John Calvin on Matthew 16:4

Matthew 16:4. A wicked and adulterous nation. This passage was explained See page 93 of this volume. under Matthew 12:38. The general meaning is, that the Jews are never satisfied with any signs, but are continually tickled by a wicked desire to tempt God. He does not call them an adulterous nation merely because they demand some kind of sign, (for the Lord sometimes permitted his people to do this,) but because they deliberately provoke God; and therefore he threatens that, after he has risen from the dead, he will be a prophet like Jonah. So Matthew at least says — for Mark does not mention Jonah — but the meaning is the same; for, strictly speaking, this was intended to serve as a sign to them, that Christ, when he had risen from the dead, would in every place cause the voice of his Gospel to be distinctly heard.

Matthew 16:5-12; Mark 8:14-21; Luke 12:1

Matthew 16:5-12

Mark 8:14-21

Luke 12:1

5. And his disciples, when they had come to the opposite bank, through neglect had not taken bread. “Et quand les disciples furent venus outre, ils avoyent oublie a prendre les pains;” — “and when the disciples were come across, they had forgotten to take bread.” 6. And Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7. But they considered within themselves, saying, We have not taken bread. “[C’est pource que] nous n’avons point prins de pains;” — “[it is because] we have not taken bread.” 8. And when Jesus knew this, he said to them, Why do you think within yourselves, O you of little faith, that you have not taken bread? 9. Do you not yet understand, and do you not remember those five loaves, when there were five thousand men, and how many baskets you carried away? 10. Nor those seven loaves, when there were four thousand men, and how many baskets you carried away? 11. How comes it that you do not understand that it was not about bread that I told you to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12. Then they understood that he did not bid them beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

14. And they had neglected to take bread, and had not more than one loaf with them in the ship. 15. And he charged them saying, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16. And they reasoned within themselves, saying, We have not bread. “[C’est pource que] nous n’avons point prins de pains;” — “[it is because] we have not taken bread.” 17. And Jesus, perceiving this, said to them, Why do you reason that you have no bread? Do you not yet consider or understand? Have you your heart yet blinded? 18. Having eyes, do you not see? and having ears, do you not hear? and do you not remember? 19. When I broke the five thousand men, how many baskets full of fragments did you carry away? They say to him, Twelve. 20. And when [I broke] the seven among four thousand, how many baskets of the remains of the fragments did you carry away? And they said, Seven. 21. And he said to them, How is it that you do not understand?

1. And when an innumerable multitude had assembled, “Cependant une multitude s’estant assemblee a milliers;” — “mean while, a multitude having assembled by thousands.” so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples, Above all, beware “En premier lieu, donnez-vous garde;” — “in the first place, beware.” of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy