The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-01-19
LESSON STORY.


there is no capacity for its reception.
Jesus, from the time of his self-confict
in the wilderness, had possessed clear
apprehension of his life-plan. He knew
himself by the testimony of the Spirit, to
be the Messiah, the Christ, the Amounted
He knew in his soul that he was sent by
the Father to meet great human need,-
the need of which the truest prophets had
spoken, and which earnest people of many
nations had felt,-the need of one who
could, as one coming from his bosom, re-
reveal the heart of the Father. But, by
Il e witness of the same Spirit, he knew
that he was not the Christ the Jews of his
generation were expecting. The Messianic
expectation of the Jews,-which had be-
come intensified during their subsection to
Syria and to Rome,-was of temporal
deliverer, a wielder of magical and military
force, an earthly son of David, merely
outward ruler over his people and among
the nations.
Until Jesus could dispossess his disciples
of that misconception, he absolutely could
not make himself known to them as the
Christ
The woman of Samaria at Jacobs Well,
seeking only relief for her sin-weariness,
could be told that the Wondrous Stranger
was the Christ, and no false political hopes
be fostered. She was seeking only the sal
walton which it was the Christ's mission to
make possible to mankind.
Jesus had waited until his disciples had
attained to some like-mindedness with the
Woman of Samaria
But now, after three months of his final
Year of Conflict have passed, he believes
it time to make his true character and mis-
sion known to his disciples.
1. Peter COnfesses Jesus to be
the ChriSt,-vs. 1917.
Jesus, having refused to lead the revolt
of the five thousand, thus breaking with
all the friendly Galileans who persisted in
believing him to be their Messiah; having
also by his denunciations aroused Roman
jealousies and intensified the enmity of the
scribes, was now out OF favor with the
world. For some weeks he had been an
exile from Galilee, an outcast from his own
people. He had journeyed and wrought
works of healing among the semi-Jewish
people of Philips hierarchy.
And now, near Cesarea-P hilippi, in the
grandest mountain scenery of Palestine,
with Mount Tabor near by rising to the
altitude of nine thousand feet, he begins
to make known to his disciples fact con-
corning himself of more practical and far
reaching importance than any personal
announcement he will make to them in all
his ministry.
A season of prayer introduced the mo-
mentous communication.
Jesus first asked his disciples: Who do
men say Mat tie Son Of Man is? One of
the disciples said he had heard Jesus
spoken of as if he were continuing the
work of John the Baptist. Another had
heard him likened to Elijah another had
heard him Ikened to jeremiah Others
had heard people speak of him as surely
some ancient prophet come to life again.
These various replies harmonized in say
ing that all people regarded Jesus as out
of the range of common men; as one who
had some special favor of God. But no
disciple reported any faith among the peo-
pie that Jesus was the Expected Christ.
men Jesus asked Oh MS ulSClPlSS dn-
other question, Whom say ye that am +?
He had before asked report through
their ears and tongues, from the world
without. Now, in an appeal to their hearts,
report from the inner world,-from the
deeps of their own souls.
Is was question before which any soul,
save under impulse of the Spirit, might
well pause.
But Peter broke the pause by saying,
with solemn emphasis: ZHOH art tie
Christ, tie Son Of tie HVzng God
We marvel that these words came to
Peter. They surely could not have come
to lin from the events which had recently
marked the experience of Jesus. All these
events indicated, to the surface vision, that
Jesus was not the Christ. There is some
appearance of marvel even in Jesus, that
Peter in the face of the contrary sugges
toas should make such confession of
faith. Blessed art HOH, Simon, son of
./Onah. he said; Ter flesh and 6loOd hath
not re7caicd ii into thee, 6Hf my Father
7OAich is in Hea9eH.
Jesus thus acknowledges his own son