The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-06-09
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SECOND QUARTER. LESSON *
Matthew ie.ls-2s. june 10. 1905.
reter's Great Confession.

rster's Great Confession.
IN His last year, Jesus turned from the
multitude and consentratcd Htt sats-
eics upon His disclpies Ills MINISTRY
10 the throng had proven a failure. Ills
pcafls Of woid and decd had fallen be-
fore a british people 10 perpctuate
JIis church after His departure. He turns
to trim and squau ana polish Ills aros-
tles--as the foundation stones that are
10 bear nl0ft the superstructure with
this ID view, lie led them 20 Decapolis
and Tyrc and sidon and Cacsorea- phil-
ippi localities where He was compara-
lively unknown. In such places His
course of private Instruction would be
least interrupted by public demands
Philips Caesarea was In what has
been apiis called Tho Switzerland 81
Palestine. There was the ever-stltt-
ling contrast between arctic white ana
tropic emo1algy AZ they walked amid
the oleaadcfs and beside the aushing
fomtaii sotfce Of the Jmn they could
llft their eyes to snow-clad Hermon ana
I.cbapon. II was a school room worthy
at once Of teacher and taught It
WAS here that Jesus propoundcd that inn
ncasnreably important question. "vho
DO men say that I. the Son Of Man. ams'
The question was only asked that II
might produce that dar6 back ground OF
an Inadequate and erroneous public opin-
ion on which the fair confession OF the
apostles ,aight stand out in pristine con-
tfast what a medley OF opinions
Some Joined guilty Antipas IN the sus-
picion that he was the Baptist come 10
life again; others, that lie was the fiery
old reformer Of Carmel. others. the weep
ing prophet. come 70 gufde them TO the
crypt Of nature where He had hidden
the golden ark Of the temple Not
soul Of the people rose to the height
OF recognizing Him as the Messiah Jesus
eot exactly the answer lie had autlci-
pated. He could not have been dlsap-
pointed or chaerined by Il lie did
expect more Of the chosen ones who had
been hts intimate companions for two
yoGrs. In sAis, too. He was not disap-
pointed He cried "The people say this
and that; but what do you say? Then
shat glorious sanctuary Of nature rang
with the simplest. sublimrst credo Of all
the ages. az the ''lnouth OF the apostles
cried. 'rhou are the Christ. the Son OF
the Living Cod IN that word. Peter
burst the shell OF an hereditary and uni
vers.d uisconecption OF the nature or
the Messiah BE firpt spread the wings
pf true Aiesaianlc faith and scared
ahose the temporal idea of throne army
and conqueat - At the sound Of This
confession, Jesus was IN a transport OF
JOY. Il repaid Him Tor an the toll. Eu-
initiation aud sacrifice OF His ministry
But while ioyously setting The seal of
approval on Peters creed. He also avows
It's Supernatural source. Ii came not
from flesh and bsood. II originated not
gn himself nor IN some human teacher.
II WIS revelation s3 the Father in
heaven. BUT what Is the meaning
Of this eiuciai affirmation DO not join
with those who say that Jesus addressed
Peter only as The spokesman OF the
apostles. and that what He said applied
equally 20 an; nor with those who say
that Peters confession, not Peters self,
wps the rock on which Jesus built His
church. These are current Protestant
interpretations. but they seem TO re-
quire the spbtlety sometimes attribu-
ted TO Romanism for their defense
] would rather take the language Just
a. il stands. ana admit that Jesus built
Ills church upon the man Peter But he
Is such man as Jesus descrihes-a man
with revelation. revelation that dis
not originate IA himself or IN a fellow,
but one that came from God reeela-
tion received with faith and acknowledge
ca with ioy Il IS the man as q con-
fessor that forms thas basis OF the church
The confession apart. be It never 50
orthodox. is dead thing but the con-
fession on the lips and n thecharacter
IS tho llyest thing In The world, 'well
says the apostle NO man can say that
Jesus Is the Christ except God be with
him. OF course anyone could say The
words By rote and parrot-lllfe. but no
one can say them as they shoald be said.
10 a manner pleasing TO God with fight
emotions. With faith and love ana loyalty
antll be has become new creature by
the regeneration OF the Holy Ghost. In
point Of time. Peter was the first 10
make confession IA this manner. lie
was nid. therefore, TO use an oft-re-
peated figure OF the Now Testament, as
the first living stone upon u.e chief
corner stone 50 everyone who SAYS
that Jesas is the Christ-not by reve-
latlon Of flesh and blood. but Of the Spirit
which has made him new crcture-be-
comes AZ once living stone inthat spir-
itlinl temple whose walls are salvation
and whose gates are praise.