Matthew 16:1
Outline:
I. \\#Matt 1:1-3:17\\ The Presentation of the King
II. \\#4:1-7:29\\ The Person of the King
III. \\#8:1-11:1\\ The Power of the King
IV. \\#Matthew 11:2-14:13\\ Decisions Concerning the King
V. \\#Matt 14:13-16:12\\ Training the Disciples
A. \\#Matt 14:15-21\\ Training the Disciples to Serve
B. \\#Matt 14:22-33\\ Training the Disciples to Have Faith
C. \\#Matt 14:34-36\\ The Ministry Goes On-Ministry At
Gennesaret
D. \\#Matt 15:1-20\\ Training the Disciples to Be Pure
E. \\#Matt 15:21-28\\ The Ministry Goes On-Faith Is
Rewarded
F. \\#Matt 15:29-31\\ The Ministry Goes On-God’s Power Is
Displayed
G. \\#Matt 15:32-39\\ Training the Disciples to Believe and
Serve
H. \\#Matt 16:1-12\\ Training the Disciples to Be Cautious
VI. \\#Matt 16:13-20\\ Decision by the Disciples
VII. \\#Matthew 16:21-20:28\\ Final Instructions of the King
We are moving into the last weeks of Jesus’ life and things begin to
heat up quickly.
I. \\#Matt 16:1-12\\ Training the Disciples to Be Cautious
A. \\#1\\ Setting
1. "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came"-In
\\#Matt 15:39\\ Jesus was last mentioned as being in
Magdala, a city along the Sea of Galilee. While He
may not still be in that city, He is not in
Jerusalem. The religious leaders were looking for
Him.
2. "tempting desired… a sign from heaven"-As in
\\#Matt 12:38\\, these rulers have already made up
their minds about Jesus but still they desire a
sign. Here we are told that it is part of their
plan to tempt Him. They either hoped Jesus would
fail in His miracle or that the people might see
Him as seeking His own glory.
B. \\#2-4\\ Jesus’ Refuses
1. \\#2-3\\ An Illustration
a. \\#2-3\\ "red and lowring"
(1) Jesus speaks of the ability the people had
to discern the weather. In both cases, the
sky is red in color.
(2) "lowring" means low or cloudy. So when the
sky was threatening, they knew it was going
to rain.
b. \\#3\\ "can ye not discern the signs of the
times?"-But they could not see the spiritual
signs that indicated something wonderful was
happening. (i.e. The miracles that meant Messiah
had come!)
2. \\#4\\ A Rebuke
a. "wicked and adulterous generation"-Jesus calls
them wicked and spiritually adulterous. No
doubt these elite leaders did not appreciate
that.
b. "no sign… but the sign of the prophet Jonas"
This is the second time that Jesus refused the
religious leaders and told them that the only
sign they would have is that of Jonah.
Matt 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and
adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall
no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the
whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and
three nights in the heart of the earth.
(1) Of course, that is a reference to Jesus’
death, burial, and resurrection.
(2) It also appears that Jesus would not heed to
any request made of Him of the religious
leaders.
3. \\#5-12\\ Jesus’ Warning to the Disciples
a. \\#5\\ Relocate and Realize
(1) "were come to the other side"-Matthew, at
this time, does not tell us to which side
they are going but he does in \\#13\\.
Matt 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea
Philippi…"
(2) They are headed north to the regions of
Caesarea Philippi. In fact, Caesarea
Philippi is about 25 miles north of the Sea
of Galilee.
(3) "they had forgotten to take bread"-Someone
forgot to pack the lunch! It is difficult
to think that the disciples made the same
kind of mistakes that we make.
b. \\#6-7\\ "Take heed and beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."-Have you
ever had your mind on one thing and completely
misunderstood when something similar is
mentioned? So it happened to the disciples.
When Jesus mentioned "leaven," the disciples were
already thinking about the lunch bread they had
forgotten to pack and completely missed the truth
that Jesus was attempting to give them.
c. \\#8-12\\ Jesus’ Corrections
(1) \\#8\\ Jesus corrects their faith.
Some might ask, "What lack of faith?" But
as Jesus will show, if He could feed the
thousands, they should have known that He
could certainly feed the twelve.
(2) \\#9-10\\ Jesus corrects their memory.
(a) Jesus asks the disciples if they had
forgotten the feedings of the five and
four thousand. Obviously they had.
(b) The fact that Jesus mentions both
feedings is further proof that both
feedings occurred!
(3) \\#11-12\\ Jesus corrects their
misunderstanding.
