independentparticipialrelativecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended
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The demand for a sign — the sign of Jonah 16:1–4
vv. 1–3 — the demand, and the weather-wise who cannot read the times
1
Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ Σαδδουκαῖοιparticipial — preposed circumstantial — the rival parties united against him; leans on ἐπηρώτησαν
πειράζοντεςparticipial — second preposed participle — the tempter's verb (4:1); hostile probing, not inquiry
ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸνindependent — the demand — the scene's one mainline verb
σημεῖον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπιδεῖξαι αὐτοῖς.content — complementary infinitive — a direct divine attestation demanded, as if the healings were not signs
2
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — Semitic 'answering said' — the frame; here open vv. 2b–3, absent from א B and double-bracketed in NA28, printed as the data prints them
ὀψίας γενομένηςparticipial — genitive absolute inside the quoted saying — forward-leaning on λέγετε
λέγετε·content — customary present — the folk weather-rule quoted back at its keepers
εὐδία,content — verbless exclamation — the evening forecast
πυρράζει γὰρ ὁ οὐρανός·cause — the γάρ-ground — red evening sky, fair morrow; πυρράζω, a rare verb
3
καὶ πρωΐ·content — elliptical — λέγετε supplied; the dawn forecast follows
σήμερον χειμών,content — verbless exclamation — the morning forecast
πυρράζει γὰρ στυγνάζων ὁ οὐρανός.cause — the γάρ-ground — the same red sky, now sullen (στυγνάζων), reads storm
τὸ μὲν πρόσωπον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ γινώσκετε διακρίνειν,content — μέν-arm — the skill conceded; fronted object
τὰ δὲ σημεῖα τῶν καιρῶν οὐ δύνασθε;content — δέ-arm, διακρίνειν supplied — καιροί, the decisive seasons; the incapacity is moral, not intellectual
v. 4 — the sign of Jonah, and the departure
4
γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ,content — μοιχαλίς — covenant-adultery (Hosea; Ezek 16); the verdict repeated verbatim from 12:39
καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ.content — divine passive — God withholds; the Jonah-sign is the three days and the rising (12:40)
καὶ καταλιπὼν αὐτοὺςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — the abandonment enacts the refusal (cf. Mark 8:13); leans on ἀπῆλθεν
ἀπῆλθεν.independent — one word closes the scene — the sign-seekers left signless
The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees 16:5–12
vv. 5–7 — one forgetfulness misreads another
5
Καὶ ἐλθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ εἰς τὸ πέρανparticipial — preposed circumstantial — the crossing; leans on ἐπελάθοντο
ἐπελάθοντο ἄρτους λαβεῖν.independent — the literal lack that triggers the misreading — ἄρτος, the scene's keyword
6
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the speech-frame for the warning
ὁρᾶτε καὶ προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων.content — double imperative — ζύμη, pervasive corrupting influence (1 Cor 5:6); Matthew pairs the two parties of v. 1 where Mark has 'and of Herod'
7
οἱ δὲ διελογίζοντο ἐν ἑαυτοῖςindependent — inceptive imperfect — the muttered calculation
λέγοντες ὅτιparticipial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι
ἄρτους οὐκ ἐλάβομεν.content — the literalist misreading — leaven heard as loaves
vv. 8–12 — the catechism of the two feedings
8
γνοὺς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — preposed participle — he reads the whispered debate; leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν·independent — the frame for the rebuke-volley (vv. 8–11)
τί διαλογίζεσθε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, ὀλιγόπιστοι,content — ὀλιγόπιστοι — Matthew's signature address to disciples; the diagnosis is unbelief, not shortage
ὅτι ἄρτους οὐκ ἔχετε;content — the content of their reasoning quoted back — ἔχετε read (editions divide over ἐλάβετε)
9
οὔπω νοεῖτε,content — οὔπω — slowness, not final blindness
οὐδὲ μνημονεύετε τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους τῶν πεντακισχιλίωνcontent — the first feeding recalled (14:17–21) — memory as the cure for anxiety
καὶ πόσους κοφίνους ἐλάβετε;content — indirect question — κόφινοι, the stout wicker baskets, twelve at 14:20
