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16:13-20 The Gospels generally highlight Peter's preeminence among the disciples (10:2; Lk 22:3132; Jn 1:42; 21:15-18). This episode defines his role explicitly. • Jesus' blessing on Peter draws from OT traditions about the Davidic covenant. The key concepts and images (Christ / Son of the living God / rock / build / gates of Hades / keys / kingdom) are all connected with Israel's kingdom established under David and confirmed by Solomon and his construction of the Temple (cf. 2 Sam 7:4-17; Ps 2:7; 89; 132). Although David's empire crumbled in 586 B.C., Jesus announces its restoration in the New Covenant (cf. Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32-33; Acts 15:1518). Christ is the long-awaited "son of David", who rebuilds and transforms the ancient kingdom in the Church. See introduction: Themes. • Vatican I (1870) cited this episode as biblical support for the primacy of Peter and successive popes. The Council's interpretation touches five points of doctrine: (1) The Magisterium built upon Peter is instituted by Jesus Christ; (2) Peter is given a unique role as chief teacher and ruler (primacy of jurisdiction) over the Church; (3) Peter is the visible head of the Church; (4) Peter's authority is passed on through successors; (5) through Peter, Christ himself assures the infallible preservation of the gospel in the Church. Back to text.

16:13 Caesarea Philippi: A predominantly Gentile city north of Palestine. It was originally known as Panion (or Paneas) because of a shrine built there to the Greco-Roman god Pan. When Herod the Great's son Philip became tetrarch of that region (4 B.C.—A.D. 33), he rebuilt the city and renamed it in honor of Tiberius Caesar, adding his own name to distinguish it from the Judean coastal city of Caesarea. Back to text.

16:16 Son of the living God: The confession is double-sided: (1) Peter proclaims the mystery of Christ's divinity as the head and spokesman of the Church (cf. 11:25-27; 14:33). (2) Peter sees Jesus as the awaited Messiah-king of Israel (26:63; Jn 1:49). The close relationship between the titles Christ and Son reflects OT traditions, where Israel's kings enjoyed unique relationships with God as his sons (2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:27; CCC 436, 439, 442). See word study: Christ at Mk 14. Back to text.

16:17 Blessed are you: Jesus blesses Peter and elevates him to be the chief patriarch of the New Covenant. • Parallels between Genesis and Jesus' words (16:17-19) suggest that Peter assumes a role in salvation history similar to Abraham's. (1) Both are blessed by God (Gen 14:19); (2) both respond with heroic faith (Heb 11:8); (3) both receive a divine mission (Gen 12:1-3); (4) both have their names changed (Gen 17:5); (5) both are called a "rock" (Is 51:1-2); and (6) both are assured a victory over the "gate" of their enemies (Gen 22:17). Simon Bar-Jona: Literally means "Simon son of Jonah". Since Peter's father is actually named "John" (Jn 1:42), the title may be symbolic. (1) Jesus' role as a new Jonah (12:39-41) may suggest he views Peter as his spiritual son. (2) Since the Hebrew name "Jonah" means "dove", Jesus may point to the relationship between Peter and the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the same Spirit who confirmed Jesus' Sonship in the form of a dove (3:16) now inspires Peter's confession. flesh and blood: A Semitic idiom for human beings, emphasizing their natural limitations and weaknesses (Sir 14:18; Gal 1:16). Back to text.

16:18 I will build: Jesus portrays the Church as a spiritual Temple (cf. 1 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:16; Eph 2:1922; 1 Pet 2:4-8). • As Solomon was the son of David and the anointed Temple builder in the OT, so Jesus is the Davidic "Son" of God (16:16) and the anointed Messiah who builds the Church in the New. Jesus elsewhere sees himself as both similar and superior to King Solomon (12:42). See note on Mt 7:24. my Church: Among the Gospels, Matthew alone uses the word Church (18:17). The word is used often in the Greek OT for the "congregation" or "assembly" of Israel united to God. Jesus uses it in a similar way for the New Covenant community. the gates of Hades: In the OT, Hades—also called "Sheol" or "the Pit"—is the place of the dead where souls descend through its gates (Ps 9:13, 17; Wis 16:13; Is 38:10; Jon 2:2). It is not hell, but a temporary realm where souls are detained until the Last Judgment (Rev 20:13-15). By extension, Hades is also the habitation of evil forces that bring about death and deception (Rev 6:8; 20:1-3). According to Jewish tradition, the foundation stone (Heb. 'eben shetiyyah) of the Jerusalem Temple capped off and sealed a long shaft leading down to the netherworld (Rev 9:1-2; 20:1-3). The Temple, resting securely on a rock, was thus the center of the cosmos, the junction between heaven and Hades. Drawing from this background, Jesus guarantees that the powers of death and deception will not overcome the Church—i.e., the new Temple built on Peter. He enables Peter (and his successors) to hold error at bay and faithfully proclaim the gospel (CCC 552). Back to text.

