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15 and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them: 16 But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said: 17 Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered

and said unto him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will

founded upon substantially the same ground, the belief in the transmigration of souls, which appears to have been prevalent at that time. See notes on Mat. xi. 14, and xiv. 2. Those who were not ready to admit that Jesus was the Messiah might yet recognize him as his precursor. It is said that there was a Jewish tradition that Jeremiah would precede the advent of the Messiah, and dig up those vessels which it was supposed he had buried, and restore, in all its ancient splendor, the temple worship. 2 Maccabees, ii. 1–9.

15. The question here asked shows that Jesus had not expressly told the Jews that he was the Messiah, but left it to be inferred from his works and his words.

16. Simon Peter answered. This was in harmony with his ardent temperament.-Christ, the Son of the living God. This described the person and office of Christ, and the power from on high with which he was invested. It was the joint confession of the disciples, expressed through Peter. Christ should have the article prefixed to it as in the original; the Christ, the Messiah. It is observable that Peter's testimony is, that Jesus is the Son of God, and not God himself. The phraseology of the answer is slightly_varied in the other Evangelists. The epithet living, as applied to God, signifies real, true, in distinction from idols and false gods, that were not living beings. Is it not an incidental evidence of the truthful

ness of Mark's Gospel, who is supposed to have written from Peter's dictation or aid, according to early tradition, that the commendation of Peter by Christ is omitted, as if through modesty?

17. Simon Bar-jona. The latter was a Syriac word, meaning the son of Jona. John i. 42. As Furness remarks, "How naturally, when a friend communicates any unexpected sentiment or intelligence, do we express our surprise in a similar way, uttering the whole name of our friend, with fervent emphasis!" -Flesh and blood. A Hebrew circumlocution for man. Gal. i. 16.— But my Father, &c. Human wisdom or authority (in allusion, perhaps, to the Scribes and Pharisees) has not revealed this truth to you, but you have arrived at it, because, in the providence of God, you became my disciple, have witnessed my divine works, and yielded to the natural influences of God's spirit upon your soul.

18. Thou art Peter. Or, a Peter. Thou art rightly named Peter; which signifies, in the original Greek, rock. And upon this rock I will build, &c. The necessity of building houses in Judea on a rock foundation rendered this figure a graphic one to the Jews. See Rev. xxi. 14, Eph. ii. 20, where the apostles and prophets are called the foundation, and Christ the corner-stone. Some have supposed that Jesus, in saying that he would build his church upon this rock, meant Peter's confession that he was the Christ; others, that

build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and 19 whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then 20

he ineant himself; but the most obvious reference is to Peter. He was to be a foundation, as he first preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, and took a prominent part also in spreading it among the Jews. As the first, firmest, and most energetic among the Twelve, he might without invidiousness be called a main rock in the foundation of the church. But that no peculiar and exclusive privilege was granted to Peter above the other disciples, as maintained by the church of Rome, is evident from a comparison of the following passages: Mat. xviii. 18, xx. 26, Acts xv., and Galatians ii. 11. Besides, if any peculiar authority had been vested in Peter more than in the other Apostles, no countenance would have been given to the papal supremacy, for the prerogative would have been personal and incommunicable.-The gates of hell. Or, of Hades, the abode or world of the dead, without reference to happiness or misery. See Is. xxxviii. 10, where, in the Septuagint version, Hades is translated grave. In the gates of ancient cities it was customary to hold courts and public assemblies and consultations. Hence the gates of death mean the designs or power of death. The church shall not die, but be immortal; a prophecy which has been fulfilled for almost twenty centuries. The word church is first used in the New Testament in this place. Its original signification was an assembly. The people of Israel are called by this name. Acts vii. 38. It means sometimes the whole body of Christians, and sometimes a particular society of believers. Eph.

i. 22. Acts viii. 1. Rom. xvi. 5. The ancient English version of Tyndale renders it congregation. The noble confession of Christ by Peter is an example for all subsequent time; whilst we should beware of being tempted like him to a denial of our Master, we should also avoid adding any human dogmas to the beautiful simplicity of his faith, which comprehended the great essentials.

