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LECTURE XL.

LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES.-PETER'S

CONFESSION.

MATT. xvi. 1-20.

11-21.

1. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees, came, and Mark viii. tempting, desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven.

2. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say it will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

3. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day; for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

4. A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed.

5. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.1

8. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

1 The apostles did not penetrate beyond the literal interpretation, and the word leaven reminded them of their want of bread. A similar error is related in John iv. 32. Jesus had said, “I have meat to eat, which ye know not of." "Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat?"

33. And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

34. And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks; and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

37. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

38. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

39. And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

Our blessed Lord, by the compassion with which he relieved the bodily wants of the people, has left a perpetual evidence of his mercy and of his power. Surely all may expect to "receive of his fulness," when they dwell on this example: surely he who refused to let the multitude depart fasting, lest they should faint on their return, will not send " empty away" any one soul which "hungers and thirsts after righteousness."

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LECTURE XL.

LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES.-PETER'S

CONFESSION.

MATT. xvi. 1-20.

11-21.

1. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees, came, and Mark viii. tempting, desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven.

2. Ile answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say it will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

3. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day; for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

4. A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed.

5. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

6. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.1

8. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

1 The apostles did not penetrate beyond the literal interpretation, and the word leaven reminded them of their want of bread. A similar error is related in John iv. 32. Jesus had said, "I have meat to eat, which ye know not of." "Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat?".

Mark viii. 27-30.

Luke ix. 18-21.

9. Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many buskets ye took up?

11. How is it that ye do not understand that 1 spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

12. Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Whether the meal shall be useful or unwholesome, depends on the quality of the leaven which is mixed up with it. So the character of the man depends upon the principles which govern him. And false principles corrupt the heart, as completely as bad leaven spoils the meal into which it enters. Therefore was there reason to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees.

13. 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?

14. And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some Elias; and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17. 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.

Many mistaken notions, we see, prevailed concerning our Lord: and Peter might have been deceived by them, as well as others. But he had been preserved from such errors; and had been enabled to see that Jesus bore all the characters of

the true Messiah. When others who beheld his miracles, instead of being convinced by them, uttered blasphemies, and ascribed them to Beelzebub, Peter was not thus perverted, knowing well, that as the fruit was good, the tree must be good that bore it: "a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit," neither could "the evil one" perform works of mercy. When others were offended at the doctrines which they heard, and murmured, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" Peter openly confessed and declared, "Thou hast the words of eternal life."

This was the right heart, the proper disposition; not cavilling and contending, but "receiving the word with meekness." And we are here assured that such a disposition is derived from the Spirit of God. Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Now God had not revealed the truth unto Peter by a special vision or declaration, or in any other way than he had manifested it to the rest of the people who had seen Christ's miracles and heard his words. But Peter had received the truth with readiness of heart and will, when others had disputed and denied it. And this willing and faithful heart is the gift of the Spirit. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Those who "receive" Christ, and "believe in his name," are "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God." 2

2 John i. 13.

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