The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL TO-

M J. ss RsFsn csegis5ss cseasssp pses sSGRssE9Dff i
that Jesus did not enter this city, but
taught in its vicinity. It was populou5
and prosperous region, and the people wet}
not so much under the influence of thl
seribes and Pharisees as they were furthe4
South. Whom do men say?" Christ did
not .sk this question ,lD for information
or (2) because He desired the applause Of
men, or (3) because He intended to forns
His course us sceSCrdins Ss.s to to the reply but
pies in the deepest faithn g. "Some say9
ETC." The people held different opiniona
concerning Christ. Some said John thdI
Baptist returned to life. Some, Elias, Wild
was to be the forerunner of the Messiek3
others, Jeremias Matt. l6: 14), "ip aeln
cordance with the tradition that jeremiah
was to come and reveal the place where
the sacred vessels were concealed :" and
others, one Of the prophets.
%. Whom say ye" This was the de5
cisive- moment in which the, separation od
the View Testament from the Old Testa1
ment theocracy was TO be made. The hon1
had come for. the utterance of distinct
Christian confession. Peter answekekh:
He spoke for all of the apostles. ,"ThoU
are the Christ" The Messiah. ThesAn$
ointed One. Messiah is the Hebrew and
Christ is the Greek for "anointed." Jesud
was the One who was anointed by The
Father as Prophet, Priest and King. Thd
apostles thus confess their Master to- bd
the Son of the living God-the divine Ons(
for whom the world was looking and waitl
ing. 30 Tell no man" The time had
not come to proclaim Him publicly. GaI
ilean enthusiasm might now endeavor I'd
make Him king if this announcement were
made openly.
The account given by Matthew is much
fuller than this one given by Mark. L.
Matt. l6: Is. l9, we have the verses which
have aroused as profound and as disturb
Word of God. Jesus is reported as sayingH
will build Ny church" The Greek WORD
here for Peter is "petros," meaning
stone or piece of rock. This name had
been given Peter by Jesus at the first
John !: 42). The Greek word for rocl
is petra meaning rock in mass. Regard&
ing this there are four leading views, al
of which are supported by good authori
Christ was to build His church. 2. Thai
Peter and all true believers are the rock
8. That the confession Peter had just mad
was the rock. 4. That Christ had refer
ence to Himself when He said upon thi
rock" The true view is, without doubt
the last one stated. Christ Is the founda
ton of His church.
II. Christ foretells His death Tvs. 3l730
81. Began to teach" Heretofore He had
spoken obscurely, but now for the frs
time time He speaks ks p plainly Of His b ICON coming sgf
was title He. frequently applied to Him
self, but it was never applied to Him b5
the apostles. 1t expressed His humanity
"Of the elders, etc." The Sanhedri1. "Th(
detailed enumeration of these partie
proves that there was general conspira
cy on the part of all the Jewish anthori
ties" 32. Openly" That is, not public
ly, but plainly and without disguise. Pete
took Him" Aside; apart from the rest
ITO rebuke Him" The idea of a suferin
Messiah was abhorrent to Peter and ~
right and Danish this. dismal conception b
death. instead of a throne. This show
Peters boldness.
SO. "Rebuked Peter" Christ perceive,
that He was not boldly uttering what th
others felt, and this rebuke was befpr
them all. "Get thee behind Me, Satan.
Satan means adversary: Jesus did no
call His apostle devil, but He saw in thi
suggestion repetition OF the old tempts
of the kingdoms of the world without H
coming to the cross. The words of th
tempter are in Peters mouth, and Chris
uses the very words which He had used 7
the devil in the wilderness. "Thou mind
est not" (R. W Thou dost not under
stand or discern the things of God; tho
art wholly taken up with the thought tha
My kingdom is of this world. Men woul
like ease, distinction and wealth, but Go
looks at peace of conscience and the 70
of the soul. ITO His eye the cross 18th
70
III. Conditions of discipleship Tvs. 9
35). "a. Had called" Even in thes
lonely regions considerable numbers woul
seem to have followed Him, apparently q
some little distance. These He now calle
to Him and made them sharers in this par
of His instruction. "Whosoeyer will,
That is, whosoever is resolved at all cost
to be My disciple. Deny Himself.
Christ shows the apostles the nature
indugences which stand in the way
duty" Take up His cross" Whosoevd
would follow Christ must be ready to e1
dure afliction and even death for His SAX
This was the first intimation of His ;oW
upon "the cross"
So. "Whosoever will save, etc" Who's
ever succeeds in obtaining the life OF WORT
ly comfort and pleasure, by avoiding 'tH
life of self-denial and at the expense
Shall lOsc SNSh LuC So1 VI
rewards he seeks and also the eternal il
Of spiritual joy and blessedness. But VIII
soever renounces those things in this q
which charm the wording, such as Il
love of gain, pleasure, fashion or homo
and from the worldling's standpoint los
bis life for the sake of Christ, that brin
the promised blessing, Multitudes 10
their lives on the altar of worldly, amt
ton, pleasure and fashion, but such ha
no ray of hope. ~
". Tie value of the soul (,s. 36-3S).
what; profit" The question imgf5
that there is no profit. "The whole world
Even though it were possible for a man
gain all the wealth, honor and happlne
the world had to give, and to enjoy 1T
thousand years. and then lose his soul,
loss would be infinitely greater than al
earthly pleasure he may nave had: Loss S
Greek word for soul has the double mea
ing life" and Soul" The soul is t
man himself. The only thing we really al
absolutely possess is our Soul. The m
who loses his soul loses all he has that
really valuable. 81. "In exchange, ;.
price the worldlingspays for carnal deligf
IS his soul. 3S "Adu!terous." The p
ole were called aduiterous because th|
hearts were estranged from God; Co
pare lisa. 81: s.; Jer. 81: 80 and jan
1: 4.
Found a Frozen Mastodon,
The form of mastodon has been discd
,r,5 J;l1sido on Ounrtz Creek AlaSI