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Matthew 16:25 and the Other Verses of Matthew 16

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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”

Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively. Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior. Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This webpage could be periodically updated. If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated. Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.

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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.

When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:

“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Note: The heart refers to the mind.

It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:

“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”

It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”

A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned. In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher. Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:

If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship: whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.

Note: Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites. Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM]. The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges. The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity. The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness. In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human. When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god. Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.

The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind. In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:

Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession. Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram. Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:

Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:

Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. Also, it is still much more evident: that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life. Indeed, it is attested: “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Note: The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body. The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.

Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest. In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family. Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:

However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE. You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Note: Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people. In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people. The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23. In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.

Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Put succinctly: itʼs the message rather than the messenger. In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.

Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated. That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.

Note: The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”

Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared. Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.

Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation. The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic. In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober. Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Note: In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent. In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context. Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!” In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness. The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture. In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation. Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.

The verse of the day for June 27th is Matthew 16:25. The title of the book Matthew is also known as “The Gospel According to Matthew.” The book Matthew was written by the apostle Matthew.

For geographical context, below is a link to a map of Israel during the time of the Lord Jesus Christʼs First Advent (also known as the Incarnation). The First Advent was during a time when the region where Jerusalem was located was an occupied province of the Roman Empire. The name of that Roman province was Judea [joo-DEE-uh or joo-DAY-uh]. The word Judea can also be spelled Judaea or Judæa. The character æ is a ligature [LIG-uh-chuhr or LIG-uh-choor] of a and e. Before the Romans conquered the region known as Judea, the name of the country of the Jewish people was Judah. The inhabitants of Judah can be referred to as Judahites [JOO-duh-ights]. The inhabitants of Judea can be referred to as Judeans [joo-DEE-uhnz or joo-DAY-uhnz]. On that map, Judea is located in grid coordinates B6, C6, B7, and C7. For reference, Jerusalem is located at grid coordinate C6.

https://Classic.NET.Bible.org/images/maps/nt1.jpg

If the above link is inaccessible, the below link can be tried instead.

https://NETBible.org/media/images/maps/nt1.jpg

Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Matthew 16. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are in red.

Note: The Pharisees [FEHR-ih-seez] were one of the powerful groups of Jewish people in Judea. The Pharisees were opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Sadducees [SAJ-uh-seez or SAD-yuh-seez] were another powerful group of Jewish people in Judea. The Sadducees were also opposed to the Lord. In addition, the Pharisees and Sadducees were also opposed to each other.

In notes for Matthew 16, the Church Age is referenced. With regard to the Church Age, below is a synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations. In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn]. This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity. The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis]. After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights. He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected. He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred. The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age. The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē]. That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.” Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. The Church Age will end with the Rapture. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026.

Dispensation	Start	Ending or Interruption

Age of the Gentiles	Adam	The Age of the Gentiles ended with the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

Age of Israel	Exodus	The Age of Israel was interrupted on the Day of Pentecost.

Age of the Hypostatic Union (part of the Age of Israel)	First Advent of Christ	The Age of the Hypostatic Union ended with the Ascension of Christ.

Church Age	Day of Pentecost	The Church Age will end with the Rapture of the Church.

Tribulation (Age of Israel resumed)	Rapture	The Tribulation will end with the Second Advent of Christ.

Millennium	Second Advent	The 1,000-year Millennium will end with the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers.

Eternal State	Great White Throne Judgment	The Eternal State will be never-ending.

Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m. In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word. The formation of the word judgment is shown below.

judge −e +ment

= judg +ment

= judgment

Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations. Civilizations begin only with believers. Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood). That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization. In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.” Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood. Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.

After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth: Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives. With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started. That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization). Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.” Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood. Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial. The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth. Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood. This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent. The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.

Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire. That civilization is called the Millennium. The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation. The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.

Matthew 16:1

The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and, testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign [or attesting miracle] from the Heaven.

Note: Regarding the word heaven, below is a summary of the different usages for that word.

