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Commentary on Matthew 16 verses 21–23
We have here Christ's discourse with his disciples concerning his own sufferings; in which observe,
I. Christ's foretelling of his sufferings. Now he began to do it, and from this time he frequently spake of them. Some hints he had already given of his sufferings, as when he said, Destroy this temple: when he spake of the Son of man being lifted up, and of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood: but now he began to show it, to speak plainly and expressly of it. Hitherto he had not touched upon this, because the disciples were weak, and could not well bear the notice of a thing so very strange, and so very melancholy; but now that they were more ripe in knowledge, and strong in faith, he began to tell them this. Note, Christ reveals his mind to his people gradually, and lets in light as they can bear it, and are fit to receive it.
From that time, when they had made that full confession of Christ, that he was the Son of God, then he began to show them this. When he found them knowing in one truth, he taught them another; for to him that has, shall be given. Let them first be established in the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and then go on to perfection, Heb 6:1. If they had not been well grounded in the belief of Christ's being the Son of God, it would have been a great shaking to their faith. All truths are not to be spoken to all persons at all times, but such as are proper and suitable to their present state. Now observe,
1.What he foretold concerning his sufferings, the particulars and circumstances of them, and all surprising.
(1.)The place where he should suffer. He must go to Jerusalem, the head city, the holy city, and suffer there. Though he lived most of his time in Galilee, he must die at Jerusalem; there all the sacrifices were offered, there therefore he must die, who is the great sacrifice.
(2.)The persons by whom he should suffer; the elders, and chief priests, and scribes; these made up the great sanhedrim, which sat at Jerusalem, and was had in veneration by the people. Those that should have been most forward in owning and admiring Christ, were the most bitter in persecuting him. It was strange that men of knowledge in the scripture, who professed to expect the Messiah's coming, and pretended to have something sacred in their character, should use him thus barbarously when he did come. It was the Roman power that condemned and crucified Christ, but he lays it at the door of the chief priests and scribes, who were the first movers.
(3.)What he should suffer; he must suffer many things, and be killed. His enemies' insatiable malice, and his own invincible patience, appear in the variety and multiplicity of his sufferings (he suffered many things) and in the extremity of them; nothing less than his death would satisfy them, he must be killed. The suffering of many things, if not unto death, is more tolerable; for while there is life, there is hope; and death, without such prefaces, would be less terrible; but he must first suffer many things, and then be killed.
(4.)What should be the happy issue of all his sufferings; he shall be raised again the third day. As the prophets, so Christ himself, when he testified beforehand his sufferings, testified withal the glory that should follow, Pe1 1:11. His rising again the third day proved him to be the Son of God, notwithstanding his sufferings; and therefore he mentions that, to keep up their faith. When he spoke of the cross and the shame, he spoke in the same breath of the joy set before him, in the prospect of which he endured the cross, and despised the shame. Thus we must look upon Christ's suffering for us, trace in it the way to his glory; and thus we must look upon our suffering for Christ, look through it to the recompence of reward. If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him.
2.Why he foretold his sufferings. (1.) To show that they were the product of an eternal counsel and consent; were agreed upon between the Father and the Son from eternity; Thus is behoved Christ to suffer. The matter was settled in the determinate counsel and foreknowledge, in pursuance of his own voluntary susception and undertaking for our salvation; his sufferings were no surprise to him, did not come upon him as a snare, but he had a distinct and certain foresight of them, which greatly magnifies his love, Joh 18:4. (2.) To rectify the mistakes which his disciples had imbibed concerning the external pomp and power of his kingdom. Believing him to be the Messiah, they counted upon nothing but dignity and authority in the world; but here Christ reads them another lesson, tells them of the cross and sufferings; nay, that the chief priests and the elders, whom, it is likely, they expected to be the supports of the Messiah's kingdom, should be its great enemies and persecutors; this would give them quite another idea of that kingdom which they themselves had preached the approach of; and it was requisite that this mistake should be rectified. Those that follow Christ must be dealt plainly with, and warned not to expect great things in this world. (3.) It was to prepare them for the share, at least, of sorrow and fear, which they must have in his sufferings. When he suffered many things, the disciples could not but suffer some; if their Master be killed, they will be seized with terror; let them know it before, that they may provide accordingly, and, being fore-warned, may be fore-armed.
II. The offence which Peter took at this he said, Be it far from thee, Lord: probably he spake the sense of the rest of the disciples, as before, for he was chief speaker. He took him, and began to rebuke him. Perhaps Peter was a little elevated with the great things Christ had how said unto him, which made him more bold with Christ than did become him; so hard is it to keep the spirit low and humble in the midst of great advancements!
