16:1The Pharisees and Sadducees were Jewish religious leaders of two different parties, and their views were diametrically opposed on many issues. The Pharisees carefully followed their religious rules and traditions, believing that this was the way to God. They also believed in the authority of all Scripture and in the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees accepted only the books of Moses as Scripture and did not believe in life after death. In Jesus, however, these two groups had a common enemy, and they joined forces to try to kill him. For more information on the Pharisees and Sadducees, see the charts in chapter 3, p. 1541 and Mark 2, p. 1617.
Life Application Study BibleMatthewChapter 16
Matthew 16
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1575, 1576, 1577, 1578
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16Matthew 16
1One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. 2He replied, “ You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow, red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!* 4Only an evil, 16:2-3 Several manuscripts do not include any of the words in 16:2-3 after He replied. adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.*” Then Jesus left them and went away. Jesus Warns against Wrong Teaching (107/Mark 8:14-21) SLater, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. 5“ Watch out!” Jesus warned them. 6Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread. 8Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? 9Don’t you understand even yet? Don't you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11Why can't you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” 12Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Peter Says Jesus Is the Messiah (109/Mark 8:27-30,; Luke 9:18-20) 13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”* 14“ Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” 15Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “ You are the Messiah,* the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,* because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
18Now I say to you that16:4 Greek the sign of Jonah. 16:13 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. 16:16 Or the Christ. Messiah(a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “the anointed one.” 16:17 Greek Simon bar-Jonah; see John1:42; 24:15-17.evidence, those who won't believe are either too proud or toostubborn. If you simply step forward in faith and believe, thenyou will begin to see the miracles that God can do in your life!16:12 Yeast is put into bread to make it rise, and it takes onlya little to affect a whole batch of dough. Jesus used yeast as anexample of how a small amount of evil can affect a large groupof people. The wrong teachings of the Pharisees and Sadduceeswere leading many people astray. Beware of the tendency to say,“How can this little wrong possibly affect anyone?”16:13 Caesarea Philippi was located several miles north of theSea of Galilee, in the territory ruled by Philip. The influence ofGreek and Roman culture was everywhere, and pagan templesand idols abounded. When Philip became ruler, he rebuilt andrenamed the city after the emperor (Caesar) and himself. Thecity was originally called Caesarea, the same name as the capitalcity of Philip's brother Herod’s territory.16:13-17 The disciples answered Jesus’ question with the com-mon view—that Jesus was one of the great prophets come backto life. This belief may have stemmed from Deuteronomy 18:18,where God said he would raise up a prophet from among thepeople. (John the Baptist’s Profile is in John 1, p. 1749; Elijah’sProfile is in 1 Kings 17, p. 545; and Jeremiah’s Profile is in Jere-miah 2, p. 1201.) Peter, however, confessed Jesus as divine andas the promised and long-awaited Messiah. If Jesus were to askyou this question, how would you answer? Is he your LORD andMessiah?16:18 The rock on which Jesus would build his church has beenidentified as (1) Jesus himself (his work of salvation by dying forus on the cross); (2) Peter (the first great leader in the church atJerusalem); (3) the confession of faith that Peter gave and that allsubsequent true believers would give. {t seems most likely thatthe rock refers to Peter as the leader of the church. Just as Peterhad revealed the true identity of Christ, so Jesus revealed Peter'sidentity and role.Later, Peter reminds Christians that they are the church built
you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),* and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell* will not conquer it. 9And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid* on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit* on earth will be permitted in heaven.” 20Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Jesus Predicts His Death the First Time (110/Mark 8:31-9:1; Luke 9:21-27) 21From then on Jesus* began to tell his disciples plainly that itwas necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him* for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, LORD,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's.” 24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 6And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?* Is anything worth more than your soul? 27For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.” Jesus Is Transfigured on the Mountain (111/Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36)
Textual footnotes
- or open.
- also in 16:26b.
