of the Jewish nation, both in church and state, refused to receive Jesus as the Messiah. Yet even then Simon Peter says, " Thou art the Christ." His strong faith was not stumbled by our Lord's poverty and low estate. His confidence was not shaken by the opposition of Scribes and Pharisees, and the contempt of rulers and priests. None of these things moved Simon Peter. He believed that He whom he followed, Jesus of Nazareth, was the promised Saviour, the true Prophet greater than Moses, the long-predicted Messiah. He declared it boldly and unhesitatingly, as the creed of himself and his few companions : " Thou art the Christ."
There is much that we may profitably learn from Peter's conduct on this occasion. Erring and unstable as he sometimes was — the faith he exhibited, in the passage now before us, is well worthy of imitation. Such bold confessions as his, are the truest evidence of living faith, and are required in every age, if men will prove themselves to be Christ's disciples. We too must be ready to confess Christ, even as Peter did. We shall never find our Master and His doctrine popular. We must be prepared to confess Him, with few on our side, and many against us. But let us take courage and walk in Peter's steps, and we shall not fail of receiving Peter's reward. Jesus takes notice of those who confess Him before men, and will one day confess them as His servants before an assembled world.
Let us observe the full declaration which our Lord malces of His own coming death and resurrection. We read that u He began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and oi