In Matthew 16 we see the beginning of the transition between Jesus’ personal teaching ministry and what will be the ministry of His church, empowered by the Holy Spirit. That change began with, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus brought up the subject of His church – “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven…” “Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.”
On several earlier occasions Christ told people whom He had blessed not to publicize what He had done. It was clear that He was trying not to draw undue attention to Himself. But this was the first time that He specifically referred to the fact that He was “the Christ.” This relates to the earlier prohibitions, but this time it fits into the transformation to which I have referred. To the Jews the title “Christ” refers to the anointed King, who would come to sit upon the throne of David. “Christ” isn’t really the title of “Lamb of God” slain before the foundation of the world. “Christ” isn’t directly referring to our Saviour, but rather to our Lord and King. But before the glorious reign of Christ, there must be the sacrifice of God’s perfect atonement. “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.”
I won’t pretend to understand the covenant that exists between God the Father and God the Son. I’m not even convinced that “covenant” is the best word to describe it. But before creation, within the Trinity – the God-head – it was agreed to create man, permit the fall and then to arrange the salvation of a few unworthy sinners – all for God’s glory. It was agreed that the Second Person of the Trinity would take upon Himself human flesh and to die as a substitute for those whom He intended to save. God didn’t make a covenant with you to save your worthless soul, the covenant was between the Father and the Son. And although I don’t need to use the term, it was “unconditional” and “guaranteed.” Christ Jesus “MUST go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things … and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” You could say, although it is not exactly accurate, that Jesus was under orders – He MUST go.
Verse 21 is an important statement, and it is important for each of us to understand it as best we can. It’s not difficult; so this may be mostly review for most of you, but it is an important review. Verse 21 acts like a short outline which will be fleshed out fully as Matthew draws to a close.
Christ Jesus must go to JERUSALEM.
I confess once again that my ignorance continually surprises me. I am not ashamed to teach you the Book of Matthew, even though you may think that you know all about the life of Christ. But when I prove my own misunderstandings and misconceptions, I must assume that you might have some of them yourselves – perhaps not this particular one, or the last one, but another one along the way.
Only just recently, contrary to my earlier perceptions, our study of Matthew has taught me that Jesus has had very little ministry in Jerusalem thus far. I have little doubt but that Christ took His little band of disciples down to Jerusalem at least twice a year as proscribed by the Law. But thus far in Matthew there have been very few references to that city, and there has been no ministry there whatsoever. Whereas in the past I have spoken of the “Church in Jerusalem,” thus far there really hasn’t been a Church in Jerusalem – it has been Jesus’ “Church in Galilee.” But that is going to change.
Now Jesus must needs go to Jerusalem – the capital and metropolis of Israel. Laying aside the fact that we know Christ will be crucified there, is there another reason why He must go to that place? Jerusalem was the geographic center of the nation. It was the seat of the Roman government, the Jewish puppet government and the High Priest. Pilate was usually there, and that was the place of the Jewish Sanhedrin along with Annas and Caiaphas. As long as Jesus confined His ministry to Galilee and kept Himself there, the Jerusalem Jews might send their delegations of spies – both Pharisee and Sadducee, but probably not much else would be done against Him. Galilee was on the other side of the tracks as far as the elite of Jerusalem were concerned. Judah was buffered from Galilee by those semi-Gentile Samaritans. The only time that Jerusalem really cared about Galilee was when the more devout people from the northern territory came down for the religious feasts, bringing lots of money with them.
Christ Jesus must needs go down to Jerusalem in order to put Himself in harm’s way. If He had not made that seventy-five mile journey south, He might never have suffered those “many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” If Christ had remained in Galilee, despite revealing and teaching the most marvelous things about Heaven and His Heavenly Father, you and I would remain in our sins. Our minds might have been filled and edified, but our hearts would have remained corrupt and spiritually dead. It’s only in Jerusalem where there is enough hatred to bring to a boil the decreed plan of God.
Consider specifically the word “MUST.”
“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he MUST go unto Jerusalem, and suffer… and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” Is this an instance of divine humor, or is it just a really spectacular coincidence? The word “must” is a translation of the Greek word “dei” (die). Jesus must go to Jerusalem in order to die – He must “die to die.” The word is used 106 times in our Bibles, and it is rendered “must,” “ought,” and “should.” Generally, in my mind there is a great difference between “must” and “should,” but apparently not to God. If God tells you that you “should” do something or that you “ought” to do it, then you “must” do it. I hope that you remember this when we come to this evening’s message.
