354
The Desire of Ages
Satan: thou art an offense unto Me: for thou savorest not the things
that be of God, but those that be of men.”
Satan was trying to discourage Jesus, and turn Him from His
mission; and Peter, in his blind love, was giving voice to the temptation.
The prince of evil was the author of the thought. His instigation was
behind that impulsive appeal. In the wilderness, Satan had offered
Christ the dominion of the world on condition of forsaking the path of
humiliation and sacrifice. Now he was presenting the same temptation
to the disciple of Christ. He was seeking to fix Peter’s gaze upon
the earthly glory, that he might not behold the cross to which Jesus
desired to turn his eyes. And through Peter, Satan was again pressing
the temptation upon Jesus. But the Saviour heeded it not; His thought
was for His disciple. Satan had interposed between Peter and his
Master, that the heart of the disciple might not be touched at the vision
of Christ’s humiliation for him. The words of Christ were spoken,
not to Peter, but to the one who was trying to separate him from his
Redeemer. “Get thee behind Me, Satan.” No longer interpose between
Me and My erring servant. Let Me come face to face with Peter, that I
may reveal to him the mystery of My love.
It was to Peter a bitter lesson, and one which he learned but slowly,
that the path of Christ on earth lay through agony and humiliation. The
disciple shrank from fellowship with his Lord in suffering. But in the
heat of the furnace fire he was to learn its blessing. Long afterward,
when his active form was bowed with the burden of years and labors,
he wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which
is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but
rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when
His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
1 Peter 4:12, 13
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Jesus now explained to His disciples that His own life of self-
abnegation was an example of what theirs should be. Calling about
Him, with the disciples, the people who had been lingering near, He
said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross daily, and follow Me.” The cross was associated with the
power of Rome. It was the instrument of the most cruel and humiliating
form of death. The lowest criminals were required to bear the cross
to the place of execution; and often as it was about to be laid upon
their shoulders, they resisted with desperate violence, until they were