(a) \\#11\\ Jesus never actually told the
disciples what His warning WAS, just
what it WASN’T. He said that it
wasn’t a warning "concerning bread."
(b) \\#12\\ With that hint, the disciples
understood what the warning WAS. "Then
understood they how… he bade them…
beware… the doctrine of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees."
(c) So Jesus was warning the disciples to be
cautious of the FALSE DOCTRINE of the
religious leaders.
II. \\#Matt 16:13-20\\ Decision by the Disciples-This segment is
a follow-up to a previous section in Matthew’s book
\\#Matt 11:2-14:13\\. There, Matthew shared the decisions
that many had made about Jesus, but he never told us what
decision Jesus’ disciples had made. He does that here.
A. \\#13\\ Jesus’ Question
1. "Caesarea Philippi"-Jesus and His disciples moved
north across the Sea of Galilee in \\#Matt 16:5\\,
then traveled up the Jordan River some 25 miles to
get to the area of this Gentile city.
a. The city was named first after Caesar, the
Roman king, then after Philip, the governor of
the land; but it has a long history that predates
them both.
b. There is a large spring there, Grotto of Pan, that
feeds the Jordan River. The area has had many
names and been dedicated to the Greek gods.
c. There is no record of Jesus performing any
miracles there or teaching anyone save having
this conversation with His disciples.
d. \\#Mark 8:34-38\\ may be indicating that Jesus had
a larger following in that area and was actually
with a group when He talked to His disciples, but
it seems more likely that Mark is just writing
about a later incident.
2. "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?"-Jesus
asks the disciples who people think He is.
B. \\#14\\ Popular Answers-Some theories that were
circulating as to who Jesus might be were:
1. "John the Baptist"-Even King Herod had this thought.
Matt 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the
fame of Jesus,
2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist;
he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do
shew forth themselves in him.
2. "Elias"-Which is Elijah.
a. Elijah never died but was taken to heaven in a
chariot of fire.
2Ki 2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and
talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire,
and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and
Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
b. Then God gave a prophesy that Elijah would come
to prepare the way for the Messiah.
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before
the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
3. "Jeremias" or Jeremiah. There is no Scriptural reason
for supposing Jesus might be Jeremiah but Jeremiah
is spoken of in the fictitious book of the
Apocryphal, 2 Macabees. There certain heroic feats
are credited him and perhaps due to that folklore,
some thought Jesus might be a resurrected Jeremiah.
4. "others… or one of the prophets"-Then there were
a variety of other names that some held to, probably
to a lesser degree so that their names were not
recorded by Matthew.
C. \\#15-16\\ A Second Question and Peter’s Answer
1. \\#15\\ "But whom say ye that I am?"-Jesus now
presses for the thoughts of the disciples.
2. \\#16\\ "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living
God."
a. It is rash Peter who often misspeaks for the
group who quickly and correctly answers the
Lord’s question.
b. "Christ"-The Greek word for the Hebrew word
Messiah, meaning the Anointed One.
c. "the Son of the living God"-One come from the
living, eternal God.
D. \\#17-20\\ Jesus’ Reply
1. \\#17\\ Praise-"Blessed are thou"
a. "Blessed" means happy, approved of God.
b. Peter was praised for he had been used of the
Holy Spirit to hear from the Father. In what is
often a rare display of spirituality, this man
was in sync with God the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, enabling him to understand
truth beyond the bounds of mere "flesh and
blood."
2. \\#18-19\\ Promise-There are four promises in these
verses.
a. \\#18\\ "Thou are Peter… and I will give unto thee
the keys of the kingdom of heaven"-It was Peter
that God revealed this truth through and it was
to be Peter that God would use to open the door
of salvation to both the Jews and the Gentiles.
(1) It was Peter whom God used to open the door
of salvation to the Jews.
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted
up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all
ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and
hearken to my words:
(2) Likewise, it was Peter whom God used to open
the door of salvation to the Gentiles.
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy
Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were
astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on
the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify
God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be
baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the
Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
(3) There is no reason to suppose that the
"keys" of which Jesus spoke have anything
to do with prayers to dead saints,
penitence, or purgatory.
(4) Neither is there any reason to worship Peter.
He was the man that God used to help spread
the gospel of salvation to the whole world,
and for that we are thankful; but to exalt
Peter or his role as God’s servant is sinful
idolatry.
b. \\#18\\ "upon this rock, I will build my church"
Christ promises a church built upon a rock.
(1) Jesus promised to build the fellowship
of believers that we are worshipping in
right now.
