The Pharisees ST. MATTHEW, XVI. require a sign. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit | 35 small fishes. And he commanded the down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the mulfitude. 37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. 36 multitude to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves and the fishes; and he gave thanks and brake, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the 37 multitudes. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, seven 38 baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and 39 children. And he sent away the multitudes, and entered into the boat, and came into the borders of Magadan. the other, seven loaves and a few small fishes. In the one case twelve baskets (xódioɩ) of broken pieces were taken up; in the other, seven baskets (σrupides). The numbers twelve and seven are noteworthy. 39. Magadan. This is the reading of the Sinaitic and Vatican as well as Codex Bezac. More than a dozen uncials, however, give Magdala. In Mark (8: 10), Dalmanutha is read. The place was probably Magdala, the Migdal-el of Naphtali (Josh. 19:38). One of its forms may have been Migdalmanutha, which may have been Migdalminuith, or Migdal-menath ("Tower of the portion "), representing a Levitical city, perhaps the Kartan of Josh. 21:32, the place having two names. The place is now identified with Mejdel, a village at the south of the little plain of Gennesaret (see on chap. 14:34). Jesus had fed the four thousand in the same region in which he had before fed the five thousand. He thence crosses by boat to the west side of the sea. CHAPTER XVI. 1. The Pharisees require a sign. 6. Jesus warneth his disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 13. The people's opinion of Christ, 16. and Peter's confession of him. 21. Jesus foresheweth his death, 23. reproving Peter for dissuading him from it: 24. and admonisheth those that will follow him, to bear the cross. 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. 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 ? 1 AND the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and tempting him asked him to shew them 2 a sign from heaven. But he answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the heaven 3 is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowring. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the 4 signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed. 1 The following words, to the end of verse 3, are omitted by some of the most ancient and other important authorities. 2 Gr. loaves. 3 Or, It is because we took no bread. Although his miracles were 1. Pharisees and Sadducees. See on chap. 3: 7. Tempting, or "testing." a constant sign of his Messiahship, these unbelievers kept pressing our Lord for a sign. only stimulated their unbelief: such is the natural perversity of the human heart before God. The sign from heaven was probably some apparition in the sky which they sought. Our Lord draws his reply from the sky. The redness of the heavens in the evening or in the morning indicated the coming weather; and yet the indications of the Messiah, which were so much plainer, they could not discern. 4. The sign of the prophet Jonas. The same answer Jesus had given the Pharisees before (see on chap. 12:39, 40). Adulterous; i.e., abandoning God. The word is often used in this figurative sense of spiritual adultery. 5. To the other side. To the east side of the lake, where the population seems to have been sparse, and whither Jesus loved to retire. Forgot to take bread. Mark (8: 14) tells us they had only one loaf. 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. 13 ¶ When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea 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 Bar-jona: 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. 1 Basket in verses 9 and 10 represents different Greek words. opinion of Christ. 1 five thousand, and how many baskets ye 10 took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many 1 baskets 11 ye took up? How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of 12 the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of 2 bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Saddu 13 cees. Now when Jesus came into the parts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say 3 that the Son of 14 man is? And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah: and others, 15 Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But who say ye that I 16 am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the 17 living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon BarJonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which 18 is in heaven. And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 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 20 be loosed in heaven. Then charged he the 19 4 5 2 Gr. loaves. 3 Many ancient authorities read that I the Son of man am. See Mark 8:27; Luke 9:18. 4 Gr. Petros. 5 Gr. petra. 9. Baskets. Gr., "cophinoi." 10. Baskets. Gr., "spurides." The relative capacity of the two kinds of basket is not certainly known. Paul was let down the Damascus wall in a "spuris" (Acts 9: 25). The Baotian "cophinos" contained about eight or nine quarts. If there is any clew in these facts, we should count the "spuris" as much larger than the "cophinos But they may be used very generally like our "basket," which is used for very large and very small capacities. 12. The teaching. The hidden and yet thorough working of leaven or sour dough through a mass, fitly rep. resents the action of authoritative teaching such as that given by the Pharisees and Sadducees. In chap. 13: 33, leaven is used to represent the good and wholesome teaching of the gospel. On the other hand, in 1 Cor. 5: 6, 7, 8, it is used to represent sinful passions and practices. 13. Cæsarea Philippi. Our Lord, after reaching "the other side" (we find by Mark 8:22-26), passed through the northern Bethsaida, or Julias, situated on the east bank of the Jordan, a few miles north of the lake, where he healed a blind man. He then passed on northward thirty miles farther to Cæsarea Philippi (or the Cæsarea of Philip). This was a town at one of the fountains of the Jordan, in a very secluded and romantic spot under Mount Hermon. Dr. Robinson thinks that this was the Baal-gad, or Baal-hermon, of Josh. 11: 17, and 13: 5. It was after ward called Paneas; and Philip, the tetrarch of this region, and brother of Herod Antipas, having enlarged the place, gave it the name of Cæsarea Philippi, in honor of the emperor and himself. It was near the site of Dan (Judg. 18:29). 14. Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. This has reference to the Jewish division of the Old Testament, which called the fifteen prophetical books, from Isaiah to Malachi inclusive, "the later prophets." Hence Elijah, though a prophet, is mentioned as distinct from the prophets. 16. The Christ, the Son of the living God. This is a more far-reaching confession than that of the apostles in the boat (chap. 14: 33), "Thou art the Son of God," or that of the Syrophœnician woman (chap. 15:22), "Thou son of David." In both of those the Messiahship of Jesus was recognized, but here the exalted character of the Messiah was apprehended. He was the Son of the living God. Peter saw in Jesus the very representative of the active God, working in his plans of grace. 17. Flesh and blood. That is, man in the flesh. Compare 1 Cor. 15: 50, Gal. 1: 16, Eph. 6: 12. Peter had not received this knowledge from man, but from God's word. They are blessed who thus receive the Father's testimony. 18. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock. In Greek, "Thou art Petros, and on this petra; "but in Aramaic, which our Lord doubtless used, Thou art Kepha, and on this kepha," the words being the same. Peter is evidently the rock on which Christ would build his church. The reward of his noble confession would be that he should found the distinctive Christian church on the day of Pentecost. He was thus historically the foundation of the church, the other apostles being also in this sense a foundation (Eph. 2: 20), but Peter holding the first place. This gives no support to the Papist theory of the Roman see, held by Peter's successors. It is a personal matter for Peter The gates of Hades. The unseen powers of evil. The gates in Oriental cities were the place of council, and gathering for war. Hades represents the unseen world. Here, of course, it refers to the forces of the unseen world, which are opposed to Christ and his church. alone. 19. The keys of the kingdom of heaven, that unlock and open the visible church. With one key Peter 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. 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. 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. 21 his own death. disciples that they should tell no man that he, was the Christ. From that time began 1Jesus 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 the third day be raised 22 up. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, 2 Be it far from thee, 23 Lord: this shall never be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumblingblock unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his 278 life? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. Verily I say unto you, There be some of them that stand here, which shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. 25 26 28 1 Some ancient authorities read Jesus Christ. 2 Or, God have mercy on thee. 3 Or, soul. 4 Gr. doing. opened the kingdom to Jews on the day of Pentecost, and with the other he opened the kingdom to Gentiles in the interview with Cornelius (Acts 10). The "power of the keys," as a spiritual power held by church dignitaries, is an invention of a depraved church. "Whatsoever thou shalt bind," etc. This part of the promise is afterward made to all the apostles (chap. 18:18). Binding and loosing were Jewish phrases for teaching by prohibition and permission. This promise is, that the apostles shall be the authoritative teachers of the church. Such phrases as this were common among the Jews: "The school of Shammai binds it, the school of Hillel looses it." 20. Tell no man. The nation had had proof enough that Jesus was the Christ. This prohibition was to last only till Jesus' resurrection, which was probably only six months off (compare chap. 17: 9). 21. From that time began. When his disciples had reached the highest faith in him, then was time to prepare their minds for his humiliation. The elders and chief priests and scribes. The "elders" were the officers generally, and men of distinction, who sat in the Sanhedrim; the "chief priests" included the high-priest and the heads of the twenty-four courses (or divisions) of the priesthood; the "scribes" were the recognized doctors or teachers of the law. 22. Began to rebuke him. His Lord's commendation had turned his head. He forgot his place as a disciple, and supposed he could teach the Master. 23. Get thee behind me, Satan. Almost the same words Jesus had used to Satan himself (chap. 4: 10). Peter sought to have our Lord refuse the path of suffering, which was exactly what Satan sought. The great object of the incarnation would have been thwarted. "Satan" is Hebrew for "adversary;" and yet our Lord doubtless uses the word with allusion to the great adversary. In 2 Sam. 19: 22, David calls the sons of Zeruiah" Satans" (Eng., adversaries). 24. The Saviour now shows Peter and the others that his course, and that of his followers, must be one of selfdenial and suffering. Take up his cross. See on chap. 10:38. 25-26. The word "life" in these two verses has different meanings, which may be shown by a paraphrase: "Whosoever would save his bodily life shall lose his true spiritual life, and whosoever shall lose his bodily life for my sake shall find a life in a higher form. For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his true spiritual life? or what shall a man give in exchange for this higher life, without which he is in eternal death?" 27. The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father. This must refer to the final coming of our Lord to judgment. 28. The Son of man coming in his kingdom. This refers to the establishment of the Christian Church and the end of the Jewish dispensation. See chap. 26: 64, where the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven (1.e., amid heavenly mysteries) is said to be "henceforth;" that is, from that time onward. 43 |