Matthew 16:13-19
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Matthew 16:13-19 |
Mark 8:27-29 |
Luke 9:18-20 |
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13. And
when Jesus came to the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am? 14. And
they said, Some [say,] John the Baptist; and other, Elijah; and others,
Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 15. He saith to them, But who
do you say that I am? 16. And Simon Peter answering said, Thou
art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17. And Jesus
answering said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona;
[Note:
;”
— “Simon, son of Jonah.”]
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my
Father who is in heaven. 18. But I say to thee, That thou art
Peter, and on this rock will I build my church; and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. 19. And I will give to thee the
keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven; and whatseover thou shalt loose on earth shall
be loosed in heaven. |
27. And
Jesus departed, and his disciples, into the villages of Cesarea, which
is called, Philippi; and by the way he asked his disciples, saying to
them, Who do men say that I am? 28. And they replied, John the
Baptist; and some, Elijah; and others, One of the prophets, 29. And
he saith to them, But who do you say that I am? And Peter answering
saith to him, Thou art the Christ.
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18. And
it happened, when he was alone praying, his disciples also were with
him, and he asked them, saying, Who do the multitudes say that I am?
19. And they answering said, John the Baptist; and others, Elijah;
and others, that one of the ancient prophets hath risen. 20. And
he said to them, And who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answering
said, The Christ of God.
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Matthew 16:13.
And when
Jesus came to the coasts of Cesarea Philippi.
Mark says that this conversation took place during the journey. Luke says that
it took place while he was praying, and while there were none in company with
him but his disciples. Matthew is not so exact in mentioning the time. All the
three unquestionably relate the same narrative; and it is possible that Christ
may have stopped at a certain place during that journey to pray, and that
afterwards he may have put the question to his disciples. There were two towns
called Cesarea, of which the former was more celebrated, and had been
anciently called The Tower of Strato; while the latter, which is
mentioned here, was situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon, not far from the
river Jordan. It is for the sake of distinguishing between these two towns that
Philippi is added to the name; for though it is conjectured by some to
have been built on the same spot where the town of Dan formerly stood, yet, as
it had lately been rebuilt by Philip the Tetrarch, it was called
Philippi
[Note:
;”
— “it was named Cesarea of Philip.”]
Who do men say that I
am? This might be supposed to mean, What was the current
rumor about the Redeemer, who became the Son of man? But the question is
quite different, What do men think about Jesus the Son of Mary? He calls
himself, according to custom, the Son of man, as much as to say, Now that
clothed in flesh I inhabit the earth like other men, what is the opinion
entertained respecting me? The design of Christ was, to confirm his disciples
fully in the true faith, that they might not be tossed about amidst various
reports, as we shall presently see.
14. Some [say,] John the Baptist.
This inquiry does not relate to the open enemies of Christ, nor to ungodly
scoffers, but to the sounder and better part of the people, who might be called
the choice and flower of the Church. Those only are mentioned by the disciples
who spoke of Christ with respect; and yet, though they aimed at the truth, not
one of them reaches that point, but all go astray in their vain fancies. Hence
we perceive how great is the weakness of the human mind; for not only is it
unable of itself to understand what is right or true, but even out of true
principles it coins errors. Besides, though Christ is the only standard of
harmony and peace, by which God gathers the whole world to himself, the greater
part of men seize on this subject as the occasion of prolonged strife. Among the
Jews, certainly, the unity of faith related solely to Christ; and yet they who
formerly appeared to have some sort of agreement among themselves now split into
a variety of sects.
We
see too how one error quickly produces another; for a preconceived opinion,
which had taken a firm hold of the minds of the common people, that souls passed
from one body to another, made them more ready to adopt this groundless fancy.
But though, at the time of Christ’s coming, the Jews were divided in this
manner, such a diversity of opinions ought not to have hindered the godly from
desiring to attain the pure knowledge of him. For if any man, under such a
pretense, had given himself up to sloth, and neglected to seek Christ, we would
have been forced to declare that there was no excuse for him. Much less then
will any man escape the judgment of God who is led by the variety of sects to
entertain a dislike of Christ, or who, disgusted by the false opinions of men,
does not deign to attach himself to Christ.
