“耶稣转过来,对彼得说:‘撒但,退我后边去吧!…因为你不体贴 神的意思,只体贴人的意思。’” - 太 16:23
耶稣在这里对彼得说的话,是在彼得对耶稣说“你是弥赛亚”(太 16:16)那充满信心的宣告之后不久。耶稣现在教导祂的门徒,祂来是为了受苦、被杀和复活。祂要为世人的罪献上自己的生命。
听了这话,彼得拦阻耶稣说:“主啊,万不可如此!这事必不临到你身上!”于是,耶稣呼叫彼得,指出他没有领会到耶稣的使命。从人的角度来看,我们或许会同情彼得。但我们也可能会更惊讶地领悟到,耶稣来受苦和受死是为了复活,是要带给我们崭新的、丰盛的生命。
如今,我们都知道辨别真理和谎言是多么重要,要听从神的话,而不是听从我们周围假宗教和假教师的谎言——难道不是这样吗?我们应该清楚,我们需要留意和持续地预备好自己,才能恰当地分辨真伪。
因此,在耶稣再来使万物更新之前,我们必须读圣经,聆听耶稣的话,祂因爱我们而死,又从死里复活,升到天上,好让所有信祂的人都能得着祂丰富的生命。我们要信从这道路、真理和生命。
祷告
复活升天的主,你是弥赛亚,我承认我的言语和行为并不总是体现这一点。请赐给我力量和勇气,使我为你而活。阿们。
马太福音 16:21-28
21从此,耶稣才指示门徒,他必须上耶路撒冷去,受长老、祭司长、文士许多的苦,并且被杀,第三日复活。
22彼得就拉着他,劝他说:“主啊,万不可如此!这事必不临到你身上。”
23耶稣转过来,对彼得说:“撒旦,退我后边去吧!你是绊我脚的,因为你不体贴神的意思,只体贴人的意思。”
24于是,耶稣对门徒说:“若有人要跟从我,就当舍己,背起他的十字架来跟从我。
25因为凡要救自己生命的,必丧掉生命;凡为我丧掉生命的,必得着生命。
26人若赚得全世界,赔上自己的生命,有什么益处呢?人还能拿什么换生命呢?
27人子要在他父的荣耀里同着众使者降临,那时候他要照各人的行为报应各人。
28我实在告诉你们:站在这里的,有人在没尝死味以前,必看见人子降临在他的国里。”
"Get Behind Me, Satan"
"Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan!' . . . You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." - Matthew 16:23
The words of Jesus to Peter here came soon after the faith-filled profession Peter had made when he said to Jesus, "You are the Messiah" (Matt. 16:16). Jesus was now teaching his disciples that he had come to suffer, be killed, and rise again. He would offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Hearing that, Peter rebuked Jesus, saying, "Never, Lord! . . . This shall never happen to you!" So Jesus called Peter out and revealed that he had missed the main point of Jesus' mission. From a human standpoint we can sympathize with Peter. We too would likely be shocked to hear that Jesus had come to suffer and die in order to rise again and give us new, abundant life.
Today, though, we know how important it is to discern truth from lies, listening for God's Word rather than listening to the lies of false religions and false teachers around us—don't we? It should be clear to us that it takes effort and perseverance to prepare ourselves to discern properly.
So until Jesus returns to make all things new, we must read the Bible and listen to Jesus, who died because he loved us, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven to make his abundant life available for all who believe in him. Trust the truth, the way, and the life.
Prayer
Risen and ascended Lord, you are the Messiah, and I confess that my actions and words do not always confirm that. Give me the strength and courage to stand up for you always. Amen.