146
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K i n g ' s . B u s i n e s s
March 1930
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April 6, 1930 The Law of the Cross Lesson: Matt. 16:13-26; Mk. 8:27-29; Lk. 9:18-20. (Lesson Text: Matt. 16:13-26.) Golden Text: “ If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16: 24). • * * * L esson in O utline I. The Supreme Question—Asked by Christ. 1. “Who do men say that I am?” (13). 2. “Who say ye that I am?” (IS). II. The Supreme Confession (14-20). 1. Some say—John the Baptist; Eli jah (14). 2. Others say—Jeremiah; one of the prophets (14). 3. Peter said—Christ, the Son of the living God (16). III. The Supreme Sacrifice (21-23). 1. Jesus foretells and welcomes it. 2. Peter advises to shun it. IV. The Supreme Test o f Discipleship (24-26). 1. Choose the way of the Cross. 2. Deny self. 3. Take up the Cross. 4. Follow Christ. V. The Supreme Question of Life (25- 26). 1. Save life and lose it, or 2. Lose life for Christ’s sake and find it. * * * A pproach to the L esson AFTER the story of the healing of the d a u g h t e r of the Syrophenician woman, Matthew records the fact that Jesus withdrew from the neighborhood of Tyre and returned to the neighborhood of the Sea of Galilee. He was found in the vicinity of Gadara, where He had healed the man who was possessed by a legion o f evil spirits. He had a great ministry in this region, perhaps through the testi mony o f this healed man (Luke 8:39). After this reference Matthew tells of the feeding of the four thousand. This mir acle should not be confused with the former miracle,, the feeding of the five thousand (Matt. 16:9). Chapter 16 opens with a reference to the demand 6f the Pharisees and Sadducees that He show them a sign from heaven. Their request was refused and the disciples; were warned to beware o f the leaven, i.e„ of the doctrine, o f the Pharisees and Sad ducees.
At this point Matthew shows that the cleavage between believers and unbeliev ers was final and complete. There had been growing opposition which had now reached definite and positive effort on the part of the enemies of Jesus to destroy Him. On the other hand, the faith of the disciples had become established in spite of the .fact that some of their hopes and ambitions had been disappointed. * * H eart of the L esson I. The Supreme Q u e s t i o n —Who is Jesus? V. 13. Caesarea Philippi. Located at the northern end of Palestine, near the foot of Mount Hermon. It was in the. do minions o f Philip (cf. 14:13; 15:29), a Luke 9:18). Who do men say . . . ? The purpose of Christ was to draw from the disciples the confession that He was the Messiah. The title “ Son of man,” which He often claimed, implied Messiah- ship (cf. 9:6; 12:8; 13:41). He first in quired about the popular opinion concern ing Himself. V. 15. Who say ye . . . ? The pro noun is emphatic. Their opinion is put in contrast with the various popular ideas. They must have certainty as to His per sonal claims or their faith would have no solid foundation. II. The Supreme Confession. V. 14. Some say, John the Baptist. This would involve the supposition that John had risen from the dead (cf. 14:2). Elijah. The Jews quite generally looked for Elijah to live again (cf. 11:14) and to be a herald of Messiah (cf. Mai. 4:5). Jeremiah. He was reckoned by the Jews as, one o f the foremost of the great prophets of Israel. S o m e rabbinical writers hold him to be the prophet prom ised by Moses (cf. Deut. 18:15). In our day we think of Isaia,h as the great prophet because he is often quoted in the New Testament as foretelling the coming of Messiah, but in the time of Christ Elijah and Jeremiah were counted the foremost. One o f the prophets. Many counted .it more natural that some old prophet should arise from the dead and reappear than that a new prophet, as, for instance, John the Baptist* should come. V. 16. Peter answered. This impulsive, ardent disciple was frequently the spokes man of the group. No doubt the others shared his views (cf. 19:28; 26:40). Thou art the Christ. The pronoun is emphatic. ruler less likely to be unfriendly to J e s u s than w a s Herod 'Antipas (cf. 14:1). Jesus seems to have spent His time in instructing His disciples and in private prayer (cf.
The meaning is, He, and none other, is the Messiah. He is not merely a prophet or a forerunner of Messiah. Son of the living God. This was a remarkable ex pression. The gods of the heathen were lifeless (cf. Acts 14:15, R. V. ; 1 Thess. 1:9, 10). Two, or three years before this time, Peter had called Jesus the Holy One of God (cf. John 6:69, R. V .). The intervening years had firmly established his conviction that He was the Son of God. V. 17. Blessed art thou, Simon. He is a happy, highly favored man, because he has come to know Christ. Flesh and blood. An .expression that is practically a synonym, for “man.” Human wisdom, in other words, did not place Jesus higher than the. prophets and could not see His deity. Hath not revealed. Neither human teaching nor their own meditation could have brought them such knowledge. But my Father. The Father knows the Son and by the Holy Spirit’s illumination can make Him known to men (cf. 11:27). Vs. 18, 19. Thou art Peter. This verse is confessedly difficult. There are four main points to be studied : (1) the rock, (2) the Church, (3) the gates of hades, (4) the keys of the Kingdom, and the author ity to bind and loose. There is no need to attempt to combat the Roman Catholic idea that Peter is the rock, for he was not alone the founder o f Christianity or vicegerent of God. Most certainly Christ the Son of God is the only foundation of the Church (cf. Eph. 2:20; 1 Cbr. 3: 11). Upon this foundation God is build ing His Church composed of living stones (cf. 1 Pet. 2:5, 6, R. V .). Against this Church the gates o f hades cannot prevail. The keys o f the kingdom. Peter used the “keys” in opening the door to Jews (Acts 2) and to Gentiles (Acts 10). Bind . . . loose. Christian ministers teach the con ditions of forgiveness and have the right to declare those forgiven who accept God’s conditions. They have no power to discern the spiritual condition of a n y man, nor to declare absolution to any sin ner who will not meet God’s conditions. V. 20. Tell no man. Any announcement of their faith in Him would have pre maturely brought attacks by the Jewish rulers. After the Cross they were free to tell everyone that He was the Messiah. III. The Supreme Sacrifice. V. 21. From that time. The same ex pression was used by Matthew to intro duce the period of proclamation of the Kingdom (4:17). Now the period of His rejection and suffering begins. Must go to Jerusalem. He was in the part of Palestine most distant from Jerusalem. He had gone there to escape the fierce op position of the Jews. Now He went back to face it, for His: hour had come. Suffer niany things. This is a general statement about coming sorrows ; more definite de tails were given later (cf. 20:19; Mark
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