SUMMARY
Immediately upon Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah, Jesus now turns his direction toward the cross and foretells his passion, death, and resurrection. He then turns to teach his disciples that in taking up their cross those who follow Jesus will discover that losing one’s life for his sake is the way to true life.
ANALYSIS
Peter’s confession, a pivotal climax in the Gospel, now turns the narrative of Jesus toward his passionPassion is the theological term used to describe Jesus' suffering prior to and including his crucifixion. The Passion Narrative (the portions of the Gospels that tell of the Last Supper, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus) are often read in church during Holy Week. and death. This passage presents the first of three passion predictions (16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19) taken over from Mark, but which are greatly adapted in the outline and content of the next chapters that lead up to Matthew’s passion narrative proper. Of first importance is the way that this passage and the first announcement of Jesus’ passion and death are tied so closely to Peter’s confession. Second, here following Mark, the foretelling immediately leads to teaching about discipleship. Thus confession of Jesus as MessiahThe Messiah was the one who, it was believed, would come to free the people of Israel from bondage and exile. In Jewish thought the Messiah is the anticipated one who will come, as prophesied by Isaiah. In Christian thought Jesus of Nazareth is identified... is bound up with the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Messiah. As noted also in the comments on 4:12-25, some readers have seen in the transitional phrase “From that time on…” (16:21, matching 4:17) a clue to Matthew’s structure and movement, dividing the Gospel into three major sections: the presentation of Jesus Messiah (1:1-4:16); the public ministry of Jesus Messiah (4:17-16:20); and the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Messiah (16:21-28:20).
That Jesus now “shows” rather than “teaches” his disciples what is to happen perhaps marks this event as one of revelation and the gift of special knowledge. In the call to take up the cross and follow, discipleship is constituted and linked not just by lofty confession but by being joined to the story of this Messiah, to the life, mission, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Peter’s attempt to deny the suffering role of the Messiah is met by Jesus’ harsh rejection. In ascribing the attempt to Satan, he recalls and equates it with his testing by Satan in the wilderness (4:1-11). In pressing it, Peter has become a “stumbling block” (that is, an “offense”; see the same term in 11:6; 18:6-8; 26:31-33). Disciples are instead called to an obedient giving of self for the neighbor in which hearing and doing are in conformity (see the Sermon on the Mount; 7:12, 21) and the whole of the law is fulfilled. Such conformity comes only by the transforming power of God’s blessing and presence in this Messiah. Through his resurrected life in this community, confession and life are bound together in the responsible exercise of love and mercy for the world. This obedient love is encouraged in Jesus’ final strong declaration that some standing there will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. Here is a clue to Matthew’s understanding of the kingdom and a strong reminder to every generation of hearers that we wait in the meantime for a coming which will happen at an unknown hour.