15. But who do you say that I am?
Here Christ distinguishes his disciples from the rest of the crowd, to make it
more fully evident that, whatever differences may exist among others, we at
least ought not to be led aside from the unity of faith. They who shall honestly
submit to Christ, and shall not attempt to mix with the Gospel any inventions of
their own brain, will never want the true light. But here the greatest vigilance
is necessary, that, though the whole world may be carried away by its own
inventions, believers may continually adhere to Christ. As Satan could not rob
the Jews of the conviction which they derived from the Law and the Prophets,
that Christ would come, he changed him into various shapes, and, as it were, cut
him in pieces. His next scheme was, to bring forward many pretended Christs,
that they might lose sight of the true Redeemer. By similar contrivances, he
continued ever afterwards either to tear Christ in pieces, or to exhibit him
under a false character. Among the confused and discordant voices of the world,
let this voice of Christ perpetually sound in our ears, which calls us away from
unsettled and wavering men, that we may not follow the multitude, and that our
faith may not be tossed about amongst the billows of contending opinions.
16. Thou art the Christ.
The confession is short, but it
embraces all that is contained in our salvation; for the designation
Christ,
or Anointed,
includes both an everlasting Kingdom and an everlasting
Priesthood, to reconcile us to God, and, by expiating our sins through his
sacrifice, to obtain for us a perfect righteousness, and, having received us
under his protection, to uphold and supply and enrich us with every description
of blessings. Mark says only, Thou art the Christ.
Luke says, Thou art
the Christ of God But the meaning
is the same; for the Christs
(χριστοi)
of God was the
appellation anciently bestowed on kings, who had been
anointed by the divine command.
[Note: See
Harmony, vol. 1, p. 92, n. 2; p. 142, n. 2.
]
And this phrase had been previously
employed by Luke, (2:26,)
when he said that Simeon had been informed by a revelation from heaven that
he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ
For the redemption, which God
manifested by the hand of his Son, was clearly divine; and therefore it was
necessary that he who was to be the Redeemer should come from heaven, bearing
the impress of the anointing
of God. Matthew expresses it still more clearly,
Thou art the Son of the living God;
for, though Peter did not yet understand distinctly in
what way Christ was the begotten of God, he was so fully persuaded of the
dignity of Christ, that he believed him to come from God, not like other men,
but by the inhabitation of the true and living Godhead in his flesh. When the
attribute living
is ascribed to God, it is for the purpose of distinguishing between Him and dead
idols, who are nothing,
(1
Corinthians 8:4.)
17.
Blessed art thou, Simon
Bar-Jona. As
this is life eternal, to know the only
true God,
and him whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ, (John
17:3,)
Christ justly pronounces
him to be blessed who has honestly made such a confession. This was not
spoken in a peculiar manner to Peter alone, but our Lord’s purpose was, to show
in what the only happiness of the whole world consists. That every one may
approach him with greater courage, we must first learn that all are by nature
miserable and accursed, till they find a remedy in Christ. Next, we must add,
that whoever has obtained Christ wants nothing that is necessary to perfect
happiness, since we have no right to desire any thing better than the eternal
glory of God, of which Christ puts us in possession.
Flesh and blood hath not
revealed it to thee.
In the person of one man Christ reminds all that we must ask faith from the
Father, and acknowledge it to the praise of his grace; for the special
illumination of God is here contrasted with flesh and blood. Hence we
infer, that the minds of men are destitute of that sagacity which is necessary
for perceiving the mysteries of heavenly wisdom which are hidden in Christ; and
even that all the senses of men are deficient in this respect, till God opens
our eyes to perceive his glory in Christ. Let no man, therefore, in proud
reliance on his own abilities, attempt to reach it, but let us humbly suffer
ourselves to be inwardly taught by the Father of Lights, (James
1:17,) that his Spirit alone may enlighten our darkness.
And let those who have received faith, acknowledging the blindness which was
natural to them, learn to render to God the glory that is due to Him.
18.
And I say to thee.
By these words Christ declares how highly he is delighted with the confession of
Peter, since he bestows upon it so large a reward. For, though he had already
given to his disciple, Simon, the name of Peter, (Matthew
10:2;
John 1:42,) and had, out of
his undeserved goodness, appointed him to be an apostle, yet these gifts, though
freely bestowed,
[Note:
;”
— “those gifts which had proceeded altogether from his liberality.”]
are here ascribed to faith as if they
had been a reward, which we not unfrequently find in Scripture. Peter receives a
twofold honor, the former part of which relates to his personal advantage, and
the latter to his office as an Apostle.
