LESSONS LEARNED (MATTHEW 16:21-23)

Peter surely meant well, so Jesus reply must have come as a surprise. He turned his back on Peter, looked at the rest of the discipleswho had likely been thinking something similarand said: Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not Gods thoughts, but those of men. ( Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:32, 33) Jesus words contain practical counsel for us all. It is only too easy to allow human thinking to take priority over godly thinking. If we do so, even when we mean to help, we may inadvertently become proponents of Satans purpose rather than Gods. How, though, did Peter respond? He surely knew that Jesus was not calling him Satan the Devil in any literal sense. After all, Jesus did not speak to Peter as he had to Satan. To Satan, Jesus had said: Go away; to Peter, he said: Get behind me. ( Matthew 4:10) Jesus did not cast off this apostle in whom he saw a great deal of good, but He simply corrected his wrong thinking in this matter. It is not hard to see that Peter needed to stop getting in front of his Master as a stumbling block and get back behind him as a supportive follower. Did Peter argue, get angry, or sulk? No; he humbly accepted correction. He thus demonstrated loyalty again. All those who follow Christ will need correction at times. Only if we humbly accept discipline and learn from it can we continue to grow closer to Jesus Christ and his Father, Jehovah God.Proverbs 4:13.

Jesus was preaching near Caesarea Philippi in northern Galilee. This peaceful, picturesque area may have seemed more suitable for leisure than for self-denial. While there, however, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the older men and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised up. (Matthew 16:21) How shocking this disclosure must have been to Jesus disciples, for up to then they had expected their Leader to establish his Kingdom on the earth! Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6.

Peter immediately took [Jesus] aside and commenced rebuking him, saying: Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this destiny

at all. How did Jesus respond? Turning his back, he said to Peter: Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not Gods thoughts, but those of men. What a contrast there was between the two outlooks! Jesus willingl y accepted the self-sacrificing course God had assigned himone that would lead to his death on a torture stake within a few months. Peter recommended a comfortable course. Be kind to yourself, he said. Peter undoubtedly had good intentions. Still, Jesus r ebuked him because Peter had on that occasion allowed himself to be influenced by Satan. Peter had not Gods mind, but that of men. Matthew 16:22, 23; footnote.
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Echoes of Peters words to Jesus can be heard today. The world commonly urges a person to be good to yourself or follow th e

course of least resistance.

(LUKE 9:22-26) More is involved than petitioning God through his Son. With the value of his ransom sacrifice, Christ by purchase became, as it were, the owner that bought the human race. (Galatians 3:13; 4:5; 2 Peter 2:1) We can show our gratitude for all that Christ does for us by acknowledging his ownership of us and gladly responding to his invitation: If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake day after day and follow me continually. (Luke 9:23) Disowning oneself is not simply a verbal claim of change of ownership. After all, Christ died for all that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them. (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15) Therefore, appreciation for the ransom will have a profound effect on our outlook, goals, and life-style. Our eternal indebtedness to Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us, should motivate us to learn more about him and his loving Father, Jehovah God. We should also want to grow in faith, to live by Gods beneficial standards, and to be zealous for fine works.Titus 2:13, 14; John 17:3. Figurative Use. Torture stake sometimes stands for the sufferings, shame, or torture experienced because of being a follower of Jesus Christ. As Jesus said: Whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me. (Mt 10:38; 16:24; Mr 8:34; Lu 9:23; 14:27)