Mark 8:33

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

But {G1161} when he had turned about {G1994} and {G2532} looked {G1492} on his {G846} disciples {G3101}, he rebuked {G2008} Peter {G4074}, saying {G3004}, Get thee {G5217} behind {G3694} me {G3450}, Satan {G4567}: for {G3754} thou savourest {G5426} not {G3756} the things that be of God {G2316}, but {G235} the things that be of men {G444}.

But, turning around and looking at his talmidim, he rebuked Kefa. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said, "For your thinking is from a human perspective, not from God's perspective!"

But Jesus, turning and looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.

Commentary

Mark 8:33 captures a pivotal and intense moment in Jesus' ministry, immediately following Peter's profound confession of Jesus as the Christ. This verse reveals Jesus' unwavering commitment to God's redemptive plan, even when it clashed with human expectations and the well-meaning but misguided intentions of His closest disciples.

Context

This sharp rebuke comes directly after Peter, having just declared Jesus to be the Messiah (Mark 8:29), took Jesus aside to "rebuke" Him for speaking about His impending suffering, rejection, and death (Mark 8:31-32). Peter, like many of his Jewish contemporaries, likely expected a conquering Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom and overthrow Roman rule, not one who would suffer and die. Jesus' stern response in Mark 8:33 thus serves as a powerful correction, not just for Peter, but for all the disciples who were struggling to grasp the true nature of His mission.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Nature of True Messiahship: Jesus unequivocally rejects any path that deviates from His divine purpose of suffering and sacrifice for humanity's redemption. His kingdom was not of this world, nor built on human power or comfort.
  • Spiritual vs. Worldly Mindset: The core of the rebuke lies in the contrast between "the things that be of God" and "the things that be of men." Peter's perspective, though seemingly protective, was rooted in human understanding and worldly desires for glory, rather than God's sovereign plan. This highlights the constant tension between divine will and human inclination.
  • The Source of Temptation: By saying "Get thee behind me, Satan," Jesus isn't calling Peter the devil, but rather identifying the spiritual force behind Peter's suggestion. It echoes Jesus' own temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:10), where Satan tried to steer Him away from the path of suffering. Here, Satan is seen as working through human agents, even well-intentioned ones, to thwart God's will.
  • The Cost of Discipleship: This rebuke sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent teaching on what it truly means to follow Him, emphasizing self-denial and taking up one's cross (Mark 8:34).

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "thou savourest not" comes from the Greek word phroneo (φρονέω), which means "to think," "to have understanding," "to set one's mind on," or "to be disposed towards." It implies Peter was not aligning his thoughts or priorities with God's divine plan, but rather with human, earthly considerations. He was not "minding" or "appreciating" the things of God.

Practical Application

Mark 8:33 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

  • Discernment is Crucial: We must constantly evaluate our thoughts, desires, and even well-meaning advice from others to ensure they align with God's will and not merely human comfort or worldly success.
  • God's Ways are Not Our Ways: God's plans often involve paths that seem counter-intuitive, difficult, or even foolish from a human perspective. True faith requires trusting His wisdom above our own.
  • Resist Subtle Temptations: Temptation doesn't always come in obvious evil forms. It can come disguised as good intentions, comfort, or a desire to avoid suffering, subtly steering us away from God's perfect plan.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 4:10 (7 votes)

    Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

  • 1 John 2:15 (6 votes)

    Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

  • Philippians 3:19 (6 votes)

    Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

  • Genesis 3:4 (3 votes)

    And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

  • Genesis 3:6 (3 votes)

    ¶ And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

  • James 3:15 (3 votes)

    This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish.

  • James 3:18 (3 votes)

    And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.