Mateus 16
A.T. Robertson · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 16
Robertson - Jesus asks four pungent questions about the intellectual dulness, refers to the feeding of the five thousand and uses the word κοφινους [kophinous] (Mt 14:20) for it and σφυριδας [sphuridas] for the four thousand (Mt 15:37), and repeats his warning (Mt 16:11). Every teacher understands this strain upon the patience of this Teacher of teachers. Carson - "The miracles Jesus performs, unlike the signs the Pharisees demand, do not compel faith; but those with faith will perceive their significance." (Borrow The Expositor's Bible Commentary), Albert
Mateus 16
Robertson - It was a noble confession, but not a new claim by Jesus. Peter had made it before (John 6:69) when the multitude deserted Jesus in Capernaum. Since the early ministry (John 4) Jesus had avoided the word Messiah because of its political meaning to the people. But now Peter plainly calls Jesus the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Son of the God the living one (note the four Greek articles). This great confession of Peter means that he and the other disciples believe in Jesus as the Messiah (ED: EXCEPT JUDAS ISCARIOT) and are still true to him in spite of the defection of the Galilean populace (John 6).
Mateus 16
Robertson - They were ready to respond for they knew that popular opinion was divided on that point (14:1f.). They give four different opinions. It is always a risky thing for a pastor to ask for people’s opinions of him. But Jesus was not much concerned by their answers to this question. He knew by now that the Pharisees and Sadducees were bitterly hostile to him. The masses were only superficially following him and they looked for a political Messiah and had vague ideas about him. How much did the disciples understand and how far have they come in their development of faith? Are they still loyal? And they said, "Some say John the Baptist - Some of the people supposed that he might be John the Baptist, as Herod did, risen from the dead as he declared in Mt 14:2+ "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” .Albert
Mateus 16
Robertson - The disciples express positive conviction in the Messiahship or Christhood of Jesus as opposed to the divided opinions of the populace. “The terms in which Jesus speaks of Peter are characteristic—warm, generous, unstinted. The style is not that of an ecclesiastical editor laying the foundation for church power, and prelatic pretensions, but of a noble-minded Master eulogizing in impassioned terms a loyal disciple” (Bruce). Broadus makes a good point - None but the Father knows the Son. (Mt 11:27.) To lift them out of all the perplexed conceptions due to their education and environment, and fix them in the conviction that one without sceptre or army or even home, is the Messiah, required revelation from the Father (comp. John 6:44 = “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day."). NET Note - The expression "flesh and blood" could refer to "any human being" (so TEV, NLT; cf. NIV "man"), but it could also refer to Peter himself (i.e., his own intuition; cf. CEV "You didn't discover this on your own"). THOUGHT - If you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then you have had an experience similar to Peter's revelation. Jesus declared "“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.." (John 6:44) Beloved, this truth should evoke a chorus of "Hallelujahs" from our innermost being. Blessed (3107)(makarios from root makar, but others say from mak = large or lengthy) means to be happy, but not in the usual sense of happiness based on positive circumstances. From the Biblical perspective Makarios describes the person who is free from daily cares and worries because his every breath and circumstance is in the hands of His Maker Who gives him such an assurance (such a "blessing"). As discussed below makarios was used to describe the kind of happiness that comes from receiving divine favor. A T Robertson - The word accents the actual inner state rather than the outward appearance as another sees it. Reveal (601)(apokalupto from apó = from + kalúpto = cover, conceal, English = apocalypse - see study of apokalupsis English = apocalypse) literally means to remove the cover from and so the idea is to remove that which conceals something. Almost all of the NT uses have a figurative use, especially to some aspect of spiritual truth that was heretofore hidden but now has the "lid removed" so that it can be seen (understood). Thus apokalupto means to "take the lid off", to remove the cover and thereby to expose to open view that which had heretofore not been visible, known or disclosed. The idea is to make manifest something previously secret or unknown. Uses in Matthew - Matt. 10:26; Matt. 11:25; Matt. 11:27; Matt. 16:17; J C
Mateus 16
