Faith Daily Lectio Friday, October 23, 2026 Gospel
Friday, October 23, 2026 · St. James of Jerusalem, Brother of Jesus and Martyr (Friday in the week of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 24)
Gospel
Oratio (prayer)
Lord Jesus, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Send Your Holy Spirit as I read Matthew 16, that I may confess You rightly and follow You under the cross. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Matthew 16:13-28
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24)
What other lines speak to you?
At Caesarea Philippi Jesus asks His disciples who He is. Peter confesses Him as the Christ, and Jesus promises to build His church on that rock and gives the keys of the kingdom. Then He begins to teach that He must suffer, die and rise the third day. When Peter rebukes Him, Jesus calls him Satan, and He tells all His disciples that following Him means taking up the cross. Today the church remembers St. James of Jerusalem, the Lord's brother, who came to faith after the resurrection, led the church in Jerusalem, and died confessing Christ.
The Law Peter makes the good confession, and moments later he "began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee" (v. 22). Jesus answers, "thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (v. 23). We also want a Christ without a cross, and a life kept safe on our own terms. Yet "whosoever will save his life shall lose it" (v. 25).
The Gospel What Peter confessed was not his own discovery: "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (v. 17). The Father gives that same faith to you through His Word. Jesus "must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things" and "be raised again the third day" (v. 21), and He went for you. On that confession He builds His church, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (v. 18). Through the keys He gave His church, your sins are loosed in heaven when they are forgiven in His name.
Prayer Lord Jesus, I confess that I have wanted glory without the cross and have savored the things of men. Forgive me. Keep me in the confession of Your name, and loose me from my sins by Your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
Taking up the cross is not a project we choose. It is what comes when we confess Christ in a world that would rather not hear Him. Under trial it may help to remember the question Jesus asks, "what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (v. 26), and to know that He has already given Himself in exchange for yours.
Prayer Lord Jesus, when following You is costly, keep me from turning back. Give me courage to confess You as St. James did, and hold me in Your church against the gates of hell. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