10
οὐδὲ τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἄρτους τῶν τετρακισχιλίων καὶ πόσας σπυρίδας ἐλάβετε;content — the second feeding (15:32–38) — σπυρίδες, hampers, seven of them; the two feedings keep their distinct words
11
πῶς οὐ νοεῖτεcontent — the volley's last question — νοέω again
ὅτι οὐ περὶ ἄρτων εἶπον ὑμῖν;content — ὅτι-content — the literal sense disavowed outright
προσέχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων.content — the warning of v. 6 repeated verbatim — said twice, it must be meant
12
τότε συνῆκανindependent — τότε — the Matthean connective; συνίημι, the penny drops where Mark leaves the question hanging (Mark 8:21)
ὅτι οὐκ εἶπεν προσέχειν ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν ἄρτων ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ τῆς διδαχῆς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων.content — the evangelist's own resolution — leaven = διδαχή; 'of the loaves' read (editions divide)
Peter's confession and the keys — Caesarea Philippi 16:13–20
vv. 13–16 — the two questions and the confession
13
Ἐλθὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὰ μέρη Καισαρείας τῆς Φιλίππουparticipial — preposed circumstantial — the pagan far north, the confession's unlikely site; leans on ἠρώτα
ἠρώτα τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ λέγων·independent — inceptive imperfect + pleonastic λέγων — the hinge question opens
τίνα λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;content — the poll — τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου where Mark has 'me' (some witnesses add με)
14
οἱ δὲ εἶπαν·independent — οἱ δέ — the article as pronoun; the answer-frame
οἱ μὲν Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν,content — verbless answer — Herod's verdict (14:2) on popular lips
ἄλλοι δὲ Ἠλίαν,content — Mal 4:5 — the forerunner expected before the Day
ἕτεροι δὲ Ἰερεμίαν ἢ ἕνα τῶν προφητῶν.content — Jeremiah — only Matthew names him (the rejected prophet of doom); all the answers true categories, one size too small
15
λέγει αὐτοῖς·independent — historic present — the question pressed home
ὑμεῖς δὲ τίνα με λέγετε εἶναι;content — emphatic ὑμεῖς — the question turned on the Twelve; now με, not the third-person title
16
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτροςparticipial — preposed participle — Peter as spokesman; leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν·independent — the confession-frame
σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος.content — the confession — Matthew adds 'the Son of the living God' to Mark's bare Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός; τοῦ ζῶντος against Caesarea's dead gods
vv. 17–20 — the blessing, the rock, the keys, the silence
17
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — preposed participle — the confession answered with a blessing; leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the frame for vv. 17–19, the beatitude-rock-keys saying found only in Matthew
μακάριος εἶ, Σίμων Βαριωνᾶ,content — the beatitude — Βαριωνᾶ, the Aramaic patronym, 'son of Jonah'
ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψέν σοιcause — the ground of the blessing — ἀποκαλύπτω: revelation, not deduction (cf. 11:25–27)
ἀλλ' ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.cause — elliptical counter-arm — ἀπεκάλυψεν supplied; the Father the true revealer
18
κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγωcontent — κἀγώ — the Father revealed, now the Son bestows; declaration answering declaration
ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος,content — the naming — σὺ εἶ answers Peter's σὺ εἶ (v. 16)
καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίανcontent — the Πέτρος/πέτρα wordplay — the rock read here as Peter-the-confessor, the classic crux (Peter, his confession, or Christ himself); ἐκκλησία, the word's first Gospel use (18:17)
καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς.content — πύλαι ᾅδου — death's stronghold (Isa 38:10; Job 38:17); the church outlasts death itself
19
δώσω σοι τὰς κλεῖδας τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν,content — the keys — Isa 22:22, Eliakim the steward over the house; authority to admit and exclude
