Matthew 13:53-18:35
New Catholic Bible
The Authentic Faith of Those Converted[a]
Jesus Encounters Mixed Receptions[b]
53 Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth.[c] When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from that district.
54 He came to his hometown, and he began to teach the people in the synagogue. They were astonished and wondered, “Where did this man get such wisdom and these mighty deeds? 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? Are not James and Joseph and Simon and Judas his brethren? 56 And are not all his sisters here with us? Where then did this man get all this?” 57 And so they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is always treated with honor except in his hometown and in his own house.” 58 And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.
Chapter 14
John the Baptist, Herod, and Jesus.[d] 1 At that time Herod the tetrarch[e] heard reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead. That is why such powers are at work in him.”
3 Now Herod had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and imprisoned him on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 For John had told him, “It is against the law for you to have her.”
5 Herod wanted to put John to death, but he was afraid of the people because they regarded John as a prophet. 6 But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias[f] danced in front of the guests, and she pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her anything she asked for. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests present there, he ordered that her request be granted. 10 He had John beheaded in the prison.[g] 11 The head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and removed the body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
13 Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Men.[h]When Jesus received this news, he withdrew from there in a boat by himself to a deserted place, but when the people learned of it, they followed him on foot from the towns.[i] 14 When he came ashore and saw the vast crowd, he had compassion on them and healed those who were sick.
15 When evening approached, the disciples came up to him and said, “This is a deserted place and the hour is now late. Send the people away now so that they can go to the villages to buy some food for themselves.” 16 Jesus replied, “There is no need for them to depart. Give them something to eat yourselves.” 17 But they answered, “All we have here are five loaves of bread and two fish.” 18 Jesus said, “Bring them here to me.”
19 Then he ordered the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.[j] 20 They all ate and were satisfied. Then they gathered up the fragments that were left over—twelve full baskets. 21 Those who had eaten numbered about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.[k]
22 Jesus Walks on the Water.[l] Then Jesus instructed the disciples to get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After he sent them away, he went by himself up on the mountain to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from the shore, battered by waves and a strong wind.
25 During the fourth watch[m] of the night, Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified, and they cried out in their fright, “It is a ghost!” 27 But Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you across the water.” 29 He said, “Come!” Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he realized the force of the wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught hold of him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Those in the boat fell to their knees in worship, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”[n]
34 Jesus Heals the Sick at Gennesaret. After they had completed the crossing, they landed at Gennesaret.[o] 35 When the people there recognized him, they sent word of his presence throughout the region. They also brought him all those who were sick 36 and begged him to let them touch only the edge of his cloak. All who touched it were completely healed.
Chapter 15
Traditions That Falsify the Law of God. 1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 [p]“Why do your disciples ignore the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before eating.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses his father or mother shall be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “Anything I might have used for your support is dedicated to God,” 6 then he is excused from his duty to honor his father or mother.’ To uphold your tradition you have made God’s word null and void. 7 You hypocrites! How rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said:
8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
10 Clean and Unclean.[q] Then he called the people to him and said to them, “Listen and understand. 11 It is not what goes into one’s mouth that defiles a person; what comes out of the mouth is what defiles him.”
12 The disciples approached and said to him, “Do you realize that the Pharisees were greatly offended when they heard what you said?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides. And if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a pit.”
15 Peter said to him, “Explain that parable to us.” 16 Jesus replied, “Are even you still without understanding? 17 Do you not realize that whatever goes into the mouth passes through the stomach and is discharged into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart, and this is what defiles a person. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, slander. 20 These are the things that defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not make anyone unclean.”
21 The Faith of a Pagan Woman.[r] Jesus then left that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.[s] 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out to meet him and cried out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is sorely tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not say a word to her in reply.
So his disciples came and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt at his feet, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She replied, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, you have great faith. Let it be done for you as you wish.” And from that moment her daughter was healed.
29 Jesus Heals Many People.[t]After leaving that region, Jesus walked along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and going up onto the mountain, he sat down. 30 Large crowds flocked to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. 31 The crowds were amazed when they observed the mute speaking, the crippled made whole, the lame walking, and the blind with their sight restored, and they gave praise to the God of Israel.
