the desire of ages-第71章

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and　unbelief　would　persecute　them；　and　He　desired　to　prepare　them　for　their　trials。

Jesus　and　His　disciples　had　now　come　into　one　of　the　towns　about　Caesarea　Philippi。　They　were　beyond　the　limits　of　Galilee；　in　a　region　where　idolatry　prevailed。　Here　the　disciples　were　withdrawn　from　the　controlling　influence　of　Judaism；　and　brought　into　closer　contact　with　the　heathen　worship。　Around　them　were　represented　forms　of　superstition　that　existed　in　all　parts　of　the　world。　Jesus　desired　that　a　view　of　these　things　might　lead　them　to　feel　their　responsibility　to　the　heathen。　During　His　stay　in　this　region；　He　endeavored　to　withdraw　from　teaching　the　people；　and　to　devote　Himself　more　fully　to　His　disciples。

He　was　about　to　tell　them　of　the　suffering　that　awaited　Him。　But　first　He　went　away　alone；　and　prayed　that　their　hearts　might　be　prepared　to　receive　His　words。　Upon　joining　them；　He　did　not　at　once　communicate　that　which　He　desired　to　impart。　Before　doing　this；　He　gave　them　an　opportunity　of　confessing　their　faith　in　Him　that　they　might　be　strengthened　for　the　coming　trial。　He　asked；　〃Whom　do　men　say　that　I　the　Son　of　man　am？〃

Sadly　the　disciples　were　forced　to　acknowledge　that　Israel　had　failed　to　recognize　their　Messiah。　Some　indeed；　when　they　saw　His　miracles；　had　declared　Him　to　be　the　Son　of　David。　The　multitudes　that　had　been　fed　at　Bethsaida　had　desired　to　proclaim　Him　king　of　Israel。　Many　were　ready　to　accept　Him　as　a　prophet；　but　they　did　not　believe　Him　to　be　the　Messiah。

Jesus　now　put　a　second　question；　relating　to　the　disciples　themselves：　〃But　whom　say　ye　that　I　am？〃　Peter　answered；　〃Thou　art　the　Christ；　the　Son　of　the　living　God。〃

From　the　first；　Peter　had　believed　Jesus　to　be　the　Messiah。　Many　others　who　had　been　convicted　by　the　preaching　of　John　the　Baptist；　and　had　accepted　Christ；　began　to　doubt　as　to　John's　mission　when　he　was　imprisoned　and　put　to　death；　and　they　now　doubted　that　Jesus　was　the　Messiah；　for　whom　they　had　looked　so　long。　Many　of　the　disciples　who　had　ardently　expected　Jesus　to　take　His　place　on　David's　throne　left　Him　when　they　perceived　that　He　had　no　such　intention。　But　Peter　and　his

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companions　turned　not　from　their　allegiance。　The　vacillating　course　of　those　who　praised　yesterday　and　condemned　today　did　not　destroy　the　faith　of　the　true　follower　of　the　Saviour。　Peter　declared；　〃Thou　art　the　Christ；　the　Son　of　the　living　God。〃　He　waited　not　for　kingly　honors　to　crown　his　Lord；　but　accepted　Him　in　His　humiliation。

Peter　had　expressed　the　faith　of　the　twelve。　Yet　the　disciples　were　still　far　from　understanding　Christ's　mission。　The　opposition　and　misrepresentation　of　the　priests　and　rulers；　while　it　could　not　turn　them　away　from　Christ；　still　caused　them　great　perplexity。　They　did　not　see　their　way　clearly。　The　influence　of　their　early　training；　the　teaching　of　the　rabbis；　the　power　of　tradition；　still　intercepted　their　view　of　truth。　From　time　to　time　precious　rays　of　light　from　Jesus　shone　upon　them；　yet　often　they　were　like　men　groping　among　shadows。　But　on　this　day；　before　they　were　brought　face　to　face　with　the　great　trial　of　their　faith；　the　Holy　Spirit　rested　upon　them　in　power。　For　a　little　time　their　eyes　were　turned　away　from　〃the　things　which　are　seen；〃　to　behold　〃the　things　which　are　not　seen。〃　2　Cor。　4：18。　Beneath　the　guise　of　humanity　they　discerned　the　glory　of　the　Son　of　God。

Jesus　answered　Peter；　saying；　〃Blessed　art　thou；　Simon　Bar…jona：　for　flesh　and　blood　hath　not　revealed　it　unto　thee；　but　My　Father　which　is　in　heaven。〃

The　truth　which　Peter　had　confessed　is　the　foundation　of　the　believer's　faith。　It　is　that　which　Christ　Himself　has　declared　to　be　eternal　life。　But　the　possession　of　this　knowledge　was　no　ground　for　self…glorification。　Through　no　wisdom　or　goodness　of　his　own　had　it　been　revealed　to　Peter。　Never　can　humanity；　of　itself；　attain　to　a　knowledge　of　the　divine。　〃It　is　as　high　as　heaven；　what　canst　thou　do？　deeper　than　hell；　what　canst　thou　know？〃　Job　11：8。　Only　the　spirit　of　adoption　can　reveal　to　us　the　deep　things　of　God；　which　〃eye　hath　not　seen；　nor　ear　heard；　neither　have　entered　into　the　heart　of　man。〃　〃God　hath　revealed　them　unto　us　by　His　Spirit：　for　the　Spirit　searcheth　all　things；　yea；　the　deep　things　of　God。〃　1　Cor。　2：9；　10。　〃The　secret　of　the　Lord　is　with　them　that　fear　Him；〃　and　the　fact　that　Peter　discerned　the　glory　of　Christ　was　an　evidence　that　he　had　been　〃taught　of　God。〃　Ps。　25：14；　John　6：45。　Ah；　indeed；　〃blessed　art　thou；　Simon　Bar…jona：　for　flesh　and　blood　hath　not　revealed　it　unto　thee。〃

Jesus　continued：　〃I　say　also　unto　thee；　That　thou　art　Peter；　and　upon　this　rock　I　will　build　My　church；　and　the　gates　of　hell　shall　not　prevail

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against　it。〃　The　word　Peter　signifies　a　stone；a　rolling　stone。　Peter　was　not　the　rock　upon　which　the　church　was　founded。　The　gates　of　hell　did　prevail　against　him　when　he　denied　his　Lord　with　cursing　and　swearing。　The　church　was　built　upon　One　against　whom　the　gates　of　hell　could　not　prevail。

Centuries　before　the　Saviour's　advent　Moses　had　pointed　to　the　Rock　of　Israel's　salvation。　The　psalmist　had　sung　of　〃the　Rock　of　my　strength。〃　Isaiah　had　written；　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord　God；　Behold；　I　lay　in　Zion　for　a　foundation　a　stone；　a　tried　stone；　a　precious　cornerstone；　a　sure　foundation。〃　Deut。　32：4；　Ps。　62：7；　Isa。　28：16。　Peter　himself；　writing　by　inspiration；　applies　this　prophecy　to　Jesus。　He　says；　〃If　ye　have　tasted　that　the　Lord　is　gracious：　unto　whom　coming；　a　living　stone；　rejected　indeed　of　men；　but　with　God　elect；　precious；　ye　also；　as　living　stones；　are　built　up　a　spiritual　house。〃　1　Peter　2：3…5；　R。　V。

〃Other　foundation　can　no　man　lay　than　that　is　laid；　which　is　Jesus　Christ。〃　1　Cor。　3：11。　〃Upon　this　rock；〃　said　Jesus；　〃I　will　build　My　church。〃　In　the　presence　of　God；　and　all　the　heavenly　intelligences；　in　the　presence　of　the　unseen　army　of　hell；　Christ　founded　His　church　upon　the　living　Rock。　That　Rock　is　Himself；His　own　body；　for　us　broken　and　bruised。　Against　the　church　built　upon　this　foundation；　the　gates　of　hell　shall　not　prevail。

How　feeble　the　church　appeared　when　Christ　spoke　these　words！　There　was　only　a　handful　of　believers；　against　whom　all　the　power　of　demons　and　evil　men　would　be　directed；　yet　the　followers　of　Christ　were　not　to　fear。　Built　upon　the　Rock　of　their　strength；　they　could　not　be　overthrown。

For　six　thousand　years；　faith　has　builded　upon　Christ。　For　six　thousand　years　the　floods　and　tempests　of　satanic　wrath　have　beaten　upon　the　Rock　of　our　salvation；　but　it　stands　unmoved。

Peter　had　expressed　the　truth　which　is　the　foundation　of　the　church's　faith；　and　Jesus　now　honored　him　as　the　representative　of　the　whole　body　of　believers。　He　said；　〃I　will　give　unto　thee　the　keys　of　the　kingdom　of　heaven：　and　whatsoever　thou　shalt　bind　on　earth　shall　be　bound　in　heaven：　and　whatsoever　thou　shalt　loose　on　earth　shall　be　loosed　in　heaven。〃

〃The　keys　of　the　kingdom　of　heaven〃　are　the　words　of　Christ。　All　the　words　of　Holy　Scripture　are　His；　and　are　here　included。　These　words　have　power　to　open　and　to　shut　heaven。　They　declare　the　conditions

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upon　which　men　are　received　or　rejected。　Thus　the　work　of　those　who　preach　God's　word　is　a　savor　of　life　unto　life　or　of　death　unto　death。　Theirs　is　a　mission　weighted　with　eternal　results。

