading religious figures, priests and scribes, all rejected Jesus as Messiah and conspired to have Him killed? Was the disciples’ understanding mere prejudice based on affection and admiration? Were they simply too impressed with Him to have a smaller opinion? Who was right, the religious elite or the fishermen and tax collectors? According to Jesus, the disciples were right. He explained how they came to right conclusions about Him.

Hearing Simon Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” “Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). These men had been taught the truth about Jesus and it was Jesus’ “Father who is in heaven” who had made them understand that the Nazarene was and is Christ, the King, the Son of the living God.

But the King must die. And He well knew it before He ever came into this world by taking to Himself true humanity through the womb of the Virgin. After the disciples had acknowledged Him as Christ, as true Deity, and after they had been solidly confirmed in their understanding, Jesus then began to speak to them plainly of His death.

What a boulder of a truth and hardly one that they could have expected or anticipated! A stunning revelation it was. How could it be, that Messiah will be rejected and killed? —by every right He should be welcomed, adored and enthroned. The thought was utterly foreign to every mind—except Jesus’ mind. In fact, Simon Peter, the recent chief confessor of our faith, found His words about His impending rejection and death so unthinkable and incredible that he actually began to reprimand Him for saying such things. Simon did not yet understand God’s purpose that Jesus’ had to die to bear away the sins of His people. He would later understand it well and powerfully preach this gospel of a crucified, risen, enthroned Messiah. –TSA