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Matthew 16

Matthew 16 joins the confession of Jesus as the Christ to his coming death and the cost of following him.

The Pharisees and Sadducees test Jesus by demanding a sign from heaven. After refusing their demand, he warns his disciples about their teaching, which the disciples mistake for a warning about bread. Near Caesarea Philippi, Peter names Jesus as the Christ, and Jesus speaks of building his assembly. Then Jesus announces his coming suffering, death, and resurrection. Peter objects and receives a sharp rebuke. Jesus teaches his disciples that following him means taking up the cross.

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1The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
3In the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can’t discern the signs of the times!
4An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” He left them and departed.
5The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.
6Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7They reasoned among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”
8Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, because you have brought no bread?
9Don’t you yet perceive or remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up,
10or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?
11How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
12Then they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
19I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”
20Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.
21From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you.”
23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men.”
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.
26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will give to everyone according to his deeds.
28Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Matthew 16:18Jesus answers Peter’s confession with a promise that he will build his assembly and that death will not overcome it.
Matthew 16:24After Peter resists the prediction of suffering, Jesus makes cross-bearing central to what following him requires.
Matthew 16:27The promise of the Son of Man’s coming judgment gives eternal weight to the choice between self-preservation and following Jesus.
Where this chapter reaches

Mark and Luke share Peter’s confession, Jesus’ prediction of his suffering, and the call to take up the cross. John also records a confession of Jesus’ identity by Peter, while Revelation shares the theme of Christ coming to repay people according to their deeds.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What do you notice about Peter’s confession of Jesus and his resistance to Jesus’ suffering?

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How does Jesus’ question about gaining the whole world challenge what you count as gain?

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Questions people ask about Matthew 16

What is the rock in Matthew 16:18?

Jesus links Peter’s name with the rock on which he will build his assembly. Christians differ over whether the rock refers to Peter in his confessing role, his confession, or Christ himself. The passage places Peter’s confession at the center and identifies Jesus as the one who builds and preserves his assembly.

What does it mean to take up your cross in Matthew 16:24?

A cross was an instrument of execution, so Jesus’ words carry the prospect of shame and death. He has just announced his own coming death. Taking up the cross means accepting the cost of allegiance to him, including the loss of life for his sake.

What does Matthew 16:28 mean?

Jesus says some hearers will live to see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom. Christians differ about the event intended. Many connect it with the transfiguration; others connect it with his resurrection and the establishment of his reign. The verse itself does not name the event.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).