Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Ch.16 / 28 Ch.s
MT: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)
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.