Featured Bible Study - The Gospel according to Matthew

Study Bible - "Mundo Hispano" (Hispanic World)
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World)
Baptist Publishing House

Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 16


TEXTUAL NOTES

16:3 The best Greek manuscripts omit this verse.
The external evidence of its omission is very strong.
For example, it is missing from the Sinaitic and Vatican codices.
Possibly a late insertion to harmonize with Luke 12:54-56, or the passage from Luke itself but adjusted for particular weather signs.

16:18 Aramaic Peter and rock are the same word (cephas); and in Greek are analogous terms that were used interchangeably at the time (petros/petra).


CULTURAL NOTES

16:13 Caesarea Philippi was pagan territory, near the grotto dedicated to the worship of the Greek god Pan.
Herod also dedicated a temple there to the worship of Caesar.
It was forty kilometers from the Lake of Galilee.
It was the ancient territory of Dan, the border of ancient Israel.
This is the only recorded trip of Jesus to this territory, apparently the least propitious for a divine revelation.

16:22, 23 One of the first rules of a disciple in ancient times was: Never criticize the teacher, especially in public.
Here Pedro breaks that rule from a cultural point of view.
Jesus identifies Peter with Satan because he proposes a temptation: the kingdom without a cross.
The rabbis eventually played puns; here the rock (Matt. 16:18) becomes a stumbling block.


ARCHEOLOGICAL NOTES

16:14 Peter has the correct title, but the wrong meaning of Messiah (cf. Matt. 16:22).
David's royal line was adopted by God (2 Sam. 7:14), so it was natural that the ultimate successor to the throne should be called the Son of God (Ps. 2:7; 89:27), as some interpreters have observed.
Jews in this period, as discovered in the Qumran caves, which is an Essene commentary on 2 Samuel 7.


HERMENEUTICAL NOTES

16:28 The text does not tell us about the final return of Jesus Christ.
Rather, it is a reference to the transfiguration of Jesus, an immediate theme in the synoptic narrative.
It is verified by the testimony and later description of Peter (2 Pet. 1:16-18) around the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with power.
In addition, the word kingdom can be translated as "royal splendor"; and of this the disciples, Peter, James and John will testify six days later, as described in the Gospel of Matthew (7:1).


ARTICLE - THE SADDUCEES
It was a sociopolitical rather than a religious group that originated in the intertestamental period.
Historically they arose from the priestly adherents of the Hasmonean dynasty.
There are various opinions regarding the origin of its name.
It is thought to come from Zadok, the high priest at the time of the united Hebrew monarchy.
Others think that it derives from the word zedekah which means justice.
Although a conjugation of the two sources is possible, due to the character and purpose of their actions.
They were a minority compared to the Pharisees, but they surpassed them by their wealth, power and strategic political authority.
They were formed around the priests with the highest hierarchy and influence, in addition to monopolizing the rich and the secular Jewish nobility.
It is believed that the association between the high priesthood and the Sadducees can be traced back to the Jewish nationalist government of John Hyrcanus.
In them the political and religious power of the Jewish society of the first century was concentrated.
They presided over the Sanhedrin and the high priesthood in the Temple.
Due to their great wealth and political power they had a lot to lose, so they became a subservient group and collaborator of the Roman power.
They were skilled and political opportunists who did not mind colluding with anyone in order to protect their privileges and hegemony in Jewish society.
However, they ceased to exist as a group after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. c.
They had big differences with the Pharisees, to begin with, because they did not accept the oral traditions that they developed.
Yet despite their differences and rivalry, they banded together to attack Jesus in a pathetic display of his thoughtless, visceral attitude (Matt. 16:1, 12; 22:34).
Furthermore, they only believed in the first part of the Hebrew Bible, the Pentateuch, and privileged its authority over the Prophets and Writings.
However, his doctrine was very rationalistic and materialistic.
They did not believe in angels or demons, in the immortality of the soul, in the resurrection of the dead, in anything supernatural, or in a coming Messiah (Matt. 22:23; Mark 12:18-27).


APOLOGETICAL ARTICLE

16:17 Jesus is the rock on which the church is built.
Peter himself will argue that Jesus is the Living Stone (1 Pet 2:4-7).
Paul will reply that no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11).
Another underlying and valid argument is to consider that the church is built on the content of Peter's confession, or with a faith like the one expressed by him.
Paul also specifies that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20; 2 Pet. 3:2), like living stones (1 Pet. 2:5).
Thus, the beatitude of Peter consists in the fact that his confession did not come from human reflection, but from divine revelation.

 

KJV Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 17

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

 

Study Bible - "Mundo Hispano" (Hispanic World)
Editorial: Mundo Hispano (Hispanic World)
Baptist Publishing House

Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 17

CULTURAL NOTES

17:1 The gospel of Mark 9:2 agrees with the gospel of Matthew in the number of days.
But the gospel of Luke 9:28 says about eight days, because it counts in the Latin style, adding the first and the last day; so there is no contradiction.
The high mountain is not identified.
Cyril of Jerusalem and Jerome maintain that it is the Tabor southeast of the Sea of Galilee.
Others have suggested, for their part, that it is one of the spurs of Mount Hermon.

17:24 In the ancient world, free adult Jewish males expressed their solidarity with the temple by paying a tax.
Those who lived on offerings and beggars were exempt from the tax, so Jesus may have been considered exempt (cf. Luke 8:3); apart from the fact that he was the owner of the house, however, he complied with the demand.

17:27 Only Matthew records this event.
The rabbis had several accounts describing how God rewarded faithful Jews who bought fish and found precious stones in them.
Peter must have been greatly surprised that something so extraordinary could happen to him as a fisherman.
Some fish in the lake of Galilee had mouths big enough to hold a coin; one of them is called chromis simonis, named after Simon Peter.

HERMENEUTICAL NOTES

17:19 Previously Jesus had sent his disciples on a mission empowering them to preach and perform these kinds of miracles.
A few months later, nine of them were unable to exorcise the demon.
Jesus explains that the reason for the frustrating contrast is faulty faith (v. 20).
The problem was not a lack of trust, but the object of his trust.
The conflict of faith is not about quality or quantity, but about focus (Heb. 12:2).


TEXTUAL NOTES

17:21 The best manuscripts do not have this verse.
Later manuscripts add it possibly taking it from the parallel Mark 9:29.
Mark's original text ends with the phrase "but with prayer"; the words “and fast” were added.