Christians Used by Satan: Matthew16:13-23

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12, NASB).

Christians are being used by Satan every day, but most do not know that they are being used. Many Christians believe that since they know Jesus and they have given their life to Christ that they are immune from Satan’s poisonous venom. If I go to church, and if I love everybody Jesus protects me and the devil can’t touch me, they reason. While this may sound good, the scriptures do not support this view. Instead the bible has several stories about God’s people being attacked and used by the evil one. In this article I want to use the story of Peter’s resistance to the teaching of Jesus to illustrate that the most important person in a Christian church can be and often is used by Satan.

Before I get into the scripture passage I want to define some key terms used in the scriptures about Satan; the devil. These definitions do not explain fully the meaning of these names as one would find them in a bible dictionary or Lexicon. I simply want to define them as used in this paper. Sometimes the scriptures use the term “evil one” and this may depend upon the translation. The evil one is just another name for the devil and/or Satan. The evil one, the devil causes evil in the world by influencing the mind and behavior of people to think and do things that are in opposition to the mind, the will, and the purpose of God. The word Satan refers to one who is an adversary; one who seeks to stop the will and purpose of God. All of these words refer to the same person and/or spirit. In our scripture passage the name Satan is used in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the King James Version (KJV). Now that the names have been defined, let us get back to the focus of this article.

Matthew 16:13-20 is a very familiar text. Jesus takes His disciples to Caesarea Philippi for rest and relaxation. While they are sitting around talking Jesus ask them a question. “‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is’” (v. 13)? Now at this point Jesus wants to confirm that His disciples know who He is. This question is asked because Jesus wants to know that His chosen ones to be apostles will take the right message about Him when they are sent out into the whole world (See Matt. 28:16-20).

After the disciples tell Jesus what they had heard the people say about Jesus, He asks them a second question. “‘But who do you say that I am’” (v. 15). Peter, one of the three disciples mentioned most often in the gospels speaks up for the group and especially for himself. He answered saying, “‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (v. 16). Jesus is pleased that Peter, one of the leaders of the group, knows who He is, and he has somewhat of an idea of Jesus’ mission on earth. Now that Jesus knows that the disciples that will be apostles (sent ones) know that He is the Son of Man and the Christ (Messiah), He begins to prepare them more fully for the mission that He is sending them on. He tells Peter that his answer is right, but Peter did not know this because of his own brilliance or what he had heard from people (flesh and blood). It is something that he knows because it was revealed to him by “My Father who is in Heaven” (v.17). Jesus further tells Peter what his role will be in carrying out the mission that Jesus is sending them on (vv. 17-20). Now the author shifts the focus in the story. Although verses twenty-one through twenty-three follow logically from the previous verses, the emphasis shifts from identifying who Jesus is to what Jesus is about to do.

The author writes, “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 raised up on the third day” (v. 21, NASB). Now, let me say up front that Jesus is not describing Himself as the Christ (Messiah) that Peter has in mind. Peter and the other disciples do not see Jesus as one who suffers. Instead, they see Him as the One that ends suffering. They walk with Him and they see Him as one who ends suffering by healing the sick and diseased. They see Him as the One who will end the suffering of the Jews at the hands of the Roman government. In their minds they see Jesus as the son of David, a king that will defeat Rome and return Israel to its prominence that had been enjoyed during the reigns of David and Solomon. Jesus and Peter along with the disciples are not on the same page. Jesus is talking about Himself as one who comes to suffer for the sins of the world so that all nations can be forgiven of sins and be reconciled unto God. Jesus’ focus is on heaven’s goals, but Peter is focused on earthy goals.

So far we have seen that Peter knows who Jesus is. He knows that Jesus is not a prophet. He is the Son of God. This is good and Jesus commends him for his insight. At least Peter knows who Jesus is when he begins to proclaim Jesus to the world. However, Jesus the King of Israel is talking about suffering at the hands of the religious leaders. Why would the religious leaders kill Jesus since they like Jesus had the same goal; to overthrow Rome? What is Jesus saying? Peter takes Jesus to the side separate from the other disciples, and he gives Jesus a piece of his mind. “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This will never happen to You’” (v. 22, NASB). We will see that Peter’s answer indicates that he is under the influence of Satan.

So, let us review what has been going on. Jesus asks the disciples who He is, and Peter correctly answers that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. This is what we call “mental assent.” Peter has good head knowledge, but Peter lacks understanding of the knowledge that is in his head. Peter knows who Jesus is because He is influenced by heaven; the Father reveals things to him. Peter is a disciple of Jesus. Peter is loyal to Jesus. Jesus can trust Peter to do what Peter is supposed to do in order to carry out the mission. Nevertheless, when it comes to understanding what Jesus is saying about suffering, dying and resurrection, Peter is no longer under the influence of the Father. Peter is now under the influence of Satan.

Jesus “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’” (v. 23, NASB). Did you miss that? Jesus is calling Peter Satan. This is the same Peter that Jesus called blessed and under the influence of the Father in heaven. Now Jesus is saying that Peter is under the influence of Satan. Remember, Satan means adversary; someone or something that is opposed to what the goal of God is. We can begin to learn the reasons that Jesus calls Peter Satan. We can begin to see how a devoted Christian and church member can come under the influence of Satan.

Peter is opposed to the ideas that Jesus will suffer and die. Jesus can’t die Peter says to himself. How can He die and save us from Rome? Why is the desire for freedom from Rome a wrong thing? There is nothing wrong with Peter’s desire for freedom Peter’s problem is that he is so focused on worldly things that he has forgotten about the scriptures that tell of the Messiah who saves people from their sins (See Lk. 24:19-27, 45-49). One wonders if Peter is thinking about his sins at this time.

When the church preaches and teaches more about the things that are concerned about earthy things than it is about the salvation of the soul, we have to ask: Are you under the influence of the Father, or are you under the influence of Satan. Satan is the adversary; the one that opposes the mind, will, and purpose of God. As Christians we must all ask ourselves whether or not we make the things of the world the main focus of our lives? Do we make the things of the Father the main thing that we focus on in our lives? Read and study the scriptures so that you will know the mind, will and purpose of the Father. Otherwise, you will be easily influenced by Satan.