Mark 8:31-33 Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’
Context: Jesus seems to be drastically re-interpreting the conventional Jewish wisdom of the 1st century in reference to the Messiah and we are left to wonder, with the disciples, what it all means for them and, ultimately, for us.
Going Deeper: As you have made your way on the journey of faith, have you ever thought, "This is not what I signed up for!?" Not only will Jesus NOT rise up to conquer and take victory over the current oppressors of the Jewish community, he tells them that suffering and humiliation is ahead … before the “victory” which still really isn’t what they expected either … Jesus will “rise again.” This is not the way we win! At least that is what we tend to believe ... the truth is that it is hard for me to think suffering is the way to win when I am thinking only about what I want. When I get caught up in what I want, I can begin to get all twisted up in my head … the cravings of instant gratification begin to make me hungry for more and more and more … of what I want.
Perhaps this is what happened to Peter. Mere verses after Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, or the “anointed one”, he proceeds to oppose the way Jesus decides to be that Messiah. I imagine he must have been terrified at the implications of the words Jesus speaks. Jesus strikes back at the tempestuous disciple, calling Peter satanas in Greek, translated Satan, which literally means “adversary” or “one who opposes another in purpose or act.” Calling Peter “Satan” sounds rather strong when one considers the way we tend to think and talk about Satan today. And it may surprise some to hear Satan so closely associated with human thoughts
Pondering: It sounds to me like Jesus is saying that when we set our mind only on our own human desires and not on the desires of God, we embody a sense of evil which is in opposition to God’s purposes. What are your thoughts about Satan? Where do those thoughts emerge from? Does this passage call you to think differently about evil? How do you know the difference between divine things and human things? What would you need to let go of in order to set your mind on divine things?
Praying: Take a moment to let go of any churning thoughts and emotions that takes your attention away from the God who is always with you. Sit in the presence of Jesus the Messiah and allow the peace of God to calm you and focus your thoughts. Ask Jesus to show you where you are too caught up with human things. Take a deep breath and let go of anything that you desire that opposes the divine things that Jesus calls you to embody. Take a deep breath and embrace all divine things. Pray this with Thomas Merton and me ... O God, I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you ... and know that it is so!
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