Matthew 16:21-28

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Introduction

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Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

21 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. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Jesus must go to Jerusalem.
Previously, I pointed out that this is a major turning point in Jesus’ ministry, a turning point in Matthew’s Gospel, and a turning point that will ultimately take Jesus to Jerusalem. Much of Matthew’s record of Jesus’ life and ministry has been in Galilee, and it has been dedicated to answering one central question, “Who is this Jesus?” Who is this man who heals the sick, who casts out demons, who commands the winds and the waters, and who speaks with an authority that is unprecendented?
And in the verses just before, Peter climatically answered that question, when he said to Jesus,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

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Matthew has labored to demonstrate to his audience (and to us) that this Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, that he’s Israel’s Messiah.
Now, over the course of the next 12 chapters, Matthew will labor to show us what it means for Jesus to be Israel’s Messiah. What will the Messiah’s mission be, and how will he accomplish it? And how will the kingdom of God be restored to Israel? While the disciples, at this point, recognized Jesus as the Messiah they still had a very poor understanding of what the Messiah was to do, and how he would do it. What they envisioned was very much not what Jesus intended. They did not expect a suffering servant, instead they expected only a triumphant king.

Jerusalem, suffering and death

So, “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.” () Jesus lays out for them what they ought to expect going forward, first, that the rest of his life and ministry will be spent in Jerusalem. So far so good, it would’ve been only natural for Israel’s messianic king to come to Jerusalem - the son of David coming to city of David to rule from David’s throne.
However, Jesus doesn’t stop there, he says that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer, and that he must be killed! And not to suffer merely because of a likely outcome of hostility by the rulers in Jerusalem, but because it’s necessary he says. And he won’t be killed merely as a likely outcome of that hostility, rather he’ll be killed ultimately out of divine necessity. This is why Jesus tells his disciples that he must suffer and die, that it’s central to his divine mission.

Peter rebukes Jesus

However, to his disciples, this is unthinkable! In fact, it seems to be wholly contrary to how they saw all of this playing out. If Jesus will ultimately be killed, how on earth can Jesus be expected to usher in the kingdom of God? How can the king of this kingdom, the Son of David, be slain and yet rule? This whole idea of suffering and death can only mean defeat! So Peter pulls Jesus aside, and begins to rebuke him! We read there in verse 22,
So Peter pulls Jesus aside, and begins to rebuke him!
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22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

I think our first reaction to this incident should be astonishment. I’m baffled that Peter would have the audacity to rebuke Jesus. And it’s incredible to think that just a few verses earlier Peter had made such a remarkable confession, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and then be so audacious to think that he’s in any kind of a position to rebuke him.

Jesus rebukes Peter

It’s important to feel just how out of line Peter is here so that we can understand Jesus’ response there in verse 23,

23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

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This calls to mind the scenario of a student attempting to correct his teacher, filled with presumption and arrogance, only to have his teacher recoil with a severe rebuke. And so it is here with Jesus and his disciple.
Peter has not only overstepped his bounds, but he has gone from a rock that Jesus will build his church upon to a stumbling block that stands in opposition to Jesus himself. Like Satan, Peter’s rebuke has made him an enemy of the Messiah’s mission. So Jesus tells Peter to back off. And Jesus’ response is so severe that it seems to suggest that behind Peter’s words Jesus detects an attempt to divert him from his appointed course, similar to what Satan tried to do to Jesus back in chapter 4 during his temptation in the wilderness.

Humanly mindest

And it’s Peter’s humanly mindset that’s behind his words. Jesus tells him that he’s not setting his mind on the things of God, but rather on the things of man. That Peter was looking at things from only a humanly perspective. He wrongly assumed that Jesus remaining alive was better than Jesus suffering and being put to death. In Peter’s mind self-preservation was paramount.
And so it’s at this point that Jesus launches into verses 24, turning to the rest of his disciples, and calling the nearby crowd to himself (as Mark tells us in his Gospel), saying,
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“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Cost of discipleship

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One of the many things that’s remarkable about Jesus is that in his preaching he never shied away from what it would cost to follow him. Often times when we evangelize we talk up all of the benefits of following Jesus, and shy away from what it will cost to follow him, but this wasn’t so with Jesus. For instance, chapter 10 of Matthew’s Gospel is dedicated, almost entirely, to the cost of discipleship, that those who follow Jesus will suffer persecution, often physical harm, and divided families. And he continues that thread here in chapter 16 when he reminds his disciples that self-preservation is not the aim of the Christian life. It’s not the aim of the Messiah’s mission here on earth, and they must realize that self-preservation is not the goal for his followers.
And here he reminds his disciples that self-preservation is not the aim of the Christian life.

Jesus will preserve our lives

In fact, whoever seeks to preserve his life at the cost of forsaking Jesus will lose it. Following Jesus will indeed be a risky business, for we are a fragrance of death to those who are perishing, and our allegiance to and association with Jesus will often elicit a hostile response from those who oppose him, but Jesus tells his disciples that whoever loses his life for his sake will find it, that even after death Jesus will preserve our lives. And like him we will be resurrected unto eternal life. It was almost as if the disciples missed that part back in verse 21. Yes, Jesus will suffer, yes, Jesus will be killed, but he’ll also be raised to life three days later. His life will be preserved despite his suffering and murder, and so will ours if we likewise take up our cross and follow him. Not all believers will be put to death for following Christ, but all of us ought to be willing to follow our Lord, even unto death, knowing that death will not hold us, that we will one day rise like our savior.

