SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON SENIOR DIVISION ® AUTOTYPE THE APOSTLE PETER AND HIS EPISTLES - Part I No. 227, FIRST QUARTER, 1952 THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING, MARCH 29, 1952, NORTHERN EUROPEAN DIVISION INDIVIDUAL SABBATH SCHOOL OFFERING GOAL "As God hash prospered him" MY WEEKLY GOAL (Check Amount) 1 5.00 1 2.00 1 1.50 1 1.00 1 .50 I .35 I "God loveth a cheerful giver" RECORD s. 14 CR 4 i 1...1 NC.) •Cil in co ts co a) O.-4 N M:,...2 t• o 1,4 r...I ..1 ...0 IQ ..: 1-. DAILY LESSON STUDY PLEDGE As one who greatly desires to improve his knowledge of the Scriptures, I pledge myself to the careful and prayerful study of some portion of my Sabbath-school lesson' each day of the week. Name Place a check mark in each space below for the days you have studied STUDY RECORD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1ST DAY'S STUDY 2D DAY'S STUDY 3D DAY'S STUDY 4TH DAY'S STUDY 5TH DAY'S STUDY 6TH DAY'S STUDY 7TH DAY'S STUDY "Let the Sabbath-school lesson be learned, not by a hasty glance at the lesson scrip- ture on Sabbath morning, but by careful study for the next week on Sabbath afternoon, with daily review or illustration during the week. Thus the lesson will become fixed in the memory, a treasure never to be wholly lost."—"Education," pages 251, 252. Sabbath School Lesson Ouarterly, No. 227, January-March, 1952. 10 cents a single copy, 35 cents a year, in t. S. A. 12 cents a single copy, 45 cents a year, in Canada and foreign countries. Published in the U. S. A. by Pacific Press Publishing Asso- ciation (a corporation of S. D. A.), Mountain View, California. Entered as second- class matter Oct. 13, 1904, at the post office in Mountain View, California, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of Oct. 3, 1917, and authorized Sept. 18, 1918. Copyright, 1951, by Pacific Press Publishing Association. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly THE APOSTLE PETER AND HIS EPISTLES PART I Lesson 1, for January 5, 1952 The Conversion of Simon Peter LESSON SCRIPTURES: John 1:35-42; Matthew 16:13-23. MEMORY VERSE: "Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matt. 16:16. STUDY HELPS: "The Desire of Ages," pages 132-143; "Education," pages 88, 185, 186; "Steps to Christ," chapter 1; "Testimonies," vol. 4, pp. 485-489. AIM: To arrive at an understanding of Peter's conversion. This will enable us to understand our own conversion. DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT 1. General survey of the lesson. 5. Read "The Desire of Ages" assign- 2. Question 1-4; memorize Matt. 16:16. ment. 3. Questions 5-9. 6. Read "Education" assignment. 4. Questions 11, 12; read chapter 1, 7. Read "Testimonies" assignment; re- "Steps to Christ." view the lesson. Peter's Early Life and Character 1. Who were members of Peter's family, according to New Testament records? ANSWER: His father, Jona, John 1:42; his brother, Andrew, John 1:40; his wife and wife's mother, Mark 1:30. 2. Where was Peter's home? What was his occupation? John 1:44; Mark 1:16. 3. What indications do we have of his spiritual interests? John 1:38-41. NOTE.—The fact that Peter lived in Bethsaida of Galilee, and yet was with his brother Andrew attending the Baptist's revival in Judea on the banks of the Jordan (Matt. 3:1, 5), would indicate that he was among those who "were waiting for the consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25). When Andrew said to Peter, "We have found the Messias," it would seem that their attention had been caught by the preaching of John the Baptist and that they were looking for Him. 3 4. What were some of the weaknesses of Peter's character? (a) Self-confidence Luke 22:33. (b) Boastfulness Mark 14:29. (c) Self-interest Matt. 19:27 (d) Disloyalty Mark 14:66-6$ (e) Deceitfulness Mark 14:70, 71 (See The Desire • of Ages, page 712.) (f) Impulsiveness John 18:10. NOTE.—"Before his fall, Peter was- always speaking unadvisedly, from the impulse of the moment. He was always ready to correct others, and to ex- press his mind, before he. had a clear comprehension of himself or of what he had to say."—The Desire of Ages, page 812. Peter Meets Jesus 5. Whom did God use to win the heart of Peter? John 1:40-42, first part. NOTE.