Mateus 16

1 Então chegaram a ele os fariseus e os saduceus e, para o experimentarem, pediram-lhe que lhes mostrasse algum sinal do céu.

2 Mas ele respondeu, e disse-lhes: Ao cair da tarde, dizeis: Haverá bom tempo, porque o céu está rubro.

3 E pela manhã: Hoje haverá tempestade, porque o céu está de um vermelho sombrio. Ora, sabeis discernir o aspecto do céu, e não podeis discernir os sinais dos tempos?

4 Uma geração má e adúltera pede um sinal, e nenhum sinal lhe será dado, senão o de Jonas. E, deixando-os, retirou-se.

5 Quando os discípulos passaram para o outro lado, esqueceram- se de levar pão.

6 E Jesus lhes disse: Olhai, e acautelai-vos do fermento dos fariseus e dos saduceus.

7 Pelo que eles arrazoavam entre si, dizendo: É porque não trouxemos pão.

8 E Jesus, percebendo isso, disse: Por que arrazoais entre vós por não terdes pão, homens de pouca fé?

9 Não compreendeis ainda, nem vos lembrais dos cinco pães para os cinco mil, e de quantos cestos levantastes?

10 Nem dos sete pães para os quatro mil, e de quantas alcofas levantastes?

11 Como não compreendeis que não nos falei a respeito de pães? Mas guardai-vos do fermento dos fariseus e dos saduceus.

12 Então entenderam que não dissera que se guardassem, do fermento dos pães, mas da doutrina dos fariseus e dos saduceus.

13 Tendo Jesus chegado �s regiões de Cesaréia de Felipe, interrogou os seus discípulos, dizendo: Quem dizem os homens ser o Filho do homem?

14 Responderam eles: Uns dizem que é João, o Batista; outros, Elias; outros, Jeremias, ou algum dos profetas.

15 Mas vós, perguntou-lhes Jesus, quem dizeis que eu sou?

16 Respondeu-lhe Simão Pedro: Tu és o Cristo, o Filho do Deus vivo.

17 Disse-lhe Jesus: Bem-aventurado és tu, Simão Barjonas, porque não foi carne e sangue que to revelou, mas meu Pai, que está nos céus.

18 Pois também eu te digo que tu és Pedro, e sobre esta pedra edificarei a minha igreja, e as portas do hades não prevalecerão contra ela;

19 dar-te-ei as chaves do reino dos céus; o que ligares, pois, na terra será ligado nos céus, e o que desligares na terra será desligado nos céus.

20 Então ordenou aos discípulos que a ninguém dissessem que ele era o Cristo.

21 Desde então começou Jesus Cristo a mostrar aos seus discípulos que era necessário que ele fosse a Jerusalém, que padecesse muitas coisas dos anciãos, dos principais sacerdotes, e dos escribas, que fosse morto, e que ao terceiro dia ressuscitasse.

22 E Pedro, tomando-o � parte, começou a repreendê-lo, dizendo: Tenha Deus compaixão de ti, Senhor; isso de modo nenhum te acontecerá.

23 Ele, porém, voltando-se, disse a Pedro: Para trás de mim, Satanás, que me serves de escândalo; porque não estás pensando nas coisas que são de Deus, mas sim nas que são dos homens.

24 Então disse Jesus aos seus discípulos: Se alguém quer vir após mim, negue-se a si mesmo, tome a sua cruz, e siga-me;

25 pois, quem quiser salvar a sua vida perdê-la-á; mas quem perder a sua vida por amor de mim, achá-la-á.

26 Pois que aproveita ao homem se ganhar o mundo inteiro e perder a sua vida? ou que dará o homem em troca da sua vida?

27 Porque o Filho do homem há de vir na glória de seu Pai, com os seus anjos; e então retribuirá a cada um segundo as suas obras.

28 Em verdade vos digo, alguns dos que aqui estão de modo nenhum provarão a morte até que vejam vir o Filho do homem no seu reino.

