Matthew 16:21

ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο (vide Matthew 4:17) marks pointedly a new departure in the form of explicit intimation of an approaching final and fatal crisis. Time suitable. Disciples could now bear it, it could not be much longer delayed. Jesus could now face the crisis with composure, having been satisfied by Peter's confession that His labour was not going to be in vain. He then began to show, etc., for this was only the first of several communications of the same kind. Χριστὸς after Ιησοῦς in [100] [101] is an intrinsically probable reading, as suiting the solemnity of the occasion and greatly enhancing the impressiveness of the announcement. Jesus, the Christ, to be crucified! But one would have expected the article before Χρ. πολλὰ παθεῖν, the general fact. ἀπὸ … γραμματέων, the three constituent parts of the Sanhedrim elders, priests, scribes. ἀποκτανθῆναι : one hard special fact, be killed. ἐγερθῆναι : this added to make the other fact not altogether intolerable.

[100] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[101] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.