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The Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

This Sunday’s Gospel is taken from Matthew 16:13-20, where Jesus did something that is central to a proper understanding of the Church he established. In his Gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as a King. He begins with: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David.” For 6 centuries, Israel had been waiting for King David’s descendant to reign as the Christ. Christ means The Anointed One - because it was through an anointing that one became the king of Israel (cf. 1 Sam 16:13 when David was anointed).

Matthew is saying, “Wake up guys! Our king has come and he has established his kingdom!” By alluding to the Old Testament throughout his Gospel, Matthew is showing us the shape of the kingdom on earth. Early Christian Scriptural commentary nearly always equated “the kingdom” with the Catholic Church.

In ancient dynastic kingdoms, kings would establish a vizier {viz-EER} to take care of affairs with the full and supreme authority of the king. This royal office is much like the office of prime minister in the kingdoms of Europe.

There are two Old Testament examples of this that will help us decipher today’s Gospel account. First, in Genesis 41:1-46, Joseph was made Pharaoh’s vizier after God revealed to Joseph the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream. In fact, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Only in respect to the throne shall I outrank you!”

Second, in Daniel 2:1-49, Daniel was made King Nebuchadnezzar’s chief prefect after Daniel interpreted the king’s dream. Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel, “Truly your God is the God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries; that is why you were able to reveal this mystery!”

Now we come to today’s Gospel narrative. Jesus first tells Peter that God has revealed Jesus’ true identity to Peter. This is reminiscent to Joseph and Daniel, both of whom received a special revelation from God just before they were appointed to the highest ranking office in the kingdom. Then, like Joseph and Daniel, Peter is elevated by the King to the royal kingdom position of vizier as Jesus says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom” (Mt. 16:19).

The “keys of the kingdom” are symbols of kingdom authority, as we see in the first reading when Eliakim replaced the corrupt official, Shebna, in the office of vizier to the Davidic King. Jesus deliberately uses language that mirrors this Old Testament passage (Is. 22:15-23) to loudly proclaim that he is indeed establishing what we call the Petrine Office. Just as Shebna held an office, to which he was succeeded by Eliakim, so Peter is succeeded by his successors: the popes of the Church, the restored Kingdom of David.