New Testament Lesson #13 Matthew 15:21–39; 16: 13–19; 17:1–9
“I Will Give unto Thee the Keys
of the Kingdom”
Introduction
This week’s lesson has three snapshots
from three different chapters of Matthew. They start what is known as the
“North Galilean Ministry.” Here the Savior goes to “the coasts [borders] of
Tyre and Sidon” and therefore close to Canaan.
The readings are a progression, from
Jesus teaching the disciples through the example of the Syrophoenecian woman
that it is their mission to bring His gospel to the Gentiles, to establishing
the bedrock of the Church as revelation and the significance of the keys to the
kingdom, to the Mount of Transfiguration where Peter, James, and John receive
their endowment and learn first-hand of the divinity of Christ.
In Mark 3:8, we learn of a great
multitude who came to hear him from Tyre and Sidon, so in much the same way as
Jesus went to the Samaritans after he talked with the Samaritan woman at the
well (John 4:7–42), He now goes to Canaan and there meets a Gentile woman. Peter
figures strongly in the next two scripture readings. In Matthew 16, it is given
to him to testify of Christ’s divinity which leads to the discourse on the rock
of revelation and demonstrates Peter’s worthiness, in Matthew 17, to witness the
great event of the transfiguration of Christ and see heavenly visitors. This
“temple” experience qualifies the newly formed First Presidency of the Church
to receive the keys of the kingdom.
Matthew
15:21–39—The Syrophoenecian Woman and the Feeding of the Four Thousand
In Abraham 2:8–11, the Lord Jehovah
makes many promises to Abraham, but the one that is pertinent to this
discussion is “thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their
hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations” (Abraham
2:9). Christ’s ministry was to the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, not to the
Gentiles. The Gospel would be carried to the Gentiles through His disciples. However,
in a situation which echoes very closely the reason for the parable of the
Importunate Widow, which was to teach us that we “ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1), after much importuning by this grieving
mother, the Savior declares “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even
as thou wilt” (Matthew 15:28) and performs a miracle for her by healing her
daughter.[1]
In
Matthew, she is referred to generically as “Canaanite” which is the equivalent
of all that is hated among the Jews—certainly a Gentile in the worst possible
way. Mark softens it a little with the appellation “Syrophoenecian.” First she
has been to the disciples who can’t get rid of her. One sees a little of the
almost mindless adherence to the letter of the law. They bring her to Jesus for
Him to deal with her, asking Him to “Send her away; for she crieth after us”
(vs. 23). What follows is probably more a lesson for the disciples. The Lord
knows the woman’s heart, her faith, and her humility, but He puts her through
this testing exercise maybe to let the disciples and the Gentiles who surround
Him know that He has compassion for all. Joseph Smith taught: “God is not a
respecter of persons, we all have the same privilege. Come to God weary him
until he blesses you . . . we are entitled to the same blessings.”[2] Question: Do we weary the Lord until He
blesses us?
As further demonstration of that,
after this multitude of four thousand (probably mostly Gentiles) has followed
him for three days, the Lord has compassion on them and again performs the
miracle of multiplying scarce resources. Not only does he provide enough food
for them all, but “They did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the
broken meat that was left seven baskets full” (vs. 37). In other words there
was always going to be more than enough.
McConkie
quote “This miraculous feeding of the four thousand is not a mere
duplication or repetition of the feeding of the five thousand which took place
a short time before near Bethsaida. Then our Lord was mingling with his own
kindred of Israel; now he is teaching other hosts who in substantial part,
being inhabitants of Decapolis, are presumed to be Gentile. Then he was laying
the foundation for his incomparable sermon on the Bread of Life; now he is
prefiguring the future presentation of the living bread to the Gentile nations.
And significantly, this mixed multitude from the east of the Jordan were more
receptive, and took a more sane and sound view of the matchless miracle of
feeding thousands by use of the creative powers resident in him, than did the
members of the chosen seed.”[3] Question, if we consider ourselves true
disciples of Christ, what is our responsibility with regard to feeding His sheep?
Matthew
16:13–19
The play on words here has caused a
certain amount of discussion between mainstream Christianity’s view of petros (the masculine version meaning
“pebble”) as the new name for Simon Peter and petra (the feminine version meaning “rock”) as the metaphor for
revelation. Elder Nelson said, “The modern-day scene in Caesarea Philippi is
unique. There is a mountain at the base of which is a mighty rock from which
water seems to be flowing. These cascades comprise one of the three major headwaters
of the River Jordan, literally the liquid lifeline of this country. As Jesus
was preparing to conclude His mortal ministry [His Crucifixion took place six
months later], here He trained future leaders of His Church. Could it be that
the Savior brought His disciples to this spot to teach the lesson that this
majestic mountain symbolized the rock of Christ from whom revelation would
flow?—revelation to bring light and life to them, just as that flowing water of
the River Jordan nourishes Israel.”[4]
Regarding the debate between Peter as
the rock and foundation of the Church and Christ—and therefore the
non-existence of an apostasy—and revelation as the foundation, Orson F. Whitney
said, “If we have the apostolic succession from St. Peter as [the Catholic Church]
claims, there was no need of Joseph Smith and Mormonism; but if we have not
that succession, such a man as Joseph Smith was necessary and Mormonism’s
position is the only consistent one. It is either the perpetuation of the
gospel from ancient times, or the restoration of the gospel in latter days.”[5] Question: What does the Restoration mean to
you personally?
