“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
Matthew 16:18
The events recorded in Matthew 16:13–20 took place in Caesarea Philippi, a Greco-Roman city located in the northern part of Israel, by Mount Hermon and the Jordan River. There, Peter said to Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v. 16), and Jesus said to Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (v. 18).
While the sheer beauty of the natural environment of this region was favorable for Jesus and the Twelve to retreat to, what the area was otherwise known for wasn’t pretty. The city had a history of pagan religious influence that included the idolatrous activities of Syrians, Greeks, and Romans. It was known for its dark, immoral worship.
Here, against this ugly backdrop, Jesus affirmed His personal identity as Messiah, the God-appointed person to execute God’s purposes and to establish His church as an unstoppable force in the world despite formidable opposition.
Note: excerpt from ODB
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