The Gospel Part 9

After He went into the house, His disciples asked Him about the parable. Jesus replied, Are ye without understanding also? Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without enters into the man it cannot defile him because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? But that which comes out of the man is what defiles him. It is from inside, out of the heart of men, that proceed: evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man.

From there He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and would have no man know it. But He could not be hid for a certain woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit had heard of Him. She found Him and came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought Him to cast forth the devil from her daughter.

But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be filled. It is not fit to take the child's bread and cast it to the dogs. She answered, Yes, Lord. Yet the dogs under the table eat the child's crumbs. Jesus then said to her, For saying this, go thy way. The devil is gone from thy daughter. When she returned home she found her daughter at rest upon the bed and the devils cast out.

Upon leaving the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came to the sea of Galilee through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. Here they brought a man that was deaf and had a speech impediment. They besought Him to put His hand upon him. Jesus took the man apart from the mult.i.tude and put His fingers into the man's ears. Looking up to heaven, He sighed and said, Ephphatha, Be opened.

Immediately the man's ears were opened. His tongue was loosed and he spoke plain. Then Jesus charged those present to tell no man. However, the more He charged them, the more they published it saying, He has done all things well. He makes the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

8 Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, I have compa.s.sion on the mult.i.tude because they have been with me three days and they have nothing to eat. If I send them away to their own houses fasting, they will faint by the way. Many of them came from afar. His disciples answered Him, How can these men be supplied with bread here in the wilderness? Jesus asked them, How many loaves have ye? They answered, Seven.

Then Jesus told the people to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He broke the loaves and gave them to His disciples. Then His disciples set them before the people. They also had a few small fish which Jesus blessed and told the disciples to set them also before the people. So they did eat and were filled. After this the disciples took up the broken fragments and filled seven baskets. The number of those who had eaten was about four thousand.

After Jesus sent the mult.i.tude on their way, He immediately got into a boat with His disciples and came into Dalmanutha. Here the Pharisees came forth and began to question Him, seeking of Him a sign from heaven, and testing Him. To this Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and said, Why does this generation seek after a sign? Verily I say to you, There shall be no sign given to this generation. Then He left them and departed again by boat to the other side.

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread. They had no more than one loaf in the boat with them. Jesus uttered, Take heed. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. The disciples reasoned among themselves and said, It is because we have no bread.

When Jesus realized their misunderstanding, He said to them, Why reason ye because ye have no bread? Perceive ye not or understand? Have ye still hardened hearts? Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? And do ye not remember when I broke the five loaves among five thousand and how many baskets full of fragments ye took up? And do ye not remember the seven loaves among four thousand and how many baskets full of fragments ye took up? After they recalled the numbers and told Him, Jesus said, Then how can it be that ye do not understand?

At Bethsaida some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and besought Him to touch the man. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. When He had spit on the man's eyes and put His hands upon him, Jesus asked the man if he saw anything. The man looked up and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that Jesus put His hands again upon his eyes then made him look up. Now he was restored and saw every man clearly. Jesus sent him away to his house saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

Jesus and His disciples went out into the towns of Caesarea Philippi.

Along the way He asked His disciples, Who do men say that I am? They answered, Some say John the Baptist, but some say Elias, and others say one of the prophets. Then Jesus said to them, But who do you say that I am? Peter answered, Thou art the Christ. Jesus charged them to tell no man of Him. Then He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things; that He must be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and scribes; and that He must be killed and, after three days, rise again.

Jesus said all this very openly to His disciples. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But Jesus turned around, looked at His disciples, and rebuked Peter saying, Get behind me, Satan. Thou savor not the things of G.o.d, but the things of men.

Now, along with His disciples, He called the people to Him also and said, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it. Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; the Son of man shall be ashamed of him also when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

Verily I say to you, There are some who stand here who shall not taste of death until they have seen the kingdom of G.o.d come into power.

9 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into a high mountain and there He was transfigured before them. His raiment became s.h.i.+ning and, exceeding the white of snow, such as nothing on earth could be more white. And there appeared Elias and Moses. They were talking with Jesus. Peter said, Master, it is good for us to be here.

Let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Peter did not know what else to say because they were afraid. But, quickly, a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved Son. Hear Him.

Then, suddenly, when they looked around, they saw only Jesus. Coming down from the mountain Jesus instructed them to tell no man what things they had seen until the Son of man had risen from the dead.

Among themselves they questioned eachother about what the rising from the dead could mean. Then they asked Him if it was not so what the scribes said that Elias must come first?

Jesus answered them, Verily, Elias comes first and restores all things.

And it is also written that the Son of man must suffer many things and be set at nought. However, I say to you, Elias is indeed come and they have done to him exactly what was written.

