You are the Christ, Matthew 16, Day 46, Feb 16, Blog Through the Bible Project | Anita Mathias: Dreaming Beneath the Spires

Raphael, Christ and Peter

Matthew 16

The Demand for a Sign

¹ The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
Oh Lord, give us your wisdom in the time of testing.
ESV Notes, they came to test him. They were seeking a sign or miracle which they could use against him.

² He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.

His death and resurrection will be the sign.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵ When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶ “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

⁷ They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹ Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹¹ How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹²Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Jesus is speaking metaphorically, The yeast of the Pharisees can infiltrate and ruin what is good. But the disciples are preoccupied with their physical needs.
An amazing passage. A very short time after the feeding of four thousand from a few loaves, they have totally forgotten it, and are again concerned about the lack of bread.
Faith can waver, can fail. We continually forget the mighty works of God. That is why the word of God is likened to food, which we need to eat again and again so that it provides stable and reliable nourishment.
We can see mighty miracles and be full of fear and unbelief at the next crisis. Lord, strengthen our faith.

How many questions does Jesus ask in a row? Five. He is cross. These are important passages for a full understanding of Jesus. He can get cross and impatient. He does not tolerate spiritual foolishness of slowness of heart gladly.

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Peter is intuitive, right-brained, impulsive. As such, he comes to the truth more swiftly than the others.

NIV notes, The word Messiah, Anointed One was originally used of anyone who was anointed with holy oil such as the priests and kings of Israel. The word contained the idea of being chosen by God, consecrated to his service, and enjoyed with his power to accomplish the assigned tasks.

Towards the end of the OT period, the word Messiah assumed a special meaning. It denoted the ideal ideal king anointed and empowered by God to rescue his people from their enemies and establish his righteous kingdom. The ideas that clustered around the title Messiah tended to be political and national in nature. So, Jesus seldom used the term.
ESV Jesus is is the fulfillment of the OT promise of a divine son as anointed King.

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
Blessed, Greek Makarios. Jesus is not conferring blessing so much as acknowledging Peter’s condition of being privileged to benefit from God’s personal revelation.

¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven;
NIV note–Perhaps Peter used these keys on the day of Pentecost, when he announced that the door of the kingdom was unlocked to Jews and proselytes, and later when he acknowledged that it was also opened to Gentiles.
Peter is given the authority to admit entrance into the kingdom through preaching the Gospel.

whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
NIV note–Authority not to determine but to announce guilt or innocence.

²⁰ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Because of the false concepts of the Jews who looked for an exclusively national and political Messiah, Jesus didn’t want to precipitate a revolution against Rome.