The Pharisees require a sign, 1-4. Jesus warns his disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, 5-12. The people's opinion of Christ, 13-15, and Peter's confession of him, 16-20. Jesus foretells his death, 21, 22; reproves Peter for dissuading him from it, 23; and admonishes those who will follow him, to bear the cross, 24-28.
1 The Pharisees and also the Sadducees came, and tempting him, desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3 And in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.' O hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but can you not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah." And he left them and departed.
5 And when his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread." 8 When Jesus perceived this, he said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have brought no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up, 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up? 11 How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread, but that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?" 12 Then they understood that he did not caution them against the leaven of bread, but against the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came into the borders of Cesarea Phillippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" 14 And they said, "Some say that you are John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." 15 He says to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon-Barjonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he charged his disciples that they should tell no man that he is Jesus the Christ.
21 From that time forth Jesus began to tell his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord. This shall not be done to you." 23 But he turned, and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan. You are an offense to me, for you do not savor the things that are of God, but those that are of men."
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will 'reward every man according to his works.'
28 "Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
Matthew Henry Commentary - Matthew, Chapter 16[➚]
[v.1] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:11.
[v.2-3] - Gospel Link: Luke 12:54-56.
[v.4] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:12-13.
[v.5-12] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:14-21.
[v.6] - Gospel Link: Luke 12:1.
[v.13-16] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:27-29; Luke 9:18-20.
"[v.16] - "You are the Christ" - In other words, "You are the Messiah."
[v.18] - "upon this rock" - That is not to say that Peter is the rock of the church, or its foundation. Throughout the Scriptures, Christ is referred to as the Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4; 1st Corinthians 10:4, etc.) and foundation (Isaiah 28:16; 1st Corinthians 3:11). True, "Peter," means stone (John 1:42), but it applies here figuratively in the sense that Peter is among the first followers of Christ and upon his declaration that Christ is the Son of the living God (verse 16) is the rock and foundation of the Christian faith. "For no man can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1st Corinthians 3:11).
[v.20] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:30; Luke 9:21.
[v.21] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22.
[v.22-23] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:32-33.
[v.24-26] - Gospel Link: Mark 8:34-37; Luke 9:23-25.
[v.27] - Quoting Psalm 62:12. See also, Proverbs 24:12.
[v.28] - Gospel Link: Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27.