καὶ ὃ ἐὰν δήσῃς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆςconditional — indefinite relative ὃ ἐάν as protasis (typed cnd) — forward-leaning on ἔσται
ἔσται δεδεμένον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς,content — future-perfect periphrasis — heaven's ratifying (or antecedent) decision; binding/loosing, the halakhic forbid/permit
καὶ ὃ ἐὰν λύσῃς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆςconditional — the counter-protasis — forward-leaning on ἔσται
ἔσται λελυμένον ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.content — the paired promise — extended to the whole community at 18:18
20
τότε διεστείλατο τοῖς μαθηταῖςindependent — διεστείλατο read (editions divide over ἐπετίμησεν, as Mark 8:30) — the strict charge
ἵνα μηδενὶ εἴπωσινcontent — ἵνα of the charge's content — the messianic secret
ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστός.content — the title guarded — it must wait for the cross to define it, and v. 21 begins that defining at once
The first passion prediction — Peter rebuked 16:21–23
21
Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς δεικνύειν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦindependent — Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο — Matthew's structural formula (4:17): the Gospel turns toward Jerusalem; δεικνύειν, 'show,' not merely tell
ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀπελθεῖνcontent — δεῖ — the divine must; the first passion prediction (17:22–23 and 20:17–19 follow)
καὶ πολλὰ παθεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ ἀρχιερέων καὶ γραμματέωνcontent — the full Sanhedrin named as the sufferings' source
καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναιcontent — the third infinitive of the chain — said without softening
καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθῆναι.content — ἐγερθῆναι, divine passive — Matthew's 'third day' for Mark's 'after three days'; the member the hearers never seem to hear
22
καὶ προσλαβόμενος αὐτὸν ὁ Πέτροςparticipial — preposed participle — the confessor turns corrector; leans on ἤρξατο
ἤρξατο ἐπιτιμᾶν αὐτῷindependent — ἐπιτιμᾶν — the rebuke-verb of demons and storms turned on the Master
λέγων·participial — the speech-participle — only Matthew quotes Peter's actual words
ἵλεώς σοι, κύριε·content — verbless idiom — ἵλεως (sc. εἴη ὁ θεός), 'God be gracious to you' = 'far be it from you'
οὐ μὴ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο.content — οὐ μή + future — the strongest denial; Peter forbids the divine δεῖ
23
ὁ δὲ στραφεὶςparticipial — preposed participle — the counter-rebuke; leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν τῷ Πέτρῳ·independent — the sharpest word in the Gospel follows
ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, σατανᾶ·content — ὀπίσω μου — back to the follower's place; the tempter's offer of a cross-less way heard again (4:8–10)
σκάνδαλον εἶ ἐμοῦ,content — σκάνδαλον — only Matthew: the just-named rock become the stone one trips over
ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.cause — the ground — φρονεῖν, a whole set of mind; a cross-less Christ is man's thought, not God's
The cost of discipleship and the coming Son of Man 16:24–28
v. 24 — the terms of following
24
Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ·independent — the speech-frame for the whole coda (vv. 24–28); Matthew addresses the disciples where Mark summons the crowd
εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — ὀπίσω μου, the phrase just spoken to Peter (v. 23); leans on the commands below
ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸνcontent — ἀπαρνέομαι — disown the self; the verb of Peter's own denial to come (26:34–35, 75)
καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦcontent — the condemned man's beam — laid on the disciple the moment the Master's death is announced
καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι.content — present imperative — two decisive acts, then a continual following
vv. 25–28 — the γάρ-chain: paradox, ledger, judgment, promise
25
ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαιconditional — indefinite relative ὃς ἐάν as protasis (typed cnd) — the γάρ-chain begins; leans on ἀπολέσει
ἀπολέσει αὐτήν·content — the paradox, first arm — the grasped life forfeited