Thou art Peter. By these words our Lord assures him that it was not
without a good reason that he had formerly given him this name, because, as a
living stone (1
Peter 2:5) in the temple of God, he retains his
stedfastness. This extends, no doubt, to all believers, each of whom is a temple
of God, (l
Corinthians 6:19,) and who, united to each other by faith,
make together one temple, (Ephesians
2:21.) But it denotes also the distinguished excellence of
Peter above the rest, as each in his own order receives more or less,
according to the measure of the gift of Christ, (Ephesians
4:7.)
And on this rock. Hence it is evident how the name Peter comes to
be applied both to Simon individually, and to other believers. It is because
they are founded on the faith of Christ, and joined together, by a holy consent,
into a spiritual building, that God may dwell in the midst of them, (Ezekiel
43:7.) For Christ, by announcing that this would be the
common foundation of the whole Church, intended to associate with Peter all the
godly that would ever exist in the world. “You are now,” said he, “a very small
number of men, and therefore the confession which you have now made is not at
present supposed to have much weight; but ere long a time will arrive when that
confession shall assume a lofty character, and shall be much more widely
spread.” And this was eminently fitted to excite his disciples to perseverance,
that though their faith was little known and little esteemed, yet they had been
chosen by the Lord as the first-fruits, that out of this mean commencement there
might arise a new Church, which would prove victorious against all the
machinations of hell.
Shall not prevail against it.
The pronoun it (αuτvς)
may refer either to faith
or to the Church;
but the latter meaning is more
appropriate. Against all the power of Satan the firmness of the Church will
prove to be invincible, because the truth of God, on which the faith of the
Church rests, will ever remain unshaken. And to this statement corresponds that
saying of John,
This is the victory which overcometh the
world, your faith,
(1
John 5:4.)
It is a
promise which eminently deserves our observation, that all who are united to
Christ, and acknowledge him to be Christ and Mediator, will remain to the end
safe from all danger; for what is said of the body of the Church belongs to each
of its members, since they are one in Christ. Yet this passage also instructs
us, that so long as the Church shall continue to be a pilgrim on the earth, she
will never enjoy rest, but will be exposed to many attacks; for, when it is
declared that Satan will not conquer, this implies that he will be her constant
enemy. While, therefore, we rely on this promise of Christ, feel ourselves at
liberty to boast against Satan, and already triumph by faith over all his
forces; let us learn, on the other hand, that this promise is, as it were, the
sound of a trumpet, calling us to be always ready and prepared for battle. By
the word gates (πuλαι)
is unquestionably meant every kind of power and of weapons of war.
19. And I will give thee the
keys Here Christ begins now to speak of the public office, that is, of the
Apostleship, which he dignifies with a twofold title. First, he says that the
ministers of the Gospel are porters, so to speak, of the kingdom of heaven,
because they carry its keys; and, secondly, he adds, that they are
invested with a power of binding and loosing, which is ratified in
heaven.
[Note:
;”
— “which is received and acknowledged in heaven.”]
The comparison of the keys is very
properly applied to the office of teaching; as when Christ says (Luke
11:52) that the scribes and Pharisees, in like manner,
have the key of the kingdom of heaven, because they are expounders of the
law. We know that there is no other way in which the gate of life is opened to
us than by the word of God; and hence it follows that the key is placed, as it
were, in the hands of the ministers of the word.
Those who think that the word keys
is here used in the plural number, because the Apostles received a
commission not only to open but also to shut, have some
probability on their side; but if any person choose to take a more simple view
of the meaning, let him enjoy his own opinion.
[Note:
;”
— “I do not contradict him in it.”]
Here a question arises, Why does the
Lord promise that he will give to Peter what he appeared to have formerly given
him by making him an Apostle? But this question has been already answered,
[Note: Harmony,
vol. 1, p. 437.]
when I said that the twelve were at
first (Matthew
10:5) nothing more than temporary preachers,
[Note:
;”
— “temporary messengers or preachers.”]
and so, when they returned to Christ, they had executed their commission; but
after that Christ had risen from the dead, they then began to be appointed to be
ordinary teachers of the Church. It is in this sense that the honor is now
bestowed for the future.
Whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth. The second metaphor, or comparison, is intended
directly to point out the forgiveness of sins; for Christ, in delivering us, by
his Gospel, from the condemnation of eternal death, looses the cords of
the curse by which we are held bound. The doctrine of the Gospel is, therefore,
declared to be appointed for loosing our bonds, that, being loosed on earth by
the voice and testimony of men, we may be actually loosed in heaven. But
as there are many who not only are guilty of wickedly rejecting the deliverance
that is offered to them, but by their obstinacy bring down on themselves a
heavier judgment, the power and authority to bind is likewise granted to
the ministers of the Gospel. It must be observed, however, that this does not
belong to the nature of the Gospel, but is accidental; as Paul also informs us,
when, speaking of the vengeance which he tells us that he has it in his
power to execute against all unbelievers and rebels, he immediately adds,
When your obedience shall have been fulfilled,
(2
Corinthians 10:6.)
For were it
not that the reprobate, through their own fault, turn life into death, the
Gospel would be to all the power of God to salvation, (Romans
1:16;) but as many persons no sooner hear it than their
impiety openly breaks out, and provokes against them more and more the wrath of
God, to such persons its savor must be deadly, (2
Corinthians 2:16.)
The substance
of this statement is, that Christ intended to assure his followers of the
salvation promised to them in the Gospel, that they might expect it as firmly as
if he were himself to descend from heaven to bear testimony concerning it; and,
on the other hand, to strike despisers with terror, that they might not expect
their mockery of the ministers of the word to remain unpunished. Both are
exceedingly necessary; for the inestimable treasure of life is exhibited
to us in earthen vessels, (2
Corinthians 4:7,) and had not the authority of the
doctrine been established in this manner, the faith of it would have been,
almost every moment, ready to give way.
[Note:
;”
— “from hour to hour it would be called in question.”]
The reason why the ungodly become so daring and
presumptuous is, that they imagine they have to deal with men. Christ therefore
declares that, by the preaching of the Gospel, is revealed on the earth what
will be the heavenly judgment of God, and that the certainty of life or death is
not to be obtained from any other source.
This is a
great honor, that we are God’s messengers to assure the world of its salvation.
It is the highest honor conferred on the Gospel, that it is declared to be the
embassy of mutual reconciliation between God and men, (2
Corinthians 5:20.) In a word, it is a wonderful consolation to devout minds to
know that the message of salvation brought to them by a poor mortal man is
ratified before God. Meanwhile, let the ungodly ridicule, as they may think fit,
the doctrine which is preached to them by the command of God, they will one day
learn with what truth and seriousness God threatened them by the mouth of men.
Finally, let pious teachers, resting on this assurance, encourage themselves and
others to defend with boldness the life-giving grace of God, and yet let them
not the less boldly thunder against the hardened despisers of their doctrine.
Hitherto I have given a plain
exposition of the native meaning of the words, so that nothing farther could
have been desired, had it not been that the Roman Antichrist, wishing to cloak
his tyranny, has wickedly and dishonestly dared to pervert the whole of this
passage. The light of the true interpretation which I have stated would be of
itself sufficient, one would think, for dispelling his darkness; but that pious
readers may feel no uneasiness, I shall briefly refute his disgusting calumnies.
First, he alleges that Peter is declared to be the foundation of the Church. But
who does not see that what he applies to the person of a man is said in
reference to Peter’s faith in Christ? There is no difference of meaning, I
acknowledge, between the two Greek words
Πeτρος
(Peter)
and
πeτρα,
(petra,
a stone or rock,)
[Note:
;”
— “I readily acknowledge that, in the Greek language, there is no great
difference between the word that signifies a stone, and that which
signifies a man named Peter.”]
except that the former
belongs to the Attic, and the latter to the ordinary dialect. But we are not to
suppose that Matthew had not a good reason for employing this diversity of
expression. On the contrary, the gender of the noun was intentionally changed,
to show that he was now speaking of something different.
[Note:
;”
— “in order to show that, in the latter clause, he was speaking of something
totally different from the person of Peter.”]
