The Children of the Messiah’s Kingdom For the Messiah’s kingdom to be established as a huge structure that could rise up to the heavens, there must be deep foundation to pull down the kingdom of darkness, so as to erect new concepts. In other words, the old man has to be pulled down first, so that the new man could be built up by means of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and his resurrection. The evangelist stressed at this point the destruction of ‘hypocrisy’, for its being the foundation in the new man. The cost for this work is the crucifixion. 1. The Agreement of the Pharisees and the Sadducees against Him 1 – 4 2. The Destruction of Hypocrisy, the Destroyer of the Kingdom 5 – 12 3. The Rising of Faith as the Foundation for the Kingdom 13 – 20 4. Crucifixion as the Price for the Kingdom 21 – 23 5. Our Positive Role in the Kingdom 24 – 26 6. The Eternal Kingdom 27 – 28 + + + 1. The Agreement of the Pharisees and the Sadducees against Him: (Matt 16:1) “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him asked that he would show them a sign from heaven.” Those of controversial beliefs agreed together against the Lord Jesus, since the kingdom of darkness cannot accept light. What is false cannot tolerate what is right, even if what is false is not in accord together. They agreed together to test him, asking him to show them a sign from heaven. They asked for an apparent natural phenomenon, and they did not realize that these signs or phenomena are prior to his last coming for judgment. This is a sign for the world eradication, and the forces of darkness before him so as to establish the new world, that is, his everlasting kingdom. But, now, he has come to save and not to condemn. He has come to tell of his signs and miracles in people’s lives for their repentance, and to change their inward life. He has come to declare his compassion on humanity, and his patience with us, and not to show off his power and his authority. When dealing with Pharaoh to condemn him, he presented to him these signs concerning nature so as to scare him; but with friends there was no need of such things. He has offered them the salvation that has been symbolically fulfilled in Jonah the prophet. He answered those trying to test him saying, (Matt 16:2-4) “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the prophet Jonah. And he lef them and departed.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord gave man a mind to think with, and to discern matters. He would then be able to know the weather according to the apparent signs in the sky. But unfortunately, the Pharisees and the Sadducees did not make use of this divine gift for the account of god’s kingdom, even though they had, quite handy to the, the prophecies of the prophets declaring clearly the Lord Jesus and his salvation deeds. They say the evening is a good one for the sky is red. The evening of the world has come, the fullness of time, for the Lord to shed his blood for our salvation, and yet they refused him. They did not say the weather was a good one, that is, it is the acceptable time for their return to him and obtaining his salvation work. They eternal morning has drawn near, and yet they did not realize they were in the winter cold of the spirit. They were losing the heavenly crown and the partnership of God’s glory. They were able to discern the material face of the sky, and yet were unable to be aware of the mysteries of the spiritual kingdom. Therefore Jonah the prophet and other prophets will be rightful witnesses against them. 2. The Destruction of Hypocrisy, the Destroyer of the Kingdom: The Lord Jesus establishes his heavenly kingdom in us. This evangelical structure needs primarily the pulling down of the wrong concepts so as to set up a new spiritual foundation. Without destroying the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the Sadducees we can never be blessed with the living faith which pertains to the kingdom. Without destroying the old man it is in possible to establish the new man. The evangelist narrates to us the encounter of the Lord Jesus with his disciples. We can say it is like a church assembly, gathering the shepherds, with the Lord in their midst declaring to them the mysteries of his kingdom; the details of which are as follows: (Matt 16:5) “Now when his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.” The disciples were attracted to the Lord Jesus; they therefore went to the other side, as if to the other life so as to live in heavenly thoughts. They left everything behind, even the basic necessities, for they had forgotten to take bread with them. (Matt 16:6-12) “Then Jesus said to the, ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.’ And they reasoned among themselves saying ‘It is because we have taken no bread.’ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ Wherever the shepherds gather together in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord himself leads them and guides them, from the negative and positive aspects. He therefore warns them of hypocrisy, and he also reveal to them the mysteries of the Father (Matt 16:17). From the negative aspect, he asked them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Unfortunately they thought of the ‘leaven’ or the material bread we eat. They seemed to have got confused because there was no food. The Lord therefore rebuked them, and reminded them of the tow miracles of feeding the multitudes by so saying the Lord tackled another new weakness in their life which getting disturbed about materialistic matters and temporary needs. Briefly speaking, we can say that the Lord treated the negative aspect from two points: the first one is the running away from hypocrisy ‘the Pharisees’ leaven’. The second one is not to get confused or disturbed about material provision, particularly when they meet their fellow shepherds in the personality of the Lord Jesus. These two diseases, unfortunately, strike so many in the assemblies of the church shepherds. The Lord warned them of the sin of hypocrisy, for it is the most dangerous enemy to the kingdom. The apparent sin could be realized and repented. But as for hypocrisy, it creeps in to the life of the spiritual leaders, the servants and the worshipers. This is not to keep them away from the service and worship with out encountering the Lord Jesus himself. Hence, man is uplifted to his ego and lies selfishness under the cover of religion and service. The structure then appears a sky rise without any foundation and it falls down in a total collapse. St. John Chrysostom thinks hypocrisy as a thief that secretly sneaks in to the rows of worshipers, shepherds and those shepherded. It steals their hearts secretly without being detected. St. Ambrosios says, “Our Lord presents to us a strong reassurance about keeping the simplicity with the zeal of faith. We should not be life the unbelieving Jews, who practice a certain matter, and pretend to be zealous in their words.” As for hypocrisy to be similar to a leaven, St. Gregory the Nazinzy says, “When the leaven is praised it is because it concerns the bread of life. When it is blamed, it is because it refers to bitter cunningness that gets stabilized for those who get accustomed to it.” This is regarding hypocrisy. But as for the other negative aspect, it is his warning them of getting disturbed about material provision and preparation during the shepherds’ meetings. This is instead of heaving Christ himself as the main goal. The disciples got disturbed about the bread, and they did not realize that the one dwelling in their midst is Christ, the living bread that satisfies everyone! The disciples left the table service to the deacons (Acts 7). These were filled with the Holy Spirit, and were witnesses to the truth, so that the disciples would be free for the word service. There is no due to between the preaching word, and the deeds of love and serving those in need, and providing for the church matters. But for the sake of having https://coptic-treasures.com/ every church member free for the appropriate job for him, the spiritual shepherds should not be preoccupied with the table service. This is not due to any scorn of these tables, but it is just for the sake of having special services. For, just as the eye looks for the account of the entire body, yet it cannot hear by itself, but through the ear. Likewise is the church work, it represents a unified totality all together, as many members in the same body, allworking in unity, each in its special field. Let us go back to the Lord’s words with his disciples. We notice he wished to warn them, but he did not do so before the multitudes, so as not to hurt their feelings. He rather talked to them privately, offering them a live example of the spiritual fatherhood which is so gentle, even in time of warning. 3. The Rising of Faith as the Foundation for the Kingdom: After the Lord Jesus had declared the obligation of the disciples to pull down hypocrisy, and not to get disturbed about material temporary matters, he presented to them the positive aspect. Upon this aspect is based the evangelical doctrine or the establishment of the kingdom, which is ‘faith’. This was by means of a new encounter with his disciples, as if it were a new assembly for shepherds. In this meeting he asked his disciples (Matt 16:13) “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” By asking this question the Lord wished to bring up an important aspect if our faith in him, by calling him ‘Son of Man’, as an assurance of his humanity. If the father has declared to St. Peter the apostle he is the son of the living God, thereby confirming his divinity, then the Son himself confirms his humanity at this point. It is as if our faith in him is based on his ‘humanity’. By means of the incarnation of God, the Son of God has come forth as head of the church, God’s kingdom on earth. Through our unity with God’s Son, the Incarnate, we enter through the baptism water, into the membership of this new spiritual kingdom. We are then blessed with the Creator’s image, and we enjoy his life in us. We therefore carry him inside us as the mystery of eternal life. The Lord asked them (Matt 16:13) “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Since they were of the people, they could not of themselves realize the mystery of his divinity. They were amazed at his deeds (Matt 16:14) “So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’” Yes, for sure, we are in need of God himself to declare to us Christ’s mystery. The Lord once more asked them (Matt 16:15) “But who do you say that I am?” St. Jerome thinks of the Lord’s words “But who do you… after his asking “Who do people say…” he thinks the disciples are no longer of the people, but that by him, they have become Gods. He said, “It is as if he is telling them as they are humans, they have thought of human matters, whereas they, as Gods, who do you say I am?”” The Lord’s question to his disciples was not for information, neither was it to know what was in their hearts, but rather to give them the chance to snatch away the https://coptic-treasures.com/ human wrong