Regarding the keys of the kingdom,
President Kimball bore powerful witness of the reality of those keys lodged in
the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. Play audio. In one of the first audio recordings of the Church,
President Wilford Woodruff, as the last living witness of Joseph Smith, talked
about Joseph giving the keys to the Twelve. Play audio.
Matthew 17:1–9
About a week after Peter was promised
the keys, the Savior took Peter, James, and John up to a mountain—thought to be
either Mount Tabor or Mount Hermon—a symbol of the temple throughout history.
Elder McConkie describes what happened,
“(1) Jesus singled out Peter,
James, and John from the rest of the Twelve; took them upon an unnamed
mountain; there he was transfigured before them, and they beheld his glory. …
[Peter] said they ‘were eyewitnesses of his majesty.’ (2 Pet. 1:16.)
“(2) Peter, James, and John, were
themselves ‘transfigured before him’ [Teachings: Joseph Smith, 105], … thus
enabling them to entertain angels, see visions and comprehend the things of
God. …
“(3) Moses and Elijah—two ancient
prophets who were translated and taken to heaven without tasting death, so they
could return with tangible bodies on this very occasion, an occasion preceding
the day of resurrection—appeared on the mountain; and they and Jesus gave the
keys of the kingdom to Peter, James, and John [Teachings: Joseph Smith, 105].
“(4) John the Baptist, previously
beheaded by Herod, apparently was also present. …
“(5) Peter, James, and John saw
in vision the transfiguration of the earth, that is, they saw it renewed and
returned to its paradisiacal state—an event that is to take place at the Second
Coming when the millennial era is ushered in. (D. & C. 63:20–21. …)
“(6) It appears that Peter,
James, and John received their own endowments while on the mountain [Joseph
Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:165]. … It also appears that it was
while on the mount that they received the more sure word of prophecy, it then
being revealed to them that they were sealed up unto eternal life. (2 Pet. 1:16–19; D. & C. 131:5.)
“(7) Apparently Jesus himself was
strengthened and encouraged by Moses and Elijah so as to be prepared for the
infinite sufferings and agony ahead of him in connection with working out the
infinite and eternal atonement [James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 3rd
ed. (1916), 373]. …
“(8) Certainly the three chosen
apostles were taught in plainness ‘of his death, and also his resurrection’
[Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 9:31 (in Luke 9:31, footnote a.)]. …
“(9) It should also have been
apparent to them that the old dispensations of the past had faded away, that
the law (of which Moses was the symbol) and the prophets (of whom Elijah was
the typifying representative) were subject to Him whom they were now commanded
to hear.
“(10) Apparently God the Father,
overshadowed and hidden by a cloud, was present on the mountain”[6]
(Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:399–401).
Peter, James, and John were
irrevocably changed by this experience; from then on the keys of the kingdom
were in their hands. They knew without a doubt that Jesus was the Christ, the
living and literal Son of God. The Father had testified directly to them of
this fact. But it apparently wasn’t until after the resurrection that they understood
what had happened. “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived
forwards.” Søren
Kierkegaard. Question, as
temple-going Latter-day Saints how do we understand backwards?
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Persons
Involved in the Transfiguration and the Restoration[7]
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||
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Person
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Transfiguration
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Restoration
of the Gospel
|
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Jesus Christ
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Appeared with God the Father in the Sacred
Grove and in the Kirtland Temple (see Joseph
Smith—History 1:17; D&C
110).
|
|
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Peter, James, and John
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As angelic ministers, conferred the
Melchizedek Priesthood and all its keys on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
(see Joseph
Smith—History 1:72; D&C
27:12–13).
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|
|
John the Baptist
|
Appeared as a spirit on the mount (see
Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 9:3 [in Mark
9:4, footnote a]).
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As a resurrected personage, conferred the
Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (see Joseph
Smith—History 1:68–71; D&C
13).
|
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Moses
|
Appeared as a translated being on the mount
and conferred the keys of the gathering of Israel on Peter, James, and John
(see Matthew
17:3).
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As a resurrected personage, conferred the
keys of the gathering of Israel on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the
Kirtland Temple (see D&C
110:11).
|
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Elijah
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Appeared as a translated being on the mount
and conferred the keys of the sealing power on Peter, James, and John (see Matthew
17:3).
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As a resurrected personage, conferred the keys
of the sealing power on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland
Temple (see D&C
110:13–16).
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Caesarea Philippi, showing the very large rock
Wilford
Woodruff’s testimony of Joseph Smith
Elder Packer’s
account of President Kimball and the Keys
Elder Perry’s
account of this event
“Thou art the
Christ”
[1] See Camille Fronk Olson, Women
of the New Testament (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2014), 267–72.
[2]
Recorded in Willard Richards Pocket
Companion, 78–79; cited in The Words
of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet
Joseph, comp. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook (1980), 15.
[3] Bruce
R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3 vols. (1965–73), 1:375.
[4] Russell M. Nelson, “Why This Holy Land?” Ensign, Dec. 1989, 15–16.
[5] Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report, October 1924,
19–20.
[6] Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal and New Testament Commentary 1:399–401.
[7] Chart adapted from D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C.
Skinner, Verse by Verse: The Four Gospels
(2006), 343. https://www.lds.org/manual/new-testament-student-manual/introduction-to-matthew/chapter-6?lang=eng.
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