(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
Did Jesus call Peter Satan?
Intro:
But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.” Mk 8:33, CSB
Whoah, did Jesus just call Peter Satan?
Hey, good morning, afternoon, evening, wherever you happen to be in the world. And unless this is the very first time you’ve dropped into this podcast, you’ll recall that that verse was part of yesterday’s reading. So why make it today’s focus question? As we’ll talk about in our Bottom Line segment, it has to do with that follow up line about God’s concerns versus human concerns.
New Testament segment:
Passage: Mark 9:38-10:34
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 47
Words: ~994
Old Testament segment:
Passage: Daniel 3
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 30
Words: ~943
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Proverbs 10:25-28
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 4
Words: ~64
The bottom line:
So, did Jesus call Peter Satan? As you might guess, the answer is no.
Jesus’ rebuke is directed not at them personally but at their view. concerns of God. Anticipated in Jesus’ preceding compassionate exercise of his power, God’s surprising way is now climactically revealed in Jesus’ totally unexpected “suffering servant” embrace of the cross (see notes on 1:2–3; 8:22–10:52). … merely human concerns. In particular a love of power and status, as evident earlier in, e.g., the “yeast” of Herod and the Pharisees (see note on v. 15) and later in the disciples’ jockeying for greatness (9:34; 10:37, 41) and elitist exclusion of others (9:38). These concerns are what occupy Satan (cf. Matt 4:8–10).(2)
Remember that passage about some kinds of demons being tough enough to require prayer?
…given the disciples’ previous success (6:13), why this failure at this particular moment? Jesus’ private (v. 28) explanation suggests there is more at stake. His alienating call to cross-bearing (8:34) constitutes a radical shift in discipleship if Israel and the world are to be truly freed from Satan’s power (see note on 8:34; cf. John 12:31; 16:11). Since the disciples’ authority depends solely on their relationship to Jesus, their failure to understand and faithfully respond to his call has compromised that authority. Only prayer can align them again with the things of God (see notes on 8:33; 14:36).(3)
And as you’ll hear Jesus pray when we get toward the end of Mark, “Not my will, but yours be done.” So did Jesus call Peter Satan? No. He rebuked concerns that were fleshly, not Godly concerns. Remember, our authority to do anything in the Spirit, even just something mundane like interacting with coworkers, depends on our relationship to Jesus…something that will cost you something, but gain you everything.
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), Da 2:4.
(2) D. A. Carson, “The Gospels and Acts,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 1789.
(3) D. A. Carson, “The Gospels and Acts,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 1791.