_THE SON OF MAN THE SON OF GOD_ ‘When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?… And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Matthew 16:13 The title ‘Son of man’ was perhaps a M... [ Continue Reading ]
_‘UPON THIS ROCK’_ ‘And 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 against it.’ Matthew 16:18 This verse has played, and still plays, no inconsiderable part in the controversy between our own Church and that which... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE CHURCH_ ‘I will build My Church.’ Matthew 16:18 There is one part of our Lord’s work which to many is a dead letter. It is the provision He made for the continuance of His work among men. He did not aim at immediate results. Though the end of _ His_ labours must be the Cross, He would leave... [ Continue Reading ]
_PRESUMPTION REBUKED_ ‘From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples … those that be of men.’ Matthew 16:21 Christ now commenced to unveil the future more distinctly. (1) Because their faith had been fortified. (2) To guard against the growth of carnal views of His kingdom. (3) To s... [ Continue Reading ]
_ON CROSS-BEARING_ ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’ Matthew 16:24 Christ turns to the disciples generally. Do they stumble at the cross of their Lord? Let them know that none may follow Him without bearing their own. Here, then, is our p... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE DENIAL OF SELF_ ‘Let him deny himself.’ Matthew 16:24 I. DENIAL has the threefold sense of the refusal to acknowledge acquaintance or relationship, the rejection of the claim of authority, the repudiation of obedience to commands. II. SELF-DENIAL therefore means the rejection of interfere... [ Continue Reading ]
_LIFE SAVED AND LOST_ ‘Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.’ Matthew 16:25 In the parallel passage of St. Mark 8:35, there is a slight addition: ‘for My sake and the Gospel’s’; and both there and in St. Luke 9:24, for ‘find it,’ t... [ Continue Reading ]