Rev Kev's - The Stumbling Block - 22nd Sunday Year A

Last Sunday Jesus called Peter the Rock on which the Church will be built. Today, almost in the next verse, Peter is called a stumbling block when Jesus says: "get behind me Satan.” What is the jist of the strong language of Jesus when Jesus says: "get behind me Satan"?
Matthew’s Gospel is very clear and strong with the link between the role of Jesus as Messiah, Son of the Living God and the suffering Servant when Jesus says: "get behind me Satan.” Jesus, by using the strong name of Satan (stumbling block) strongly reprimands Peter for emphasising the political nature of the Kingdom while he wants the emphasis to be on the spiritual. We will constantly see this in Matthew’s Gospel.
I love the passage in the Acts of the Apostles (Ascension Ch 1). The very last question asked of Jesus is whether or not He will restore the Kingdom today. The apostles just didn’t get it. The gospel today urges us to understand the teaching of Jesus. Jesus is so emphatic in his meaning that he calls his new leader, Peter, “Satan”, a stumbling block. Our materialistic ambitions can be a block to the work of Jesus, the salvation of souls.
THE SON OF MAN IS GOING TO COME IN GLORY WITH HIS ANGELS BUT NOT WITHOUT THE CROSS.

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