Daily Blast - The Book of Matthew: Chapter 16
Scripture
“22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23 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.”
Reflection
I want to focus on the second half of the chapter in which Jesus predicts His own death. He explains to the disciples that He had to go to Jerusalem and that He would suffer horribly at the hands of the elders and chief priests and teacher of the law. These are the kind people that have been giving them so much trouble up to now. He explains to them that He would be killed, but after 3 days He would rise again, as was prophesied. Now if the disciples believed that Jesus really was who He said He was, if He really was the Messiah then this should not have come as a surprise to them because they knew the prophecies.
Just after this, there is an interesting exchange between Peter and Jesus – Mathew 16 v 22-23.
22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, LORD!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23Jesus 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."
Obviously, Peter is going to be upset and would not understand why Jesus had to go because he is Jesus’ friend, and Jesus’ reply might seem sharp and unnecessary at first. However, Jesus had known the plan all along. He had to die and rise again to fulfill the prophecies because He is the Messiah. Jesus did not want to go to Jerusalem as He knew what was in store. Imagine going to a city where you know you are going to be falsely accused and then executed. No thanks! And these words were a temptation to Jesus not to go and therefore not fulfill the prophecies and not redeem the lives of all mankind! However, Jesus knew that it was something He had to do and that God the Father was right there by his side.
Challenge
Sometimes it can be easy to give in to temptation and take the easy route, can’t it? Avoiding doing what is right because it might be more difficult, whether that is mentally, physically, or emotionally. However, one thing that is important to remember is that God is right by your side every step, just as He was with Jesus and He will never leave you. I want you to listen to this song and reflect on these words. Because no matter what the trial you are experiencing might be, He is there. Steffany Gretzinger says it so well, He is the right here with us God, the God that will never leave us.