The KJV Holy Bible

 

Matthew Chapter Sixteen

 

1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

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.

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

 

 

Esoteric Interpretation & Commentary

 

The Hermetic Blueprint of Matthew: The Rock of Gnosis and the Alchemical Cross

"Matthew Chapter Sixteen represents the Ultimate Crystallization of Spiritual Awareness within the human Intellect. The Solar Consciousness (the Christos) Forces the Active Faculties to officially identify what is leading them. This chapter marks the precise moment when the foundational intellect pierces through material illusion and achieves Direct, Divine Revelation. However, it also serves as a severe warning: the moment the Intellect grasps this High-Frequency Power, it immediately attempts to use it to avoid the painful, necessary death of the lower ego. The chapter culminates in the Supreme Law of the Great Work—the bearing of the Alchemical Cross."

 

 

Verses 1-12: The Leaven of the Pharisees and the Illusion of External Signs - "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered... A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas... Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." 

The dogmatic and materialistic faculties of the Mind (Pharisees and Sadducees) demand physical, undeniable proof of Spiritual Power before they will submit. The Solar Consciousness completely denies them. To provide a cheap physical miracle to satisfy the arrogant ego would violate the Law of Hierarchy. The only sign given is "Jonas"—the Internal, Psychological Death and Resurrection. Following this, the Christos warns the disciples (the developing faculties) to beware of the "leaven." The disciples mistakenly think this is about physical bread. The Christos corrects them, explaining that the "leaven" is the insidious, corrupting doctrine of the earthly intellect. Just as a tiny pinch of yeast alters the entire structure of dough, even a small compromise with ego-driven, materialistic logic will slowly Corrupt the Entire Spiritual Vessel.

 

 

Verses 13-20: The Rock of Gnosis and the Keys of the Kingdom - "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples... whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." 

This is the foundational moment of the Internal Psychic Temple. The Christos asks the faculties to identify the frequency they are following. Peter (the Active, Foundational Intellect) successfully pierces the veil. He does not guess based on external rumors; he receives a Direct Download of Divine Truth. The Christos confirms that this Realization was not generated by earthly logic ("flesh and blood"), but by Direct Transmission from the Supreme Monad. Because Peter's intellect has now fused with Direct Spiritual Gnosis, he becomes the "Rock" (Petros). It is upon this exact State of Consciousness—Direct, Unshakeable Inner Knowing—that the Immortal Psychological Temple (the church) is built. The "keys of the kingdom" are the Hermetic Laws of Vibration: whatever the Awakened Mind binds or looses in the dense physical matrix (earth) is mathematically bound or loosed in the energetic blueprint (heaven).

 

 

Verses 21-23: The Rebuke of the Earthly Intellect - "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things... and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him... But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." 

Immediately after Achieving Supreme Spiritual Elevation, the Intellect suffers a massive, violent regression. When the Solar Consciousness explains that the Great Work requires the Absolute Crucifixion and death of the lower earthly vehicle in Jerusalem, Peter's survival instinct panics. The intellect attempts to protect the physical body, telling the Spirit that this painful sacrifice shall not happen. The Christos instantly, and brutally, rebukes him. In this moment, Peter is no longer the "Rock"; he has dropped his frequency back into the lower animal matrix, becoming an adversary ("Satan"). The Intellect is offended by the concept of ego-death because it only values physical comfort and earthly logic ("things that be of men") rather than the Eternal Mechanics of Spiritual Evolution.

 

 

Verses 24-28: The Cross of Initiation and the Law of Sacrifice - "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" 

This is the Ultimate mandate of the Hermetic Adept. The "cross" is not merely a wooden structure; it is the Universal Symbol of the intersection between the vertical Spiritual Plane and the horizontal material plane. To "take up the cross" is to actively embrace the agonizing friction of holding Divine Consciousness within a dense animal body. The Adept must entirely "deny himself"—meaning the Absolute Surrender of the lower, survival-driven ego. The mechanical Law is laid out clearly: if the Consciousness attempts to hoard its Vital Energy to protect its worldly, physical existence, it will mathematically lose its Eternal Spiritual structure. Conversely, by willingly sacrificing the illusions of the lower self, the Immortal Solar Identity is Completely Realized. Gaining the entire material matrix is fundamentally useless if the Psychic Architecture of the Soul dissolves in the process.