Peter's Confession: You Are the Christ
Matthew 16:13-20
Matt.16.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ελθων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- τα: ART,nom,pl,neut
- μερη: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- Καισαρειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Φιλιππου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ηρωτα: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- μαθητας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- λεγων·Τινα: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m+PRON,acc,sg,m
- λεγουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ανθρωποι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ειναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- υιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 8:27 (verbal): Nearly identical question and setting (Caesarea Philippi): Jesus asks disciples who people say the Son of Man is; close verbal parallel in Mark's Gospel.
- Luke 9:18 (verbal): Parallel account of the same episode (Jesus asks his disciples who the crowds say the Son of Man is), with slight verbal and geographic differences.
- Matt 16:16 (structural): Immediate literary continuation in Matthew: Peter's confession ('You are the Christ, the Son of the living God') is the direct answer to the question posed in 16:13.
- Daniel 7:13-14 (thematic): The title 'Son of Man' has its primary Jewish-messianic background in Daniel's vision of the heavenly 'one like a son of man' who receives authority and kingdom; provides theological background for the question's significance.
Alternative generated candidates
- When Jesus came into the districts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?'
- Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?'
Matt.16.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- ειπαν·Οι: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- μεν: PART
- Ιωαννην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- βαπτιστην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αλλοι: PRON,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ηλιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ετεροι: PRON,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιερεμιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ενα: NUM,acc,sg,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- προφητων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 8:28 (quotation): Direct parallel account in Mark with the same responses: people say Jesus is John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets.
- Luke 9:19 (quotation): Direct parallel in Luke recording the identical list of popular identifications (John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets).
- Matthew 14:2 (thematic): Earlier Matthean instance where public opinion identifies Jesus as John the Baptist raised from the dead (Herod's remark), showing the same folk tradition.
- Matthew 11:14 (allusion): Jesus' statement that John the Baptist is 'Elijah who was to come' explains why some might identify Jesus with Elijah.
- Malachi 4:5 (allusion): Old Testament prophecy that Elijah would return—background expectation behind identifying a prophetic figure as Elijah.
Alternative generated candidates
- They said, 'Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'
- They said, 'Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'
Matt.16.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις·Υμεις: PRON,dat,pl,3;PRON,nom,pl,2
- δε: CONJ
- τινα: PRON,acc,sg,masc
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- λεγετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- ειναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
Parallels
- Matt.16.13 (structural): Immediate context: Jesus first asks about public opinion ('Who do people say that the Son of Man is?') before posing the personal question found in 16:15.
- Mark.8.27-29 (verbal): Near-verbatim synoptic parallel: Jesus asks his disciples 'Who do you say that I am?' and Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ.
- Luke.9.18-20 (verbal): Synoptic parallel in Luke: Jesus privately asks his disciples who they think he is and receives Peter's confession.
- Matt.16.16 (quotation): Direct response to 16:15: Peter's confession ('You are the Christ, the Son of the living God') answers Jesus' question.
- John.6.68-69 (thematic): Thematic parallel: a disciple's confession/recognition of Jesus' identity ('You have the words of eternal life; we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God').
Alternative generated candidates
- He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'
- He said to them, 'But you—who do you say that I am?'
Matt.16.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αποκριθεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Σιμων: PROPN,nom,sg,m
- Πετρος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν·Συ: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ει: COND
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- χριστος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ζωντος: VERB,pres,act,part,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 8:29 (verbal): Peter's confession in Mark is virtually identical ('You are the Christ'), serving as the closest verbal parallel to Matthew 16:16.
- Luke 9:20 (verbal): Luke records the same question-and-answer scene; Peter's reply ('The Christ of God') parallels Matthew's confession of Jesus as Messiah.
- John 11:27 (thematic): Martha's confession — 'I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world' — echoes both the Messiahship and divine sonship affirmed in Matthew 16:16.
- John 6:69 (thematic): The disciples' declaration 'We have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God' parallels the recognition of Jesus' unique divine identity in Matthew 16:16.
- Matthew 14:33 (thematic): After Jesus calms the storm the disciples worship him, saying 'Truly you are the Son of God,' a confession of Jesus' sonship that parallels Peter's declaration of the Christ and Son of God.
Alternative generated candidates
- Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
- Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
Matt.16.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αποκριθεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Μακαριος: PRON,dat,sg,2+ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ει: COND
- Σιμων: PROPN,nom,sg,m
- Βαριωνα: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- σαρξ: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- αιμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ουκ: PART
- απεκαλυψεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- αλλ᾽ο: CONJ+ART,nom,sg,m
- πατηρ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- ουρανοις·: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Mark 8:29-30 (structural): Parallel account of Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ; similar narrative context though Mark omits the explicit 'flesh and blood' remark and records Jesus' immediate charging them to tell no one.