thoughts, and to accept the divine declaration. As St. Cyril the great says, “He was preparing his disciples for his sufferings so they would not be doubtful of him.” When the Lord posed for them the question (Matt 16:16,17) “Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘blessed are you, Simon Barjonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My father who is in heaven.’” Our faith in the Messiah the King, Son of the living God, is not a philosophical concept we love, and he is not the outcome of mental faith that we accept of flesh and blood. It is God’s declaration shining on us by the father by means of his Holy Spirit on all his people through the apostles and the disciples. The church has received him as God’s apostolic declaration. It is an earnest offered from one generation to the next. It is not a human handing over; it is rather God’s tradition that he shines with in the hearts of believers. It is a divine word inside the heart, able to link the soul to its king, and hence, we live the life of the heavenly kingdom. What happened to St. Peter the apostle is fulfilled with every member in Christ’s sanctified church, even if it is performed in different ways. It could be by means of a priest, or a word of preaching, or a written word. But the hidden declarer is God himself who words in the heart to proclaim the faith in it. What follows are some comments by the fathers on this statement: + What was unable to be declared by flesh and blood, is declared by the grace of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, Simon Peter accepted a name which means he has accepted a declaration from the Holy Spirit. The name ‘Barjonah’ in our tongue means ‘son of the dove’, but some understand it as simply to mean Simon Peter is ‘Son of John’. They consider the name ‘Son of Jona’ as to mean ‘Joanaa’. The word ‘John’ means ‘the grace of God’. Therefore the name is interpreted secretly as ‘the dove’ that is ‘the Holy Spirit’ or ‘the grace of God’ which is the gift of the Spirit. St. Jerome. + Blessed is he who is praised for his awareness and understanding, which id greater than the vision of human eyes. He does not look upon what is of the flesh and body, but he rather looks upon God’s Son through the declaration of the heavenly father. He has become worthy of becoming the first one to declare Christ’s godliness. St. Hillary, Bishop of Portier. + Look how the father declares the son, and how the son declares the father. We do not learn of the son except through the father. Here he declares to us that the son is one with the father and is equal to him, worshiped to him with the father. St. John Chrysostom. + Therefore, believe in him just as St. Peter, so you be blessed and be worthy to hear words ‘It is not flesh and blood that have declared this to you, but my father who is in heaven. “For flesh and blood do not accept anything unless it is of the world; also as a contrast, he who speaks of the sacraments by the Spirit, does not depend on the flesh and blood teachings, but rather on the proclamation of the divine. Do not rely on flesh and https://coptic-treasures.com/ blood to take your orders from them, and thence you, too, become flesh and blood. But he who clings to the Spirit is one Spirit (1 Cor 6:17).”’ St. Ambrosios. The Lord continues his words with St. Peter (Matt 16:18) “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” The word ‘Peter’ is derived from the Greek ‘Petra’ which is ‘the rock.’ The Lord has established his church, which is his kingdom, on the rock, the faith in Christ the Lord that is declared to St. Peter. The faith in the Messiah is the basis on which is established the kingdom’s structure, that is so high, it reaches the very heavens. By means of God’s incarnation, the Son of the living God has come forth as the cornerstone that supports the entire structure, and therefore no tempests could destroy it, and neither could they strong winds shake one single rock of it. + He did not tell him ‘you are a rock’ ‘tu es Petra’, but he rather said ‘tu es Petrus’ for the rock was Christ (1 Cor 10:4). This is it which Simon confessed, just as the entire church would have confessed. This is why he is called ‘Peter’. St. Augustine. + By saying so he meant, ‘on this faith, and on this confession I build my church. He showed by this that many others believe in what St. Peter believed in. Moreover, the Lord has raised up his spirit and has made him a shepherd.’ St. John Chrysostom. + Furthermore, he is the light, and he has granted his disciples to be called ‘the light of the world’. They also obtained the other titles from the Lord. Simon, who has believed in Christ the rock, he has been granted to be called Peter ‘the rock.’ St. Jerome. + He who follows Christ, and sets him as his example to follow, is a rock. The scholar Oreganus. + Great is Christ’s love, who has given all of his titles to his disciples, for he says, ‘I am the light of the world’ (John 8:12). And yet he gives of his own nature to his disciples saying, (Matt 5:14) “You are the light of the world.” Her moreover says, (John 6:31) “I am the living bread” and (1 Cor 10:17) “We are all one bread.” He says (John 15:1) “I am the true vineyard.” And he tells you, (Jer 2:21) “Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ Christ is the rock (1 Cor 10:4) “For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed the, and that rock was Christ.” His disciples is not deprived of that title, for he too is a rock, for you will be as solid as a rock that is firm and stable in the faith. Work hard so you