14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
14 They replied, "Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
14 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
28 And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."
28 "Some say 'John the Baptizer,'" they said. "Others say 'Elijah.' Still others say 'one of the prophets.'"
28 So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."
28 "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets."
(Read Mark 8:27-33)
These things are written, that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. These miracles of our Lord assure us that he was not conquered, but a Conqueror. Now the disciples are convinced that Jesus is the Christ; they may bear to hear of his sufferings, of which Christ here begins to give them notice. He sees that amiss in what we say and do, of which we ourselves are not aware, and knows what manner of spirit we are of, when we ourselves do not. The wisdom of man is folly, when it pretends to limit the Divine counsels. Peter did not rightly understand the nature of Christ's kingdom.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 16:14
Commentary on Matthew 16:13-20
(Read Matthew 16:13-20)
Peter, for himself and his brethren, said that they were assured of our Lord's being the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God. This showed that they believed Jesus to be more than man. Our Lord declared Peter to be blessed, as the teaching of God made him differ from his unbelieving countrymen. Christ added that he had named him Peter, in allusion to his stability or firmness in professing the truth. The word translated "rock," is not the same word as Peter, but is of a similar meaning. Nothing can be more wrong than to suppose that Christ meant the person of Peter was the rock. Without doubt Christ himself is the Rock, the tried foundation of the church; and woe to him that attempts to lay any other! Peter's confession is this rock as to doctrine. If Jesus be not the Christ, those that own him are not of the church, but deceivers and deceived. Our Lord next declared the authority with which Peter would be invested. He spoke in the name of his brethren, and this related to them as well as to him. They had no certain knowledge of the characters of men, and were liable to mistakes and sins in their own conduct; but they were kept from error in stating the way of acceptance and salvation, the rule of obedience, the believer's character and experience, and the final doom of unbelievers and hypocrites. In such matters their decision was right, and it was confirmed in heaven. But all pretensions of any man, either to absolve or retain men's sins, are blasphemous and absurd. None can forgive sins but God only. And this binding and loosing, in the common language of the Jews, signified to forbid and to allow, or to teach what is lawful or unlawful.