Matthew 16 · The Lantern

The Demand for a Sign

And the Pharisees and Sadducees, having approached, testing, asked Him to show them a sign out of the heaven.

Observe, we do not read here as in other places, that He sent the multitudes away and departed; but because the error of unbelief held the minds of the presumptuous, it is said that He left them.

Wondrous blindness of the Pharisees and Sadducees! They asked a sign from heaven, as though the things they now saw were not signs. John shows what sign it was they desired; for he relates, that after the feeding with the five loaves, the multitudes came to the Lord and said, What sign doest thou, that we may see it and believe on thee?

Above, the Lord showed the sufficiency of the evangelical doctrine, because it neither needs legal observances, and likewise because it is necessary not only for one people; here he shows its purity and excellence.

And He, answering, said to them: [“Evening having come, you say, ‘Fair weather, for the sky is red.’]

This is not found in most codices: it is clear that from the arrangement and stability of the elements, both fair and rainy days can be predicted. However, the scribes and Pharisees, who seemed to be experts in the law, could not understand the advent of the Savior from the prophecy of the prophets.

He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and threatening. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Then he reproves them, and first for their laziness in believing divine things. For if someone has a defect from the nature of his senses, he has an excuse; but when he has wisdom in earthly things and laziness in spiritual things, he is to be reproved; Wis. 13:1: all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God.

[And in the morning, ‘Today a storm, for the sky is red, being overcast.’ The appearance of the sky indeed you know how to discern, but the signs of the times you are not able?]

An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” And having left them, He went away.

Now he called them evil because their wicked deeds had made them evil people (evil because of deliberate wickedness) and adulterous because when the Pharisees and Sadducees left their metaphoric spouse, the true word, they committed adultery, with falsehood and the law of sin.Assume there are two laws: the law of our bodies, which is in conflict with the law of our mind.

"And besides, how shall I give the great signs, when the little are not believed?" Little, I mean, as regards display, since in power these latter were much greater than the former. For what could be equal to remitting sins, and raising the dead, and driving away devils, and creating a body, and ordering all other things aright?

Then he denies the sign they asked for; hence it is said: a wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign. It is called a wicked generation, because it departs from God: for evil is through departure from God. He forsook God who made him, and he departed from God his Savior, as is found in Deut. 32:15. But adulterous, because it has joined itself to another; Ps.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

And the disciples, having come to the other side, forgot to take bread.

The bread that they had before they crossed the lake was no longer of any use to them when they reached the other side. They needed one kind of bread before they crossed and a different kind afterward. They forgot to take any loaves with them because they were careless about carrying bread. The disciples of Jesus had also crossed to another side.

They were bound to their Master with so great affection, that they were unwilling to part from Him for even a moment of time. And herein it should be observed how far they were from any longing for delicacies, when they took so small care for necessaries, that they had even forgotten to take bread, without which human weakness cannot support itself.

After he refuted them, he teaches them to be avoided. And first, the occasion is set forth; second, the teaching; third, the disciples' misunderstanding; fourth, the reproof; fifth, the effect. He says and when his disciples were come across the water etc.

And Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

The apostles are ordered to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They are warned not to be involved in the disputes of the Jews. The works of the law are now to be viewed in the light of faith.

And again in another place our Lord taught His disciples to beware of the cunning of the Pharisees and Sadducees, saying, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, and of the leaven of Herod;" and thou mayest know that He here calleth cunning and wickedness by the name of leaven.

Because he said: take heed and beware etc. Here the teaching is set forth. By leaven he means corrupt doctrine; hence he does not mean the doctrine of the law, but the traditions of the Pharisees, which are called leaven, because just as from a little leaven the whole is corrupted, so from a small error the whole of life is corrupted, just as from a road from which a man depart…

And they were reasoning among themselves, saying, “Because we took no bread.”

After Jesus said this, the disciples thought to themselves (not aloud but in their hearts), "We did not bring bread." Then they said something else, like "If we had bread, then we wouldn't need the yeast from the Pharisees and Sadducees, but since we don't have bread, we are at risk of taking their yeast.

