Annotations Upon the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Verse 1. TEmpting] That is, that they might trie whether he could performe this thing which they asked but captiously.
Quale viz. signum edidit Iosue So…em sistens; Samuel tonitrua eliciens, Jesaias umbram regredi jubens in solario. Beza.A signe] That is, a miracle whereby he might signifie that God had sent him.
From heaven] Like that of Elias, 2 Kings 1.9. Piscator. Like that of Moses, when God rained Mannah from Heaven. See the 6. of Iohn.
Vers. 2. The skie is red] That rednesse signifies a rarity of the Cloudes, and purity of the ayre.Polyc. Lyser. Vide Sculter. observat. in Matth. c. 4 5.
Vers. 3. Foule weather] Because the Clouds are thicker than those which the Sunne in the day time can consume or dispell.
Vers. 13. Cesarea Philippi] To distinguish that from another Cesarea. It was at the foote of Libanus neere Jordan call'd by Philips name. Calvin saith he took occasion to move this question to strenghthen his Disciples the more.
Men] Not pharisees, they would have said he had had a Devill.
That I the Son of man, am] That is, ex numero hominum, Beza. I who am cloathed with flesh, Calvin.
Vers. 14. And they said, Drusius de tribus sectis Iudaeorum, l. 2. saith, this place, and that Iohn 9.2. do prove that the Jewes held a foreign, or migration of soules from one body to another.some say thou art Iohn the Baptist] Chrysostome thinkes they all made this answer; Calvin, those that were better disposed; they were Herodians that thought him Iohn the Baptist. Aquin. Hugo Card. Matth. 14.2. All that followed Herods judgement. Some Elias] they conceived that Elias would come out of Heaven, and preach before Christ came, Iohn 1.21. this arose from their false interpretation of that place, Mal. 4.5. The third sort Ieremiah. 1. Because Hee preached sharply and tartly. 2. As Ieremie was thought to be a Seducer of the people, so he. 3. Because holy from his child-hood. Theoph. 4. Because Hee was persecuted and railed on as He. Aquinas and others.
One of the Prophets] Like one of the Prophets.
Vers. 15. But whom say ye that I am] This particle ye is put emphatically, by which he separates them from the common people; ye, that have been so long with me, which have continually heard my doctrine, whom do ye say that I am,Polyc. Lyser. who am disesteemed by others for my meane outside?
Vers. 16. And Simon Peter answered] Peter was the mouth of all the rest;Quem os Apostolorum non malè vocant Chrysostomus & Augustinus. they are few words but full of sense; he speakes ad vitandam confusionem.
Vers. 17. But my father which is in heaven] avide Joh. 6.63. Grot.See 1 Cor. 12.3.
Vers. 18. Thou a… Peter, and upon this rock, or stone] It is not called a rock of bVide Bezam.Peter, but he is so called Peter …f a rock, as we all Christians from Christ. Hilary, Cyrill, Chrysostome, Theophylact, Ambrose, understand by the rock, not Peters person, but the faith which he had professed in Christ; *Chrysost. Epiph. H…ary, Origen, Ierome, Ambrose, Beda. Super hanc petram non super hunc Petrum, for Christ built his Church upon the fa…h and not the man, or upon Christ. Their Learned Expositor Lyra (in loc.) their preacher Feru… (in loc.) and Cardinall Hug… expound Rock, Christ. Bish. Mortons Appeale, l. 2. cap. 17.or Christ himself whom he confessed, called a rock of old, Deut. 32.18. Psal. 18.3. so Austin often, it comes all to one either interpretation saith Whitaker.Some say his ministery. Peter was … foundation both of the Church of the Iewes and Gentiles, Acts 2. and 15 7. Vide Cameron.
The rock is Christ, not Peter; Peters faith, not person; the Apostle elsewhere tells us Christ is the head corner stone, and that the Church is built upon the foundation of Prophets and Apostles, not on one Peter.
Whether it be to be referred to Christ whom Peter confessed, or to Peters faith or confession of Christ, or to Peter himself in respect of his Doctrine and Apostleship (as the Ancient Fathers have all these three relations) it commeth to one end, that Peter had no other authority than the rest of the Apostles, upon whom the Church was built no lesse than upon him, who also beleeved and confessed as Peter did, had the keyes of the kingdom of heaven, and power to bind and loose as ample as he, Mat. 18.18.Quibus verbis desertè Petrus distinguitur à Petra, cum persona, tum genere: quod esset absurdum si de uno Petro utrumque membrum esset intelligendum. Debuerat sanè potrus dici tu es Petrus & super te Petro aedificabo. Chamierus. Vide Cheitomaeum de Graeco barbaris novi Testament. in voce foreign. Iohn 20.23. Fulke on Rhem. Test.
