Matthew 16:23

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

I was asked about this verse by a woman that heard it talked about in her church during a Sunday gathering; she didn’t understand why Jesus rebuked Peter, or why Jesus called Peter for Satan. I am not sure what the pastor, priest or teacher wanted to show with this verse alone, but to see what Jesus rebuked we need no read the two verses before 23.

Matthew 16:21-22
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

As we can see Jesus is telling His disciples about what has to come, about His death and resurrection. Peter goes against what Jesus speaks and tells Him that this shall not happen, and this is when Jesus rebukes Satan as we read in verse 23.

As of the question why Jesus is calling Peter for Satan we need to read verses 16 and 17; let’s add 15 as well for some context.

Matthew 16:15-17
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

Here, when Jesus ask His disciples about who they say Hi is and after Peter answers we can find our answer. When it was revealed to Peter who Jesus is, by the Father in heaven, Peter took it by faith and answered; and this is what Jesus saw and confirms in verse 17.

But if we go back to verse 21, were Jesus tells the disciples about what has to happen to Him, Peter does not take it by faith. Instead he listens, to what he believes is, his own thoughts; even though they contradict what Jesus, the Son of the living God, is saying. And when Jesus sees this He calls out and rebukes Satan knowing he is the one whispering these thoughts to Peter.

God bless you!