1.It did not become Peter to contradict his Master, or take upon him to advise him; he might have wished, that, if it were possible, this cup might pass away, without saying so peremptorily, This shall not be, when Christ had said, It must be. Shall any teach God knowledge? He that reproveth God, let him answer it. Note, When God's dispensations are either intricate or cross to us, it becomes us silently to acquiesce in, and not to prescribe to, the divine will; God knows what he has to do, without our teaching. Unless we know the mind of the Lord, it is not for us to be his counsellors, Rom 11:34.
2.It savoured much of fleshly wisdom, for him to appear so warmly against suffering, and to startle thus at the offence of the cross. It is the corrupt part of us, that is thus solicitous to sleep in a whole skin. We are apt to look upon sufferings as they relate to this present life, to which they are uneasy; but there are other rules to measure them by, which, if duly observed, will enable us cheerfully to bear them, Rom 8:18. See how passionately Peter speaks: "Be it far from thee, Lord. God forbid, that thou shouldst suffer and be killed; we cannot bear the thoughts of it." Master, spare thyself: so it might be read; hileōs soî kurie - "Be merciful to thyself, and then no one else can be cruel to thee; pity thyself, and then this shall not be to thee." He would have Christ to dread suffering as much as he did; but we mistake, if we measure Christ's love and patience by our own. He intimates, likewise, the improbability of the thing, humanly speaking; "This shall not be unto thee. It is impossible that one who hath so great an interest in the people as thou hast, should be crushed by the elders, who fear the people: this can never be; we that have followed thee, will fight for thee, if occasion be; and there are thousands that will stand by us."
III. Christ's displeasure against Peter for this suggestion of his, Mat 16:23. We do not read of any thing said or done by any of his disciples, at any time, that he resented so much as this, though they often offended.
Observe, 1. How he expressed his displeasure: He turned upon Peter, and (we may suppose) with a frown said, Get thee behind me, Satan. He did not so much as take time to deliberate upon it, but gave an immediate reply to the temptation, which was such as made it to appear how ill he took it. Just now, he had said, Blessed art thou, Simon, and had even laid him in his bosom; but here, Get thee behind me, Satan; and there was cause for both. Note, A good man may by a surprise of temptation soon grow very unlike himself. He answered him as he did Satan himself, Mat 4:10. Note, (1.) It is the subtlety of Satan, to send temptations to us by the unsuspected hands of our best and dearest friends. Thus he assaulted Adam by Eve, Job by his wife, and here Christ by his beloved Peter. It concerns us therefore not to be ignorant of his devices, but to stand against his wiles and depths, by standing always upon our guard against sin, whoever moves us to it. Even the kindnesses of our friends are often abused by Satan, and made use of as temptations to us. (2.) Those who have their spiritual senses exercised, will be aware of the voice of Satan, even in a friend, a disciple, a minister, that dissuades them from their duty. We must not regard who speaks, so much as what is spoken; we should learn to know the devil's voice when he speaks in a saint as well as when he speaks in a serpent. Whoever takes us off from that which is good, and would have us afraid of doing too much for God, speaks Satan's language. (3.) We must be free and faithful in reproving the dearest friend we have, that saith or doth amiss, though it may be under colour of kindness to us. We must not compliment, but rebuke, mistaken courtesies. Faithful are the wounds of a friend. Such smitings must be accounted kindnesses, Psa 141:5. (4.) Whatever appears to be a temptation to sin, must be resisted with abhorrence, and not parleyed with.
2.What was the ground of this displeasure; why did Christ thus resent a motion that seemed not only harmless, but kind? Two reasons are given:
(1.)Thou art an offence to me - Skandalon mou ei - Thou art my hindrance (so it may be read); "thou standest in my way." Christ was hastening on in the work of our salvation, and his heart was so much upon it, that he took it ill to be hindered, or tempted to start back from the hardest and most discouraging part of his undertaking. So strongly was he engaged for our redemption, that they who but indirectly endeavoured to divert him from it, touched him in a very tender and sensible part. Peter was not so sharply reproved for disowning and denying his Master in his sufferings as he was for dissuading him from them; though that was the defect, this the excess, of kindness. It argues a very great firmness and resolution of mind in any business, when it is an offence to be dissuaded, and a man will not endure to hear any thing to the contrary; like that of Ruth, Entreat me not to leave thee. Note, Our Lord Jesus preferred our salvation before his own ease and safety; for even Christ pleased not himself (Rom 15:3); he came into the world, not to spare himself, as Peter advised, but to spend himself.
