Jesus asked His disciples what people were saying about Him. Then He asked the disciples their opinion of Him. Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ [Anointed One], the Son of the Living God.” Jesus then told Simon that he was blessed because that revelation came from God. Jesus then declared that His church (His assembly of citizens) is built on a rock, a solid foundation against which the gates of hell cannot prove stronger. This exchange is recorded in Matt 16:15-17.
The word “rock” that Jesus used here means a mass of rock. Paul used the same “mass of rock” word when referencing Christ to the Corinthians, “…for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” I Cor 10:4. In his later writings, Peter also describes the foundation on which the church is built, “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious [who is this living stone?] … Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded … ‘” I Peter 2:4-6. This living Stone, which is also the corner stone, is none other than Jesus Christ. Paul also describes Jesus as the corner stone, “… ye are fellow citizens with the saints … and are built upon the foundation of the apostles [plural] and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.” Eph 2:19-20.
Jesus is the cornerstone (the mass of rock, the foundation stone) on which His church is built. Jesus also said the gates of hell would not prove stronger than His church built on that mass of rock. What took place, what Jesus accomplished, was that Jesus stormed those gates and crushed them so that those held captive by Satan could be set free. This is what Jesus was talking about when he said the gates of hell would not prevail. Jesus fulfilled the promise given in the Garden of Eden, that the seed of the woman (the Messiah, Jesus) would crush the head (power, authority) of the serpent (Satan). And by storming the gates of hell (the stronghold of the kingdom of Satan) and overpowering them, He set all of Satan’s captives free. “But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor: … that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Heb 2:9-15. When Jesus died, He carried all the sin that held us captive, and nailed it to the cross with Himself. His resurrection is proof that He defeated the power of sin and Satan. “You, being dead in your sins … hath He quickened [made alive] together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, … took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Col 2:13-15.
Jesus predicted this victory before His death, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. [He was referencing His death] … Now my soul is troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. He was saying that His death was His purpose in coming. It was His death that would glorify the Father because His death was to redeem many. Then He prayed, “Father, glorify Thy Name.” John 12:23-28. Then Jesus described what His death would do, “Now is the judgement of this world: now shall the prince of this world [Satan] be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth [signifying His crucifixion], I will draw all men unto me.” John 12:31-32.
But these things were also predicted by the Old Testament prophets. Isaiah wrote of the Messiah from God’s perspective, “It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My Salvation unto the end of the earth.” Isa 49:1-6. Isaiah referenced the Messiah as God’s Servant to restore the people of Israel and redeem the Gentiles as well. But, there is more, “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, ‘Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. …’” Isa 49:24-25. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were taken captive by Satan; they were enslaved by him. They were the prey, they were the lawful captives because they were conquered by Satan. And, because they were enslaved, all their offspring were born into that slavery. “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: … by the offense of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation…” Rom 5:12,18.
Jesus demonstrated the fulfillment of those prophecies of Isaiah by His ability to cast out evil spirits. When questioned by the Jewish religious leaders, He said, “If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house.” Matt 12:28-29. Jesus was making the case that He was spoiling the house of the devil. By casting out a demon, He was demonstrating His authority and ability to rescue one on whom the devil had an obvious hold. It is not as obvious, but the devil also had a hold on all of us as our references to Rom 5:12,18 and Heb 2:14-15 show. It took the atoning death of Jesus Christ to deliver us from that bondage. We were the captives; we were the prey referenced by Isaiah.
When Jesus stood up to read in the synagogue in His hometown, He chose to read another prophecy of Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19; Isa 61:1. Deliverance to the captives, liberty to the bruised is another iteration of the same theme as Isaiah 49, the prey and the captive. Jesus claimed He was the fulfillment of that prophecy. When He said the gates of hell would not prevail, He was predicting and proclaiming His complete victory over the kingdom of Satan and destruction of the gates of hell to set the captives, the prey, free. That freedom, that deliverance, is for all who put their trust in Him, in His work of forgiveness.
The gates of hell can no longer hold us in.
Break the Bread 