What did the location of Peter's great confession reveal about what Jesus was claiming?

In this Beyond the Notes episode, Pastor Russell Howard goes beyond his notes from Sunday's sermon on Matthew 16 to explore the geography and archaeology of Caesarea Philippi. He traces the city's history as a center of pagan worship, explains the significance of the cave known as the Gate of Hades, and unpacks the petros/petra distinction Jesus drew between Peter and the rock on which he would build his church.

The geography does not complete the text. But for anyone who has ever read Matthew 16 and sensed there is more beneath the surface, this episode brings the setting into focus in a way that makes the confession of Christ land with full weight.

Presented by McGregor Podcast 2026