Robertson - It was a suitable time for the disclosure of the greatest secret of his death. It is now just a little over six months before the cross. They must know it now to be ready then. The great confession of Peter made this seem an appropriate time. He will repeat the warnings (Mt 17:22f. with mention of betrayal;Mt 20:17–19 with the cross) which he now “began.” So the necessity (dei, must) of his suffering death at the hands of the Jerusalem ecclesiastics who have dogged his steps in Galilee is now plainly stated. Jesus added his resurrection “on the third day” (τῃ τριτῃ ἡμερᾳ [tēi tritēi hēmerāi]), not “on the fourth day,” please observe. Dimly the shocked disciples grasped something of what Jesus said. Guzik on raised up the third day - The disciples were probably so shocked that Jesus said He would be killed in Jerusalem that these words didn’t sink in. Later, an angel reminded them of these words (Luke 24:6–8+). Broadus on the third day - This prediction of rising the third day had been obscurely given to his enemies, John 2:19; Matt. 12:40, and is now distinctly given to the disciples, and repeated on two subsequent occasions, 17:23 (also Mark); 20:19. (Also Mark and Luke.) He also predicts his resurrection without mentioning the three days in Mt 17:9 (with Mark);Mt 26:32, (with Mark.) Mark 8:32 adds, ‘And he spake the saying openly,’ as opposed to the previous obscure expressions. The disciples evidently could not take in the idea that he was to rise again. They believed in a resurrection at the last day (John 11:24), but that could not be meant here, for how then should he do the work of Messiah? They had seen persons raised from the dead, as the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Nain; but this was done by Jesus, and who was to raise him? The only way in which they could conceive of a person’s coming to life again was that some miracle-worker should bring him to life. They understood clearly the statement of Jesus that he was to die; the horror of that thought would increase their confusion of mind, and so they did not see what his resurrection could mean (comp. on Mt 17:9), probably thinking it must be figurative, and thus of little personal interest to them in connection with the thought of his death. This state of things appears sufficiently to account for their failing to remember these predictions when his death and resurrection occurred. Henry
Mateus 16
Robertson - Took aside is Middle voice, “taking to himself,” aside and apart, “as if by a right of his own. He acted with greater familiarity after the token of acknowledgment had been given. Jesus, however, reduces him to his level” (Bengel). “Peter here appears in a new character; a minute ago speaking under inspiration from heaven, now under inspiration from the opposite quarter” (Bruce). His sense of leadership and natural impetuosity led him to presume too far. The disciples probably all shared the protest of Peter, but he with his usual impulsiveness took the initiative. Saying, "God forbid it, Lord! - This was a Hebraic formula "hileos soi" (only used with this sense here in the NT) meaning may God spare you this! God forbid! May that never happen to you! The idea is "may God in mercy spare you this" and thus "God forbid it." Broadus adds "The course contemplated seems so perilous or so wrong as to excite a prayer that God will be merciful and prevent it....Compare. also Paul’s favorite expression, me genoito, ‘may it not be,’ rendered ‘far be it,’ ‘God forbid.’" NET Note - Greek = "Merciful to you." A highly elliptical expression: "May God be merciful to you in sparing you from having to undergo [some experience]" (L&N 88.78). A contemporary English equivalent is "God forbid!" Brian Bell says we should not be too hard on Peter - Think about it, what would your 1st response be to your spouse or best friend telling you that they’re terminal & will be dying in a month. No Way! This can’t be! a) Haven’t you ever questioned the Lord on what he was doing? Peter heard & spoke from God/Father (Mt 16:17) and then only 5 vss later he heard and spoke from Satan. Can we admit we can do the same today? Note the voice that says, spare yourself/ourselves is often Satan’s. Self-Pleasing ends in destruction. Whereas self-denial & self-sacrifice are the divine path to Life. Be cautious of the voice from a friend, or family, or from the enemy, that says, Surely God doesn’t want you to face this! God forbid (2436)(hileos) means propitious (Webster 1828 = "Be Disposed to gracious or merciful; ready to forgive sins and bestow blessings; favorable"), benevolent, forgiving or favorably disposed to another as in Hebrews 8:12 (only other NT use of hileos) It pertains to the demonstration of mercy or compassion. "Appeased, merciful, as of gods; cheerful, propitious, favorable, merciful, as of men." (Zodhiates) This shall never happen to You - Peter declares with the strongest negation in the Greek (double negative - ou me), implying there was no way he would allow this to happen to Jesus! Josh Black - It is obvious that the primary reason for this rebuke is due to Peter’s misunderstanding of what a Messiah would do, but there is more. Peter couldn’t bear the thought of Jesus, who was so dear to him, having to suffer. All of this was more than Peter could take. But Peter’s rebuke is too strong. Especially for the guy whom Jesus just called the rock in verse 18. But Peter was only doing what so many of us do with God. We want God in our lives and we want salvation, but we want it on our own terms. When God does things that are outside of our comfort zone or the box we’ve put Him in, we often rebuke Him with our attitude or our lack of response to his leading. But Jesus shows Peter that the plan God has for salvation is bigger than Peter’s worry or expectations. Compare other strong double negatives (ou me) in Matthew - Mt 5:18; 10:42; 15:5; 18:3; 26:29, 35, Matt. 5:18; Matt. 5:20; Matt. 5:26; Matt. 10:23; Matt. 10:42; Matt. 13:14; Matt. 15:6; Matt. 16:22; Matt. 16:28; Matt. 18:3; Matt. 23:39; Matt. 24:2; Matt. 24:21; Matt. 24:34; Matt. 24:35; Matt. 25:9; Matt. 26:29; Matt. 26:35
