Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-27
PETER CONFESSING.
FIFTH LESSON OF THE INTERNAL
TloNAL S. S. SERIES, JAN. 20, 1888.

tomDlcutS by rev. Niiiihm NcNtoh' ID H.
Toxt of Lesson. Matt. xvi, 13-2S--Goldcn
ToNt. Matt y. 32-.NIcmorize Verses
eI-es.
from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission of
IL. $ Hoffman. Philadelphia, publisher
Notes. -Cesarca Philippi, or Pnncas, for
rnerly dedicated to Pan, and supposed to he
the Same as the ancient Leshcm 1t was en-
larged and beautiiied by Philip, the tetrarch,
and by him named Cesarca in honor of
Caesar Tiborius IL was called Philippi to
distinguish it from Cesarea Palestine. The
Son of Man, i. O., the Second Adam, the title
by which Jesus always speaks of himself.
Bar-Jonah, i. O., son of Jonas. This rock, or
this truth, concerning myself. Gates of hell,
i. O., tho place of departed spirits-especally
evil spirits. Savorcst not, l. O., dost not rel
ish or desire Come after me, or be my dis
ciple, Proiited, or what shall he gain by it.
Own soul, l. C., his own true life.
V. Is. We are now entering the second
division of the record of the public ministry
of Jesus. As the first commenced with the
attestation of the father to his sonshp, Matt.
iii, II, so this commences with a similar
attestation on the part of one of his apostles
ZIP TO this time no such declaration appears
on tho part of tho people or of his disciples.
And it came in answer to his own question.
Jesus asked his disciples what the people said
about himl Whom did they take him to bel
V. ID And the answer was varied in its
tone Some, probably the Herodians, said
John the Baptist. They held that he was
risen from the dead, and so accounted for the
mighty works which Jesus wrought. Others
said he was Elias, or Elijah, while yet others
said he was jeremiah, or one of the other
prophets. All gave him a high position;
while, probably, the popular judgment was
much lowered by the opposition of the Scribcs
and Pharisecs to belief in his Messahship.
V. Is. But Jesus would not rest here. At
once he made personal matter. "Who say
ye that ann" thus pointing the great truth
that in every such question the individual
application is always the paramount concern.
In that line it is of small consequence to us
what others may think or say, but it is of in
finite moment to ourselves that we each one
think and speak the real truth about Christ.
V. 16. And Peter, moved with a sudden in
spiration, at once replies: "Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God.n 1t was u
glorious confession; radiant with the bright
est beam of the truth and instinct with its
mightiest power. Through the ages it has
floated, banner like, at the head of the army
of the church, and underneath its folds tho
battle has always waged with tho most IN
yielding severity. We note two points in
this confession, l. e.,
l. Its positiveness. There was no hating
in the march of Peters thought; no unccr-
tainty in its tone; no reservation in its state
ment 1t was clear, bold and ringing There
was no paltcring with it in a double sense.
Thou art the Christ" 1t was simple and
unqualified truth
V. II. How clear, how distinctly lined it
was. 1t was not taught him by flesh and
blood. Man had not taught it to him:
neither had he wrought it out by process of
his own mind 1t waS given him from above.
my father which is in heaven hath showed
it unto thee
l. The title Jesus gives the church. 1t is
'My Church 1t is so in every regard Tho
idea of it is mine. 1t was with Inc before
the world began. In the silence of eternity
it was with me. | saw il, and knew it. and
loved it from everlasting. The purchase of
it was mine, gave myself for it, | bought it
with my blood. II will build up my church"
Every living stone laid upon the true founda-
tion is my work. And the keeping of it is
mine. Unseen my hand shall be upon it, and
81 will keep it night and day" 1t is all
mine.
p The foundation Of it. "This rockn
"Other foundation can no man lay than that
is laid, which is Christ Jesus" l Cor. iii, H.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God, behold
lay in Zion for foundation, a stone, Il tried
stone, precious corner stone, a sure fOunda-
tion,n Is xviii, 16, and l Pet ii, A..
8. The builder of it. 81 will build, etc
He is both the foundation of his church and
the builder of it, On himself, as the sure
foundation, he lays each believer. There he
abides. Thence he receives the new life by
which as a living stone he grows up into a
holy temple in the Lord. With his own hand,
by his own spirit, he imparts to each his own
life, and of all he says, because live, yo
shall live also
4. The safety of it. "rhc gates Of hell
shall not prevail against it" How can theyl
If tho church is his if he is the foundation of
it and the builder of it, if he keep it, how can
it be otherwise than safer He'll is hadeS or
the place of departed spirts-especially here,
Of evil spirits Gates were the place in
ancient cities where counsel was taken and
public measures determined on "The gates
of hell, therefore, mean all that the powers
of evil can devise and execute against my
church In the midst o. it all the church is
safe evermore.
V. 90. Jesus would not have his enemies
reused into undue activity against him be-
fore the time; but would have every ques-
ton concerning himself to be worked out by
them under tho quiet influence of his own
life They must judge from that in tho light
Of their own Scriptures
V. 2i-23. In these verses we have:
Our Lords prediction of his death;
Peters protest against it; and
Our Lords rebuke of Peter.
" "a. Hero follows the universal law Of
the Kingdom. Peter did not want to admit
the thoughts of God about the Gross. lie
had much pleasanter thoughts and schemes
Of his own. And so he must deny himself.
And so must every one who would be the
Lords disciple.
V. 25-2s We must remember that, as Our
Lord spoke them, "life" and "soul' are one
and the same word. That "lifc' is used in
two senscs-a higher and a lower; a bodily
and spiritual senSt--and that our true life
or soul may be lost, And what will every
thing else profit us if that is donel What
shall we give in exchange for it, For that
will survive when the Master comes again.