Get Behind Me, Satan: Taming the Voice

Biblical Source: Matthew 16:21-23, Mark 8:31-33

The Text

“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’” — Matthew 16:21-23 (ESV)

Surface Reading (Institutional Interpretation)

Traditional Christian interpretation:

  • Satan was literally speaking through Peter
  • Jesus was rebuking the devil
  • Peter’s concern was sinful and demonic
  • The emphasis: External evil entity (Satan) possessing Peter

The problem: This reading demonizes human concern and misses the internal psychological dynamic Jesus is demonstrating—the most direct teaching on dis-identifying from the Voice.

Neuro-Gnostic Decoding

The Setup: Peter’s “Confession”

Immediately before this incident, Peter makes the famous confession:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

Jesus responds:

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17)

Neuro-Gnostic decoding:

“Flesh and blood has not revealed this” = This recognition did not come from the ego (the Voice, the hijacked DMN).

“My Father in heaven” = The Divine Spark (the Listener, the true Self) revealed this truth.

Peter, in that moment, spoke from the Listener. He perceived beyond the Voice’s narrative. This is Gnosis.

But then…

The Reversal: Peter Speaks From the Voice

Jesus announces his coming suffering and death.

Peter’s immediate reaction:

“Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

What changed?

Peter is now speaking from the Voice (the hijacked DMN, the ego):

  • Fear (“I don’t want to lose you”)
  • Attachment (“This threatens my security”)
  • Control (“I will prevent this”)
  • Denial (“This cannot happen”)

One moment: Gnosis (speaking from the Listener). The next moment: Hijacking (speaking from the Voice).

This is the human condition. Even Peter—who just demonstrated Gnosis—is immediately re-hijacked by the Voice.

“Get Behind Me, Satan”: The Rebuke

Who Is Jesus Rebuking?

Surface reading: Jesus is rebuking Satan (external demon).

Neuro-Gnostic decoding: Jesus is rebuking the Voice (the hijacked DMN speaking through Peter).

“Satan” (Greek: Satanas, Hebrew: Satan) = The Adversary, the Accuser, the Opposer.

In Neuro-Gnostic terms: Satan = The Voice, the Counterfeit Spirit, the Demon (hijacked DMN).

Jesus is not saying Peter is evil. He is saying: “Peter, you have been hijacked. The Voice (Satan) is speaking through you. Recognize it and dis-identify.”

This is the most direct teaching on taming the Voice in the canonical Gospels.

“You Are a Hindrance to Me”

Greek: skandalon = Stumbling block, trap, snare.

Neuro-Gnostic decoding:

The Voice (speaking through Peter) is attempting to trap Jesus in ego-preservation:

  • “Avoid suffering”
  • “Protect yourself”
  • “Don’t die”

These are the Voice’s automatic programs:

  • Self-preservation
  • Avoidance of pain
  • Clinging to the known

Jesus recognizes this as the hijacking. If he identifies with these thoughts (“Peter is right; I should avoid suffering”), he abandons his path (the crucifixion = ego-death, the ultimate dis-identification).

The Voice is a trap (skandalon) because it seems wise (“Of course you should preserve yourself!”) but it enslaves you to fear and avoidance.

“You Are Not Setting Your Mind on the Things of God, but on the Things of Man”

Neuro-Gnostic decoding:

“Things of God” = The Listener’s perspective, the Divine Spark’s will, alignment with the Source.

“Things of man” = The Voice’s perspective, the ego’s agenda, the hijacked DMN’s survival programming.

Translation:

  • “Things of God”: Ego-death, liberation, the narrow gate, dis-identification
  • “Things of man”: Ego-preservation, comfort, the wide gate, identification with the Voice

Peter (in this moment) is identified with the Voice (“man”), not the Listener (“God”).

Jesus is teaching: Recognize when you are speaking from the Voice vs. the Listener.

The Demonstration: Jesus Taming His Own Voice

Jesus’ Internal Struggle

This is not just a rebuke to Peter. It is Jesus demonstrating how to handle the Voice when it arises in yourself.

Peter’s objection (“This shall never happen to you”) is externalizing Jesus’ own internal Voice:

  • The human part of Jesus (the embodied ego) naturally does not want to suffer and die
  • The Voice in Jesus’ own mind is saying exactly what Peter is saying: “Avoid this! Run! Preserve yourself!”