A distinction of the same sort, I have no doubt, was pointed
out by Christ in his own language;
[Note: ]
and therefore Augustine
judiciously reminds the reader that it is not
πeτρα
(petra, a stone
or rock)
that is derived from
Πeτρος,
(Peter,)
but
Πeτρος
(Peter)
that is derived from
πeτρα,
(petra, a stone
or rock )
But not to be
tedious, as we must acknowledge the truth and certainty of the declaration of
Paul, that the Church can have no other foundation than Christ alone, (1
Corinthians 3:11;
Ephesians 2:20,)
it can be nothing less than blasphemy and sacrilege when the Pope has contrived
another foundation. And certainly no words can express the detestation
with which we ought to regard the tyranny of the Papal system on this single
account, that, in order to maintain it, the foundation of the Church has been
subverted, that the mouth of hell might be opened and swallow up wretched souls.
Besides, as I have already hinted, that part does not refer to Peter’s public
office, but only assigns to him a distinguished place among the sacred stones of
the temple. The commendations that follow relate to the Apostolic office; and
hence we conclude that nothing is here said to Peter which does not apply
equally to the others who were his companions, for if the rank of apostleship
was common to them all, whatever was connected with it must also have been held
in common.
But it will be
said, Christ addresses Peter alone: he does so, because Peter alone, in the name
of all, had confessed Christ to be the Son of God, and to him alone is
addressed the discourse, which applies equally to the rest. And the reason
adduced by Cyprian and others is not to be despised, that Christ spake to all in
the person of one man, in order to recommend the unity of the Church. They
reply,
[Note:
;”
— “the Romanists reply on the other hand.”]
that he to whom this privilege was granted in a
peculiar manner is preferred to all others. But that is equivalent to saying
that he was more an apostle than his companions; for the power to bind
and to loose can no more be separated from the office of teaching and the
Apostleship than light or heat can be separated from the sun. And even granting
that something more was bestowed on Peter than on the rest, that he might hold a
distinguished place among the Apostles, it is a foolish inference of the
Papists, that he received the primacy, and became the universal head of the
whole Church. Rank is a different thing from power, and to be elevated to the
highest place of honor among a few persons is a different thing from embracing
the whole world under his dominion. And in fact, Christ laid no heavier burden
on him than he was able to bear. He is ordered to be the porter of the kingdom
of heaven; he is ordered to dispense the grace of God by binding and
loosing; that is, as far as the power of a mortal man reaches. All that was
given to him, therefore, must be limited to the measure of grace which he
received for the edification of the Church; and so that vast dominion, which the
Papists claim for him, falls to the ground.
But though
there were no strife or controversy about Peter,
[Note:
;”
— “but let us suppose that what they say about Peter were beyond a doubt.”]
still this passage would not lend
countenance to the tyranny of the Pope. For no man in his senses will admit the
principle which the Papists take for granted, that what is here granted to Peter
was intended to be transmitted by him to posterity by hereditary right; for he
does not receive permission to give any thing to his successors. So then the
Papists make him bountiful with what is not his own. Finally, though the
uninterrupted succession were fully established, still the Pope will gain
nothing by it till he has proved himself to be Peter’s lawful successor. And how
does he prove it? Because Peter died at Rome; as if Rome, by the detestable
murder of the Apostle, had procured for herself the primacy. But they allege
that he was also bishop there. How frivolous
[Note: ;”
— “how false and frivolous it is.”]
that allegation is, I have made abundantly evident in my Institutes,
(Book 4, Chapter 6,) to which I would willingly send my reader for a complete
discussion of this argument, rather than annoy or weary him by repeating it in
this place. Yet I would add a few words. Though the Bishop of Rome had been the
lawful successor of Peter, since by his own treachery he has deprived himself of
so high an honor, all that Christ bestowed on the successors of Peter avails him
nothing. That the Pope’s court resides at Rome is sufficiently known, but no
mark of a Church there can be pointed out. As to the pastoral office, his
eagerness to shun it is equal to the ardor with which he contends for his own
dominion. Certainly, if it were true that Christ has left nothing undone to
exalt the heirs of Peter, still he was not so lavish as to part with his own
honor to bestow it on apostates.
[With gratitude to the
Christian Classics Ethereal Library for this text.]