Jesus’ day of recompense

For remaining faithful to our Lord, even at the cost of our earthly lives, will prove to be of infinite worth, because like Jesus says there in verse 27,

the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

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A day is coming when all men will be called to account, and we will all be judged according to our deeds. And those who sought to preserve their lives now will lose their lives then, they will be punished for their iniquity, but for those who were willing to lose their lives to follow Christ now will find their lives hidden in Christ then, and they will be ushered into eternal life where there will be fullness of joy. Where we will share in the resurrection of our Lord.
And he warns us that
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Assurance

However, if we seek to preserve our life, at the cost for forsaking our Lord, we will lose it, we will forsake our souls at the prospect of gaining the whole world, if it were even possible. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” ()
This is literally what picking up our cross means, it means that we’re willing to follow Jesus no matter the cost, even to our death.
And Jesus goes on there in verse 28 giving his disciples even greater assurance, he says,
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28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

What Jesus is saying to his disciples is that even many of them will still be alive when many of these come to pass. That his disciples, and many who were alive in that day even, standing there with them, will not taste death before they will see this kingdom established. Jesus intends for the establishment of his kingdom, that will begin to take place in their lifetime, to be an assurance of his promise that whoever loses his life for his sake will find it, and that assurance will be tied directly to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven, when he is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Verse 28 interpretation

However, there is much debate as to what verse 28 is referencing specifically. Some say Jesus is referencing his second coming, others say it’s in reference to his transfiguration that takes place just six days later in chapter 17. And what I think makes this verse particularly difficult to understand is the phrase, “until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” I know, at least from my own experience, that the imagery that my mind typically conjures up when I think of Jesus coming is almost exclusively in connection to his second coming. And I suspect that’s the case because of what’s considered popular eschatology in our day.
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However, I don’t think Jesus is at all talking about his second coming in verse 28. The primary reason is that Jesus very clearly tells his disciples that “there are some standing [there] who will not taste death” until this event takes place. I also find theories that argue Jesus is talking about his transfiguration, of which Peter, James and John will soon witness, uncompelling, for at least two reasons. First, the context seems to indicate that this event is intended to give assurance to those listening, that many will witness an event that will motivate their faithfulness, even in the face of death, and second, it seems strange that Jesus would say that there are some standing there who will not taste death if this event will happen only six days from then.
Instead, what I think Jesus is speaking of here are the events surrounding his resurrection and ascension into heaven. The reason being, is that when he uses the somewhat cryptic phrase, “Son of Man coming in his kingdom”, I believe he’s referencing the Book of Daniel, and I believe that it’s the Book of Daniel that gives us the best insight into what Jesus assumes we should understand.

Son of Man and the Book of Daniel

Since I started preaching through the book of ’ve pointed out several times Jesus’ favorite self-designation, the Son of Man, and I’ve argued that he draws this title largely from the Book of Daniel, so we’ve often referenced specifically Daniel chapter 7. And I believe it’s there that we find the most helpful texts to shed light on what Jesus is talking about here in verse 28.
If you would, turn with me to Daniel chapter 7. We’ll start in verse 9 to give some background and then we’ll hone in on verses 13 and 14,

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9 “As I looked,

thrones were placed,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat;

his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames;

its wheels were burning fire.

10  A stream of fire issued

and came out from before him;

a thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;

the court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

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The Ancient of Days Reigns

9 “As I looked,

thrones were placed,

and the Ancient of Days took his seat;

his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames;

its wheels were burning fire.

10  A stream of fire issued

and came out from before him;

a thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;

the court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

13 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

14  And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed.

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This is a heavenly glimpse of a kingdom being given to the Son of Man. Dominion is taken away from others and given to the Son of Man. He’s given a kingdom that includes a people from all nations, his dominion is an everlasting dominion, it’s a kingdom that shall not be destroyed, and it’s handed over to the Son of Man.

Inaugurated, established and consummated

I believe this heavenly scene is being played out even now. The kingdom of God that the prophet Daniel saw in this vision was inaugurated by Jesus (some 600 years later), yet this kingdom did not find it consummation at his first advent, much was revealed and much took place, yet we still look forward to its consummation. It could be said that the coming of the kingdom of God has come progressively, in stages, or you might say incrementally, looking forward to it final consummation at Jesus’ second advent.
First, it’s prophetic witness through prophets like Daniel, second, it’s inauguration by Jesus’ coming into the world with signs and wonders, third, its establishment by Jesus’ vindication from the dead and his ascension to his throne in heaven, fourthly, the coming of the Holy Spirit in power through signs and wonders to Christ’s church, fifthly, God’s grafting in of the Gentiles in Acts, six, Jesus’ judgement against Israel by the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and lastly, and eventually, with Jesus’ triumphant second advent, and final consummation of the kingdom.

Resurrection and ascension

So I believe this giving of a kingdom by God the Father to the Son of Man is played out in Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven. In fact, in the last chapter of Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 28) after Jesus’ resurrection, he appears to his disciples and tells them, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” and then goes on to tell them to go and make disciples of all nations, and reminds them that he is with them always, even to the end of the age.
When Jesus says in verse 28 that there are some standing there who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom, the Greek word translated ‘kingdom’ means simply to to ‘reign’. Therefore one commentator translates the last part of verse 28 like this, “the Son of Man coming in his kingship.”
No matter what, verse 28 gives Jesus’ future authority a time scale. A time scale that most of his disciples will witness first hand (minus Judas), they’ll witness his authority over death as they eat with him after his resurrection, Jesus will send them out one last time after all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him, in the Book of Acts his disciples will witness his ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father, they’ll witness the establishment of his kingdom in power through the Holy Spirit, and the disciples will become fearless, even in the face of death, they’ll rejoice in their suffering, and count it a privilege to suffer as their Lord did. Peter will be a very different man than he was in chapter 16.
I pray the Lord would grant us that same assurance and boldness to follow in his footsteps, and footsteps of his Apostles.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Prayer

Prayer

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