The Apostle Peter.
THEN, after that, as Jesus with
His twelve disciples walked
To Cæsarea Philippi,
And gravely with them talked,
He asked them who the people said
That He, Himself, might be;
They answered John, Elias, and
The prophet Jeremy.
He saith: "But whom say ye am I,
Who long with you have trod?"
Peter exclaimed: "Thou art the Christ,
Son of the living God!"
Then Jesus answered him: "How blest
Simon Bar-jona, thou,
For flesh and blood hath not revealed
What thou, from heaven, dost know.
"And I say also unto thee,
That thou art Peter sure,
And on this rock I'll build my church
From gates of hell secure.
"Keys of authority and truth
Shall unto thee be given;
What thou dost bind or loose on earth
Is bound and loosed in heaven."
From that time forth the Lord began
To tell, and to explain
To His disciples, how He should
Be killed, and rise again.
But Peter said: "Nay, nay, my Lord
This, surely, shall not be;
Such treatment of the Prince of Life—
Were great indignity."
But Jesus turned and said to him:
"Satan, get thee behind,
Thou savorest not the things of God,
But pride of carnal mind."
And then said Jesus to them all:
"Who will my servant be,
Must deny self, take up his cross,
And humbly follow me.
"For whosoe'er will save his life,
Shall lose it in the end;
But he who yields it for my sake,
To life in heaven shall tend.
"For what is a man profited
If he shall gain the whole
Of this world's pompous wealth and power,
Yet lose his own poor soul?"