The Bible Story Part 253

And the scribe said unto him, "Of a truth, Master, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of G.o.d."

And no man after that durst ask him any question.

_How the Lord Jesus Spoke with Those that Loved Him_.

_The Poor Widow_.

And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the mult.i.tude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they which are casting into the treasury: for they all did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want cast in all that she had, even all her living."

"_We Would See Jesus_."

Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to wors.h.i.+p at the feast: these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and said, "Sir, we would see Jesus."

Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus. And Jesus answereth them, saying, "The hour is come, that the Son of man should {244} be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name." There came therefore a voice out of heaven saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

The mult.i.tude therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it had thundered: others said, "An angel hath spoken to him."

Jesus answered and said, "This voice hath not come for my sake, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself."

_The Story of the Faithful Servant_.

Jesus said, "A certain man going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. Straightway he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. In like manner he also who received the two {245} gained other two. But he who received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

"Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. And he who received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, 'Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents.'

"His Lord said unto him, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.'

"And he also who received the two talents came and said, 'Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents.'

"His lord said unto him, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.'

"And he also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter: and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own.'

"But his lord answered and said unto him, 'Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; thou oughtest therefore to have given my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him, {246} and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth.'"

_The Judgment of the King_.

Then said Jesus, "But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.'

"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, 'Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?'

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.'

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"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.'

"Then shall they also answer, saying, 'Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?'

"Then shall he answer them, saying, 'Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me. And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.'"

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V

THE LAST SUPPER

_How the Lord Jesus Showed His Love for His Friends on the Last Night of Their Fellows.h.i.+p_.

(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--WEDNESDAY--THURSDAY.)

(We do not know how Jesus spent Wednesday. Perhaps he did not go to the city, but remained in loving talk with his disciples and friends at Bethany. We do not know what he did on Thursday, until night. Then comes the story of the Last Supper, and the long talk between Jesus and his disciples.)

_Judas Plans to Betray Jesus_.

Now after two days was the feast of the pa.s.sover and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by treachery, and kill him: but they said, "Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people."

And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver him unto them. And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently deliver him unto them.

_The Preparation for the Supper_.

And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the pa.s.sover, his disciples say unto him, "Where {249} wilt thou that we go and make ready that thou mayest eat the pa.s.sover?"

And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, "Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him; and wheresoever he shall enter in, say to the goodman of the house, 'The Master saith, Where is my guest-chamber, where I shall eat the pa.s.sover with my disciples?' And he will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready: and there make ready for us."

And the disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the pa.s.sover.

_The Last Supper_.

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the apostles with him.

And he said unto them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this pa.s.sover with you before I suffer."

And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves: for I say unto you, I will not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of G.o.d shall come."

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me."

And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you."