Page:Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (1898).djvu/51

Rh answer already given, and his renewal of the question, it is plain that Jesus completely eschewed the opinion implied in their narrow citation of the common report about him.

With his usual impetuosity, Simon replied for his brethren; and his reply set forth a great fact: “Thou,

art the Christ, the Son of the living God!” that is: The Messiah is what thou hast declared, — Christ, the divine idea of Truth and Life, which heals mentally. This assertion elicited from Jesus the benediction, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven!” — that is: Love, the divine Principle of man, hath shown thee the way of Life!

Heretofore the impetuous disciple had been called only by his common names, Simon Barjona, or Son of

Jona; but now the Master gave him a spiritual name, in these words: “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock [the meaning of the Greek word petros, or stone] I will build my church; and the gates of hell [hades, the underworld, or the grave] shall not prevail against it.” In other words, Jesus the Christ purposed founding his society, not on the personal Peter, as a mortal man, but on the God-power which lay behind his confession of the Messiah.

It was now evident to Peter that the divine Principle, Truth, and Love, and not a human personality, was the

healer of the sick, and a rock in the spiritual kingdom. On this spiritually Scientific basis Jesus explained his cures, which appeared miraculous