An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists Part 15

19 Then came to him _his_ mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

20 And it was told him _by certain_, which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of G.o.d, and do it.

-- 51. At a Pharisee's table, Jesus denounces woes against the Pharisees and others. _Galilee_.

Luke.

CH. XI. 37-54 37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in and sat down to meat.

38 And when the Pharisee saw _it_, he marvelled that he had not first washed(157) before dinner.

39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within also?

41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and behold, all things are clean unto you.

42 But wo unto you, Pharisees!

for ye t.i.the mint, and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pa.s.s over judgment and the love of G.o.d: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

43 Wo unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

44 Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over _them_ are not aware _of them_.

45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying, thou reproachest us also.

46 And he said, Wo unto you also, _ye_ lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

47 Wo unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48 Truly ye bear witness, that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.

49 Therefore also said the wisdom of G.o.d, I will send them prophets and apostles, and _some_ of them they shall slay and persecute: 50. That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51 From the blood of Abel(158) unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily, I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

52 Wo unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge _him_ vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things; 54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

-- 52. Jesus discourses to his disciples and the mult.i.tude. _Galilee._

Luke.

CH. XII. 1-59.

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable mult.i.tude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

3 Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops.

4 And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do.

5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; Fear him, which, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into h.e.l.l; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before G.o.d?

7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of G.o.d.

9 But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the angels of G.o.d.

10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.

11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and _unto magistrates_, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you?

15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, _and_ be merry.

20 But G.o.d said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So _is_ he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward G.o.d.

22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, and the body _is more_ than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap: which neither have store-house, nor barn; and G.o.d feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then G.o.d so clothe the gra.s.s, which is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more _will he clothe_ you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of G.o.d, and all these things shall be added unto you.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

35 Let your loins be girded about, and _your_ lights burning; 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed _are_ those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find _them_ so, blessed are those servants.

39 And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give _them their_ portion of meat in due season?

43 Blessed _is_ that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth I say unto you, That he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the men-servants, and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for _him_, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47 And that servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not _himself_, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many _stripes_.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few _stripes_. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

49 I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled?

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west,(159) straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

55 And when _ye see_ the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pa.s.s.

56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it, that ye do not discern this time?

57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, _as thou art_ in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

-- 53. The slaughter of certain Galileans. Parable of the barren fig-tree.

_Galilee_.

Luke.

CH. XIII. 1-9.

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2 And Jesus answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?