Walks and Words of Jesus Part 30

CHAPTER LXVI.

JESUS FOREWARNS HIS DISCIPLES.

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth G.o.d service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believed not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, _that_ shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew _it_ unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew _it_ unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

Then said _some_ of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me; and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We cannot tell what he saith.

Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them,

Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give _it_ you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs; but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from G.o.d. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

His disciples saith unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from G.o.d. Jesus answered them,

Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

CHAPTER LXVII.

JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS DISCIPLES--FORETELLS PETER'S DENIAL.

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said,

Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true G.o.d, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me: and they have received _them_, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we _are_.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them my word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, _art_ in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them: that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare _it_: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Gorge of the Kidron.]

When Jesus had spoken these words, and when they had sung an hymn, he came out, and went as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him, over the brook Cedron. Then saith Jesus unto them,

All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all _men_ shall be offended because of thee, _yet_ will I never be offended. And Jesus saith unto him,

Verily I say unto thee, That this day, _even_ in this night, before the c.o.c.k crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said all the disciples.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

THE AGONY OF JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, where was a garden, into the which he entered and his disciples. And when he was at the place, he said unto them,

Pray that ye enter not into temptation. Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them,

My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And he went a little farther, and kneeled down, and fell on his face on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pa.s.s from him. And he said,

Abba, Father, all things _are_ possible unto thee: O my Father, if it be possible, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter,

Simon, sleepest thou? What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed _is_ willing, but the flesh _is_ weak.

He went away the second time, and prayed, and spake the same words: saying,

O my Father, if this cup may not pa.s.s away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.