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. But Jesus, aware of this, said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets (kophinoi) ye took up?

Consequently the understanding of the disciples is set forth: but they thought within themselves etc. For since above they had received seven baskets of fragments, and had not brought them along, they believed that he was saying, you did not take bread; but I do not want you to accept bread from the Pharisees, because they were sensual, and the sensual man perceiveth not these…

But Jesus, having known this, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, O you of little faith, because you take no bread?

Wherefore also He works another miracle, and then and not till then He reproves; I mean, He brings forward what they were reasoning in their hearts. But what were their reasonings? "Because," so it is said, "we have taken no bread." For as yet they were full of trepidation about the purifications of the Jews, and the observances of meats.

(ord.) As much as to say; Why do ye think that I spake of earthly bread, for which ye ought not to have a thought, having beheld Me of so little make such abundant overplus?

In this understanding they could be reproved in two things. First, because they did not understand; likewise, in that they distrusted the power of God. Concerning the first he does not reprove them, but concerning the second. He says therefore why do you think within yourselves, O you of little faith, that you have no bread?

Do you not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many hand-baskets you gathered?

Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?

How do you not understand that I spoke to you not concerning loaves? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”

Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of the loaves, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter’s Confession of Christ

And Jesus, having come into the district of Caesarea Philippi, was questioning His disciples, saying, “Whom do men pronounce the Son of Man to be?”

And they said, “Some indeed, John the Baptist; others, however, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Just look at the differences of opinion among the Jews about Jesus. Some, following corrupt thinking, said he was John the Baptist (for example, Herod the tetrarch, who asked his servants, "Is this John the Baptizer now risen from the dead and, because of this, with powers at work in him?") Others said that Elijah is now the one called Jesus.

In the same way they had supposed that Christ was Jeremiah. Perhaps they knew that the Lord had wisdom from his birth and was without peer in his teaching. Something similar was thought of Jeremiah, in that as a child he was singled out for prophecy and that without human training he was the prophet of a greater prophet who was to follow.

Consequently the opinion of the crowds is set forth: but they said: some, John the Baptist etc. Different people thought different things about Christ. The Pharisees blasphemed Christ, but the crowds called him a prophet; hence Luke 7:16: a great prophet is risen up among us etc.

He says to them, “But whom do you yourselves pronounce Me to be?”

When they had presented diverse human origins concerning him, he asked what they themselves thought about him. Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." But Peter had pondered the nature of the question. For the Lord had said, "Whom do men say that the Son of man is?" Certainly his human body indicated he was a Son of man.

Observe how by this connection of the discourse the Apostles are not styled men but Gods. For when He had said, Whom say ye that the Son of Man is? Ho adds, Whom say ye that I am? as much as to say, They being men think of Me as man, ye who are Gods, whom do you think Me?

Jesus saith to them: but whom do you say that I am? Here the faith of the disciples is sought out. And first, the question is set forth; second, the response; third, the approval. The second is at Peter answering; the third is at and Jesus answering etc. Jesus saith to them: but whom do you say that I am?

And Simon Peter, answering, said, “You Yourself are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Again, when Martha in a later passage acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, she no more made a mistake than Peter and Nathanµl had; and yet, even if she had made a mistake, she would at once have learnt the truth: for, behold, when about to raise her brother from the dead, the Lord looked up to heaven, and, addressing the Father, said-as the Son, of course: "Father, I thank Th…

Peter did not say "you are a Christ" or "a son of God" but "the Christ, the Son of God." For there are many christs by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons], but [there is] only one who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, the Christ, the Son of God.

And Peter answering, said: thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. He answers for himself and for the others; but he answers more frequently, and in this a perfect faith is touched upon, because faith in the humanity is touched upon. Thou art Christ, i.e., the anointed one. And it is evident that he was anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

And Jesus, answering, said to him: “Happy are you, Simon Barjona! For flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father who is in the heavens.

The case of Peter escaped his memory, who, although he was a man of the law, was not only chosen by the Lord, but also obtained the testimony of possessing knowledge which was given to him by the Father. He had nowhere read of Christ's being foretold as the light, and hope, and expectation of the Gentiles!

