Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-05

Christian history contains no more
important item than that recorded in
this weeks lesson. -. No greater event
can be found in all history, for issues
of worldwide significance turned upon
the results of the examination that
Christ gave to His apostles when they
reached the section of Ceasarea- Phillip.
A crisis had occurred in the Masters
ministry when He refused to permit
the people to make Him their temporal
ruler after He had demonstrated His
power to feed the assembled multitude
that had followed Him when He was
seeking place of retirement.
Looking backward, we can see how
every step He took away from Jerusalem
was really drawing Him nearer the cross.
We have observed in our lessons last
quarter how He attracted the twelve
to Him by His personality, secured their
confidence by His philanthropic work
and aroused their wills by the demon
STATIONS of His miraculous power so
that they Immediately accepted His in
vitation to become members of His
apostolic college. The definite plan,
purpose and pedagogical principles that
Jesus used in their instruction we have
seen. When He returned from His
trip through foreign lands, where He
had been preparing the apostles for
the inevitable and final break between
Jesus and the priests, Pharisees, and
people that would result in His cruel
fiXicn. He found the strife against
Him was so great that He took them
away once more into the section of
Palestine that was inhabited by people
of other races and faiths. These He de-
termined to examine them concerning
their personal faith in Him. They had
misunderstood the Lords teachings. He
desired to know if they were certain
concerning their faith in Him, which is
the foundation of Christianity.
Confession, Commentator, Cross.
They had reached the cool, and de-
lightful northern section of Palestine.
The twelve and the Lord were alone
when He asked the apostles the first
question of their final examination, that
contains a suggestion of His being the
| Messiah. He expected that their an
SWerS would reveal that the public was
divided in its views of Him. Some
held that He was Elijah, whom the Jews
believed would return again as a fore
runner of the Messiah. and some con-
sidered that He was jeremiah or one
of the other prophets. Herod Antipas
identified Him with John the Baptist.
AL dShIION lGNSCu llIuU TIC MdS dL ledSJ
sent from God. While their views were
high and inaccurate. they did not
satisfy the Master Jesus then asked
them direct personal question, one
which every individual must answer,
who say Ye that l amp"
The destiny of the world awaited the
answer that Peter speaking for the
twelve, quickly replied: Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the Living God"
They had grasped the truth-that Jesus
was more than mere man; that He
was, in fact, divine. The Lords great
ness had daWned upon them, when. as
| Christ has pointed out the lowly origin
of the Carpenter, the familiarity of
, daily intercourse, the shocks of dis
appointment, the delay of hopes making
the heart sick, the naughty reputation
of Jesus by the authorized teachers of
Israel and the ebbing tide of popularity
| in Galilee. might have almost justified
| a fiSherman'S inability to answer This