The Meaning of Matthew 16:21 Explained

Matthew 16:21

KJV: From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

YLT: From that time began Jesus to shew to his disciples that it is necessary for him to go away to Jerusalem, and to suffer many things from the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be put to death, and the third day to rise.

Darby: From that time Jesus began to shew to his disciples that he must go away to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised.

ASV: From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

From  that time forth  began  Jesus  to shew  unto his  disciples,  how that  he  must  go  unto  Jerusalem,  and  suffer  many things  of  the elders  and  chief priests  and  scribes,  and  be killed,  and  be raised again  the third  day. 

What does Matthew 16:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This is only the second time in his Gospel that Matthew used the phrase apo tote erxato, "from that time" (cf. Matthew 26:16). The first time was in Matthew 4:17, where Jesus began to present Himself to Israel as her Messiah. Here it announces Jesus" preparation of His disciples for the Cross because of Israel"s rejection and His disciples" acceptance of Him as the divine Messiah. Thus the evangelist signaled a significant turning point in Jesus" ministry.
Jesus had hinted at His death earlier ( Matthew 9:15; Matthew 10:38; Matthew 12:40). However this is the first time He discussed it with His disciples. He began "to show" or "to explain" (Gr. deikeyo) these things with His actions as well as His words, not just "to teach" (Gr. didasko) them.
Jesus said that He "must" (Gr. dei) go to Jerusalem. He had to do this because it was God"s will for Messiah to suffer and die as well as to experience resurrection. [1] He had to do these things to fulfill prophecy ( Isaiah 53; cf. Acts 2:22-36). Jerusalem had been the site of the martyrdom of numerous Old Testament prophets (cf. Matthew 23:37).
". . . Jesus reveals to his disciples, in all he says and in all he does beginning with Matthew 16:21, that God has ordained that he should go to Jerusalem to suffer, and that his way of suffering is a summons to them also to go the way of suffering (i.e, the way of servanthood) (cf. Matthew 20:28). In other words, Matthew alerts the reader through the key passages Matthew 16:21 and Matthew 16:24 that suffering, defined as servanthood, is the essence of discipleship and that Jesus will show the disciples in what he says and does that this is in fact the case." [2]
Jesus identified three groups that would be responsible for His sufferings and death there: the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes (cf. Matthew 27:41). Together these groups constituted the Sanhedrin, Israel"s supreme religious body. One definite article describes all three groups and binds them together in a single entity in the Greek text (cf. Matthew 16:1; Matthew 16:6). This would be Israel"s final and formal official rejection of her Messiah. [3] Jesus" announcement implied that a trial would take place. [4] However, Jesus also announced that He would arise from the dead on the third day (cf. Matthew 12:40; Psalm 16:10-11; Psalm 118:17-18; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 52:13-15; Isaiah 53:10-12).
Here, as in the following two announcements of Jesus" death ( Matthew 17:22-23; Matthew 20:18-19), the accompanying announcement of Jesus" resurrection made no impression on the disciples. Apparently the thought of His dying so upset them that they did not hear the rest of what He had to say to them.
Matthew 16:21 "prepares the reader already for the resolution of Jesus" conflict with Israel in at least two respects: (a) It underscores the fact that there are three principals involved in Jesus" passion, namely, God (dei: "it is necessary"), Jesus, and the religious leaders. And (b) it reminds the reader that while all three desire the death of Jesus, the objective the leaders pursue is destructive ( Matthew 12:14), whereas that intended by God and Jesus is to save ( Matthew 1:21)." [5]

Context Summary

Matthew 16:21-28 - Bear The Cross For Jesus
The gospel has two parts: Jesus is the Christ; and the Christ must suffer, if He shall enter His glory. Our Lord made sure of the first, before He held to the second. There had been veiled hints of His death before, as in John 2:19; Matthew 9:15; Matthew 12:40; but henceforth it was taught without a veil. The Cross had always cast its shadow over our Lord's path. He did not die as the martyr on whom death comes unexpectedly, but He stepped from the throne and became incarnate that He might die. Notice that solemn must, Matthew 16:21.
How soon Peter fell from his high estate! Beware! The voice that bids us spare ourselves is Satan's. Self-pleasing ends in destruction. Self-denial and self-sacrifice are the divine path to life. Let us be more eager to lose ourselves than to find ourselves; more set on the cross than on the glory; more eager to promote the well-being of others than our own. We do not choose or make our cross; Christ gives each a little bit of His true Cross to bear as He pleases. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 16