As He approached the disciples, He saw a great mult.i.tude gathered about them. And He saw that there were scribes questioning them. Then, when they beheld Him, all the people were greatly amazed and immediately ran to salute Him.

Jesus asked the scribes, Why question them? And one of the mult.i.tude answered, Master, I have brought my son who has a dumb spirit. Wherever he takes him he tears him. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and wastes away. I spoke to thy disciples and they could not cast him out. Jesus stepped forward and cried, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him to me.

As soon as Jesus looked at him, the spirit immediately tore forth. The boy fell on the ground wallowing in foam. Jesus asked the father when this came upon the son. The man answered, As a child. Often it has cast him into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if thou can do anything, have compa.s.sion on us and help us.

Jesus said to the man, If thou can believe, all things are possible to him that believes. Immediately, with tears flowing, the father of the child cried out, Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief.

Then Jesus rebuked the foul spirit and said, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him. Enter into him no more. The spirit cried, lashed out, and then came out of him. The boy lay so still that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, lifted him up and he arose. After Jesus went inside, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast him out? He said to them, This kind can only come forth by prayer and fasting.

Then they departed and pa.s.sed through Galilee without notice for He taught His disciples and said, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men. They shall kill Him. After He is killed, He shall arise on the third day.

They did not understand these words but were afraid to ask Him. Once they got safely inside the house at Capernaum, Jesus asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves along the way?

They were silent because, on the way back, they had disputed who among themselves should be the greatest. Jesus then sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all and servant of all. Then He took a child and set him in the midst of them. As He took the child in His arms, He said to them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me.

And whosoever shall receive me, receives not me, but Him that sent me.

Then John said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, but he does not follow us so we forbad him because he does not follow us.

But Jesus said, Forbid him not. There is no man who shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. He that is not against us is on our part. Whosoever shall give to drink a cup of water in my name, because ye belong to Christ, shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

If thy hand offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed than to have two hands and go into h.e.l.l where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter halt into life than to have two feet to be cast into h.e.l.l where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of G.o.d with one eye than to have two eyes to be cast into h.e.l.l fire. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good. But if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

10 From there Jesus went into the coasts of Judaea by way of the far side of Jordan. He was met by a large crowd who wanted to hear Him speak and He taught them again.

The Pharisees came to Him, and, testing Him, asked, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? In return, Jesus asked, What did Moses command you?

They said, Moses suffered the writing of a bill of divorcement to put her away. Jesus answered, Moses wrote this precept on account of the hardness of your heart. But, from the beginning of the creation, G.o.d made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife. The two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh. What, therefore, G.o.d has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Later, in the house, His disciples asked Him again about this matter.

He said, Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another commits adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another she commits adultery.

The people brought young children that He should touch them but His disciples rebuked the people who brought them. Jesus was greatly displeased and said to the disciples, Suffer the little children to come to me. Forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of G.o.d.

Verily I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of G.o.d as a little child, shall not enter in. Jesus took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.

Along the road, a young man ran up to Jesus, knelt before Him and asked, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said, Why call me good? There is none good but one, that is, G.o.d. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and mother.

The young man replied, Master, all these I have observed from my youth.

Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him and said to him, You lack one thing: Go and sell whatever thou has and give the proceeds to the poor.

Thou shall have treasure in heaven. Then come, take up the cross, and follow me. Upon hearing this the young man was sad and went away grieving because he had many possessions.

Then Jesus turned to His disciples and said, How hard it shall be for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of G.o.d! The disciples were astonished at His words. Jesus said to them, Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of G.o.d! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of G.o.d.

The disciples were astonished beyond measure, saying among themselves, Who, then, can be saved? Jesus, looking upon them, said, With men it is impossible, but not with G.o.d. With G.o.d all things are possible.

Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. Jesus answered, Anyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, shall receive a hundredfold now and in eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

Jesus led them to Jerusalem and, along the way, began to tell them the things that would happen to Him. He said, In Jerusalem the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles. They will mock Him and scourge Him. They will spit on Him. And they will kill him. On the third day He shall rise again.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him and said, Master, we have a desire to tell you about. Jesus said to them, What should I do for you? They said, Grant that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. Jesus answered, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? Can ye be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said to Him, We can.

Jesus said, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of. Ye shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give. It shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

When the other ten disciples heard this, they became greatly displeased with James and John. Jesus called them and said, Ye know that those who are appointed to rule over the Gentiles exercise lords.h.i.+p over them and their great ones heavily influence them. But it shall not be like this among you. Whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister.

Whosoever will be your master shall be servant to all. Even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give His life as a ransom for many.