too would be a rock. Then they would not search for the rock outside you, but in yourself. Your rock is your work, and it is your spirit. On it you will build your house no tempests of the evil spirit will be able to ruin it. Your rock is your faith, which is the foundation of the church. If you are a rock, you will be a church. And if you are in the church, not even the gates of Hades will be able to over come you. These are they which are the gates of hell. St. Ambrosios. (Matt 16:19) “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The kingdom of heaven is God’s work declared by the father in our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit in his son. He has therefore offered the kingdom’s keys into the church hands, not to show authority and to rule, but to serve humanity. It has been handed the authority not to work of itself, but by means of the Holy Spirit that dwells in it. The bride therefore shares in the making of the groom himself. This is to obtain the honor of the partnership with him so as to fulfill his divine will in her behaviour. The kingdom keys, actually, is in the possession of the Son of David himself. It is he who opens and no one else shuts it he also shuts and no one opens. If the Lord has granted his church this godly key, this is because he entrusts the church with it. It is he who works secretly inside it. He knows who is worthy, and he opens to him through it, and he who is left outside, is shut out. + If this were told to Peter alone, he would not have embodied any foundation for a particular work to the church. St. Augustine. + Therefore, in the change of time that followed, the priesthood regime follows accordingly in the church provision, by means of the authority given to them. St. Kaprianos. + I wish he who binds or loosens another person would himself be blameless, and hence would be found worthy to bind or loosen in heaven. Who is able to shut the gates of hell. With his virtues he will be given as a reward the keys of the heavenly kingdom. When man begins to train himself in every kind of virtue, he will be as someone who opens for himself the doors of heaven; for it is the https://coptic-treasures.com/ Lord himself who opens them. Therefore virtue itself will be the door of heaven and its key. Every virtue is nothing else but the heavenly kingdom. The scholar Oreganus. + The bishops and the priest who do not comprehend this matter, and they judge indiscriminately, they adopt the same attitude of pride that pertains to the Pharisees. They believe they are able to judge the innocent, and forgive the criminals. But God does not look upon the judgment of the priest; he rather looks upon those who are being judged. St. Jerome. 4. The Crucifixion as the Cost for the Kingdom: (Matt 16:21) “From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” The Lord spoke of his kingdom as being destroyed and constructed, a matter of uprooting and implanting. In it the old man, with all of its deeds, is destroyed, so the new man be raised instead. The price for this kingdom is ‘the crucifixion’. The Lord has begun to speak openly with his disciples about his commitment, so full of divine love, to go to Jerusalem to be kept these as a true Passover offered in place of the entire humanity. He will destroy the kingdom of iniquity, and establish his own kingdom by means of his resurrection with his cross he condemned sin in his own body. He who is sinless has become sinful for our sake, so he would destroy its kingdom and scatter its authority. We shall then rise in him sanctified through his blood, and be members of his sacred body, children of the new kingdom. St. John Chrysostom comments on this, proclaiming the capabilities of the sign of the cross in establishing the kingdom. He says, “It has destroyed the gates of hell, and opened the gates of heaven, and offered a new entrance to paradise, and has pulled down the fortresses of the devils. It is no surprise it has also overcome the poisonous matters and the fierce beasts, and so forth.” It was not possible at that time for St. Peter to realize the inward kingdom, and subsequently to understand ‘the mystery of the cross.’ This is why the evangelist says, (Matt 16:22,23) “then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to you!” But he returned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” St. Peter the apostle thought that when he takes the Lord apart, and would rebuke him, he would then manifest his love to him, and would reject his being scorned and his suffering. But he was surprised to see the Lord rebuking him. ‘Get behind me, Satan.’ St. Peter the apostle had accepted the father’s declaration about the godliness of the son; and therefore his faith because as strong as the rock on which the church is establishes. He has become worthy of obtaining with the other disciples, the keys of the kingdom. But despite when St. Peter refused the cross the Lord called https://coptic-treasures.com/ him ‘Satan’, and an offense to me, as well as ‘for you are not mindful of the things of god, but the things of men.’ The Lord has come to establish his kingdom through the cross; therefore he who rejects the cross, rejects the godly thinking, and would become an offense, concerned about the apparent matters that rejoices people’s hearts, not God’s. Therefore, the cross is God’s deed that has occupied God’s thinking since the beginning of the times, for the sake of our salvation; without which, it is an obstruction to enter God’s kingdom, and hence the kingdom of God would be changed to a human kingdom. 