Comments on Matthew 16 v1-12 Pharisees and Sadducees, apparently in response to the following among the thousands of people who went out to Jesus, approach Jesus asking him for signs (v. 1). Jesus castigates them for being advanced enough to perceive physical signs, such as predicting the weather, but being blind to spiritual signs, such as the "signs of the times" (v. 2-3). He then tells them only evil and adulterous people seek after signs, and they receive none. However, Jesus promises them the sign of Jonas, and then leaves them (v. 4). Jesus and the disciples again taking to shipping and go elsewhere, and upon arriving Jesus warns them of the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees (v. 5- 6), with the disciples assuming it is because they have forgotten to take bread with them (v. 7). Jesus then questions their spirituality pointing out to them he miraculously fed thousands then why not just the few of them on literal bread (v. 8-10). He then explains to them he is referring to spiritual bread, and they realize it is referring to their doctrine (v. 11-12). v1 Normally religious opponents, the Pharisees and Sadducees team up against Jesus, whom they perceive to be a common enemy. v4 "sign of...Jonas", it is plain to us now that Jesus was making reference to his resurrection, and the resurrection of others along with him. But, at that time, it must have been a very obscure reference. I am not aware of any Jewish commentary, ancient or modern, which interprets the three days and nights of Jonas to be typical of the resurrection. This appears to be a novelty by Jesus. v7 Perhaps the disciples at this point are thinking Jesus is warning them against being poisoned by their religious enemies. Jesus has warned them of persecution (cf. 5:11-12, 10:28) and they have witnessed publicly hostility, so why not poisoning? v13-20 Jesus asks the disciples whom people say he is, at the same time identifying himself as "the Son of man". The disciples provide a number of popular answers, none of which are "messiah" (v. 14). Then Jesus asks them who they think he is (v. 15), but apparently only Peter responds saying Jesus is the messiah, the son of God (v. 16). Jesus pronounces Peter blessed because the Spirit has revealed this to him (v. 17), announces he will establish his church with Peter holding the keys thereof (v. 18- 19). Jesus then tells his disciples to not tell anyone that he is the messiah (v. 20). v16 Peter's response here is the same as last time to the same question, cf. John 6:69. v18 "upon this rock", Jesus is employing a word play on the name "Peter" which would literally translate to "rock" or "stone". However, Jesus is probably also making reference to the subject of the preceding verse, which is the revelation via the Spirit that Jesus is the messiah. Jesus will establish his church on the revelation of the Spirit. See _History of the Church_, Volume 5: Chapter 13., page 258, for Smith's equation of the "rock" with revelation. v19 See D&C 128:8-11 for a discussion of Priesthood keys and binding ordinances and so forth. See Isa. 22:22 for the likely source of the language. v20 Why would Jesus tell them not to tell people he is the messiah? It is because their expectations of messiah are that of physical delivery and restoration of the kingdom of Israel, and not that of a spiritual messiah, as was the case with the conflict seen in John 6. v21-28 Jesus is preparing his disciples for the imminent, rather unpleasant events ahead (v. 21) when Peter tries to talk Jesus out of it (v. 22). Jesus harshly rebukes Peter telling him he is acting as an adversary to him, and is way out of line with God's will (v. 23). Jesus then explains why Peter is so out of line in suggesting that he save his physical life. Those who would follow Jesus must take up their "crosses" and deny themselves worldly things (v. 24). They must abandon their physical lives and pursuits and in doing so find their spiritual lives and pursuits (v. 25). A man gains nothing in the eternities if he obtains all the physical world in mortality, and yet is spiritually dead in eternity (v. 26). Because the time will come when the Son will come in the glory of the Father and reward all men according to their works (v. 27). Then, Jesus adds, rather cryptically, that there are some present who will in their flesh see this Final Judgement (v. 28). v21 "From that time forth", the present account could be taken to suggest some time elapsed between the preceding verses and the present. However, the Mark and Luke accounts both suggest the present account followed immediately after the preceding verses. "elders and chief priests and scribes", Jesus presents all of those in any kind of authority as in opposition to him and combining against him to kill him. v23 "Get thee