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Explanation for:
Matthew
16
:
23
Who turning, said to Peter: Go behind me, Satan, thou art a scandal unto me: because thou savourest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.
10
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Irenaeus of Lyon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88d41db83be493e87135c_Irenaeus%20of%20Lyon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":2,"exegesis-text":"He then admonished Peter, who recognized Him as the Messiah based on human perspective, while rejecting the reality of His suffering."},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Consider the insight provided in Matthew 16:18. Have you not yet grasped the purpose of My coming to this world? Just as I became an infant resting in a manger to bring joy to those entering existence, so too must I venture into the depths of hell to bring solace to the righteous souls who have awaited Me throughout eternity, longing for My presence. The prophets, in their yearning, have expressed, “and the righteous and kings have desired to see (Me)” (cf. Matt. 13:17), and \\"Abraham desired to see My day\\" (cf. Jn. 8:56). Therefore, I shall descend to witness this myself. Who else, but Satan alone, would resist leading Me to the Cross for the salvation of humanity? Hence, depart, for you have set your mind not on God's concerns, but on human affairs. The fishermen were unlearned men, their understanding not honed by prophetic discourse."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It has been stated multiple times that Peter was filled with a profound and ardent love for the Lord. Consequently, following his confession, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' and receiving the Lord's affirmation, 'Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonah: for it is not flesh and blood that hath revealed these things unto thee, but my Father which art in heaven,' when he suddenly heard that the Lord was destined to go to Jerusalem, where He would experience much suffering at the hands of the elders, scribes, and chief priests, and be killed, only to rise on the third day, he does not—nor does he desire to—contradict his own confession. He cannot even entertain the thought that the Son of God could be put to death. Deeply moved by his affection, he privately takes the Lord aside, wishing to avoid making a spectacle of dissent before the other disciples, and begins to challenge Him out of love and concern, saying: Lord! May it be spared for You, or more accurately in Greek, ίλεώς σοι, Κύριε, ού μή έσται σοι τούτο. In other words, Be merciful to Yourself, O Lord, let this not happen to You. I cannot bear the thought of the Son of God facing death.\\n\\nThe Lord turned to him and said, 'Get behind Me, Satan; you are an offense to Me.' The term Satan signifies either adversary or foe. Since your words go against My purpose, you must be labeled an adversary. Some believe that this rebuke is aimed not at Peter himself, but rather at the opposing spirit that inspired such a thought in the apostle. However, I find this interpretation to be a misunderstanding arising from a misinterpretation of goodwill. The phrase ‘Get behind Me’ indicates that to the devil, the command was to 'Step back, Satan.' Peter hears the command 'Get behind Me.' If the Greek text in both instances—Matthew 4:10 and Matthew 16:23—reads, Ιπαγε όπίσω μου, σατανά, translating to 'Go back from Me!' there is no necessity to differentiate the meanings in these contexts. Both Peter (in Matthew 16:22, 23) and Satan (in Matthew 4:10), as deceivers, merit the Lord’s prohibition. In saying 'Follow My will, for you do not perceive the things of God, but rather the things of men,' He emphasizes that His sacrifice for humanity's salvation is the divine will He came to fulfill (John 6). Yet, you, focused solely on your own desires, resist the truth that the grain of wheat must fall to the ground to produce abundant fruit (John 12:24).\\n\\nAn observant reader might wonder why, after being granted such blessings as 'Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonah,' and 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,' in addition to being entrusted with the keys to the kingdom of heaven and the authority to bind and loose on earth as it will be in heaven—why now he hears 'Get behind Me, Satan; you are a temptation to Me'? What accounts for such a sudden shift, that after receiving such high honors he is labeled as Satan? However, if one considers that the aforementioned blessings, happiness, and authority given to Peter, along with the foundation of the Church established upon him, are promised for the future, it becomes clear that these gifts are not yet realized in the present. The Lord states, 'I will build My Church upon thee, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,' and, 'I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.' All of this pertains to future fulfillment; had it been granted to him at once, there would have been no room for the distortion of understanding to take root in Peter's heart."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Amid the turmoil and uncertainty experienced by the disciples, the fervent Peter, in a moment of boldness, speaks up again, though he chooses to do so away from the others, in private. He implores, \\"Be merciful to Yourself, Lord; let this not happen to You!