Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Matthew 16

Mat 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

tempting

Temptation. Mat 19:3. (Gen 3:1; Jas :14.)

a sign

Mat 12:38-41; Mar 8:10-13.

Mat 16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

It will be fair weather

Luk 12:54-57.

Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

wicked and adulterous generation

Mat 21:23-27.

Mat 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

leaven

Leaven. Mat 16:6, 11, 12; Luk 12:1. (Gen 19:3; Mat 13:33.)

Mat 16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

Do ye not yet understand

Jhn 12:37.

Mat 16:10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

baskets

A different Greek word [spyris] from that translated "baskets" [kophinos] in Matthew 16:9.

Mat 16:11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

beware of the leaven

Gal 1:5-9; Col 2:4, 18.

Mat 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

Whom do men say that I…am

Mar 8:27-33; Luk 9:18-22.

Son of man

Also Mat 16:27, 28. See Scofield Matthew 8:20, note.

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

But whom say ye that I am?

Jhn 6:67.

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Thou art the Christ

Mat 14:33; Jhn 6:69; 11:27; Act 9:20.

Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Blessed art thou

Mat 11:27; 1Jo 4:15; 5:1, 5; Jhn 1:12, 13.

Barjona

Son of Jonas.

flesh and blood hath not revealed it

Jhn 6:63.

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Peter

There is the Greek a play upon the words, "thou art Peter [petros—literally 'a little rock'], and upon this rock [Petra] I will build my church." He does not promise to build His church upon Peter, but upon Himself, as Peter himself is careful to tell us (1Pe 2:4-9).

church

Greek ecclesia (ek = "out of," kaleo = "to call"), an assembly of called out ones. The word is used of any assembly; the word itself implies no more, as, e.g., the town-meeting at Ephesus (Act 19:39), and Israel, called out of Egypt and assembled in the wilderness (Act 7:38). Israel was a true "church," but not in any sense the N.T. church—the only point of similarity being that both were "called out" and by the same God. All else is contrast. See Scofield Acts 7:38, note; Hebrews 12:23, note.

Church (the true). Act 2:47. (Mat 16:18; Heb 12:23.)

hell

Greek hades. Scofield Luke 16:23, note.

Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

keys of…heaven

Not the keys of the church, but of the kingdom of heaven in the sense of Mat 13, i.e. the sphere of Christian profession. A key is a badge of power or authority (cf. Isa 22:22; Rev 3:7). The apostolic history explains and limits this trust, for it was Peter who opened the door of Christian opportunity to Israel on the day of Pentecost (Act 2:38-42), and to Gentiles in the house of Cornelius (Act 10:34-46). There was no assumption by Peter of any other authority (Act 15:7-11). In the council James, not Peter, seems to have presided (Act 15:19; Gal 2:11-15). Peter claimed no more for himself than to be an apostle by gift (1Pe 1:1), and an elder by office (1Pe 5:1).
The power of binding and loosing was shared (Mat 18:18; Jhn 20:23) by the other disciples. That it did not involve the determination of the eternal destiny of souls is clear from Rev 1:18. The keys of death and the place of departed spirits are held by Christ alone.

kingdom [See also Mat 16:28.]

Scofield Matthew 3:2, note.

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 16:20, 21, 28. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).

Mat 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

they should tell no man

The disciples had been proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, i.e. the covenanted King of a kingdom promised to the Jews, and "at hand." The church, on the contrary, must be built upon testimony to Him as crucified, risen from the dead, ascended, and made "Head over all things to the church" (Eph 1:20-23). The former testimony was ended, the new testimony was not yet ready, because the blood of the new covenant had not yet been shed, but our Lord begins to speak of His death and resurrection (Mat 16:21). It is a turning-point of immense significance.

he was Jesus the Christ

Omit "Jesus."

Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew 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.

suffer many things

Mat 17:12.

Mat 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

this shall not be unto thee

Mat 16:16; Jhn 13:36-38.

Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Satan

Satan, Mat 25:41. (Gen 3:1; Rev 20:10.)

an offence unto me

Gal 1:8; Jhn 18:10, 11.

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

take up his cross

Mar 8:34-38; Luk 9:23-26; 2Co 4:10, 11.

Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

what is a man profited

Mar 8:36, 37; Luk 12:20, 21; Jas 5:1-6.

world

i.e. kosmos = world-system.

Mat 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

reward

Rewards. Mar 9:41. (Dan 12:3; 1Co 3:14.)

according to his works

Judgments (the seven). Mat 25:31-46. (2Sa 7:14; Rev 22:12).

Mat 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

his kingdom

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 17:1-3. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).