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 they
said, Some _say that thou art_ John the Baptist: some, Elias; and
others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But
whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, 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. 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.
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. Then
charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was
Jesus the Christ.--_St. Matt, xvi: 13-20_.
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_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_The site of Cæsarea Philippi is one of the loveliest spots in
Northern Palestine. On ground carpeted with an infinite variety of
wild flowers, the traveller rests in the grateful shade of oak and
mulberry, olive and fig tree. The sound of many waters is heard on
all sides as they hasten from the adjacent slopes of Herman to join
the head waters of Jordan, bursting in strength from a cavern at the
foot of a mighty cliff. Hither, with his handful of followers, came
Jesus, weary and in deep depression of spirit, a fugitive from his
own people, who had finally rejected him; and here, in reply to
searching and anxious enquiry, "Whom say ye that I am?" he received
from Simon Peter the memorable confession, "Thou art the Christ, the
Son of the living God_."