Deut. 5. 16. Lev. 20. 9. hath commanded, saying, "Honor thy father and mother;" Ex. 20. 12. 5 and, "Whosoever revileth father or mother shall be punished Ex. 21. 17. with death." But ye affirm, If a man say to father or mother, Prov. 20. 20. 'I devote whatever of mine shall profit thee,' he shall not after6 wards honor, by his assistance, his father or his mother. Thus, by your tradition, ye annul the commandment of God. Hypo7 crites, well do ye suit the character which Isaiah gave of you, 8 saying, "This people address me with their mouth, and honor 9 me with their lips, though their heart is estranged from me. But in vain they worship me, while they teach institutions merely human." 10 Then having called the multitude, he said to them: Hear 11 and be instructed. It is not what goeth into the mouth which polluteth the man; but it is what proceedeth out of the mouth 12 which polluteth the man. Thereupon his disciples accosting Isa. 29. 13. Mar. 7. 14. him, said: Didst thou observe how the Pharisees, when they 13 heard that saying, were scandalized? He answered: Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be ex14 tirpated. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind; 15 and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch. Then Lu. 6. 39. 16 Peter addressing him, said: Explain to us that saying. Jesus 17 answered: are ye also still void of understanding? Do ye not yet apprehend, that whatever entereth the mouth, passeth into 18 the belly, and is thrown out into the sink? But that which 19 proceedeth out of the mouth, issueth from the heart, and so polluteth the man. For out of the heart proceed malicious contrivances, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimo20 nies, calumnies. These are the things which pollute the man; but to eat with unwashen hands polluteth not the man. 21 Mar. 7. 17. THEN Jesus withdrew into the confines of Tyre and Sidon; and behold! a Canaanitish woman of those territories came to Mar. 7. 24. him, crying: Master, Son of David, have pity upon me; my daughter is grievously afflicted by a demon. But he gave her no answer. Then his disciples interposed, and intreated him, 24 saying: Dismiss her, for she clamoreth after us. He answer25 ing, said: My mission is only to the lost sheep of the stock of 26 Israel. She nevertheless advanced, and, prostrating_herself before him, said: O Master, help me! He replied: It is not seemly to take the children's bread, and throw it to the dogs. 27 True, Sir; returned she; yet even the dogs are allowed the 28 crumbs which fall from their master's table. Then Jesus answering, said to her: O woman! great is thy faith. Be it unto thee as thou desirest. And that instant her daughter was healed. 29 Jesus having left that place, came nigh the 30 and repaired to a mountain, where he sat down Sea of Galilee, ch. 10. 6. Isa. 35. 5. Mar. 8. 1. Mar. 8. 11. ch. 12. 39. Mar. 8. 14. ch. 14. 15. ch. 15. 22. titudes flocked to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the dumb, the cripple, and several others (in distress), whom 31 they laid at his feet; and he healed them: insomuch that the people beheld, with admiration, the dumb speaking, the cripple sound, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. 32 Then Jesus called to him his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now attended me three days, and have nothing to eat I will not dismiss 33 them fasting, lest their strength fail by the way. His disciples answered: Whence can we get bread enough in this solitude 34 to satisfy such a crowd? He asked them: How many loaves 35 have ye? They said: Seven, and a few small fishes. Then, 36 commanding the people to lie down upon the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fishes, which, having given thanks, he 37 divided, and gave to his disciples, who distributed them among the people. When all had partaken, and were satisfied, they carried off seven maunds full of the fragments that 38 remained. Now they that had eaten were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39 Then having dismissed the multitude, he embarked, and XVI. sailed to the coast of Magdala. Thither some Pharisees and Sadducess repaired, who, to try him, desired that he would 2 show them a sign in the sky. He answering, said to them: In the evening ye say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red;" 3 and in the morning, 'There will be a storm to-day, for the sky is red and lowering.' Ye can judge aright of the appearance of 4 the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous race demandeth a sign, but no sign shall be given them, save the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then leaving them, he departed. 