- 16:18a Greek that you are Peter.
- 16:18b Greek and the gates of Hades.
- 16:19a Or bind, or lock.
- 16:19b Or /oose,
- 16:21 Some manuscripts read Jesus the Messiah.
- 16:22 Or began to correct him.
- 16:26 Or your self?
Life Application Notes 6 notes
16:1The Pharisees and Sadducees demanded a sign “from heaven.” They tried to explain away Jesus’ other miracles as sleight of hand, coincidence, or use of evil power, but they believed that only God could do a sign in the sky. This, they were sure, would be a feat beyond Jesus’ power. Although Jesus could have easily impressed them, he refused. He knew that even a miracle in the sky would not convince them he was the Messiah because they had already decided not to believe in him.
16:4By using the sign of Jonah, who was inside a great fish for three days, Jesus was predicting his death and resurrection (see also 12:38-42).
16:4Many people, like these Jewish leaders, say they want to see a miracle so that they can believe. But Jesus knew that miracles never convince the skeptical. Jesus had been healing, raising people from the dead, and feeding thousands, and still people wanted him to prove himself. Do you doubt Christ because you haven't seena miracle? Do you expect God to prove himself to you personally before you believe? Jesus says, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29). We have miracles recorded in the Old and New Testaments, 2,000 years of church history, and the witness of thousands. With all this
16:27Jesus Christ has been given the authority to judge all the earth (Romans 14:9-11; Philippians 2:9-11). Although his judgment is already working in our lives, there is a future, final judgment when Christ returns (25:31-46) and everyone's life will be reviewed and evaluated. This will not be confined to unbelievers; Christians, too, will face a judgment. Their eternal destiny is secure, but Jesus will look at how they handied gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities in order to determine their heavenly rewards. At the time of judgment, God will deliver the righteous and condemn the wicked, We should not judge others’ salvation; that is God's work.
16:28Because all the disciples died before Christ’s return, many believe that Jesus’ words were fulfilled at the Transfiguration when Peter, James, and John saw his glory (17:1-3). Others say this statement refers to the Resurrection (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20) and Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1). Still others believe that Pentecost (Acts 2) and:the beginning of Christ’s church fulfilled Jesus’ words. In any case, certain disciples were eyewitnesses to the power and glory of Christ's Kingdom.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
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ITUREA Caesarea Philippi TRACON mS " DECAPOLIS 2 (Ten Towns)
JOURNEY TO CAESAREA PHILIPPI Jesus left Magadan, crossed the lake, and landed in Bethsaida. There he healed a man who had been born blind. From there, he and his disciples went to Caesarea Philippi, where Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.
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suffered and died, Peter would have died in his sins. Great temptations can come from those who love us and seek to protect us. Be cautious of advice from a friend who says, “Surely God doesn’t want you to face this.” Often our most difficult temptations come trom those who are only trying to protect us from discomfort. 16:23 In his wilderness temptations, Jesus heard the message that he could achieve greatness without dying (4:9). Here he heard the same message from Peter. Peter had just recognized Jesus as Messiah; here, however, he forsook God's perspective and evaluated the situation from a human one. Satan is always trying to get us to leave God out of the picture. Jesus rebuked Peter for this attitude. 16:24 When Jesus used this picture of his followers taking up their crosses to follow him, the disciples knew what he meant. Crucifixion was a common Roman method of execution, and condemned criminals had to carry their cross through the streets to the execution site. Following Jesus, therefore, meant a true commitment, the risk of death, and no turning back {see 10:39). 16:25 The possibility of losing their lives was very real for the disciples as well as for Jesus. Real discipleship implies real commitment—pledging our whole existence to his service. If we try to save our physical life from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing eternal life. If we protect ourselves from the pain God calls us to suffer, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. Our lives turn inward, and we lose our intended purpose. When we give out life in service to Christ, however, we discover the real purpose of living. 16:26 When we don't know Christ, we make choices as though there were no afterlife. In reality, this life is just the introduction to eternity. How we live this brief span determines our eternal state. What we accumulate on earth has no value in gaining eternal life. Even the highest social or civic honors cannot earn us entrance into heaven. Evaluate your life-style from an eternal perspective, and you will find your values and decisions changing.