1  The Pharisees require a sign
5  Jesus warns his disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
13  The people's opinion of Jesus,
16  and Peter's confession of him
21  Jesus foretells his death;
23  reproves Peter for dissuading him from it;
24  and admonishes those who will follow him, to bear the cross

Greek Commentary for Matthew 16:21

From that time began [απο τοτε ηρχατο]
It was a suitable time for the disclosure of the greatest secret of his death. It is now just a little over six months before the cross. They must know it now to be ready then. The great confession of Peter made this seem an appropriate time. He will repeat the warnings (Matthew 17:22. with mention of betrayal; Matthew 20:17-19 with the cross) which he now “began.” So the necessity (δει — dei must) of his suffering death at the hands of the Jerusalem ecclesiastics who have dogged his steps in Galilee is now plainly stated. Jesus added his resurrection “on the third day” (τηι τριτηι ημεραι — tēi tritēi hēmerāi), not “on the fourth day,” please observe. Dimly the shocked disciples grasped something of what Jesus said. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 16:21

Matthew 12:40 The whale [του κητους]
Sea-monster, huge fish. In Jonah 2:1 the lxx has κητει μεγαλωι — kētei megalōi “Three days and three nights” may simply mean three days in popular speech. Jesus rose “on the third day” (Matthew 16:21), not “on the fourth day.” It is just a fuller form for “after three days” (Mark 8:31; Mark 10:34). [source]
Matthew 16:18 The gates of Hades [πυλαι αιδου]
Each word here creates difficulty. Hades is technically the unseen world, the Hebrew Sheol, the land of the departed, that is death. Paul uses τανατε — thanate in 1 Corinthians 15:55 in quoting Hosea 13:14 for αιδη — hāidē It is not common in the papyri, but it is common on tombstones in Asia Minor, “doubtless a survival of its use in the old Greek religion” (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary). The ancient pagans divided Hades Christ was in Hades (Acts 2:27, Acts 2:31), not in Gehenna. We have here the figure of two buildings, the Church of Christ on the Rock, the House of Death (Hades). “In the Old Testament the ‹gates of Hades‘ (Sheol) never bears any other meaning (Isaiah 38:10; Wisd. 16:3; 3 Maccabees 5:51) than death,” McNeile claims. See also Psalm 9:13; Psalm 107:18; Job 38:17 It is not the picture of Hades attacking Christ‘s church, but of death‘s possible victory over the church. “The εκκλησια — ekklēsia is built upon the Messiahship of her master, and death, the gates of Hades, will not prevail against her by keeping Him imprisoned. It was a mysterious truth, which He will soon tell them in plain words (Matthew 16:21); it is echoed in Acts 2:24, Acts 2:31 ” (McNeile). Christ‘s church will prevail and survive because He will burst the gates of Hades and come forth conqueror. He will ever live and be the guarantor of the perpetuity of His people or church. The verb κατισχυω — katischuō (literally have strength against, ισχυω — ischuō from ισχυς — ischus and κατ — kaṫ) occurs also in Luke 21:36; Luke 23:23. It appears in the ancient Greek, the lxx, and in the papyri with the accusative and is used in the modern Greek with the sense of gaining the mastery over. The wealth of imagery in Matthew 16:18 makes it difficult to decide each detail, but the main point is clear. The εκκλησια — ekklēsia which consists of those confessing Christ as Peter has just done will not cease. The gates of Hades or bars of Sheol will not close down on it. Christ will rise and will keep his church alive. Sublime Porte used to be the title of Turkish power in Constantinople. [source]
Matthew 20:17 Apart [κατ ιδιαν]
This is the prediction in Matthew of the cross (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:17). “Aside by themselves” (Moffatt). The verb is παρελαβεν — parelaben Jesus is having his inward struggle (Mark 10:32) and makes one more effort to get the Twelve to understand him. [source]
Matthew 16:18 On this rock [επι ταυτηι τηι πετραι]
What did Jesus mean by this word-play?I will build my church (οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν — oikodomēsō mou tēn ekklēsian). It is the figure of a building and he uses the word εκκλησιαν — ekklēsian which occurs in the New Testament usually of a local organization, but sometimes in a more general sense. What is the sense here in which Jesus uses it? The word originally meant “assembly” (Acts 19:39), but it came to be applied to an “unassembled assembly” as in Acts 8:3 for the Christians persecuted by Saul from house to house. “And the name for the new Israel, εκκλησια — ekklēsia in His mouth is not an anachronism. It is an old familiar name for the congregation of Israel found in Deut. (Deuteronomy 18:16; Deuteronomy 23:2) and Psalms (Psalm 22:25), both books well known to Jesus” (Bruce). It is interesting to observe