5 Now his disciples, before they came over, had forgotten to 6 bring loaves with them. Jesus said to them: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7 Whereupon they said, reasoning among themselves: This is be8 cause we have brought no loaves with us. Jesus perceiving it, said to them: Why do ye reason amongst yourselves, O ye distrustful! that I speak thus because ye have brought no 9 loaves? Have ye no reflection? Or do ye not remember the five loaves among the five thousand, and how many baskets ye 10 filled with the fragments; nor the seven loaves among the four 11 thousand, and how many maunds ye filled? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake not concerning bread, when I bade you beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sad12 ducees? Then they understood that he cautioned them not against the leaven which the Pharisees and the Sadducees used in bread, but against their doctrines. SECTION IX. THE TRANSFIGURATION. Mar. 8. 27. 13 AS Jesus was going to the district of Cesarea Philippi, he Lu. 9. 18. asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of 14 Man is? They answered, Some say, 'John the Baptist,' oth15 ers, Elijah,' others, 'Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.' But Jo. 6. 69. who, returned he, say ye that I am? Simon Peter answering, * for 16 said: Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus 18 who is in heaven. I tell thee likewise; Thou art named Rock;† Jo. 1. 42. 21 Jo. 20. 23. ch. 12. 22. 8. 31. From that time Jesus began to discover to his disciples, that ch. 20. 17. he must go to Jerusalem, and there suffer much from the elders, Mar. 31. and the chief priests, and the Scribes, and be killed, and that Lu. 9. 44. 22 he must be raised the third day. On which Peter, taking him aside, reproved him, saying: God forbid, Master: this shall 23 not befall thee. But he turning, said to Peter: Get thee hence, adversary, thou art an obstacle in my way; for thou relishest not the things of God, but the things of men. 24 Then said Jesus to his disciples: If any man will come un- ch. 10. 38. der my guidance, let him renounce himself, and take up his Mar. 8. 34. 25 cross and follow me. For, whosoever would save his life, shall Lu. 9.23. lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find 14. 27. 26 it. What is a man profited, if he should gain the whole world, Jo. 12. 25. with the forfeit of his life? or what will a man not give in ransom 27 for his life? For the Son of Man, vested with his Father's glo & 17.33. Mar. 9. 1. Lu. ry, shall come hereafter with his angels, and recompense every Ro. 2. 6. 28 one according to his actions. Verily I say unto you, Some of Rev. 22. 12. those who are present shall not taste death, until they see the Lu. 9. 27. Son of Man enter upon his reign. XVII. AFTER six days Jesus took Peter, and James, and John Mar.23. brother of James, apart to the top of a high mountain, and was 2 transfigured in their presence. His face shone as the sun; and 3 his raiment became white as the light. And presently appear- 2 Pet. 1. 17. 4 ed to them Moses and Elijah conversing with him. Peter ch. 3. 17. up- Mar. 1. 11. on this addressing Jesus, said: Master, it is good for us to stay Lu. 3. 22. * Syr. son of Jonas. † So Peter in Greek, and Cephas in Syr. signifies. Mar. 9. 9. eh. 11. 14. Mar. 9. 14. Mar. 9. 28. Lu. 17. 6. ch. 16. 21. & 20.18. Lu. 9. 44. here; let us make here, if thou wilt, three booths, one for thee, 5 and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was speaking, behold! a bright cloud covered them, and out of the cloud came a voice which said: This is my beloved Son in whom I 6 delight, hear him. The disciples hearing this, fell upon their 7 faces, and were greatly frightened. But Jesus came and touch8 ed them, saying: Arise, be not afraid. Then lifting up their eyes, they saw none but Jesus. 9 As they went down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying: Tell nobody what ye have seen, until the Son 10 of Man be risen from the dead. Then the disciples asked him, saying: Why say the Scribes that Elijah must come first? 11 Jesus answering, said to them: To consummate the whole, Elijah 12 indeed must come first. But I tell you, Elijah is come already, though they did not acknowledge him, but have treated him as they pleased. Thus they will treat the Son of Man also. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake concerning John the Baptist. 14 When they were come to the multitude, a man came to him, 15 who kneeling, said: Sir, have pity on my son; for he is grievously distressed with lunacy; often he falleth into the fire, and 16 often into the water; and I presented him to thy disciples, but 17 they could not cure him. Jesus answering, said: O unbelieving and perverse race! How long shall I be with you? How 18 long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me. Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and he came out and the lad was instantly cured. 19 Hereupon the disciples came to him privately, saying: Why 20 could not we expel this demon? Jesus answered: Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye had faith, though but as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say to this mountain, Remove to yonder place, and it would remove; yea nothing 21 would be impossible to you. This kind, however, is not dispossessed, unless by prayer and fasting. 22 While they remained in Galilee, Jesus said to them: The Mar. 9.31. 23 Son of Man is to be delivered up to men who will kill him: but the third day he shall be raised again. And they were grieved exceedingly. 24 When they were come to Capernaum, the collectors came and asked Peter: Doth not your teacher pay the didrachma ?* 25 He said, Yes. Being come into the house, before he spoke, Jesus said to him: What is thy opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth exact tribute or custom? From 26 their own sons, or from others? Peter answered: From * About 1s. 3d. Sterling. 27 others. Jesus replied: The sons then are exempted. Nevertheless, lest we should give them offence, go to the sea and throw a line, draw out the first fish that is hooked, and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater ;† take that, and give it them for me and thee. XVIII. At that time the disciples came to Jesus inquiring: Who Mar. 9. 33. 2 shall be the greatest in the reign of heaven? Jesus calling to him a child, placed him in the midst of them, and said: 3 Verily I say unto you, unless ye be changed, and become as ch. 19. 14. 4 children, ye shall never enter the kingdom of heaven. Who Lu. 9. 46. Mar. 9. 42. soever, therefore, shall become humble like this child, shall be the greatest in the reign of heaven. Nay, whosoever receiveth 6 one such child, in my name, receiveth me; but whosoever shall insnare any of these little ones who believe in me, it were better Lu. 17.1. for him that an upper mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were sunk in the ocean. 7 Mar. 9. 43. Wo unto the world because of snares: snares indeed there 8 must be; nevertheless, wo to the insnarer. Wherefore, if thy ch. 5. 29. hand or thy foot insnare thee, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for thee to enter lame or maimed into life, than having 9 two hands or two feet to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if thine eye ensnare thee, pluck it out, and throw it away; it is better for thee to enter one-eyed into life, than having two eyes 10 to be cast into hell-fire. Beware of contemning any of these little ones; for I assure you that in heaven their angels con11 tinually behold the face of my heavenly Father: and the Son Lu. 19. 10. 12 of Man is come to recover the lost. What think ye? If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them have strayed, will he not leave the ninety-nine upon the mountains, and go in 13 quest of the stray? And if he happen to find it, verily I say unto you, he deriveth greater joy from it than from the ninety14 nine which went not astray. Thus it is not the will of your Father in heaven that any of these little ones should be lost. 15 Lu. 15. 4. Ecclus.19.13. Jo. 8. 17. Wherefore, if thy brother trespass against thee, go and ex- Lev. 19. 17. 16 postulate with him, when thou and he are alone together. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother: but if he will not hear, take one or two along with thee, that by the testimony of 17 two or three witnesses every thing may be ascertained. If he Deut. 19. 15. despise them, acquaint the congregation with it; and if he de- 2 Cor. 13. 1. spise the congregation also, let him be to thee as a pagan or a 18 publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind up- s. 26. 23. on the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose upon the earth, shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, Whatever two of you upon the earth + Value, half-a-crown. ch. 19.. Jo. |