Matthew 16

Review

Jesus has been crossing back and forth all around the Dead Sea teaching, preaching, doing miracles. The miracles drawing many of the area to believe and follow, but ALL know something is different about now!

All the while the tension has been growing with the Jewish leaders, first of Galilee then Jerusalem. We read last week of the emphatic transition of salvation not just to the Jew, but to the Jew first, and NOW the gentiles (US!).

Another Demand for a Sign

Matthew 16:1–4 KJV

1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 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? 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.

The Pharisees call the “lawyers” and they come

sign of Jonas: focus was on the deliverance from the fishes belly Matthew 12:39-40 “39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Matthew 16:5–12 KJV

5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 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? 9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 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? 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.

5-6: leaven: was a positive in 13 the point there being the ENORMOUS impact the Kingdom of Heaven will have over the earth

here it’s pointing out the ENORMOUSLY bad impact the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees (the religious leaders of Israel) can have as he points out in 12

7-11: They still aren’t seeing Jesus fully for who He is. Having all authority over ALL of Heaven and Earth

The Confession

Matthew 16:13–20 KJV

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? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 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. 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. 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. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

14: John the Baptist: “Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”, Elijah: Matthew 11:14 “14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.” & Malachi 4:5-6 “5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” ; Jeremiah: the weeping prophet of doom, Jesus has prophesied the destruction of the temple and the destruction of Galilean towns Matthew 11:20-24.

16-17: reminds them what he said in 13, Matthew 13:11-12 “11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.”

True disciples understand because God teaches them through the teaching and preaching of Scripture as well as progressive sanctification and growth of understanding and maturity. Unfortunately for us, this is a slower process with some of us than with others!

18: Peter: “Christ” = Jesus: “Peter”; Peter: “Son of the Living God” = Jesus: “Rock”

The “rock” Jesus will build His church on is Himself (at the very least, the faith Peter has shown). “And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon YOU” if Jesus meant Peter. Regardless, not Peter in any kind of Papal way. Calling the pope the "Vicar of Christ" implies that he has the same power and authority that Christ had over the church. Christ is the authority over ALL (19):

Hebrews 7:26-28 “26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”

18: gates of hell (Place of the dead: hades: Matthew 11:23 “23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.” not Place of eternally burning fire: gehenna: Matthew 5:22 “22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” )

Not even death will be able to overcome the true Church Jesus builds on the work and authority of Himself

19: Jesus tells Peter He will build the Church, but to Peter Jesus will make him the leading “pastor”. Binding and loosing seen in terms of administrative authority, in what they would have know about the role of the Rabbis this isn’t who gets into heaven or not, but what will be considered “sin” according to scripture. Remember the huge role Peter will play in Acts 1 (3k saved from a sermon on the Day of Pentecost), Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 10-11 food and Cornelius

The First Passion Prediction

Matthew 16:21–23 KJV

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. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 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.

Jesus tells the disciples that their view of a nationalistic victorious “messiah” is wrong. He hasn’t come to free Israel from Rome or the Pharisees, He has come to suffer, and die, and be resurrected to reconcile all who would be saved to God

Colossians 1:21-22 “21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:”

23: “offence” = stumbling block Jesus calls Peter a stumbling block because of the misconception of Jesus as the savior of a nation rather than the savior of souls. Peter gets it eventually:

1 Peter 2:7-8 “7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”

The Way of Discipleship

Matthew 16:24–28 KJV

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. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 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? 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. 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.

Not just misunderstanding Jesus as a national savior, but probably starting to realize what would happen to the followers of Jesus if He would suffer and die at the hands of the priests and scribes contributes to Peter’s “rebuke” of Jesus in 22

Here, Jesus is being real with them. The true disciple MUST die. Either literally at the hands of others or spiritually to ourselves; our “wants” for His, our “plan” for His. He gives His life for us, we are required to give ours for Him!

26: “lose” here is forfeit, judicial term would have made the readers think of the Judgement of God

27: death gives way to victory! Jesus will be resurrected in the glory of His Father. This is the prediction of the vindication and enthronement after the suffering and death of Jesus, and Him given universal sovereignty!

Dan 7:13-14 “13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

28: Jesus tells them some of the disciples there, Judas will die before Jesus is resurrected and seated on the right hand of the Father! Didn’t say “all” will “not taste death”, said “some”. Peter, James, and John will also be the ones we learn about next week on the mount of transfiguration