that in Psalms 89 most of the important words employed by Jesus on this occasion occur in the lxx text. So οικοδομησω — oikodomēsō in Psalm 89:5; εκκλησια — ekklēsia in Psalm 89:6; κατισχυω — katischuō in Psalm 89:22; Χριστος — Christos in Psalm 89:39, Psalm 89:52; αιδης — hāidēs in Psalm 89:49 (εκ χειρος αιδου — ek cheiros hāidou). If one is puzzled over the use of “building” with the word εκκλησια — ekklēsia it will be helpful to turn to 1 Peter 2:5. Peter, the very one to whom Jesus is here speaking, writing to the Christians in the five Roman provinces in Asia (1 Peter 1:1), says: “You are built a spiritual house” (οικοδομειστε οικος πνευματικος — oikodomeisthe oikos pneumatikos). It is difficult to resist the impression that Peter recalls the words of Jesus to him on this memorable occasion. Further on (1 Peter 2:9) he speaks of them as an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, showing beyond controversy that Peter‘s use of building a spiritual house is general, not local. This is undoubtedly the picture in the mind of Christ here in Matthew 16:18. It is a great spiritual house, Christ‘s Israel, not the Jewish nation, which he describes. What is the rock on which Christ will build his vast temple? Not on Peter alone or mainly or primarily. Peter by his confession was furnished with the illustration for the rock on which His church will rest. It is the same kind of faith that Peter has just confessed. The perpetuity of this church general is guaranteed.The gates of Hades Each word here creates difficulty. Hades is technically the unseen world, the Hebrew Sheol, the land of the departed, that is death. Paul uses τανατε — thanate in 1 Corinthians 15:55 in quoting Hosea 13:14 for αιδη — hāidē It is not common in the papyri, but it is common on tombstones in Asia Minor, “doubtless a survival of its use in the old Greek religion” (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary). The ancient pagans divided Hades Christ was in Hades (Acts 2:27, Acts 2:31), not in Gehenna. We have here the figure of two buildings, the Church of Christ on the Rock, the House of Death (Hades). “In the Old Testament the ‹gates of Hades‘ (Sheol) never bears any other meaning (Isaiah 38:10; Wisd. 16:3; 3 Maccabees 5:51) than death,” McNeile claims. See also Psalm 9:13; Psalm 107:18; Job 38:17 It is not the picture of Hades attacking Christ‘s church, but of death‘s possible victory over the church. “The εκκλησια — ekklēsia is built upon the Messiahship of her master, and death, the gates of Hades, will not prevail against her by keeping Him imprisoned. It was a mysterious truth, which He will soon tell them in plain words (Matthew 16:21); it is echoed in Acts 2:24, Acts 2:31 ” (McNeile). Christ‘s church will prevail and survive because He will burst the gates of Hades and come forth conqueror. He will ever live and be the guarantor of the perpetuity of His people or church. The verb κατισχυω — katischuō (literally have strength against, ισχυω — ischuō from ισχυς — ischus and κατ — kaṫ) occurs also in Luke 21:36; Luke 23:23. It appears in the ancient Greek, the lxx, and in the papyri with the accusative and is used in the modern Greek with the sense of gaining the mastery over. The wealth of imagery in Matthew 16:18 makes it difficult to decide each detail, but the main point is clear. The εκκλησια — ekklēsia which consists of those confessing Christ as Peter has just done will not cease. The gates of Hades or bars of Sheol will not close down on it. Christ will rise and will keep his church alive. Sublime Porte used to be the title of Turkish power in Constantinople. [source]
Matthew 16:18 shall not prevail against it [ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης]
Each word here creates difficulty. Hades is technically the unseen world, the Hebrew Sheol, the land of the departed, that is death. Paul uses τανατε — thanate in 1 Corinthians 15:55 in quoting Hosea 13:14 for αιδη — hāidē It is not common in the papyri, but it is common on tombstones in Asia Minor, “doubtless a survival of its use in the old Greek religion” (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary). The ancient pagans divided Hades Christ was in Hades (Acts 2:27, Acts 2:31), not in Gehenna. We have here the figure of two buildings, the Church of Christ on the Rock, the House of Death (Hades). “In the Old Testament the ‹gates of Hades‘ (Sheol) never bears any other meaning (Isaiah 38:10; Wisd. 16:3; 3 Maccabees 5:51) than death,” McNeile claims. See also Psalm 9:13; Psalm 107:18; Job 38:17 It is not the picture of Hades attacking Christ‘s church, but of death‘s possible victory over the church. “The εκκλησια — ekklēsia is built upon the Messiahship of her master, and death, the gates of Hades, will not prevail against her by keeping Him imprisoned. It was a mysterious truth, which He will soon tell them in plain words (Matthew 16:21); it is echoed in Acts 