32 Jesus Feeds Four Thousand Men. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I am moved with compassion for these people, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
33 The disciples said to him, “Where can we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to feed such a great crowd?” 34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”
35 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward, they picked up seven baskets full of what remained. 38 Those who had eaten numbered four thousand men, not counting women and children. 39 And when he had sent away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
Chapter 16
The Demand for a Sign.[u] 1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to put him to the test they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘Tomorrow there will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning you say, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous[v] generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.[w] 5 In crossing to the other side of the lake, the disciples had forgotten to bring bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Be careful, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 They talked about this among themselves and concluded: “It is because we brought no bread.”
8 Aware of what they were saying, Jesus said, “O you of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand and the number of baskets you collected? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How could you fail to see that I was not speaking about bread when I said, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees’?” 12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the yeast used in bread but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 Peter’s Confession of Christ’s Divinity.[x]When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,[y] he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the Prophets.” 15 “But you,” he said to them, “who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”[z]
17 Then Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood[aa] has not revealed this to you but my heavenly Father. 18 And I say to you: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church,[ab] and the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”[ac] 20 Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell[ad] 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.[ae]
22 [af]Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid, Lord. Such a fate must never happen to you.” 23 He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as men do.”
24 The Conditions of Discipleship. Jesus then said to his disciples, “Anyone who wishes to follow me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.[ag] 26 What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his very life? Or what can he give in exchange for his life?
27 “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone according to what has been done. 28 Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”[ah]
Chapter 17
Jesus Is Transfigured.[ai] 1 Six days later, Jesus took Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain[aj] by themselves. 2 And in their presence he was transfigured; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, conversing with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three tents here—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud cast a shadow over them. Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were greatly frightened. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Stand up, and do not be frightened.” 8 And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one, but only Jesus.
Elijah Has Already Come.[ak] 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come, and he will set everything right again. 12 However, I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
14 Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon.[al] When they returned to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, fell to his knees before him, 15 and pleaded, “Lord, have pity on my son, for he is subject to epileptic seizures and endures great suffering. He falls often into fire and often into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
17 Jesus said in reply, “O unbelieving and perverse generation, how much longer shall I remain with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was cured from that very moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him privately, “Why were we not able to cast it out?” 20 He answered, “Because you have such little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith as tiny as a mustard seed, you will be able to say to this mountain: ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. [ 21 But this kind of demon does not come out except by prayer and fasting.]”[am]
22 Jesus Predicts His Passion a Second Time.[an] When they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were overwhelmed with grief.
24 Jesus Pays the Temple Tax.[ao] When they arrived at Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came up to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter went into the house, but before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do the kings of the earth exact tolls and taxes—from their own sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus replied, “Then their sons are exempt. 27 However, lest we give offense to them, go to the lake and cast a hook. Take the first fish that you catch and open its mouth. There you will find a silver coin. Take it and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
Instructions to the Disciples: The Charter of the Community[ap]
Chapter 18
Become Like Little Children.[aq] 1 At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus beckoned a child to come to him, placed it in their midst, 3 and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself and becomes like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Woe to the World because of Scandals.[ar] 5 “And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of scandals. Such things are bound to occur, but woe to the one through whom they come.
8 [as]“If your hand or your foot is an occasion of sin for you, cut it off and throw it away. It is preferable for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is preferable for you to enter into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be cast into the fires of Gehenna.
10 “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven gaze continually on the face of my heavenly Father. [ 11 For the Son of Man has come to save what was lost.][at]
12 The Parable of the Lost Sheep.[au]“Tell me your opinion. If a man owns a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the other ninety-nine on the hillside and go off in search of the one who went astray? 13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he is more filled with joy over it than over the ninety-nine who did not wander off. 14 In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that a single one of these little ones should be lost.
15 The Church: Community of Love, Prayer, and Pardon.[av]“If your brother wrongs you, go and take up the matter with him when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every detail may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, report it to the Church. And if he refuses to listen to the Church, treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
18 “Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 [Amen,] I say to you, further, if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst.”
