Mat. 16:1-4 – The arrogance that God is seeking to break is evident in this encounter with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Here we see two groups that were traditionally at odds with each other united in their opposition to Jesus. The Sadducees were the aristocrats, the elite. They were of priestly descent from the tribe of Levi and the sons of Kohath. They operated the concessions surrounding the Temple at a profit for themselves, such as the buying and selling of the sacrificial animals and the changing of money. They were focused on the things of the world rather than on the things of God. Since they did not believe in the resurrection and the supernatural is it any wonder that their hope was in this world. The Pharisees on the other hand were from the working class who managed through their academic skills to get into the elite schools and dealt with the people. They were educated as children in local synagogues run by the Pharisees. They were the evangelicals of their day, but their traditions were more important to them. The Sadducees were more interested in their political connections with Rome and running the country. They were the priests who offered the sacrifices in the Temple. They did what they had to keep their standing and power with Rome, this made them compromise with worldly. The Sadducees were the descendants of the Hasmoneans or Maccabees who fought against Hellenism (which was the worldly mindset in that day). In Acts 23:6-9 we see this hostility between the two camps illustrated.
Jesus was a threat to both the Pharisees and Sadducees, so to try and undermine his credibility they ask Him for a sign from heaven. It was believed that demons could perform earthly miracles and signs, such as the priests of Pharaoh’s court (Ex 7:10-12). So, hoping to prove that he was not the promised Messiah, they ask Him for a sign in the heavens. Like Pharaoh and his servants, the more they learn of God and his miraculous signs, their hearts became even more hardened. Knowing that, Jesus observes that they can discern the sky for signs of weather, but they can’t discern the spiritual things that they claim to be authorities of, the Scriptures. They missed what all the law and the prophets spoke of, the promised Messiah, the hope of Israel. They failed to recognize the signs of the times, but of course the words he spoke then are equally relevant today. (Mat 24:3) “And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?“ One of the greatest signs of the times is the regathering of the Jewish people to the land of Israel (Ezek. 36 & 37).
This is the second time that Jesus talks about the only sign that was going to be given to the Pharisees and Sadducees which would be the sign of Jonah. In saying this he verified the reality of Jonah’s experience, that it was not just a story but fact. The sign of Jonah was not believed by the Sadducees, because it was supernatural. The sign was that Jesus would be in the ground 3 days and nights – the length of time that Jonah was in the whale. (Jonah 1:17) “And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.” In Luke 16:31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’” It is important to note that according to some statisticians there were over one million Jewish people who came to faith in Jesus in the 1st century. This demonstrates that while it is true that the leadership of the Jewish people rejected Jesus, the multitude did not.
V 5-12 Jesus went to the eastern and predominantly Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee to get away from the pressure of the Pharisees and Sadducees. And when they arrived there the Disciples realized in their haste they forgot to buy and bring bread. They began to worry about food once again. It is amazing how much like Israel the disciples were, and I might add so are we. We forget how God has provided for us in the past and so are not prepared to believe He can provide for us in the present. Elijah was like that right after the confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18-19). Jesus knowing their thoughts told them to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees. All the disciples heard was the word “leaven”, and so they thought he was talking about their failure to bring bread. They had their eyes on the problem rather than the Lord. Jesus rebuked them for looking only at the material rather than the spiritual. “You men of little faith”. In essence Jesus is saying if we need bread, I will provide it; have you forgotten the past provision with the 5,000 and the 4,000? In v. 8 Jesus repeats the warning to beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees. Leaven is yeast and can permeate bread dough to make it rise. In much the same way the teaching of religious tradition has a way of permeating our lives so that we cannot walk in the simple life of faith. When the Jewish people left Egypt, they were told not to bring any leaven. In light of the New Covenant, we now can understand that God was saying leaven behind the permeating influences of Egypt. The leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy (Luke 12:1) … while the leaven of the Sadducees was worldliness and failure to believe God’s Word. They then came to understood that Jesus was not talking about bread but of the teachings of the Sadducees and Pharisees.
