The Meaning of Mark 8:33 Explained

Mark 8:33

KJV: But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

YLT: and he, having turned, and having looked on his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind me, Adversary, because thou dost not mind the things of God, but the things of men.'

Darby: But he, turning round and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, Get away behind me, Satan, for thy mind is not on the things that are of God, but on the things that are of men.

ASV: But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  when he had turned about  and  looked  on his  disciples,  he rebuked  Peter,  saying,  Get thee  behind  me,  Satan:  for  thou savourest  not  the things that be of God,  but  the things that be of men. 

What does Mark 8:33 Mean?

Study Notes

thou savourest
i.e. thou art thinking man's thoughts, not the thoughts of God. Contra, Matthew 16:17

Verse Meaning

Jesus spoke His rebuke for the other disciples as well as for Peter. This indicates that Peter was speaking for them. Jesus called Peter Satan because He recognized Satan as the ultimate source of Peter"s suggestion (cf. Matthew 4:10). Peter"s words had opposed God"s will in favor of the popular messianic idea.

Context Summary

Mark 8:22-38 - The Cost Of Following Jesus
Our attention has been drawn to the Master's sighs; here, however, was another characteristic act. He spat on the eyes of the blind man, perhaps to excite his expectation and faith. Repulsive as ophthalmia is in the East, it did not repel Him nor staunch the flow of His pity.
We do not at once see everything clearly, but step by step we come unto perfect vision. Here we see through a glass darkly, there face to face. There was a great price to be paid; it was only through suffering and death that Jesus could do His greatest work, in redeeming and cleansing the children of men. He might have been the miracle-worker apart from Calvary; but to be the Savior, He must not spare Himself but be willing to pour out His soul even unto death. It was hard for the Apostles to learn this lesson; they wanted the Master to spare Himself. Peter, especially, sought to dissuade Him; but the Lord knew better the desperate need of men and how it must be met. There are three conditions to be fulfilled by those who have resolved to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. 1. We must deny self; 2. Each must take up his cross; 3. We must think more of others than of ourselves. If these are realized, the soul is following Christ and making progress, even though it deems itself stagnant or drifting back. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 8

1  Jesus feeds the people miraculously;
10  refuses to give a sign to the Pharisees;
14  admonishes his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod;
22  gives a blind man his sight;
27  acknowledges that he is the Jesus who should suffer and rise again;
34  and exhorts to patience in persecution for the profession of the gospel

Greek Commentary for Mark 8:33

He turning about and seeing his disciples [επιστραπεις και ιδων τους ματητας αυτου]
Peter had called Jesus off to himself In doing that the other disciples were in plain view also (this touch only in Mark). Hence Jesus rebukes Peter in the full presence of the whole group. Peter no doubt felt that it was his duty as a leader of the Twelve to remonstrate with the Master for this pessimistic utterance (Swete). It is even possible that the others shared Peter‘s views and were watching the effect of his daring rebuke of Jesus. It was more than mere officiousness on the part of Peter. He had not risen above the level of ordinary men and deserves the name of Satan whose role he was now acting. It was withering, but it was needed. The temptation of the devil on the mountain was here offered by Peter. It was Satan over again. See note on Matthew 16:23. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 8:33

Matthew 16:23 But he turned [ο δε στραπεις]
Second aorist passive participle, quick ingressive action, away from Peter in revulsion, and toward the other disciples (Mark 8:33 has επιστραπεις — epistrapheis and ιδων τους ματητας αυτου — idōn tous mathētas autou). [source]
Mark 9:32 But they understood not the saying [hoi de ēgnooun to rhēma)]
An old word. Chiefly in Paul‘s Epistles in the N.T. Imperfect tense. They continued not to understand. They were agnostics on the subject of the death and resurrection even after the Transfiguration experience. As they came down from the mountain they were puzzled again over the Master‘s allusion to his resurrection (Mark 9:10). Matthew 17:23 notes that “they were exceeding sorry” to hear Jesus talk this way again, but Mark adds that they “were afraid to ask him” Continued to be afraid (imperfect tense), perhaps with a bitter memory of the term “Satan” hurled at Peter when he protested the other time when Jesus spoke of his death (Mark 8:33; Matthew 16:23). Luke 9:45 explains that “it was concealed from them,” probably partly by their own preconceived ideas and prejudices. [source]
Luke 4:13 For a season [ἄχρι καιροῦ]
Peculiar to Luke. More strictly, until a convenient time; since Satan meant to assail him again, as he did in the person of Peter (Mark 8:33); by the Pharisees (John 8:40 sq.); and at Gethsemane. See Luke 22:53. [source]
Luke 22:3 Satan entered into Judas [εισηλτεν εις Ιουδαν]
Ingressive aorist active indicative. Satan was now renewing his attack on Jesus suspended temporarily (Luke 4:13) “until a good chance.” He had come back by the use of Simon Peter (Mark 8:33; Matthew 16:23). The conflict went on and Jesus won ultimate victory (Luke 10:18). Now Satan uses Judas and has success with him for Judas allowed him to come again and again (John 13:27). Judas evidently opened the door to his heart and let Satan in. Then Satan took charge and he became a devil as Jesus said (John 6:70). This surrender to Satan in no way relieves Judas of his moral responsibility. [source]
Luke 4:13 For a season [αχρι καιρου]
Until a good opportunity should return, the language means. We are thus to infer that the devil returned to his attack from time to time. In the Garden of Gethsemane he tempted Jesus more severely than here. He was here trying to thwart the purpose of Jesus to go on with his Messianic plans, to trip him at the start. In Gethsemane the devil tried to make Jesus draw back from the culmination of the Cross with all its agony and horror. The devil attacked Jesus by the aid of Peter (Mark 8:33), through the Pharisees (John 8:40.), besides Gethsemane (Luke 22:42, Luke 22:53).d [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 8:33 mean?

- And having turned and having looked upon the disciples of Him He rebuked Peter said Get behind Me Satan for not you have in mind the things of God but things of men
δὲ ἐπιστραφεὶς καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐπετίμησεν Πέτρῳ λέγει Ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου Σατανᾶ ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐπιστραφεὶς  having  turned 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπιστρέφω  
Sense: transitively.
ἰδὼν  having  looked  upon 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
μαθητὰς  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐπετίμησεν  He  rebuked 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιτιμάω  
Sense: to show honour to, to honour.
Πέτρῳ  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
λέγει  said 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Ὕπαγε  Get 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
ὀπίσω  behind 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ὀπίσω 
Sense: back, behind, after, afterwards.
μου  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Σατανᾶ  Satan 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: Σατανᾶς  
Sense: adversary (one who opposes another in purpose or act), the name given to.
φρονεῖς  you  have  in  mind 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: φρονέω  
Sense: to have understanding, be wise.
τοῦ  things 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
τῶν  things 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπων  of  men 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.