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-6). All believers are joined into this church by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, the same faith that Peter expressed here (see also Ephesians 2:20, 21). Jesus praised Peter for his confession of faith. It is faith like Peter's that is the foundation of Christ's Kingdom. 16:19 The meaning of this verse has been a subject of debate for centuries. Some say the “keys” represent the authority to carry out church discipline, legislation, and administration (18:15-18), while others say the keys give the authority to announce the forgiveness of sins (John 20:23). Still others say the keys may be the opportunity to bring people to the Kingdom of Heaven by presenting them with the message of salvation found in God’s Word (Acts 15:7-9). The religious leaders thought they held the keys of the Kingdom, and they tried to shut some people out. We cannot decide to open or close the Kingdom of Heaven for others, but God uses us to help others find the way inside. To all who believe in Christ and obey his words, the Kingdom doors are swung wide open. 16:20 Jesus warned the disciples not to publicize Peter's confession because they did not yet fully understand the kind of Messiah he had come to be—not a military commander but a suffering servant. They needed to come to a full understanding of Jesus and their mission as disciples before they could proclaim it to others in a way that would not cause a rebellion. They would have a difficult time understanding what Jesus came to do until his earthly mission was complete. 16:21 The phrase “From then on” marks a turning point. In 4:17 it signaled Jesus’ announcement of the Kingdom of Heaven. Here it points to his new emphasis on his death and resurrection. The disciples still didn’t grasp Jesus’ true purpose because of their preconceived notions about what the Messiah should be. This is the first of three times that Jesus predicted his death (see 17:22, 23; 20:18 for others). 16:21-28 This passage corresponds to Daniel’s prophecies: The Messiah would be cut off (Danie! 9:26); there would be a period of trouble (Daniel 9:27); and the king would come in glory (Daniel 7:13, 14). The disciples would endure the same suffering as their King and, like him, would be rewarded in the end. 16:22 Peter, Jesus’ friend and devoted follower who had just eloquently proclaimed Jesus’ true identity, sought to protect him from the suffering he prophesied. But if Jesus hadn't
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He wrote the Pentateuch, and he predicted the coming of a great prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). Elijah represents the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5, 6). Moses’ and Elijah's presence with Jesus confirmed Jesus’ messianic mission: to fulfill God’s law and the words of God’s prophets. Just as God’s voice in the cloud over Mount Sinai gave authority to his law (Exodus 19:9), God's voice at the Transfiguration gave authority to Jesus’ words. 17:4 Peter wanted to build three memorials for these three great men. Peter had the right idea about Christ, but his timing was wrong. Peter wanted to act, but this was a time for worship and adoration. He wanted to memorialize the moment, but he was supposed to learn and move on. 17:5 Jesus is more than just a great leader, a good example, a good influence, or a great prophet. He is the Son of God. When you understand this profound truth, the only adequate response is worship. When you have a correct understanding of Christ, you will obey him. 17:9 Jesus told Peter, James, and John not to tell anyone what they had seen until after his resurrection because Jesus knew that they didn’t fully understand it and could not expiain what they didn’t understand. Their question (17:10ff) revealed their misunderstandings. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had much more to learn about the significance of his death and resurrection. 17:10-12 Based on Malachi 4:5, 6, the teachers of the Old Testament law believed that Elijah must appear before the Messiah would appear. Jesus referred to John the Baptist, not to the Old Testament prophet Elijah. John the Baptist took on Elijah’s prophetic role, boldly confronting sin and pointing people to God. Malachi had prophesied that a prophet like Elijah woutd come (Malachi 4:5).