—"Andrew sought to impart the joy that filled his heart. Going in search of his brother Simon, he cried, 'We have found the Messias.' Simon waited for no second bidding. He also had heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and he hastened to the Saviour."—The Desire of Ages, page 139. 6. In what way did Jesus manifest divine insight in reading Peter's heart? John 1:42. NoTE.—"The eye of Christ rested upon him, reading his character and his life history. His impulsive nature, his loving, sympathetic heart, his ambition and self-confidence, the history of his fall, his repentance, his labors, and his martyr death—the Saviour read it all, and He said, 'Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.' "—The Desire of Ages, page 139. Peter's Confession 7. What varied opinions were held concerning Jesus? Matt. 16:13, 14. NoTE.—"Sadly the disciples were forced to acknowledge that Israel had failed to recognize their Messiah."—The Desire of Ages, page 411. 8. What searching question did Jesus ask, and what was Peter's positive reply? Matt. 16:15, 16. NoTE.—"We may rest fully assured that these glowing words of Simon Peter went up, like fragrant incense, to the throne of God, and refreshed the 141 heart of the One who sat there. There is nothing in all the world so precious to God as a heart that, in any measure, appreciates Christ. Let us never forget this."—C. H. Mackintosh, Simon Peter, page 32. 9. Who was the source of Peter's revelation? Matt. 16:17. Christ the Foundation of the Church 10. What fundamental scriptural truth is revealed in Christ's reply to Peter? Matt. 16:18; Deut. 32:4; 1 Cor. 3:11; 10:4; Eph. 2:19-22. NorE.—"The word Peter signifies a stone,—a rolling stone. Peter was not the rock upon which the church was founded. The gates of hell did prevail against him when he denied his Lord with cursing and swearing. The church was built upon One against whom the gates of hell could not prevail. Cen- turies before the Saviour's advent Moses had pointed to the Rock of Israel's salvation. The psalmist had sung of 'the Rock of my strength.' Isaiah had written, 'Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.' Peter him- self, writing by inspiration, applies this prophecy to Jesus."—The Desire of Ages, pages 412, 413. 11. What assurance did Jesus give regarding the eventual tri- umph of His church? Matt. 16:18, last part. NoTE.—"The church is God's fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world. Any betrayal of the church is treachery to Him who has bought mankind with the blood of His only-begotten Son. He has sent forth His angels to minister to His church, and the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against His people."—The Acts of the Apostles, page 11. 12. What authority did Christ confer on the church? Matt. 16:19. NOTE.-" 'The keys of the kingdom of heaven' are the words of Christ. All the words of Holy Scripture are His, and are here included. These words have power to open and to shut heaven. They declare the conditions upon which men are received or rejected. Thus the work of those who preach God's word is a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Theirs is a mission weighted with eternal results. "The Saviour did not commit the work of the gospel to Peter individually. At a later time, repeating the words that were spoken to Peter, He applied them directly to the church. And the same in substance was spoken also to the Twelve as representatives of the body of believers. If Jesus had dele- gated any special authority to one of the disciples above the others, we should not find them so often contending as to who should be the greatest." —The Desire of Ages, page 414. [ 6 ] Lesson 2, for January 12, 1952 Simon Peter's Call to the Ministry LESSON SCRIPTURES: Luke 5:1-11; 9:27-37. MEMORY VERSE: "Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him." Luke 5:10, 11. STUDY HELPS: "The Desire of Ages," pages 244, 251, 419-425; "Steps to Christ," chapter 2. AIM: To lead us to forsake all and follow Jesus. DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT 1. General survey of the lesson. 5. Questions 13, 14; read "The Desire 2. Questions 1-4; memorize Luke 5: of Ages," pages 244, 251.