16:19 the keys: A symbol of teaching authority (Lk LIU 11:52). Jesus consecrates Peter as the Church's chief teacher, whose office will continue on through successors. The plural use of keys may imply a connection with the "gates" in 16:18 and mean that Peter's position includes, among other things, the authority to release the righteous souls who are detained in Hades but destined for heaven. • In the OT Davidic empire, the king appointed a cabinet of ministers for specific tasks in the kingdom (1 Kings 4:1-6; 2 Kings 18:37). Of these, a prime minister was elevated to unique status of authority, ranking second only to the king. This government structure was common among kingdoms in the ancient Near East (cf. Gen 41:39-43; Esther 3:1-2). Jesus here evokes Is 22:15-25, where the prime minister's office is handed on to a successor by the symbolic act of handing on the "key of the house [i.e., kingdom] of David" (Is 22:22). In Matthew, Jesus is the new Davidic king, who appoints Peter the prime minister over the kingdom of heaven in the Church. As in Is 22, Peter's position is designed for him and his successors; the office is meant to endure as long as the kingdom itself. Entrusted with the keys, Peter wields Christ's own royal authority (cf. Rev 1:18; 3:7). whatever you bind . . . loose: Familiar language in early Jewish literature. The metaphor carries several connotations: (1) It signifies teaching authority and the ability to render binding decisions. Rabbis were said to make "binding" interpretations of the Law. (2) It denotes authority to include or exclude members of a religious community. (3) It signals the forgiveness of sins (Tg Neof in Gen 4:7). The verb loose is used this way in Rev 1:5 (translated "freed") and by the early Church Fathers (cf. Jn 20:23). Peter is thus invested with Christ's authority as the kingdom's chief teacher and administrator; through him heaven governs the Church on earth (cf. Jn 21:15-17; 1 Tim 3:15; CCC 553, 1445). Back to text.

16:23 Satan: In contrast to the blessing of Peter in 16:17, Jesus here rebukes him. Peter's confession (16:16) was inspired by the Father; here his natural instincts object to a suffering Messiah. On his own, he cannot see the spiritual necessity of Jesus' Passion for sinners. Back to text.

16:24 take up his cross: Jesus' challenge follows his first Passion prediction (16:21). He indicates that suffering and self-denial are central to the Christian life (cf. Rom 8:17; Col 1:24; CCC 618). See note on Mt 10:38. Back to text.

Word Study

Peter (Mt 16:18)

Petros (Gk.): A masculine noun meaning "rock" or "stone". Although a common word in Greek, there is no evidence that Peter was ever a proper name before Jesus renamed Simon. This accentuates the symbolism of the name: Simon is himself the rock upon which Jesus builds the Church. Further NT evidence suggests that Jesus' words to Peter were originally spoken in Aramaic. In this language, the word kepha is the equivalent of Peter and denotes a "sizeable rock"—one suitable as a building foundation. This Aramaic name is preserved as "Cephas" 9 times in the NT (Jn 1:42; 1 Cor 1:12; 15:5; Gal 1:18; 2:9, etc.). At another level, Simon's name change recalls the OT episodes where God renamed Abram as Abraham (Gen 17:5) and Jacob as Israel (Gen 32:28). Peter now stands in this biblical tradition where new names signify new God-given roles in salvation history. In Peter's case, Jesus designates him the foundation stone of the New Covenant Church. Just as the Temples of the OT were built upon a great stone (1 Kings 5:17; Ezra 3:10), so Jesus builds his NT Church upon the foundational rock of Peter (cf. Eph 2:20; Rev 21:14).