21 Then Peter came up to him and asked, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy times seven.[aw]
23 The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.[ax]“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the accounting, a man was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[ay] 25 Since he had no possible way to repay what he owed, his master ordered him to be sold, together with his wife, his children, and all his property, to satisfy the debt. 26 At this, the servant fell to his knees, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you in full.’ 27 Moved with compassion, the master of that servant let him go and canceled the debt.
28 “However, when that servant left, he encountered one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii,[az] and, choking him, he demanded, ‘Pay me back what you owe.’ 29 His fellow servant fell to his knees and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he turned a deaf ear and had him thrown into prison until he had repaid the debt.
31 “When his fellow servants observed what had happened, they were greatly upset, and, going to their master, they reported everything that had taken place. 32 Then his master sent for the man and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you for your complete debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in his anger his master handed him over to be tortured until he repaid the entire debt. 35 In the same way, my heavenly Father will also deal with you unless each of you forgives his brother from the heart.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:53 A new and tragic phase in the life of Jesus, and therefore also in the life of the kingdom, begins here and illustrates the accounts and words of this fourth part of the Gospel. The drama is infused with a growing intensity. Christ hides himself from the enthusiasm of the crowds who want him to embrace their hope for national freedom. This stirs up hostility and leads to defection. The kingdom that he proclaims is suspect in the eyes of the defenders of legalism and traditions; not even his disciples have a good understanding of the life that he teaches. Powerless, they live under this tension, which prepares for the Passion, and their incredulity will even contribute to it; but they still remain the core of the new community of believers.
- Matthew 13:53 The main purpose of this section is to place the Person of Jesus at the center of the mystery of the kingdom of God. The evangelist shows Jesus receiving a mixed reception, beginning with his rejection at Nazareth and the execution of the Baptist (Mt 13:53—14:12). He then alludes to the Eucharistic mystery in the accounts of the multiplication of the loaves (Mt 14:19; 15:36), and the walking on the water (Mt 14:22-33). Finally, he reports the doctrinal conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities (Mt 15:1-20) and raises anew the question of the sign of Jonah (Mt 16:1-4; see note on Mt 12:38ff). This sign will later be explained as referring to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus (Mt 16:21ff), which must occur before the kingdom of God reaches a new stage (Mt 16:28). This is the message of the Scriptures (Mt 17:5).
- Matthew 13:53 At Nazareth, everyone knows the mother of Jesus and his brothers and sisters, i.e., his closest relatives, as it was customary to say in those days (see note on Mt 12:46). He thus has his place in this little village. But how can the villagers be expected to acknowledge the Messiah in one of their compatriots? God’s action and word manifested among men is the mystery of the Incarnation; this seems too human. Even the believer might hesitate in believing in the Lord present among us, in the places and times in which daily life unfolds.
- Matthew 14:1 At the ominous banquet in the fortress of Machaerus we find various members of the family of Herod. Antipas was the second-born of Herod the Great and ruled over Galilee and Perea. We come upon him several times in the New Testament (Lk 9:7; 23:7; Acts 4:27); Caligula will exile him to Gaul in A.D. 39. His half-brother Philip died in Rome without ever attaining political power. Herodias, niece of both men and wife of Philip, was ambitious and desired to be the wife of a ruler.
- Matthew 14:1 Tetrarch: ruler of one quarter of the kingdom of his father, Herod the Great.
- Matthew 14:6 The daughter of Herodias: her name was Salome, as we are told by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.
- Matthew 14:10 The beheading of the Baptist probably occurred in A.D. 29 in the fortress of Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea, as is attested by Flavius Josephus.
- Matthew 14:13 Exegetes have named this the “Section of the Loaves” because of the frequency with which the word “bread” is used therein. It seems to symbolize the teaching and salvific acts of Jesus, with a particular reference to the founding of the Church.