Mateus 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

The Pharisees and Sadducees ask a sign. (1-4) Jesus cautions against the doctrine of the Pharisees. (5-12) Peter's testimony that Jesus was the Christ. (13-20) Christ foretells his sufferings, and rebukes Peter. (21-23) The necessity of self-denial. (24-28)

Verses 1-4 The Pharisees and Sadducees were opposed to each other in principles and in conduct; yet they joined against Christ. But they desired a sign of their own choosing: they despised those signs which relieved the necessity of the sick and sorrowful, and called for something else which would gratify the curiosity of the proud. It is great hypocrisy, when we slight the signs of God's ordaining, to seek for signs of our own devising.

Verses 5-12 Christ speaks of spiritual things under a similitude, and the disciples misunderstand him of carnal things. He took it ill that they should think him as thoughtful about bread as they were; that they should be so little acquainted with his way of preaching. Then understood they what he meant. Christ teaches by the Spirit of wisdom in the heart, opening the understanding to the Spirit of revelation in the word.

Verses 13-20 Peter, for himself and his brethren, said that they were assured of our Lord's being the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God. This showed that they believed Jesus to be more than man. Our Lord declared Peter to be blessed, as the teaching of God made him differ from his unbelieving countrymen. Christ added that he had named him Peter, in allusion to his stability or firmness in professing the truth. The word translated "rock," is not the same word as Peter, but is of a similar meaning. Nothing can be more wrong than to suppose that Christ meant the person of Peter was the rock. Without doubt Christ himself is the Rock, the tried foundation of the church; and woe to him that attempts to lay any other! Peter's confession is this rock as to doctrine. If Jesus be not the Christ, those that own him are not of the church, but deceivers and deceived. Our Lord next declared the authority with which Peter would be invested. He spoke in the name of his brethren, and this related to them as well as to him. They had no certain knowledge of the characters of men, and were liable to mistakes and sins in their own conduct; but they were kept from error in stating the way of acceptance and salvation, the rule of obedience, the believer's character and experience, and the final doom of unbelievers and hypocrites. In such matters their decision was right, and it was confirmed in heaven. But all pretensions of any man, either to absolve or retain men's sins, are blasphemous and absurd. None can forgive sins but God only. And this binding and loosing, in the common language of the Jews, signified to forbid and to allow, or to teach what is lawful or unlawful.

Verses 21-23 Christ reveals his mind to his people gradually. From that time, when the apostles had made the full confession of Christ, that he was the Son of God, he began to show them of his sufferings. He spake this to set right the mistakes of his disciples about the outward pomp and power of his kingdom. Those that follow Christ, must not expect great or high things in this world. Peter would have Christ to dread suffering as much as he did; but we mistake, if we measure Christ's love and patience by our own. We do not read of any thing said or done by any of his disciples, at any time, that Christ resented so much as this. Whoever takes us from that which is good, and would make us fear to do too much for God, speaks Satan's language. Whatever appears to be a temptation to sin, must be resisted with abhorrence, and not be parleyed with. Those that decline suffering for Christ, savour more of the things of man than of the things of God.

Verses 24-28 A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes. "Let him deny himself." If self-denial be a hard lesson, it is no more than what our Master learned and practised, to redeem us, and to teach us. "Let him take up his cross." The cross is here put for every trouble that befalls us. We are apt to think we could bear another's cross better than our own; but that is best which is appointed us, and we ought to make the best of it. We must not by our rashness and folly pull crosses down upon our own heads, but must take them up when they are in our way. If any man will have the name and credit of a disciple, let him follow Christ in the work and duty of a disciple. If all worldly things are worthless when compared with the life of the body, how forcible the same argument with respect to the soul and its state of never-ending happiness or misery! Thousands lose their souls for the most trifling gain, or the most worthless indulgence, nay, often from mere sloth and negligence. Whatever is the object for which men forsake Christ, that is the price at which Satan buys their souls. Yet one soul is worth more than all the world. This is Christ's judgment upon the matter; he knew the price of souls, for he redeemed them; nor would he underrate the world, for he made it. The dying transgressor cannot purchase one hour's respite to seek mercy for his perishing soul. Let us then learn rightly to value our souls, and Christ as the only Saviour of them.