5. Our Positive Role in the Kingdom: If the Lord had paid the price of the kingdom on the cross, then we shall not be blessed with this kingdom, and neither shall we grow in it, unless we share positively in it by carrying the cross with the crucified heavenly groom. This is why the Lord continues his words with his disciples about his crucifixion by their commitment to carrying the cross. For the evangelist says, (Matt 16:24) “Then Jesus said to his disciples ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.’” St. John Chrysostom says the Lord Jesus in this way has rebuked St. Peter who had rebuked him for carrying the cross. “It is as if he is telling St. Peter ‘You are rebuking me because I wish to suffer, but I am telling you it is not only wrong that you forbid me to suffer, and I tell you, you will not be able to be saved unless you too die.’” If the kingdom of heaven means to follow the Messiah the king, then no one will be able to accept this following unless he is in the cross cycle, and carries the qualities of the king himself, that is to say, the crucifixion. He has to deny himself, and hate himself, and to denounce it altogether. He would crucify himself on the cross, not to live in weakness and hardship, with no sensitivity or embrowns or will-power. When he goes to the Lord’s cross, by means of the Holy Spirit, he dies to himself, and carries the Lord himself inside him. The weak human will-power disappears, not that he would live with no willpower, but that Christ’s wise and able will-power works in him. He is not to live insensitively and emotionless, but rather when he dies regarding all these, he accepts them a new from the father’s hands by means of the Holy Spirit. It is then that he will have the feelings of the Lord Jesus himself, his tenderness, his humility and his compassion. He will live embodying Christ’s qualities transfigured in him. This is the concept of the cross; he carries a loss, but actually it is gain; the Christina sells all that he possesses and gains what is far greater. This is why the Lord says, (Matt 16:25,26) “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his own soul? This is the real kingly way in which all toil, even perishing his won temporary life, only to find himself blessed joyfully with what surpasses life. When he leaves the world, he possesses what is far more overwhelming. It is constant taking during the departure and giving things up. This is why St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote in his letter to the people of Rome saying, “Of what use to me are the pleasures of the world? What do I have to do with the world’s https://coptic-treasures.com/ attractions? I would rather die with Christ than possess all the corners of the world. I only ask for Christ who has died for our sake, and also rose for our sake. The hour for my birth has drawn near. Forgive me my brethren, let me live, leave me to die. I wish to be with God. Do not leave me in the world, do not leave me among the pleasures of the world. Let me reach the pure light.”” What does it mean for man to deny himself? + Man denied himself when he does not care what happens to his body when he is stricken, or submits to similar suffering, but he rather tolerates all this patiently. St. John Chrysostom. + When someone loves God, he hates himself, that is his physical man. Inwardly, in our thoughts, our hearts, our will power, there is an unusual force constantly working every day, every moment so as to with draw us from God. This force suggests to us thoughts, desires, concerns, intentions, preoccupations, words, false deeds --- all of which motivate in us the passions, and urge them violently in us. I mean this is the cunningness, envy, covetousness, pride, vain glory, slothfulness, disobedience, stubbornness, deceit and wrath. Father John of Kronstadt. 6. The Everlasting Kingdom: The Lord concludes his words about the construction of the heavenly kingdom as an inward life which we live here. He declares it as the everlasting kingdom. Actually it is not any different than the inward kingdom, but it is rather an extension to it. What we live in now in Christ Jesus through the faith, we enjoy it in full glory through the eternal resurrection. For he says, (Matt 16:27) “For the son of man will come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works.” The heavenly life that we live here, and are blessed with, is only an earnest for the eternal life, extended above all timely measure when the Lord Jesus the king comes with his angels. He will reward each one according to his deeds. If the faith is the foundation of the kingdom, yet it has to be ‘scientific’ so that the Lord offers us the rewarding eternal crowns ‘each one according to his deeds.’ The Lord wished to takes his disciples to this kingdom in a tangible way; he allowed three of his disciples to witness and be blessed with his transfiguration, so as to experience some moments of the eternal heavenly life. For he says, (Matt 16:28) “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom.” St. Ambrosios thinks it is appropriate for the believer to be blessed with this heavenly life as an earnest when he is still on earth. He says, “It is not only Enoch who is alive. He was not taken all by himself up to heaven, also St. Paul was uplifted above to encounter Christ.” It is appropriate for us to have our souls blessed by being uplifted above, so as to live with the heavenly Lord Jesus, and death would never be able to overcome us. ++++++++++++++++++++++++
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