And Jesus went out, and his disciples
From Bethsaida and even from Galilee
into the towns Caesarea Philippi;
in the jurisdiction of Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis; for this Caesarea was rebuilt by him and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar; and the towns and villages adjacent to it are here intended: (See Gill on Matthew 16:13);
and by the way he asked his disciples;
as they were going from Galilee to those parts:
saying unto them; whom do men say that I am?
not that he needed any information of this; for he knew not only what was said by men but What was in them; but he put this question, in order to bring out their sense of, and faith in him, and to impart something to them which was necessary they should be acquainted with; (See Gill on Matthew 16:13), where it is read, "whom do men say that I, the son of man am?"