But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying,
Get you behind me, Satan: for you consider not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
All Commentaries on Mark 8:33 Go To Mark 8
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
After taking His disciples afar from the Jews, He then asks them concerning Himself, that they might speak the truth without fear of the Jews. Wherefore it is said, “And Jesus entered, and His disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi.”.
For many thought that John had risen from the dead, as even Herod believed, and that he had performed miracles after his resurrection. After however having enquired into the opinion of others, He asks them what was the belief of their own minds on this point. Wherefore it continues, “And He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?”.
He confesses indeed that Heis the Christ announced by the Prophets; but the Evangelist Mark passes over what the Lord answered to his confession, and how He blessed him, lest by this way of relating it, he should seem to be favouring his master Peter; Matthew plainly goes through the whole of it.
For He wished in the meantime to hide His glory, lest many should be offended because of Him, and so earn aworse punishment.
But after the Lord had accepted the confession of the disciples, who called Him the true God, He then reveals to them the mystery of the Cross. Wherefore it goes on, “And He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again; and He spake that saying openly,” that is, concerning His future passion.
For the Lord, wishing to she that His Passion was to take place on account of the salvation of men, and that Satan alone was unwilling that Christ should suffer, and the race of man besaved, called Peter Satan, because he savoured the things that were of Satan, and, from unwillingness that Christ should suffer, became His adversary; for Satan is interpreted ‘the adversary.’.
He says that Peter savours the things which be of men, in that he in some way savoured carnal affections, for Peter wished that Christ should spare Himself and not be crucified.
