The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 350

had to be abandoned. In the popular mind the only personages corresponding to Jesus, save John the Baptist, were those of ancient Jewish history, the heroic ages of the theocracy. All were agreed that in him there was a revival or reappearance of the religious spirit of the best days of Israel, 1. The knowledge of these opinions rendered the judgment of the disciples highly conscioUB and deliberate, and therefore of great critical importance. Each of them, as it came to their ears, would doubtlessly be considered and weighed. The popular guesses would be compared with the full and complete experience of Jesus and his work, which they alone possessed, and one by one rejected. But they would serve to awaken their critical attention and their spiritual discernment-constitute, in fact, a sort of ascending scale according to which to adjust their own thoughts. 2. The certainty to which they had arrived, notwithstanding the variety of opinions of which they were aware, proves how overwhelming the evidence must have been v.pon which they based their conclusion. There is no hesitation in Peter's answer. And as spokesman of the twelve he utters their unanimous conviction. How much previous examination and interchange of views does that imply? II. How WAS THIS CONCLUSION ARnIVED AT? 1. Not from unscientific guessing. From their peculiar circumstances this was impossible. 2. Not from information furnished by Jesus himself. There is no trace of hinting or suggesting on the part of the Master. His withdrawal from that course of policy which might have enabled him to take advantage of popular influence was against the idea of his being the Messiah of the people's dreams. It was in spite of his mysterious behaviour, therefore, and in com- plete absence of any information furnished by himself, that they formed their opinion. 3. It was by a twofold process, viz.: (1) Indu,ction from their experience of his character and works. For this they were peculiarly fitted ; and the searching training -0f the Master led them gradually but surely to make it. And they were well versed in Scripture. (2) Inspirution of God. Elsewhere (l\Iatt. xvi. 17) we read the decla- ration, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." These two sources of information were not mutually exclusive, but mutually supplementary and confirmatory, as in every Christian mind to-day. Indeed, in a larger view of evidence the spiritual intuition-the most truly moral evidence of the conscience-is but an element of the general moral evidence upon which the induc- tion is based. It is the conscience which is the ultimate judge of all spiritual questions the ordinary understanding cannot completely or satisfactorily settle. III. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ITS ATTAINMENT. 1. It was bv.t a recognition of certain cornspondences between Jesus and the Messiah spoken of in Scripture. There WIIS certainty and intelligent perception, so far as their knowledge went. But the full con- ception of his personality and work was reserved for the future. They knew that it was he of whom the prophets spoke, but about himself in his deeper nature and the spirituality, etc., of his work-in short, of what he was-they were not fully aware. 2. What they did arrive at altered their entire relation to him. A new, vague authority attached henceforth to him, and the future was full of a keen expectancy and interest. It gave a new meaning to every word and action proceeding from him, and prepared them for the special training and teaching which they had to receive as his apostles; just as the principle attained by induction of many facts, when its light is turned back upon them interprets them, and we see them 118 we could not before.-M. Vers. 29, 32, 33.-Peter's self-contradiction. I. WHEREIN IT CONSISTED. I. In identifying Jesus with the Messiah and yet deprecating his sufferings. That Messiah should suffer was abundantly declared by the prophets. His death was the greatest testimon! he could give to the righteousness of God. A comfortable, earthly, pros- perous k10_g could never occupy the spiritual position of the Christ; moral influence, the essential feature of the latter's reign, would be entirely wanting. To the thorough studen~ of prophecy and contemporary life, Messinhship "connoted" suffering, not as an accidental but necessary qualification. 2. In identifying JesU8 with the Messiah and yet assuming such an attitude and tone towards him. '!'he utmost reverence and submission were not only due to his Lord, but would have been voluntarily rendered had he understood what WIil:, meant by his own declaration.. In such a caSI! he would never have presumed to dictate or chide. ll, To WHAT IT WAS DUE, I. Insufficient realization of wl,at he K.-new. He kd  348 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [oH. vm. 1-3S.