Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Matthew 16

• Jesus and His disciples are now in Magdala (Magadan), the place of Mary Magdalene, next to the Sea of Galilee.
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The Pharisees and Sadducees Seek a Sign

• Five Man Electrical Band – “Signs, signs, everywhere there are signs.”

Matthew 16:¹ Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.

• Jeff Foxworthy “Here’s Your Sign”.

• Blind people can’t read signs.
• They were looking at their sign from heaven right before their eyes.

Matthew 16:² He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’;

Matthew 16:³ and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

Matthew 16:⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Matthew 16:⁵ Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

Matthew 16:⁶ Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the (yeast) leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:⁷ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”

Matthew 16:⁸ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread (have no bread)?

Matthew 16:⁹ Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?

Matthew 16:¹⁰ Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?

Matthew 16:¹¹ How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven (yeast) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:¹² Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine (teaching) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

• Jesus and His disciples are in the “region of” Caesarea Philippi.

Matthew 16:¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

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Matthew 16:¹⁴ So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Matthew 16:¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Matthew 16:¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:¹⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

• “Bar” means “son of”

Matthew 16:¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter (Rock), and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail (be victorious) against it.

• On this “Rock” applies to Simon’s words declaring Jesus’ identity as being the Messiah (Christ) and the Son of God. This will become more apparent at the Transfiguration.

Matthew 16:¹⁹ And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 16:²⁰ Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

Matthew 16:²¹ From that time Jesus began to show to 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 the third day.

Matthew 16:²² Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (Lit. Merciful to You -May God be merciful)

Matthew 16:²³ But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are (a stumbling block) an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

Matthew 16:²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Matthew 16:²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Matthew 16:²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

• At the end of the Tribulation Jesus returns the same way He ascended, with a host of the saints and the angels referred to as “clouds”.

Matthew 16:²⁸ Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

• Some speculate this verse speaks of the transfiguration but it doesn’t seem to match.
• I would propose it is John the Beloved who wrote the book of John and Revelation. He may have been translated.

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Humor: Signs

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Queries:

1. Who is the father of Simon?
2. What did Jesus call Simon?
3. What does the name Peter mean?
4. How many times did Jesus tell them He would be killed?
5. What hint did he give them for how He would be killed.