Seaford Baptist Church

Instruction Concerning His Death

June 30th, 2009

Instruction Concerning His Death (Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-33; Luke 9:22)

In this passage the disciples have four bullet items on the PowerPoint presentation Jesus is giving to them.

• I will go to Jerusalem (this was the appointed place of sacrifice)
• I will suffer many things from those appointed as religious leaders
• I must be killed (He is our substitutionary sacrifice since we can’t save ourselves from sin)
• I will be resurrected on the third day (divine authentication of His person and work)

Let’s look at the verse 21, specifically bullet item 2. Jesus will have an audience! What an opportunity here to (again) show those that have influence over the nation that Jesus is Messiah. I truly loved the commentary found in the Life Application Bible at this point.

“Triumphalism” is a word that describes the kind of Christianity that seeks political prestige, social recognition, and temporal power. It forces itself on populations and begins to dictate on matters far removed from Jesus’ word. It says, “God will not let us lose because God cannot tolerate loss.” It presses toward victory by any means. It likes success. It is modern Christianity mimicking Peter’s advice to Jesus when he tried to talk him out of his mission.

But Jesus describes the path of faith in much humbler terms: injustice, misunderstanding, suffering, and death. These terms typify true faith for Jesus more than black-tie banquets celebrating multimillion-dollar fund-raising campaigns. When you think of what faith means, focus on Jesus, not on brochures, media presentations, or hyped-up public relations press releases. (from The Life Application Commentary Series Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 by the Livingstone Corporation. Produced with permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Jesus would not face these accusers in the hopes of swaying them to adopt His agenda (truly His mission and calling). The decision had been made by these groups of people – the die was cast. But Peter had more alarming revelations with what Jesus was saying. I mean, after all, Jesus just told him he would be important in the spread of the church (he might not have understood exactly what the ‘church’ thing was all about, but he knew Jesus had given him some authority in that area). It was time to use some of this ‘authority’ – umm, Jesus, could I have a word with you for a moment?

Look, this is crazy talk. I’ve got your back. Oh, and I have your right side, your left side, and your front. I’m in your corner and no one will get to you unless they come through me. Put the PowerPoint presentation away because that will not be the reality as long as I’m there with you!

Peter rebuked Jesus. That’s a pretty strong term.

[NT:2008 epitimao (ep-ee-tee-mah'-o); from NT:1909 and NT:5091; to tax upon, i.e. censure or admonish; by implication, forbid: KJV - (straitly) charge, rebuke.
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)]

Peter, stepping on out there! He felt responsible to make sure this tragedy would be prevented. Evidently he was willing to use physical restraint if necessary on Jesus to stop this from happening. While Peter rebuked Jesus, Christ had a response that was stronger. Look at it in the Amplified Bible.

Matt 16:23 But Jesus turned away from Peter and said to him, Get behind Me, Satan! You are in My way [an offense and a hindrance and a snare to Me]; for you are minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men. (AMP)

What’s this? The Lord calling the pebble that the church would be constructed with Satan? Many discussions have taken place over the years on this – was Jesus inferring that Peter was not saved? I’d say no, for on many other occasions Peter had confessed faith in the person and work of Christ. What Peter did do here is expressed Satan’s purpose – keep Christ from going to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Satan was working through one close to the Lord. Let’s see, when Satan tempted Christ he had offered a throne without a cross (if you will only bow down and worship me) – an offer Christ rejected. Now Peter, with the authority Christ has conferred on him, wants to flex those muscles and let Jesus mount the Messianic throne right now. No need for a cross!

And us? Give us an easy path too – all the rewards with none of the sweat equity. Being a Christian should be rewarding with no ‘buyers remorse’. Jesus would have none of that. He knew the Father’s plan and looked towards the redemption of men. If it was us…may be a different story.

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Entry Filed under: Bible Study, Bryan Dunn