One mark of the Synoptic Gospels is how they carefully divide Jesus' ministry into two definite stages. Matthew and Luke follow Mark's lead by having Jesus remain in the region of Galilee, preaching, teaching and healing for the first half of their gospels. Only after Jesus makes his explicit passion prediction does his one and only journey toward Jerusalem begin.

Our gospel text today offers Matthew's version of that crucial "hinge" moment when Jesus reveals to his disciples the shocking nature of the Messiah's future. Jesus' identity as the Messiah was only just affirmed by Peter in the verses immediately preceding these (16:13-20). But Jesus apparently gives his disciples no time to digest this stunning revelation.

Actually, there is no specific time frame given here by Matthew, who sud…