Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Matthew 16:1

οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ Σαδδουκαῖοι. In Mark οἱ Φαρισαῖοι alone. The coalition between these opposing sects can only be accounted for by the uniting influence of a strong common hostility against Jesus.

πειράζοντες. The participle sometimes expresses in a condensed form what might be expanded into a final or consecutive sentence. See Campbell’s Soph. Essay on the language, &c., § 36. (5) b., ἔβας | τόσσον ἐν ποίμναις πίτνων (Ajax, 185) = τόσσον ὥστε πίτνειν. Cp. Ant. 752, ἤ κἀπαπειλῶν ὦδʼ ἐπεξέρχει θρασύς; see Jebb’s note on Ajax, loc. cit.

σημεῖον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. They could not conceive the inner beauty of Christ’s teaching, but they would follow the rules of a Rabbi who, like one of the ancient prophets, should give an external sign—a darkening of the glowing sky—a flash of light—a peal of thunder. The answer of Christ teaches that the signs of the times, the events of the day, are the signs of God, the sign that Christ gives.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Matthew 16:1

Old Testament

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