(Compare Mark 8:27–30; Luke 9:18–21; John 6:67–69)
DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS
1. Peter Confessing Christ, vv. 13–16
Where is the scene of the lesson? How was our Lord engaged? (Luke 9:18.) What question did He put to His disciples? Why did He ask this? Is what men think of Christ an important matter? Does this question engage much attention today? Was there agreement as to who He was? Is there agreement today? What were some of the opinions? Were they correct? Are many of the opinions of today any nearer correct? In what did all the opinions stated agree? In what do almost all opinions of Christ today agree?
What was the second question which He put to His disciples? Which is the more important question for each of us—what men think of Christ or what we think of Christ? Why did He seek to have them express their conviction? (Ro. 10:9, 10.) Which of the disciples answered His question? Why Peter? Was he any quicker to see the truth than others? (John 21:7.) What was he quicker to do? Whom did Peter say that our Lord was? (Compare John 1:49; Matt. 14:33.) What was the difference between the confession as here made and as made on former occasions? Is this statement of Peter’s an important one? (Acts 9:20; 5" class="scriptRef">1 John 4:15; 5:1, 5; 2:22.) What book in the Bible was written for the express purpose of convincing men of its truth, and what is the result of a heart-belief of this statement? (John 20:31.) Did Peter realize all that his words meant? Do we? Had Peter on any previous occasion given utterance to a similar confession of Christ? (John 6:69; compare A. V. and R. V.) Under what circumstances will a loyal follower of Jesus be most likely to come out with a ringing confession of Him?
2. Christ Confessing Peter, vv. 17–20
Was our Lord pleased with Peter’s confession of Him? Is He pleased today when we confess Him with a sincere heart? Is He pleased if we neglect to confess Him? (Matt. 10:33.) How did He show His pleasure? What did He say that Peter was in view of this confession? From what source did He say Peter had gotten his knowledge? Can any one today really know Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, except God reveal it to him? (1 Cor. 2:14; 12:3.) If then we wish to know the truth about Jesus to whom shall we go to show us? (John 16:13–15.) If one comes to us who is perplexed as to who Jesus is, what advice shall we give him? How can we put ourselves in a position where the Father will reveal it to us? (John 7:17.) How can we tell whether we really believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, or not? (1 John 5:5; James 2:18.)
What further did our Lord say to Peter? What does “Peter” mean? What transformed Simon Barjonas into Peter? What is the great controversy about this verse (18)? What can be said in favor of Peter being the “rock” meant? What against it? If Peter is the rock, what made him to be the rock? How then can all become rocks? (1 Peter 2:4, 5.) Who then is the Chief Corner-stone, the Rock upon which all others rest and from which they derive their own strength? (Is. 28:16; 1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20.) What is the conclusion drawn by Roman Catholics from this verse? What can be said for it? What against it? Who are the true successors of Peter? (Gal. 3:7.) What does “church” mean? What does Christ say of the strength of the church built upon this rock? What is meant by “the gates of hell” not prevailing against it? What promise of the Old Testament is suggested by this? (Is. 54:17.)
What does Christ say He will give Peter? What is meant by “the keys of the kingdom of heaven”? (Ro. 10:14.) What custom of the ancient rabbis is referred to in this figure of speech? Where in the Bible is Peter seen using the keys? (Acts 2:14; 10:34; 15:7.) Who has the keys of the kingdom of heaven today? When do we unlock the kingdom to men? When do we lock the kingdom against men? (Matt. 23:13.) What power did our Lord say Peter should have? What is meant by “binding” and “loosing”? To whom else did Christ give this power? (Matt. 18:18.) Who has it today? (Gal. 5:18.) Was the power to forgive sins given to the apostles? (John 20:23.) In what sense had they this power? (2 Cor. 2:10.) In connection with what other gift was the gift of power to forgive sins? (John 20:22.) Is there any sense in which any one today besides our Lord has power to forgive sins? Ought we to be satisfied with man’s assurance that our sins are forgiven?
What charge did our Lord lay upon His disciples? Why? Does that charge rest upon His disciples today? (Matt. 20:19; Acts 2:36; 8:4.)
CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS
1. The Father
(1). Where He is:
In heaven, 17.
(2). What He does:
Testifies to the Messiahship and Sonship of Jesus, reveals truth even to sinful, ignorant men, ready to receive it, 17.
2. Our Lord Jesus
(1). What He is:
The Son of man, 13; the Christ, 16; the Holy One of God, John 6:69; the Son of God, 16; the Builder of the church, 18; the subject of divergent opinions of men, recognized by all as an extraordinary personage, 14; recognized in the fullness of His glory only by those whose minds God illumines, 17.
(2). What He does:
Desires the mouth-confession of heart faith, 13; delights in the good confession of His disciples, 17; entrusts illuminated men with the responsibility of opening the kingdom of heaven, 19.
3. The Church
Christ the Builder, built upon the Rock, Christ, faith in His deity the condition of being made pieces of the Rock, its eternal security, 18.
4. Peter
Taught of God, recognized the Messiahship and deity of Christ, 17; confessed Him as Messiah and Son of God, 16; transformed by his God-given faith in Jesus as the Son of God into a man of rock, 18; had power given him because of his possession of this truth to unlock the kingdom of heaven unto men, had authority given him to forbid or permit, 19
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R.A. Torrey (1856 - 1928)
An American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Called by D. L. Moody to head Bible institute in Chicago (now Moody Bible Institute). Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles. Worldwide evangelistic meetings with Charlie Alexander. Founded Montrose Bible Conference, PA. Wrote more than forty books.Torrey held his last evangelistic meeting in Florida in 1927, additional meetings being canceled because of his failing health. He died at home in Asheville, North Carolina, on October 26, 1928, having preached throughout the world and written more than 40 books. Torrey-Gray Auditorium, the main auditorium at Moody, was named for Torrey and his successor, James M. Gray. At Biola, the Torrey Honors Institute honors him, as does the university's annual Bible conference.
Reuben Archer Torrey was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Held evangelistic meetings around the world with song leader Charlie Alexander. Called by D.L. Moody to head the Bible Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society (now Moody Bible Institute); Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles; pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial Church) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles.
Besides his obvious gifts in all these areas, he was also a man of prayer, a student of the Bible, and an outstanding personal soul-winner. It is said that he daily read the Bible in four languages, having a good working knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. Some students of church history feel he did more to promote personal evangelism than any other one man since the days of the apostles. His prayer life has seldom been equaled in the annals of Christendom.
Reuben A. Torrey wrote some forty books and his practical writings on the Holy Spirit, prayer, salvation, soul-winning, and evangelism are still favorites of many Christians.