give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you, then, though evil, give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those that ask him? Do, then, to others whatever you would that they should do to you; for this is the Law and the

Prophets.

Enter you in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow the way, that leads to life, and few there are that find it.

Beware of false teachers, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. You may know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Every good tree brings forth good fruit; and every evil tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, nor can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. So, then, by their fruits you may know them. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit will be cut down, and cast into the fire.

Not every one who says to me, Lord, Lord, will

The Wide and Strait Gates. Nearly every town in Syria and Palestine is surrounded with walls, and entered by gates. The principal ones are wide, two-leaved, plated with iron, closed with locks, and fastened with metal bars. The gateway is vaulted, shady, and cool, and so, is a favorite resort in the heat of the day. Dr. Thomson says, I have seen the strait and narrow ways, 'with here and there a traveller.' They are in retired corners, and must be sought for. They are opened only to those who knock, and when the sun goes down, and the night comes on, are shut and locked."

THE CENTURION'S SERVANT CURED.

III

enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not taught to thy name? and in thy name cast out demons? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Yet shall I then declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye who do iniquity.

Whoever, then, hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken to a wise man, who built a house, and dug deep, and set the foundation on a rock; and the rain descended, and the flood arose, and the winds blew, and beat vehemently on that house; and it fell not; for it was founded on a rock. And whoever hears these words of mine, and does them not, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the flood arose, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was its fall.

And when Jesus had ended this discourse, the people were astonished at his teaching; for he taught as one having authority, and not as the teachers of the Law.*

And when he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him, and he entered Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant, whom he held dear, was sick of the palsy, near to death. And hearing

Centurion. The captain of a hundred men in the Roman army. He was generally from the better class of citizens, and often a man of fortune. Matthew describes the Centurion as coming to Jesus in person, and this he may have done after the elders had preferred their request.

* Matt. vi. viii. 1. Luke vi. 20-49.

of Jesus, he sent to him the elders of the Jews, to beg that he would come and cure his servant. And coming to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy that you should do this for him; for he loves our nation, and it was he who built our synagogue." Jesus answered: "I will come and cure him," and he went with them. But when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, to say, Lord, trouble not yourself; for I am not worthy that you should come under my roof; nor do I myself think worthy to come to you; but only speak a word, and my servant will be cured. For even I, who am a man under command, have soldiers under me, and I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he wondered at him, and turning round, he said to the people that followed, "Truly, I have not found such faith in Israel and I tell you, that many will come from the east and the west, and will recline at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom will be cast forth into the outer darkness, where will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And Jesus said to those who were sent; "Go your way, as he has believed, so be it done to him." And returning they found the servant had been cured in the same hour.* *

Many will come from the East and the West. - This declaration was addressed to Jews who considered it contamination to eat with Gentiles.

* Matt. viii. 5-13. Luke vii. 1-10.

THE RAISING OF THE WIDOW'S SON. 113

And the day after, he went to a town called Nain; and numbers of his disciples and many people went with him. And when he was near the gate of the town, a dead man was borne out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and many people of the town were with her. And when the Lord saw her he took pity on her, and said to her, "Weep not.” And he went up and touched the bier; and the bearers stood still; and he said, "Young man, I say to thee, Rise." And the dead man sat up, and began to speak ; and he gave him to his mother. Then all were struck with awe, and gave glory to God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us; and, “God has visited his people."

And the report of this spread and all the region round about.

through all Judea,

And the disciples

Nain This town was about sixteen miles southwest from Capernaum, and near Mount Tabor, the brook Kishon, running between it and the foot of the mountain. It was once a place of considerable extent, but is now scarcely more than a cluster of ruins, tenanted only by a few Mohammedans. Its only antiquities are tombs, and a rock to the west of the village is full of them. The town is approached by a narrow road which rises abruptly from the plain of Esdraelon, and it was while coming up this way that Jesus met the widow and

her son.

Borne Out. All Jews, but those of the family of David, were buried outside the walls of towns. The bodies of persons above three years of age, were borne out on beds or biers, and long processions followed; the women leading the way and chanting a mournful dirge, and the rest lamenting and beating their breasts. So great respect was shown to the dead, that when one of even the common people was buried, all work was suspended.

Luke vii: II-17.

we

of John told him, while he was in prison, of all these things, and he sent two of them to Jesus to ask, "Art thou he who was to come? or must look for another?" And the men came to Jesus and said, "John, the Baptist, has sent us to you, to ask, Art thou he who was to come? or must we look for another?" Jesus immediately cured many of diseases and plagues, and of evil spirits; and gave sight to many who were blind, and then he answered, "Go, and tell John what you have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor hear the glad tidings of the kingdom of heaven, and that happy is he, who shall not be offended with me.”

And when the messengers of John had departed, he said to the people concerning John, "What went you out to the desert to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Nay, then what went you out to see? A man clothed in fine raiment? Lo! those who wear fine raiment, and live in luxury are in kings' houses. But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet; for this is he, of whom it is written, 'Lo! I send my messenger before thy face, to prepare the way before thee.' Among those that are born of women a greater has not risen than John the Baptist; and yet the humblest in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist, until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until the time of John; and, if you will receive it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.