Matthew 16:17

‘And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” '

Jesus then commends Peter for his insight. It is something of an official declaration rather than just a reply, as is demonstrated by His giving him his full name, ‘Simon son of Jonah'. Jonah may have been his father's name, or alternately it may have been a name that linked him with the prophet Jonah, who was also a ‘confessor of Christ' by example (Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4). And He declares that Peter is one to whom His Father has given understanding in accordance with Matthew 11:25. It is not something that he has been told by ordinary men, but something that has been revealed to him by God. He is thus one of those whom God has blessed.

‘Blessed are you.' This is Jesus' favourite way of indicating that men have received special blessing from God, through Whose gracious working they enjoy the benefit spoken of. Compare on Matthew 5:3; Matthew 11:6; Matthew 13:16.

‘Simon, son of Jonah.' Jesus might here be saying that Peter is in the true line of Jonah who has twice been cited as pointing to Jesus' uniqueness (Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4). Jonah had unknowingly testified of Christ, and now Peter was following in his footsteps like a true ‘son'. ‘Son of' can regularly mean ‘like', ‘following in the footsteps of'. This would suit the context, ‘You are the son of the living God' (the source of all life) followed by ‘you are the son of Jonah' (the one who was miraculously delivered from death) makes a good parallel. Alternately Jonah might have been an alternate name for John (see John 1:42).