Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Messiah is the hinge of the Synoptic story: from here on Jesus begins to speak of his coming suffering. Comparing the three versions shows clearly how Matthew and Luke edited Mark, each expanding or trimming the same exchange.
Matthew’s additional blessing of Peter, with its sayings about the rock and the keys, is found only in his Gospel. Whether it comes from an independent tradition or from Matthew’s own shaping is debated, and it has been central to later disagreements between churches about Peter’s role and its continuation.
Hover a word to find it in every account
27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”
28 They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets.”
29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.
13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14 They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” 20 Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.
18 As he was praying alone, the disciples were near him, and he asked them, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?”
19 They answered, “‘John the Baptizer,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
21 But he warned them and commanded them to tell this to no one,