Mateus 16
Robertson on turned - Second aorist passive participle, quick ingressive action, away from Peter in revulsion, and toward the other disciples Turned (4762)(strepho) means to turn, to turn about. The first use is here in Mt 5:39 where a literal turning of the cheek signifies an act of non-retaliation. Jesus made several literal turns (in fact most of the literal uses in the NT describe Jesus turning), some so dramatic we can picture them in our mind (See Mt 9:22, 16:23, Lk 7:9, 44, 9:55, 10:23, 14:25, 22:61, 23:28, Jn 1:38). And said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! - Peter’s rebuke of Jesus was strong, but Jesus’ rebuke of Peter is even stronger. Jesus commands Peter Get behind (present imperative) which are the very words He uttered to Satan in Matthew 4:10+ translated "Go, Satan!"! As Josh Black says "Early on in Jesus’ ministry He was tempted by Satan to abandon God’s plan and God’s way of bringing salvation to his creation (Matthew 4:9+). At that time Jesus rebuked Satan and told Satan to go away. Satan is the enemy of God and will do anything he can to mess up God’s plan."
Mateus 16
Robertson - Just before Peter played the part of a rock in the noble confession and was given a place of leadership. Now he is playing the part of Satan and is ordered to the rear. Peter was tempting Jesus not to go on to the cross as Satan had done in the wilderness. “None are more formidable instruments of temptation than well-meaning friends, who care more for our comfort than for our character” (Bruce).“In Peter the banished Satan had once more returned” (Plummer). The devil had tried to tempt Jesus not to die and will try it again in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here the same temptation comes from Peter. He has let himself be the tool of Satan. Gregg Allen - He told the devil to get out of His way, and take his proper place out of His way and behind Him. And now, as Peter is strongly suggesting to the Lord that these things would never happen to Him, He turns—looks at the other disciples, as it tells us in Mark 8:33; that is, at those for whom He was sent to die—and says the same words to Peter: "Get behind Me, Satan!" I don't believe that Jesus was meaning to say that Peter was Satan. But I do believe that Jesus was realizing that Peter was being used by Satan at that moment; and Jesus spoke directly and sharply to the one who was seeking to tempt Him through Peter. Josh Black - Peter rebukes Jesus because he didn’t like his plan. Jesus rebukes Peter because he is getting in the way of God’s plan Lenski makes a great point "Peter is not allowed to add that it would not behoove the Son of God to allow himself to be killed, or that he should not go to Jerusalem to place himself into the hands of the Sanhedrin. Jesus does not for one moment entertain the tempting thought or turn it over in his mind. Here is an example for us who frequently dally with the serpent and then find his poisonous fangs lodged in us." (ISMG) Satan (4567)(satanas transliterated from Hebrew Satan - see 07854 and Aramaic sātānâ) literally means Adversary, the evil antagonist who offers opposition, hostility, resentment, etc. An enemy who that contends with, opposes, resists. An adversary is one who hates or opposes another person and tries to harm them or stop them from doing something because of hatred and malice. Satan is the inveterate, implacable, relentless, ruthless, remorseless, merciless, heartless, pitiless, cruel, hard, harsh, hardened, incorrigible, dedicated enemy of God and man. You are a stumbling block to Me - Jesus accused Peter with his words of setting a trap, trying to trip Jesus up from walking toward the Cross. A T Robertson - Peter was acting as Satan’s catspaw, in ignorance, surely, but none the less really. He had set a trap for Christ that would undo all his mission to earth. “Thou art not, as before, a noble block, lying in its right position as a massive foundation stone. On the contrary, thou art like a stone quite out of its proper place, and lying right across the road in which I must go—lying as a stone of stumbling” (Morison). Stumbling block (4625)(skandalon from a root meaning jump up, snap shut) was originally the piece of wood that kept open a trap for animals. Outside the Bible it is not used metaphorically, though its derivative skandalethron (e.g. a trap set through questions) is so