Matthew 16

1. They lose the world, and that is a great loss to the wicked; they laid up their treasure upon earth; and to be turned out of all at once is a great loss. 2. They lose their souls (Matthew 16:26). The soul was at first a noble piece of coin, which God stamped his own image upo…

The soul is a diamond set in a ring of clay. Christ puts the soul in balance with the world, and it outweighs (Matthew 16:26). The soul is a glass, in which some rays of divine glory shine: it has in it some faint idea and resemblance of a deity: it is a celestial spark lighted…

The rules he prescribes are holy: why should the master be thought the worse of because some of his servants prove bad. (4.) Men are prejudiced at the ways of Christ; they expose them to sufferings (Matthew 16:24): Let him take up his cross and follow me; many stumble at the cro…

Often we hatch the devil's motions, thinking they come from our own hearts. When Peter dissuaded Christ from suffering, sure Peter thought it came from the good affection which he did bear to his Master (Matthew 16:22). Little did Peter think Satan had a hand in it.

But the devil then appeared in a visible shape and so tempted him, for he would have had him fallen down to worship him. Another time we find him crept into one of his apostles to assault our Savior by him: 'Master, spare yourself,' says he (Matthew 16:23). When therefore Christ…

Fourthly, before the Paschal Lamb was eaten, all leaven must be removed out of their houses. This had a notable signification: which we need not to guess at, seeing the holy Ghost has set it down; namely, that we must remove all old leaven of corrupt doctrine (Matthew 16:12) out…

Surely, they did only acknowledge him to be the true Messiah, and were willing to be further instructed in his doctrine; which they testified, by going to hear him in their own persons. So likewise, Christ gives a notable testimony to the confession of the Apostles' faith (Matth…

Now faith is said to be weak, when a man either fails in the knowledge of the Gospel; or else having knowledge, is weak in grace to apply to himself the sweet promises thereof. As for example, we know that the apostles had all true saving faith (except Judas) and when our Savior…

Thirdly he had the preeminence of principality among the twelve, because in regard of the measure of grace he excelled the rest. For when Christ asked his disciples whom they said he was, Peter as being of greatest ability and zeal answered for them all (Matthew 16:16). I use th…

'Why so nice and scrupulous? It is but to stretch conscience a little, and you may make your fortune — now is your opportunity.' The heart may be kept from falling into this dangerous snare by retorting the temptation thus: 'But what profit will it be if a man should gain the wh…

1. God will have a Church upon earth. Mat. 16. 18. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Neither the Serpents subtilty, nor the Dragons fierceness shall overturn the Church.

3. Consider the manner of his suffering, and we will see a further proof of his willingness. How little pains he takes to escape them; yes, when Peter labors to dissuade him (Matthew 16) from suffering, he disdains and rejects the suggestion with a severe rebuke: Get behind me,…

Third, for clearing and confirming of this truth, we may take the express confession of the saints in Scripture, on which there is much weight laid; and I shall name but five or six of their confessions, which to this purpose are expressly and fully recorded. The first is that o…

2. Sin is a dear and costly thing: in heaven, in the account-book of justice, it goes for no less than the blood of God, the shaming of the Lord of glory; justice, for the request of all the world, and the prayers of Christ, could not abate one farthing. A man's soul is a dear t…

2. To the sight Christ is a delightful thing; to behold God, in Christ, is a changing sight. 2 Corinthians 3:18. But we all with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (Ep…

We know no such distinct posts to heaven, nor such shifting from hand to hand; the saints have many bouts in their way to glory, but all the three jointly at the same season help at the lifting of the dead out of the graves (John 6:39, 44, 45; John 5:24, 25). All the three in on…

Now Christ has, both, the keys of death, the postern gate out of this world; and of hell, even of the broad gates of that eternal prison; so as none of his can be fetched out of this world by death, but Christ he must first open the door; much less, can any go to hell without hi…

This natural life is worth the giving and parting with for a spiritual. "What shall a man give in recompense for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26). You know what Christ said of Judas, and the same reason holds true in every man that lacks life in Christ (Matthew 26:24).

Many give various reasons. Peter had led the way to the rest in that notable confession of Christ (Matthew 16:16), and is conceived to have some primacy for the orderly beginning of actions in the College of the Apostles. James was the first apostle who shed his blood for Christ…

Moses saw the face of God, but he was in the bosom of God: Moses's face shone, but not as Christ's, for it could be hidden by a veil; Christ darts his glory through his garments: Moses's shining was terrible, Christ's was comfortable, the apostles were loath to lose the sight of…

Josiah after he had prepared the temple, fell into that rash attempt against Pharaoh Necho which cost him his life (2 Chronicles 35:20): After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates, and Josiah went out…

1. Because it was at hand, the next solemn mediatory action after this was his death and bloody sufferings; after he was transfigured in the mount, he went down to suffer at Jerusalem. 2. This was an offense to the Apostles that their Master should die (Matthew 16:22-23): then P…

2. We are said to tempt Christ; and he may be considered, either as in the days of his flesh; or in his state of glory, and with respect to his invisible presence. 1. In the days of his flesh, he was frequently tempted by the Scribes and Pharisees, who would not be satisfied in…

Observe the different methods of Christ and Satan: Satan makes a show of glory first, but Christ of the cross: Satan offers the benefit before he seems to require the service, as here he does first offer, and then ask; but fallaciously, for indeed he requires a present act, but…