13-17 – Jesus is now at Caesarea Philippi, which today is called the Banyas. According to Roman mythology the god Pan was born in a cave near there. The region was given to Herod’s son Philip who built a large city with a Temple to the false gods and named in honor of Caesar and himself. The city was in the shadow of Mt. Hermon which is the largest mountain in the area; this area is part of the Golan Heights. We now come to the most important point in the ministry of the King of Israel. It is the comprehension and confession of who Jesus is. This is the most important question we must answer whether we are Jewish or Gentile, what do we say of Jesus? Who is He? All the miracles, healings and teachings to this point seen and heard by the disciples was to be able to answer this question.
Son of Man – is an allusion to his connection with humanity. It is also a divine title of the Messiah from (Dan 7:13-14) “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
There are four different Hebrew words for “man” (אָדָם) in the Hebrew the first is Adam as used in Gen 2:7 is what is used by Yeshua here. The second is “ish” (אִישׂ) which relates to his calling and creation in the image of God. This speaks of the spiritual aspect of man. The third is “gever” (גֶּבֶר) and speaks of man’s strength. The fourth is “zakar” (זָכָר) and points to male humans and animals.
Adam used here in the expression “son of man” comes from the Hebrew root which means red or ruddy. Adamah is the word for earth which comes from the reddish color of the earth. Edom is a form of this root, this was the land known for its red color, where Esau settled. When man is referred to in the Older Testament as Adam it is his connection to being created from the dust of the earth. The expression “son of man” used by Ezekiel, and later by Jesus points to His connection with Adam. Jesus, while sent from heaven taught His disciples that His birth related Him genealogically to Adam. When he asked his disciples who do people say, “the son of man is”, he wanted to see if his disciple’s perspective different than the multitudes. “Some say John the Baptist”, this may be from the fear of Herod had spoken by Matthew earlier in chap. 14. The multitudes believed that John truly was a prophet sent of God. Others believed that Jesus was Elijah the prophet who Malachi said would prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah (Mal 3:1) “”Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.” (Mal 4:5) “”Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.” Jeremiah the prophet, was another great prophet expected because of his association with the Maccabees who overthrew the Hellenistic movement led by Antiochus. Jeremiah is described in the Apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees as being handed a sword to defeat the Syrians. The time of Jesus was like that time because once again Israel was oppressed by a government who ideally wanted them to assimilate embracing worldly ways. Still others thought of him as one of the prophets raised from the dead.
After hearing what the multitudes thought of Him Jesus asked his disciples, who do you say that I am? Peter responded, “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” It had been close to two and half years of walking with Him that he came to that confession. “Son of the Living God” denotes a unique connection to God. That Jesus was in very essence of God. Jesus’ response to Peter is to declare him to be blessed, because only God could reveal that important truth to mankind (v. 17). It is not revealed by the will of man. (John 1:12‑13) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (13) who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
18-19 – Upon Peter’s confession of faith Jesus explains the nature of His church. The Roman Catholic Church has interpreted this passage to mean that the church was built on Peter, not what he said, but who Peter is. It is their belief that he was the first pope, in Latin, papa, from the Greek pappas, meaning “father,” an ecclesiastical title expressing affection and respect and, since the 8th century, it was recognized in the Western branch of the Roman Empire as belonging exclusively to the bishop of Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church. Besides the designation pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church also holds the titles: the vicar of Christ; successor of Saint Peter. When the pope speaks in his official capacity according to Roman Catholic faith, he is said to speak with divine authority equal to that of God and Scripture. This teaching goes against what is revealed in Scripture. That Jesus alone is the foundation and head of the church.
