The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-07-14
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson III.-Third Quarter, For
July II, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

| Matt. xvi, 16-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
Since He said to the Pharisees, "Can
ye not discern the signs of the times? ~
(verse 3, is it not probable that we
might profit by a similar question
For there is great need of men under
standing the times, knowing what be-
levers ought to do q Chron. xii. 32).
We need also to beware of the leaven
Of false doctrine, which seems to be
fast leavening the lump. But many
are more occupied with bread for the
body than with the Living Bread.
which alone can nourish the soul, so
that our Lord has still to say: do We
not yet understand? How is it that
We do not understand" VERSES 8. H.
When He had finished the parallels Of
the kingdom He said. Have We un.
derstood all these things?" (xiii. 51J
AS it is through faith that we under,
stand Heb. ri. b. His question at
least includes the other. do We be-
ueSe tneSe tnlDSS
Whom say We that | am?" verse
15) or. as He put it in xii. A.. what
think We Of Christi is the most i'm
portant question that could be asked
any one. What we think of par
ticular doctrine is minor matter for
Il right view of Christ Himself will
| rectify all else-that is. right views of
| His sufferings and His glory. Peters
reply, Thou art the Christ. the Son
of the living Cod Verse 1G,. was the
| right thing to say. Hear him say it
again in John vi. 60. and hear Martha
say it in John ri. q. Yet this did not
fully establish either Peter or Martha,
| although it was a heaven revealed
truth, because they did not grasp the
suffering which it included. Not only
does Jesus rejoice with Simon that
God had revealed this to him. but He
speaks for the first time of His church
not as something which He had been
building, but in these words: Upon
this rock l will build My church"
Verse 49,. He said. Thou art Peter
[petros, little rock]. and upon this
rock (petra, a solid ledge] l will build
My church. Not Peter. but the great
truth Of Peters confession, is the rock,
the solid foundation. See his own tes-
timony in Pet ii, 6, L The building
of this church or called out company
from Jews and gentiles does not de-
pend upon our faithfulness. for hath
He said and shall He not do it? But
He is willing to use all who are will
ing to be used. and every living stone
may bring other stones. The con-
summation is sure, whoever may or
may not help. and the pearl, the
church, shall be glorious and without
spot or wrinkle or any such thing
Eph. v, 20.
What comfort it is that no wis
dom from the pit, no unbelief or sci
ence called Christian or aught else can
ever prevail against it! Peter was
commissioned to open the door both
to Jews and gentiles into the present
age mystery Of the kingdom. See
PentecOst and the house Of Cornelius.
Note the keys of the kingdom. not the
keys of the church. The power of
binding and loosing was shared by the
other disciples Matt. xviii, 10; John
XIX, %. &C. l. S. A business man OH
the road is in sense the firm which |
he represents. and his transactions are
in the name Of the firm. So every be- |
lever is commissioned in the name of |
the Lord Jesus, in the power of the |
Spirit, to take the word of God and |
show sinners their sins and point them
to the Saviour. And if they receive
Him the believer is authorized to show
them in the word the result of their
receiving Him or otherwise.
The disciples had been proclaiming
Jesus as the Christi e.. the cove
nanted King of a kingdom promised
to the Jews and "at hand" The
church, on the contrary. must be built
upon testimony to Him as crucified.
risen from the dead, assembled and
made head over all things to the
church, Eph. j, 1923. C. /. 81 The
being postponed, the age Of
the mystery of the kingdom having
been described. the church mentioned
and its building assured, He now tells
them plainly that He must suffer, be
killed by the Jewish rulers and be
raised again the third day verse 81:
xvii. %; Xxx. 10. Peter. who had de-
clared the rock foundation truth on
which the church is to be built. now
dares in all his love for Him to say
that He must not talk so, must not J
think OF being 80 i'll treated. BE it
far from Thee. Lord; this shall not
be unto Thee" verse 90. or, as in the
margin, PITY Thyself, Lord" Thus is
Peter blind to all the Scriptures con- {
.erning His sufferings and speaks as {
rom the wicked one rather than from {
he Spirit. as before. When filled with 7
he Spirit of God no one had more to +
'ay about the sufferings Of Christ and 7
'ur suffering with Him than this same
Peter. See his first epistle. Our Lord
hen added His oft repeated words
denying self taking up the
ross, following Him. losing ones life .
q order to save it Matt. x, 37-39; q
luke xiv. 26. p. 80; John xii, 25). '
There is no such thing in Scripture
S beautiful cross, cross Of gold or q
lowers. 1t is always cruel cross.
1hich suggests lingering death, and
we are true followers Of Jesus there
lust be a constant dying to self that o
he life of Jesus may be made mani
sst IN ~ III Cor. II, 10, III.