And we believe and are sure. — Better, We have believed and are sure. (Comp. John 1:41-42.) Go away? The faith which first burned in their hearts has passed into the calm certainty of settled knowledge.
Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God, has found its way into this place from the confession of Matthew 16:16. The almost certain reading here is, Thou art the Holy One of God. They had heard this title ascribed to Him by beings from the spirit world (comp. Note on Mark 1:24), and it has been, perhaps, suggested by the present discourse (John 6:32; John 6:46). Like the title Messiah, or Christ, it marks out the consecration to His work. (Comp. John 10:30; 1 John 2:20; Revelation 3:7.) The true reading brings out the successive confessions, which are certainly twice, and probably three times, spoken by Peter. This is the second, coming between that of Matthew 14:33 and that of Matthew 16:16. (See Notes at these places.)