PETER CONFESSES CHRIST
[Sidenote: St. Matthew 16]
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.
From that time forth began Jesus to shew 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 the third
day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far
from thee, Lord: this 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 that be of God, but those that be of men.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man 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 whosoever 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 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 shall reward every man
according to his works.