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NOTES for Mat 16:1-6

Printable version
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
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Jesus' answer to the Pharisees' request that He show them some “sign from heaven” seems rather strange. Judging by the meaning of His words, we must conclude that they had enough information and needed no other signs. The only sign Jesus clearly alludes to when He speaks of the “sign of the prophet Jonah” is His death and resurrection. What, then, does He mean when He says that even without signs the Pharisees have everything they need to understand the situation? And what kind of “sign from heaven” are they asking Him for?

In speaking of a “sign from heaven,” Jesus' interlocutors apparently meant some proof of His messiahship. There were generally accepted ideas about such proofs, according to which the Messiah had to give certain well-known signs of support from above, signs visible and intelligible to everyone. Evidently there were Pharisees prepared to see Jesus as the Messiah, but only as the “right” kind of Messiah. He had no intention of becoming that “right” Messiah.

He told those demanding signs plainly: you have seen enough to make a decision. If you were honest with yourselves, doing so would be no more difficult than looking at the sky and deciding whether to expect fair or rainy weather soon. Indeed, throughout His earthly ministry Jesus gave everyone willing to see more than enough evidence of the nearness and active power of the Kingdom He brought into the world. Anyone who wanted to see could see everything necessary. Only those who did not want to see—those for whom their own religious ideas and theological concepts were more important than the Kingdom and testimony to it—failed to see or notice the obvious.

Jesus had no intention of playing along with such people. This was not because their ideas were worse or better than any others, but because the position they had adopted separated them from the Kingdom from the outset. They were prepared to accept it only on their own terms. Yet the conditions for entering the Kingdom were by no means determined by them and were nothing like what they imagined. Those who wanted the Kingdom had to choose between the Kingdom and their religiosity. Jesus had no intention of hiding that fact from them.

Other notes

 
For Mat 16:6
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
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Jesus' words are not always easy to understand, and at first their true meaning remains hidden even from His disciples. Only after the Teacher's explanations do they grasp that He is speaking not about bread, but about...  Read more

Jesus' words are not always easy to understand, and at first their true meaning remains hidden even from His disciples. Only after the Teacher's explanations do they grasp that He is speaking not about bread, but about the teachings characteristic of these two religious parties. Let us try to understand what Jesus means.

Christ speaks of leaven on other occasions too. It is an image of something small that, when it enters a certain environment, affects it and changes its properties. Such, Jesus warns, are the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees - they can poison the whole people of God.

What, then, is poisonous in these teachings? In the parallel passage in the Gospel of Luke (Lk 12:1) the leaven of the Pharisees is called hypocrisy. The legalism of the Pharisees, the reduction of relations with God to keeping a formal list of commandments instead of being truly changed from within - this is the poison of hypocrisy. If God's people (or the new people of God - the Church) are permeated by this poison, then there is no room left in them for love.

The leaven of the Sadducees is called in the Gospel of Mark the leaven of Herod (Mk 8:15). The Sadducees were not so much a religious party as a political one, seeking above all earthly, state power. And again we see that such an approach can also become a deadly temptation for the Church. She is called not to seek strength in the "worldly" sense, but to manifest the power of God, the power of righteousness, the power of love.

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For Mat 16:6
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
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Religiousness: is it good or bad? Compared with complete unbelief, it is probably good. Still, let us sort out what...  Read more

Religiousness: is it good or bad? Compared with complete unbelief, it is probably good. Still, let us sort out what it is. Religion is our human system of attempts to restore connection with God, according to one or another human idea of Him. At the same time it is implied that the connection is broken and God is somewhere far away. In this sense Christianity offers something completely opposite: it is not we who restore connection with God, but He Himself; God is not distant, but "with us always, to the end of the age." But there is always, always a temptation to reduce living faith, living relationships with God, to religion, and Jesus warns His disciples of this danger, even of two types of such "religiousness": Pharisaic, when the fulfillment of commandments, duty, and rituals is substituted for relationships of love; and Sadducean, when our human interests, personal and public, are placed first, and the Church turns into a service center for these interests. Christ says that these admixtures are dangerous even in small quantities, because a little leaven leavens the whole dough.

