Jesus' Cosmic Confrontation at Gates of Hell

When Jesus asks who people say he is, and then says the gates of hell will not prevail, he is standing somewhere specific. Caesarea Philippi - in the northern part of the Old Testament region of Bashan, at the foot of Mount Hermon.
Psalm 68 makes that geography theological. A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan, and this mountain God desires for his dwelling. The psalm describes a time when Yahweh takes ownership of Bashan, the place of the serpent.
So the confrontation is sited on purpose. Jesus announces the church's advance while standing at the address the Old Testament treats as enemy headquarters.
Scripture links:
- Psalm 68:15 - the mountain of Bashan, the mountain of many peaks.
- Matthew 16:18 - the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
He did not pick a quiet spot to say it. He picked theirs.