(a) This is the first time the word "church"
is mentioned in the Bible.
(b) The word "church" means "a called out
assembly."
(c) I believe that there are two levels to
the church.
i. There is the universal level in
which all believers from the
cross to the coming of Christ
belong. There are no divisions
of time, nationality, or location
in this body. Anytime we worship,
we worship as part of this called-
out assembly.
ii. Then there is the local level in
which a few believers of like
beliefs join together to
accomplish the work of God.
(2) Jesus promised to build the church on a rock.
Of course, the question is, "What rock?"
(a) The Roman Catholics have long claimed
that the rock was Peter.
i. They like to argue this, in part,
because Peter’s name means "rock
or stone."
ii. They consider this a play on words,
with Jesus using the word "rock"
twice to connect Peter (the rock)
to the rock that the church would
be built upon.
iii. They might argue that this is also
the official renaming of Peter
since Jesus just called him by his
old name, Simon Bajona, in
\\#Matt 16:17\\.
iv. While the Catholics may be correct
in some of their reasoning, their
logic is still flawed.
v. Even though Peter’s name means rock
and Jesus may be changing his name
from Simon to Peter, that does not
make Peter the rock the church
will be built upon; and it
certainly does not make their
cultic following and empowering of
the pope correct.
(b) Others have long claimed that the truth
that Peter uttered is the rock.
i. The truth that Peter spoke was of
Jesus; namely that Jesus is the
Son of God and the Promised One.
ii. It is Jesus that the church is
built upon, not any man. That
truth has been the foundation and
strength of this living organism
called the church.
iii. I find that interpretation both
more Biblical and far more logical
than any other.
(c) The church being built upon that
eternal truth is obligated to obey and
glorify Christ in all that it does;
while, if Peter is the rock, the
Catholics might be correct in their
structure, which was built to obey and
glorify a man.
(3) \\#18\\ Jesus promised that the gates of hell
would not prevail.
(a) "gates of hell"
i. Gates are built around the owner’s
home.
ii. The fact that Jesus refers to
hell’s gates means the Christians
are attacking Satan on his turf.
(b) This is a promise of power.
i. The promise is not directed
personally to the disciples or to
Peter, but to the church.
ii. God has given to the church the
power to live among the enemy, on
his world, yet to be victors over
the enemy.
(4) \\#19\\ Jesus promised authority to bind and
to loose.
(a) The authority - Just what was Jesus
promising?
i. The most obvious explanation is
likely correct.
ii. Jesus was giving an extra promise
of heavenly power.
iii. "bind… loose"
aa. When a word and its opposite
are used, it is intended to
cover the whole spectrum.
bb. For example, when one says,
"the ins and the outs" or
"the ups and the downs,"
they mean something is
completely covered.
iv. Those to whom this promise was made
would be able to access God’s
might to do anything they needed
to do to accomplish God’s will.
(b) The recipients - To whom was Jesus
making the promise?
i. Again, the most obvious explanation
is likely correct.
ii. The promise was made to Peter. Our
Lord was speaking to Peter and
Scripture bears out that Peter
had the ability to perform mighty
miracles.
aa. \\#Acts 3:1-8\\ - Peter healed
the lame man at the Gate
Beautiful.
bb. \\#Acts 5:1-11\\ - Peter
pronounced judgment upon
Ananias and Sapphira.
cc. \\#Acts 9:32-35\\ Peter heals
Eneas of palsy.
dd. \\#Acts 9:36-40\\ - Peter
raised Dorcas from the dead.
iii. But the promise was also made to
all of the disciples present. All
of eleven displayed similar
powers.
Ac 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders
and signs were done by the apostles.
Ac 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness
of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace
was upon them all.
Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many
signs and wonders wrought among the people;
iv. To a lesser degree, the promise
continued to empower certain
within the church as God deemed
fit.
aa. Stephen the deacon
Ac 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great
wonders and miracles among the people.
bb. Philip the deacon
Ac 8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those
things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles
which he did.
v. The Scriptures bear out that the
Lord made the promise primarily
to Peter and the other ten
disciples.
3. \\#20\\ Jesus Prohibition - Jesus then commanded the
disciples not to disclose the truth of His identity
at that time.
a. Again, we wonder why. Since God does not tell us,
we can only suppose.
b. The disciples’ ministry of being a witness was not
initiated until after the resurrection of Jesus.
c. Perhaps it was because no other witness was needed
while Jesus was alive. His miracles and message
spoke clearly enough as to who He was.
III. \\#Matt 16:21-20:28\\ Final Instructions of the King
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