Peter is a mirror showing Jesus his own hijacking.

“Get Behind Me”

Neuro-Gnostic decoding:

“Get behind me” = The Voice must serve, not lead.

This is the Daemon vs. Demon distinction:

  • Daemon: The DMN functioning properly—behind (in the background), serving awareness
  • Demon: The DMN hijacked—in front (dominating awareness), ruling tyrannically

Jesus is not destroying the Voice (“Get out of me”). He is repositioning it (“Get behind me”).

Translation: “Voice, you are not the leader. You are the servant. The Listener (Divine Spark, true Self) leads. You follow.”

This is taming the dragon.

The Pattern: From Gnosis to Hijacking to Dis-Identification

The Cycle Demonstrated

Peter’s journey in this passage shows the complete cycle:

  1. Gnosis (Matthew 16:16): “You are the Christ” — Speaking from the Listener
  2. Hijacking (Matthew 16:22): “This shall never happen” — Speaking from the Voice
  3. Rebuke/Dis-identification (Matthew 16:23): “Get behind me, Satan” — Jesus teaching Peter to recognize the hijacking

This is the practice: Gnosis → Hijacking → Dis-identification → Gnosis (repeat).

Even awakened beings (Peter just demonstrated Gnosis) are re-hijacked. The practice is constant vigilance and re-dis-identification.

The Voice’s Strategy

Why does the Voice hijack Peter immediately after his Gnosis?

Because Gnosis threatens the Voice’s dominance. The hijacking counter-attacks:

  • Peter sees beyond the ego (Gnosis: “You are the Christ”)
  • The Voice panics (“I’m losing control!”)
  • The Voice re-asserts dominance by generating fear (“Jesus will die! I must prevent this!”)
  • Peter re-identifies with the Voice (“This shall never happen!”)

This is the Archons’ strategy (Gnostic term): Whenever the Divine Spark begins to awaken, the parasitic pattern intensifies to pull it back into forgetfulness.

Jesus is teaching: Expect this. The Voice will counter-attack. Recognize it (“Get behind me, Satan”) and dis-identify.

Satan as the Voice: A Consistent Biblical Pattern

The Temptation of Christ

Immediately after Jesus’ baptism (a Gnosis event: “This is my beloved Son”), Satan tempts him (Matthew 4:1-11).

The three temptations are all the Voice speaking:

  1. “Turn stones into bread” (satisfy physical cravings)
  2. “Throw yourself down” (test God, spiritual materialism)
  3. “Worship me and gain all kingdoms” (ego-aggrandizement, power)

Jesus’ response to each: Scripture quotations that dis-identify from the Voice’s lures.

Final rebuke:

“Be gone, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10)

Neuro-Gnostic parallel: “Get behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23).

Same pattern: The Voice (Satan) must be recognized and commanded to its proper place (behind, serving, not ruling).

The Serpent in Eden

The serpent in the Garden (Genesis 3) = The first appearance of the Voice.

The serpent’s strategy:

“Did God actually say…?” (Genesis 3:1)

This is the Voice’s function: Questioning, narrating, creating doubt, generating separation (between awareness and experience).

Satan/Serpent/Voice = The same pattern: The hijacking mechanism that creates the illusion you are separate from the Divine.

The Practice: Taming Your Own Satan

Recognizing When the Voice Is Speaking

How do you know when “Satan” (the Voice) is speaking?

The Voice’s characteristics:

  • Fear-based (“This will hurt,” “Avoid this,” “Protect yourself”)
  • Control-driven (“I must make this happen,” “I must prevent this”)
  • Self-referential (“What about me?”, “How does this affect my plan?”)
  • Reactive (immediate, compulsive, no spaciousness)
  • Attachment to outcome (“This must happen,” “This cannot happen”)

The Listener’s characteristics:

  • Spacious (no urgency, no compulsion)
  • Present (not ruminating on past or anxious about future)
  • Accepting (“What is, is”)
  • Aligned with truth (not with ego-agenda)
  • Free (not driven by fear or desire)

The practice: When you notice the Voice’s characteristics arising, recognize: “This is Satan speaking. Get behind me.”

