Jesus has taken his disciples northward from predominantly Jewish territory, presumably to escape the crowds and spend time privately with his disciples. They have journeyed some twenty-five miles (and seventeen hundred feet uphill) from the Lake of Galilee to the source of the Jordan near the ancient city of Dan, the northern boundary of ancient Israel. The recently renamed Caesarea Philippi was as pagan a territory as one could find. It was famous for its grotto where people worshiped the Greek god Pan; its earlier name Paneas persisted even in its modern Arabic name, Baneas (compare Jos. War 1.404), and public pagan rites reportedly continued there until a later Christian miraculously demonstrated that Jesus was more powerful (Euseb. H.E. 7.17). Following Mark, Matthew emphasizes that God moves where he wills, fitting the theme of Jesus' universal mission in his Gospel (for example, 1:3, 5-6; 2:1-12; 3:9; 4:15).

People Must Recognize Jesus as the Christ (16:14-16)Outsiders' recognition of Jesus as a prophet is inadequate (16:14); those who follow Jesus closely know him as the Christ, God's Son (vv. 15-16). Herod Antipas thought Jesus was John (14:2); many Jewish people anticipated the return of Elijah and other prophets like Baruch. Viewing Jesus in such terms thus fit him into categories of thought that already existed, rather than letting the Lord redefine their categories by his identity (see comment on 4:1-11). Christ designates Jesus as the rightful king of Israel (see introduction).