Glad-U-See

Mat 16:13-18a When Yeshua came into a section of Caesarea Philippi (see vs. 20, below), he asked his students, saying, “Who do men say that I the Son of Man am”? And they said, “Some say that thou art John the Matbil (a matbil is someone who acts as a witness at a ritual bath) some, Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or another of the prophets”. He saith unto them, “But who say ye that I am”? And Shimeon Kefa answered and said, “Thou art the Messiah of Israel, the Son of the living Elohim” (Psa 89:26-27; Pro 30:4). And Yeshua answered and said unto him, blessed art thou, Shimeon son of Jonah; for flesh and blood (Shimeon's flesh and blood was his father Jonah. "Flesh and blood" is an expression for a family member) hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Kefa.

“Kefa” is found in the Aramaic text. Compare John 1:42: Cephas or Kefa is Strong's #3710, and it means a "kidney shaped" stone. A kef was placed into a piece of cloth or a container and the lot was cast to make a difficult and final decision.

Mat 16:18b ...and upon this Decision Making Rock I will rebuild my Assembly (Isa 9:6; Jer 33:7-8; Zec 6:12-13; Act 15:16-17).

"Rock" in Hebrew is eben and is part of a Hebrew word pun. The rock used to determine a decision is also known in Hebrew as goral, teraphim, or Urim, Lev 16:8; Hos 3:4; Exo 28:30; Num 27:18-22; 33:54; Ezr 2:63. The judgments derived from the rock are referred to as the "oracles of God" (Heb 5:12; 1Pet 4:11).

The Hebrew word for "build" is banah, and is the second part of the Hebrew word pun, having the same root as eben. It means to build, rebuild, repair, or to obtain children (as in Luk 3:8).

The Hebrew word translated "church" is qahal, the entire assembly of Israel (Deu 18:16 & Act 7:38).

Mat 16:18c And the Gates of Gehenna (from Shem Tob’s Matthew) shall not conquer it.

Gehenna is the Tophet Ravine south of Jerusalem, Isa 30:33; Jer 7:31. The "Gates of Gehenna" is an idiom for Exile, as illustrated by the gates that will lead into the Great City of Jerusalem: they will be given the names of the 12 tribes of Israel, Rev 21:12. But the “Gates of Gehenna” will be any of those gates that exit out to the world of the gentiles, Rev 22:14-15; Num 5:1-3; Heb 13:12-13.

Luk 13:23-30 Then said one unto him, Adoni, are there few that be repatriated? And he said unto them, strive to enter in the restricted gate (the root word for "restricted" is Strong's #2476: appointed or attended); for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the rosh avot (head of a family, the gatekeeper) is risen up, and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, sir, sir, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know not your pedigree (Num 1:18; Rev 21:12). Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know not your pedigree; depart from me, all ye perpetrators, violators of the Torah. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (deep seated resentment, Psalm 112), when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of YHVH in Israel (1Chr 28:5; 2Chr 13:8), and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south (Isa 11:12), and shall recline in the Kingdom of YHVH in Israel. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee (the Twelve, Mat 19:28) the keys of the Kingdom of YHVH in Israel (the judgments determined from the decision-making-rock, Num 27:21), and whatsoever thou shalt forbid in the Land shall be; having been forbidden by my Father who is in heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt permit in the Land shall be; having been permitted by my Father who is in heaven.

This Millennial judicial process is also discussed in Chapter 18:

Mat 18:15-20 If your brother shall sin against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone; if he shall hear you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two witnesses, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established (Deu 19:15). And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the edah (Strong's #5712, a Hebrew word that was translated "church", but means a Community within a Tribe of Israel, and in our text, it refers to the judicial system within that community) but if he neglect to hear the judicial system, let him be unto you as a publican (publicans were so distrusted that they were prohibited from testifying in a court of law) or a gentile (Eph 4:17-19). Verily I say unto the judicial system whatsoever you disallow upon the Land shall be, having been disallowed by my Father who is in heaven; and whatsoever you shall allow upon the Land shall be, having been allowed by my Father who is in heaven. Again I say unto you witnesses, that if two of you shall agree upon the Land concerning anything that they (the judges, Deu 19:18) shall inquire, it shall be done for them, in the sight of my Father who is in heaven. Because, where two or three witnesses are joined together in my name (having the same testimony), there am I in the midst of them (I endorse their testimony).

Mat 16:20 Then charged he his students that they should tell no one in Caesarea Philippi, that he was the Messiah of Israel.

Yeshua grew up in a town called Gamla, also known as Netzeret or Shoot Town, in Caesarea Philippi. Whenever he and his entourage were on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, Yeshua warned against announcing his presence, because a prophet is more esteemed among strangers, who have no personal prejudices against him, than among his own countrymen (Mat 13:57).