- Matthew 14:13 At the time of the temptation in the desert, Jesus had refused to renew the miracle of the manna either for himself or to attain his own success. Moreover, six times in the Gospels (two of which are in Matthew) we read an account like this one. Thus, the first generation of Christians attached a particular importance to the deed. It is first of all an act of mercy, a sign of the goodness of God, who satisfies material and spiritual hunger at the last days. It is also the manifestation of Jesus as the new Moses, as the new founder of the people—he too feeds the crowd in the desert (Ex 16); he acts like the great men of God such as Elisha (2 Ki 4:42-44). In addition, something even more mysterious is part of this extraordinary moment. How can one not discern in this account a climate of Liturgy? For Christians the giving of bread announces the joy of the Eucharist: the Lord present in the assembly, satisfying every hunger with the Bread of Life that is himself (see Jn 6).
- Matthew 14:19 Note the resemblance of this verse to that of the institution of the Eucharist (Mt 26:26). Obviously in the eyes of the primitive Church this meal was a prelude and prefiguration of the Eucharistic banquet, which in its turn recalls the Messianic banquet. Particularly allusive are the breaking of the bread and the action of the disciples in distributing the bread.
- Matthew 14:21 In addition to women and children: women and children were not permitted to eat with men in public. Hence they were in a place by themselves and would greatly increase the number given for the men: 5000!
- Matthew 14:22 For people of the Bible, raging waves and the dead of night evoke the forces hostile to God and his faithful. In calming the storm, Jesus has manifested himself as the master of the powers of evil. To follow him means to escape from their clutches. This is a dangerous path at times in which we must risk everything for him because it is he. “It is I,” he says, and in these words any Christian, after the Ascension and Resurrection, would detect echoes of “I am,” the decisive self-disclosure of God (Ex 3:14; Isa 43:10; 51:12). In Peter himself, the first among the disciples, we discern the drama of every believer: strong when he entrusts himself totally to the Lord, yet threatened and uncertain when he does not take refuge in him alone.
- Matthew 14:25 Fourth watch: 3:00–6:00 A.M. The Romans divided the night into four watches: (1) 6:00–9:00 P.M., (2) 9:00–midnight, (3) midnight–3:00 A.M., (4) 3:00–6:00 A.M. The Jews divided the night into three watches: (1) sunset–10:00 P.M., (2) 10:00 P.M–2:00 A.M., (3) 2:00–sunrise. Apparently, the apostles labored for several hours against the storm waves. Their enthusiasm of the previous evening for an overly earthly Messianism had greatly evaporated in the face of hard labor and the fear of being shipwrecked.
- Matthew 14:33 Son of God: the apostles probably used this title in a Messianic way (see Mt 3:17; 11:25-30) but with superficial understanding. Since Jesus’ divine nature was hidden during his life on earth, the disciples did not yet grasp his divinity at this time (Phil 2:5-8). But they were beginning to realize that he was the Messiah.
- Matthew 14:34 Gennesaret: the plain northwest of the lake of the same name.
- Matthew 15:2 The “oral” tradition consisted of practices and regulations meant to fill out the written Law of Moses; many Pharisaic Jews did not hesitate to claim that this tradition, like the Torah, had been revealed on Sinai. The oral tradition allowed for a vow by which a man could free himself from his obligations to his own parents: the material goods meant for them were promised to God and thus declared “sacred offerings.”
- Matthew 15:10 Every ancient religion attempted to distinguish clearly the two notions of clean and unclean as regards objects and affairs of life. The Book of Leviticus proposes a developed code of ritual purity, which was above all a way of expressing the grandeur of God and of establishing laws of respect in the behavior of human beings. However, as time went on, this great inspiration was lost in a soulless formalism. In the tightly regulated life of the Jews of the first century A.D., the dispositions of the heart held such a small place that even the apostles have trouble understanding the teaching of Jesus. He unmasks hypocrisy. How can one not be shocked by his words, which overturn even the religious assurance of humans!
- Matthew 15:21 The Israelites regarded themselves as children of God because they were heirs of the promises made to the patriarchs and depositaries of the divine revelation. On the contrary, they called the Gentiles dogs out of contempt for their idolatrous and immoral practices. Jesus makes use of these two terms but softens the second, which in the Greek is “little dogs,” i.e., pet dogs in the home. His point was that the Gospel was to be offered first to the Jews. The woman understood his implication and was willing to settle for the “crumbs.” Jesus rewarded her faith.