See why he called Peter Satan, when he suggested this to him; because, whatever stood in the way of our salvation, he looked upon as coming from the devil, who is a sworn enemy to it. The same Satan that afterward entered into Judas, maliciously to destroy him in his undertaking, here prompted Peter plausibly to divert him from it. Thus he changes himself into an angel of light.
Thou art an offence to me. Note, [1.] Those that engage in any great good work must expect to meet with hindrance and opposition from friends and foes, from within and from without. [2.] Those that obstruct our progress in any duty must be looked upon as an offence to us. Then we do the will of God as Christ did, whose meat and drink it was to do it, when it is a trouble to us to be solicited from our duty. Those that hinder us from doing or suffering for God, when we are called to it, whatever they are in other things in that they are Satans, adversaries to us.
(2.)Thou savourest not the things that are of God, but those that are of men. Note, [1.] The things that are of God, that is, the concerns of his will and glory, often clash and interfere with the things that are of men, that is, with our own wealth, pleasure, and reputation. While we mind Christian duty as out way and work, and the divine favour as our end and portion, we savour the things of God; but if these be minded, the flesh must be denied, hazards must be run and hardships borne; and here is the trial which of the two we savour. [2.] Those that inordinately fear, and industriously decline suffering for Christ, when they are called to it, savour more of the things of man than of the things of God; they relish those things more themselves, and make it appear to others that they do so.
And observe that it is not said,' He began to say,' or 'to teach,' but to show; for as things are said to be shown to the sense, so the things which Christ spake are said to be shown by Him. Nor indeed do I think, that to those who saw Him suffering many things in the flesh, were those things which they saw so shown as this representation in words showed to the disciples the mystery of the passion and resurrection of Christ. At that time, indeed, He only began to show them, and afterwards when they were more able to receive it, He showed them more fully; for all that Jesus began to do, that He accomplished. He must needs go to Jerusalem, to be put to death indeed in the Jerusalem which is below, but to rise again and reign in the heavenly Jerusalem. But when Christ rose again, and others were risen with Him, they no longer sought the Jerusalem which is beneath, or the house of prayer in it, but that which is above. He suffers many things from the elders of the earthly Jerusalem, that He may be glorified by those heavenly elders who receive His mercies. He rose again from the dead on the third day, that He may deliver from the evil one, and purchase for such as are so delivered this gift, that they be baptized in spirit, soul, and body, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are three days perpetually present to those that through them have been made children of light.
While Christ was yet speaking the beginnings of the things which He was showing unto them, Peter considered them unworthy of the Son of the living God. And forgetting that the Son of the living God does nothing, and acts in no way worthy of blame, he began to rebuke Him; and this is what is said, And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
As though Christ Himself had needed a propitiation. His affection Christ allows, but charges him with ignorance; as it follows, He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me.
Yet the words in which Peter and those in which Satan are rebuked, are not, as is commonly thought, the same; to Peter it is said, Get thee behind me, Satan; that is, follow me, thou that art contrary to my will; to the Devil it is said, Go thy way, Satan, understanding not 'behind me,' but 'into everlasting fire.' He said therefore to Peter, Get thee behind me, as to one who through ignorance was ceasing to walk after Christ. And He called him Satan, as one, who through ignorance had somewhat contrary to God. But he is blessed to whom Christ turns, even though He turn in order to rebuke him. But why said He to Peter, Thou art an offence unto me, (Ps. 119:165.) when in the Psalm it is said, Great peace have they that love thy law, and there is no offence to them? It must be answered, that not only is Jesus not offended, but neither is any man who is perfect in the love of God; and yet he who does or speaks any thing of the nature of an offence, may be an offence even to one who is incapable of being offended. Or he may hold every disciple that sinneth as an offence, as Paul speaks, Who is offended, and I burn not?. (2 Cor. 11:29.)
The Lord, knowing the suggestion of the craft of the devil, says to Peter, Get thee behind me; that is, that he should follow the example of His passion; but to him by whom this expression was suggested, He turns and says, Satan, thou art an offence unto me. For we cannot suppose that the name of Satan, and the sin of being an offence, would be imputed to Peter after those so great declarations of blessedness and power that had been granted him.
For what wonder is it that this should befal Peter, who had never received a revelation concerning these things? For that you may learn that that confession which he made concerning Christ was not spoken of himself, observe how in these things which had not been revealed to him, he is at a loss. Estimating the things of Christ by human and earthly principles, he judged it mean and unworthy of Him that He should suffer. Therefore the Lord added, For thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Therefore, the rest being troubled and in perplexity, Peter again, in his ardor, alone ventures to discourse of these things; and not even he openly, but when he had taken Him apart; that is, having separated himself from the rest of the disciples; and he saith, "Be it far from Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee." What ever is this? He that obtained a revelation, he that was blessed, hath he so soon fallen away, and suffered overthrow, so as to fear His passion? And what marvel, that one who had not on these points received any revelation, should have that feeling? Yea, to inform thee that not of himself did he speak those other things either, see in these matters that were not revealed to him how he is confounded and overthrown, and being told ten thousand times, knows not what the saying can mean.
For that He is Son of God he had learnt, but what the mystery of the cross and of the resurrection might be, was not yet manifest to him: for "the saying," it is said, "was hid from them."
Seest thou that with just cause He bade them not declare it to the rest? For if it so confounded them, who must needs be made aware of it, what would not all others have felt?
Peter was for twenty-four years Bishop of the Church of Rome. We cannot doubt that, amongst other things necessary for the instruction of the church, he himself delivered to them the treasury of the sacred books, which, no doubt, had even then begun to be read under his presidency and teaching.
(Verse 22, 23.) And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying: Lord, be it far from you, this shall not happen to you. But he turned and said to Peter: Get behind me, Satan, you are a hindrance to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. We have often said that Peter had great zeal and love for the Lord Savior. Therefore, after his confession, when he said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, and heard the Savior's response: Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven, he suddenly hears from the Lord that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day rise again. He does not want his confession to be destroyed; he does not think it is possible for the Son of God to be killed. And he takes him into his affection, or leads him separately, so that he does not appear to accuse the teacher in front of the other disciples, and he begins to rebuke him out of love and desire, saying: Lord, be it far from you; or as it is better in Greek, ἵλεώς σοι, Κύριε, οὐ μὴ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο, which means, be propitious to yourself, Lord, this shall not happen to you; it cannot happen, and my ears do not accept that the Son of God should be killed. To whom the Lord, turning, said: Go behind me, Satan, you are a stumbling block to me. Satan is interpreted as adversary or opposer. Because you speak contrary to my will, you must be called adversary. Many believe that it was not Peter who was rebuked, but the opposing spirit who suggested these words to the Apostle. But to me, this Apostolic error, coming from a feeling of piety, will never seem like an incentive of the devil: Go behind me, Satan. The devil says: Go away. Peter hears: Go away from me, that is, follow my opinion: for you do not understand the things that are of God, but those that are of men. It is my will, and the Father's (whose will I have come to do (John VI)) that I should die for the salvation of men, while you, considering only your own will, do not want a grain of wheat to fall to the ground, so that it may bring forth many fruits (John XII). Let the wise reader inquire how, after such great blessedness: Blessed are you, Simon Barjona; and: You are Peter; and on this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and: Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; now let him hear: Go away from me, Satan, you are a stumbling block to me? But what kind of sudden conversion is this, that after so great rewards, he is called Satan? But if he considers who is asking this, he will understand that Peter received that blessing and beatitude, and power, and edification upon the Church, promised for the future, not given in the present. I will build, he says, my Church upon you and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. All these things are for the future, which if he had immediately given them to him, the error of wrong opinion would have never found a place in him.
We have often said that Peter had too hot a zeal, and a very great affection towards the Lord the Saviour. Therefore after that his confession, and the reward of which he had heard from the Saviour, he would not have that his confession destroyed, and thought it impossible that the Son of God could be put to death, but takes Him to him affectionately, or takes Him aside that he may not seem to be rebuking his Master in the presence of his fellow disciples, and begins to chide Him with the feeling of one that loved Him, and to contradict Him, and say, Be it far from thee, Lord; or as it is better in the Greek, ἵλεώς σοι Κύριε, οὐ μὴ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο, that is, Be propitious to Thyself, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee.
But to me this error of the Apostle, proceeding from the warmth of his affection, will never seem a suggestion of the devil. Let the thoughtful reader consider that that blessedness of power was promised to Peter in time to come, not given him at the time present; had it been conveyed to him immediately, the error of a false confession would never have found place in him.
As much as to say; It is of My will, and of the Father's will, that I should die for the salvation of men; you considering only your own will would not that the grain of wheat should fall into the ground, that it may bring forth much fruit; therefore as you speak what is opposed to My will, you ought to be called My adversary. For Satan is interpreted 'adverse' or 'contrary.'
Peter rightly confessed what had been revealed; in what had not been revealed, he erred: that we may learn that Peter did not utter that great truth without God’s help. Not wanting Christ to suffer, and being ignorant of the mystery of the Resurrection, Peter said, "Be it far from Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee."
