The Story of the Dishonest Steward.
"There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting{205}his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, 'What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward.' And the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' And calling to him each one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first, 'How much owest thou unto my lord?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said unto him, 'Take thy account and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then said he to another, 'And how much owest thou?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He saith unto him, 'Take thy account, and write fourscore.' And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal habitations. He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
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And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him. And he said unto them, "Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God."
The Story of the Rich Man and the Poor Man.
"Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.'
"But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedest thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they who would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us.'
"And he said, 'I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house; for I have five{207}brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
"But Abraham saith, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
"And he said, 'Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.'
"And he said unto him, 'If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead.'"
The Story of the Men Who Made Excuses.
And it came to pass, at another time, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him.
And he said unto those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats, "When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, 'Give this man place'; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, 'Friend, go up higher': then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all who are at the feast with thee. For everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
And he said to him also that had bidden him, "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor{208}thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just."
And when one of those who sat at the feast with him heard these things, he said unto him, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." But he said unto him, "A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many: and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, 'Come; for all things are now ready.' And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, 'I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it: I pray thee have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'
"And the servant came and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.' And the lord said unto the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men who were bidden shall taste of my supper.'"
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CHRIST AND THE RICH RULERBy Heinrich Hofmann (1824- )
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XITHE RICH YOUNG MAN.How the Lord Jesus Spoke of the Evil of Pride, and of the Dangers of the Love of Riches.
And as he was going forth, there ran one to him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
And Jesus said unto him, "Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy father and mother."
And he said unto him, "Master, all these things have I observed from my youth." And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said unto him, "One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me." But his countenance fell at the saying, and he went away sorrowful: for he was one that had great possessions.
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, "With what difficulty shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"
And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the{212}kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
And they were astonished exceedingly, saying unto him, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looking upon them saith, "With men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God."
And one of the multitude said unto him, "Master, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me."
But he said unto him, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?" And he said unto them, "Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
The Story of the Foolish Rich Man.
Jesus said, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he reasoned within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my harvests?' And he said, 'This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my corn and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said unto him, 'Thou fool, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?'
"So is he that layeth up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God."
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Map of Palestine showing Jesus' last Journey.by E. R. Hooker
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XIITHE RAISING OF LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD.How the Lord Jesus Showed His Love for His Friends.
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister Martha. The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick."
But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby."
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When therefore he heard that he was sick, he abode yet two days in the place where he was. Then after this he saith to the disciples, "Let us go into Judaea again."
The disciples saith unto him, "Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?"
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him."
These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them, "Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
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The disciples therefore said unto him, "Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he will recover."
Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.
Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him."
Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his fellow-disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
So when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house. Martha therefore said unto Jesus, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee."
Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha saith unto him, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
She saith unto him, "Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world."
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BETHANY.
The ruins to the right are the traditional house of Mary and Martha From a photograph belonging to Miss Julia W. Snow, and used by her kind permission.
The little town of Bethany, nestling among the hills, was one of the favorite resting places of Jesus. Here he would come when weary of the world and his incessant struggle against evil, and seek the peace and quiet of the home of his friends.
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And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, "The Master is here, and calleth thee."
And she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him.
(Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met him.)
The Jews then which were with her in the house, and were comforting her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, "Where have ye laid him?" They say unto him, "Lord, come and see."
Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said, "Behold how he loved him!"
But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die?"
Jesus therefore again groaning cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus saith, "Take ye away the stone."
Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, "Lord, by this time it will be offensive: for he hath been dead four days."
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Jesus saith unto her, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, "Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the multitude which standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me."
And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth."
He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, "Loose him, and let him go."
Many therefore of the Jews, which came to Mary and beheld that which he did, believed on him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done.
The rulers of the Jews then began to plot to kill Jesus. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there he tarried with the disciples.
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XIIIZACCHAEUS THE PUBLICAN.How the Lord Jesus, Still Doing Loving Deeds, Began the Journey Which Was to Lead to the Cross.
After some weeks of retirement, Jesus again went to Jerusalem. On the way, he and his disciples came to Jericho: and as he went out from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the wayside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me."
And many rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out the more a great deal, "Thou son of David, have mercy on me."
And Jesus stood still, and said, "Call ye him."
And they called the blind man, saying unto him, "Be of good cheer: rise, he calleth thee."
And he sprang up, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered him, and said, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" And the blind man said unto him, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."
And Jesus said unto him, "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole." And straightway he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
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And he entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; who was a chief publican, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature. And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, "Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house."
And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, "He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner."
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold."
And Jesus said unto him, "To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost."
(This is the close of Jesus' ministry outside Jerusalem. After this he and his disciples continued their journey to the city. The enemies of Jesus were plotting against him, and the storm of their hatred was about to break. Nevertheless, fully conscious of what his fate must be, the hero of humanity took up the journey to the cross.)
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'Tis midnight,--and on Olive's brow,The star is dimmed that lately shone;'Tis midnight--In the garden nowThe suffering Saviour prays alone.'Tis midnight,--and, from all removed,Immanuel wrestles, lone with fears;E'en the disciple that He lovedHeeds not his Master's grief and tears.'Tis midnight,--and for others' guiltThe Man of sorrows weeps in blood;Yet He, who hath in anguish knelt,Is not forsaken by his God.'Tis midnight,--and, from ether-plains,Is borne the song that angels know;Unheard by mortals are the strainsThat sweetly soothe the Saviour's woe.
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Ride on! ride on in majesty!In lowly pomp ride on to die.O Christ, Thy triumphs now beginO'er captive death and conquered sin.Ride on! ride on in majesty!The winged squadrons of the skyLook down with sad and wondering eyesTo see the approaching sacrifice.Ride on! ride on in majesty!The last and fiercest strife is nigh:The Father on His sapphire throneExpects His own anointed Son.Ride on! ride on in majesty!In lowly pomp ride on to die;Bow Thy meek head to mortal pain;Then take, O God, Thy power, and reign.
