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
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. He asks the question with a purpose, for it was right that His disciples should praise Him better than the crowd.
Hom. in Matt., 54: From the manner, however, itself of the question, He leads them to a higher feeling, and to higher thoughts, concerning Him, that they might not agree with the multitude. But the next words show what the head of the disciples, the mouth of the Apostles, answered; when all were asked, “Peter answereth and saith unto Him, Thou art the Christ.”.
Or else, that He might wait to fix the pure faith in their minds, till the Crucifixion, which was an offence to the m, was over, for after it was once perfected, about the time of His ascension, He said unto the Apostles, “Go ye and teach all nations.”.
Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: The reason, however, why the Lord told them this, was to shew, that after His cross and resurrection, Christ must be preached by His witnesses. Again, Peter alone, from the fervour of his disposition, had the boldness to dispute about thesethings.Wherefore it goes on, “And Peter took Him up, and began to rebuke Him.”.
But how is this, that Peter, gifted with a revelation from the Father, has so soon fallen, and become unstable? Surely, however, it was not wonderful that one who had received no revelation concerning the Passion should be ignorant of this. For that He wasthe Christ, the Son of the living God, he had learnt by revelation; but the mystery of His cross and resurrection had not yet been revealed to him. He Himself, however, shewing that He must come to His Passion, rebuked Peter. Wherefore there follows, “And when He had turned about and looked on His disciples, He rebuked Peter”.
Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: But He saith not to the devil, when tempting Him, “Get thee behind me,” but to Peter He saith, “Get thee behind me,” that is, follow Me, and resist not the design of My voluntary Passion. There follows, “For thou savourest not the things which be of God, but which be of men.”