The name Peter is from the Greek word petros, which means stone. The Greek word for rock is Petra, which means a rocky mountain or peak. The present Jordanian city of Petra gets its name from that word. What Jesus was saying, was that Peter, was a small stone, someone who was of no significance to the religious leaders of Israel. But his confession and faith that Jesus was the promised Messiah, was a rock foundation, upon which all who came to that kind of faith would become a part of the Body of Messiah or the church. Later, it is Peter’s confession and testimony in Acts 2 that stirs both Jews and Gentile to respond to God and believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Jesus is the builder of His church, not man. (1 Cor. 3:10‑11) “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. (11) For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 2:20) “having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,”
The word church in Greek is ecclesia and means literally “called-out ones,” it is a reference to those who have been called to assemble. The Hebrew word qahal or kol is translated “assembly, community, or congregation.” The gates of hell or hades is a reference to the banyas there at Caesarea Phillipi. This was a shrine to the mythological god Pan and was known as the gates of hades. Pan Baal were gods of the underworld and ruled over death. What Jesus was saying at this strategic site was that death will never prevail or have any power over God’s called out ones. When Jesus spoke of Peter receiving the keys of the kingdom, he was addressing Peter as representative of the twelve, after his resurrection he told the disciples that “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”” (John 20:23) and again speaking to all the disciples he told them in (Mat 18:15‑17)”And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. (16) “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. (17) “And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax‑gatherer.” This kind of discipline was to come from all the disciples of Jesus. This kind of authority was not given to just one man but to the entire Body of believers. Discipline was not the sole responsibility of Peter or his supposed successors. It is the job of every believer. Scripture says we are a royal priesthood, (1 Pet 2:9) “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”; and the Lord is our High priest. The duty of discipline falls to each believer under the guidelines of Matthew 18. We learn of Peter being disciplined by Paul (Gal 2:11‑14) “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. (12) For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. (13) And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. (14) But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Discipline should come when a fellow believer does not live his life according to the Word. This is our responsibility to those who claim to be a part of the Body.
V. 20-21 Then He warned His disciples not to reveal that He was the Messiah. As we will see, the expectation of Messiah’s coming in most of Israel’s thinking was that he would bring to Israel a political and military power that would exalt the nation and her God in a pagan world. However, this is not why Jesus came in his first coming. His kingdom is not of this world. He came to bring redemption from sin and the bondage. His Kingdom is now but not yet – He would reign in hearts surrendered to Him. A spiritual kingdom, and then at the fullness of time a material and worldwide millennial kingdom. In Luke 17:20-21 Yeshua responded to the Pharisees: “Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Matthew will go into greater detail in Chapters 24-25.
To help his disciples understand, He began to explain to them the nature of His program of redemption. In v 21 “Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” To accomplish this, he would be a ransom, literally a payment for many” (Mat. 20:28). His death would take the place for those who deserved death, because only his death could fully atone for sin. His blood (Lev. 17:11) would take away our sin (Heb. 9:22). To accomplish this Jesus had to go to Jerusalem where the Temple was located, the place where animals were brought for sacrifice. Secondly, he had to suffer many things from the elders of Israel, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes who were a class of Pharisees. Thirdly He had to be killed, not murdered, just as the Passover lamb of Ex 12 was killed. Jesus laid down his life. No man took it (John 10:17-18). The fourth thing Jesus had to do was rise from death on the third day. The first three musts of Jesus mission in Jerusalem had so overwhelmed his disciples that they either did not hear or did not understand the ramifications of the promised resurrection.
V. 22-23 Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes the Lord. It is worthwhile to note that the humility, gentleness, and friendship that Jesus had with His disciples are demonstrated by Peter feeling free enough to take his friend aside and say to Him that He must not think like this. God had so graciously veiled His glory that Peter at this moment saw Jesus as a great human deliverer, not God in Messiah as the Redeemer. Peter’s rebuke was his focus on a worldly plan of deliverance for Israel, Not God’s plan. Peter now goes from the great confessor to one controlled by the devil. How quickly things can change in our relationship with God. One minute we are on the mountain top and the next we are walking with the devil. What a rebuke by Jesus to Peter and his embrace of a worldly review! The rebuke is almost identical to the rebuke of Satan in the wilderness (Matt. 4:10). Now Satan is present in the words of Peter offering to spare Him of any suffering. This is work of flesh in Peter’s life rather than the Spirit of God, which is informed by the Word of God. The Cross is foolishness to men and a stumbling block to the Jewish people: 1 Cor. 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:23-24 “but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Peter was not espousing God’s program but man’s program for redemption. God’s ways are not man’s ways. (Prov. 14:12) “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Isa 55:8) “”For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.”
