Matthew

They Ask Him for a Sign From Heaven  

The Pharisees and Sadducees appeared, seeking to test Jesus, and asked him for a sign from heaven.

Jesus answered:

[“When evening comes, you say: ‘It will be a good day, for the sky is red.’

And in the morning, you say: ‘Stormy weather today, for the sky in the east is red.’ If you know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, why can’t you interpret the signs of the times?]

An evil and unbelieving people asked for a sign, but no sign will be given them except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.

Blindness of the Disciples

When the disciples went to the other side, they forgot to take bread.

Jesus told them:

“Pay attention and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

But the disciples said to each other: ‘He means the bread we didn’t bring.’

Aware of this, Jesus said to them:

“You of little faith! Why are you arguing among yourselves about having no bread?

Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand people, and how many baskets you took up?

Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many wicker baskets did you take up?

How can you not understand that I was not talking about bread when I told you: ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees’?”

Then they realized he wasn’t talking about yeast for bread but about the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Then Jesus went to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples:

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They said:

“For some of them you are John the Baptist; for others Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

Jesus asked them:

“But who do you say I am?”

Peter responded:

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied:

“It is fortunate for you, Simon Barjona, because it is not flesh and blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.

And now I say to you: You are Peter, and on this Rock, I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you unbind on earth shall be unbound in heaven.”

Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

From that day, Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, that he would suffer many things at the hands of the Jewish authorities, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law, and that he would be killed and be raised on the third day.

Then Peter pulled him aside and started to reproach him:

“Never, Lord! No, this must never happen to you!”

But he turned and said to Peter:

“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path. You are thinking not as God does, but as people do.”

Then Jesus told his disciples:

“If you want to follow me, deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow me.

Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life for my sake will find it.

What does a person gain by winning the whole world if he destroys his soul? Or what can someone offer in exchange for his life?

Know that the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels, and he will reward each person according to his deeds.

Truly, I tell you, some here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”