the foundation on which all Christ taught of God rests; refuse to be satisfied until you ban <lisc?rnred its primary truth, its absolutely first and essential principle, and you will _fin~ 1t to be the Fatherhood of God-the permission to think of God through the associations of our human fatherhood. But direct revelations of the Divine Father- ltood cannot be made to men; they come as the correlative of Fatherhood, as Sonsliip. Christ the Son primarily does this-reveal the Father-God. II. THIS CONFESSION WAS THE ROCK-FOUNDATION OF CHRIST'S MISSION. That mission "Was, to bring Il:1en to God. I~ included and. involved much. Bearing penalty, setting example, teaching truth, offering a self-sacrifice, etc. ; but get to the very foundation of it, and we see it was to recover for men their sonship a.nd their proper son-relat.ions with God. Then we see how the Divine and perfect Sonsbip of Christ is the "rock- t!'tlth" of his mission. Only the Son could hope to undertake and carry through the work of recovering sons. lIL THIS CON•'ESSION IS THE ROCK-FOUNDATION ON WHICH CHRIST'S MISSION IS CONTINUED. Thoughtful readers will be struck by the constancy with which Christ used the term "Father," and the apostles use the term "Son." Those apostles clearly apprehended that the gospel they had to preach was the good news of the Divine Fatherhood; and that whoever received their gospel became sons again, linked in obedience, love, and faith with J esu.s, the "Son of the living God."-R. T. Ver. 19.-The power qf t~ keys. It is necessary to understand the Eastern associa- tions which help to explain our Lord's figure of the "keys." The key in the East was a symbol of authority; it was made long, with a crook at.one end, so that it could be worn round the neck as a badge of office. To " confer a key " was a phrase equivalent to bestowing a sitW1tion of great trust and distinction. The expressions "binding" and, " loosing n are figurative expressions, which were in familiar use in the rabbinical schools. " The school of Shammai bound men when it declared this or that act to be a transgression of the sabbath law. The school of Hillel loosed when it set men free from the obligations thus imposed." It should be borne in mind that this passage is a part of Christ's private teaching of the apostles. He was foeling that his own active work was nearly done, and very soon the work of saving men would rest on them. He would prepare them to understand their coming responsibilities ; and he would assure them of their competent endowment to meet those responsibilities. .. L THEY WOULD RAVE SERIOUS AND AUTHORITATIVE WOBK TO DO. It is remarkable that Jesus never attempted any organization of those who professed to believe in him. But he contemplated that his apostles would have to organize the converts they made. They could not help occupying a position of authority. They would be consulted on doctrines ; on the application of doctrines to practical life and conduct; they would have to deal with inconsistent disciples. What they would have to do was illustrated in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, and in the admission of Cornelius. Their Lord would prepare them for undertaking those responsibilities. II. THEY WO"GLD RA.VE SPECIAL DDOWJIENTS FOB THEm SPECIAL WOBX. That is God's law. He makes the gift fit the service that is called for. Among the gifts in the early Church one is named "governments." That is the gift with which they were endowed. And this distinction needs tD be made clear. Their gift came, not because they were apostles, but because this particul,ir work was entrusted to them. Gifts are not possessions or rights ; they are trusts; and all the honour of them lies in being thus trusted. liL THEY WOULD HA VE SPEOIAL DIVINE RECOGNITION IN TREIB WOBX. What they did, in the loyal and faithful use of their gifts of government, would be owned and sealed by God. illustrate by the Divine judgment on Ananias, following on Peter's condemnation of him; and the Spirit following Cornelius' admission.-R. T.
Ver. 21.-Testing tM higher beliefs. After our Lcrd had secured the recognition of his Divine claims, he proceeded to test the belief of those apostles, to see whether it was clear of LhOBe materialistic notions of his Messiabship which so constantly bad hinc:cred them. The test was found in the assurance that his Messiahship would seem to l,e a failure, and his bodily life end in shame and a cross. If they bad grasped the ,piritual nature of l,'hri.st's _mission, they would not have felt so much hi.a earth- <111, XVI. 1-28.] THE GOSPEL A!X,'ORDING 'l'O ST. MATTHEW. 160