V 24-26 – The cost of discipleship is your life. We live in a time when Christianity espouses a gospel that contradicts this teaching. We are so busy trying to keep our lives. Self-esteem, self-worth, self-image, self-love, all these keep us from dying and prevent us from discovering real life. This statement follows on the heels of Jesus declaring His path to Jerusalem which was leading to His crucifixion. Peter opposed such a plan because the plan of God was the opposite of what man perceives as godly. The self that needs to die is not our personal identity but rather our rebellious, self-serving self. It is a life that wants its own will rather than God’s (Eph 4:22‑24) that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. It is to agree with Paul (Rom 7:18) For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. To deny self is to subject oneself entirely to the lordship and infinite resources of our Messiah and King – Phil 3:3: for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.
This is what it is to be poor in Spirit, one of the laws that are cited in the beatitudes of the Kingdom brought by our King. The Greek word translated “poor” means to “shrink, cower, or cringe”, as beggars often did in that day. They would with one hand beg for money and with other hide their faces. On the other hand, a different Greek word is used for poverty. Jesus is not speaking here of material poverty but rather of the state of the spirit. To be poor in spirit is to recognize one’s spiritual poverty in relation to the holiness of God and His expectations. It is to recognize how lost, and unrighteous we really are. This is the way we come to know and experience God’s grace. To be fruitful and happy we must know our true spiritual state before a thrice holy God (Is. 6:3; Rev 4:8). Being poor in spirit is foundational to everything in the kingdom of God. The church at Laodicea fell because of their arrogance (Rev. 3:17). Naaman was not healed until he was willing to humble himself (2 Kings 5). True humility is only found when we recognize who we really are. Not putting ourselves down but knowing that we are fallen men and women that we are. Rather than striving or looking for compliments we should rightly appraise them. Humility comes to us if we will ask God to give it to us Ps. 51:10 as David asked: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. How can I tell if I am humble or poor in spirit? Ask yourself these questions. Am I concerned primarily with myself? Or is Yeshua and His will, most important to me (Gal. 2:20, Phil. 1:21). Do I find myself complaining about my circumstances? If I do then I have forgotten what I really deserve. Do I consider others more important that myself? (Phil. 2:3). Real humility allows me to do what my flesh repels. How is my prayer life? Real humility recognizes the need to seek what we really need which can only come from God. Do I have an attitude of praise and Thanksgiving for all things? A person who is truly poor in spirit is thankful for any favor Psa 34:18; The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psa 51:17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
V. 27- Jesus speaks to His disciples assuring them that just as Daniel had prophesied in Dan. 7, the Son of Man is going to come in all His glory. This glory will be revealed when the Messiah establishes his kingdom. Remember this is following the rebuke of Peter who didn’t want Jesus to suffer and die. These words are given to assure them that the time is coming when He shall return in glory. First would come humility, then His glorious Kingdom will follow. It is at that time that the judgment will begin for all of mankind. There are six judgments spoken of in Scripture. 1) The Judgment of Sin which occurred at the Cross. 2) The Judgment seat of Christ for believers (2 Cor 5:10) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (Rom 14:10) “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God” (1 Cor 3:13‑15). 3) The Judgment of the Jewish people Zech chapters 12-14. At this the judgment God separates the unrighteous among the Jewish people which will occur during the great tribulation, then the remnant will be saved. (Rom 11:26‑27). 4) The Judgment of the Gentiles – These are nations that are in existence at the end of the great tribulation. The judgment will not be an individual one but nation by nation. (Joel 3:1‑2) “”For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land.” See also Mat 25:31ff where Jesus judges the nations based on the treatment of His “brethren”. The brethren are probably the 144,000 Jewish witnesses among the nations during the tribulation. Rahab treating the spies is an illustration of blessing received for the treatment of Israel. 5) The judgment of the Fallen Angels – (Jude 1:6; 2 Pet 2:4) 6) The Great White Throne Judgment This occurs at the end of the millennial kingdom (Rev 20:12‑13) This judgment occurs somewhere between heaven and earth (Rev. 20:11). The result of this judgment is found in (Rev 20:15) “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
V. 28 – This verse is speaking of the transfiguration which follows immediately in the next chapter. It will be upon the Mt. where three of the disciples will see the King in His glory.