2:24, Acts 2:31 ” (McNeile). Christ‘s church will prevail and survive because He will burst the gates of Hades and come forth conqueror. He will ever live and be the guarantor of the perpetuity of His people or church. The verb κατισχυω — katischuō (literally have strength against, ισχυω — ischuō from ισχυς — ischus and κατ — kaṫ) occurs also in Luke 21:36; Luke 23:23. It appears in the ancient Greek, the lxx, and in the papyri with the accusative and is used in the modern Greek with the sense of gaining the mastery over. The wealth of imagery in Matthew 16:18 makes it difficult to decide each detail, but the main point is clear. The εκκλησια — ekklēsia which consists of those confessing Christ as Peter has just done will not cease. The gates of Hades or bars of Sheol will not close down on it. Christ will rise and will keep his church alive. Sublime Porte used to be the title of Turkish power in Constantinople. [source]
Mark 8:29 He saith [ἐπηρώτα]
More correctly, he questioned or asked. So Rev. Mark omits the commendation of Peter. See Introduction. On Mark 8:31-33, compare notes on Matthew 16:21-28. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Mark 8:31 He began to teach them [ηρχατο διδασκειν αυτους]
Mark is fond of this idiom, but it is not a mere rhetorical device. Matthew 16:21 expressly says “from that time.” They had to be told soon about the approaching death of Jesus. The confession of faith in Jesus indicated that it was a good time to begin. Death at the hands of the Sanhedrin (elders, chief priests, and scribes) in which Pharisees and Sadducees had about equal strength. The resurrection on the third day is mentioned, but it made no impression on their minds. This rainbow on the cloud was not seen. [source]
Mark 8:31 After three days [μετα τρεις ημερας]
Matthew 16:21 has “the third day” There are some people who stickle for a strict interpretation of “after three days” which would be “on the fourth day,” not “on the third day.” Evidently Mark‘s phrase here has the same sense as that in Matthew and Luke else they are hopelessly contradictory. In popular language “after three days” can and often does mean “on the third day,” but the fourth day is impossible. [source]
Mark 8:32 Spake the saying openly [παρρησιαι τον λογον ελαλει]
He held back nothing, told it all (παν — pān all, ρησια — rēsia from ειπον — eipon say), without reserve, to all of them. Imperfect tense ελαλει — elalei shows that Jesus did it repeatedly. Mark alone gives this item. Mark does not give the great eulogy of Peter in Matthew 16:17, Matthew 16:19 after his confession (Mark 8:29; Matthew 16:16; Luke 9:20), but he does tell the stinging rebuke given Peter by Jesus on this occasion. See discussion on Matthew 16:21, Matthew 16:26. [source]
Mark 9:31 For he taught [edidasken gar)]
Imperfect tense, and the reason given for secrecy. He was renewing again definitely the prediction of his death in Jerusalem some six months ahead as he had done before (Mark 8:31; Matthew 16:21; Luke 9:22). Now as then Jesus foretells his resurrection “after three days” (“the third day,” Matthew 17:23). [source]
Luke 2:49 Must [δεῖ]
Lit., it is necessary, or it behoves. A word often used by Jesus concerning his own appointed work, and expressing both the inevitable fulfilment of the divine counsels and the absolute constraint of the principle of duty upon himself. See Matthew 16:21; Matthew 26:54; Mark 8:31; Luke 4:43; Luke 9:22; Luke 13:33; Luke 24:7, Luke 24:26, Luke 24:46; John 3:14; John 4:4; John 12:34. [source]
Luke 9:22 The third day [τηι τριτηι ημεραι]
Locative case of time as in Matthew 16:21. Here in the parallel passage Mark 8:31 has “after three days” (μετα τρεις ημερας — meta treis hēmeras) in precisely the same sense. That is to say, “after three days” is just a free way of saying “on the third day” and cannot mean “on the fourth day” if taken too literally. For discussion of this plain prediction of the death of Christ with various details see note on Matthew 16:21 and note on Mark 8:31. It was a melancholy outlook that depressed the disciples as Mark and Matthew show in the protest of Peter and his rebuke. [source]
2 John 1:1 The elder [ὁ πρεσβύτερος]
The word is used originally of seniority in age. So Luke 15:25. Afterward as a term of rank or office. Applied to members of the Sanhedrim (Matthew 16:21; Acts 6:12). Those who presided over the Christian assemblies or churches (Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Timothy 5:19). The twenty-four members of the heavenly court in John's vision (Revelation 4:4, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:8, Revelation 5:11, Revelation 5:14). Here, with reference to official position, coupled, presumably, with age. [source]
Revelation 20:3 Must [δεῖ]
According to God's purpose. See on Matthew 16:21; see on Luke 2:49; see on Luke 24:26. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 16:21 mean?