19. The keys of the kingdom of heaven, i. e. the prerogatives of the new dispensation. This, like all figurative expressions, inust be interpreted by the subject and purpose of the discourse with which it is connected, and the use of language amongst the hearers. A key was anciently used as a symbol of power and wisdom. Isa. xxii. 22. Rev. iii. 7. Luke xi. 52. When the Jews invested a man with the authority of doctor of the law, they gave him the key of the closet in the temple where the sacred books were kept, to intimate that they entrusted him with power to explain the Scriptures, and teach the people.-Whatsoever thou shalt bind, &c. To bind, according to Jewish phraseology, is to forbid, and to loose is to permit. The force of Christ's words is this: I authorize you to preach my religion, by which what is forbidden and what is permitted is forbidden and permitted in heaven or by God. The word whatsoever refers to things, to rites or laws which Peter and the Apostles might make or repeal. A similar power with regard to persons is supposed to be conferred on all the Apostles in John xx. 23. For the exercise

charged he his disciples, that they should tell no man that he was Jesus, 21 the Christ. From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again 22 the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying:

of both powers, see Acts v. 15, 20, xxi. 24. The same authority here given to Peter is also imparted, Mat. xviii. 18, to all the Twelve. The preeminence of Peter was not absolute, but arose from his distinguished energy and ability, and could not, therefore, from its nature, descend to any successor. Although this is the great Roman Catholic text, when it is thus explained, it affords not the shadow of an argument for the lofty claims of that church.

In

20. They should tell no man. Luke ix. 21," he straitly " or strictly "charged them." The reasons of this prohibition have been intimated from time to time in the foregoing passages. Jesus would not give occasion to disturbance and sedition, which would certainly have arisen, had his Apostles at once gone forth to proclaim his Messiahship. The time had not yet come, his ministry was not ended. He therefore holds their enthusiasm in check, and henceforth explains to them more fully that he is to be not a triumphant but a suffering deliverer; to be less the Lion of Judah than the Lamb of God.-Jesus. This word has no place in the original, according to Griesbach, and other eminent critics.

21. Began Jesus to show unto his disciples, &c. It is natural to believe, that, as the ambition of the disciples had been raised to the highest pitch by the declaration that Jesus was the Messiah, it was his intention to suppress all the expectations of reward and glory which

they would indulge, as followers of the great Leader. He, therefore, from that time, more clearly declared what he had already hinted, Mat. xii. 40, that he was to be put to death at Jerusalem; he would thus prepare their minds beforehand for the coming event. Hence his discourse, as the solemn tragedy draws near, is more and more occupied with allusions to it.

"O, suffering friend of human kind!
How, as the fatal hour drew near,
Came thronging on thy holy mind
The images of grief and fear!
"Gethsemane's sad midnight scene,

The faithless friends, the exulting foes,
The thorny crown, the insult keen,

The scourge, the cross, before thee rose."

-Must go. Must is often used to signify, not necessity, but that a thing will come to pass. The prediction here made was fulfilled to the letter, as we shall see in the conclusion of this history. The elders, chief priests, and Scribes, or Jewish Sanhedrim, were chiefly instrumental in effecting this awful catastrophe.

22. Then Peter took him. Took him aside, or took him by the hand, as some think; but, as others suppose, took him up, or interrupted him, without allowing him to complete his declaration. Nothing can be more true to nature than this burst of a sanguine temper, after the mind had been teeming with visions of splendor and power. Peter is a representative of the world, that shudders at sufferings and trials, and sees not in them the accomplishment of a more than heroic des

Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee. But he turned 23 and said unto Peter: Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto me; for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. -Then said Jesus unto his disciples: If any man 24 will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and who- 25

tiny. Be it far from thee. Literally, God be merciful to thee, which is equivalent to God forbid, 1 Chron. xi. 19, where the Septuagint has the same words as here.

