Jesus went into the coasts of Caes-a-re'a Phi-lip'pi and asked his disciples who do men say that I am? His disciples told him that some people thought he was John the Baptist, others thought perhaps E-li'as, and still other thought Jesus might be Jeremias or one of the other prophets. Then Jesus asked them, ?Who do you think I am?



Simon Peter answered and said you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus was pleased with Simon Peter's answer. Jesus told him flesh and blood did not reveal this fact to him, but the Father in heaven.

Jesus told Peter he was going to build his church upon a rock where the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The keys of the Kingdom would be given to Peter. He told his disciples it was very important that they tell nobody that he was Jesus the Christ.

Jesus began to tell his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem where he would suffer many things at the hand of the elders, chief priests and scribes until eventually he would be killed. However, he would rise from death on the third day.

Peter could not believe what Jesus was telling him and said because he was the Lord; these things would not come to him at all. Jesus rebuked the devil that just spoke to him through Peter. Jesus said, ?Get behind me Satan: you love the things that are of men and not those things that are of God.?

If any man follows after Jesus he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow him. Whoever saves his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for the sake of Jesus would find life. There is no profit for a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul. What will a man give in exchange for his soul? When the Son of man comes in glory of his Father with his angels he will reward every man according to his works. And furthermore, there will even be some people standing, which will never taste of death until they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom.

Six days passed. Jesus took Peter, James, John and his brother into a high mountain and before their eyes he was transfigured. The face of Jesus shined as the sun. His raiment was white as the light. Then before them all appeared Moses and E-li'as talking with Jesus.

Peter said, Lord, is it good for us to be here at this time? If you will allow, let us build three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, and one for E-li'as. While Peter was still speaking a bright cloud came over them and they heard a voice out of the cloud which said: ?This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.?

This voice really scared the disciples and they fell down on their face. Jesus touched them and told them to not be afraid. When the disciples opened their eyes, all they saw had disappeared and now stood before them only Jesus.

They all came down from the high mountain and Jesus told them to be sure and not tell the vision to any man until after the Son of man was raised again from the dead.

His disciples asked why the scribes said E-li'as must first come. Jesus answered and said E-li'as will first come and restore all things. Then he told them E-li'as had already come and they would not receive him. They did to E-li'as whatever they pleased, so now the Son of man will suffer of them as well.

When the multitude of people gathered around Jesus and his disciples again, there was a certain man who came and kneeled down before Jesus. He said please have mercy on my son because he is lunatic and sore vexed. He often falls into the fire and often falls into the water. Your disciples were not able to cure him. Jesus told him to bring his son to him and he rebuked the devil that was in the child. The devil departed out of the child and the child was cured in that same hour.

The disciples wondered why they could not cast out the devil. Jesus told them it was because of their unbelief. Faith as a grain of mustard seed will allow you to say to a mountain remove yourself and be placed in another place, and the mountain will immediately move. With this kind of faith, nothing is impossible for you. However, this kind of faith is obtained only through prayer and fasting.

While Jesus and his disciples lived in Galilee, he began to foretell the horrible things that would soon happen to him. The Son of man would be betrayed into the hands of men and they would kill him. On the third day he would raise again from the dead. His disciples were so sad and sorry at these sayings.

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? 2007 Connie Limon. All Rights Reserved