behind me, Satan", Jesus is calling Peter an adversary for him trying to talk Jesus out of what he has said he needs to do in v. 21. Jesus is not calling Peter "Satan" in the sense of him being a personification of or possessed by that evil spirit which we call by the proper noun "Satan". The Strong's entry indicates the term has wider application than just referring to that evil spirit: 4567 Satanas {sat-an-as'} of Aramaic origin corresponding to 4566 (with the definite affix); TDNT - 7:151,1007; n pr m AV - Satan 36; 36 1) adversary (one who opposes another in purpose or act), the name given to 1a) the prince of evil spirits, the inveterate adversary of God and Christ 1a1) he incites apostasy from God and to sin 1a2) circumventing men by his wiles 1a3) the worshipers of idols are said to be under his control 1a4) by his demons he is able to take possession of men and inflict them with diseases 1a5) by God's assistance he is overcome 1a6) on Christ's return from heaven he will be bound with chains for a thousand years, but when the thousand years are finished he will walk the earth in yet greater power, but shortly after will be given over to eternal punishment 1b) a Satan-like man This rebuke seems rather stern, especially after the content of v. 17-19 where Jesus just pronounced him blessed by the Spirit of revelation and the holder of the keys of the Church. However, when we take it in context of v. 24-26 where Jesus is drawing a sharp contrast between saving one's physical life to the losing of one's spiritual life it becomes more apparent what is happening. Jesus is trying to explain the imminent, and rather unpleasant, events which are about to take place in order to fulfill the Atonement. The disciples apparently do not see these things as absolutely necessary, and so are trying to encourage Jesus to not be, what seems to them to be, pessimistic. Jesus' sharp rebuke of "adversary!" relates closely to the saving versus sacrificing of one's self in the subsequent verses. What Peter is suggesting here, certainly unwittingly, is that Jesus save his physical life at the expense of the Atonement, and in so doing is contradicting God's will. Also, given the prominent position of authority just granted to Peter, perhaps Jesus' intent is to make it clear to him that with authority comes responsibility. Peter is repeatedly presented in the Gospels as being a bit brash early on, saying things in haste sometimes without full knowledge or conviction. Peter has stepped over the line doctrinally and in attempting to persuade Jesus not to do what he said he needs to do. Jesus makes it clear that such a thing is not acceptable to God, and in a position of such prominent authority he needs to be more deliberate in his thoughts and words, and cannot do such things without expecting a serious rebuke. v24-26 The IV/JST differs from the KJV, as follows: KJV IV --- -- 24 Then said Jesus 25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, unto his disciples, If any man If any man will come after me, will come after me, let him deny himself, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and take up his cross and follow me. and follow me. 26 And now for a man to take up his cross, is to deny himself of all ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments. 27 Break not my commandments for to save your lives; 25 For whosoever will for whosoever will save his life save his life in this world, shall lose it: shall lose it in the world to come. and whosoever will 28 And whosoever will lose his life lose his life in this world, for my sake for my sake, shall find it. shall find it in the world to come. 29 Therefore, forsake the world, and save your souls; 26 For what for what is a man profited, is a man profited, if he shall gain if he shall gain the whole world, and the whole world, lose his own soul? and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? in exchange for his soul? The IV/JST effectively explains the obscurities of the KJV. v27 makes reference to the "Day of the Lord", cf. Joel 2. v28 We would take this verse as referring to John Beloved's translation, cf. John 21:20-23, D&C 7. Non-LDS commentators divorce it from any kind of literal Final Judgement theme as the fulfilment of the Day of the Lord predictions. Typically, they see it as referring to the growth of the Church recounted in Acts, attended with angels and a resurrected Jesus. The Anchor Bible (AB) comments on the Lucan account equate this promise with the immediately following Mount of Transfiguration account where the three see Jesus in glory amongst Moses and Elijah. Both of these attempts have some merit, but neither addresses the Final Judgment theme. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. 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