In the Fulness of Time/Part 108

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Christ Foretelling His Own Future Part 1: Matthew 16:20-23

The Rejected Messiah. Matthew 16:20

Mt. 16:20 “Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus, the Christ.”

Having presented many infallible proofs of His Messiahship in Matthew 8-11 even to the point of performing miracles in the presence of the servants of John the Baptist for them to “Go and show John again these things which you do hear and see” (11:4), it became evident to Jesus that He would not at this time be received by official Israel as Messiah/King. It was mostly negative reception from that time forward. Therefore, Jesus had come to the end of His longsuffering with the nation, and pronounced woes upon the major cities where He ministered (11:20-24). He refused any further sign to the scribes and Pharisees, except that of the prophet Jonah (12:38-45; 16:1-5).

By His discourse in Matthew 13 Christ introduced the Age of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, all of which had to run its course before the Messiah/King would return and separate the wheat from the tares in the Kingdom.

The disciples therefore were not to tell anyone that He was Jesus the Messiah. Instead, He would reveal to them His own immediate future, which had to do with His work as the Suffering Savior, not as the Sovereign.

The Suffering Savior. Matthew 16:21

Mt. 16:21 “From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples how he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”

Luke 9:21-22 makes a definite connection between Christ’s command to His disciples and the statement concerning His death and resurrection: “And he strictly charges them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing, Saying, the Son of man must suffer many things.” The one anticipated the other; if no one is to be told He is the Christ, then there must be a reason, and this reason is His imminent death and resurrection. In effect, His enemies would themselves fulfill at least part of the sign of Jonah by killing Christ; He would fulfill the rest by His resurrection (cf. Acts 2:23-24).

The Rebuke by Peter and the Reaction by Christ. Matthew 16:22-23

Mt. 16:22-23 “Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee.”

There is some question whether hileos sou kurie should be translated: “May God be gracious to thee, Lord” or, as in the Authorized Version: “Be it far from thee, Lord.” The word hileos is used in only one other verse, Hebrews 8:12: I will be merciful.” However, there is a Hebrew word with a similar sound, chalilah, meaning “far be it from” which parallels the Authorized Version here in Matthew 16:22 and would certainly agree with the strong rebuke by Peter, “This shall not be unto thee.” This entire verse is a strong rebuke by Peter, but the reply of our Lord is even stronger.

Mt. 16:23 “But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou art an offense unto me; for thou savorest not the things that are of God, but those that are of men.”

When Jesus said, “Get thee behind me Satan” He used the word hupago, as He did in 4:10; He means for Satan to “begone!” The suggestion put into the mind of Peter constituted a skandalon, or trap, for Jesus. It was nothing other than the third temptation in the wilderness all over again. Simply bypass the Cross and you will be given all the kingdoms of the world! Jesus was not deceived by this offer of the same trap, any more than He was before, but He did recognize it as originating in Satan, who, in turn was influencing Peter to look at things from the standpoint of man, not that of God.

If it seems strange that Satan should have been permitted to control Peter’s thinking, remember that Ananias and Sapphira permitted the same thing in Acts 5:3-4. In verse 3: “Satan hath filled thine heart to lie unto the Holy Spirit” yet in verse 4: “Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God.” As mentioned in connection with Matthew 12:29-30, it is impossible for a true believer to be possessed or inhabited by the Devil or his demons; it is possible for demons to exercise control from the outside in the form of oppression. This is what Peter experienced in this passage and why the rebuke of Christ was immediate and severe. There can be no glory for Christ apart from His sufferings and resurrection. Peter himself finally learned this and eventually taught it in 1 Peter 1:10-11.

Read Part 109