Matthew 16:1._And the Pharisees came. _Mark says that they _began to dispute_, from which we may conjecture that, when they had been vanquished in argument, this was their last resource; as obstinate men, whenever they are reduced to extremities, to avoid being compelled to yield to the truth, are a... [ Continue Reading ]
2._About the commencement of the evening. _By these words Christ reminds them that his power had been sufficiently manifested, so that they must have recognised _the time of their visitation_, (Luke 19:44,) had they not of their own accord shut their eyes, and refused to admit the clearest light. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Hypocrites, you can judge. _He calls them _hypocrites_, because they pretend to ask that which, if it were exhibited to them, they are resolved not to observe. The same reproof applies nearly to the whole world; for men direct their ingenuity, and apply their senses, to immediate advantage; and t... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 16:4._A wicked and adulterous nation. _This passage was explained (426) under Matthew 12:38. The general meaning is, that the Jews are never satisfied with any _signs_, but are continually tickled by a wicked desire to tempt God. He does not call them _an adulterous nation _merely because th... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 16:5._And when his disciples came. _Here Christ takes occasion from the circumstance that had just occurred (432) to exhort his disciples to beware of every abuse that makes an inroad on sincere piety. The Pharisees had come a little before; the Sadducees joined them; and apart from them sto... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Why do you think within yourselves, etc.? _The disciples again show how little they had profited by the instructions of their Master, and by his wonderful works. What he had said about being on their guard against _the leaven _is rashly interpreted by them as if Christ intended only to withdraw t... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Then they understood. _The word _leaven _is very evidently used by Christ as contrasted with the pure and uncorrupted word of God. In a former passage, (Matthew 13:33,) Christ had used the word in a good sense, when he said that the Gospel resembled _leaven; _(434) but for the most part this wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 16:13._And when Jesus came to the coasts of Cesarea Philippi. _Mark says that this conversation took place during the journey. Luke says that it took place while he was praying, and while there were none in company with him but his disciples. Matthew is not so exact in mentioning the time. A... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Some [say,] John the Baptist. _This inquiry does not relate to the open enemies of Christ, nor to ungodly scoffers, but to the sounder and better part of the people, who might be called the choice and flower of the Church. Those only are mentioned by the disciples who spoke of Christ with respec... [ Continue Reading ]
15._But who do you say that I am? _Here Christ distinguishes his disciples from the rest of the crowd, to make it more fully evident that, whatever differences may exist among others, we at least ought not to be led aside from the unity of faith. They who shall honestly submit to Christ, and shall n... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Thou art the Christ. _The confession is short, but it embraces all that is contained in our salvation; for the designation _Christ_, or _Anointed_, includes both an everlasting Kingdom and an everlasting Priesthood, to reconcile us to God, and, by expiating our sins through his sacrifice, to obt... [ Continue Reading ]
17._Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona. _As this is life eternal, to know the only true God, and him whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ, (John 17:3,) Christ justly pronounces him to be _blessed _who has honestly made such a confession. This was not spoken in a peculiar manner to Peter alone, but our L... [ Continue Reading ]
18._And I say to thee. _By these words Christ declares how highly he is delighted with the confession of Peter, since he bestows upon it so large a reward. For, though he had already given to his disciple, Simon, the name of _Peter_, (Matthew 10:2; John 1:42,) and had, out of his undeserved goodness... [ Continue Reading ]
19._And I will give thee the keys _Here Christ begins now to speak of the public office, that is, of the Apostleship, which he dignifies with a twofold title. First, he says that the ministers of the Gospel are porters, so to speak, of the kingdom of heaven, because they carry its _keys; _and, secon... [ Continue Reading ]
Having given a proof of his future glory, Christ reminds his disciples of what _he must suffer_, that they also may be prepared to _bear the cross; _for the time was at hand when they must enter into the contest, to which he knew them to be altogether unequal, if they had not been fortified by fresh... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 16:22._And Peter, taking him aside, began to rebuke him. _It is a proof of the excessive zeal of Peter, that he reproves his Master; though it would appear that the respect he entertained for him was his reason for _taking him aside, _because he did not venture to reprove him in presence of... [ Continue Reading ]
23._Get thee behind me, Satan. _It is idle to speculate, as some have done, about the word ( ὀπίσω) _behind; _as if Peter were ordered to follow, and not to go before; for, in a passage which we have already considered, Luke ( Luke 4:8) informs us that our Lord used those very words in repelling the... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Then Jesus said to his disciples. _As Christ saw that Peter had a dread of _the cross_, and that all the rest were affected in the same way, he enters into a general discourse about _bearing the cross_, and does not limit his address to the twelve apostles, but lays down the same law for all the... [ Continue Reading ]
25._For he that would save his life shall lose it. _It is a most appropriate consolation, that they who willingly suffer death for the sake of Christ (467) do actually obtain life; for Mark expressly states this as the motive to believers in dying — _for my sake, and for the sake of the Gospel _— an... [ Continue Reading ]
26._For what doth it profit a man? _The word _soul _is here used in the strictest sense. Christ reminds them that the _soul _of man was not created merely to enjoy the world for a few days, but to obtain at length its immortality in heaven. What carelessness and what brutal stupidity is this, that m... [ Continue Reading ]
27._For the Son of man will come. _That the doctrine which has just been laid down may more deeply affect our minds, Christ places before our eyes the future judgment; for if we would perceive the worthlessness of this fading life, we must be deeply affected by the view of the heavenly life. So tard... [ Continue Reading ]
28._Verily, I say to you. _As the disciples might still hesitate and inquire when that day would be, our Lord animates them by the immediate assurance, that he will presently give them a proof of his future glory. We know the truth of the common proverb, that to one who is in expectation even speed... [ Continue Reading ]