Reflection: August 30, 2026

In last week’s gospel (Matt 16:13-20) Jesus asked, who do people say that I am? And Peter answered, 

"You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church...

Peter had no idea what the implications of this blessing would be, but he was probably proud to have been singled out this way. 

**

This morning’s gospel (Matt 16: 21-28) opens immediately after the conclusion of last week’s, with another exchange between Jesus and Peter.

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." 

According to Matthew, Jesus knew what awaited him in Jerusalem... suffering, death AND resurrection. That Jesus had an intimation of what was ahead of him is plausible given the political climate, his conflicts with various religious authorities and the biblical history of the treatment of prophets. However, some biblical scholars doubt the precise language of Matthew’s gospel and point to his disciples’ confusion and failure to respond appropriately during his passion as evidence that they did not register his words. 

**

Peter seemed to have heard only Jesus’ words about suffering and being killed. He had seen Jesus’ popularity for his teaching, his cures of the sick and the possessed, the food he gave to thousands and his power over nature by walking on water. He had also seen Jesus debate and humiliate the Scribes and Pharisees (Matt 15:1-10). Jesus’ prophecy contradicted the public welcome and celebration that Peter had witnessed. (Matt 15:29-31) Understandably, Peter reacted in horror at the prospect of Jesus’ murder. 

Peter had not registered the final words of Jesus’ statement, and on the third day be raised. The subtlety in this statement is that Jesus didn’t say he would rise on his own power, but that he would be raised. The same Father, who had revealed Jesus’ true identity to Peter, would raise him. 

Jesus’ disciples had seen him raise the girl who was thought to be dead (Matt 9:24-25) He had given his disciples the power to raise the dead when he sent them out on a training mission (Matt 10:8)... though there is no record of them having done so. He had told the Baptist’s disciples, when they had quizzed Jesus’ identity on behalf of John, to report back to him that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. (Matt 11:5)

But apparently, Jesus’ prophecy of his immanent death caught the disciples, and especially Peter, off guard. This was not in their ‘playbook’. His death or resurrection were beyond their imagination ...as was the fact that he was walking towards it...towards Jerusalem. 

**

Jesus responded strongly to Peter’s comment.

He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

Peter must have suffered whiplash from his reversal of status. In last week’s gospel, immediately before these events, Jesus had praised him because he had identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Jesus had responded, 

Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.

From rock to stumbling block!... Which was he?

Jesus challenged Peter further when he told him that his death was one of the divine things! Peter must have wondered ‘how could this be?’... ‘How could the death of the Messiah be part of God’s plan?’ 

**

The other disciples who witnessed this exchange between Jesus and Peter must have shared Peter’s confusion. Rather than resolving it, Jesus perplexed them further by telling them, 

"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

In Jesus’ day, the cross was both a symbol and a cruel reality.  It implied extreme sacrifice and, ultimately, death. How does taking up their cross profit them? How does ‘saving their life by losing it’ or ‘losing their life lead to finding it’ make sense? It is illogical!  Jesus challenged their experience, their expectations, their imagination and their logic... and ours, too. It is hard to suspend the way our minds work. 

**

Then Jesus sought to reassure them, albeit using abstract language, in which he referred to himself as a third party. 

The Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 

Jesus implied that he would bring justice.

**

He followed up with what seems to be a verifiable promise.

Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

Some think this may refer to Jesus’ resurrection, the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the destruction of Jerusalem. Other scripture scholars believe that it points to the establishment of church as the implementation of God’s reign on earth. Still others point to Jesus’ transfiguration (Matt 17:1-8), and some think that it didn’t happen. The statement is both an interpretive challenge and a hope. 

**

·      Have you ever felt caught in a sudden reversal of divine favour? Did a graced, good life change direction in a moment? Imagine Peter’s predicament in this chapter. He didn’t want harm to come to Jesus. Yet Jesus called him a stumbling block... just after having said that he was the rock on whom he would build the church. How do you think Peter responded? What is the evidence of the gospels? How does Peter’s response inform your life?

·      How do you take up your cross? Jesus’ own example led to his death. Jesus even said that those who lose their life for my sake will find it. It is a hard ‘ask’. Can you take it a step at a time? Can you commit to sharing the cross with Christ? Does the thought revolt you...as it did Peter? 

·      Does the last statement of the gospel... some standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom...bother you? Do you understand the transfiguration or the establishment of the church as forms of fulfillment? Or do you think it didn’t happen?

Peace,

Deacon Michael