THE
*GOSPEL
ACCORDING TO
^ MATTHEW

Matthew 16

1The Pharisees require a sign. 5Jesus warneth his disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and explaineth his meaning. 13people's opinion, and Peter's confession, of Christ. 21Jesus foreshoweth his own death, and rebuketh Peter for dissuading him from it. 24He showeth that his followers must deny themselves in prospect of a future reward.


1THEa Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and 1tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign 2from heaven.

a Mat. 12:38; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:29; 12:54; John 6:30.

1 Intending to test if He could do this, to make Him ashamed.

2 That is, which would happen out of, in or from heaven, as upon the prayer of Joshua the sun and moon stood still, Joshua 10:12; when the fire came out of heaven at the prayer of Elijah, 2 Kings 1:9, and when the sun went back in the time of Isaiah, Isa. 38:8.

2He answered and said unto them, Whenb it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is 3red.

b Luke 12:54.

3 Gr. red as fire, that is, fair or bright red.

3And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring.c O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the 4face of the sky; but can ye not discern 5the signs of the times?

c gloomy

4 That is, the frame or form.

5 Namely, which, according to the predictions of the prophets, do point to the coming and presence of the Messiah. See Mat. 11:4, 5 and the annotation on Luke 12:56.

46Ad wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall 7no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.e And he left them, and 8departed.

6 See the same in Mat. 12:39.

d Mat. 12:39; Luke 11:29.

7 Namely, more powerfully to convince them.

e Jonah 1:17.

8 Namely, over the sea. See Mark 8:13, 14.

5And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6¶Thenf Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

f Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1.

7And they 9reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

9 Or, they spoke among themselves.

8Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

9Dog ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

g Mat. 14:17; Mark 6:38; Luke 9:13; John 6:9.

10Neitherh the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

h Mat. 15:34.

11How 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?

12Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the 10doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

10 Which is here compared unto leaven, forasmuch as the same mingled the purity of the true doctrine with false doctrines, and such as were devised by men, and made men puffed up with a vain presumption of their own righteousness and with hypocrisy.

13¶Wheni Jesus came into the coasts of 11Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

i Mark 8:27; Luke 9:18.

11 This was a city at the foot of Mount Lebanon, about the origin of the Jordan, called as such because it was built for the honor of the Emperor Tiberius; and was surnamed Philippi because it was built by Philip the Tetrarch:, Josephus Antiq. lib. 18, cap. 3, and to distinguish it from another Cæsarea, built by his father Herod for the honor of the Emperor Augustus at the Mediterranean Sea, Josephus, de bello Jud., lib. 15, cap. 13; Acts 10:1.

14And they said, Somejsay that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

j Mat. 14:2.

15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16Andk Simon Peter 12answered and said, Thou art 13the Christ, the Son of the living God.

k John 6:69.

12 Namely, in the name of them all, seeing Christ had asked all of them. Therefore the answer of Christ belongs also to all, although it is made to Peter.

13 That is, the Messiah, or Anointed. See John 1:41.

17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon 14Bar-jona: for 15flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, butl my Father which is in heaven.

14 That is, son of Jona. For, the word bar in the Chaldean tongue signifies a son.

15 That is, neither your own, nor any natural understanding, nor any man. See Gal. 1:16.

l Mat. 11:25.

18Andm I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon thisn16rock I will build my church; and theo17gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

m Psalm 118:22; John 1:43.

n Isa. 28:16; 1 Cor. 3:11.

16 That is, stone or rock, namely, on this thy confession which thou makest of Me. Or on Me, Whom thou hast confessed. For, Christ alone is the foundation of His church, 1 Cor. 3:11, though also Peter and the other apostles, in respect of their doctrine, may be called foundations of the church, as is to be seen, Rev. 21:19.

o Isa. 33:20.

17 That is, neither the subtlety nor the force of the devil and his instruments. For, in former times the senate houses and fortresses of cities were in the gates, Gen. 22:17.

19Andp I will give unto thee the 18keys of the kingdom of heaven: and 19whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth 20shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

p Mat. 18:18; John 20:22.

18 That is, a spiritual power on God’s behalf and in the Name of Christ, to declare unto believers and penitent persons the forgiveness of their sins, and that they have part in the Kingdom of God and by the holy sacraments to seal up the same unto them; and on the contrary, to declare to unbelievers and impenitent persons that they have no part in the forgiveness of sins and the Kingdom of God, and consequently to keep them off from the use of the same sacraments, and to exclude them out of the communion of the faithful. Which power is also given to the church, Mat. 18:18 and to all the apostles, John 20:21. See 2 Cor. 10:8.

19 Namely, according to Christ’s command and precept.

20 That is, God shall hold for firm and valid that which shall so be done by His ministers according to His command.

20Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

21¶Fromq that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he 21must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the 22elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

q Mat. 17:22; 20:18; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33; Luke 9:22; 18:31; 24:7.

21 Namely, because thus it was decreed by God, Acts 2:23, foretold by the prophets, Luke 24:26, 27, and was necessary for the redemption of sin, Heb. 9:23.

22 That is, the eldest of the people.

22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, 23Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 Or, God be merciful to Thee, Lord, that is, God preserve Thee from this. That be far from Thee.

23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, 24Satan: thour art an offence unto 25me: for thou savourests not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

24 That is, adversary. Which name is indeed principally ascribed to the devil. See Mat. 4:10, but is here given to Peter also, because he, out of erring love, sought to hinder Christ in the execution of His office. See 2 Sam. 19:22.

r 2 Sam. 19:22.

25 Gr. mine offence.

s think, understand*

24¶Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Ift any man will come 26after me, let him 27deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

t Mat. 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; 14:27.

26 That is, will follow Me as a disciple.

27 To deny himself, is to renounce a man’s own understanding, will and inclination, and to subject the same to the Word and will of God.

25Foru whosoever will save his 28life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

u Mat. 10:39; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; John 12:25.

28 Gr. soul. See Mat. 10:39.

26Forv what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or whatw shall a man give in 29exchange for his soul?

v Luke 9:25.

w Psalm 49:8; Mark 8:37.

29 Gr. releasing, counter releasing, or exchanging, that is, that against which or for which one may be loosed.

27Forx the Son of man shall come in the gloryy of his Father with his angels; and thenz he shall reward every man according 30to his works.

x Mat. 24:30; 25:31; 26:64.

y Mat. 25:31.

z Job 34:11; Psalm 62:12; Rom. 2:6.

30 That is, according as he shall have done, good or evil. See the exposition hereof, Mat. 25:36.

28Verilyaa I say unto you, There be some standing 31here, which shall not taste of death, till they 32see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

aa Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27.

31 That is, who are here present.

32 This may be understood either of His resurrection and ascension into heaven, or of the sending of the Holy Ghost and the spreading abroad of the Gospel among the Gentiles, or else of His glorification upon the Mount, of which is spoken in the beginning of the following chapter.