23. He turned. Mark has it, "turned about and looked on his disciples." Every page of the Evangelists has some inimitable touches of nature. Jesus turned suddenly round, as if started out of his usual equanimity by this untimely familiarity of his disciple, and ready to show how aware he was of the temptation, and how firm and resolved he was to overcome it.-Salan. Here is an instance of the freedom with which this word was used among the Jews. It ineans an adversary, or evil adviser. Such Peter had become to Jesus, by declaring that the lot that he had predicted would not fall upon him. The thoughts which tempted Jesus after his baptism in the wilderness were said to come from Satan, i. e. were evil. An offence unto me. A cause of offence, a snare, a stumblingblock, namely, "by nurturing that natural horror of his painful and ignominious death, which occasionally harassed our Saviour." "How soon is Peter, the rock, turned to an adversary!"-Thou savorest nothe things, &c., or approvest or ret gardest not the things which please God, but those which please men. The views of Peter savored of worldliness and ambition, and were inconsistent with the purposes of Heaven; though he may have been misled by his affection for his

Master, as well as by the earthliness of his mind, for he was shocked at the thought of one whom he so loved being put to death. But Jesus would rend away the veil, and show them the certainly coming reality. He would teach them, that "the infant doctrine which was to go through the world, consoling the sorrows of the mourners, and pouring balm into wounded bosoms, was itself first to be nurtured with tears, and baptized in blood.”

24. Will come after me, i. e. will be my disciple. Let him deny himself. Let him forget himself. Let him be ready to incur the most dreadful sufferings. My disciples must be of such hardihood as to look danger and death, the most dreadful death, in the face. See note on Mat. x. 38.-Take up his cross. Crucifixion was a Roman mode of punishment, introduced among the Jews, and was inconceivably agonizing and disgraceful. To add new horrors to it, those who were thus executed were compelled to bear the instrument of their own death to the place of punishment. Hence the imagery of the text, so crushing to the hopes of his follow

ers.

How perfectly is the truthfulness of Jesus manifested in his dealing thus frankly with his disciples!

25. See note on Mat. x. 39. The word life is here used with a twofold meaning, which fact explains the paradox. He who desires to save his earthly life, at the expense of conscience and fidelity to me, shall

26 soever will lose his life, for my sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or 27 what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man

shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he 28 shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

lose his spiritual, heavenly life; and he who loses his earthly life, and dies rather than swerve from his rectitude, shall find his true life.

26. Soul. This is the same word which in the previous verse is translated life, and such should be its rendering here. The sense is: What would a man be profited, if he should gain the whole world, its riches, honors, and pleasures, and lose his life, the essential condition on which he would possess and enjoy them all? Or as Luke has it, ix. 25, "lose himself." Or what equivalent could one find for his life? But the original word, in a secondary sense, means soul, and refers to the future and spiritual existence. That the word is susceptible of both meanings is, according to Campbell, beyond a question. The value of an immortal soul is indicated indeed by the world itself, which, with all its wonders, and riches, and glories, seems to exist chiefly for the sublime purpose of educating human spirits, and preparing them for immortality. How senseless and mad must he be, who confounds the instrument with the end, and barters away himself for the world, or for an insignificant portion of its fleeting possessions or indulgences! Know, O man, that thou art of so great a price, that the world is too poor to buy thee, though its crowns and treasures and mines of gold were put into the balance. Thine immortal spirit outweighs the material universe in the scales of God.

27. Mark and Luke add here, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh," &c.-Come in the glory of his Father, &c. Most commentators refer this to the final judgment; but others, with more likelihood, consider it a description of the establishment of Christ's religion with great power and glory in the world. With his angels. Is a Jewish figure to denote the providence of God; as where it is said, "Their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven," i. e, they are under the special care of God.

Reward every man according to his works. Render to every man, &c. When Christianity is established, every man shall be judged by that standard, according to his works, and be condemned or acquitted, as he shall obey or disobey its divine laws.

28. As the spirits of the disciples might well droop by his exhibition, vv. 24-26, of the sufferings to be undergone in behalf of his kingdom, he would encourage them with the brilliant vision of his spiritual power, which was so soon to be firmly enthroned amongst men, that some who were then present would be eye-witnesses of it.-Shall not taste of death. A Hebraism for shall not die. We know that John at least, and probably many others of the bystanders, was alive about forty years after, when Jerusalem was

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