I was not a particularly good test taker in school. I didn’t care for them (I’d say I hated them, but we’ve taught our children not to use the word hate in that kind of context, so I refrain). I would much rather write a paper — or several papers — than take one test.
Yet tests can be valuable. They determine what is known about a given subject at a given moment. They reveal what information, knowledge, or wisdom has truly been assimilated into one’s life. So tests are beneficial.
And not only do teachers use them with great effectiveness, but the great Teacher, Jesus Christ, regularly used them to examine the faith of His followers. So the disciples collected 12 baskets of food after Jesus fed the 5000, and then got in a boat (likely still toting their baskets) and got caught in a storm. Would the food at their feet remind them of the trustworthiness of their friend, Jesus?
Likewise in Matthew 16, Jesus taught them a principle and then immediately tested it — did they understand and trust?
There was much cultural discussion then, as there is now, of the person of Christ — who is this man Jesus? Various theories were proposed: He was John the Baptist or Jeremiah brought back to life, or perhaps one of the other prophets (v. 14). So Jesus asked the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” (v. 15). And Peter provided an answer that has been remembered through the ages: “You are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God” (v. 16).
Peter could not have offered a better answer. And Jesus affirmed that by saying that the church would be built on that truth and that the “gates of hades” would not prevail over that church and plan. Now the disciples would have understood the figure “gates of hades” to simply refer to death — so Jesus was teaching them that death would not overrule His plan for Himself and the church. No death could thwart the building of His church.
And then it was test time.
Jesus told the Twelve from the Scriptures that He had to go to Jerusalem and suffer and die and be resurrected (v. 21). That was the test — had they assimilated and believed the truth just taught that death, even the death of Christ, could not thwart the plan of the living God?
They failed. Oh, Peter was the spokesman, but there seems to be no evidence that anyone else thought anything differently. He was simply voicing the thoughts of all the disciples. “No way!”
And then Jesus gave the correction: that kind of thinking is not only fleshly thinking (“man’s interests”), but it is Satanic thinking (“get behind me, Satan” — i.e., “you’re voicing the desire of Satan…”). Not only could death not defeat Christ’s plan, but death (Christ’s death and resurrection in particular) was the means by which Christ’s plan would be accomplished.
And the disciples learned a lesson. When Christ makes a promise, it cannot fail. He is supremely and ultimately trustworthy.
And that is the lesson for us as well. All of God’s promises will be accomplished. And it may be that today there will be a test in our lives. And as hard as the test may be, it is for our good, because it will reveal whether we believe His Word and the promises that we have read in His Word. Have faith. He is good to fulfill His Word. The resurrection of Christ is the great demonstration that God will keep His Word. If He keeps the greatest promise (Christ’s resurrection), He will keep all the lesser promises as well.
Words of Grace 