Matthew chapter 16

Again the Pharisees and Saducees come and test Jesus, asking for a sign to prove what He has been telling them, and that He is the Messiah. A sign from heaven probably means a sign in the heavens, which essentially reduces them to the level of astrologers or diviners, something forbidden in the Torah and the Mosaic Law. Yet the same religous leaders ignored a previous sign in the heavens in the form of a great star which some pagan astrologers, the Magi, who came to worship Jesus as a baby did not ignore. Jesus points them to scripture and their own expectations as the sinfulness of that generation could itself be a sign. Many Jewish people understood that a sinful generation would signal the coming of God's kingdom. Jesus says "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah."
The 'sign of Jonah' was that Jesus would be three days and three nights in the grave and then rise again, just as Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the whale. 'Three days and Three nights' being one of the indicating factors that Jesus was in fact crucified on the Wednesday and not Friday as is the popular understanding celebrated at Easter time.

Jesus then cautions His disciples about the 'yeast' of the Pharisees. Again the disciples show little understanding and Jesus has to repeat Himself for them to get the analogy of yeast. As just a small amount of yeast will make a whole loaf of bread rise, just a small amount of unbelief will lead to complete spiritual blindness.

Next comes Jesus' declaration that He will build His church upon the rock who is Simon / Peter. This is actually where Jesus gives Simon the name Peter, which means rock. Jesus said "I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." Jesus places this blessing and responcibility upon Peter because when Jesus asked him "Who do you say I am?" Peter replied. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." An answer whih was not an intellectual one "for this was not revealed to [Peter] by man, but by [Jesus'] Father in heaven." This response and understanding that Jesus was indeed the Messiah can only be achieved through spiritual revelation.

Verses 21-28 have Jesus revealing His comming suffering, death and resurection at the hands of the chief priests and teachers of the law. Peter rejects this and challenges Jesus saying "This shall never happen to you!" Peter, who was obviously close to Jesus and also knew He was the messiah could not undestand the redemptive requirements of Jesus death on the cross. The same Peter upon whom Jesus wil establish His church is then rebuked by Jesus who says, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." The Same Peter who recognised Jesus as the Christ is now called Satan and a stumbling block because although he knows Jesus is the Messiah, Peter does not want to conform to Jesus' perfect will. Jesus' harsh reaction shows us that it is far worse to deny the will of God for our own desires than it is to deny Him out of ignorance. Jesus then tells the disciples that no matter the earthly gain, anyone who refuses to die to themself and follow Jesus fully will lose their very soul.

The last verse of this chapter has caused some confusion. Jesus says "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." The confusion comes from the fact that these disciples are all dead but Jesus has not returned yet. Could this be a false prophesey? Critainly not. As we will see, this prophesey is fulfilled in the very next chapter with the Trasnfiguration which is whitnessed by Peter, James and John. They see Jesus in His full Glory of the Kingdom, "His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light." but that is for my next post...