17:1-8 Jesus' Transfiguration confirms his divine Sonship (3:17; 16:16). It also strengthens three early Church leaders (Peter, James, and John) after Jesus' first Passion prediction (16:21). Being transfigured before them (17:2), Jesus unveils his glory, later manifest in his Resurrection and shared by his angels (28:2-3) and Virgin Mother in heaven (Rev 12:1) (CCC 555-56). • The OT background for this event is God's self-revelation to Moses on Mt. Sinai. (1) Both take place on the seventh day (17:1; Ex 24:16); (2) both occur on a mountain (17:1; Ex 24:13, 15); (3) both Jesus and Moses take three companions with them (17:1; Ex 24:1); (4) the faces of both Jesus and Moses shine with God's glory (17:2; Ex 34:29); (5) both involve the glory-cloud of God's Presence; (6) and both events involve God speaking through a heavenly voice (17:5; Ex 24:16). • Anagogically (Dionysius, The Divine Names 1.4): the glory that shone around the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration prefigures the contemplation of God in eternity, when the minds of the saints will be for ever lifted up from lower concerns and engulfed in the blazing light of the Trinity. Back to text.

17:3 Moses and Elijah: Represent the testimony of the Law and the Prophets, respectively (cf. 5:17; 7:12). They are the only OT figures to hear God's voice atop Mt. Sinai, also called Horeb (Ex 24:18; 1 Kings 19:8-18). They here witness to the surpassing glory of Jesus as the lawgiver and prophet of the New Covenant (cf. Jn 5:39; Rev 11:3-6). Back to text.

17:4 I will make three booths: Peter desires to prolong the heavenly experience. The booths are small, tentlike shelters erected yearly at the Jewish Feast of Booths (Lev 23:39-43). This liturgical feast became an early Church symbol of the ongoing joys of heaven (cf. Rev 7:9-10). Back to text.

17:5 beloved Son . . . listen to him: A similar procla-I mation was made at Jesus' baptism (3:17; cf. Is 42:1). • The final statement, "listen to him", evokes Deut 18:15. In context, God promised that a prophet like Moses (Messiah) would come to Israel to be heeded by his people (cf. Acts 3:2022). See note on Mt 2:16. Back to text.

17:6 fell on their faces: The posture of those overwhelmed by God's glory (Gen 17:3; Ezek 1:28; Rev 1:17). Back to text.

17:11 to restore all things: e.g., family relationships (Mal 4:5-6) and the 12 tribes of Israel (Sir 48:10). Back to text.

17:12 Elijah has already come: The "scribes" (17:10) were correct in their teaching and expectation (Mal 4:5) but wrong not to recognize Elijah's arrival in John the Baptist (17:13). See note on Mt 11:10. Back to text.

17:20 your little faith: Jesus challenges the unbelief of his disciples (8:26; 14:31; 16:8). He suggests their attempts to exorcize demons (17:16) were impeded by presumption, since even a small measure of genuine faith can accomplish great things. Back to text.

17:24 Capernaum: Jesus' hometown during his Galilean ministry (4:13). the half-shekel tax: Literally, the didrachma, or "two-drachma tax", required annually of all male Jews over 20 years old. Moses levied a similar tax for the services of the Tabernacle (Ex 30:11-16). This was reimplemented with King Joash for Solomon's Temple (2 Chron 24:6), while a comparable "third part of a shekel" was required for the second Temple (Neh 10:32). went up to Peter: Matthew's "fourth book" features the primacy of Peter (14:28-33; 16:13-19; 17:1, 4; see outline). Here the tax collectors recognize and approach him as the apostles' spokesman. Back to text.

17:26 the sons are free: The divine sonship shared by Jesus (natural) and Peter (adoptive) exempts them from Temple taxes. Nevertheless, they submit their New Covenant liberty to the regulations of the Old. In the early Church, believers maintained certain Old Covenant practices to avoid giving "offense" (17:27) to the Jews and in the hope of winning some to the gospel (Acts 16:3; 21:17-26; Rom 14:13-21; 1 Cor 9:19-23). Back to text.