Year of the Bible
Matthew 16
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Commentary upon the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 16:
Many people are familiar with the scene in the movie The Wizard of Oz in which Dorothy stands at the crossroads wondering what direction to go. When it comes to searching for the truth, the average person, like Dorothy, easily can become confused. With more than 25,000 Christian denominations to choose from, the seeker of truth can become paralyzed trying to decide which religious road to follow. In the sixteenth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” The disciples respond with four possible answers—John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or maybe some other prophet. This public-opinion poll produces four incorrect answers. Even during Jesus’ earthly life, there already existed many different ideas about his identity. People living in all times seek a reliable source for information concerning God’s Divine Revelation—a yellow-brick road that will carry them safely to their destination. When Jesus changes the question slightly and asks his disciples: “But who do you say that I am?” only Peter correctly responds: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter has found a reliable source of information about God, as Jesus immediately points out. It’s at this moment that Peter is given the keys of the kingdom of heaven, becoming the first vicar of Christ. Modern-day disciples still can hear Jesus’ voice by listening to the leadership he established for his Church—the pope, who’s the current vicar of Christ.
The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 16:
The Demand for a Sign
1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter’s Declaration That Jesus Is the Christ
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”* 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,§ and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
21 From that time Jesus 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 on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.”
The Cross and Self-Denial
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? 27 For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”
Daily Lectio Divina Question:
It has been called the fundamental question of all of human history: “Who do you say that I am?” (v. 15). Lord why does the call to take up our cross and follow you come right after I confess the truth of who you are?
Bible Commentary provided by Scott Hahn and Mark Shea, Gospel of Matthew, ed. Jennifer Phelps, Catholic Scripture Study (Charlotte, NC: Catholic Scripture Study International, 2007), 149.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this. If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further
Mateo 16
1 Se acercaron los fariseos y saduceos
y, para tentarle, le rogaron que les hiciera
ver una señal del cielo. 2 Él les respondió:
–Al atardecer decís que va a hacer
buen tiempo, porque está el cielo arrebolado;
3 y por la mañana, que hoy habrá
tormenta, porque el cielo está rojizo y
sombrío. ¿Así que sabéis descubrir el aspecto
del cielo y no podéis descubrir los
signos de los tiempos? 4 Esta generación
perversa y adúltera pide una señal, pero
no se le dará otra señal que la de Jonás.
Y los dejó y se marchó.
5 Al pasar los discípulos a la otra orilla
se olvidaron de llevar panes. 6 Jesús
les dijo:
–Estad alerta y guardaos de la levadura
de los fariseos y saduceos.
7 Pero ellos comentaban entre sí: «No
hemos traído panes». 8 Al darse cuenta
Jesús, dijo:
–Hombres de poca fe. ¿Por qué vais
comentando entre vosotros que no tenéis
panes? 9 ¿Todavía no entendéis? ¿No os
acordáis de los cinco panes para los cinco
mil hombres y de cuántos cestos recogisteis?
10 ¿Ni de los siete panes para los
cuatro mil hombres y de cuántas espuertas
recogisteis? 11 ¿Cómo no entendéis
que no me refería a los panes? Guardaos
de la levadura de los fariseos y saduceos.
12 Entonces comprendieron que no
se había referido a guardarse de la levadura
del pan, sino de la enseñanza de
los fariseos y saduceos.
13 Cuando llegó Jesús a la región de
Cesarea de Filipo, comenzó a preguntar
a sus discípulos:
–¿Quién dicen los hombres que es el
Hijo del Hombre?
14 Ellos respondieron:
–Unos que Juan el Bautista, otros
que Elías, y otros que Jeremías o alguno
de los profetas.
15 Él les dijo:
–Y vosotros, ¿quién decís que soy
yo?
16 Respondió Simón Pedro:
–Tú eres el Cristo, el Hijo de Dios
vivo.
17 Jesús le respondió:
–Bienaventurado eres, Simón, hijo
de Juan, porque no te ha revelado eso
ni la carne ni la sangre, sino mi Padre
que está en los cielos. 18 Y yo te digo que
tú eres Pedro, y sobre esta piedra edificaré
mi Iglesia, y las puertas del infierno
no prevalecerán contra ella. 19 Te daré
las llaves del Reino de los Cielos; y todo
lo que ates sobre la tierra quedará atado
en los cielos, y todo lo que desates sobre
la tierra quedará desatado en los cielos.
20 Entonces ordenó a los discípulos
que no dijeran a nadie que él era el Cristo.
21 Desde entonces comenzó Jesús a
manifestar a sus discípulos que él debía
ir a Jerusalén y padecer mucho por causa
de los ancianos, de los príncipes de
los sacerdotes y de los escribas, y ser llevado
a la muerte y resucitar al tercer día.
22 Pedro, tomándolo aparte, se puso a
reprenderle diciendo:
–¡Dios te libre, Señor! De ningún
modo te ocurrirá eso.
23 Pero él se volvió hacia Pedro y le
dijo:
–¡Apártate de mí, Satanás! Eres escándalo
para mí, porque no sientes las
cosas de Dios sino las de los hombres.
24 Entonces les dijo Jesús a sus discípulos:
–Si alguno quiere venir detrás de
mí, que se niegue a sí mismo, que tome
su cruz y que me siga. 25 Porque el que
quiera salvar su vida la perderá; pero el
que pierda su vida por mí, la encontrará.
26 »Porque, ¿de qué le servirá al hombre
ganar el mundo entero si pierde su
vida?, o ¿qué podrá dar el hombre a
cambio de su vida? 27 Porque el Hijo del
Hombre va a venir en la gloria de su Padre
acompañado de sus ángeles, y entonces
retribuirá a cada uno según su
conducta. 28 En verdad os digo que hay
algunos de los aquí presentes que no sufrirán
la muerte hasta que vean al Hijo
del Hombre venir en su Reino.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina para el día de hoy
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).