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2 them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the 4 times?* A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. 5 And he left them and departed. And when

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his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees 7 and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we 8 have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye 9 have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took 10 up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thou11 sand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand, that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of 12 the Sadducees? Then they understood that he bade them not beware of the leaven of

Our Lord had already given so many proofs of his heavenly mission, that had they possessed any candor, they would have acknowledged him as the Messiah, and not insolently demanded of him more miracles.

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bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say, that I, the Son of man, 14 am ?* And they said, Some say that thou art

John the Baptist; some Elijah; and others, 15 Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith 16 unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And

Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the 17 Christ,† the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father 18 who is in heaven. 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 19 not prevail against it. And 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. 20 Then he charged his disciples, that they should tell no man that he was the Messiah.§

*Not that he was desirous of knowing the opinions of men concerning himself, for he knew already. But he took this opportunity to draw forth Peter's declaration.

That is, the Messiah, the anointed.

The phrase, "the Son of the living God," and the remark of our Lord in the 17th verse would seem fully to imply that Christ were more than merely a prophet.

For it might cause tumult among the people, and persecution in the priests and rulers before his ministry was fuished.

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21 From that time Jesus began to shew unto his disciples that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and 22 be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him aside, and began to expostulate with him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this 23 shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things which are of God, but those which are of men.‡

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Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, 25 and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall 26 find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his 27 soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then

He would prepare their minds for the idea of his sufferings and death, and remove the false opinions they had formed of his being a powerful prince from whom they were expecting present and temporal glory.

Peter was sanguine, and had yet many things to learn. He was yet to learn that his Master was to suffer before he should reign.

This shews, that every person who opposes the truth is an adversary or Satan.

§ Those who would live in ease and make it their chief care to provide for the present life, will lose eternal happiness. And those who are ready to devote their life and talents to the service of Christ, will secure immortal life.

he shall reward every man according to his 28 works. Verily I say unto you, There are some standing here, who shall not taste of death till thece the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

CHAP. XVII.

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1 AND after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James. and John his brother, and bringeth them up 2 into an high mountain apart. And was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light, 3 And behold there appeared unto them Moses 4 and Elijah talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles: one for thee, and one for

5 Moses, and one for Elijah. While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom 6 I am well pleased: hear ye him." And when

he disciples heard it, they fell on their face, 7 and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not

This coming of Christ must refer to his judgments in the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in about forty years after.

8 afraid.* And when they had lifted up their 9 eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from 10 the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then do the scribes say that Elijah 11 must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come, 12 and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elijaht is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they chose so also shall the Son of man suf13 fer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

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And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a man, kneeling down to 15 him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for

*This must have made a great impression on the minds of these three favored disciples. Peter refers to this event in his second epistle, i. 17.

+ Elijah John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah. Curing this disorder is called casting out a devil or demon. It would be rash in any one to undertake to decide, in these cases; but it may be proper to quote the following remarks of a learned and pious divine, viz.

"It is not the design of revelation to teach us philosophy, but moral and religious truths-and we find that the same writers usually speak of things according to the popular and commonly received opinions of those times."

The miraculous power of Christ is not affected by either interpretation. It requires supernatural ability to cure inveterate diseases by a word; as well as to dispossess a person of an evil spirit.

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