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There is a green hill far away,Without a city wall,Where the dear Lord was crucifiedWho died to save us all.We may not know, we cannot tellWhat pains He had to bear;But we believe it was for usHe hung and suffered there.He died that we might be forgiven,He died to make us good,That we might go at last to Heaven,Saved by His precious blood.There was no other good enoughTo pay the price of sin;He only could unlock the gateOf Heaven, and let us in.O, dearly, dearly has He loved,And we must love Him, too,And trust in His redeeming blood,And try His works to do.
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Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious,See the "Man of Sorrows" now;From the fight returned victorious,Every knee to Him shall bow:Crown Him, crown Him;Crowns become the Victor's brow.Crown the Saviour, angels, crown Him:Rich the trophies Jesus brings:In the seat of power enthrone Him,While the vault of Heaven rings:Crown Him, crown Him;Crown the Saviour "King of kings."Sinners in derision crowned Him,Mocking thus the Saviour's claim;Saints and angels crowd around Him,Own His title, praise His Name:Crown Him, crown Him;Spread abroad the Victor's fame.Hark, those bursts of acclamation!Hark, those loud triumphant chords!Jesus takes the highest station:O what joy the sight affords!Crown Him, crown Him;"King of kings, and Lord of lords."
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How the Lord Jesus spent His last days in Jerusalem,how He loved His friends unto the end, how Hefell into the hands of His enemies,and how he crowned a lifeof service with aheroic death.
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PERSONS OF THE STORY.The LORD JESUS.The Disciples.Lazarus.Mary.Martha.Judas.Annas.Caiaphas.Herod.Pilate, the Roman Governor.Joseph of Arimathaea.The people of Jerusalem, Pharisees, priests, soldiers, the two thieves.Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene and other women.PLACES OF THE STORY.Jerusalem.Bethany.An upper chamber in the city.Gethsemane.Palace of the high priest.The Hall of Judgment.Pilate's palace.The palace of Herod.Pilate's Judgment Hall.Calvary.
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ITHE SUPPER AT BETHANYHow the Lord Jesus Was Bid to a Feast of Loving Tribute.
The passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves. They sought therefore for Jesus, and spoke one with another, as they stood in the temple, "What think ye? That he will not come to the feast?"
Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that, if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take him.
Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; and Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who was about to betray him, saith, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?"
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But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying. And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."
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THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY OF JESUS INTO JERUSALEM.
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IITHE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.How the Lord Jesus Rode for Once in Triumph.(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--SUNDAY.)
The next morning he went to Jerusalem, and when he drew near Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go your way into the village over against you; in which as ye enter ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat: loose him, and bring him. And if any one ask you, 'Why do ye loose him?' thus shall ye say, 'The Lord hath need of him.'"
And they that were sent went away, and found even as he had said unto them. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, "Why loose ye the colt?"
And they said, "The Lord hath need of him."
And they brought him to Jesus: and they threw their garments upon the colt, and set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their garments in the way. And as he was now drawing nigh, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice{234}and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen; saying,--
"Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord:peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!"
And some of the Pharisees from the multitude said unto him, "Master, rebuke thy disciples."
And he answered and said, "I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out."
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall besiege thee, and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."
And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and lodged in the Mount of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.
But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him: and they could not find what they might do; for the people all hung upon him, listening.
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JESUS AND THE MONEY-CHANGERS.By Heinrich Hofmann
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IIIIN THE TEMPLE.How the Lord Jesus Drove the Money Changers from the House of God.(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--MONDAY.)
On Monday, Jesus came into the city, and taught, but we know little of what he said on this day. Perhaps it was on this day that the following incident occurred, by which he taught that God's house should be pure:--
And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; and he saith unto them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer: but ye make it a den of robbers.'"
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple: and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David"; they were moved with indignation, and said unto him, "Hearest thou what these are saying?"
And Jesus saith unto them, "Yea: did ye never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise'?"
And he left them, and went forth out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there.
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IVLAST DAYS IN JERUSALEMHow the Lord Jesus Spoke with Those that Hated Him.(THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION--TUESDAY.)
And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders; and they spoke, saying unto him, "Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?"
And he answered and said unto them, "I also will ask you a question; and tell me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?"
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we shall say, 'From heaven'; he will say, 'Why did ye not believe him?' But if we shall say, 'From men'; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."
And they answered that they knew not whence it was.
And Jesus said unto them, "Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." And he told them--
The Story of the Wicked Husbandmen.
Jesus said, "A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long{239}time. And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And he sent yet another servant: and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And he sent yet a third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth. And the lord of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him.'
"But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, 'This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' And they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others."
And when they heard it they said, "God forbid." But he looked upon them, and said, "What then is this that is written,--
'The stone which the builders rejected,The same was made the head of the corner'?
"Everyone that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust."
And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour; and they feared the people: for they saw that he spoke this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which pretended to be righteous, that they might take hold of his{240}speech, so as to deliver him up to the authority of the governor.
The Question About Tribute.
And they asked him, saying, "Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person of any, but of a truth teachest the way of God: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?"
But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, "Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it?"
And they said, "Caesar's."
And he said unto them, "Then render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they marveled at his answer, and held their peace.
The Greatest of All Commandments.
And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "What commandment is the first of all?"
Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.' The second is this, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' There is none other commandment greater than these."
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ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether, and used by her kind permission
This view is near the top of the mountain on the road which winds over it towards Bethany.
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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 God."
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 multitude 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 worship 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 multitude 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 gnashing of teeth.'"