CHAPTER XVI. _The Pharisees insidiously require our Lord to give them a sign_, 1. _They are severely rebuked for their hypocrisy and wickedness_, 2-5. _The disciples are cautioned to beware of them and their_ _destructive doctrine_, 6-12. _The different opinions formed by the people of Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:2. _WHEN IT IS EVENING_] There are certain signs of fair and foul weather, which ye are in the constant habit of observing, and which do not fail. - _The signs of the times_: the doctrine which I preach, and the miracles which I work among you, are as sure signs that the day-spring... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:3. _THE SKY IS RED AND LOWERING._] The signs of fair and foul weather were observed in a similar manner among the Romans, and indeed among most other people. Many treatises have been written on the subject: thus a _poet_: - Caeruleus pluviam denunciant, IGNEUS euros. Sin MACULAE i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:4. _WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION_] The Jewish people are represented in the Sacred Writings as _married_ to the Most High; but, like a disloyal wife, forsaking their true husband, and uniting themselves to Satan and sin. _Seeketh after a sign_, σημειον επιζητει, _seeketh sign up... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:5. _COME TO THE OTHER SIDE_] Viz. the coast of Bethsaida, by which our Lord passed, going to Caesarea, for he was now on his journey thither. See Matthew 16:13, and Mark 8:22; Mark 8:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:6. _BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN_] What the leaven of Pharisees and Sadducees was has been already explained, see Matthew 16:1. Bad doctrines act in the soul as leaven does in meal; they _assimulate_ the whole Spirit to their own nature. A man's particular _creed_ has a greater influence on... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:7. _THEY REASONED_] For, as Lightfoot observes, the term leaven was very rarely used among the Jews to signify _doctrine_, and therefore the disciples did not immediately apprehend his meaning. In what a lamentable state of blindness is the human mind? Bodily wants are perceived wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:8. _WHEN JESUS PERCEIVED, HE SAID_] αυτοις, _unto them_, is wanting in BDKLMS, and twenty others; one of the Syriac, the Armenian, Ethiopic, Vulgate, and most of the Itala; also in Origen, Theophylact, and Lucifer Calaritanus. Mill approves of the omission, and Griesbach has left it... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. - 10. _DO YE NOT YET UNDERSTAND - THE FIVE LOAVES - NEITHER_ _THE SEVEN_] Matthew 14:14, c. How astonishing is it that these men should have any fear of lacking bread, after having seen the two miracles which our blessed Lord alludes to above! Though men quickly perceive their bodily wants,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:10. See Clarke on Mt 16:9... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:11. _HOW IS IT THAT YE DO NOT UNDERSTAND_] We are not deficient in spiritual knowledge, because we have not had sufficient opportunities of acquainting ourselves with God; but because we did not improve the advantages we had. How deep and ruinous must our ignorance be, if God did no... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:13. _CASAREA PHILIPPI_] A city, in the tribe of Naphtali, near to Mount Libanus, in the province of _Iturea_. Its ancient name was _Dan_, Genesis 14:14; afterwards it was called _Lais_, Judges 18:7. But Philip the tetrarch, having rebuilt and beautified it, gave it the name of _Cesa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:16. _THOU ART THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD._] Every word here is emphatic - a most _concise_, and yet _comprehensive_, confession of faith. _The Christ_, or _Messiah_, points out his divinity, and shows his _office; the Son _- designates his person: on this account it is t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:17. _BLESSED ART THOU, SIMON BAR-JONA_] Or _Simon, son of_ _Jonah_; so _Bar-jonah_ should be translated, and so it is rendered by our Lord, John 1:42. _Flesh and blood _- i.e. MAN; - _no human being_ hath revealed this; and though the text is literal enough, yet every body should k... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:18. _THOU ART PETER_] This was the same as if he had said, _I acknowledge thee for one of my disciples_-for this name was given him by our Lord when he first called him to the apostleship. See John 1:42. _Peter_, πετρος, signifies a stone, or fragment of a _rock_; and our Lord, who... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:19. _THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM_] By the _kingdom of heaven_, we may consider the true Church, that house of God, to be meant; and by the _keys_, the power of admitting into that house, or of preventing any improper person from coming in. In other words, the doctrine of salvation, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:20. _THEN CHARGED HE HIS DISCIPLES_] διεστειλατο, _he_ _strictly charged them_. Some very good MSS. have επετιμησεν, _he_ _severely charged-comminatus est,-he threatened_. These are the readings of the _Cod. Bezae_, both in the _Greek_ and _Latin_. _THE CHRIST._] The common text h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:21. _FROM THAT TIME FORTH BEGAN JESUS_, c.] Before this time our Lord had only spoken of his death in a _vague_ and _obscure_ manner, see Matthew 12:40, because he would not afflict his disciples with this matter sooner than necessity required but now, as the time of his crucifixio... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:22. _THEN PETER TOOK HIM_] προσλαβομενος - _took him_ _up _- suddenly interrupted him, as it were calling him to order - see _Wakefield_. Some versions give προσλαβομενος the sense of _calling_ _him aside_. The word signifies also to _receive in a friendly_ _manner - to embrace_; bu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:23. _GET THEE BEHIND ME, SATAN_] υπαγεοπισω μου σατανα. _Get behind me, thou adversary_. This is the proper translation of the Hebrew word _Satan_, from which the Greek word is taken. Our blessed Lord certainly never designed that men should believe he called Peter, DEVIL, because h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:24. _WILL COME AFTER ME_] i.e. to be my disciple. This discourse was intended to show Peter and the rest of the disciples the nature of his kingdom; and that the honour that cometh from the world was not to be expected by those who followed Christ. The principles of the Christian l... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:25. _FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE_] That is, _shall_ _wish to save his life_-at the expense of his conscience, and casting aside the cross, _he shall lose it _- the very evil he wishes to avoid shall overtake him; and he shall lose his soul into the bargain. See then how necessa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:26. _LOSE HIS OWN SOUL_] Or, _lose his life_, την ψυχην αυτου. On what authority many have translated the word ψυχη, in the 25th verse, _life_, and in this verse, _soul_, I know not, but am certain it means _life_ in both places. If a man should gain the whole world, its riches, ho... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:27. _FOR THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS_ _FATHER_] This seems to refer to Daniel 7:13. "Behold, one like the Son of man came - to the ancient of Days - and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, and nations, and languages should serv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 16:28. _THERE BE SOME - WHICH SHALL NOT TASTE OF DEATH_] This verse seems to confirm the above explanation, as our Lord evidently speaks of the establishment of the Christian Church after the day of pentecost, and its final triumph after the destruction of the Jewish polity; as if he... [ Continue Reading ]