From that time began - Jesus Christ to show to the disciples of Him that it is necessary for Him to Jerusalem to go away and many things to suffer the elders chief priests scribes to be killed on the third day to be raised
Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ‹ὁ› Ἰησοῦς 〈Χριστὸς〉 δεικνύειν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀπελθεῖν καὶ πολλὰ παθεῖν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀρχιερέων γραμματέων ἀποκτανθῆναι τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθῆναι

τότε  that  time 
Parse: Adverb
Root: τότε  
Sense: then.
ἤρξατο  began 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
‹ὁ›  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
〈Χριστὸς〉  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
δεικνύειν  to  show 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: δείκνυμι 
Sense: to show, expose to the eyes.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μαθηταῖς  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
δεῖ  it  is  necessary  for 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεῖ  
Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.
Ἱεροσόλυμα  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: Ἱεροσόλυμα  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
ἀπελθεῖν  to  go  away 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀπέρχομαι  
Sense: to go away, depart.
πολλὰ  many  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
παθεῖν  to  suffer 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: πάσχω  
Sense: to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo.
πρεσβυτέρων  elders 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πρεσβύτερος  
Sense: elder, of age,.
ἀρχιερέων  chief  priests 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀρχιερεύς  
Sense: chief priest, high priest.
γραμματέων  scribes 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: γραμματεύς  
Sense: a clerk, scribe, esp.
ἀποκτανθῆναι  to  be  killed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: ἀποκτείνω 
Sense: to kill in any way whatever.
τῇ  on  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τρίτῃ  third 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: τρίτον 
Sense: the third.
ἡμέρᾳ  day 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἐγερθῆναι  to  be  raised 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: ἐγείρω  
Sense: to arouse, cause to rise.