Matthew 16:21-23

21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”

23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

Now, keep this in mind, this is not too long after Peter answered Jesus’ question about who He was so perfectly.

(v.16) Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Peter, though he meant well in (v.22) was being influenced by Satan, as Jesus made clear in (v.23).

Notice the confusion that was in Peter’s mind and coming out in his words.

(v.22) He referred to Jesus as Lord; RIGHT

(v.22) He began to rebuke or sternly warn Jesus, convinced that there had to be some other way besides Christ alone dying on the cross. WRONG

Look a little closer at Jesus’ response in (v.23)

ANY suggestion or teaching besides Jesus dying on the cross being the one and only sacrifice or work that God would EVER ACCEPT is not of God, but of man

Wow! Do you understand the eternal implications of Jesus’ words here??

Jesus, in one statement just made crystal clear that ALL present and coming religions that depend on man’s works rather than Christ’s work alone, is of Satan!

In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus drove this truth home.

(Matthew 26:39a) And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me”

OUESTION, What was the Father’s response??

COMPLETE SILENCE.

Therefore; ((Matthew 26:39b)

“yet not as I will, but as You will.”

This in no way means that there was a disagreement between the Father and the Son.

We must understand this in its proper context and the key is in Jesus’ first statement here;

“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me”

The cup that Jesus speaks of is the cup of the wrath of God that He was to drink because He would (though He never sinned) become sin for our sake.

(2 Corinthians 5:21a)

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.

Jesus did not fear death, because He knew He would rise again. Jesus did however despise becoming sin, because that brings separation from the Father.

However, He fully understood the reason;

(2 Corinthians 5:21b)

so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Thus, “yet not as I will, but as You will.”

The ONE & ONLY way for me as a sinner, separated from God to be reconciled to God is for Jesus Christ to be separated from the Father by taking my place and absorbing the wrath and punishment that I deserved.

Any belief or religion that replaces or tries to add to Christ’s finished work on the cross with man’s work is not of God, but origanates with Satan himself.