Rebuking the devil in us
“But He turned, and said unto Peter, 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.
Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.” (Matt. 16:23-28).
These words were addressed to Christ’s disciples when they were alone with Him; and they were more pointed at Peter than the rest. It was the sternest rebuke Jesus ever gave His beloved follower.
He had just blessed them with the promise that the gates of hell would not prevail against the new movement of truth and grace. And this emboldened Peter to be used by the very enemy Christ was fighting. The disciples did not understand the true issues of the spiritual warfare raging over their heads. Peter, never afraid to express himself, took Jesus as if to shake the nonsensense of self-sacrifice coming out of His mouth. Once again, he was operating from a human compass. He was speaking for Satan.
The situation called for drastic measures—a sharp rebuke that would cut deeply into Peter’s pride and impetuous nature. Out of Jesus’ mouth went a sharp sword that slew the wickedness the devil was prompting. Nothing from the adversary could be permitted into the young church, and especially to derail the Son of God from His appointed mission to be the propitiation, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He would not give Satan one inch of foothold.
But Jesus was not just rebuking Peter. He was speaking through Peter to Satan and warning him off. Jesus was killing two birds with one stone. Peter had the unfortunate position as medium from Satan to Christ, and then from Christ back to Satan. Jesus’ method was the perfect one. He smashed the driving serve right back into the devil’s court. And forward, outspoken Peter got to be the screaming ball.
What if Adam had remained so firmly to principle when Eve first acted the same part as Peter later did? What a long, bitter history of trouble and sorrow would have been avoided! It was right for Jesus to rebuke Peter, even sternly so.
Yet, once Jesus had made His point very clear, He slowly brought instruction into the conversation to dilute the highly charged atmosphere, but without removing the importance of the present strong lesson He had just taught them. He wasn’t hateful to Peter, but needed to make a point and sink a seed of truth down deep into Peter’s processing, and through Peter to the others. It was all in mercy that He came on so strongly. He never stopped loving Peter for a moment through the whole episode. He scourges and then receives His willful children to His bosom. This is why “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.” (Is. 9:6,7).
Peter was not cast out; he never left. Within a week we see him climbing a mountain with his Master on a collision course with the transfiguration of Jesus and another opening of his mouth in foolishness. Yet, this small band of men had become his family, with Jesus as his father. Nothing his Master could say to him would ever destroy the growing attachment and sense of unending acceptance he found in his Lord.
Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.” (Matt. 16:23-28).
These words were addressed to Christ’s disciples when they were alone with Him; and they were more pointed at Peter than the rest. It was the sternest rebuke Jesus ever gave His beloved follower.
He had just blessed them with the promise that the gates of hell would not prevail against the new movement of truth and grace. And this emboldened Peter to be used by the very enemy Christ was fighting. The disciples did not understand the true issues of the spiritual warfare raging over their heads. Peter, never afraid to express himself, took Jesus as if to shake the nonsensense of self-sacrifice coming out of His mouth. Once again, he was operating from a human compass. He was speaking for Satan.
The situation called for drastic measures—a sharp rebuke that would cut deeply into Peter’s pride and impetuous nature. Out of Jesus’ mouth went a sharp sword that slew the wickedness the devil was prompting. Nothing from the adversary could be permitted into the young church, and especially to derail the Son of God from His appointed mission to be the propitiation, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He would not give Satan one inch of foothold.
But Jesus was not just rebuking Peter. He was speaking through Peter to Satan and warning him off. Jesus was killing two birds with one stone. Peter had the unfortunate position as medium from Satan to Christ, and then from Christ back to Satan. Jesus’ method was the perfect one. He smashed the driving serve right back into the devil’s court. And forward, outspoken Peter got to be the screaming ball.
What if Adam had remained so firmly to principle when Eve first acted the same part as Peter later did? What a long, bitter history of trouble and sorrow would have been avoided! It was right for Jesus to rebuke Peter, even sternly so.
Yet, once Jesus had made His point very clear, He slowly brought instruction into the conversation to dilute the highly charged atmosphere, but without removing the importance of the present strong lesson He had just taught them. He wasn’t hateful to Peter, but needed to make a point and sink a seed of truth down deep into Peter’s processing, and through Peter to the others. It was all in mercy that He came on so strongly. He never stopped loving Peter for a moment through the whole episode. He scourges and then receives His willful children to His bosom. This is why “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.” (Is. 9:6,7).
Peter was not cast out; he never left. Within a week we see him climbing a mountain with his Master on a collision course with the transfiguration of Jesus and another opening of his mouth in foolishness. Yet, this small band of men had become his family, with Jesus as his father. Nothing his Master could say to him would ever destroy the growing attachment and sense of unending acceptance he found in his Lord.
posted by David | 7:39 AM
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