• The first heaven (also known as [aka] first heavens): the atmosphere of earth

• The second heaven (aka second heavens): outer space

• The Third Heaven (aka Third Heavens or simply as Heaven): the location of the throne room of God the Father

In this verse, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek noun that is translated as “Heaven” is Οὐρανοῦ [pronounced oo-rah-NOO and transliterated as Ouranou]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos]. Inflected forms of ouranos are also in verses 2 and 3. In those verses, the inflected forms of ouranos are translated as “sky.”

Matthew 16:2

However, He replied to them, “When [early manuscripts do not contain the rest of verse 2 and verse 3] it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,ʼ

Note: In this verse, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “sky” is οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos].

Matthew 16:3

“and in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance [literally: face] of the sky but cannot discern the signs of the times?

Note: In this verse, the phrase face of the sky refers to how the sky looks. Regarding the two instances of the word sky in this verse, the first instance of the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “sky” in this verse is οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos]. The second instance of the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “sky” in this verse is οὐρανοῦ [pronounced oo-rah-NOO and transliterated as ouranou]. That noun is also an inflected form of the root word οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos].

Matthew 16:4

“An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign [or attesting miracle], and a sign [or attesting miracle] will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.

Note: In this verse, the phrase adulterous generation refers to a generation of people who are unfaithful to God the Father. In that regard, there were people who sought a miraculous sign, but those people were uninterested in obeying the Word of God. The extent to which they were uninterested in obeying the Word of God is revealed by the description of them being evil and adulterous.

The sign of Jonah involves the Lord Jesus Christʼs body being in the grave for three days and three nights before He was resurrected. In that regard, the content of Jonah 1:17 and Jonah 2:1–10 involves Jonah being in the stomach of some sea creature for three days and three nights before that sea creature vomited Jonah onto dry land. Regarding Jonahʼs experience inside the stomach of the sea creature, Jonah can be referred to as a type of Christ. Rather than this usage of the word type referring to a subset, this usage of the word type refers to someone or something that serves as a teaching illustration. In the Bible, there is a variety of types that serve as teaching illustrations for learning about the Lord Jesus Christ. The study of types is referred to as typology.

Matthew 16:5

Then the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring bread.

Note: The Sea of Galilee is referenced in this verse. For geographical context, below is a link to a map that shows the location of the Sea of Galilee. On that map, the Sea of Galilee is in grid coordinates C3, C4, D3, and D4.

https://Classic.NET.Bible.org/images/maps/nt1.jpg

If the above link is inaccessible, the below link can be tried instead.

https://NETBible.org/media/images/maps/nt1.jpg

Matthew 16:6

Now Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Note: Leaven causes dough to rise. For example, yeast is one of the forms of leaven. In this verse, the word leaven is metaphorically used to refer to false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 16:7

They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.”

Note: The disciples of the Lord were thinking of leaven in a literal sense instead of a metaphorical sense. Also, the Lord said nothing about an insufficient amount of anything; nonetheless, His disciples assumed that He was talking about an insufficient amount of bread.

Matthew 16:8

However, Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?

Matthew 16:9

“Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets full you picked up

Matthew 16:10

“or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets full you picked up?

Note: In verses 9 and 10, the Lord references two occasions on which the Lord performed miracles involving bread.

Matthew 16:11

“How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? However, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:12

Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 16:13

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Note: On the map at the below link, Caesarea [sess-uh-REE-uh or sez-uh-REE-uh or seez-uh-REE-uh] Philippi [FILL-uh-pie or fuh-LIP-eye] is located in grid coordinate D2. For reference, Jerusalem is located at grid coordinate C6.

https://Classic.NET.Bible.org/images/maps/nt1.jpg

If the above link is inaccessible, the below link can be tried instead.

https://NETBible.org/media/images/maps/nt1.jpg

Caesarea Philippi is different from Caesarea (also known as Caesarea of Palestine). Caesarea is on the map at the below link. On that map, Caesarea is located at grid coordinate F4.

https://Classic.NET.Bible.org/images/maps/jp1.jpg

If the above link is inaccessible, the below link can be tried instead.

https://NETBible.org/media/images/maps/jp1.jpg

Matthew 16:14

Now they said, “Some say John the Baptist, and others, Elijah [Greek Elias], but still others, Jeremiah [Greek Jeremias] or one of the prophets.”

