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“Get behind me, Satan.”
Peter heard these words from his teacher, Jesus. Peter devoted himself to Jesus and his teachings, but he resisted Jesus when he predicted his own death and resurrection.
Jesus’ death and resurrection was central in his plan, but his followers would not accept it.
Peter and the others believed Jesus was the Christ whom God sent to instruct and lead his people. But Peter chastised and corrected his own teacher when he heard Jesus say of himself that all the Jewish leaders would reject and kill him.
Even as Jesus promised his rejection and death would not bind his fate—by also promising he would rise from the dead three days later—Peter would not accept it.
Jesus’ prediction of his resurrection required Peter to change his hope. Peter’s firm resolution that Jesus’ prediction would not come about clashed with Jesus’ divine resolution that it certainly would.
Then Jesus called him the devil to make his point clear: those who don’t accept this reject God and side with Satan.
Then Jesus followed his rebuke with a swift word for all who would choose to follow him allowing any to change their hope as Peter had to change his.
* * *
Jesus wanted to redefine the hopes of those who wanted to follow him just as he sought to redefine Peter’s.
After correcting Peter in front of the twelve disciples, Jesus said, “Everyone, come here. If anyone wants to follow me, let that person deny himself or herself and even carry one’s own cross. Then follow me.”
To carry a cross meant to submit to Roman subjection and lose one’s life. It meant death.
Many Jews at this time wanted God to bless them and establish the Jewish nation before they died. They believed God would accomplish this through the Christ.
But Jesus corrected them. He promised that God would do amazing things through him saying that one day he would come with glory from the father and with the angels. But this wouldn’t happen soon or first.
First, Jesus and many of his followers must incur loss, pain, and hardship. They must deny themselves a life.
But this is perfectly reasonable according to divine logic.
What does it profit people to gain the world, but lose their souls? Nothing.
With this question Jesus’ asks, he indicates that there is a life after death, that gaining him in that life is better than gaining the whole world in this life, and that gaining the world does not mean we experience what it means to live.
Peter had to change his hopes the difficult way: by standing corrected in front of Jesus and his followers.
Thankfully, Jesus didn’t quiet after rebuking Peter and offered to all the possibility to change our hopes to follow him and, one day, receive life in his presence of glory.