- Matthew 15:21 Tyre and Sidon: these were Phoenician cities; Canaanite was the ancient name of their populations.
- Matthew 15:29 This second miracle of the loaves has many analogies with the first multiplication of the loaves. Therefore, some exegetes speak of a duplication, i.e., a different reporting of the same episode. However, there are so many diverse circumstances in the two episodes that Matthew and Mark believe in two distinct miracles.
- Matthew 16:1 The preaching, works, and extraordinary miracles of Jesus constituted a convincing proof of his Messiahship. The Pharisees and Sadducees demand a sign from heaven, like the stopping of the sun. Jesus flatly refuses to do so. He offers only the sign of Jonah, which foreshadows the mystery of his Death and Resurrection (see Mt 12:38-42).
- Matthew 16:4 Adulterous: i.e., unfaithful to the Lord.
- Matthew 16:5 The disciples at first misunderstand their Master, for whom the nourishment of humans is not reduced to bread alone. Jesus wishes to preserve his own from legalism. The yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees is the rigid teaching of specialists of religion who snuff out freedom, joy, spontaneity, and commitment.
- Matthew 16:13 Following the section of the bread (Mt 14:13—16:12), the evangelist appends a series of episodes that have to do with the revelation of the mystery of Christ. In addition to the text taken from Mark, which sets forth the theology of the Messianic secret and the suffering Servant, he presents the passages that speak of the primacy of Peter (Mt 16:17-19) and the payment of the temple tax (Mt 17:24-27), thus highlighting the theme of the foundation of the Church. The new People of God will then rise not from a Messianic triumphalism but from the mysterious drama of the Messiah’s Passion and Resurrection.
- Matthew 16:13 Caesarea Philippi had been built by Herod Philip near the springs of the Jordan, at the foot of Mount Hermon. The name “Caesarea” was given as an act of homage to the Roman Emperor; since so many cities had the name, some further qualifier had to be added (“Philip’s Caesarea”). “Caesarea in Palestine,” to take one example, was the ordinary residence of the governor (see Acts 23).
- Matthew 16:16 The Son of the living God: in addition to the Messiahship of Jesus found in the other Synoptics at this point, Matthew also has an acknowledgment by Peter of Jesus’ divinity. Many exegetes believe this is an addition based on Peter’s later understanding of the mystery of Christ after the risen Lord appeared to him (see 1 Cor 15:5; Lk 24:34). In any case, Matthew has already mentioned that all the disciples had recognized the divinity of Christ (Mt 14:33).
- Matthew 16:17 Flesh and blood: a Scriptural expression that designates human beings in their weak and fragile condition. Has not revealed this to you but my heavenly Father: the source of Peter’s confession of Christ’s divinity is the heavenly Father.
- Matthew 16:18 You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church: the Aramaic word for “rock” (kepa) is transliterated into Greek as Cephas, the name used for Peter in the Pauline letters (1 Cor 1:12; Gal 1:18), and is translated as “Peter” in Jn 1:42. Church: a word that occurs only here and in Mt 18:17 (twice) in the New Testament. The Church will have Peter as her foundation stone. But of course her real foundation is faith in Jesus, the Son of God. Peter will have the primacy among all the apostles and be the visible head of the Church, as will his successors, the Popes. The gates of the netherworld designate the powers of death. The Church will resist all the vicissitudes of time because of her foundation on a rock.
- Matthew 16:19 Receiving the power of the keys, symbol of authority, Peter becomes Christ’s representative on earth. He is given the power to bind and loose, i.e., to condemn or absolve, to prohibit or allow. Peter is the doorkeeper (Mk 13:34) but not the Teacher or the Father (Mt 23:9-10).
- 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).
- Matthew 16:25 In order to receive eternal life, one must be ready to bear any sacrifice—even the renunciation of earthly life. The Greek word for “life” means either “life” or “soul;” also in v. 26.
- Matthew 16:28 Coming after v. 27, which alludes to the Second Coming of Christ, i.e., as Judge at the end of the world, this verse may refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, which came to be regarded as a punishment from God for the refusal of the Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah. The verse may also refer to Christ’s Resurrection and his appearances thereafter as well as to the Transfiguration, which is a manifestation of his glory.