Why must Jesus go to Jerusalem? Besides the covenant established between the Father and the Son? To the best of my memory there are no prophecies about Jesus’ death in Jerusalem. There are prophecies about His Millennial reign and sitting upon David’s throne which had been there. But I can’t recall anything about His death in that place. Unless, of course, you bring in those prophesies about His sacrifice – Jerusalem was the designated place of sacrifice and the proper worship of Jehovah. If the sacrifice had to take place in Jerusalem then Jesus “must needs to unto Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 52-53 is a remarkable prophecy about the sufferings, death and ultimate exaltation of the Messiah. It reads more like an history rather than a prophecy, but it was written about 700 years before the cross. Isaiah 53 doesn’t mention the city of Jerusalem. And hundreds of years before that we have David’s Psalm 22, which again reveals so much about Christ. There are many other prophecies about Jesus’ death – none specifically speak about Jerusalem. Their message is obvious to everyone except to those who will not see or those who cannot see. Christ must needs go to Jerusalem because the divine covenant stipulated that the Son of God must die the death of the perfect sacrifice.
He must SUFFER many things – WHAT things?
It had started long before Matthew 16, but the corrupt leadership of Israel had been trying for months to entrap the Lord Jesus. They had tried, and will continue to try, to put Jesus into situations which exposed Him before the Romans, or the Jewish Law, or even before His disciples. “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?” “Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.” “And one of the scribes came, Which is the first commandment of all? Later, while in Jerusalem, “the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.” “What do you think, and what are you going to do about that?”
Mark 14:1 summarizes a dozen different attempts – “After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might TAKE him BY CRAFT, and PUT him to DEATH.”
Shortly after that they came in the middle of the night as cowards and arrested Him. “And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. “ Then they falsely accused Him, using paid perjurers.
Then the beatings and torture began. We could read about it in any of the four Gospels, but remember that Jesus “must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes.” He must go, because these things had been clearly prophesied. He was beaten so badly that as Isaiah said, “many were astonied at (him); his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.” As far as the elders, chief priests and scribes were concerned, there was no “form nor comeliness” in Him – no beauty that they should desire him. Mark’s account of Jesus’ statement to the disciples says that He would be “rejected.” Isaiah said that “He was despised and rejected of man, a man of sorrows and (fully) acquainted with grief.” People “hid was it were (their) faces from him; he was despised and (they) esteemed him not.”
Psalm 22 came from the heart of Heaven through the heart of David, but it reads like one of the Gospels. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” – David wrote Jesus’ very words from the cross. “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” – Again, some of the same words thrown at Him as He hung on the cross. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Remember that the soldiers stripped Jesus and then gambled for the right to take His clothes home.
Ultimately, as both Christ and the Old Testament prophesied, Jesus was “killed.” He was crucified by the Romans, not stoned to death in the manner of Jewish executions. His hands and feet were pierced, as His side was later on. Not a bone of Him was broken, but nearly every tendon and ligament in His body was torn apart. David prophesied, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.” As Christ hung there suspended between God and sinful man, the Father turned His back to Him. There was an unearthly, unusual darkness in the middle of the day. “O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season…” And then, shortly before true nightfall, on the Day of the Passover, Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, died.
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” As Paul said, “I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures.” He “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” He “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people…” “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”
BUT he was quickened by the Spirit. Jesus clearly told His disciples about that as well. “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.” In what may have been Peter’s greatest sermon he said, Christ was “delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” Then later he reiterated, “You people killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” Paul, in the introduction to his letter to the Romans said, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
One of the great things, often misunderstood by so many professing “Christians,” is that Christ was on a mission from before the day of His birth. Yes, eventually He is going to sit upon David’s throne in the Millennial Kingdom. But what good is it to rule over an empire of rebels, beaten into submission and ruled with threats? Before the time of the throne, it was Christ’s intention to prepare a people for His name. Through His sacrifice and blood, the Lord has been regenerating citizens for His kingdom. And now, as Peter once wrote, “ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
Initially, Peter may have tried to dissuade the Saviour from His appointed task, but eventually he understood. And I hope that you do as well. Ye must be born again, and that can only come through the death and then the resurrected life of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”