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For Mat 16:1-12
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
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The bitter irony is that the Pharisees and Sadducees knew how to distinguish the subtlest shades of the sky, but they did not notice...  Read more

The bitter irony is that the Pharisees and Sadducees knew how to distinguish the subtlest shades of the sky, but they did not notice Christ's coming when cardinal changes in the relationship between God and people had matured. Today we can see any signs in heaven and on earth, yet we still cannot understand that the time has come to live differently. The time has come to live in unity and love with God and our neighbors; the time of humanity in relationships between people has come. How sad that we do not see this, and how frightening a reminder can be that the world lacks love.

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For Mat 16:1-28
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
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Today's reading tells us about Peter's confession, which is preceded by Jesus' conversations with the Pharisees about signs and with the disciples about the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." It concludes with a description of Peter's conversation with Jesus, during which...  Read more

Today's reading tells us about Peter's confession (vv. 13-20), which is preceded by Jesus' conversations with the Pharisees about signs (vv. 1-4) and with the disciples about the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (vv. 5-12). It concludes with a description of Peter's conversation with Jesus, during which Jesus speaks rather sharply about His disciple (vv. 21-28).

The central event here is Peter's confession: he recognizes in Jesus the Messiah, the Christ promised by God, while the people considered Him a prophet (vv. 14-16). And then Jesus, confirming Peter's conclusion, says that he could understand this only through revelation from God (v. 17).

It would seem that the Messiah was expected not only by Jesus' disciples: in Gospel times, messianic expectation among the Jewish people was very intense. But the point is that Jesus least of all resembled the Messiah whom both the people and the learned rabbis expected. The people expected a Messiah-king who would free Judea from Roman rule; the learned rabbis and theologian-scribes wanted to see a Messiah who matched their theological theories. It is no accident that the Pharisees and Sadducees ask Jesus to show them one of those messianic signs by which, according to their own concepts, the Messiah alone could be recognized. And Jesus refuses - not, of course, because it was difficult for Him, but because He did not want to fit into any theological concept and had no intention of conforming to anyone's ideas. Accepting such a Messiah, one who matched no generally accepted norms or views, and in whom the majority were ready to see an ungodly man and a violator of the Torah rather than the Messiah, was truly possible only by revelation.

Soon after this, it was time for Peter and the other disciples to learn about the cross and the Resurrection (v. 21), and then it turned out that this knowledge was unbearable for a person. It was still possible to accept a persecuted and suffering Messiah, especially since the image of the suffering Messiah was well known to every believing Jew from the book of Isaiah. But to accept His complete defeat was utterly unthinkable, and death on the cross was perceived by Peter and the other apostles only as defeat. The reality of resurrection in general, and of Christ's Resurrection in particular, was still only a distant prospect for them, so that even when He had risen, they still could not fully believe it for a long time.

It is no surprise that Peter cannot come to terms with the thought that the Teacher's death is inevitable (v. 22). But Jesus is uncompromising here as well: one cannot stop halfway; one cannot accept the Messiah and refuse His path. A person who acts this way turns from a disciple into an adversary (v. 23). There is only one road into the Kingdom (vv. 24-27), and one can arrive there only by walking it to the end.

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For Mat 16:1-28
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Hide
Faith is one of the most mysterious things in the world. What gives rise in a person to the readiness to address a man named Jesus clearly and unambiguously...  Read more

Faith is one of the most mysterious things in the world. What gives rise in a person to the readiness to address a man named Jesus clearly and unambiguously and say to Him, “You are the Christ”—that is, the Anointed One, the King for whom all the nations of the earth wait in hope? In the case of Jesus’ contemporaries and compatriots, this can perhaps be explained by their conception of the Messiah as a national liberating hero. But how can it be explained now, when everyone knows that Jesus’ activity resulted in His execution? Today, merely acknowledging the possibility of addressing Him requires a person to hold certain unconventional assumptions about reality. These questions remain unanswered in the Gospel. Or rather, they have no human answer: “flesh and blood,” that is, a person unaided, has no reason to utter these words. This is a mystery. It is the work within a person of the Heavenly Father, who draws that person to His only-begotten Son...

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