Walking with Peter: From Rock to Stumbling Block

Read Matthew 16:21-23

1. Read vs. 21. A) What did Jesus tell His disciples?

Jesus lays it all out. What He would be experiencing in the next few weeks. Didn’t hold anything back. How He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders. He would be ridiculed, cursed, beaten, spat upon. He would be handed over to the Romans, put on trial, flogged, beaten, ridiculed at the hands of Gentiles. Rejected by the Jews. Crucified. Die on the cross. On the third day, He would rise again.

B) Why did He share this information with them? They were his friends. His closest companions. Jesus wanted them to be in the loop. Not surprised by what will happen in the days ahead.

2. What do you think was going through the disciples’ minds as Jesus was telling them all this, particularly Peter based on what he did in vs. 22?

Shock! Peter - shock then anger. As Jesus was sharing what He would be experiencing, I can picture Peter getting more and more upset. His blood pressure reaching the boiling point. After Jesus finished, Peter took Jesus aside and confronted Him. He rebuked Jesus. Image - Peter, a human, a created being confronting/rebuking God, his Creator.

3. Define rebuke. Webster - to criticize sharply; an expression of strong disapproval; reprimand.

4. Why did Peter respond in this way? What was he critical of? What did Jesus say that Peter strongly disapproved? What Jesus said was not the plan. The Messiah is not suppose to suffer and die. He isn’t suppose to lose. Jesus seemed to have a defeatist attitude. Hurting the morale of disciples. We gave up our jobs, our families for this?

5. What qualities do you see in Peter in the way he approached Jesus? Assertiveness, boldness, temper, anger, impulsiveness. Do you think Peter heard the end of Jesus’ words to the disciples about being raised on the third day?

6. Vs. 23. What was Jesus’ response to Peter’s rebuke? “Thank you for straightening me out Peter. I had no idea what I was saying.” No. Jesus turned and looked Peter straight in the eye and said. “Get behind me Satan.” What do you think Peter’s reaction was to Jesus words? I can picture Peter jumping back and looking around him to see if the devil was there. But Jesus was looking at Peter when He said those words, why? Why did Jesus say “Satan” instead of “Peter”? Jesus recognized the words of the Adversary in Peter’s rebuke. Peter was not Jesus’ enemy. Satan was. When Jesus looked at Peter, He saw Peter in the flesh. He also saw in the spiritual realm, Satan.

7. How was Satan able to get a hold on Peter? Satan took advantage of Peter’s anger in order to tempt Jesus. Peter was unable to control his anger. That allowed the Adversary the opening he was looking for. The opportune time to strike. He got a foothold into Peter’s heart. Ephesians 4:26-27. As Jesus was sharing with the disciples about suffering and dying, Peter was getting upset/angry. The Enemy swooped in and whispered to Peter “You called Him the Messiah, the Son of God? Is what He saying to you sound like a Messiah? Is what Jesus telling you sound like what the Messiah was to come here and do? Look at the faces of your friends. See how demoralized they are. Say something to Jesus. Talk Him out of this. He doesn’t have to go through all that suffering and death.”

Just as Satan used the serpent in the Garden of Eden to tempt Eve, he used Peter in an effort to tempt Jesus. What was his goal? To prevent Jesus from going to the cross. If Jesus made it to the cross and died, game over for Satan. His scheme didn’t work. Jesus knew it was Satan behind Peter’s words. Jesus told the Enemy to get lost.

Point - Who is your enemy? The friend who stabbed you in the back? Are Muslims our enemy? Is your spouse? Have an argument over something serious or something silly? In the heat of anger, say things that are harsh, unkind. Is he or she your enemy? No. Your true enemy is the one who takes advantage of the anger, bitterness, frustration, etc., in an effort to promote division, chaos, havoc. Goal - disrupt our relationship with one another and with God. Ephesians chapter 6 - Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It is with the dark forces of this world led by Satan. They are our true enemy. Not Muslims, not people who mistreat us, not our spouses.

8. a) What did Jesus tell Satan? “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind (Greek “phronea” - understanding) the things of God, but the things of men!”

b) Were these words directed at Peter as well?

c) When Peter rebuked Jesus, did he have in mind/understand the things of God or the things of men? What was God’s understanding of who the Messiah was? What would he do and how would he do it? Bring salvation through suffering and death. Excruciating pain/suffering/death. What was Peter’s understanding of who the Messiah was, what he would do, and how he would do it? Restore Israel to glory through political/military means. He would inflict pain/suffering/death on others.

Satan, who was right there, saw in Peter’s rebuke (his anger/his words) an opportune time to tempt Jesus.

9) How did Satan use Peter’s understanding of the Messiah create a stumbling block for Jesus? Define stumbling block - Greek word “skandalon” - a) trap, snare b) impediment placed in the way & causing one to stumble or fall. What was the snare laid by Satan? Temptation - turn away from the road leading to the cross. No pain, no suffering, no death. What or who was the impediment/obstacle? Satan & Peter. The Enemy used one of Jesus’ closest companions in an effort to get him to stumble and fall. Jesus was able to overcome the temptation, but it wasn’t easy. How quickly did Jesus respond to Satan’s temptation? Immediately. He did not dwell on the temptation. The longer you do, the easier you will fall prey to the temptation.

10) Peter allowed himself to be a stumbling block to Jesus. In what ways can we be a stumbling block to others? See Romans 14:1-23. Origin - self-interest. Have in mind the things of men, i.e., what we believe, what we want, what we desire.

Disciples Study Bible - “Christians need to know that behavior can have destructive consequences on fellow believers. Further, we should accept other Christians without passing judgment upon the centralities of their faith. We can still love one another even while disagreeing so as not to give Satan a foothold through division.

11) How does the Peter in Matt. 16:13-20 contrast with the Peter of Matt.16:21-23?

Matt. 16:13-20 - Peter said something good and was blessed by Jesus.
Matt.16:21-23 - Peter said something wrong and was rebuked by Jesus.

What happened? In Matt. 16: 13-20, Peter had in mind the things of God. He allowed God to reveal to him the answer to Jesus’ question. In Matt.16:21-23, Peter had in mind the things of men. He allowed Satan to use him as a stumbling block to Jesus.

12) In vs. 24-25, what was the point Jesus was making to Peter and the other disciples? Jesus had told the disciples the path He’s taking leads to death. Peter said “No it doesn’t.” In rebuking Peter, Jesus said yes it does. Not only for me, but for those who are my true followers. Those who follow Jesus must deny there self-interests, pick up a cross, and follow Jesus where? To death. That’s hard stuff.

APPLICATION:

1. Our enemy is not flesh & blood. The enemy is the demonic forces in the spiritual realm led by Satan.

2. Be careful not to be a stumbling block to others. Do not allow the Enemy to get a foothold in your life in order to snare others to sin or to be an obstacle that hinders the spiritual walk of fellow believers.

3. Do you have in mind (an understanding) the things of man or the things of God? In order to understand the things of God:

a) Make God’s will a priority, not your will.
b) Read the Word.
c) Seek understanding of the Word.