Matthew 16:15

He says* to them, “However, Who do you say that I am?”

Note: Inside the square brackets below, the letters i.e. are used to represent the phrase that is. The two letters are an abbreviation for the Latin words id est, which mean “that is.” When one reads those two letters, one can either say, “eye ee” or “that is.” If one is reading out loud, and if any hearers of that reading are unaware of what the letters i.e. represent, it is best to say “that is.” Also, the letters i.e. need to be followed by a comma.

Matthew 16:16

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ [i.e., the Messiah], the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:17

Now Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona [i.e., son of Jonah], because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father Who is in the Heavens.

Note: The Jonah mentioned in this verse is different from the Jonah mentioned in verse 4.

Matthew 16:18

“I also say to you that you are Peter [Greek Petros, a stone], and upon this Rock [Greek Petra, large rock or bedrock] I will build My Church. Also, the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

Note: In this verse, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “Peter” is Πέτρος [pronounced PEh-trahs and transliterated as Petros]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word Πέτρος [pronounced PEh-trahs and transliterated as Petros]. In contrast with the word Petros, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “Rock” in this verse is Πέτρᾳ [pronounced PEh-trah and transliterated as Petra]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word πέτρα [pronounced PEh-trah and transliterated as petra]. Regarding the foregoing, the word Petros refers to Peter, and the word Petra refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also, in 1 Peter 2:8, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “ROCK” is Πέτρα [pronounced PEH-trah and transliterated as Petra]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word πέτρα [pronounced PEH-trah and transliterated as petra]. In the context of 1 Peter 2:8, the Lord Jesus Christ is being referenced. In Matthew 16:18, the Rock upon which the Church is referred to as having been built is also referenced by means of an inflected form of the root word transliterated as petra. The usage of Petra in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ in 1 Peter 2:8 is an indicator that the usage of Petra in Matthew 16:18 refers to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than to Peter. In contrast, Peter is referenced in Matthew 16:18 with the word Πέτρος [pronounced PEH-tross and transliterated as Petros]. The usage of the word transliterated as Petra in Matthew 16:18 and as Petra in 1 Peter 2:8 and the usage of the word transliterated as Petros in Matthew 16:18 indicate that the Church is founded upon the Lord Jesus Christ rather than upon Peter. Below is a summary of the foregoing.

• In 1 Peter 2:8, the word Petra refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

• In Matthew 16:18, the word Petra refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

• In Matthew 16:18, the word Petros refers to Peter.

In Matthew 16:18, the word Church refers to Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The phrase the gates of Hades will not overpower it refers to the power of death. In that regard, at the time that the Lord spoke that phrase, the gates of a city were part of the power of that city because weak gates could be easily broken through by attackers while breaking through strong gates would be more difficult for attackers. Also, Hades [HAY-deez] is associated with death. At the time that the Lord spoke that phrase, people who had physically died resided in Hades, which is somewhere under the surface of the earth in a location that is inaccessible to those humans who have not yet experienced physical death. Before the Lord Jesus Christʼs resurrection and ascension to Heaven, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ resided in a pleasant compartment of Hades called Paradise and also called Abrahamʼs Bosom. In contrast, deceased unbelievers resided and still reside in a compartment of Hades called Torments.

The word Hades comes from Greek. A synonym for the word Hades is the word Sheol [SHEE-ohl]. The word Sheol comes from Hebrew. Hades/Sheol is different from the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the place of judgment for the fallen angels and those who have had the mental capacity to make a decision about whether or not to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior but never believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. For each person who at some time in that personʼs life has the mental capacity to make a decision about whether or not to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, the age of that person when that person first had the mental capacity to make a decision about whether or not to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior can be referred to as the age of accountability of that person. The age of accountability varies for each individual person.