used. The English word scandal is derived from the noun via the Lat. scandalum. Thus skandalon was literally, that movable part of a trap on which the bait was laid, and when touched caused the trap to close on its prey. Skandalon thus came to mean any entanglement of the foot. Figuratively, as used most often in Scripture, skandalon refers to any person or thing by which one is drawn into error or any stumbling-block placed in a man’s way to trip him up. 13x in NT - Matt. 13:41; Matt. 16:23; Matt. 18:7; Lk. 17:1; Rom. 9:33; Rom. 11:9; Rom. 14:13; Rom. 16:17; 1 Co. 1:23; Gal. 5:11; 1 Pet. 2:8; 1 Jn. 2:10; Rev. 2:14 For you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's - Not in Greek is "absolutely not." Peter lost his vertical vision (God's interests) and began to look with "horizontal vision" (man's - earthly, natural, demonic). We all do well to note how quickly this happened to Peter after one of the greatest confessions in all of the Bible (read 1 Cor 10:12)! Setting is in the present tense, describing continuous action (attitude in this case) and denoting what dominated and swayed Peter’s thoughts. "He was motivated not by the things of God, things related to God’s purposes, but by the things of men, the concerns of fallible human beings. His human desire to spare his Master such sufferings prompted Peter to urge Jesus to avoid the very suffering to which Jesus had committed Himself as the messianic Servant." (Hiebert)
Mateus 16
Robertson says) This same saying in 10:38, which see. But pertinent here also in explanation of Christ’s rebuke to Peter. Christ’s own cross faces him. Peter had dared to pull Christ away from his destiny. He would do better to face squarely his own cross and to bear it after Jesus.. Broadus on take up his cross - He was going forward, like one marching to crucifixion, appointed to suffering and death; and any one who wished to come after him must prepare himself for the same experience. The disciples and the multitude would not necessarily infer from this that he was to be crucified. It was not till a few days before its occurrence that he foretold the precise mode of his death. (20:19.) They would understand that he was like a person going to be crucified, and they also must be ready for suffering and death. Chrys: “He saith also how far one ought to renounce oneself, that is, unto death, and that a reproachful death.”....It was plain enough at the time, and after he was himself actually crucified it became all the more vivid and solemn, as was the case with many other parts of his teachings. Luke 9:23 adds daily.’ Every day must his follower consent and determine afresh to go forward through suffering and even unto death. Chrys; “Bear about this death continually, and day by day be ready for slaughter.” Paul spoke of taking up one's cross when he wrote "may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Gal 6:14+). NET Note - To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion. Hiebert on take up his cross -The aorist imperative again demands the acceptance of the cross as a definite act. Execution by crucifixion was well known in Palestine, and Jesus’ figure must have carried startling implications for His hearers. The Romans compelled the condemned criminal to bear the cross-beam to the place of execution; to take up his cross meant that such a one was going out to die. Like his Lord, each disciple must bear his own cross. The reference is not to the common sufferings experienced in life but to that shame and suffering which the disciple assumes because of his relationship to Jesus and which can be escaped by denying that relationship. Luke’s statement “Take up his cross daily” does not mean that a new cross must be taken up each day but that this willingness to accept his cross must characterize the disciple every day. Brooks (NAC) aptly remarks, “The concept should never be cheapened by applying it to enduring some irritation or even a major burden.… It is a willingness to suffer for Jesus and for others. Such a concept of discipleship is so radical that many contemporary Christians in the West have difficulty relating to it.” Josh Black - There a lot of people who don’t believe a cross is a choice, but something that happens to them, making them a victim. When you hear people say, “This is my cross to bear” a lot of times they are talking about their health, or their spouse, or their children, or some kind of circumstance that is a burden to them. These things may be legitimate challenges in a Christian’s life, but they are not crosses. Circumstances may be painful like a cross and they may be a burden like a cross, but they themselves are not crosses, for a cross is something that is to be picked up willingly. A cross is something that requires us to deny our way of doing things and to choose God’s way of doing things. It is saying no to our stubborn will and surrendering to God’s sovereign will. Tough circumstances provide plenty of opportunities to pick up our cross, but the circumstance itself is not a cross, it’s only an opportunity to choose one. There are no crownwearers in Heaven that