Mark 8:28-38

What feels to us like the right thing, may not be. We see things as a man sees it. It is not always the way that God sees it. We can do the right thing for the wrong reason, the wrong thing for the right reason, but we must pray and listen carefully to do the right thing for the right reason-God's reason. We can be a hindrance spiritually to those we love. We must put ourselves and those we love out of our hands and into God's.

28 So they answered, "John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."

29 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."

30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then
Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Peter answers for the group when he says You are the Christ. Jesus wants His disciples to grasp firmly His true identity before He reveals to them the necessity of His coming death and Resurrection. In Mark's Gospel, only the disciples come to understand who Jesus is. The opposition of the religious leaders and the disciples' dullness is suddenly overshadowed by Peter's wonderful confession. Jesus' warning to tell no one about Him may seem strange. Its explanation lies in the fact that the Jews expected the Messiah to be a political liberator. Jesus' first coming was meant to accomplish another kind of liberation—release from sin. Hence Jesus was careful not to use the name Messiah publicly, for it was misunderstood by the Jewish people, their leaders, and the Roman authorities. Peter understood clearly Jesus' prediction of death and could not accept or understand it, and so he began to rebuke Him. Peter's thoughts, born of fear and concern, were probably well-intended, but they did not take in God's eternal purposes and plan. Peter was not indwelt by Satan, but Satan had certainly suggested his thoughts. If Peter had his way, Jesus' mission would not have been accomplished. To preserve one's life eternally, one must surrender earthly possessions and relationships held so dearly. Those who will reign with Christ invest their lives in that which will last. Those who are willing to confess Him today will be rewarded before the Father in heaven.