Gospel in Art: 'Get behind me, Satan!'

Jesus casting away Satan, by Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1870's, © Frederiksborg Palace, Copenhagen

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 3 September 2023
Matthew 16:21-27

Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to remonstrate with him. 'Heaven preserve you, Lord;' he said 'this must not happen to you.' But he turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God's way but man's.'

Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?

'For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.'

Reflection on the painting

'Get behind me, Satan!'… Probably some of the strongest words Jesus spoke in the Gospels. And he addressed these words to Peter. Just imagine Jesus saying these words to you or to me. We would simply be shocked and absolutely mortified.

So in order to understand what he meant, we need to look a little closer at the context in which Jesus said these words. At the beginning of our Gospel reading, Jesus was outlining what would happen to him: to be put to death and to rise again on the third day. Jesus knew his destiny. Peter, not wanting to see his friend die, was suggesting that Jesus could take an alternative course of action, other than the one that he was destined to fulfil. What Peter was suggesting was for Jesus to go against the will of the Father. Of course Peter did not say this intentionally. It was just his enthusiastic spontaneity getting him into trouble again!

But Jesus took the words of Peter for what they were: suggesting that he should not fulfil his destiny the way it was planned. He therefore took the words of Peter as coming from an 'adversary' of God. Again, I have no doubt that Peter didn't fully understand what he was suggesting. Nonetheless, Peter's suggestion was in direct opposition to the will of God. The word 'Satan' literally means 'an adversary'. It shows how focussed and accepting Jesus was about what was to happen to him... accepting death on a cross….

Our painting by Carl Bloch shows this resolve and focus of Jesus, casting away Satan. Truly nothing could keep Jesus from fulfilling his mission.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-16-21-27-2023/christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-16-21-27-2023/