From the desk of Pastor Ben

Christ Protests to Peter – Part 2

He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!
You are a stumbling block to Me.”     (Matthew 16:23a)

With Peter here taking the side of Satan in opposition to God’s plan of salvation, the apostle at that moment became “a stumbling block” to the Lord Jesus. “Stumbling block” is from the Greek skandalon (which yields our word scandal), originally denoting an animal trap and its bait. The word later came to refer to the luring of a person into captivity or destruction. Peter had become Satan’s instrument to trap Jesus on His way to the cross.

The temptation to avoid crucifixion was a real one to Jesus, because He knew how agonizing it would be to bear all the consequences of sin and be for a time separated from the Father. That’s why He prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me” (Luke 22:42).

The enemy knew the way to the crucifixion was the way to his defeat. So, he opposed the cross with all his strength. Because they are the spiritual children of Satan (John 8:44), unbelievers consider the cross of Christ to be foolish and a stumbling block (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23). The devil knows that Calvary is the place of sinners’ deliverance from his dominion, the only path from his kingdom of darkness to God’s kingdom of light. After Jesus’ death, Satan wanted Him to stay in the grave; but death could not hold Him (Psalm 16:10). In the same way, death and Satan will ultimately have no power over Christ’s church (Matthew 16:18), which is the redeemed fellowship of all who put their trust in Him.

Ask Yourself:
Is there anything in your lifestyle, your opinions, your advice, or your counsel that causes others to hold back their own spiritual enthusiasm? How could you become a more effective encourager, serving as an inspiring example of someone who is serious about conforming to Christ?