| Matthew 16 | |
|---|---|
| Book | Gospel of Matthew |
| Category | Gospel |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 1 |
Matthew 16 is the sixteenth chapter in theGospel of Matthew in theNew Testament section of the ChristianBible. Jesus begins a journey toJerusalem from the vicinity ofCaesarea Philippi, near the southwestern base ofMount Hermon. Verse 24 speaks of his disciples "following him".
The narrative can be divided into the following subsections:
The original text was written inKoine Greek. This chapter isdivided into 28 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
Matthew 15 ends with Jesus sending the multitude of his followers away and He and his disciples sail toMagdala (or Magadan) on the western shore of theSea of Galilee.[2] InMatthew 16:1 thePharisees andSadducees come to him, presumably in the same location.
Matthew 16:5 refers again to travel to "the other side", and verses16:13–20 are set "in the region ofCaesarea Philippi".
The "other side" of the lake would have been the eastern side.[3] In regard to the statement in verse 5 that they had forgotten to take bread,Joseph Benson suggests that they should have obtained bread before embarking on the western side, noting that inMark's parallel passage (Mark 8:14) they had only one loaf with them,[4] whereasHenry Alford andHeinrich Meyer both argue that they should have obtained more supplies when they arrived on the eastern side, because they had afurther journey in mind.[5][6]
Caesarea Philippi is the furthest point north referred to in Matthew's Gospel, and marks the turning point from which Jesus and his disciples will travel south toJerusalem.
Following earlier references to thePharisees' objections to Jesus' teaching (seeMatthew 12:22–32), further opposition is now put forward by a coalition of Pharisees andSadducees, whose theological views and policies were markedly different from each other, but who were forced to co-operate as members ofSanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court.[8] Biblical commentatorDale Allison describes the coalition as an "unlikely" one,[9] as doWilhelm de Wette,David Strauss, Weiss andJan Hendrik Scholten.[6] Arthur Carr suggests that the formation of this coalition "can only be accounted for by the uniting influence of a strong common hostility against Jesus".[10] TheologianJohn Gill suggests that "these wereGalilean Sadducees and Pharisees, of whom mention is made in theMisna", and distinct from the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem, mentioned inMatthew 15:1. Gill notes thatObadiah of Bertinoro, a 15th-century Italian rabbi who wrote a popular commentary on the Mishnah, also made reference to "Galilean Sadducees".[11]
An earlier request for a sign was recorded inMatthew 12:38. Meyer suggests that there were two distinct occasions when such signs were requested, once when Jesus was asked to provide a sign, and once when a sign is requested "fromheaven".[6]
Allison notes that, had he wanted to do so, Jesus could have provided the "spectacular sign" they were requesting: inMatthew 26:53, Jesus reminds his followers, "do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?".[9]
Meyer includes Jesus in this journey although he is not mentioned, only the disciples. He reads verse 6 as conclusive to this effect.[6]
"Leaven" means "teaching" or "doctrine".[9][14]
Thispericope is considered the climax of the first part of theGospel of Matthew, when Peter received arevelation from God telling him that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.[8] Allison argues that "the primary function of this passage is to record the establishment of a new community, one which will acknowledge Jesus' true identity and thereby become the focus of God's activity in history".[9]
TheTextus Receptus hasGreek:τινα με λεγουσιν,tina me legousin, but the με is omitted byWestcott-Hort. Hence translations vary as to whether Jesus' question is set out in thefirst person or third person:
The popular consensus is that Jesus is aprophet: all the forerunners mentioned were prophets.[9]
This answer from Peter combined a traditional Jewish title of "Messiah" (Greek:Christos, "Christ") meaning "anointed" (which is a royal title), with a Greek title "Son of ... God" for a ruler or divine leader (a favorite of the first Roman EmperorAugustus, among others), which is also another Hebrew royal title (seePsalm 2:7).[20]
Pope Francis notes that "this is the first time that Jesus uses the word 'Church'. He does so expressing all His love for the new Covenant community "which He defines as 'My Church'".[24]
Still at the location nearCaesarea Philippi, the narrative follows Peter's confession with a decisive new phase of Jesus' ministry, with Jerusalem as the next geographical focus.[27] Verse 21 states that Jesus "must go to Jerusalem",[28] but this journey does not properly begin untilMatthew 19:1.
