Just as Judas acted as the agent of Satan in betraying Jesus, so, rather more surprisingly, did Peter, on one occasion, in tempting him. The conversation at Caesarea Philippi recorded in Matthew 16.13-23 typifies Peter’s yo-yo spiritual experience before the Holy Spirit at Pentecost transformed him in nature as well as in name into a spiritual rock. He is the first of the disciples openly to declare that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”, and then receives his personal beatitude from Jesus, since God himself had revealed this great truth to him (v. 17). Yet only 6 verses later Jesus addresses him as “Satan”. Once again, the strength of his language reflects the depth of his feelings. He has clearly told his disciples about his impending death in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jewish authorities. Peter is appalled: “May God have mercy on you ! This will never happen to you !” (The double negative he uses here emphasises the impossibility of such an outcome in his mind.) Jesus at once recognises the tempting voice of Satan behind Peter’s words. Already, in the wilderness, at the very start of his ministry, Satan has tempted him to avoid the way of the cross by diverting onto the way of populism, winning the support of the Jews by dramatic miracles, and winning an earthly kingdom by serving Satan. In this way, he could become the sort of Messiah the Jewish people were craving, a mighty, wonder-working warrior who would drive out the Roman occupiers and restore Israel as top nation. The prospect of the hell he knew he was to endure on the cross must have made these temptations powerfully attractive, but Jesus remained obedient to his Father’s will, three times quoting the scriptures, which he knew marked out for him the Messiah’s true mission, the way of the cross. At the end of these 40 days of temptation in the wilderness, Luke tells us (4.13) “the devil left him – for a time” ('achri kairou' in Greek - perhaps 'until an[other] opportunity arose'). Now he re-appears in the person of his foremost disciple, whose uncomprehending loyalty is in fact a sort of betrayal. Jesus not only addresses him as “Satan”, but tells him he is a ‘skandalon’ to him, his well-meaning devotion to Jesus the ‘bait’ in the trap into which Satan hopes he will fall.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
SKANDALON 2 (d): Peter a 'skandalon' to Jesus
Just as Judas acted as the agent of Satan in betraying Jesus, so, rather more surprisingly, did Peter, on one occasion, in tempting him. The conversation at Caesarea Philippi recorded in Matthew 16.13-23 typifies Peter’s yo-yo spiritual experience before the Holy Spirit at Pentecost transformed him in nature as well as in name into a spiritual rock. He is the first of the disciples openly to declare that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”, and then receives his personal beatitude from Jesus, since God himself had revealed this great truth to him (v. 17). Yet only 6 verses later Jesus addresses him as “Satan”. Once again, the strength of his language reflects the depth of his feelings. He has clearly told his disciples about his impending death in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jewish authorities. Peter is appalled: “May God have mercy on you ! This will never happen to you !” (The double negative he uses here emphasises the impossibility of such an outcome in his mind.) Jesus at once recognises the tempting voice of Satan behind Peter’s words. Already, in the wilderness, at the very start of his ministry, Satan has tempted him to avoid the way of the cross by diverting onto the way of populism, winning the support of the Jews by dramatic miracles, and winning an earthly kingdom by serving Satan. In this way, he could become the sort of Messiah the Jewish people were craving, a mighty, wonder-working warrior who would drive out the Roman occupiers and restore Israel as top nation. The prospect of the hell he knew he was to endure on the cross must have made these temptations powerfully attractive, but Jesus remained obedient to his Father’s will, three times quoting the scriptures, which he knew marked out for him the Messiah’s true mission, the way of the cross. At the end of these 40 days of temptation in the wilderness, Luke tells us (4.13) “the devil left him – for a time” ('achri kairou' in Greek - perhaps 'until an[other] opportunity arose'). Now he re-appears in the person of his foremost disciple, whose uncomprehending loyalty is in fact a sort of betrayal. Jesus not only addresses him as “Satan”, but tells him he is a ‘skandalon’ to him, his well-meaning devotion to Jesus the ‘bait’ in the trap into which Satan hopes he will fall.
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