Matthew 16:21
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
VI. \\#Matt 16:13-20\\ Decision by the Disciples
VII. \\#Matthew 16:21-20:28\\ Final Instructions of the King
A. \\#Matt 16:21-23\\ A New Emphasis
B. \\#Matt 16:24-28\\ A Higher Degree of Commitment
C. \\#Matt 17:1-13\\ A Preview of His Glory
D. \\#Matt 17:14-21\\ A Higher Degree of Service
E. \\#Matt 17:22-23\\ A New Warning
I. \\#Matthew 16:21-20:28\\ Final Instructions of the King
A. \\#Matt 16:21-23\\ A New Emphasis
1. \\#21\\ Mark makes it plain that Jesus began to emphasize
the fact that a violent and brutal death lay ahead for
Him.
a. This was not a new instruction to the disciples for
Jesus had taught it before.
Mt 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.
b. But it is likely that Jesus had not taught on the
subject with as much clarity, and He had
certainly not placed as much emphasis upon it.
c. All three of the gospel accounts note this shift in
Christ’s teaching.
Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son
of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of
the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Luke 9:21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded
them to tell no man that thing;
22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things,
and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
2. \\#22\\ Peter, meaning well, takes Jesus aside to correct
His negative thinking and is firmly rebuked. Sometimes
the negative, gloomy scenario is the correct one.
3. \\#23\\ Jesus puts Peter in his place "Get the behind Me,"
and places him in the enemy’s camp "Satan," before He
thorough rebukes him "thou art an offence unto me," and
explains what he has done wrong, "for thou savourest not
the things that be of God, but those that be of men."
a. It is amazing how quickly human flesh can fail!
b. In \\#Matt 16:17\\, Peter is being praised by God
for being lead by the Holy Spirit and now, just
six verses away, he is being rebuked for being
in the devil’s camp!
c. While some time has probably passed, we must still
note how unstable man’s spiritual nature can be.
B. \\#Matt 16:24-28\\ A Higher Degree of Commitment
1. As Jesus began to emphasize how He would die for His
sheep, He also began to emphasize how His sheep must be
willing to die for their Shepherd. See the notes on
Matt 10:28. "See 2010Notes on \\Matt 10:1\\"
2. \\#24\\ To follow Christ means to:
a. "deny himself" - It is the nature of man to promote
and defend himself. For the Christian, this must
cease. The Christian’s single goal is to promote and
speak for our Savior.
b. "take up his cross"
(1) "his cross" - Each Christian is to have their own
cross. The cross of which Jesus spoke is not
just an hollowed symbol. The cross is by far
the most painful means of death one can afflict
upon another. It painfully impales its victims
while slowly suffocating them to death. That
with the maximum amount of torture the human
body can bear being added beforehand, makes the
cross a fearful death indeed.
(2) But the Christian is not merely commanded to die
upon his own cruel instrument of death, he is
also commanded to carry it with him at all times.
To carry this cruel cross is to be willing, at
any given moment, to die upon it.
c. "follow me" - Once having our crosses mounted upon our
backs, we are to do with them as Christ did with His.
We are to willingly carry it, willingly be laid upon
it, and willingly die by it. Let there be no
question. Jesus was demanding from His followers the
ultimate sacrifice.
3. The question most anyone would have to ask before making
such a commitment is, "Why? "Why should I make such a
sacrifice for Jesus?" Our Lord offered some answers.
a. \\#25\\ Because it is the only way a person "will save
his life." To live for self is to lose your life and
to lose your life for Jesus is to keep your life, but
what does that mean?
(1) It could mean that any who are not willing to
give their lives for Jesus are not saved at all.
(2) There are some verses which might indicate that.
Lu 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his
hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God.
Matt 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me
is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after
me, is not worthy of me.
b. \\#26-27\\ Because it is the only way a person will
profit. The profit that is being spoken of is
spiritual profit.
(1) \\#26\\ One who denies Jesus may gain "the whole
world" in terms of riches and fame. Jesus’
question is, "But what is that if he loses his
soul in hell?"
(2) \\#27\\ For Jesus will come and "reward every man
according to his works." Christians should
always remember the future judgments.
4. \\#28\\ A Word of Prophecy
a. Not everything for the Christian is in the distant
future. As Jesus is speaking of future judgments,
He promises that some of the disciples standing
before Him will see the Son of Man’s kingdom before
they die.
b. This prophecy is partially fulfilled in the next
chapter \\#Matt 27:1-13\\ when Peter, James, and
John see Jesus transfigured.
c. It will be completely fulfilled when 11 of the 12
disciples see Jesus resurrected and glorified (Judas
having hanged himself).
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