My husband recounts a time when he was a child and his family visited Petrified Forest National Park. As they left, park rangers stood at the entrance and handed them a piece of petrified wood from the park. The very people who were sworn to protect the park, were actually helping to destroy it. Needless to say, they don’t do that anymore.
Peter’s Best Moment
The same thing can happen to us. Just look at Peter. In one paragraph, Jesus praises Peter for recognizing that he is the Messiah.
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matt 16:17-19
Peter’s Worst Moment
Then, he blows it.
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matt 16:21-23
Adversary
The Hebrew word the NIV translated as Satan, שָׂטָן, actually means adversary. That makes sense. After all, who is God’s biggest adversary, but the Prince of Darkness? But Jesus calling Peter his adversary? That seems a little harsh at first glance. After all, he doesn’t want Jesus to be killed. What is so wrong about that?
Well, first of all, let’s look at Peter’s tone. Notice that Peter rebuked Jesus. He knew Jesus was the Messiah, but still tried to sternly correct him. Not a good idea. Now let’s look at what Jesus said. He basically tells Peter, “Get out of my way.” He explains to Peter that he does not see the entire picture. He only sees things from a human perspective, not from God’s perspective.
How many times have I done that? I thought I was helping, when I was really getting in the way. I believed I knew the way things SHOULD be. But my ways are not God’ ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9)So I have been trying to pray for God to give me his perspective, that I would not be his adversary. I don’t want him to have to move me out of the way.