- Matthew 17:1 At the Transfiguration, the same voice that at the moment of his Baptism had indicated to Jesus the way of a suffering Messianism now manifests him as the true Messiah to the three apostles who would witness his agony in the garden. For a few seconds Jesus’ humanity is resplendent with the divine glory of which he had divested himself during his earthly life.
- Matthew 17:1 A high mountain: since the 4th century, this has been identified with Tabor (1843 feet high) on the Plain of Esdraelon.
- Matthew 17:9 According to an ancient story, Elijah was assumed into heaven, while a prophecy claimed that he would return to prepare the people for the Messianic Age (see Mal 3:23-24; Sir 48:1-11).
- Matthew 17:14 This miracle has the purpose of highlighting the power of Jesus against the power of Satan, thus erasing all doubts that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus states with some disappointment that not even his disciples have attained true faith.
- Matthew 17:21 This verse is missing in the most important manuscripts and seems to be taken from Mk 9:29.
- Matthew 17:22 This is the second of Christ’s three predictions of his Passion (see Mt 16:21-23) and the least detailed. The disciples are overwhelmed with grief.
- Matthew 17:24 On reaching the age of twenty, every Jew had to pay two drachmas each year (Ex 30:13; 2 Chr 24:9; Neh 10:32). It was approximately two days’ wages and was used for the upkeep of the temple. The two drachmas had to be paid in Jewish money; this explains the presence of money changers in the entrance halls of the temple (Mt 21:12; Jn 2:15). Silver coin: literally, a “stater,” which was worth four drachmas, or twice the amount of the tax.
Jesus submits to the law out of respect for others, but he affirms that as Son of Man he is not bound by it. Christians who obey the law remain free with respect to all authority and are subject to God alone. - Matthew 18:1 In this fourth collection of the sayings of Jesus, there are a good number that we have already met, and we recognize here, at times, the tone of the “Sermon on the Mount” (chs. 5–7). Everything is focused on the coming of the kingdom, but the words of Jesus now apply to the community life of the disciples. Chapter 18 is known as the “ecclesiastical discourse” because it describes the demands made by brotherhood in the Church of Jesus, which is a community of love, prayer, and forgiveness.
- Matthew 18:1 The true disciple of Jesus must renounce all ambition and become as simple and humble as a child.
- Matthew 18:5 Woe to those who give scandal to the little ones, i.e., the disciples of the Gospel, so as to make them fall. The Lord identifies himself with them and issues severe threats for those who wish to pervert them. Indeed, they have angels who always see the face of the Father in heaven—the guardian angels—thus showing their great worth in God’s eyes.
- Matthew 18:8 These verses are already to be found substantially in Mt 5:29-30; the evangelist repeats them because they have to do with “scandal.” The point is that no one can be saved who does not break completely with evil.
- Matthew 18:11 This verse is missing from the most important manuscripts and seems to have been transferred to this point from Lk 19:10.
- Matthew 18:12 In this parable, Jesus suggests what price the Father attaches to the salvation of sinners. The evangelist uses it as an appeal to the community that it may never become inhospitable to the least of believers, no matter how lost they may appear.
- Matthew 18:15 When believers live with trust in God and in communion with one another, Christ is in their midst. Doubtless, judgment is to be passed upon those who “sin,” i.e., who gravely and publicly injure the unity; but all must remain ready to forgive without measure.
- Matthew 18:22 Seventy times seven: the Greek word may also be translated “seventy-seven times.”
- Matthew 18:23 The law of pardon must ceaselessly renew the fraternal relationships in the Church. It is founded on the goodness of God who gratuitously forgives the immense sin of human beings.
- Matthew 18:24 Ten thousand talents: an enormous sum, equivalent to about 250,000 kg of silver. The Attic talent in circulation at that time was worth 6000 drachmas, and a drachma weighed about 4 gr.
- Matthew 18:28 One hundred denarii: the denarius was a Roman silver coin with the image and name of the emperor on it; it weighed about 4 gr and was the salary for a day’s work. A hundred denarii were therefore a sum 600,000 times less than the ten thousand talents.
