But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get you behind me, Satan: for you mind not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
turned.
Mark 3:5,34 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other…
Luke 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
he rebuked.
Leviticus 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
2 Samuel 19:22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
Psalm 141:5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
Get.
Genesis 3:4-6 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: …
Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
savourest.
Matthew 6:31,32 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? …
Romans 8:5-8 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit…
Philippians 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Gr.
James 3:15-18 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish…
1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
rebuked Peter and said
The act of rebuking is significant in biblical terms, often used to correct or admonish. Jesus' rebuke of Peter is a strong corrective measure, emphasizing the seriousness of Peter's misunderstanding. In the cultural context, a public rebuke would serve as a powerful lesson, reinforcing the authority of the teacher and the need for alignment with divine purposes.
“Get behind Me, Satan!
This phrase is a direct and forceful rejection of Peter's words, equating them with temptation similar to that which Jesus faced in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). The use of "Satan" here symbolizes opposition to God's plan, not a literal identification of Peter with the devil. It highlights the spiritual battle and the necessity of aligning with God's will over human desires.
For you do not have in mind the things of God,
This part of the verse contrasts divine perspective with human understanding. It reflects the broader biblical theme of God's ways being higher than human ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Peter's focus on earthly concerns, such as the avoidance of suffering and death, reveals a lack of understanding of the redemptive purpose of Jesus' mission.
but the things of men.”
The "things of men" refers to human concerns, priorities, and wisdom, which often conflict with God's purposes. This phrase serves as a warning against allowing worldly perspectives to overshadow spiritual truths. It echoes the biblical call to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) and to set one's mind on things above (Colossians 3:2).
– The contrastive “But” reminds us that Jesus is responding to Peter’s misplaced correction (Mark 8:32).
– Jesus always takes the initiative when truth is threatened (see John 2:15–17; Mark 1:22).
– Cross references: Matthew 16:23 records the same moment; Mark 1:38 shows Jesus redirecting priorities whenever His mission is misunderstood.
– Jesus makes the moment a lesson for all, not only for Peter.
– His glance gathers the Twelve into the confrontation, underscoring communal accountability (Mark 3:5; Luke 22:61).
– What they see reinforces that following Christ means embracing the cross He just predicted (Mark 8:31).
– The word “rebuke” signals a sharp correction, the same verb used when Jesus silences demons (Mark 1:25).
– Peter’s earlier confession (Mark 8:29) was correct, yet his refusal to accept a suffering Messiah shows how quickly human reasoning can derail faith (Galatians 5:7).
– Matthew 16:22–23 expands the scene, revealing Peter’s well-meaning but misguided objection: “Far be it from You, Lord!”.
– Jesus identifies the source of the temptation: the adversary using human sentiment to oppose God’s plan, echoing the wilderness temptation (Matthew 4:10).
– “Behind” restores proper order—disciples follow; they do not lead Jesus (Mark 1:17).
– Similar language appears when Jesus confronted evil spirits (Mark 1:25), underscoring the spiritual seriousness of Peter’s words (Ephesians 6:12).
– Mindset determines discipleship. Setting one’s mind on God’s interests aligns with Romans 8:5–6 (“those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit,”).
– God’s “things” include the redemptive necessity of the cross foretold in Isaiah 53:4–6 and Acts 2:23.
– Colossians 3:2 commands, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”, echoing Jesus’ correction.
– Peter’s instinct favored human expectations of a conquering Messiah, not a suffering Servant (John 6:15).
– Human concerns—safety, reputation, immediate victory—often conflict with divine purposes (1 Corinthians 2:14; Proverbs 14:12).
– Isaiah 55:8 reminds us, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD”.
Jesus exposes the danger of valuing human ideas over God’s revealed plan. By rebuking Peter, He teaches every disciple to follow, not direct, the Lord. The cross must remain central; any impulse that minimizes it—even cloaked in good intentions—aligns with Satan’s agenda. True disciples set their minds on God’s redemptive purposes, trusting His wisdom above all human reasoning.
Verse 33. - But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter. The words indicate a sudden movement (ὁ δὲ ἐπιστραφεὶς), accompanied by a keen searching look at his disciples. Then he singles out Peter, and addresses to him, in their presence, the severe rebuke, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not (οὐ φρονεῖς) - literally, thou mindest not -the things of God, but the things of men. The form of words is the same as that used by our Lord to Satan himself, when he was tempted by him in the wilderness. It reminded him of that great conflict. The visions of worldly glory again floated before him. The crown without the cross was again held out to him. This explains his language. Peter was indeed rebuked; but the rebuke was aimed through him at the arch adversary who was addressing him through Peter. Here is the striking significance of his "turning about." Peter was for the moment doing the tempter's work, and in "turning about" our Lord was again putting Satan behind him.