Satanic Service

This article was originally published here, on July 1, 2009.

"But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind of the things of God, but on the things of man'" (Mark 8:33).

Jesus had just asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter, prompted by the Holy Spirit, gave the right answer, "You are the Christ." Following Peter's proclamation, Jesus began to teach very plainly about the rejection, trial, crucifixion and resurrection that was soon to follow. Jesus didn't follow his usual pattern of speaking in parables, but spoke very directly to his disciples. It is probable that Jesus spoke so plainly on the suffering that he would soon face in order to correct the misunderstandings his disciples had about his ministry. Peter's response to the teaching certainly expressed a deep misunderstanding, at least on Peter's part. He dared to rebuke Jesus, as if he knew something Jesus didn't.

As Jesus turned and looked at the rest of the disciples, he knew he must crush this spirit of mutiny immediately. Peter could not be allowed to make such ignorant and arrogant statements, nor could any of the others. Peter's rebuke did not express grief over the teaching that the Christ must suffer, die, and be raised again to life. It expressed an outright rejection of the revealed will of God. In his outright rejection of God's will he placed himself firmly in the service of Satan.

Jesus responded to Peter with a rebuke of his own, "Get behind me, Satan!". He didn't say, "Get behind me, Simon." He didn't say, "Get behind me, Peter." He didn't say, "Oh, you of little faith, why do you doubt?" He calls Peter, "Satan." No one could have missed the point. I believe that Peter received these words like a blow to the abdomen. Peter, by rejecting Jesus' teaching was standing in the place of Satan. He was Satan's errand boy sent to lead Jesus astray, but Jesus didn't take the bait.

Jesus went on to explain what exactly, in Peter's rebuke, reflected the Serpent. He states, "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man." Thus, when we stand in opposition to God's will, we stand in cooperation with Satan's will. When we are not serving God through humble obedient faith, then we are serving Satan with arrogant disobedient doubt. Jesus could not let this gangrene flourish among his disciples, he had to cut it out and he did so quickly. There is no doubt that Peter was wounded by these words, but they are the very words that ushered him back into a place of obedience. The wounds of a friend are trustworthy.

We would do well to realize that disobedience to the Word of God places us in the service of Satan. All of us have made mistakes comparable to Peter's. The remedy rests in placing our mind on the things of God. We are called to meditate on them, to memorize them, to speak them, to read them, to study them, to obey them, and to trust them. We must be careful to step out in faith and obedience. We must avoid giving ourselves over to the service of the devil. Avoiding this takes courage and hard work. It takes watchfulness and diligence. May we continually set guard over our hearts and set our minds on the things of God.