were not crossbearers here below. —Spurgeon A T Robertson - Criminals were crucified in Jerusalem. It was the custom for the condemned person to carry his own cross as Jesus did till Simon of Cyrene was impressed for that purpose. The Jews had become familiar with crucifixion since the days of Antiochus Epiphanes and one of the Maccabean rulers (Alexander Jannaeus) had crucified 800 Pharisees. It is not certain whether Jesus was thinking of his own coming crucifixion when he used this figure, though possible, perhaps probable. The disciples would hardly think of that outcome unless some of them had remarkable insight. And follow Me - Follow is akoloutheo, a command in the present imperative which calls for this to be a disciple's lifestyle. We cannot accomplish this in our own natural strength! It is IM-possible. Indeed, it is only HIM-possible. In other words this command calls for us to continually depend on the Holy Spirit to obey. We would not follow Jesus if left to our natural inclinations, but only as we are supernaturally enabled by the Spirit. And notice that the present tense calls for a lifestyle, habitually following Jesus. Christian discipleship centers in this personal relationship to Christ, expressed in Spirit enabled persevering obedience to His leadership. He heads the procession as it goes to His death, and all who follow Him must also face death to self, Luke's version It is always safe to follow where He leads. Wuest on Follow Me - The word “follow” is akoloutheo “to take the same road as another does.” It is used with the associative instrumental case. It is, “Let him follow with Me.” The idea is not that of following behind another, but that of accompanying the other person, taking the same road that he takes and fellowshipping with him along that road. The first two imperatives are aorist, giving a summary command to be obeyed at once. The “coming after” and the “taking up” are to be obeyed at once and are to be a once-for-all act. That is, these acts are to be looked upon as a permanent attitude and practice of life. The whole life is to be characterized by an habitual coming after and taking up of the cross. After having once for all given over the life to the Lord, the believer must hence-forward count it ever so given over. He is not his own anymore (1 Cor 6:19-20). He belongs to the Lord (Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:9). He is the Lord’s property. The word “follow” however, is in the present imperative, which commands the doing of an action and its habitual, moment by moment continuance. The first two imperatives give direction to the life. The last speaks of the actual living of that which has been given direction by two once-for-all acts. (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - used by permission) Broadus on Follow Me - There they were to follow with an especial view to instruction; here they must follow in a path of suffering, follow even to dying; comp. John 12:23–26. ‘Follow’ is also used in Com. Ver. for another word, which Rev. Ver. more exactly renders by ‘imitate,’ (1 Thess. 1:6; 2:14; 2 Thess. 3:7, 9; 1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Eph. 5:1; Heb. 6:12; 13:7; 3 John 11), thus bringing out more distinctly the great duty of imitating Christ Manners and Customs - Following after Jesus - Matthew 16:24. In our culture, to “follow after” a person means to put oneself in a secondary position, but the phrase did not mean that in Bible times. The streets were so narrow that if two people went together, they had to go single file. To follow after a person was to go with them. We would therefore say, “If anyone comes with me...” Kingsbury - Jesus reveals to his disciples, in all he says and in all he does beginning with Mt 16:21, that God has ordained that he should go to Jerusalem to suffer, and that his way of suffering is a summons to them also to go the way of suffering (i.e., the way of servanthood) (cf. 20:28). In other words, Matthew alerts the reader through the key passages Mt 16:21 and Mt 16:24 that suffering, defined as servanthood, is the essence of discipleship and that Jesus will show the disciples in what he says and does that this is in fact the case.” (Quoted by Constable)
Mateus 16
Robertson writes that zemioo "occurs in the sense of being fined or mulcted ( penalized by fining or demanding forfeiture) of money. Marvin Vincent agrees noting that zemioo was "Often in the classics, of fining or mulcting in a sum of money. Hiebert - The thought is presented under a commercial metaphor, and the question implies that there is not profit in the suggested transaction. The present gain is pictured in its highest form, “gain the whole world,” a clear impossibility for any individual. But granting the impossible, if a man should accomplish it and thereby forfeit his life, what is the profit in it? The argument is valid whether life be taken in its lower or higher meaning.
Mateus 16
Robertson - The soul has no market price, though the devil thinks so. “A man must give, surrender, his life, and nothing less to God; no [antallagma] is possible” (McNeile).