Peter Rebukes Jesus - Mark 8:32

Mark wrote how Jesus “charged” His disciples “that they should tell no man of him. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again”, and in chapter eight and verse thirty-two of his book, Mark shared how, “Peter took him, and began to rebuke him” where we read:

And he spoke that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

The verse reads, “And he spoke that saying openly.” Mark began with the words, “and he spoke that saying” which means “and Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed that he would “suffer, be rejected of the elders and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” “openly” or “unreservedly, frankly, without ambiguity or circumlocution”. Mark shared how Jesus declared His future suffering, rejection, death and resurrection “frankly and without ambiguity”.

The verse goes on to say, “And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.” Mark continued with the words, “and Peter took him” which means “and Peter whose name means a little rock or stone and was one of Jesus' disciples lay hold of and took Jesus by the hand in order to lead Him aside”, “and began” or “and initiated and commenced” “to rebuke him” which means “chide, reprove and censure Jesus severely”. Mark shared how Jesus' disciple “Peter” lay hold on Him and commenced to “reprove and censure” Him.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus made His statement concerning His future demise and resurrection without reservation before His disciples. “Peter”, who heard what Jesus declared, presumptuously “took” hold of Jesus, lead Him aside, and commenced to letting Jesus know how wrong He was to make such statements. “Peter's” behavior seems very arrogant and prideful because He was “rebuking” God as though he knew better than Jesus, but Jesus had everything under control. God loves people, and He desires to have a relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Even when they attempt to “correct” Him and His knowledge, He is “gracious” to them because they are but flesh and blood and in need of “salvation”. God is without error and wrong, and should we find ourselves opposing Him for any reason, there is only one of us who is wrong, and it is certainly not Jesus.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus, “rebuked Peter”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".