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SUMMARY
In Matthew 16:22, immediately following Peter's profound confession of Jesus as the Christ, we encounter a jarring moment where Peter takes Jesus aside and vehemently attempts to dissuade Him from His prophesied path of suffering and death in Jerusalem. This verse starkly highlights the profound tension between human expectations and divine will, revealing the disciples' deep-seated misunderstanding of the Messiah's true mission, which necessitated the cross before the crown.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs striking Irony, as Peter, having just received divine revelation and been blessed for his confession of Christ, immediately becomes an unwitting mouthpiece for Satan, attempting to divert Jesus from His mission. This reversal highlights the constant spiritual battle and the ease with which human wisdom can align with adversarial forces. There is also significant Contrast between divine wisdom (Jesus' understanding of the cross's necessity) and human wisdom (Peter's desire to avoid suffering), setting up the subsequent teaching on true discipleship. The entire interaction serves as Foreshadowing, not only of Jesus' impending passion but also of the disciples' struggle to comprehend and accept the path of suffering, which would culminate in their temporary abandonment of Jesus before His crucifixion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 16:22 serves as a critical theological hinge, starkly contrasting the popular, earthly understanding of the Messiah with God's divine, redemptive plan centered on the cross. Peter's well-intentioned but profoundly mistaken intervention reveals the deep chasm between human logic, which seeks glory and avoids suffering, and God's wisdom, which ordains suffering as the path to ultimate glory and salvation. This moment underscores the radical nature of Christ's mission – that the Son of God must suffer and die to accomplish atonement for sin, a concept that was a "stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:23). It highlights that even those closest to God can, out of human affection or misunderstanding, inadvertently oppose His perfect will, emphasizing the constant need for spiritual discernment and submission to divine truth.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Peter's earnest but misguided attempt to deter Jesus from His path of suffering offers a profound lesson for every believer. It challenges us to examine our own expectations of God's will and our willingness to embrace paths that involve sacrifice, discomfort, or apparent failure in the eyes of the world. Like Peter, we often desire comfort and triumph, seeking to avoid hardship for ourselves and those we love. However, this passage reminds us that God's ways are often higher than our ways, and His redemptive purposes frequently unfold through suffering, humility, and self-denial. True discipleship calls us to align our hearts and minds with God's divine wisdom, even when it seems counter-intuitive or demands personal cost, trusting that His path, though difficult, ultimately leads to life and glory. It compels us to discern whether our "good intentions" are truly aligned with God's perfect will or if they are, like Peter's, rooted in a human-centered perspective that unwittingly opposes divine truth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Peter, after his great confession, immediately make such a mistake?
Answer: Peter's confession in Matthew 16:16 was a divinely revealed truth, a gift from the Father. However, his understanding of the Messiah's mission remained deeply rooted in human, worldly expectations. He grasped Jesus' identity as the Christ but not the nature of His messianic work, particularly the necessity of the cross for redemption. This reveals that spiritual insight into identity does not automatically translate into full comprehension of God's redemptive plan, especially when that plan involves suffering and humility, which were scandalous concepts to the Jewish mindset of the time.
What does Jesus' sharp rebuke of Peter in the next verse (Matthew 16:23) tell us about this interaction?
Answer: Jesus' immediate and severe response, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matthew 16:23), underscores the gravity of Peter's words. While Peter's intention may have been loving and protective, his words were, in essence, a temptation from the adversary, seeking to divert Jesus from His essential redemptive mission. Jesus' rebuke clarifies that any thought or action, no matter how well-intentioned, that opposes God's divine will, particularly the path of the cross, aligns with the purposes of Satan. It highlights the spiritual battle underlying human interactions and the absolute necessity of Jesus' obedience to the Father's plan.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 16:22, with Peter's misguided attempt to dissuade Jesus from His suffering, profoundly illuminates the Christ-centered fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. Peter's human-centered vision of a triumphant, earthly Messiah stood in stark contrast to the divine necessity of Christ's suffering and death, which was the very heart of His mission. Jesus' unwavering commitment to the path of the cross, despite the earnest pleas of His closest disciple, underscores His perfect obedience to the Father's will, as prophesied throughout the Old Testament concerning the Suffering Servant (e.g., Isaiah 53:4-6). This moment foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, a sacrifice that would bring about reconciliation and new life. Jesus' refusal to deviate from the cross ensured the atonement for our sins, the defeat of death, and the establishment of the New Covenant in His blood. Thus, Peter's error serves to magnify Christ's steadfast resolve and the indispensable nature of His passion, through which He accomplished our salvation and became the author and perfecter of our faith.