Content in 2 Samuel 12:23 indicates that a person who dies before that person has reached the age of accountability receives eternal life. The content of that verse references King David recognizing that when David died, he would be with his son who had died as a baby. Below is content related to 2 Samuel 12:22–23.

Note: In the below content of 2 Samuel 12:22, the pronoun he refers to David.

2 Samuel 12:22

Then he says, “While the child was still alive, I have fasted, and I weep, for I have said, ‘Who knows? Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One has been gracious to me, and the child has lived.’

Note: The uses of a present tense in the verb says and the verb weep reference what has occurred in the past. Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the past can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine past events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.

2 Samuel 12:23

“However, now he has died; why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I am going to him, but he does not return to me.”

Note: David indicated that he recognized that he would later be with his son who had died as a baby. In that regard, David indicated that he recognized that the means by which David would be with that deceased son involved David going to be with that deceased son when David would die rather than that deceased son coming back to be with David before David died. David is eternally saved; therefore, the content of this verse indicates that Davidʼs son who had died as a baby is also eternally saved.

Hades/Sheol can also be referred to as the netherworld. Also, the phrase the netherworld can alternatively be spelled as the nether world. The word nether means “located down or below.”

After the Lord was resurrected and He ascended to Heaven, the believers who were in Abrahamʼs Bosom were transferred to Heaven. Now that the Lord has been resurrected and has ascended to Heaven, deceased believers go to Heaven rather than going to Abrahamʼs Bosom. Unspecified in the Bible are details about how believers were transferred to Abrahamʼs Bosom other than the content of Luke 16:22 mentioning angels carrying the poverty-stricken believer named Lazarus to Abrahamʼs Bosom. Also, unspecified in the Bible are details about how believers were transferred from Abrahamʼs Bosom to Heaven or how believers are transferred to Heaven.

Deceased unbelievers will reside in the compartment of Hades called Torments until the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers, which will occur after the Millennium, the 1,000-year reign of the Lord on the earth. The unbelievers will then be cast into the Lake of Fire. Unspecified in the Bible is the location of the Lake of Fire. Satan and the other fallen angels will also be cast into the Lake of Fire.

When people use the word hell, they might be referring to Hades, and they might be referring to the Lake of Fire. Also, it is possible that some people are unaware that Hades and the Lake of Fire are different locations. There are zero indications in the Bible that Satan has a headquarters located in Hades or in the Lake of Fire.

Regarding the phrase the gates of Hades will not overpower it, there will continue to be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the Church Age, in spite of any attempts to kill all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise, once the first instance of an unbeliever becoming a believer after after the Rapture occurs, there will continue to be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the Tribulation and throughout the Millennium. Of course, the content of Matthew 16:18 is focused on the Church Age rather than the Tribulation and Millennium. In that regard, there have been times in the Church Age when people have persecuted believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. In spite of any such persecutions that have occurred, do occur, and will occur, there have continued to be, do continue to be, and will continue to be believers in the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the Church Age.

Matthew 16:19

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the Heavens. Also, whatever you may bind on the earth will be having been bound in the Heavens, and whatever you may loose on the earth will be having been loosed in the Heavens.”

Note: In this verse, the phrase kingdom of the Heavens refers to eternal life. In that regard, the giving of the keys metaphorically refers to giving the responsibilities of sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. In this metaphor, keys represent the multiple responsibilities of sharing the gospel rather than representing the gospel itself. Regarding there being multiple responsibilities of sharing the gospel, the gospel must be shared with multiple categories of people.

Regarding sharing the gospel with multiple categories of people, examples of different categories are found in Acts 2, Acts 8, and Acts 10. The content of Acts 2 covers Peter sharing the gospel with Jewish people. The content of Acts 8 covers Philip, Peter, and John sharing the gospel with Samaritan people. Samaritans were part Jewish and part Gentile. The content of Acts 10 covers Peter sharing the gospel with Gentile people.

Matthew 16:20

Then He warned [or strictly admonished] the disciples that they should tell no one that He is the Christ [i.e., the Messiah].

