Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 16:20-21

"Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ. 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." — Matthew 16:20-21 (ASV)

Origen of Alexandria: Since Peter had confessed Him to be Christ, the Son of the living God, and because He did not want them to preach this in the meantime, He adds, Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man, that he was Jesus the Christ.

St. Jerome: When He sends His disciples to preach above and commands them to proclaim His advent, this seems contrary to His command here that they should not say He is Jesus the Christ. It seems to me that it is one thing to preach Christ, and another to preach Jesus the Christ. Christ is a common title of dignity, while Jesus is the proper name of the Savior.

Origen of Alexandria: Or, they then spoke of Him in lowly words, as only a great and wonderful man, but had not yet proclaimed Him as the Christ. Yet if anyone insists that He was proclaimed as Christ even at the first, they may say that He now chose for that first, brief announcement of His name to be left in silence and not repeated, so that the little they had heard concerning Christ might be absorbed into their minds. Or, the difficulty may be solved this way: the more complete account of their preaching Christ does not belong to the time before His resurrection, but to the time that would follow it. The command now given is meant for the present time, for it would be of no use to preach Him while being silent concerning His cross. Moreover, He commanded them to tell no one that He was the Christ, preparing them to later say that He was the Christ who was crucified and who rose again from the dead.

St. Jerome: But so that no one should suppose this is merely an explanation and not a gospel interpretation, what follows explains the reasons for His forbidding them to preach Him at that time: Then began Jesus to shew unto his disciples that he must needs go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and Scribes, and Chief Priests, and be put to death, and rise again the third day.

The meaning is this: "Preach about Me when I have suffered these things," for it will be of no use for Christ to be preached publicly, and for His majesty to be spread abroad among the people, when after a short time they will see Him scourged and crucified.

St. John Chrysostom: For something that has once taken root and is then torn up is retained with difficulty by the multitude if it is planted again; but that which, once rooted, has remained unmoved ever after is easily brought to further growth. He therefore dwells on these sorrowful things and repeats His discourse on them, so that He may open the minds of His disciples.

Origen of Alexandria: And observe that it is not said, "He began to say," or "to teach," but "to show," for just as things are said to be shown to the senses, so the things which Christ spoke are said to be shown by Him. Indeed, I do not think that the things seen by those who witnessed Him suffering in the flesh were shown to them as clearly as this representation in words showed the disciples the mystery of the passion and resurrection of Christ. At that time, He only "began to show them," and afterwards, when they were more able to receive it, He showed them more fully, for all that Jesus began to do, He also accomplished.

He must go to Jerusalem, to be put to death in the Jerusalem that is below, but to rise again and reign in the heavenly Jerusalem. But when Christ rose again, and others had risen with Him, they no longer sought the Jerusalem that is below, or the house of prayer in it, but the one that is above.

He suffers many things from the elders of the earthly Jerusalem so that He may be glorified by those heavenly elders who receive His mercies. He rose again from the dead on the third day so that He might deliver from the evil one. For those who are so delivered, He purchases this gift: that they be baptized in spirit, soul, and body, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are perpetually present to those who, through them, have been made children of light.