\\" What does this signify? The one who had been blessed with revelation now finds himself quickly faltering, consumed by the fear of suffering. Yet, is it surprising for someone who had not been granted such revelation to react this way? Consider how Peter, despite having proclaimed, \\"You are the Christ, the Son of God,\\" is now engulfed in confusion regarding matters that remain hidden from him. He comprehended that Jesus was the Son of God, but the profound mystery of the cross and the resurrection eluded his understanding at that moment. Do you not see why Christ wisely instructed that these truths be kept from others? If such revelations bewildered those who were meant to understand them, how could they be received by those unprepared? In His desire to demonstrate that He did not willingly embrace suffering, Christ even reprimanded Peter, calling him Satan."},{"author-name":"Maximus the Confessor","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8951a1dea23713695271e_Maximus%20the%20Confessor.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":7,"exegesis-text":"Why does the Lord refer to Peter as Satan when He rebukes him? The Lord does not label Peter as Satan, as some might believe, merely to reprimand him. What the Lord experienced as loss has been transformed into gain for us; for instance, His death has become our life, and His humiliation has turned into glory for us. When the Lord announced that He would suffer, the Apostle Peter, thinking within the framework of worldly understanding, concluded that life could not be extinguished and glory could not be tarnished. Thus, the Lord rejected this mindset, for in the divine realm, one cannot seek the natural order of things. Through the interplay of contrasting ideas, He aimed to grant us life through His death and glory through His disgrace. Therefore, when the Lord said, \\"Get behind Me,\\" He was effectively instructing Peter to follow His divine plan rather than attempt to comprehend it through human reasoning. The term Satan, which means adversary, was not used as an insult but rather to indicate an opposition to His purpose."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Peter received commendation for his accurate declaration about Christ, yet he was reproached for his unfounded fear and desire that Christ might avoid suffering. In response, Christ admonished him, stating, ‘Get thee behind Me, Satan!’ The term ‘Satan’ refers to the adversary. Thus, when He says, ‘depart from Me,’ He is indicating that Peter should not resist Him, but rather align with His purpose. Christ refers to Peter in this manner because the adversary sought to prevent His suffering. He explains, ‘You perceive, from a human perspective, that suffering is inappropriate for Me. However, you fail to recognize that God accomplishes salvation through it, rendering it profoundly honorable to Me.’"},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"He turned and addressed Peter, saying, \\"Follow me, adversary...\\" In Mark 8:33, it is noted that Christ, after gazing at His disciples, reproached Peter. He intended for the others to hear this admonition and gain insight, for they shared Peter's sentiments. Christ referred to Peter as an adversary, as he echoed Satan's desire to prevent His crucifixion. The enemy sought to thwart Christ’s death, hoping to render all foretellings of His sacrifice untrue and to ensure that the physical demise of Christ would not be a defeat of His divine authority, even while he incited the Jews to enact the Savior's death, ultimately falling victim to his own wickedness. Alternatively, we may consider this: since ‘Satan’ means adversary, Peter, in opposing Christ’s intention regarding His death, did not comply but rather resisted His divine purpose. Hence, the Savior declares to him, “Follow Me, adversary... You are My trial... By opposing My will, you become a barrier in My path.” He then clarifies the reason for this opposition, stating, “For you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but those of man.” Your thoughts stem from a lack of focus on transcendent matters; had you considered divine truths, you would find it fitting for Me to lay down My life for the world. But because your perspective is grounded in human concerns, you deem it unworthy for Me even to die. Notice also how the one who was recently praised is now criticized, to remind you to temper your boldness and recognize that the Savior is not lacking in compassion. He commended him when he spoke rightly, having received understanding from God, yet reproached him when he spoke from his own reasoning."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Peter discreetly spoke to Jesus, drawing Him aside so the other apostles wouldn’t overhear. However, Jesus turned to all the apostles and, as noted by Mark the Evangelist, gazing at them, addressed Peter loudly enough for everyone to hear: “Get behind me, Satan, for you are a stumbling block to me, since you are focused not on what is divine, but on what is human. Are you suggesting that I should shun suffering and death? Remember, it was Satan who offered me the same counsel when he tempted me with the kingdoms of this world; you echo his words, which is why you stand as an adversary to me, just as he has. I have already rebuked him, and I must repeat to you: Depart from me! If you had regarded the suffering and death that await me as the fulfillment of my Father’s will, you would not view them as disgraceful, nor would you urge me to evade them. Understand that this is the will of My Father, and it must come to pass!”"