Matthew 16:23

Matthew 16:23 records one of the most abrupt and striking rebukes Jesus delivers to one of His closest disciples, Peter. Just moments after Peter's monumental confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus turns sharply to him and declares, "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." This powerful statement highlights the profound clash between divine purpose and human understanding.

Context

This verse immediately follows Peter's profound declaration of faith in Matthew 16:16, where he correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus then blesses Peter and speaks of building His church upon this truth. However, the very next revelation from Jesus is about His impending suffering, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21). Peter, unable to reconcile the idea of a suffering Messiah with his understanding of a conquering King, takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee" (Matthew 16:22). It is Peter's well-intentioned but misguided attempt to divert Jesus from His divine mission that draws this severe response.

Key Themes and Messages

• Divine Will vs. Human Desire: The core of the rebuke lies in the contrast between "the things that be of God" (God's sovereign plan for salvation through the cross) and "those that be of men" (human logic, desire for comfort, glory without suffering). Jesus' path to redemption necessarily involved His suffering and death, a concept difficult for His disciples to grasp.
• The Necessity of the Cross: This passage underscores that the cross was not an unfortunate detour but the central, indispensable element of God's redemptive plan. Any attempt to circumvent it, even from a beloved disciple, was an opposition to God's will.
• Spiritual Warfare and Temptation: Jesus addresses Peter as "Satan" not because Peter is the devil, but because at that moment, Peter was unwittingly acting as an instrument of Satan's temptation. Just as Satan tempted Jesus to avoid the cross in the wilderness (Matthew 4:8-10), he now uses Peter's human perspective to try and derail God's plan. This reveals that temptation can come from unexpected sources, even those close to us.
• The Nature of True Discipleship: Immediately following this exchange, Jesus calls His followers to take up their cross and follow Him, emphasizing that true discipleship involves self-denial and a willingness to suffer for God's purposes.

Linguistic Insights

• "Satan" (Greek: Satanas): While a proper name for the devil, it literally means 'adversary' or 'opponent.' Jesus is identifying the spirit behind Peter's words as adversarial to God's will, not condemning Peter's person. Peter, despite his good intentions, was acting as an opponent to God's redemptive plan.
• "Offence" (Greek: skandalon): This word refers to a 'stumbling block,' 'trap,' or 'snare.' Peter's words were not just an annoyance; they were an obstacle that could cause Jesus to stumble from His destined path, a temptation to avoid the suffering that was necessary for salvation.
• "Savourest" (Greek: phroneo): This verb means 'to set one's mind on,' 'to think,' 'to be intent on,' or 'to have a certain mindset.' Jesus is saying that Peter's thoughts and desires were aligned with human understanding and comfort, not with the divine, self-sacrificial plan of God.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

• Discern the Source: We must constantly discern whether our thoughts, desires, and advice (or that of others) align with God's Word and will, or if they are rooted in human comfort, worldly wisdom, or even subtly influenced by spiritual opposition.
• Embrace God's Difficult Path: God's ways are often counter-intuitive to human logic. What seems like a setback or suffering from a human perspective may be precisely the path God intends for greater glory and purpose. We are called to trust God's plan, even when it involves hardship.
• Beware of Well-Intentioned Obstacles: Even those closest to us, with the best intentions, can sometimes become unwitting "stumbling blocks" if their advice or perspective deviates from God's revealed will.
• The Centrality of the Cross: For followers of Christ, the cross is not just a historical event but a principle of life. Embracing the cross means dying to self, submitting to God's will, and being willing to suffer for righteousness' sake, just as Jesus did.

Jesus' harsh words to Peter underscore the absolute commitment to God's plan and the severity of anything that would hinder it, even from a beloved disciple.