Peter loved his Lord; but Jesus did not commend him for thus manifesting the desire to shield Him from suffering. Peter's words were not such as would be a help and solace to Jesus in the great trial before Him. They were not in harmony with God's purpose of grace toward a lost world, nor with the lesson of self-sacrifice that Jesus had come to teach by His own example. Peter did not desire to see the cross in the work of Christ. The impression which his words would make was directly opposed to that which Christ desired to make on the minds of His followers, and the Saviour was moved to utter one of the sternest rebukes 416 that ever fell from His lips: "Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."

Peter elskede sin Herre; men Jesus roste ham ikke, fordi han sådan gav udtryk for sit ønske om at bevare ham for lidelsen. Peters ord var ikke af den art, at de kunne være til hjælp og lindring for Jesus under den store prøvelse, som forestod. De harmonerede ikke med Guds nådige formål med en fortabt verden og heller ikke med den lære om selvopofrelse, som Jesus var kommet for at lære andre gennem sit eget eksempel. Peter nærede ikke noget ønske om at se korset som en del af Kristi gerning. Det indtryk, som hans ord måtte gøre, var i direkte modstrid med det, Kristus ønskede at gøre på sine disciples sind, og Frelseren lod sig bevæge til at fremkomme med en af de alvorligste irettesættelser, der nogensinde har lydt fra hans læber: "Vig bag mig, Satan! du er mig til forargelse; thi du sanser ikke, hvad Guds er, men kun, hvad menneskers er."