My Church] That is, not any visible Church on the earth, but the Church of the Elect, all the Elect, the strength of the Church shall stand unvanquished. 1 Ioh. 5.4.
Gates of hell] *Vide Sculte… observat. in Matth. c. 46. & Brugen. in loc.That is, all the power and policy of Satan, so Interpreters generally explane it, though Grotius dislikes this exposition.
Vide Bezam. Traditio clavium symbolum est potestatis atque authoritatis in aliquem Collatae. There are some therefore to whom the Lord hath committed the power of admission & ejectiō; to thee] therefore all men have not the keyes. It is a dispute whether the power be in the Congregation radicaliter, and in the Officers formaliter.Vers. 19. And I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdom of heaven] This is a metaphoricall speech, for the understanding whereof we must know, that Faith is compared to a dore, Acts 14.27. because by it we have entrance into Gods Kingdome; so accordingly the meanes of begetting, preserving, and encreasing of faith, is the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, and Discipline, these are compared unto keyes which Christ hath committed to his Ministers, to admit such as are to be admitted, and exclude such as are to be excluded. This is also meant by that which followeth, whatsoever thou shalt bind] only another metaphor is there used, the meaning of which is opened unto us by that of Salomon, Pro. 5.22. Sins are as cords, and Christ hath given his Ministers power to bind with these cords such as remaine in impenitency and unbeliefe, but to loose from them such as repent and beleeve. This power they exercise, 1. By preaching the word. 2. By administring the Sacraments. 3. By Praying. 4. By executing Discipline upon gross offenders, and releasing them upon their repentance. 2 Cor. 5.19. James 5.14, 15.
When one was made Doctor of Law among the Jews, they spake to him in this manner,D' Espagne de la manducation du corps de Christ. as the Rabbins shew; Receive authority to pronounce bound that which shall be bound, and to pronounce loose that which shall be loose. Christ speaking to his Disciples here whom he would make Doctors, saith, That which you shall bind on earth, &c.
Keyes is a borrowed speech, signifying power and authority by the Ministery of the Word, either to give entrance into the kingdome of heaven, which is begun on earth and finished in the heavens,The keyes of the kingdom of heaven are the authority of preaching the Gospel, administring the Sacrament, and Church-censures, all which things were in as ample manner granted to the other Apostles, As my Father sent me, so send I you, whose sins you retaine they are retained, and whose sins you remit they are remitted. If Christ had given or promised a primacy to Peter, in saying, thou art Peter, &c. then no doubt the contention would have ceased among the Apostles for that time forward who should have been chiefe, but the Disciples long after this contended about that. Mr. Wheatly. To thee] cum reliquis. Origen, Austen, Chrysostome. To thee and thy fellow Labourers the other Apostles, and your Successors, Synecdoche membri; in another place he gives the keyes to all the Apostles, Iohn 20.23. Cyprian saith, that Christ in the person of one spake unto all, that he might commend the unity of the Church. to such as obediently receive the word; or to cast out from thence such as shall obstinately refuse it. This is not Peters key, but the Popes picklock; by binding and loosing are signified the same things noted by the keyes, and the same power is given to the rest of the Apostles that was given to Peter. Iohn 19.20. Cart. on Rhem. Test.
The proper use of keyes is to let in and out, the ministery of the Gospell being executed, partly by Preaching, and Sacraments, and partly by Church censures, is called the keyes, this is all likewise that is meant by binding and loosing Dr White.
Vers. 20. Then …harged he his Disciples that they should tell no man that he was Iesus the Christ.] Christ therefore forbids them this, because it was not simply necessary to Salvation to know in speciall that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, for then men might be saved without this speciall knowledge, from a generall faith in the Messiah to come. Because the Disciples minds (the death of Christ being at hand) were troubled, they were not so fit publishers of so great a matter. Cameron praelect. in Mat. 16.20.
The Apostles had not yet the Holy Ghost come down on them, and therefore could not fully declare it. Ambrose. Prius discendum antequam docendum. 2. Because Christ was not yet glorified.
Vers. 23. Get thee behind me Satan] That is, out of my sight, See Mat. 4.10. Thou wouldst hinder mans redemption, and Satan could do no more. They that will have his trade shall have his name too.