2. Concerning the weight and importance of this truth. 1. It is propounded as the foundation upon which God will build his church (Matthew 16:16-18): And Simon Peter answered and said, you are Christ the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you…

This was not to be endured. Twice Christ uses this form of speech, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], to Satan tempting him to idolatry here, and when his servant dissuaded him from suffering (Matthew 16:23): Get behind me, Satan, for you are an offense to me, for you savor not the th…

3. In Luke it is said, chapter 4:13, He departed from him [illegible] for a season. He never tempted him again in this solemn way, hand to hand; but either abusing the simplicity of his own Disciple (Matthew 16:22-23). Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it…

For Paul was chief over the Gentiles, and not Peter. Secondly, this ordinance of God gives us to understand, that the place (Matthew 16:18), You are Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church, etc., and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: does not contain a…

To be in God's kingdom is happiness: and this is the kingdom of God, when we resign ourselves in subjection to his will and word. The preaching of the word is the key of this kingdom (Matthew 16:19), and when it is received into our hearts by faith, heaven is set open to us even…

For Eliakim was no figure of him; neither does the Prophet describe some hidden mystery here, but borrows a similitude from the dealings of men; as if one should give the keys to some steward placed over his house, (as has been said.) There is also the same reason to be given of…

True it is that God has neither hands, nor any bodily shape: but thus it pleases the Holy Ghost to stoop down to our slender and weak capacities, that he might the better set forth the infinite love which he bears us. And because the Church is in many places called the Temple, o…

Though all Christians must be living stones This alludes to the Greek word Πέτρος, (Peter,) which literally signifies a stone. We shall afterwards find (Matthew 16:18) that our Lord makes express reference to the meaning of the name. — Ed. , of the spiritual temple, yet Christ g…

Instead of this, Luke has, Depart behind me, Satan. There is no use for speculating about the phrase, behind me, which Christ addressed to Peter, Go behind me, (Matthew 16:23,) as if the same words had not been addressed to Satan. Christ simply bids him go away; “he wishes only…

Let us therefore look upon ourselves as warned, in his person, not to boast lightly and at ease, that we will be the disciples of Christ, while we are taking no thought of the cross, or of afflictions; but, on the contrary, to consider early what sort of condition awaits us. The…

The word leaven is sometimes taken in a bad sense, as when Christ warns them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, (Matthew 16:11;) and when Paul says, that

Matthew 16:1-4 1. And the Pharisees, together with the Sadducees, came, and tempting desired that he would show them a sign from heaven.

Matthew 16:13-19 13. And when Jesus came to the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am?

Matthew 16:20-28 20. Then he charged his disciples “Lors il commanda expressement a ses disciples;” — “then he expressly commanded his disciples.” not to tell any one that he was Jesus the Christ.

Matthew 16:5-12 5. And his disciples, when they had come to the opposite bank, through neglect had not taken bread.

18. Whatever things you shall bind. He now repeats the same words which he had formerly used, (Matthew 16:19,) but in a different sense; for there he intended to maintain their authority in doctrine, but here he appoints discipline, which is an appendage to doctrine. There Chris…

The sum of the whole is, that for none but him who has fought lawfully is the crown prepared; and especially, that none will be a partaker of the life and the kingdom of Christ who has not previously shared in his sufferings and death. In the word baptism the force of the metaph…

The Papists reckon it enough, that those who issue laws should possess the title and occupy the station; for in this way they torture the words of Christ to mean, that we are bound to receive obediently whatever the ordinary prelates of the Church enjoin. But this calumny is abu…

For we know that all mankind are banished from God, and excluded from the inheritance of eternal salvation. Now the doctrine of religion may be said to be the door by which we enter into life, and therefore Scripture says metaphorically, that the keys of the kingdom of heaven ar…

In this point have stumbled and foully failed our Grand masters and teachers which have heretofore taken upon them to expound and interpret the Scripture. As when they expound and stretch that saying of Christ, Matthew 16, "You are Peter," etc., to be meant of the Pope, which ad…

Now Thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ Jesus, and maketh manifest the Savour of his Knowledge, in every Place. Matthew 16:23. Thou savourest not the Things that be of God, but Things that be of Men.

They being rejected, the Son of God calls and gathers another Church, founding it on his own Person with Faith and the Profession of it therein. Mat. 16. v. 18, 19. In this new Church therefore this Foundation is fixed and this Ground made Good, That Jesus Christ the Son of God…

It is true, that is spoken there of a man's own soul, that it is more to himself than the world, but it is a truth here too, if one have a soul given him (and to have a child is to have a soul bestowed on us) for the present it is more than to have the whole world bestowed on hi…

When Peter confessed our savior to be the Christ the Son of the living God; He told him that flesh and blood did not reveal that unto him, but his father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:17. It is so with them who indeed believe forgiveness in God: Flesh and blood has not revealed i…

You lose heaven and your soul; and what can countervail this loss? What is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Matthew 16:26). God (says Chrysostom) has given a man two eyes; if he lose one, he has another; but he has but one soul, and if that be l…

The first is Christ's appearing in those wonderful dispensations of providence in the apostles' days, in setting up his kingdom, and destroying the enemies of his kingdom, which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem. This is called Christ's coming in his kingdom, Matthew 16:28.…