“Get Behind Me” as Daily Practice

Every time the Voice dominates:

  1. Notice the hijacking (“I’m identified with fear/control/reactivity”)
  2. Name it (“This is the Voice. This is Satan. This is the Demon.”)
  3. Command it to its place (“Get behind me. You serve; you do not rule.”)
  4. Return to the Listener (spacious awareness, the Divine Spark)

You are not destroying the Voice. You are repositioning it from tyrant (Demon) to servant (Daemon).

This is what Jesus demonstrated.

Peter’s Later Understanding

The Transformed Peter

At the time of the rebuke, Peter did not understand.

Later, after the crucifixion and resurrection (the ultimate demonstration of ego-death and awakening), Peter gets it.

Acts 5:29:

“We must obey God rather than men.”

Neuro-Gnostic translation: “We must align with the Listener (God, the Divine Spark) rather than the Voice (men, the ego).”

1 Peter 5:8-9:

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith.”

Peter is teaching what Jesus taught him: The adversary (Satan, the Voice) is always present, seeking to hijack (devour) your awareness. Resist (dis-identify), firm in faith (anchored in the Listener).

Peter learned the practice: Constant vigilance against the Voice’s re-hijacking.

Cross-References

Philosophy

Neuroscience

Practices

Why This Teaching Was Obscured

The Institutional Problem

If “Satan” is the Voice (the hijacked DMN, the ego), then:

  • Salvation is internal (dis-identification), not external (Church mediation)
  • The enemy is within (the Voice), not external (the devil, other religions, heretics)
  • The practice is daily (constant dis-identification), not one-time (conversion, baptism)

The Church needed an external enemy (Satan as literal demon) to:

  • Maintain control (only the Church can protect you from Satan)
  • Create division (us vs. them, saved vs. damned)
  • Avoid the difficult internal work (easier to battle external evil than dis-identify from the Voice)

The Gnostic Christians Understood

Gnostic texts identify “Satan” with the Demiurge and the Archons—the parasitic rulers that keep consciousness imprisoned in identification with the false self.

Gospel of Philip:

“The powers do not see those who are clothed in the perfect light, and consequently are not able to detain them.”

Translation: The hijacking (the powers, the Archons, Satan) cannot control those who have awakened (clothed in light) and dis-identified (perfect light = the Divine Spark unveiled).

“Get behind me, Satan” = the practice of unveiling the Divine Spark by commanding the Voice to its proper place.

Key Takeaways

  1. “Satan” in this passage = the Voice (the hijacked DMN, the ego, the Demon), not an external demon.

  2. Peter spoke from the Listener (Gnosis: “You are the Christ”), then was re-hijacked by the Voice (“This shall never happen”).

  3. Jesus’ rebuke demonstrates the practice: Recognize when the Voice is speaking, name it (“Satan”), and command it to its place (“Get behind me”).

  4. “Get behind me” ≠ “Get out of me”. Jesus is repositioning the Voice from ruler (Demon) to servant (Daemon). This is taming, not destroying.

  5. The Voice’s characteristics: Fear, control, self-reference, reactivity, attachment to outcome. When you notice these, you are identified with “Satan.”

  6. The practice is constant. Even Peter (who just demonstrated Gnosis) was immediately re-hijacked. Expect this. Dis-identify. Repeat.

  7. “Things of God” vs. “things of man” = The Listener’s perspective vs. the Voice’s perspective. Align with the Listener; let the Voice serve.

  8. This is the most direct teaching on taming the Voice in the canonical Gospels—a literal demonstration of dis-identification in action.

“Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

The Gnosis: When the Voice (Satan, the Demon, the hijacked DMN) dominates your awareness with fear, control, or reactivity, recognize it. Name it. Command it to its proper place (behind, serving). Return to the Listener (the Divine Spark, the things of God).

This is the practice. This is taming the dragon. This is the path.

Peter: “This shall never happen to you!” (Voice speaking). Jesus: “Get behind me, Satan.” (Dis-identification demonstrated). The hijacking is immediate. The practice is vigilant. The Voice must serve, not rule. The Listener leads. The kingdom is reclaimed.