Bible Study Matthew 16
‹ Matthew

Matthew 16 · WEB

Peter's Confession and the Way of the Cross

Listen — WEB narration 0:00 / 0:00 Narration: World English Bible (David Williams), public domain — AudioTreasure.

Tap a verse to copy it, open the Greek, or write a note.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2But he answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'
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?
10Nor 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 is 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, and 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 render 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."
✶

Summary

The Pharisees and Sadducees demand a sign and are refused; only the sign of Jonah will be given. Jesus warns the disciples about the leaven of false teaching, then at Caesarea Philippi asks the decisive question — and Peter confesses him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus blesses Peter and announces the building of his church, but immediately begins to teach that the Messiah must suffer and die. When Peter resists, Jesus rebukes him sharply and calls every disciple to deny self, take up the cross, and follow.

Themes

  • The identity of Jesus as Messiah and Son of God
  • Revelation given by the Father, not flesh and blood
  • The church built on confession of Christ
  • The necessity of the cross — for the Master and the disciple
  • Losing life to find it

Key verses

  • Matt 16:15-16 — “But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
  • Matt 16:18 — “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”
  • Matt 16:24 — “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
  • Matt 16:26 — “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life?”

Context & background

The encounter with the Pharisees and Sadducees and the boat trip take place around the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake in northern Israel. Caesarea Philippi was a Gentile city in the far north of Israel, near Mount Hermon at the foot of the Golan Heights — modern Banias — built by Herod Philip and dotted with shrines to Pan and other pagan gods, including a massive cliff cave called the "gates of Hades." Choosing this site for Peter's confession is striking: against a backdrop of pagan worship and an entrance to the underworld, Jesus declares that his church will overcome death itself. From here Jesus turns his face toward Jerusalem, the religious capital where the cross awaits.

Cross-references

  • Isaiah 53:3-12 — The suffering servant whom Jesus identifies himself with.
  • Jonah 1-2 — The "sign of Jonah" — three days and three nights, pointing to resurrection.
  • Matt 10:38-39 — Earlier statement of cross-bearing and finding life by losing it.
  • Matt 7:24-25 — Building on the rock; the language of foundation.
  • Phil 3:7-8 — Counting all things loss to gain Christ — the practical outworking of Matt 16:26.

Check your reading

Log in to take the quiz and save your progress.

  1. Observe

    What do the various crowds believe about who Jesus is, according to the disciples' report at Caesarea Philippi?

  2. Observe

    What does Jesus say will happen to him according to his first passion prediction in verse 21?

  3. Interpret

    Jesus tells Peter "on this rock I will build my assembly." What does "this rock" most likely refer to in context?

  4. Interpret

    Why does Jesus call Peter "Satan" in verse 23, only moments after blessing him in verse 17?

  5. Apply

    Jesus asks "Who do you say that I am?" — a question addressed to Peter then but embedded in the gospel for every reader. How does the answer to that question shape the whole of a person's life?

  6. Apply

    Jesus tells his disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. What does cross-bearing look like in ordinary daily life for someone not facing persecution?

Your journal

Write your own answers — they save automatically, and only you can see them.

Log in to write and save journal answers.

Apply (How does it apply to me?)

Personal notes (anything else about this chapter)