- Luke 9:20 (structural): Luke's parallel of Peter's confession (’The Christ of God’)—same scene and outcome, showing the Synoptic agreement on Peter's confession even where Luke does not record the 'flesh and blood' formulation.
- Matthew 11:27 (verbal): Both verses stress divine disclosure: here Jesus teaches that knowledge of the Father and Son is by divine revelation (’no one knows the Father except the Son…and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him’), closely reflecting Matt.16:17’s claim that the Father revealed Jesus’ identity.
- 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 (thematic): Paul contrasts human insight with Spirit-wrought revelation (no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit), echoing Matthew’s contrast between 'flesh and blood' and God’s revealing work in knowing Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jesus answered him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For it was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father who is in heaven.'
- And Jesus answered him, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.'
Matt.16.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- καγω: PRON,nom,sg,1
- δε: CONJ
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- οτι: CONJ
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- ει: COND
- Πετρος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- επι: PREP
- ταυτη: PRON,nom,sg,f
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- πετρα: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- οικοδομησω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εκκλησιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- πυλαι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- αδου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ου: PART
- κατισχυσουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτης·: PRON,gen,sg,3,f
Parallels
- John 1:42 (verbal): Jesus gives Simon the name Cephas/Peter (Aramaic/Greek for 'rock'), the verbal basis for Matthew's 'you are Peter' wordplay and identity of the rock.
- Luke 6:48–49 (structural): Parable of the wise man building his house on rock uses the same building-on-rock imagery to signify a secure foundation for a community or household.
- 1 Peter 2:4–8 (thematic): Believers portrayed as 'living stones' with Christ as the cornerstone echoes the rock/stone language and the idea of the community built on a foundational stone.
- Ephesians 2:19–22 (structural): The church is depicted as a building 'built on the foundation of the apostles' with Christ the cornerstone, paralleling Matthew's notion of Christ building his church on a foundational rock.
- Psalm 118:22 (allusion): The image of 'the stone the builders rejected' becoming the cornerstone underlies NT rock/cornerstone rhetoric; Matthew's rock motif resonates with this messianic stone tradition.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.'
- And I tell you, you are Peter (Petros), and on this rock (petra) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
Matt.16.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- δωσω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- κλειδας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- βασιλειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- ουρανων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εαν: CONJ
- δησης: VERB,aor,act,sub,2,sg
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- δεδεμενον: PART,perf,pass,acc,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- ουρανοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εαν: CONJ
- λυσης: VERB,aor,act,sub,2,sg
- επι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- γης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- λελυμενον: PART,perf,pass,acc,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- ουρανοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 16:18 (structural): Immediate literary context: Jesus addresses Peter, pronouncing him the rock on which he will build the church—verse 19 continues this promise by giving the 'keys' and authority to bind and loose.
- Matthew 18:18 (verbal): Nearly identical language about binding and loosing: 'Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven...'—repeated application of the same authority within church discipline.
- John 20:23 (verbal): Jesus grants the apostles authority over sins: 'If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven... if you retain...'—parallels the Matthean formula of binding/loosing as ecclesial/forensic authority.
- Isaiah 22:22 (allusion): Isaiah speaks of placing 'the key of the house of David' on Eliakim's shoulder, 'he shall open, and none shall shut'—an Old Testament antecedent for the 'keys' imagery and delegated authority.
- Revelation 3:7 (allusion): Christ is described as 'he who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut'—echoes the keys/authority motif and the exclusive ability to open and close.
Alternative generated candidates
- '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.'
- I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Matt.16.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τοτε: ADV
- διεστειλατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- μαθηταις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- ινα: CONJ
- μηδενι: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ειπωσιν: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- αυτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- χριστος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 8:30 (verbal): After Peter's confession Mark records the same command: Jesus strictly charged them to tell no one that he was the Christ (part of the 'Messianic secret').
- Luke 9:21 (verbal): Luke likewise reports Jesus charging the disciples to tell no one about him following Peter's confession, paralleling Matthew's instruction to silence.
- Matthew 12:16 (thematic): Earlier in Matthew Jesus repeatedly warns those he heals not to make him known, showing a Matthean theme of controlled disclosure about his identity.
- Mark 7:36 (verbal): After healing the deaf and mute man Mark records Jesus' command to tell no one—another instance of Jesus ordering silence about his works and identity.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
- Then he charged his disciples strictly not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?'
They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'
He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'
Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar‑Jonah! For flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.' And I tell you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
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.
Then he strictly charged his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.