But he turned, and said unto Peter,
Get you behind me, Satan: you are an offense unto me: for you consider not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
All Commentaries on Matthew 16:23 Go To Matthew 16
Jerome
AD 420
We have often said that Peter had too hot a zeal, and a very great affection towards the Lord the Saviour. Therefore after that his confession, and the reward of which he had heard from the Saviour, he would not have that his confession destroyed, and thought it impossible that the Son of God could be put to death, but takes Him to him affectionately, or takes Him aside that he may not seem to be rebuking his Master in the presence of his fellow disciples, and begins to chide Him with the feeling of one that loved Him, and to contradict Him, and say, “Be it far from thee, Lord;” or as it is better in the Greek, ιλεωςσοι Κυριε, ου μηεσται σοιτουτο, that is, Be propitious to Thyself, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee.
But to me this error of the Apostle, proceeding from the warmth of his affection, will never seem a suggestion of the devil. Let the thoughtful reader consider that that blessedness of power was promised to Peter in time to come, not given him at the time present; had it been conveyed to him immediately, theerror of a false confession would never have found place in him.
As much as to say; It is of My will, and of the Father’s will, that I should die for the salvation of men; you considering only your own will would not that the grain of wheat should fall into the ground, that it may bring forth much fruit; therefore as you speak what is opposed to My will, you ought to becalled My adversary. For Satan is interpreted ‘adverse’ or ‘contrary.’