This return Christ makes to the Apostle for the testimony which Peter had spoken concerning Him, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. The Lord said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonas? Why? Because flesh and blood has not revealed this unto thee, but My Father. That which flesh and blood could not reveal, was revealed by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

And Jesus answering etc. Here, first, he approves his confession; second, he commands it to be kept silent, at then he charged his disciples to tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ. Concerning the first: first, he approves this confession by commending the one confessing; second, by the reward, at and I say to thee that thou art Peter etc.

And I myself also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

What man, then, of sound mind can possibly suppose that they were ignorant of anything, whom the Lord ordained to be masters (or teachers), keeping them, as He did, inseparable (from Himself) in their attendance, in their discipleship, in their society, to whom, "when they were alone, He used to expound" all things which were obscure, telling them that "to them it was given to…

Therefore, O thou who wishest to become a disciple of God, do thou also get faith, the mistress of all possessions. Let this thing be to thee the beginning of thy instruction, and lay it as the foundation of the building of thy tower, in such a way that if it were to seize the height of heaven it would not fall, for the edifice of faith is its foundation, which cannot be shaken…

And I say to thee, that thou art Peter etc. Here he gives the reward for the confession. He had confessed the humanity and the divinity, and so the Lord gives the reward. First, he gives a name; second, power. Concerning the first: first, he gives the name; second, the reason for the name, at and upon this rock I will build my Church.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatever you shall bind on the earth will be bound in the heavens, and whatever you shall loose on the earth will be loosed in the heavens.”

If, because the Lord has said to Peter, "Upon this rock will I build My Church," "to thee have I given the keys of the heavenly kingdom; " or, "Whatsoever thou shale have bound or loosed in earth, shall be bound or loosed in the heavens," you therefore presume that the power of binding and loosing has derived to you, that is, to every Church akin to Peter, what sort of man are…

For as with a zeal beyond the others he had confessed the King of heaven, he is deservedly entrusted more than the others with the keys of the heavenly kingdom, that it might be clear to all, that without that confession and faith none ought to enter the kingdom of heaven.

And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Here the second gift is set forth which Christ gave to Peter according to his humanity. For he founded the Church on earth, and established Peter as his vicar, so that he might introduce men into heaven; Heb. 10:19: having confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ.

Then He ordered the disciples that they may say to no one that He Himself is the Christ.

Seeing Peter had confessed Him to be Christ the Son of the living God, because He would not have them preach this in the mean time, He adds, Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. Or they then spake of Him in lowly words, as only a great and wonderful man, but as yet proclaimed Him not as the Christ.

When then above He sends His disciples to preach, and commands them to proclaim His advent, this seems contrary to His command here, that they should not say that He is Jesus the Christ. To me it seems that it is one thing to preach Christ, and another to preach Jesus the Christ. Christ is a common title of dignity, Jesus the proper name of the Saviour.

Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was the Christ. Before the Cross, Christ wanted to obscure His own glory. For if, before the Passion, men heard that He was God and then saw Him suffering, how could they not be scandalized?

Christ’s Passion Foretold

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that it is necessary for Him to go away to Jerusalem and to suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and to be killed, and on the third day to be raised.

And observe that it is not said,' He began to say,' or 'to teach,' but to show; for as things are said to be shown to the sense, so the things which Christ spake are said to be shown by Him.

(Verse 21) Then 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 on the third day be raised.

From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples how that He must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. To them He foretells the Passion, lest it come upon them unexpectedly and they be scandalized, thinking that He suffered unwillingly and without foreknowing it.

And Peter, having taken Him aside, began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this will certainly not be to You.”

And observe that it is not said,' He began to say,' or 'to teach,' but to show; for as things are said to be shown to the sense, so the things which Christ spake are said to be shown by Him.

Therefore, the rest being troubled and in perplexity, Peter again, in his ardor, alone ventures to discourse of these things; and not even he openly, but when he had taken Him apart; that is, having separated himself from the rest of the disciples; and he saith, "Be it far from Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee." What ever is this?

Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee. Peter rightly confessed what had been revealed; in what had not been revealed, he erred: that we may learn that Peter did not utter that great truth without God's help.

But He, having turned, said to Peter, “Go behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me, for your thoughts are not of the things of God but of the things of men.”

And if even then a Prodicus or Valentinus stood by, suggesting that one must not confess on the earth before men, and must do so the less in truth, that God may not (seem to) thirst for blood, and Christ for a repayment of suffering, as though He besought it with the view of obtaining salvation by it for Himself also, he would have immediately heard from the servant of God what…

He however, to signify that He is far from coming to the passion against His will, both rebuked Peter, and called him Satan. Let them hear, as many as are ashamed of the suffering of the cross of Christ. For if the chief apostle, even before he had learnt all distinctly, was called Satan for feeling this, what excuse can they have, who after so abundant proof deny His economy?

When he was speaking about his approaching death, Peter who loved him so dearly, tried to stand in the way. When, as you remember, he rebuked him, what was it but his imprudence that he was correcting? Finally what did he mean in saying: "You do not mind the things of God," except: you do not love wisely, you are following your human feeling in opposition to the divine plan.

Take Up Your Cross

Then Jesus said to His disciples: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and let him take up his cross and let him follow Me.

For whoever shall desire to save his life will lose it; but whoever shall lose his life on account of Me will find it.

This may be understood in two ways. First thus; if any lover of this present life spares his life, fearing to die, and supposing that his life is ended with this death; he seeking in this way to save his life, shall lose it, estranging it from life eternal.

And again He saith, "Whosoever wisheth to save his soul shall destroy it; and whosoever wisheth to destroy his soul for My sake shall make it to live." And again He saith, "Whosoever destroyeth his soul shall preserve it unto everlasting life; and whosoever ministereth unto Me the Father shall honour."

And indeed more prudently do you lose it in order to keep it, than keep it in order to lose it. "For whoever would save his soul, shall lose it" (Mt 16:25). What do you say here, you observers of foods, neglecters of character? Hippocrates and his followers teach to save souls in this world; Christ and his disciples, to lose them.

For what will it be profitable for a man if he shall gain the whole world but shall lose his soul? Or what will a man give as an exchange for his soul?

The first statement is ambiguous. At first it could be taken this way: Someone who loves being alive and thinks the present life is good manages his own life in order to live well according to the flesh, fearing death since by death he loses life. In this way, wanting to save his own life, he will lose it, having removed it beyond the boundaries of blessedness.

Hence it is now said: For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul? When persecution from adversaries is absent, the heart must be guarded all the more vigilantly. For in time of peace, because it is permitted to live, it is also pleasing to pursue ambition.

"What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, yet suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?" For all that God has created, I would not give my soul. Christ gave His blood to redeem your soul, and for sin you sell yourself and your soul!

For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will give to each according to his deeds.

As much as to say; The Son of Man is now come, but not in glory; for He ought not to have been ordained in His glory to bear our sins; but then He shall come in His glory, when He shall first have made ready His disciples, being made as they are, that He might make them as He is Himself, in the likeness of His glory.

Having alarmed them therefore hereby, He comforts them also by His good things. "For the Son of Man shall come," saith He, "in the glory of His Father with His holy angels, and then He shall reward every man according to his works." Seest thou how the glory of the Father and of the Son is all one? But if the glory be one, it is quite evident that the substance also is one.

Often moreover we overcome greed, but there still remains this obstacle: that we hold to the ways of righteousness with too little guardianship of perfection.

Amen I say to you that there are some of those standing here who shall certainly not taste of death until they may have seen the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

They that stand where Jesus stands, are they that have the foundations of their souls rested upon Jesus; of whom such as stood firmest are said not to taste death till they see the Word of God; which comes in His kingdom when they see that excellence of God which they cannot see while they are involved in divers sins, which is to taste death, forasmuch as the soul that sinneth,…

Since the disciples had not yet received power from on high, it was perhaps not unnatural that they should fall occasionally into human weaknesses and, thinking something of this sort, say, "How shall someone deny himself?