ὃς δ' ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦconditional — the counter-protasis — ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, Christ himself the motive; leans on εὑρήσει
εὑρήσει αὐτήν.content — εὑρήσει — Matthew's 'find' for Mark's 'save'; the surrendered life discovered
26
τί γὰρ ὠφεληθήσεται ἄνθρωποςcontent — the merchant's ledger opens — the second γάρ of the chain
ἐὰν τὸν κόσμον ὅλον κερδήσῃconditional — backward protasis, anchored — κερδαίνω, maximal gain
τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ζημιωθῇ;conditional — the coordinate protasis — ζημιόω, the one fatal loss; ψυχή shading from 'life' to 'soul'
ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ;content — ἀντάλλαγμα — no ransom-price exists (Ps 49:7–9)
27
μέλλει γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεσθαι ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ,content — the third γάρ — μέλλει, the parousia as the ledger's ground (Dan 7:13–14)
καὶ τότε ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ.content — Ps 62:12 / Prov 24:12 — recompense κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν; the soul's price settled then
28
ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖνcontent — the ἀμήν-formula — solemn asseveration seals the discourse
ὅτι εἰσίν τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστώτωνcontent — the promise — τινες, some among the hearers themselves
οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτουrelative — οὐ μή + subjunctive, emphatic negation — 'taste death,' a Semitic idiom
ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ.conditional — temporal ἕως ἄν (typed cnd; no temporal key), anchored back on its verb — the crux: the transfiguration ('after six days,' 17:1), the resurrection, or the parousia; glossed, left open
Analysis. Matthew 16 is the Gospel's hinge told almost entirely in dialogue, and the layout shows a narrative spine of short purple clauses — asked, said, understood, charged, began — whose real weight hangs blue beneath the verbs of saying. The first scene turns on a demand refused: the weather-signs saying of vv. 2b–3 (a possible Western non-interpolation, absent from א B and double-bracketed in NA28, printed here as the chapter data prints it, the doubt flagged) descends through the quoted folk-forecasts — λέγετε, then the verbless εὐδία and σήμερον χειμών with their γάρ-grounds one step deeper — before the μέν/δέ verdict and the Jonah-refusal repeated from 12:39. The leaven dialogue (vv. 5–12) is a catechism: the disciples' whispered ἄρτους οὐκ ἐλάβομεν, the ὀλιγόπιστοι rebuke with its recalled numbers (five loaves, seven loaves, κόφινοι and σπυρίδες kept distinct), and the evangelist's own τότε συνῆκαν resolving the metaphor to διδαχή. At Caesarea Philippi (vv. 13–20) the two questions and Peter's confession stand as speech under their frames, and Matthew's additions to Mark hang in one blue stack under εἶπεν: the μακάριος beatitude with its ὅτι-ground on flesh-and-blood one step deeper, the Πέτρος/πέτρα wordplay (read here, with the run of the sentence, as Peter-the-confessor — the classic crux, named not dodged), the gates of Hades, and the keys with their paired ὃ-ἐάν protases leaning forward on future-perfect apodoses (ἔσται δεδεμένον, heaven's ratifying — or antecedent — decision, the periphrasis kept in the gloss). Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο (v. 21) is Matthew's structural formula turning the Gospel toward Jerusalem: the fourfold infinitive chain hangs under δεῖ, Peter's ἵλεώς σοι (a verbless mercy-idiom only Matthew quotes) under his λέγων, and the counter-rebuke makes the rock a σκάνδαλον with its ὅτι-ground beneath. The discipleship coda (vv. 24–28) is conditional architecture inside one quotation: the εἴ-τις and ὃς-ἐάν protases lean forward, anchorless, one deeper than their apodoses, over the deny-take-follow imperatives and the save-lose paradox; v. 26's backward ἐάν-protases hang anchored under ὠφεληθήσεται; the γάρ-chain grounds the whole in the coming Son of Man (v. 27), and the ἀμήν-promise of v. 28 descends four levels to its ἕως-ἄν clause — transfiguration (17:1 follows 'after six days'), resurrection, or parousia, the famous crux glossed but left open.