Matthew 16:21
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text highlights that "from that time" Jesus began to reveal his suffering, indicating a shift from previously veiled hints to a more direct, though still introductory, disclosure. This wasn't a sudden announcement, but a deliberate, gradual unfolding of divine purpose, preparing his disciples for the difficult truths that would follow.
Just after Peter’s powerful confession that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus pivots, revealing a starkly different path than what the disciples, and Peter especially, might have imagined. He begins to explicitly teach that his journey toward glory will first lead through suffering, death, and rejection in Jerusalem by the religious leaders, followed by a resurrection. This marks a significant shift from earlier, more veiled hints about his future, preparing his followers for the cross that lies ahead.
Jesus had just been identified as the Messiah by Peter. But immediately after this monumental confession, Jesus pivots to something entirely unexpected: suffering and death. Why the sudden shift, and what does that word 'must' really mean?
A Necessary Turn
Up until this point, Jesus had focused on revealing who he was – the Christ, the Son of God. Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:16) was a peak moment, a clear affirmation of Jesus’ identity. But Jesus knew this wasn't the whole story.
Notice the phrase 'began to show' (or 'began to reveal' in some translations). This marks a turning point. The good news of who he is was now coupled with the challenging news of what he must do.
The 'Must' of God’s Plan
The word 'must' (Greek: dei) here isn't about a suggestion or a preference. It points to divine necessity, an unavoidable appointment woven into God's plan for salvation. It was essential for the Christ to suffer and die. This wasn't a detour; it was the very road to glory. The scholars highlight that this suffering was not arbitrary but part of fulfilling prophecy and God’s determined purpose.
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It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes, the path to God’s ultimate victory involves intense suffering and apparent defeat.
Jesus doesn't just say he will suffer; he names the very people who will inflict it. Who were these 'elders, chief priests, and scribes,' and why would they be the ones to reject the Messiah?
The Leaders Who Should Have Known
The 'elders, chief priests, and scribes' represent the highest religious and political authorities of Israel at that time. They formed the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council.
These were the very people who should have recognized Jesus as the Messiah, based on their deep knowledge of the Scriptures. Yet, they became his primary accusers and persecutors.
A Clash of Kingdoms
Their opposition stemmed from a fundamental misunderstanding of the Messiah's role. They expected a political liberator who would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel's glory. Jesus, however, was establishing a spiritual kingdom, challenging their authority and their interpretations of the Law. His teachings and miracles, while powerful, also exposed their hypocrisy and threatened their established order. Their rejection wasn't just personal; it was a clash between God's unfolding plan and human resistance rooted in pride and a different agenda.
The news of suffering and death is heavy. But Jesus immediately adds a crucial detail that flips the narrative from tragedy to triumph. What is this detail, and why is it so vital?
The Third Day Twist
Jesus doesn't leave his disciples in despair. After declaring he 'must' suffer and be killed, he adds, 'and on the third day be raised.' This isn't an afterthought; it's the essential counterpoint to the suffering.
More Than Just a Comeback
The resurrection isn't merely a happy ending or a sign that Jesus 'got away with it.' It's the ultimate proof of his divine identity and the victory over sin and death.
The scholars emphasize that mentioning the resurrection immediately after the death was a deliberate act to heal the wound the prediction of suffering would inevitably cause, giving them a reason to believe even in the face of His apparent defeat.
Understand the original words
Hierosolyma · Greek Noun
The central city of Israel, the location of the Temple, and the site where the Messiah was expected to suffer and die to fulfill Old Testament prophecy. It represents the focal point of God's redemptive history.
paschō · Greek Verb
To undergo pain, distress, or death; in the context of Christ, it refers to the voluntary endurance of agony and shame to accomplish the atonement for sin.
dei · Greek Verb
The theological assertion that the Messiah's passion, death, and resurrection were divinely mandated and necessary to fulfill the Scriptures and God's sovereign plan of salvation.
egeirō · Greek Verb
To be brought back to life; a foundational Christian doctrine signifying Christ's victory over sin and death, providing the assurance of the believer's own future glorification.
This verse marks a pivotal shift in Jesus' ministry, moving from proclaiming his identity to preparing his disciples for his sacrificial death and resurrection, a difficult truth they struggled to accept.
c. AD 28-29— this verse
Jesus Confesses Messiahship
Following Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus begins to reveal the necessity of his suffering and death.
c. AD 29
Jesus Transfigured
Shortly after announcing his coming suffering, Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John, appearing with Moses and Elijah, reinforcing his divine identity.
c. AD 29
Jesus Foretells Death (Second Time)
Jesus again tells his disciples he will be betrayed and killed, and rise again after three days, but they still do not understand.
c. AD 30
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling prophecy, but his approach to the city where he will suffer is imminent.
c. AD 30
Jesus Arrested and Crucified
Jesus is arrested in Jerusalem, tried by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and then crucified by the Romans.
c. AD 30
Jesus Resurrected
On the third day after his crucifixion, Jesus is raised from the dead, confirming his divine power and the truth of his prophecies.
This passage directly echoes the necessity of Christ's suffering, stating 'Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?' highlighting the divine purpose behind Jesus' passion.
Isaiah 53:3This prophecy vividly describes the Messiah as 'despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,' directly foreshadowing the suffering Jesus announced He would endure from the religious leaders.
Acts 17:3This verse shows how the early church proclaimed 'that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead,' demonstrating how this pivotal revelation in Matthew 16:21 became a cornerstone of apostolic preaching.
Mark 8:31This parallel account in Mark presents the same essential message: 'Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again,' underscoring the critical nature of this teaching shift.
1 Peter 1:11This passage speaks of the prophets investigating 'the time and the way that the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and of the glories that would follow,' showing how this announcement by Jesus was part of a long-prophesied plan.
vincentMatthew 16:21: "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."
From that time began (ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο)He had not shown it to them before.Must (δεῖ)It was necessary in fulfilment of the divine purpose. See Matthew 26:54; Hebrews 8:3; Luke 24:26.SufferThis first announcement mentions his passion and death generally; the secon…
calvinMatthew 16:20-28: "Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ."
- Then he charged his disciples [451] not to tell any one that he was Jesus the Christ. 21. From that time Jesus began to make known to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and be raised again on the third day. 22. And Peter, taking him aside, [452] began to rebuke him, saying, Lord, s…
The text highlights that "from that time" Jesus began to reveal his suffering, indicating a shift from previously veiled hints to a more direct, though still introductory, disclosure. This wasn't a sudden announcement, but a deliberate, gradual unfolding of divine purpose, preparing his disciples for the difficult truths that would follow.
Just after Peter’s powerful confession that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus pivots, revealing a starkly different path than what the disciples, and Peter especially, might have imagined. He begins to explicitly teach that his journey toward glory will first lead through suffering, death, and rejection in Jerusalem by the religious leaders, followed by a resurrection. This marks a significant shift from earlier, more veiled hints about his future, preparing his followers for the cross that lies ahead.
Just after Peter’s powerful confession that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus pivots, revealing a starkly different path than what the disciples, and Peter especially, might have imagined. He begins to explicitly teach that his journey toward glory will first lead through suffering, death, and rejection in Jerusalem by the religious leaders, followed by a resurrection. This marks a significant shift from earlier, more veiled hints about his future, preparing his followers for the cross that lies ahead.
"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." — The text highlights that "from that time" Jesus began to reveal his suffering, indicating a shift from previously veiled hints to a more direct, though still introductory, disclosure. This wasn't a…
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