Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Verse

Mark 8:33

ESV But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
NIV But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
NASB But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but on man’s.'
CSB But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns."
NLT Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. 'Get away from me, Satan!' he said. 'You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.'
KJV But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
NKJV But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

What does Mark 8:33 mean?

Mark 8 seems to demonstrate repetitions of the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness (Mark 1:12–13; Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13). Here, Satan—via Peter—again tempts Jesus to save the world with a short-cut. In Matthew 4:8–10, Satan offers to give up his hold on the world and humanity if Jesus will worship him. Then, as now, Jesus knows that there is no way to truly save the world without the cross.

The problem with Satan's offer is that it is the near-sighted "thing of man." Without Satan's influence on earth, life would undoubtedly be easier and more peaceful. Although mankind would still sin, that sin would not be strategically manipulated and amplified by demonic forces. But without the cross, there is no eternal life. In our natural state, sin still separates us from God, and even without Satan's interference, there is no way we can change that.

Peter has taken Jesus aside (Mark 8:32), but the disciples are close and keep track of the conversation. Shortly before, Jesus commends Peter's words, saying, "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Now, Jesus strongly rebukes Peter in front of the men for whom he speaks. If Peter and Jesus had been alone, Jesus would have dealt with Peter in private (Matthew 18:15–20). When Peter denies Jesus in the vicinity of John (John 18:15–18), Jesus reconciles with Peter while John tags along behind (John 21:15–20). But when Peter makes a foolish statement in front of the disciples, Jesus must correct the situation so that the truth is clear to everyone present.
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: