An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists Part 16

3 I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

6 He spake also this parable: A certain _man_ had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why c.u.mbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung _it_: 9 And if it bear fruit, _well_: and if not, _then_ after that thou shalt cut it down.

-- 54. The parable of the sower. _Lake of Galilee. Near Capernaum_?

Matthew. Mark.

CH. XIII. 1-23. CH. IV. 1-25.

The same day went Jesus out of And he began again to teach by the house, and sat by the the sea-side: and there was sea-side. gathered unto him a great mult.i.tude, so that he entered into a s.h.i.+p, and sat in the sea; and the whole mult.i.tude was by the sea, on the land.

2 And great mult.i.tudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a s.h.i.+p, and sat; and the whole mult.i.tude stood on the sh.o.r.e.

3 And he spake many things 2 And he taught them many unto them in parables, saying, things by parables, and said Behold, a sower went forth to unto them in his doctrine, sow; 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow.

4 And when he sowed, some 4 And it came to pa.s.s as he _seeds_ fell by the way-side, sowed, some fell by the and the fowls came and way-side, and the fowls of the devoured them up: air came and devoured it up.

5 Some fell upon stony places 5 And some fell on stony where they had not much earth: ground, where it had not much and forthwith they sprung up, earth; and immediately it because they had no deepness sprang up, because it had no of earth: depth of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, 6 But when the sun was up it they were scorched; and was scorched; and because it because they had no root, they had no root, it withered away.

withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up, and and the thorns grew up, and choked them: choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

8 But other fell into good 8 And other fell on good ground, and brought forth ground, and did yield fruit fruit, some a hundred-fold, that sprang up, and increased, some sixty-fold, some and brought forth, some thirty-fold. thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let 9 And he said unto them, He him hear. that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And the disciples came, and 10 And when he was alone, they said unto him, Why speakest that were about him, with the thou unto them in parables? twelve, asked of him the parable.

11 He answered and said unto 11 And he said unto them, Unto them, Because it is given unto you it is given to know the you to know the mysteries of mystery of the kingdom of G.o.d: the kingdom of heaven, but to but unto them that are them it is not given. without, all _these_ things are done in parables: 12 For whosoever hath, to him 12 That seeing they may see, shall be given, and he shall and not perceive; and hearing have more abundance: but they may hear, and not whosoever hath not, from him understand; lest at any time shall be taken away even that they should be converted, and he hath. _their_ sins should be forgiven them.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias,(160) which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and _their_ ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should _see_ with _their_ eyes, and hear with _their_ ears, and should understand with _their_ heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But _blessed are_ your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For, verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous _men_ have desired to see _those things_ which ye see, and have not seen _them_; and to hear _those things_ which ye hear, and have not heard _them_.

18 Hear ye therefore the 13 And he said unto them, Know parable of the sower. ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

19 When any one heareth the 14 The sower soweth the word.

word of the kingdom, and understandeth _it_ not, then cometh the wicked _one_, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way-side.

15 And these are they by the way-side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

20 But he that received the 16 And these are they likewise seed into stony places, the which are sown on stony same is he that heareth the ground; who, when they have word, and anon with joy heard the word, immediately receiveth it; receive it with gladness; 21 Yet hath he not root in 17 And have no root in himself, but dureth for a themselves, and so endure but while: for when tribulation or for a time: afterward, when persecution ariseth because of affliction or persecution the word, by and by he is ariseth for the word's sake, offended. immediately they are offended.

22 He also that received seed 18 and these are they which among the thorns is he that are sown among thorns; such as heareth the word; and the care hear the word, of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the l.u.s.ts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed 20 And these are they which into the good ground is he are sown on good ground; such that heareth the word, and as hear the word, and receive understandeth _it_; which also it, and bring forth fruit, beareth fruit, and bringeth some thirty-fold, some sixty, forth, some a hundred-fold, and some a hundred.

some sixty, some thirty.

21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

Luke.

CH. VIII. 4-18.

4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundred-fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of G.o.d: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of G.o.d.

12 Those by the way-side, are they that hear: then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

13 They on the rock _are they_, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in times of temptation fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns, are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of _this_ life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

15 But that on the good ground are they, which, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep _it_, and bring forth fruit with patience.

16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth _it_ under a bed; but setteth _it_ on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither _anything_ hid, that shall not be known, and come abroad.

18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given: and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

-- 55. Parable of the tares. Other parables. _Near Capernaum_?

Matthew. Mark.

CH. XIII. 24-53. CH. IV. 26-34.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy 26 And he said, So is the hath done this. The servant kingdom of G.o.d, as if a man said unto him, Wilt thou then should cast seed into the that we go and gather them up? ground; 29 But he said, Nay; lest 27 And should sleep, and rise while ye gather up the tares, night and day, and the seed ye root up also the wheat with should spring and grow up, he them. knoweth not how.

30 Let both grow together 28 For the earth bringeth until the harvest: and in the forth fruit of herself; first time of harvest I will say to the blade, then the ear, after the reapers, Gather ye that the full corn in the ear.

together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

31 Another parable put he 30 And he said, Whereunto forth unto them, saying, The shall we liken the kingdom of kingdom of heaven is like to a G.o.d? or with what comparison grain of mustard-seed, which a shall we compare it?

man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least 31 It _is_ like a grain of of all seeds: but when it is mustard-seed, which when it is grown, it is the greatest sown in the earth, in less among herbs, and becometh a than all the seeds that be in tree, so that the birds of the the earth: air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33 Another parable spake he 32 But when it is sown, it unto them; The kingdom of groweth up, and becometh heaven is like unto leaven, greater than all herbs, and which a woman took, and hid in shooteth out great branches; three measures of meal, till so that the fowls of the air the whole was leavened. may lodge under the shadow of it.

34 All these things spake 33 And with many such parables Jesus unto the mult.i.tude in spake he the word unto them, parables; and without a as they were able to hear parable spake he not unto _it_.

them: 35 That it might be fulfilled 34 But without a parable spake which was spoken by the he not unto them: and when prophet,(161) saying, I will they were alone, he expounded open my mouth in parables; I all things to his disciples.

will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then Jesus sent the mult.i.tude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked _one_; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous s.h.i.+ne forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to sh.o.r.e, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth.

51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe _which is_ instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man _that is_ a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure _things_ new and old.

53 And it came to pa.s.s, _that_ when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

-- 56. Jesus directs to cross the lake. Incidents. The tempest stilled.

_Lake of Galilee_.