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Matthew 16:20-22
New Catholic Bible
Matthew 16:20-22
New Catholic Bible
20 Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell[a] anyone that he was the Christ.
21 Jesus Predicts His Passion. From then onward Jesus made it clear to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and endure great suffering at the hands of the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be put to death, and be raised on the third day.[b]
22 [c]Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid, Lord. Such a fate must never happen to you.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 16:20 Not to tell: since the Jews were looking for a national and political Messiah, Jesus urged his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
- Matthew 16:21 The apostles now knew that Jesus was the Messiah, but their idea of it was inexact. They thought of a political Messiah, the glorious dominator of peoples. Jesus offers a triple prediction that spells out the last stages of his ministry. He thus prepares them for the scandal of the cross (see Mt 17:22f; 20:17f) and enlightens them concerning the true Messianism, which is spiritual, humble, and suffering.
- Matthew 16:22 Peter unknowingly offers Jesus the facile and worldly Messianism that would put him in opposition to the will of the Father. He unwittingly repeats the temptation of Satan at the beginning of Christ’s ministry (Mt 4:1-11).
