Matthew 16 22

Matthew 16:22 kjv

Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

Matthew 16:22 nkjv

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"

Matthew 16:22 niv

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

Matthew 16:22 esv

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you."

Matthew 16:22 nlt

But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!"

Matthew 16 verses

Matthew 16 22 Meaning

Matthew 16:22 describes a pivotal moment where Peter, immediately after confessing Jesus as the Christ and being blessed, misunderstands the very nature of Christ's mission. He pulls Jesus aside and vehemently objects to Jesus' prophecy of His impending suffering, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem, wishing for it not to happen. This reaction reveals a profoundly human desire to avoid suffering and a common misconception among the disciples regarding the Messiah's role, expecting a conquering king rather than a suffering servant.

Matthew 16 22 Context

This verse is situated immediately after one of the most significant confessions in the New Testament: Peter's declaration of Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt 16:16), which Jesus confirms was revealed to Peter by God. Following this revelation, Jesus bestows blessings upon Peter, calling him "Peter" (Rock) and giving him the keys of the kingdom. It is at this critical juncture, immediately after revealing His identity, that Jesus begins to explicitly unveil the crucial aspect of His messianic mission – His suffering, death, and resurrection (Mt 16:21). Peter's reaction in verse 22 reveals a fundamental misunderstanding, highlighting the tension between the disciples' popular expectation of a glorious, conquering Messiah and Jesus' true, divinely ordained path through suffering and sacrifice. This sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent teaching on true discipleship, which involves self-denial and cross-bearing.

Matthew 16 22 Word analysis

• Then (Τότε - Tote): A transitional conjunction, emphasizing the immediacy and sequence of Peter's action following Jesus' revelation of His coming suffering and death (Mt 16:21). It connects the sudden shift in Peter's spiritual insight back to human misunderstanding.
• Peter (Πέτρος - Petros): The same disciple who was just lauded by Jesus as the "rock" and blessed for his divine revelation. This highlights the ironic and swift transition from profound spiritual insight to profound human error within the same individual.
• took him (προσλαβόμενος - proslabomenos): A participle meaning "having taken to himself," "having drawn aside." It suggests Peter acted privately, perhaps taking Jesus aside from the other disciples, either out of concern, protectiveness, or an attempt to subtly correct his Master. It conveys an assumption of familiarity and even authority on Peter's part to approach Jesus in such a manner.
• and began to rebuke him (ἤρξατο ἐπιτιμᾶν αὐτῷ - ērxato epitiman autō):
  • Ērxato ("began"): Implies an initiation of an action that might have continued, or indicates an attempted strong protest.
  • Epitiman ("to rebuke," "to censure," "to warn strongly," "to forbid"): This is a significant verb. It's often used when a superior addresses an inferior, or when Jesus rebukes demons (e.g., Mk 1:25) or forces of nature (Mk 4:39). Peter, a disciple, uses this term towards his divine Master, demonstrating an extraordinary reversal of roles and a bold overstep of authority, stemming from his human perception. It reflects Peter’s active attempt to prohibit God’s will.
• saying (λέγων - legōn): Introduces Peter's direct words.
• Be it far from thee, Lord (ἵλεώς σοι, κύριε - hileōs soi, kyrie):
  • Hileōs soi: Lit. "Merciful to you!" or "God be merciful to you!" It's a Hellenistic Greek idiom equivalent to the Hebrew chalilah lak (חלילה לך), meaning "Far be it from you!" or "God forbid!" (as seen in the LXX for Gen 18:25, 1 Sam 20:2). It expresses shock, horror, or a strong desire to avert a perceived disaster or wrong course of action. Peter is appealing to God or divine intervention to prevent what Jesus just announced.
  • Kyrie ("Lord"): While Peter acknowledges Jesus' Lordship, his understanding of that Lordship is flawed by earthly expectations, desiring a Lord who would avoid suffering and triumph politically rather than sacrificially.
• this shall not be unto thee (οὐ μὴ ἔσται σοι τοῦτο - ou mē estai soi touto):
  • Ou mē: A strong double negative in Greek, rendering the meaning "never," "by no means," "it shall absolutely not be." Peter is not merely expressing a wish but stating an emphatic prohibition. He is convinced, in his human understanding, that the suffering and death Jesus predicted is not only undesirable but impossible for the Messiah.
  • Estai soi touto ("this shall be to you"): Referring to the suffering and death Jesus had just spoken of.

Matthew 16 22 Bonus section

Peter's reaction serves as a universal warning against allowing human reasoning and comfort to dictate divine plans. The use of the word epitiman for Peter rebuking Jesus is deeply ironic, as it is the very word Jesus uses to command demons. This subtly links Peter's earthly, resistant counsel to a satanic impulse, showing how opposing God's will, even out of apparent devotion, can align with the Adversary's designs (Mt 16:23). This incident also foreshadows Jesus' own agony in Gethsemane, where He would pray for the cup of suffering to pass but ultimately submit to the Father's will (Mt 26:39), contrasting sharply with Peter's initial resistance to that divine pathway.

Matthew 16 22 Commentary

Matthew 16:22 encapsulates the stark tension between God's divine plan of redemption through suffering and humanity's inherent aversion to pain and misunderstanding of true spiritual glory. Peter's attempt to "rebuke" Jesus, just moments after a supernatural revelation, vividly portrays the volatile nature of even deeply committed faith when it is filtered through human desires and limited understanding. Peter's utterance, "Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee," is a profound statement of contradiction. He desires the triumph of the Messiah but without the necessary path of the cross, reflecting the popular Messianic expectations of his time for a conquering king who would restore Israel, not a suffering servant who would be crucified. His words, though seemingly well-intentioned out of love and loyalty for his Master, become a significant stumbling block because they directly oppose God's redemptive purpose for Jesus to die for the sins of the world. This interaction powerfully demonstrates that even inspired individuals can become conduits for temptation if their focus shifts from divine revelation to human rationale and worldly comforts.