Matthew 16:1-27

Wow! What a packed chapter.

The Pharisees and Sadducees come demanding a sign. Jesus refuses. They can’t read signs. In truth almost anyone who is looking for a sign can’t read it when they see it. You look for God first and then you see signs, not the other way round. Ultimately, they would be given the sign of Jonah. As Jonah was three days and nights in the fish for Jesus would be in the grave and return. They still wouldn’t believe.

Therefore, Jesus is warning against the teaching of the “sign followers.” But the disciples thing He is rebuking them for not bringing bread. “Don’t you get it? Five loaves for five thousand with twelve baskets left over. Seven loaves for four thousand with seven baskets left over. God’s math isn’t our math and He doesn’t need you to remember the bread.”

Then comes one of the great “you-gotta-be-kidding-me’s” in all f Scripture. Many people are familiar with Peter’s great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Quite a few know that Peter is also the one to whom Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan.” Not so many are aware of the fact that the Holy Spirit placed these two events right next to each other and that Jesus rebuked Peter seemingly right after giving him the “keys to the kingdom.” What’s up?

Jesus didn’t make a mistake. Peter was indeed going to be all that Jesus had said, he just wasn’t yet. The key to both events is the contrast in God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom. When Peter made his great confession Jesus said, “...this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.” When Jesus rebuked Peter He said, “...you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

There it is. No matter how “wise” we may be we are only really as wise as we are attentive to God’s voice. Every day. Every hour. Every minute.