Tolet in Comment super loc. observes, Abnegare plus est quā negare, abnegare implicat duo. 1. vehemē tiam. 2. Co… tus magnitudinem.Vers. 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me] Here are three branches: 1. Self deniall. 2. Gospell suffering. 3. Gospell service.
Deny, or forsake himself] That is, all that he hath, as Luke expoundeth it, 14.33. all outward prerogatives touching the flesh.
To deny is either when we contradict what is affirmed and affirme the contrary, or else when we refuse to grant ones request, and neglect or oppose it. The first is Logical, in our words, the other morall, in our actions.
And take up his cross] Not as if he should make himself a Cross, but that which is appointed for him. The originall word foreign is emphaticall, as Chrysostome notes, and signifies not simply negare, but pernegare, or prorsus negare, totally, utterly to deny, not at all to spare or regard, it importeth a universall deniall, rendred by Beza abdicet seipsum, which is as much as to reject and cast off, as a man doth a graceless son,
1. simply and absolutely mans sinfull self, and so it is all one with Tit. 2.12. Deny ungodliness and wordly lusts. 2. A mans naturall self conditionally. 3. A mans morall, vertuous, renewed self comparatively, in relation unto righteousness. A man must willingly and obediently forsake all sin, subdue all generall concupisence, with his owne proper and personall corruptions, Psal. 18.23. absolutely without any limitation or exception cast away and forsake alwaies in praeparatione animae, and actually whensoever Christ calls them unto it,Quotidie tollere crucem implicat tria. 1. V…rias esse piorum afflictiones. 2. Perpetuitatem afflictionū. 3. Prōptitudinem subeundi quamlibet crucem. whatsoever is neere and deare unto him if it become a snare to conscience, and disesteeme the best of his graces in respect of the righteousness of Christ. 2. Gospell suffering, a cross, and his cross, and to be taken up voluntarily. Take up his cross, Luke addeth daily, Luk. 9.23. which hath great force in it, for Christ declareth that there is no end of our warfare untill we shall depart out of this life. 3. Gospell service, and let him follow me.
There are two arguments used to set these three on, in Ver. 25, 26, 27.
Vers. 25. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it] We may understand it, first, in reference to this present life, he runs himself into a greater worldly danger while he thinks to avoid it. Secondly, It is alwaies true in respect of eternall life, they lose a better life than they save; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it] That is, lose temporall life, as men count it, shall find eternall.
Ver. 26. For what is a man profited, if he shall gaine the whole world] The earth and all the things there that men can value and desire may be possessed without possessing God.
And lose his own soule] Not in regard of being or property, but felicity.
These words set forth the transcendent excellency of the soul of man.The soule put for the whole man, because a principal part. A man] that is, any one of all mankind. Gaine] that is, in the worlds apprehension, not profit in Gods account. World] that is, all that is in it. There are two arguments used to prove this, 1. A comparatis, the comparison consists of three paire of particulars: 1. Of Acts, gaine, and loss. 2. Of Objects, the world, and soule. 3. Of Adjuncts, the whole world, and his soule, 2. Ab impossibili, from the impossibility of recovering this soule and redeeming it if it should be lost.
What shall a man give] That is, there is nothing he can give.Est interrogatio negantis, quasi dicat, nihil proderit. Paraeus. The interrogation carries with it, 1. a challenge, a triumphant deniall. 2. An appeale, to set it home on our consideration.
Put the soule and the world together, and the soule will be found far more excellent. 1. The world was made for the soule, the end is more noble than the means. Gen. 1.26. Psal. 8. beg: 2. God prefers a soule before the world. Pro. 23.26. Esa. 66.1, 2, 3. The soule is the Lords, the world Satans; God is called the God of the Spirits of all flesh, Satan the Prince of this world. 4. The Soule is of a Spirituall nature, the world of an earthy nature.
Omnia si perdas, animam servare memento.
Vers. 28. In his kingdome] That is, the powerfull effects of the Gospell, as Mat. 10.7. and 12.28. 2 Pet. 1.16. The manifestation of the heavenly glory which Christ began at his resurrection, and shewed it more fully by sending the Holy Ghost.See Iohn 21.22. Calvin. for that which some do imagine of John is a fancy.The earth where Iohn was buried (if we may believe Austen) bubleth like water, to testifie his breathing, and that he is not dead but sleepeth. Sands his travells.