Matthew 16:13-28
“Notice what you notice.” My Study Bible notes that verse 21 begins a new phase, a turning point in Jesus’ ministry: From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. This Study Bible comment hinges on the word “began”, that Jesus “began to show His disciples…”. The Study Bible argued that up to this point Jesus had been ministering to the crowds. Now He is turning His attention to the twelve.
I began to think about this claim and came up with at least four items that support that claim. First, Jesus and His disciples were in the district of Caesarea Philippi, which (I believe) was as far north as Jesus traveled. From this point on Jesus is heading south, back into and through Galilee and on to Jerusalem.
Second, Jesus establishes Peter as the leader of the Twelve, and later as leader of the Church. This decision is based on the Father’s revelation to Peter as to Jesus’ true identity: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven…” (v. 17). As Jesus is moving in a direction of ministering to His disciples, He now has a “second-in-command”. He then further elevates Peter by bringing him to the mountain for His Transfiguration (the very next event in Matthew’s Gospel).
Third, Jesus is very straightforward about His cross and resurrection. To this point He has had difficulties with the Jewish leaders, but I don’t recall that He has said that He must die.
Finally, the next event in Matthew is His Transfiguration. In His Transfiguration He is revealing Himself to Peter, James, and John in a very different manner than He has ever shown before.
So now, we watch to see if the focus changes, if there is less crowd activity and more interaction between Jesus and His disciples.
Slava Bohu!