Matthew 16:1

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does Matthew 16:1 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him asked him to show them a sign from heaven.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
Matthew 16:1 — American Standard Version

Context — Matthew 16

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and trying him asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, etc] Not from Jerusalem, as in (<401501>Matthew 15:1) but from the neighbouring places: these were Galilean Sadducees and Pharisees, of whom mention is made in the Misna f914; “says ylylg yqwdx, “a Galilean Sadducee”, (i.e. one that was of the land of Galilee, as Bartenora on the place observes,) I complain of you Pharisees, because ye write the name of a ruler with the name of Moses, in a divorce; say the Pharisees, we complain of you Galilean Sadducees, that you write the name of a ruler with the name of God, in the same leaf:” but though these two sects could not agree in this, and in many other things, yet they could unite against Christ, to…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“PETER'S NOBLE CONFESSION OF CHRIST AND THE BENEDICTION PRONOUNCED UPON HIM--CHRIST'S FIRST EXPLICIT ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS APPROACHING SUFFERINGS, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION--HIS REBUKE OF PETER AND WARNING TO ALL THE TWELVE. ( = Mar 8:27; Mar 9:1; Luk 9:18-27). (Mat. 16:13-28) When Jesus came into the coasts--"the parts," that is, the territory or region. In Mark (Mar 8:27) it is "the towns" or "villages." of CÃ&brvbrsarea Philippi--It lay at the foot of Mount Lebanon, near the sources of the Jordan, in the territory of Dan, and at the northeast extremity of Palestine. It was originally called Panium (from a cavern in its neighborhood dedicated to the god Pan) and Paneas. Philip, the tetrarch,…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“See also Mark 8:11-12. The Pharisees also, and the Sadducees - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. Tempting - That is, trying him - feigning a desire to see evidence that he was the Messiah, but with a real desire to see him make the attempt to work a miracle and fail, so that they might betray him and ruin him. A sign from heaven - Some miraculous appearance in the sky. Such appearances had been given by the prophets; and they supposed, if he was the Messiah, that his miracles would not all be confined to the earth, but that he was able to give some signal miracle from heaven. Samuel had caused it to thunder 1 Samuel 12:16-18; Isaiah had caused the shadow to go back ten degrees on the dial of…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“A sign from heaven - Such they imagined Satan could not counterfeit. Mar 8:11; Mat 12:38. Matthew 16:2”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“16:1-12 Having been warmly received in the Gentile world, Jesus returned to his fellow countrymen only to encounter further rejection.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Pharisees: Mat 5:20, Mat 9:11, Mat 12:14, Mat 15:1, Mat 22:15, Mat 22:34, Mat 23:2, Mat 27:62 Sadducees: Mat 16:6, Mat 16:11, Mat 3:7, Mat 3:8, Mat 22:23; Mar 12:18; Luk 20:27; Act 4:1, Act 5:17, Act 23:6-8 tempting: Mat 19:3, Mat 22:18, Mat 22:35; Mar 10:2, Mar 12:15; Luk 10:25, Luk 11:16, Luk 11:53, Luk 11:54, Luk 20:23; Joh 8:6 a sign: Mat 12:38, Mat 12:39; Mar 8:11-13; Luk 11:16, Luk 11:29, Luk 11:30, Luk 12:54-56; Joh 6:30, Joh 6:31; Co1 1:22 Matthew 16:2”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Sources and verification