Breaking the Word

   When he came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?" Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.  The demons pleaded with him, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine."  And he said to them, "Go then!" They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned.  The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.  Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. (Mt 8:28-34)

Jesus is in a gentile territory. There are two demons, here in Matthew’s gospel. And they recognize Jesus as the Messiah (Son of God). They were so terrible that no one could travel by the road. It looks that they had a time frame for their activities. All the above statements tend to show that Jesus confronted the evil force. Evil force was destructive and it had its time bound activity. Jesus challenges this evil force and ends its activity before time. So Jesus arrival is to end the activity of evil force before time.

Through this story the author is saying that Jesus not only had authority to preach, teach, heal the sick (be it close at hand or at a distance), over the wind and waves, but also he had authority over evil forces. Jesus was not just a good man who did a lot of good to the others or he was not just a good preacher or a guide who helped people to build up relationship but he was someone with authority. He had authority over physical and non-physical world.

Wherever Jesus went the people asked him to stay with them, but here they asked him to depart. The people were afraid of him. Were they afraid because the lost the herd of pigs? We do not know. But certainly they did not recognize him to be the messiah. But the demon possessed men acknowledged him to be the messiah and also recognized the ministry of the Son of God. So Jesus was a force to be reckoned with.

  When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."  Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."(Mt 16:13-19)

The views of the people about Jesus are quite interesting. And their views were based on their experience of Jesus compared to some of the Old Testament prophets. Their views were totally biblically based (they spoke of only Jeremiah, Elijah, John the Baptist or one of the prophets). And what they said was their experience of Jesus.

Peter’s reply was based on a revelation. But this revelation was not from flesh and blood (humanly or earthly experience). The revelation that Peter had, was divinely /heavenly and hence we can say: non-experiential. This revelation was from the Father. This revelation makes Peter Blessed.

Revelation not only makes Peter blessed, but also makes Peter the foundation of the church. It also makes him have the keys of the kingdom. Revelation places the individual linked to the church and kingdom. It is God (Father) who makes the believer a member of the church and a member of the kingdom.