Matthew Chapter 16

From The Open Bible Project

16:1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

• (1) The wicked who otherwise disagree with one another, agree well together against Christ, but do what they can, Christ is victorious, and triumphs over them.
• (a) To see whether he could do that which they desired, but their purpose was useless for they thought to find something in him by it, in which case they might have just occasion to reprehend him: or else distrust and curiosity moved them to do so, for by such means also is God said to be tempted, that is to say, provoked to anger, as though men would strive with him.

16:2 But he answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'

16:3 In the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can't discern the signs of the times!

• (b) The outward show and countenance, as it were, of all things, is called in the Hebrew language, a face.

16:4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah." He left them, and departed.

• and there shall no sign be given unto it, but (c) the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
• (c) The article shows how notable the sign is.

16:5 The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.

• (2) False teachers must be taken warning of.

16:6 Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

16:7 They reasoned among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."

16:8 Jesus, perceiving it, said, "Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, 'because you have brought no bread?'

• (d) Not by others, but by virtue of his divinity.

16:9 Don't you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

• (e) That five thousand men were filled with so many loaves?

16:10 Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

16:11 How is it that you don't perceive that I didn't speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

• (f) A demand or question joined with wonder.
• (g) "Spake" for commanded.

16:12 Then they understood that he didn't tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

16:13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

• (3) There are many judgments and opinions of Christ, nevertheless he is known by his followers alone.
• (h) There were two Caesareas, the one called Stratonis upon the Mediterranean Sea, which Herod built extravagantly in the honour of Octavius; Josephus lib. 15. The other was Caesarea Philippi, which Herod the great the Tetrarch’s son by Cleopatra, built in the honour of Tiberius at the foot of Lebanon; Josephus lib. 15.

16:14 They said, "Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."

• (i) As Herod thought.

16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

16:17 Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

• (4) Faith is of grace, not of nature.
• (k) By this kind of speech is meant man’s natural procreation upon the earth, the one who was made, not being destroyed, but deformed through sin: So then this is the meaning: this was not revealed to you by any understanding of man, but God showed it to you from heaven.

16:18 I also tell you that you are [76>]Peter,[<76] and on this [77>]rock[<77] I will build my assembly, and the gates of [78>]Hades[<78] will not prevail against it.

• (5) That is true faith, which confesses Christ, the virtue of which is invincible.
• (l) Christ spoke in the Syrian tongue, and therefore did not use this discourse to distinguish between Petros, which signifies Peter, and Petra, which signifies a rock, but in both places used the word Cephas: but his meaning is what is written in Greek, in which the different word endings distinguish between Peter, who is a piece of the building, and Christ the Petra, that is, the rock and foundation: or else he named him Peter because of the confession of his faith, which is the Church’s as well as his, as the old fathers witness, for so says Theophylact. That confession which you have made, shall be the foundation of the believers.
• (m) The enemies of the Church are compared to a strong kingdom, and therefore by "gates" are meant cities which are made strong with wise preparation and fortifications, and this is the meaning: whatever Satan can do by cunning or strength. So does Paul, calling them strongholds; (2 Corinthians 10:4).

16:19 I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven."

• (6) The authority of the Church is from God.
• (n) A metaphor taken from stewards who carry the keys: and here is set forth the power of the ministers of the word, as (Isaiah 22:22) says, and that power is common to all ministers, as (Matthew 18:18) says, and therefore the ministry of the gospel may rightly be called the key of the kingdom of heaven.
• (o) They are bound whose sins are retained; heaven is shut against them, because they do not receive Christ by faith: on the other hand, how happy are they to whom heaven is open, who embrace Christ and are delivered by him, and become fellow heirs with him!

16:20 Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.

• (7) Men must first learn, and then teach.

16:21 From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

• (8) The minds of men are at this time to be prepared and made ready against the stumbling block of persecution.
• (p) It was a name of dignity and not of age: and it is used for those who were the judges, whom the Hebrews call the Sanhedrin.

16:22 Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you."

• (q) Took him by the hand and led him aside, as they used to do, which meant to talk familiarly with one.

16:23 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 the things of God, but on the things of men."

• (9) Against a preposterous zeal.
• (r) The Hebrews call him Satan, that is to say an adversary, whom the Greeks call diabolos, that is to say, slanderer, or tempter: but it is spoken of them, that either of malice, as Judas, (John 6:70), or of lightness and pride resist the will of God.
• (s) By this word we are taught that Peter sinned through a false persuasion of himself.

16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

• (10) No men do more harm to themselves, than they that love themselves more than God.

16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

• (t) Shall gain himself: And this is his meaning, they that deny Christ to save themselves, not only not gain that which they look for, but also lose the thing they would have kept, that is, themselves, which is the greatest loss of all: but as for them that doubt not to die for Christ, it goes well with them otherwise.

16:26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

16:27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.

• (u) Like a King, as (Matthew 6:29).

16:28 Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."

• (x) By his kingdom is understood the glory of his ascension, and what follows after that, (Ephesians 4:10), or the preaching of the gospel, (Mark 9:1).

[[Category:Matthew]