},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"“Get behind Me, Satan”: an emphatic display of disapproval regarding Peter’s remarks. Peter appears to reject the divine plan concerning the Messiah, who must endure suffering and death to redeem humanity, and Peter, in essence, attempts to steer Him away from this path. The Lord discerned the true origin of Peter’s thoughts, for the adversary sought to prevent Christ from suffering, and so He responded with authoritative and stern admonition. - “Satan” - the adversary, the deceiver, or ruler of the wicked, but herein the term signifies an unwise counselor offering ruinous advice that contradicts God’s divine intentions. - “Thou art a temptation to Me”: “by opposing My will, you become a hindrance to Me” (Euph. Sig.), since you wish to thwart that for which I was sent, aligned with God’s eternal purpose. - “Thou thinkest not of what is divine”: lacking consideration for what pleases God and His predetermined plans regarding the Messiah's suffering and death; “but what is human”: concerned with human reasoning, which implies that the Messiah, the Son of God, should not meet a disgraceful end but be the mighty earthly ruler the Jews anticipated - a victorious king. “Peter, swayed by worldly reasoning, deemed suffering as dishonorable and unkind for Christ. Therefore, penetrating his thoughts, the Lord asserts, ‘Suffering is not unbefitting Me at all; rather, your assessment is based on carnal reasoning. In truth, had you, with a divine mindset unclouded by earthly concerns, heeded what I have proclaimed, you would understand that it is fitting for Me. You perceive suffering for Me as lowly, yet I tell you: this notion of avoiding suffering for Me originates from the enemy.”"},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Lord resisted this temptation with the same strength He had shown when confronting the tempter in the desert. When He turned, He faced all His disciples and, fixing a piercing gaze on Peter who opposed Him, stated, “Get away from Me, hide from My presence, SATAN, evil adviser! YOU ARE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO ME! Rather than being a foundation of faith, you present an obstacle, leading me astray from My Father's purpose because you disregard what is divine, focusing instead on mere human concerns! You fail to recognize that all these matters are taken care of by My Father and should unfold in a manner that respects human freedom. You assess things with a worldly perspective, believing that suffering brings disgrace to Me and is not a part of Christ’s experience, yet this is a fleshly way of thinking. If you had listened to My words, liberated from earthly thoughts by the Divine Spirit, you would comprehend that this path is indeed suitable for Me. You consider it beneath Me to suffer, yet I assert that this hesitation to allow Me to suffer derives from the adversary. Thus, the Lord reassures Peter by countering his fear with the fear of another kind. Our Savior, as St. Philaret explained, held the thought of His death with such gravity that for merely a reckless desire to dislodge this idea, He referred to the very friend He had named the rock of faith, to whom He entrusted the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, with the grave title of Satan! He perceived in His spirit the one provoking Peter to oppose Him, recognizing it was Satan aiming to prompt Him through Peter to forgo suffering—the only path to ascend to glory being the shameful way of the cross—and He firmly set aside this temptation. St. Chrysostom notes that similarly, when John thought it beneath Christ to baptize him, the Lord encouraged him to proceed, stating, “so it is fitting for us” (Matt. 3:15). Likewise, when Peter did not want his feet washed, Jesus insisted, “unless I wash thee, thou hast no part with Me” (John 13:8). In this case, by enlightening Peter through the fear of the contrary and through firm correction, He dispelled the fear that arose from the idea of suffering. Let all who are embarrassed by the sufferings of Christ on the cross take heed! If the foremost apostle, even when grasping only part of the truth, was called Satan for his shame of the cross, how will those who clearly reject the sacrament of the cross defend themselves? Jesus did not say, “Satan speaks through you,” but rather, “Get thee behind Me, Satan!” because the adversary sought precisely to prevent Christ from suffering. This is why He admonished Peter so sternly. Therefore, let no one feel ashamed of the glorious signs of our salvation, by which we live, and the initiation of all that is good, by which we exist. Let us wear the cross of Christ as our crown, for through it we receive all that we need. Thus, we diligently inscribe it on our homes, walls, doors, foreheads, and hearts. For the cross is the emblem of our salvation, liberation, and the mercy of our Lord who “was led like a sheep to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7). When you make the sign of the cross, embody the full meaning of it, suppressing anger and other passions. “You were bought with a high price” (1 Cor. 7:23), says the Apostle Paul, referring to the cross as that price. This sign must not be traced with a mere finger, but expressed with genuine intention and complete faith. When represented in such a way, no impure spirit can approach you, recognizing the sword that delivered the mortal blow. If we regard with reverence the places of execution, imagine how terrified the devil and demons must be when they see the weapon through which the Lord vanquished all their power and severed the serpent's head. That is why with the cross, the demons become powerless and fearsome no longer, death itself transforms from an end into a mere slumber. Through the cross, all that stands opposed to us is trampled and subdued."}]}
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