Matthew 16

Jesus asked His disciples who the crowds thought He was. Various answers. John the Baptist. Elijah. Jeremiah. One of the prophets. And then He turned it personal: but who do you say I am?

Peter answered: you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Jesus said: blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

And then, almost immediately, Jesus began explaining that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer and be killed and on the third day be raised. And Peter, who had just given the right answer, took Jesus aside and rebuked Him. This shall never happen to you.

Jesus said: get behind me, Satan.

Same Peter. Same conversation. Right answer, then completely wrong response to what the right answer meant. Peter knew who Jesus was and still didn’t understand what that meant for where Jesus was going or what His disciples were called to.

We can get the theological answer right while completely misunderstanding the practical implications of that answer. Knowing Jesus is Messiah changes everything. Including especially the parts we didn’t want changed.