Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 16:16-17 – Andrew Told Him — Or Did God? Resolving Peter’s Confession

Episode 222 examines an apparent contradiction: did Peter learn Jesus was the Messiah from his brother Andrew (John 1) or by revelation from the Father (Matthew 16)?

The host explains these are two moments in Peter’s journey — an initial introduction by Andrew and a later, deeper revelation from God — and shows how the Gospels record the growth from hearing about Jesus to truly knowing him.

The episode draws on commentaries and historical interpretation to show the passages complement one another and encourages listeners to move from borrowed belief to personal conviction.

References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:

buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page

Email Address: [email protected] 

1. Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/peter_find_out.html 
2. Enduring Word Commentary on Matthew 16 (David Guzik): https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/matthew-16/
3. Veritas Domain: "Bible Contradiction? How did Peter find out that Jesus was the Messiah?": https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2021/02/25/bible-contradiction-how-did-peter-find-out-that-jesus-was-the-messiah/
4. Evidence for Christianity: "Does John 1:41 contradict Matthew 16:16-17?": https://evidenceforchristianity.org/does-john-141-contradict-matthew-1616-17-as-to-when-peter-knew-jesus-was-the-messiah/
5. Religious Studies Center (BYU): "Peter's Keys": https://rsc.byu.edu/ministry-peter-chief-apostle/peters-keys
6. GotQuestions.org: "What did Jesus mean when He said, 'flesh and blood has not revealed this to you'?": https://www.gotquestions.org/flesh-and-blood-has-not-revealed-this-to-you.html 
7. Tucker S. Ferda, "The Seventy Faces of Peter's Confession: Matt. 16:16-17 in the History of Interpretation," Biblical Interpretation 20 (2012): 421-457.