Matthew 16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:13

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi ,.... The towns that were in the neighbourhood of this city; which city went by several names before, as Leshem, Joshua 19:47 which being taken by the Danites, they called it Dan; hence we read of דקיסריון דן , "Dan, which is Caesarea" F2 Targum Hieros. in Gen. xiv. 17. . It was also called Paneas, from the name of the fountain of Jordan, by which it was situated; and which Pliny says F3 Hist. l. 5. c. 15, 18. gave the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:14

And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist ,.... It was the opinion of some of the Jews, that he was John the Baptist risen from the dead. This notion was spread, and prevailed in Herod's court, and he himself, at last, gave into it. Some Elias ; the Tishbite, because an extraordinary person was prophesied of by Malachi, under the name of Elias; and who was to come in his power and spirit before the great day of the Lord; and it being a prevailing notion with the Jews, that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:15

He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? Without taking any further notice, or making any reflections on the different sentiments of men concerning him, he put this question to his disciples, and which is what he had chiefly in view, that he might have their sense of him; and which he puts in a different form, and leaves out the phrase, the son of man, because they knew he was more than a man: nor was his mean appearance an offence to them; they had believed in him, became his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:16

And Simon Peter answered and said ,.... Either of his own accord, and for himself, being a warm, zealous, and forward man; one that dearly loved Christ, truly believed in him, and was ready to make a confession of him; or, as the mouth of the rest, in their name, and with their consent; or, at least, as full well knowing the sentiments of their minds. Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God: a short, but a very full confession of faith, containing the following articles: as that there is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:17

And Jesus answered and said unto him ,.... Not waiting for any other declaration from them; but taking this to be the sense of them all, he said, blessed art thou Simon Bar Jona , or son of Jona, or Jonas, as in John 1:42 . His father's name was Jonah, whence he was so called: so we read F9 Juchasin, fol. 85. 1. of R. Bo bar Jonah, and of a Rabbi of this very name F11 Ib. fol. 105. 1. , ר שמעון בר יונא , Rabbi Simeon bar Jona; for Simon and Simeon are one, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee ,.... Either besides what he had already said concerning his happiness; or, as the father had revealed something great and valuable, so likewise would he; or inasmuch as he had freely said and declared who, and what he was, in like manner he also would say what Peter was, thou art Peter: intimating, that he was rightly called Peter, or Cephas, by him, when he first became a follower of him, Matthew 4:18 , which words signify the same thing, a rock, or stone;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:19

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ,.... By the kingdom of heaven is meant the Gospel, which comes from heaven, declares the king Messiah to be come, speaks of things concerning his kingdom, is the means of setting it up, and enlarging it, displays the riches of his grace, and gives an account of the kingdom of heaven, and of persons' right unto it, and meetness for it. "The keys" of it are abilities to open and explain the Gospel truths, and a mission and commission... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:20

Then charged he his disciples ,.... When Peter had so freely and fully confessed him to be the Messiah, and which was the sense of all the disciples; and when Christ had expressed his approbation of his confession, and had promised such great and excellent things upon it, he gave a strict charge unto his disciples, that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ . The word Jesus is not in some copies; and is left out in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions; nor does it seem... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:21

From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples ,.... From the time that Peter made the confession concerning Jesus, as that he was the Messiah, and Son of God, and which things were clear to all the apostles, he began to teach them more expressly, and to point out to them more clearly, and plainly, his sufferings and death, than he had done before: and this he chose to do now, partly because that their faith in him was well grounded and established, so that they were the better... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 16:22

Then Peter took him ,.... The Arabic version reads it, "called to him": the Ethiopic, "answered him"; and the Syriac, "led him"; he took him aside, by himself; and as the Persic version, "privately said to him", or he took him by the hand in a familiar way, to expostulate with him, and dissuade him from thinking and talking of any such things; and began to rebuke him : reprove and chide him, forgetting himself and his distance; though he did it not out of passion and ill will, but out of... read more

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