Note: A later time would be when the disciples should tell people that Jesus is the Savior.

Matthew 16:21

From that time, Jesus [two early manuscripts read Jesus Christ] began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised up on the third day.

Matthew 16:22

Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it [literally: (God be) merciful to You], Lord! This shall never happen [literally: be] to You.”

Note: The content of this verse indicates that Peter tried to keep the Lord from being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity. In that regard, Peter was trying to interfere with God the Fatherʼs plan of providing eternal salvation for people.

Matthew 16:23

Now He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me, for you are not setting your mind on Godʼs interests [literally: the things of God] but manʼs.”

Note: Rather than the Lord indicating that Peter literally was Satan, the Lord was indicating that Peter was acting like Satan. Satan tries to interfere with God the Fatherʼs plan. Likewise, on this occasion, Peter was trying to interfere with God the Fatherʼs plan.

In Matthew 16:23, the Koine Greek noun translated as “Satan” is Σατανᾶ [pronounced sah-tah-NAH and transliterated as Satana]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word Σατανᾶς [pronounced sah-tah-NAHS and transliterated as Satanas]. The Koine Greek noun Σατανᾶς corresponds to the Koine Greek noun Σατάν [pronounced sah-TAHN and transliterated as Satan]. The Koine Greek noun Σατάν is derived from the Hebrew noun שָׂטָן [pronounced sah-TAHN and can be transliterated as satan]. (Hebrew is written and read from right to left.) The Hebrew noun שָׂטָן [sah-TAHN] can also be translated as “adversary.” In that regard, when Peter was trying to interfere with God the Fatherʼs plan, Peter was being an adversary of the Trinity.

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me, he must deny himself / forget himself / lose sight of himself and his own interests and take up his cross and follow Me,

Note: Absent from this verse is any reference to eternal life. In that regard, the reference to taking up a cross is a metaphorical reference to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ being unselfish by obeying the Word of God. In order to obey the Word of God, a believer must learn the Word of God while in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and then apply the Word of God while in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit. In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again, in fellowship with the Trinity again, and ready to learn and obey the Word of God again.

The first three gospels are Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Those first three gospels are also known as the Synoptic [si-NAHP-tik] Gospels. Below is a list of the full names of each of the gospels.

• The Gospel According to Matthew

• The Gospel According to Mark

• The Gospel According to Luke

• The Gospel According to John

The quote by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 16:24 is also in Mark 8:34. Also, the quote by the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 9:23 is similar. Luke 9:23 contains the word daily after the phrase take up his cross. In that regard, each of the gospels has a different focus while sometimes covering some or all of the same subject matter as the other gospels. The presence of the word daily in Luke 9:23 involves a focus on the fact that it should be on a daily basis that a believer is unselfish.

Matthew 16:25

“for whoever wishes to save his soul/life will lose it, but whoever loses his soul/life for My sake will find/get/obtain it.

Note: The Koine [KOI-nay] Greek noun that is used to refer to the soul of a person can also be used to refer to the physical life of that person. That Koine Greek noun is ψυχή [pronounced psoo-KHAY and transliterated as psychē]. In that regard, unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is whether the finding/getting/obtaining life referenced in this verse refers to eternal salvation or to believers being saved from physical death—or to both. If the finding/getting/obtaining life referenced in this verse refers to eternal salvation, then this verse indicates that the people who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and who are then persecuted for believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior—with that persecution resulting in physical death—will still experience eternal salvation even though they are persecuted to the point of physical death. Also, if the finding/getting/obtaining life referenced in this verse refers to eternal salvation, then this verse also indicates that the unbeliever who refrains from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior because that unbeliever wishes to avoid being persecuted to the point of physical death will ultimately miss out on receiving eternal salvation. Also, absent from this verse is anything indicating that a person must lose his soul/life for the sake of the Lord and the sake of the gospel in order for that person to receive eternal life.

