The Tupelo journal., 1910-07-15
PETERS
CONFESSION
Sunday School Lesson for July II, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for This Paper

Geo E
Memory verse, 26.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.'-Matthew 1915.
TIME.-Autumn of A. D. 20.
PLACE.-The picturesque region around
Caesarea Philippi. at the base of Mount
Hermon. About 25 miles northeast OF the
Sea of Galilee.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
The Disciples Have a New Vision
of Jesus as the Messiah.-Vs. 1917.
He asked his disciples" after he had
been praying alone (Luke). AS usual,
the great epoch, the new work, began
in prayer-showing its Importance.
His object seems to have been to draw
out the faith of his disciples, and to
reveal to them more fully his nature
and his redeeming work. Whom do
lei say that I the Son of man ann"
IA. Some say John the
Baptist" returned to life. Among these
was Herod Matt. 14:1, p. Some,
Elias" Greek form of Elijah, who
was the expected f%orerunner of the
Messiah (Mal. 4:5; Matt. 11:14). Or
~"Jeremias." Greek of Jeremiah, a
representative Of the prophets, being
the first named in the Jewish canon.
"Or n of the prophets" l.. e., that
one of the old prophets is risen again"
duke 9:19.
Is. "But whom say We that ! ann"
Observe "ye," plural, and by position
in the Greek, exceedingly emphatic.
16. And Simon Peter" The some
xr,ho+ In -,,IcJro .ot,ro 10 Dator noodl
possible to him quick insight. new
visions of truth.
Thou art the Christ" The Messiah
for whom the Jews were looking, for
whom the ages had been preparing.
"The Son of the living God" such a
one as alone can be the Savior of the
world. No mere man however great
can be our Supreme Leader and
Savior.
II. BLESSED are thou" Because
thou hast opened thy heart to the
truth. Faith, knowledge Of Christ as
the Son of God. almighty to ave and
infinite in love; a heart in which truth
finds a natural soil; a character in
harmony with Jesus; broader outlooks
into truth-are all exquisite blessings.
Simon Bar-jona." Simon, son of John.
For flesh and blood hath not re-
vealed it unto thee"
The New Trust Committed to the
Disciples.-Vs. 1920. Although the
understanding of the Messiah and his
kingdom was very imperfect, yet
Jesus showed them how great was the
trust committed to them, and how
heavy the responsibilities laid upon
them. This was a part OF their train
ing. 1t would give them a deep inter-
est in the subject, and lead to a more
earnest search after the truth.
10. II will give unto thee" as the
representative of all. The others were
included, as Peter had nothing in
kind that the rest did not have Matt.
1918; John 1929. In Rev. 21:14 the
IL apostles are IL foundation stones
Of the heavenly city. (See also Eph.
2. 2O).
20. "Tell no man." Only those who
knew Jesus as they did, could under
stand. To present Jesus as the Mes
siah would lead some to try to make
him a worldly king according to their
ideas of the Messiah; and repel those
who saw that it was impossible for
Jesus to do what they wanted their
Messiah to do.
The New Revelation as to How the
Christ, the Messiah, Must Accomplish
His Work.-Vs. 21-23. Jesus now be-
gan to tell his disciples what he must
do in order to be the Messiah. He
must suffer and die for the sins of the
world. THERE'S no other way.
%. Jesus said unto Peter" Pub
licly before them all. get thee be-
hind me, Satan" Satan" means "ad-
versary," the great enemy" Of all
good, used in the Savior's time as a
proper name. "He did not call his
apostle Satan, a devil, but he looked
for the moment through Peter, and
saw behind him his old enemy" who
had presented the same temptation in
the wilderness.
The Cross the Way to the Crown,
for the Disciples as for the Christ
VS.. 24-26. IF any man will come aft
er me, let him deny himself" Re-
nounce self as master and accept
Christ as master. When the heart ac-
cepts Jesus and chooses God, then the
whole lower nature, all passions, aims,
desires, are to be subjected not only
to conscience, but to Jesus. Take up
his cross" Daily, not merely on spe-
cial occasions. And follow me-" do
what / am doing, live according to my
plan and aim.
Taking up the cross is to voluntarily
do and suffer whatever hard things
are required in walking in the way Of
righteousness, and in serving u fell
low men, our country, and the king
dom OF God. 1t is to accept cheerfully
from the hand of God the sufferings.
the sickness, the trials, the losses God
sends upon US. or allows to come to
US.
rs. For whosoever will save his
life." makes 1t his chief aim to get
the most out of his life for himself,
pleasures, honors, wealth. happiness,
''shall lose It," lose the best things
that life can give, and most of the
things he chiefly sought. A selfish
man can never be truly successful.
The Supreme Example and Proof Of
the Above Teaching.-Vs. 27-2S. The
life of Jesus had presented to his fol-
lowers seemed hard and discouraging.
They may we'll have felt as Pliable
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