CHAPTER 128.
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Levi
Jesus goes at night to a mountain to pray. His disciples and the villagers find him and he teaches them for three days. Feeds four thousand people. The Christines go to Cæsarea-Philippi. They consider the personality of Christ. Peter is chosen as apostolic leader.
Now, in the night while the disciples slept, lo, Jesus rose and went alone into a mountain pass, six miles away, to pray.
2 And in the morning when the twelve awoke they could not find the Lord, and all the people of the village sought, and when the sun had passed its highest point they found him in the mountain pass.
3 And multitudes of people came and brought their sick, and Jesus taught and healed.
4 And when the night came on the people would not go; they slept upon the ground that they might be a-near the Lord.
5 Three days and nights the multitudes remained, and none had aught to eat.
6 And Jesus had compassion and he said, If I should send the multitudes away they might not reach their homes, for they are faint, for some have journeyed many miles.
7 And his disciples said, Where shall we get enough of food to feed them all? There are four thousand men, besides the women and the little ones.
8 And Jesus said, How many loaves have you?
9 They answered, Seven, and some little fish.
10 And Jesus said, Go to, and seat the people as you seated them the other day when all the multitudes were fed, in companies of twelve.
11 And when the people were sat down in companies of twelve the loaves and fish were brought.
12 And Jesus looked to heaven and spoke the Word; and then he broke the seven loaves in little bits, and likewise cut the fish.
13 And every bit of bread became a loaf, and every piece of fish became a fish.
14 The twelve went forth and gave to every one; the people ate and they were filled; and all the fragments that were left were gathered up, and there were seven baskets full.
15 And then the people went their ways, and Jesus and the twelve took boats and came to Dalmanatha by the sea.
16 Here they remained for many days, and Jesus told the twelve about the inner light that cannot fail;
17 About the kingdom of the Christ within the soul; about the power of faith; about the secret of the resurrection of the dead; about immortal life, and how the living may go forth and help the dead.
18 And then they went into their boats, and came unto the northern coast of Galilee, and in Chorazin where the kin of Thomas lived, they left their boats and journeyed on.
19 They came to Merom, where the crystal waters seem to catch the images of heaven and to reflect the glory of the Lord of hosts.
20 And here they tarried certain days in silent thought.
21 And then they journeyed on, and came into the land of Cæsarea-Philippi.
22 And as they walked and talked among themselves, the master said, What do the people say about the son of man? who do they think I am?
23 And Matthew said, Some say that you are David come again; some say that you are Enoch, Solomon, or Seth.
24 And Andrew said, I heard a ruler of the synagogue exclaim, This man is Jeremiah, for he speaks like Jeremiah wrote.
25 Nathaniel said, The foreign masters who were with us for a time, declared that Jesus is Gautama come again.
26 James said, I think that most the master Jews believe you are the reappearence of Elijah on the earth.
27 And John spoke out and said, When we were in Jerusalem I heard a seer exclaim, This Jesus is none other than Melchizedek, the king of peace, who lived about two thousand years ago, and said that he would come again.
28 And Thomas said, The Tetrarch Herod thinks that you are John arisen from the dead;
29 But then his conscience troubles him; the spirit of the murdered John looms up before him in his dreams, and haunts him as a specter of the night.
30 And Jesus asked, Who do you think I am?
31 And Peter said, You are the Christ, the love of God made manifest to men.
32 And Jesus said, Thrice blessed are you, Simon, Jonas’ son. You have declared a truth that God has given you.
33 You are a rock, and you shall be a pillar in the temple of the Lord of hosts.
34 And your confession is the cornerstone of faith, a rock of strength, and on this rock the Church of Christ is built.
35 Against it all the powers of hades and of death cannot prevail.
36 Behold, I give to you the keys to open up the doors of safety for the sons of men.
37 The Holy Breath will come upon you and the ten, and in Jerusalem you shall stand before the nations of the earth, and there proclaim the covenant of God with men.
38 And you shall speak the words of Holy Breath, and whatsoever God requires of men as earnest of their faith in Christ, you shall make known.
39 Then turning to the twelve he said, What you have heard this day tell not to any man.