The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-07-19
THE SUECA- ccuOOL.
Lesson In 'he International ser'ss f"'
Ju,y %, 1900 -Pctcr's Coufes-
sion and Chrixt's Rebuke.
Prepared by ii. c. Lexington

Prepared by ii. C. Lenington.l
THE LESSON TEXT Mathew lSls-2i.
Eoi,UEN 1ENT.-lf MLy man will
.omc aftcr Me, Let him deny himself.
and Ike up his cross, and follow Me.
Matt. 1894.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
After healing the daughter of the
syrophoenician woman Jesus returns
10 Galilee. and performs many mira
cles of healing. This is in the summer
of A. ID. 20. 1t is in Decapols that
the feeding of the 4,0C0 from seven
loayes of bread occurs. Then comes
the demand Of the Pharisees and Sad
ducees for a sign. The Pharisees and
Sadducees had not, we may imagine.
seen any of Jesus miracles. They had
heard of His marvellous works and
came to prove Him. But Jesus refuses
10 give them n sign. He would not
perform miracle for the mere pur-
pose OF demonstrating His power. Fur
thermore. we have reason to believe
that these Jews would not have be
lieved had they received the sign, bu;
have used ~ as n basis for contro-
yersy. claiming, AZ they afterwards
did, that by Beelzcbub castcth He
out devils" These events are all re-
corded in the first two Gospels. in
Matt. 1879 to 1912, and Mark 7:%l TO
sci. Mark also gives the story of the
healing of blind man at Bethsuida
as occurring at this time Mark So
?Gl.
The Peoples Idea of Jcsus.-Aftcr
the events related above. busy days OF
teaching. healing and controversy with
scribes and Pharisees. Jesus finds Him
self alone for a little time with his
disciples. He was drawing near TO the
close of His earthly ministry, and TOOK
this occasion to fasten upon their
minds certain definite impressions.
They had been with their Master the
better part of two whole years. During
this time they must have found certain
ideas regarding the work and. person
ality of Jesus, yet they had not prob
ably resolved these into definite and
fixed convictions. This was suitable
occasion now that opposition had come
to definitely formulate what was in
their minds and hearts. So Jesus asked,
leading up to HIS real objective in the
most natural way: "Whom do men
say that amp" The disciples, during
their preaching tours and by contact
with all sorts Of people, had learned
that the impression abroad was that
Jesus was one OF their prophets re-
turned to earth. Some said He was
John the Baptist, others that He was
Elijah, and stiu others that He was
Jeremiah.
Peter'a Declaration.-But what Jesus
-was anxious about was what they
thought He sought not Tor popular
approval, but to leave . personal i'm
preston upon the hearts Of individuals.
I'VE find Him preaching just as earnest
|1.fto an audience Of one as to great mul-
titudes. But whom say ye that am? ?"
Simon Peter answered the query:
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
Living God" It was the great mission
of Jesus to impress this truth upon the
world, but this was the first time He
had heard it expressed by human lips.
Where had Peter learned it? We could
say he had heard it from Jesus, Him
self. But no mere words could convey
message fraught with such Heavenly
import. Jesus tells us where Peter
learned the truth he had just uttered:
Flesh and blood hath not revealed il
unto thee, but my Father which is in
Heaven
The Rock Foundation.-These words
OF Jesus help us to understand what fol-
lows, for it shows upon what is built
the Kingdom of God, both in the hearts
of individual men and in it's outward
manifestation as the Church of God. 1t
is the spirit Of being in harmony with
the Divine influences, being able to hear
amid the confusion Of this life the still
small voice Of God, that furnishes the
foundation of the great structure Jesus
was to erect. This faith in the heart of
feter has grown and broadened, deep
ened and heightened until now the host
OF the faithful and consecrated cannot
be numbered. No influence is powerful
enough to successfully assail this
structure. upon this rock" says
Jesus, II will Build my church; and the
gates of he'll shall not prevail against
it,"
Jesus Death and Resurrection Fore
,oid.-We may merely note that this is
'he hrst time Jesus has clearly and I'M
mistakably stated what was before
him. His disciples were to be fore
warned and so forearmed.
Peter Rebuking His Master.-The at
'ltude of Peter upon hearing the words
ot Jesus was quite natural in one so
'npetuous, yet it comes as a surprise
aiter his declaratio of the true charac-
yer OF Jesus, and the commentator of
feter by Jesus. But Peter had his
weak moments, and could hardly have
known at that time that he was but
tempting Jesus to overthrow the work
OF Ills ministry, for the crowning point
VI 'hat work was upon the cross
nrAr - L