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This PARALLEL SYMMETRY points to Jesus as the Messiah. This is an intriguing literary unit with the following pattern:
A elements: an untruth about Jesus
B elements: revelation about who Jesus is
C elements: how the church will be built
D elements: loosing and finding
1) There are many CONTRASTS in this literary unit. For example, the QUESTION in the first FRAME, Who am I?, was answered in the second frame with the directive not to say that Jesus is the Christ. That sets up a CONTRAST in the two A FIRST/FIRST elements where Jesus is not John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets who suffered and died. Peter in the A′ element feared Jesus would suffer and die, not understanding His resurrection.
2) The two B CORRESPONDING ELEMENTS are a CONTRAST between eternal life and death. In the QUESTION for B, Jesus asked and the Holy Spirit revealed that Jesus is the Christ who must be resurrected. In B′, Satan apparently wanted convince Peter that Jesus would die without mention of His resurrection. Peter was told, Get behind Me, Satan! Peter seemed so close when he identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
3) The two C CORRESPONDING ELEMENTS present an emphatic COMPARISON. Upon that rock (Peter′s name means rock in the Greek), the church will be built which cannot be overpowered by the devil (verse 18). But in order for this church to grow, the people must be willing to give up their own life and follow Christ.
4) The LAST/LAST elements, D and D′, use similar CONTRASTING words to guide the entrance to heaven. Both verses 19 and 25,26 discuss giving up the pursuit of this world but instead pursuing Christ and that kingdom of heaven. The release of worldly pursuits is deemed here a binding and loosing. Whatever earthly things we hold on to (bound to) show their effect in heaven. Likewise, those earthly things that we give up (loosed) will be our freedom in heaven.
5) The X CENTER POINT in verse 21 is very emphatic. He identified how He will suffer, be crucified, and then resurrected. See also these similar verses in Matthew 17:22,23; 20:17-19; 26:2; 27:39,40; 28:5-7.
6) The CLOSING SUMMARY includes the LINK to Psalm 62:1-12. The verse that is cited is Psalm 62:12, the closing summary for that psalm. The emphasis in Psalm 62 includes a CONTRAST between David's trust in God and man′s trust in worldly ways such as power and wealth. In the same way, Jesus′s trust in God would not allow Peter to be overcome with words such as, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” Men could not defeat David and they must not defeat Peter.
PARALLEL SYMMETRY:
... Peter said Jesus is the Messiah ...
a change of location
BEGINNING MARKER: Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, (v13A)
Jesus asked, “Who am I?”
FRAME
He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (v13B)
disciples recalled prophets that suffered and died
A
And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” (v14)
QUESTION: My Father revealed Jesus is Son of the living
B
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (v15-17)
Jesus will build His church upon Peter the rock
C
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (v18)
eternal life through binding and loosing
D
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (v19)
tell no one that Jesus was the Christ
FRAME
Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. (v20)
Jesus identified He will suffer, be crucified, and be resurrected
X
From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. (v21)
... get behind Me, Satan! ...
a change of location
SUB-UNIT MARKER: Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, (v22A)
Peter feared that Jesus would suffer and die
A′
“God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” (v22B)
IMPERATIVE: Satan revealed that Jesus will die
B′
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” (v23)
IMPERATIVE: Jesus will build His church through self-denial
C′
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (v24)
QUESTION: salvation through loosing and finding
D′
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (v25,26)
CLOSING SUMMARY: Ps 62:1-12 (v12)
SUM
“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (v27,28)