Lu. 11. 29. ch. 16. 4. Jon. 1. 17. Jon. 3. 5. 1 Ki. 10. 1. 2 Chr. 9. 1. Lu. 11. 24. 2 Pet. 2. 20. Heb. 6. 4. & 10.26. Mar. 3. 31. Lu. 8. 19. 37 on the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be ac- unto them: An evil and adulterous race demandeth a sign; but no sign shall be given them, save the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the great fish, the Son of Man will be three days and three nights 41 in the bosom of the earth. The Ninevites will stand up in the judgment against this race, and cause it to be condemned, because they repented when they were warned by Jonah; and 42 behold here something greater than Jonah. The queen of the south country* will arise in the judgment against this race, and cause it to be condemned; because she came from the extremities of the earth to hear the wise discourses of Solomon; and behold here something greater than Solomon. 43 An unclean spirit when he is gone out of a man, wandereth 44 over parched deserts in search of a resting place: And not finding any, he said, 'I will return to my house whence I came ;' and being come, he findeth it empty swept, and furnished. 45 Whereupon he goeth, and bringeth with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and having entered they dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first thus will it also fare with this evil race. 46 While he discoursed to the people, his mother and brothers 47 were without desiring to speak with him. And one said to him: Thy mother and thy brothers are without desiring to speak 48 with thee. He answering, said to him that told him: Who is 49 my mother? and who are my brothers? Then stretching out his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and 50 my brothers. For whosoever doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, is my brother, and sister, and mother. Mar. 4. 1. XIII. Mar. 4. 3. The same day, Jesus, having gone out of the house, sat 2 by the sea-side; but so great a multitude flocked about him, that he went into a bark, and sat down there, while all the peo3 ple stood on the shore. Then he discoursed to them of many 4 things in parables. The sower, said he, went out to sow; and in sowing some seeds fell by the way-side, and the birds came and picked them 5 up. Some fell on rocky ground, where they had little earth: In the Old Testament, Sheba. 6 these sprang up the sooner, because the soil had no depth; but after the sun had beaten upon them, they were scorched, and 7 having no root, withered away. Some fell among thorns, and 8 the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell into good Lu. 8. 9. 9 ch.25.29. Lu. 8. 18. Isa. 6.9. ground, and yielded increase; some a hundred, some sixty, and 9 some thirty fold. Whoever hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 Then the disciples accosted him, saying: Why speakest thou Mar. 4. 10. 11 to them in parables? He answering, said unto them: because it is your privilege, and not theirs to know the secrets of the 12 reign of heaven. For to him that hath, more shall be given, and he shall abound; but from him that hath not, even that Mar. 4. 25. 13 which he hath shall be taken. For this reason I speak to them 14 in parables: because they seeing, see not: and hearing, hear Mar. 4. 12. not, nor regard; insomuch that this prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled Lu.8. 10. in them, "Ye may indeed listen, but will not understand: ye Acts 28. 25. 15 may look, but will not perceive. For this people's understanding is stupified, their ears are deafened, and their eyes they have closed; lest seeing with their eyes, hearing with their ears, and apprehending with their understanding, they should repent, and 16 I should reclaim them." But blessed are your eyes, because Lu. 10. 23. 17 they see, and your ears, because they hear. For verily I say 18 Jo. 12. 39. Ro. 11. 8. unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, but have not seen them; and to hear the things which ye hear, but have not heard them. Understand ye therefore, the parable of the sower. When Mar. 4. 14. 19 one heareth the doctrine of the reign, but mindeth it not, the Lu.8. 11. evil one cometh, and snatcheth away that which was sown in 20 his heart. This explaineth what fell by the way side. That which fell on rocky ground, denoteth him who hearing the word, 21 receiveth it at first with pleasure; yet not having it rooted in his mind, retaineth it but a while; for when trouble and persecution cometh, because of the word, instantly he relapseth. 22 That which fell among thorns, denoteth that bearer in whom worldly cares and deceitful riches stifle the word, and render it 23 unfruitful. But that which fell into good soil, and bore fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty fold, denoteth him who not only heareth and mindeth, but obeyeth the word. 24 Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a field in which the proprietor 25 had sown good grain: but while people were asleep, his enemy 26 came and sowed darnel among the wheat, and went off. When the blade was up, and putting forth the ear, then appeared also 27 the darnel. And the servants came and said to their master, Sir, thou sowedst good grain in the field; whence, then, 28 hath it darnel?' He answered, An enemy hath done this.' 29 They said, Wilt thou then, that we weed them out?' He re Mar. 4. 31. Lu. 13: 21. Ps. 78. 2. Dan. 12: 3. plied, 'No; lest in weeding out the darnel, ye tear up also the 30 wheat. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather the darnel, and make them into bundles for burning; then carry the wheat into my barn.' 31 Another similitude he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man set 32 in his field; for though it is the smallest of all seeds, it is, when grown, larger than any herb, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air take shelter in its branches. 33 Another similitude he gave them: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman mingled in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened. 34 All these similitudes Jesus spoke to the people; for he 35 taught them only by similitudes; herein verifying the words of the prophet: "I will discourse in parables; I will utter things whereof all antiquity hath been silent." 