The　Saviour　did　not　commit　the　work　of　the　gospel　to　Peter　individually。　At　a　later　time；　repeating　the　words　that　were　spoken　to　Peter；　He　applied　them　directly　to　the　church。　And　the　same　in　substance　was　spoken　also　to　the　twelve　as　representatives　of　the　body　of　believers。　If　Jesus　had　delegated　any　special　authority　to　one　of　the　disciples　above　the　others；　we　should　not　find　them　so　often　contending　as　to　who　should　be　the　greatest。　They　would　have　submitted　to　the　wish　of　their　Master；　and　honored　the　one　whom　He　had　chosen。

Instead　of　appointing　one　to　be　their　head；　Christ　said　to　the　disciples；　〃Be　not　ye　called　Rabbi；〃　〃neither　be　ye　called　masters：　for　one　is　your　Master；　even　Christ。〃　Matt。　23：8；　10。

〃The　head　of　every　man　is　Christ。〃　God；　who　put　all　things　under　the　Saviour's　feet；　〃gave　Him　to　be　the　head　over　all　things　to　the　church；　which　is　His　body；　the　fullness　of　Him　that　filleth　all　in　all。〃　1　Cor。　11：3；　Eph。　1：22；　23。　The　church　is　built　upon　Christ　as　its　foundation；　it　is　to　obey　Christ　as　its　head。　It　is　not　to　depend　upon　man；　or　be　controlled　by　man。　Many　claim　that　a　position　of　trust　in　the　church　gives　them　authority　to　dictate　what　other　men　shall　believe　and　what　they　shall　do。　This　claim　God　does　not　sanction。　The　Saviour　declares；　〃All　ye　are　brethren。〃　All　are　exposed　to　temptation；　and　are　liable　to　error。　Upon　no　finite　being　can　we　depend　for　guidance。　The　Rock　of　faith　is　the　living　presence　of　Christ　in　the　church。　Upon　this　the　weakest　may　depend；　and　those　who　think　themselves　the　strongest　will　prove　to　be　the　weakest；　unless　they　make　Christ　their　efficiency。　〃Cursed　be　the　man　that　trusteth　in　man；　and　maketh　flesh　his　arm。〃　The　Lord　〃is　the　Rock；　His　work　is　perfect。〃　〃Blessed　are　all　they　that　put　their　trust　in　Him。〃　Jer。　17：5；　Deut。　32：4；　Ps。　2：12。

After　Peter's　confession；　Jesus　charged　the　disciples　to　tell　no　man　that　He　was　the　Christ。　This　charge　was　given　because　of　the　determined　opposition　of　the　scribes　and　Pharisees。　More　than　this；　the　people；　and　even　the　disciples；　had　so　false　a　conception　of　the　Messiah　that　a　public　announcement　of　Him　would　give　them　no　true　idea　of　His　character　or　His　work。　But　day　by　day　He　was　revealing　Himself　to　them　as　the　Saviour；　and　thus　He　desired　to　give　them　a　true　conception　of　Him　as　the　Messiah。

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The　disciples　still　expected　Christ　to　reign　as　a　temporal　prince。　Although　He　had　so　long　concealed　His　design；　they　believed　that　He　would　not　always　remain　in　poverty　and　obscurity；　the　time　was　near　when　He　would　establish　His　kingdom。　That　the　hatred　of　the　priests　and　rabbis　would　never　be　overcome；　that　Christ　would　be　rejected　by　His　own　nation；　condemned　as　a　deceiver；　and　crucified　as　a　malefactor；such　a　thought　the　disciples　had　never　entertained。　But　the　hour　of　the　power　of　darkness　was　drawing　on；　and　Jesus　must　open　to　His　disciples　the　conflict　before　them。　He　was　sad　as　He　anticipated　the　trial。

Hitherto　He　had　refrained　from　making　known　to　them　anything　relative　to　His　sufferings　and　death。　In　His　conversation　with　Nicodemus　He　had　said；　〃As　Moses　lifted　up　the　serpent　in　the　wilderness；　even　so　must　the　Son　of　man　be　lifted　up：　that　whosoever　believeth　in　Him　should　not　perish；　but　have　eternal　life。〃　John　3：14；　15。　But　the　disciples　did　not　hear　this；　and　had　they　heard；　would　not　have　understood。　But　now　they　have　been　with　Jesus；　listening　to　His　words；　beholding　His　works；　until；　notwithstanding　the　humility　of　His　surroundings；　and　the　opposition　of　priests　and　people；　they　can　join　in　the　testimony　of　Peter；　〃Thou　art　the　Christ；　the　Son　of　the　living　God。〃　Now　the　time　has　come　for　the　veil　that　hides　the　future　to　be　withdrawn。　〃From　that　time　forth　began　Jesus　to　show　unto　His　disciples；　how　that　He　must　go　unto　Jerusalem；　and　suffer　many　things