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Charlie Traffas
Charlie Traffas has been involved in marketing, media, publishing and insurance for more than 40 years. In addition to being a fully-licensed life, health, property and casualty agent, he is also President and Owner of Chart Marketing, Inc. (CMI). CMI operates and markets several different products and services that help B2B and B2C businesses throughout the country create customers...profitably. You may contact Charlie by phone at (316) 721-9200, by e-mail at ctraffas@chartmarketing.com, or you may visit at www.chartmarketing.com.
Religion
2010-12-01 10:56:00
Why did Jesus rebuke Peter?
Why did Jesus rebuke Peter, after the Apostle acknowledged Him as the Messiah? In the Gospel of Luke (9:18-27), our Lord asked the disciples, who people said he was. They replied: John the Baptist, Elijah, or an old prophet that had risen. He then asked Peter whom he thought he was. Peter responded that he was the Anointed One of God (the Christ). Then our Lord rebuked him and the others, and told them to not tell this to anyone. Why would he have rebuked Peter and the others, when he knew he would have to suffer and be rejected, be killed and be raised up to life three days later, which he stated immediately after this (Luke 9:22)?
Answer: It is necessary to read the gospel verses immediately before and after this passage, which is parallel with Matt. 16:13-28 and Mark 8:27-38. Only Luke tells us that Jesus was praying at the time of the incident. Luke omits Jesus’ commendation of Peter, and the statement about the Church with Peter as its foundation rock. The question posed by Jesus shows that public opinion placed our Lord on the highest pedestal by identifying him with some of the national heroes of the past; at least that men recognized in him someone outstanding. The comments about “John the Baptist and Elijah or one of the ancient prophets arisen” recapitulate Herod’s thoughts in trying to identify Jesus. Peter’s answer to the question Jesus put to the disciples about himself is given briefly, and is followed by the Lord’s prediction of his rejection and death at the hands of the Jewish leaders, and his subsequent resurrection. This is the first acknowledgment of Jesus as the Messiah made by any of his disciples. But then St. Luke records only Jesus’ warning to the disciples how they were to follow him. Yes, Jesus is the Messiah ushering in a new age, in which all can participate; but that new age comes with a price. They must take up their cross and be prepared to lose their life for his sake. Here is the first mention of the cross in Luke. The people were not yet ready for this announcement because of their earthly views of the kingdom. But Jesus was ready to confront his disciples with the question that has been tantalizing audiences since the beginning of his ministry: “Who is this man?” (Lk 8:25). Jesus asked this question when he was already headed towards Jerusalem (John 9:51). He knew well what awaited him there. But still in his human nature he wanted to know before he went, if there was anyone who had really discovered who he was. The correct answer would make all the difference. If there was any realization, however incomplete, it meant that he had lit a torch in the hearts of men, a torch which would never be extinguished. When Jesus asked the disciples for their conclusion about the public opinion, Peter unhesitatingly spoke up for the rest. How Jesus’ heart must have been lifted when Peter exclaimed: “You are the Anointed One of God! (the Christ, the Messiah)” When Jesus heard this, he knew he had not failed. Not only did the Twelve have to discover this fact; they had also to discover what the fact meant. They had grown up in the expectation that God’s Messiah would be a conquering king, who would lead them to world domination. But Jesus had to teach them that God’s Anointed One had come to die upon a cross. He had to take their ideas of God and of God’s purposes, and turn them upside down. From this time that is what he set himself to do. Lest his mission be misunderstood (cf Lk 23:35). Jesus imposed silence until he had the opportunity to instruct them in the true meaning of his Missiahship. Jesus’ reaction to the disciples’ confession was not a harsh rebuke, but rather a gentle & firm directive from their beloved Master: “He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone” (vs. 21) until the time had come for proclaiming God’s plan. They had discovered who Jesus was; now they had to learn what that discovery meant. Jesus knew he had a destiny to fulfill. He had no other object but to do on earth what God had sent him to do.
 
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