36 Then Jesus leaving the multitude, retired to the house, where his disciples accosted him, saying: Explain to us the 37 parable of the darnel in the field. Jesus answering, said unto 38 them: He who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world: the good seed are the sons of the kingdom; 39 and the darnel are the sons of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil: the harvest is the conclusion of this 40 state; and the reapers are the angels. As, therefore, the dar nel is gathered and burnt, so shall it be at the conclusion of this 41 state. The Son of Man will send his angels, who shall gather 42 out of his kingdom all seducers and iniquitous persons, and throw them into the burning furnace: weeping and gnashing of 43 teeth shall be there. Then shall the righteous shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever hath ears to hear, let him hear. 44 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hid in a field, which, when a man hath discovered, he concealeth the discovery, and for joy thereof selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a pearl extremely pre46 cious, which a merchant, who was in quest of fine pearls, having met with, sold all that he had and purchased it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a sweep-net cast into 48 the sea, which encloseth fishes of every kind. When it is full, they draw it ashore, and gather the good into vessels, but throw 49 the useless away. So shall it be at the conclusion of this state. The angels will come and sever the wicked from among the 50 righteous, and throw them into the burning furnace: weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be there. 51 Jesus said: Do ye understand all these things? They an52 swered: Yes, Master. He added: Every scribe, therefore, instructed for the reign of heaven, is like a householder who 53 bringeth out of his storehouse new things and old. And after he had finished these similitudes, he departed thence. 54 SECTION VIII.-THE PEOPLE TWICE FED IN THE DESERT. Lu. 4. 16. JESUS being come into his own country, taught the inha- Mar. 6.1. bitants in their synagogue: and they said with astonishment: Jo. 6; 42. Whence hath this man this wisdom and this power of working 55 miracles? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And do not his brothers, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas, and all his sisters, live amongst us? Whence 56 then hath HE all these things? Thus they were scandalized at 57 him. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is nowhere disre- Jo. 4: 44. garded, except in his own country, and in his own family. And he did not many miracles there because of their unbelief. XIV. At that time Herod the tetrarch* hearing of the fame of Mar. 6. 14. 2 Jesus, said to his servants: This is John the Baptist he is Lu. 9.7. raised from the dead; and therefore miracles are performed by 3 him. For Herod had caused John to be apprehended, imprison- Mar. 6. 17. ed and bound, on account of Herodias his brother Philip's wife; La. 3. 19. 4 for John had said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And Herod would have put him to death, but was afraid of the Lev. 18: 16. 6 populace, who accounted him a prophet. But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before ch. 21: 26. 7 the company, and pleased Herod so highly, that he swore he 8 would grant her whatever she should ask. She being instiga ted by her mother, said: Give me here in a basin the head of 9 John the Baptist. And the king was sorry; nevertheless, from a regard to his oath and his guests, he commanded that it 10 should be given her. Accordingly John was beheaded in the 11 prison by his order. And his head was brought in a basin and presented to the damsel; and she carried it to her mother. 12 After which his disciples went and fetched the body, and having buried it, came and told Jesus. & 20. 21. 13 When Jesus heard this, he embarked privately and retired Mar. 6. 37. into a desert place; whereof the people being informed, fol- Lu. 9. 10. 14 lowed him by land out of the cities. Observing, as he landed, a great multitude, he had compassion upon them, and healed their sick. * That is, governor of a fourth part. Mar. 6. 35. Lu. 9. 12. Jo. 6. 5. 15 Towards the evening his disciples accosted him, saying: This is a desert place, and the time is now past: dismiss the multitude, that they may go to the villages and buy themselves 16 victuals. Jesus answered: They need not go. Supply them 17 yourselves. They said to him: We have here but five loaves 18 and two fishes. He replied Bring them hither to me. 19 Then having commanded the people to lie down upon the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking towards heaven, blessed them; then breaking the loaves, he gave them to the disciples, and they distributed them among the people. 20 When all had partaken, and were satisfied, they carried off 21 twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. Mar. 6. 45. 22 Jo. 6. 16. Immediately Jesus obliged his disciples to embark and pass 23 over before him, while he dismissed the multitude. Having dismissed the multitude, he retired by himself to a mountain to 24 pray, and remained there alone till it was late. By that time the bark was half way over, tossed by the waves, for the wind 25 was contrary. In the fourth watch of the night,* Jesus went 26 to them, walking upon the sea. When the disciples saw him walking upon the sea, being terrified, they exclaimed: An ap27 parition! and cried out for fear. Jesus immediately spoke to 28 them, saying: Take courage, it is I, be not afraid. Peter answering, said to him: If it be thou, Master, bid me come to 29 thee upon the water. Jesus said: Come. Then Peter get ting out of the bark, walked upon the water towards Jesus. 30 But finding the wind boisterous, he was frightened; and begin31 ning to sink, cried: Master, save me. Jesus instantly stretching out his hand caught him, and said to him: Distrustful man, 32 wherefore didst thou doubt? When they had gone aboard, the 33 wind ceased. Then those in the bark came, and prostrated themselves before him, saying: Thou art assuredly a Son of God. Having passed over, they landed on the territory of GenneMar. 6. 53. 35 saret ;† the inhabitants whereof knowing him, sent through all 36 that country, and brought to him all the diseased, who besought him to let them touch but a tuft of his mantle; and as many as touched were cured. Mar. 7. 1. 34 XV. Then some Scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem addressed him, saying: Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands before meals. 3 Jesus answering, said unto them: Why do ye yourselves by 4 your tradition, transgress the commandment of God? For God * Between three and six in the morning. In the Old Testament Chinnereth. |