If the finding/getting/obtaining life referenced in this verse refers to believers being saved from physical death, then this verse indicates that even though a believer who learns and obeys the Word of God is persecuted to the point of physical death because of bringing glory to the Lord by means of the believerʼs unselfishness and because of sharing the gospel with people, that believer will be spared from experiencing the sin unto death. The sin unto death involves an early physical death. For a believer who physically dies after the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst], that early physical death involves an early departure to Heaven. The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age. The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē]. That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.” Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. The Church Age will end with the Rapture. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026. The departure to Heaven of a believer who experiences the sin unto death is an early departure in the sense that it occurs at an earlier time than it would have occurred if the believer had regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity. The topic of the sin unto death is covered in 1 John 5:16. Rather than the content of 1 John 5:16 referring to some particular sin that is categorized as the sin unto death, the content of 1 John 5:16 refers to sinning in general that results in a believerʼs physical death occurring earlier than it would have had that believer regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.

While the believer who is martyred for obeying the Word of God dies physically, the physical death of such a believer can be referred to as dying grace. The term dying grace refers to a condition of contentment while experiencing the transition to Heaven by means of physical death. In contrast, the physical death experienced by a believer undergoing the sin unto death is a miserable experience. Also, if the finding/getting/obtaining life referenced in this verse refers to believers being saved from physical death, then this verse also indicates that the believer who refrains from obeying the Word of God because that believer wishes to avoid being persecuted to the point of physical death will experience the sin unto death. In addition, absent from this verse is anything indicating that all believers who obey the Word of God will be martyred. Furthermore, absent from this verse is anything indicating that a believer must be martyred in order for that believer to experience dying grace. In that regard, a believer can experience dying grace without being martyred.

The content of Mark 8:35 and the content of Luke 9:24 are similar to that of the content of Matthew 16:25. In that regard, while Matthew 16:25 contains find/get/obtain, Mark 8:35 and Luke 9:24 contain save. It is possible that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke both the word translated as “find/get/obtain” and the word translated as “save” and that Matthew focused on find/get/obtain while Mark and Luke focused on save.

Matthew 16:26

“Indeed, what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul/life, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul/life?

Note: Unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is whether the content of this verse refers to unbelievers, to believers who refrain from obeying the Word of God, or to both. If the content of this verse refers to unbelievers, then this verse calls attention to the fact that even if an unbeliever were to own all of the world, the owning of the world would be of zero benefit for the unbeliever because unbelievers will miss out on experiencing eternal life. If the content of this verse refers to believers who refrain from obeying the Word of God, then this verse calls attention to the fact that even if a believer who refrains from obeying the Word of God were to own all of the world, the owning of the world would be of zero benefit for that believer because that believer would experience the misery of the sin unto death.

Also, if the content of this verse refers to unbelievers, then this verse calls attention to the fact that an unbeliever is unable to exchange anything for eternal life. Instead, eternal life is received by means of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. If the content of this verse refers to believers, then this verse calls attention to the fact that a believer is unable to exchange anything in order to avoid the sin unto death. Instead, the means by which a believer avoids the sin unto to death is by obeying the Word of God.

Matthew 16:27

“Indeed, the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels and WILL THEN REPAY/RECOMPENSE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DOING.

Note: Psalm 28:4; Psalm 62:12; and Proverbs 24:12 have content related to content in Matthew 16:27. Also, The Lord Jesus Christ is the One to Whom the title Son of Man refers. That title calls attention to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is 100% human. He is also 100% Deity. The Lord being 100% Deity and 100% humanity can be referred to using the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn]. The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis].

Unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is whether the content of this verse refers to unbelievers, to believers who refrain from obeying the Word of God, or to both. If the content of this verse refers to unbelievers, then this verse involves the matter of what each person did with regard to believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. If the content of this verse refers to believers, then this verse involves the matter of what each believer did with regard to learning and obeying the Word of God.

Matthew 16:28

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Note: This refers to some of the Lordʼs disciples seeing the Lord in His glorified form at the Mount of Transfiguration. In that regard, the phrase coming in His kingdom as used in this verse refers to a preview of the Second Advent.

Sincerely,

John