Editing Blog:"Get behind me, Satan!" (section)

== Learning to think like God ==
Jesus rebuked Peter for being an obstacle to the Cross. Jesus knew he had to die, that were he not to die Satan would prevail. But Jesus would not allow, it, thus he commands that Satan stand aside, get out of the way.

It was a bit of a learning curve, but Peter eventually got it and could thereby preach the Good News that the Messiah had not only arrived but arose to his fullest glory. From 1 Peter,<blockquote>
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen sojourners of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, in the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ: may grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1:1 1Pet 1:1-5]</ref></blockquote>Go Peter, but he spoke there from hindsight and the Holy Spirit. So, before we scoff at the Apostles and disbelieving Jews, we might consider that it'd be rather remarkable if people in our own day were not so plainly blind to simple truths that don't conform to their world view, their temporal satisfactions, and, most importantly, to their pride.

We humans think temporally. God thinks eternally.  

----There's one more aspect of Jesus' warning to Peter that we must consider. Jesus told Peter that he, Jesus, must die, and to deny that death would be Satan's work. Death was introduced to man through Satan, and only the Christ can defeat it and restore eternal life -- by dying. It's unclear, though, if Jesus was speaking to Satan as well as to Peter. Jesus knew that Satan would instill hatred in Judas and betray him<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/13?27 Jn 13:27]</ref>, so why give Satan this warning? 

Either way, what matters here is that Jesus was preparing his followers for his death. As Jesus told the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus the day of his Resurrection,<blockquote>Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/24:26 Lk 24:26]</ref></blockquote>

November 15, 2024 by Michael<center>''St. Joseph, pray for us!''</center>Here to go back to [[Blog roll]]
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