Matthew 16:23

He turned. It seems that Christ turned away from Peter toward the other disciples (see Mark 8:33), though His words were addressed to Peter as He did so.

Get thee behind me. The sentiment expressed by Peter was that of the tempter, and Christ’s reply was directed to the unseen foe who had prompted it. These were the very words with which Christ had repulsed the tempter in the wilderness (see Luke 4:8), and are expressive of the most severe rebuke ever spoken by Jesus. The command means, literally, “Get away from me!” or more freely, “Go away!” or “Get out of my sight!”

Peter had permitted “the gates of hell,” as it were, to prevail upon him to be the mouthpiece of the prince of evil (see on Matt. 16:18). However, Christ’s words were addressed, not so much to the disciple, as to the one who had prompted his words.

Offence. Gr. skandalon, properly, the trigger of the trap on which bait is placed, and metaphorically, “a hindrance.” Here the Lord refers to Peter as a hindrance to Him on His way to the cross (see on v. 21).

Savourest. Gr. phroned, “to have understanding,” “to feel,” or “to think.” The English verb, “to savor,” has the archaic meaning, “to understand,” or “to perceive.” Moments before, Peter had expressed a divine truth concerning Jesus, which had been revealed to him by the Father (v. 17); now he spoke what had been suggested to him by the enemy of all good. How soon Peter had changed sides in the great controversy!