The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-22
LESSON STORY.

Jesus knew in himself, beyond ques-
ton, that he was the, Expected One, the
Messiah the Christ, the Amounted. he
knew that he alone could, as one coming
from the bosom of the Father, reveal the
heart of the Father to his children. He
knew himself peculiarly sent to meet
deep, widespread, long-felt human need.
But Jesus knew he was not the Christ
the Jews were expecting. Their Mess
ianic hope had become intensified and
feverish under their prolonged Syrian
and Roman expressions. They we're
confidently looking for an earthly son OF
David to WELD military force. and be an
outward conqueror and king. This mis-
conception had become inbred in the
imagination of even the Twelve.
Until Jesus could dispoesess his dis
ciples of the false ideal he could not re-
veal himself to them as the Christ.
To this time, SO far as we know, Jesus
had announced himself as the Messiah
only to the sin-weary Samaritan woman
by Jacobs Well. She was seeking the
salvation he was striving to make posi-
BILE to all mankind; salvation from sim
ming, from misgiving toward God. He
could tell this repeptant woman that he
spoke with the authority of the Messiah,
without raising in her delusive political
hopes.
Jesus had waited until his disciples
had attained to some like mindedness
with the woman of Samaria.
Now, after three months of his final
Year of Conflict have passed, he believes
it time to make his true character and
mission known to his disciples.
L. Peter COnfesses his Faith
that Jesus is the Christ,-vs. -
II.
Jesus, having refused to lead to revolt
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.
Now, near Cesarea- Philippi. in the
grandest mountain scenery of Palestine,
with Mount Hermon near by raising to
the altitude of nine thousand feet. he
begins to make known to his disciples
fact concerning himself Of more practi-
cal 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 the multitudes sag that I am? 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 likened to jeremiah.
Others had heard people speak of him
as surely some one of the ancient proph-
cts come to life again.
These various reports harmonized in
this,-that all people regarded Jesus as
out of the range of common men. But
no disciple reported any faith among the
people tact Jesus was the Expected
Christ. The popular disappointment.
when he refused the proffered royalty
in opposition 20 Herod Antipas. made
belief in his Messiahship, according to
the existing Jewish ideal, impossible.
Then Jesus asked of his disciples. But
lcho sag ye that am? He had before
sought report through their ears from
the world without. Now, in an appeal
to their hearts, he seeks a report from