A Demand for a Sign from Heaven

¹The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tried to test him by asking for a sign from heaven.[#Mt 12.38; Lk 11.16.]

²He told them:

Then Jesus left.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵The disciples had forgotten to bring any bread when they crossed the lake.[#16.5 To the east side.]

⁶Jesus then warned them, “Watch out! Guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”[#Lk 12.1.]

⁷The disciples talked this over and said to each other, “He must be saying this because we didn't bring along any bread.”

⁸Jesus knew what they were thinking and said:

¹²Finally, the disciples understood that Jesus wasn't talking about the yeast used to make bread, but about the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Who Is Jesus?

¹³When Jesus and his disciples were near the town of Caesarea Philippi, he asked them, “What do people say about the Son of Man?”

¹⁴The disciples answered, “Some people say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah or Jeremiah or some other prophet.”[#Mt 14.1,2; Mk 6.14,15; Lk 9.7,8.; #16.14 Many of the Jewish people expected the prophet Elijah to come and prepare the way for the Messiah.]

¹⁵Then Jesus asked, “But who do you say I am?”

¹⁶Simon Peter spoke up, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”[#Jn 6.68,69.]

¹⁷Jesus told him:

²⁰Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone he was the Messiah.

Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death

²¹From then on, Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, “I must go to Jerusalem. There the nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make me suffer terribly. I will be killed, but three days later I will rise to life.”

²²Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. He said, “God would never let this happen to you, Lord!”

²³Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Satan, get away from me! You're in my way because you think like everyone else and not like God.”

²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples:[#Mt 10.38; Lk 14.27.]