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Chapter 16
6
. See
EGW comment on Luke 12:1
.
18. The True Foundation
—[
Matthew 16:18
quoted.] The word
“Peter” signifies a loose stone. Christ did not refer to Peter as being
the rock upon which He would found His church. His expression
“this rock,” applied to Himself as the foundation of the Christian
church (
The Signs of the Times, October 28, 1913
).
18, 19
. See
EGW comment on John 20:23
.
22, 23 (
Luke 22:31, 32
). Satan Between Peter and Christ
—
See what the Lord said to Peter.... He said, “Get thee behind me,
Satan.” What was Satan doing? He came right up face to face with
Peter and between the Lord and Peter, so that Peter even took it upon
him to reprove the Lord. But the Lord came close to Peter and Satan
was put behind Christ. The Lord told Peter that Satan had desired
him, that he might sift him as wheat, but He says, “I have prayed
for thee, that thy faith fail not.” If Peter had learned the lessons he
ought to have learned, if he had stood right with God at the time of
his trial, he would have stood then. If he had not been indifferent
to the lessons Christ taught, he would have never denied his Lord
(
Manuscript 14, 1894
).
Satan Spoke Through Peter
—When Christ revealed to Peter
the time of trial and suffering that was just before Him, and Peter
replied, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee,”
the Saviour commanded, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Satan was
speaking through Peter, making him act the part of the tempter.
Satan’s presence was unsuspected by Peter, but Christ could detect
the presence of the deceiver, and in His rebuke to Peter He addressed
the real foe (
Letter 244, 1907
).
Satan’s work was to discourage Jesus as He strove to save the
depraved race, and Peter’s words were just what he wished to hear.
They were opposed to the divine plan; and whatever bore this stamp
of character was an offense to God. They were spoken at the insti-
gation of Satan; for they opposed the only arrangement God could
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