One more time for those who can’t see it for what it is.
Mat 16:13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?
Mat 16:14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Mat 16:15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?
Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answering said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
Peter was the only one to get it right. Christ tells us who revealed the answer to Peter. It was the Father in heaven.
**Mat 16:18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. **
Did Christ turn His attention to another, or to others, when He continued speaking? NO. He told them who revealed the answer to Peter and continued, ‘AND, I say to thee: Thou are Peter…’ Now that He clearly shows He is addressing Peter, what words does the Lord choose to continue speaking? ‘AND, I will give to thee…’ After that sentence our Lord continued a train of thought with, ‘AND, whatsover…’
When does the Lord address more than Peter?
Mat 16:20 Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.
His diciples were witness to the discussion. After witnessing what Christ said to Peter, THEN He commanded His disciples…
But Peter denied Christ three times. Christ knew all men.
Joh 2:24 But Jesus did not trust himself unto them: for that he knew all men,
Christ knew all men and told them in advance that Peter would deny Him. Christ knew this before He gave the keys to Peter.
**Joh 21:1 After this, Jesus shewed himself to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. And he shewed himself after this manner.
Joh 21:2 There were together: Simon Peter and Thomas, who is called Didymus, and Nathanael, who was of Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee and two others of his disciples.
Joh 21:3 Simon Peter saith to them: I go a fishing. They say to him: We also come with thee. And they went forth and entered into the ship: and that night they caught nothing.
**
Yes, Peter was crushed after denying Christ, after Christ had told him he would so. Not only had he denied Him, He had been crucified. Peter, being a man like everyone else, felt most unworthy and did indeed return fishing and through his decision, other Apostles followed him. But Christ appeared to him again, and again in front of witnesses.
Joh 21:4 But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore: yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Joh 21:5 Jesus therefore said to them: Children, have you any meat? They answered him: No.
Joh 21:6 He saith to them: Cast the net on the right side of the ship; and you shall find. They cast therefore: and now they were not able to draw it, for the multitude of fishes.
Joh 21:11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, one hundred and fifty-three. And although there were so many, the net was not broken.
They caught nothing, until the Lord provided another miracle to drop the nets on the other side of the boat and filled the nets and once following His instructions again, the net was filled but not broken. What was bound, was bound.
Joh 21:15 When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:16 He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:17 He said to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he had said to him the third time: Lovest thou me? And he said to him: Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee. He said to him: Feed my sheep.
It was important for the author to tell us that Peter was grieved because He asked him a third time. Three times Christ told him to ‘tend His flock’.
Joh 21:22 Jesus saith to him: So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? Follow thou me.
His last instructions, as recorded in John, were ‘Follow thou me.’
There is no mistaken Christ’s choosing of Peter and setting Peter on track with his calling. After this the Lord ascended. All was in order, His chosen key holder was on task.
