Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-11-13
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson VlI.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. II, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of tho Lesson. Mark viii, IT, to is,
t-MemorY Verses, SO, 1-GoIden
Text, Matt. xvi. t6-Commentary Pro
pared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.


This lesson is recorded also in Matt.
XVI and Luke tx, and we will consider
it with the harmony Of the gospels
before Us. MimpriSS in his harmony
says that this is the first particular
prediction concerning the rejection,
the death and the resurrection Of the
Christ and was probably apart from
the multitude and is the first key op-
posed to the leaven of the Pharisees
Matthew and Mark say that He had
come into the coasts or towns of Caesa-
rea Philippi. and Luke adds that He
was alone praying. His disciples being
with Him. We shall see in the next
lesson that He was praying also at the
time of His TRANSPORTATION luke *.
IS, 90. Luke records other instances
OF His praying in chapters Ill. 81: -.
II; xi. /; xii. Al: xiii, "a. He ever
talked with His Father in heaven with
the same realization OF His presence
as that Of the people about Him.
People talked about Him and had
their opinions as they have today. The
Pharisees who believed in a resurrec-
ton thought that He might be John
one Of the prophets. at which. no
doubt. the Sadducees scoffed. for they
did not believe in resurrection or spirit.
but the Pharisees confessed both (Acts
xiii, 81. His next question is the one
that should lay hold Of our hearts.
Whom say We that l amp or as He
put ii to the Pharisees at another time.
What think ye Of Christi Matt
xii, 420
1t should not SO much concern NE
what others say. but what does my
heart say. what is He to me person
ally2 Simon Peter. generally the
spokesman. answered. Thou art the
Christ, the Son Of the living Cod
(verse %; Matt. xvi. 16). See hi>
similar testimony in John vi. 60, and
that OF Martha in John xi. 81. Can
look upon Him with His eyes as
fame Of fire searching me through
and through and say. o Lord. thou art
to me the risen living Christ. my per
sonal Saviour. II so. then blessed am
I, for our Father in heaven has taught
me by His spirit Matt. xvi, 10 The
words translated Peter and rock in
Matt xvi, Is, are not quite the same.
the first signifying a piece OF rock
easily moved and the other n solid
rock immovable. The rock foundation
is the great truth that Jesus is God.
and other foundation can no man lay
Il Cor iii. Il: Acts ". 12).
The church built on this and on His
great atOnement as God can never be
moved. The company Of all true he
levers in Him constitutes this church
and all else must come to naughr
Peter was given the keys Of the king
dom. not the church, and the church is
not the kingdom. but the heavenly cen
ter OF it. From that time and re-
peatedly He began To tell them that
at the hands Of the elders. chief priests
and scribes He must suffer many
things, be rejected and killed and aft
er three days rise again oversees 81: tx.
81; Y. 33. 34; hut. although to us
seemingly so plain. His disciples did
not receive these sayings. not even
Peter and John. and it is written CON
corning them that up to the time Of
His actual resurrection from the dead
they knew not the Scripture that He
must rise again from the dead Gohn
TX. 81. They had not received tAe
message of the prophets that the Mes
siah must suffer. die. be buried and
rise again. though we can see it plain
| ly In such passages as Ps xii: lisa.
/ Hi; Dan. tx, 26: Zech. xii. 10: xiii. Is.
| 7. Peter therefore said that He should
not speak of SUFFERING: BE il far from
Thee. Lord. This shall not be unto
Thee" PITY thySelf Matt xvi. -,
and margin). Mark our Lords reply
and note that what is not of God is Of
the devil and is an Offense to God
Believers are either a sweet SAVIOR
OF Christ or salt that has lost its SAVIOR.
! There is no room for self in disciple
OF Christ. 1t must be always 4 denial
Of self. taking up the cross daily and
following Him: always delivered unto
! death for Jesus sake. that the life of
Jesus may be manifest In us reckon
ing ourselves dead unto sin and alive
unto God I'll Cor. iv. 10. Il: Rom vi
ID. There is no cross of gold or Jet
or Jewels or flowers seen in Scripture
but only a cruel cross of death
1t means crucifed To the world and
the world TO us. seeing Jesus only To
one life means business. 20 another his
I profession, 10 another pleasure. to an
other this or that great scheme. phil
anthropic perhaps. or just to make
money, but one who is right with God
says. ITO me to live is Christ" He
does not ask us to suffer with Him
without setting before us the glory of
the kingdom to which He has called
| Il Thess. Ii. -: III Thess. II. II: l Pet
| v. 10). and to which He refers in verses
80 OF our lesson. and which we sha n
| Geo mora CLEARLY r, naxf xuoak'c a. L.,