Get behind me Satan!

In Mark 8:33, Jesus rebukes Peter. Peter has just suggested that Jesus is mistaken in his need to go to the cross. Jesus rebukes him with those terrifying words:

• "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
• Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, Σατανᾶ, ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

Jesus then (Mark 8:34-38) teaches the disciples of the need to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him.

What I hadn't realised until recently is how closely related this call to the crowd is to his rebuke of Peter.

First, he tells Peter to get "behind him". I had always assumed that this was merely a way of saying "Get lost", but the Greek is ὀπίσω μου, the same phrase as in the following verse, "If anyone would come after me", Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἀκολουθεῖν. This is not just a way of saying "Get lost", but a command to Peter to get where he belongs, namely coming after Jesus and following him. Peter needs to be a disciple, following his master, not trying to call the shots.

Which brings me to the second link, the denial. The verb here is the same as that used in the Synoptic Gospels of Peter's denials of Jesus. The thought here is that of total repudiation. It's saying "I don't recognise that man. He has no claim over me." Only it's saying it of ourselves. Peter has just acted as if he has a claim over Jesus. Jesus then explains to the crowd that true discipleship is recognising that we don't even have any claim over ourselves. True discipleship is a life following Jesus, in line behind him.