16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, [It will be] fair weather: for the sky is red.
16:3 And in the morning, [It will be] foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times?
16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
16:5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
16:7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, [It is] because we have taken no bread.
16:8 [Which] when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
16:10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
16:11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake [it] not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
16:12 Then understood they how that he bade [them] not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
16:14 And they said, Some [say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
[1] {Peter} There is the Greek a play upon the words, "thou art Peter [petros--literally 'a little rock'], and upon this rock [Petra] I will build my church." He does not promise to build His church upon Peter, but upon Himself, as Peter is careful to tell us (1Pe 2.4-9) # 1Pe 2:4-9
[2] {church} Gr. ecclesia (ek=="out of," kaleo =="to call"), an assembly of called out ones. The word is used of any assembly; the word itself implies no more, as, e.g., the town-meeting at Ephesus # Ac 19:39 and Israel, called out of Egypt and assembled in the wilderness # Ac 7:38 Israel was a true "church," but not in any sense the N.T. church--the only point of similarity being that both were "called out" and by the same God. All else is contrast. ¯ See Note "Ac 7:38" ¯ See Note "Heb 12:23"
16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
[1] {keys of the kingdom} Not the keys of the church, but of the kingdom of heaven in the sense of Mat 13., i.e. the sphere of Christian profession. A key is a badge of power or authority (cf) # Isa 22:22 Re 3:7 The apostolic history explains and limits this trust, for it was Peter who opened the door of Christian opportunity to Israel on the day of Pentecost # Ac 2:38-42 and to Gentiles in the house of Cornelius. # Ac 10:34-46 There was no assumption by Peter of any other authority # Ac 15:7-11 In the council James, not Peter, seems to have presided # Ac 15:19 Ga 2:11-15 Peter claimed no more for himself than to be an apostle by gift # 1Pe 1:1 and an elder by office # 1Pe 5:1 The power of binding and loosing was shared # Mt 18:18 Joh 20:23 by the other disciples. That it did not involve the determination of the eternal destiny of souls is clear from # Re 1:18 The keys of death and the place of departed spirits are held by Christ alone.
16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
[2] {charged} The disciples had been proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, i.e. the covenanted King of a kingdom promised to the Jews, and "at hand." The church, on the contrary, must be built upon testimony to Him as crucified, risen from the dead, ascended, and made "Head over all things to the church." # Eph 1:20-23 The former testimony was ended, the new testimony was not yet ready, because the blood of the new covenant had not yet been shed, but our Lord begins to speak of His death and resurrection (v. 21) It is a turning- point of immense significance.
16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
