Evening star., 1928-03-31

Our lesson has been the subject of
bitter controversy and cxpositors have
differed widely in their Interpretation
Of the passage selected for our study.
1t will not be possible for us 10 enter
into the controversial field or consider
ANYTHING more than the profound
truths concerning which there. ought
to be no division of thought or con-
troversy. Jesus had taken His disciples
far away from the Sea of Galilee and
the hostility of His enemies into
Caesarea Phillipi. where lie might give
them their final examination. 1t was
the last Summer Of the Lords ministry
among men in the flesh. The crisis i'll
His ministry had been reached with
the events OF this lesson. His life was
threatened and II is evident. that the
Master. who did not fear death, took
the II into the section about CaeSarea
Phillip, that in that secluded COM
munity of granduer, free from the pos
sbility of interruption and antagoniSm,
He could fit them to carry on His work
by interpreting TO them correct views
concerning the Messiah
Issues of world wide significance fire.
quently turn upon some apparently
trivial event The apostles did not
realize that they were facing their
final examination and that the results
Of that test OF their spiritual capacity
and experience was destined 10 mold
the religious life OF all men. Looking
back upon the events of that hour, We
can see the definite plan. purpose and
pedagogical principles that the Master
used in preparing His students for the
great question that every soul must
face and answer Our lessons for the
last quarter have shown us how He
attracted them by His personality,
aroused their interest. secured their
confidence, so that they welcomed the
opportunity TO become members Of His
school During their fellowship with
the Lord Jesus, they had learned how
preached. They had witnessed His
demonstration of the practicability and
power of His teachings They had
witnessed the detection Of the multi
tudes, when He refused 10 accept the
kingship. There was a danger that
some of them may have been waVer-
ing because they held the materialistic
views of Messiah, "as a king TO slay
their foes and lift them high They
were walking along toward the old
CanaanitiSh city that Philip had re-
built and renamed in honor Of Angus
tuS Caesar and himself, when Jesus
asked them the searching question
concerning the Christ.
The Searching Question.
Christianity differs from all other re-
ligious faiths in that IL rises or falls
with the character OF It's founder. The
disciples had frequently failed 10 grasp
the teachings of Jesus, but with the
rapidly approaching death of the Lord,
which apparently would be the ineVit-
able result of His conflict with His jew
ish enemies, The Master recognized that
He must give the apostles intensive
training 50 that they would make no
mistake In the fundamental fact con-
cernlng His personality. He had con-
Quoted them into that section, near the
source Of the Jordan. 80 that lie could
secure from them an answer that would
reveal their conception and faith. free
from the pressure Of any excitement
or opposition They were separated
from the region dominated by Judaism,
which ought 10 have aided them 10
realize that the teachings Of the Lord
called for an ultimate separation. The
psychological moment for their flnal
examination was reached when they
were alone on their northern journey,
when Jesus put the searching ques~
tions 10 them concerning the faith OF
the world
Their answers revealed that some
held "A superficial and superStlti0uS
view that He was John the Baptist,
which was the fear Of Herod. Christ 3
ministry had by its courageous char
acter reminded men Of Elijah, while
others held that He was one of the
prophets All agreed that He was more
than Az ordinary man, but Jesus dld
4ot ask His question out of any curl
0aity. or 70 learn mems view He asked
the question 50 that He could naturally
Ark them the greatest Ot all questions,
that each must answer, Whom say We
That ] ann" lie sought decisive
answer that would remove their WaYer~
ing spirit from the twelve. He de-
mands an answer from every soul VINO
wishes - be saved Peter. speaking
for the twelve replied You are the
Christ" that Is the Messiah~~not an
Elijah who ilahers In the new realm, but
the InaugiratOT and Divine Founder of
the kingdom among men. Peter +
answer proved that they had spiritual
capacity and power 10 understand
Christ
Peters confession demonstrated that
. The apDEifea believed ilIaA JfadE WAF3
more than q man. that He was IN fact
divine The Lords greatness had
daWned upon them, when As has been
pointed out by 6rist the loWly origin
NJ the Carpenter the familiarity 81
daily intercourse. the shocks ot nibap~
pointmcnt. the delay ~ hopes making
the heart sick, the naughty reputation
/ ~ Jesus by the authorized teachers 0i
Israel, and the ebbing tide of His pop
ulArity Ia 0alilee, might have almost
justified q ilShefmans inability 10
8ugWef this mGmentous question: hut
/ peters answer revealed 10 Jesus That
/ through divine revelation there had
/ been given - him and tie other
| apostles the OH sanbWef that can sat
| istacLarily answer The questions con
eerning The personality Of the Lord
/ Jesus
The Suffering Christ.
/ Christ heard in The confession III
Peter tIe call ~ the cross and the ne
| Gessity ~ making clear t0 the twelve
| the necessity for His suffering Jesus
/ raw That they clina 10 the traditional
/ view of a Messiah, who by Ills power
would have an outward triumph over
| His eiaemiea The people had been in
| tbe habit ~ Interpreting The references
| ~ the Old Testament tD a suffering
/ Messiah hh referring tg their altfefinA
~ nation ilr commenced L0 teach
| them the necessity 0f Ills personal anf'
! fhfinR
Feteg could not understand haW II