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The Parable of the hidden Leaven. 93

eth a tree, and shooteth out great branches; so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof, and under the shadow of it.

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house.

And his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As there

94 Parables of the hidden Treasure, &c.

fore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear2.

The hidden Treasure. The Pearl of great price. The Net cast into the Sea.

AGAIN, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

2 Matt. xiii. 24-43. Mark iv. 26-34. Luke xiii.

Christ commands to cross the Lake. 95

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which ⚫ is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old 3.

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Christ commands to cross the Lake. He quells the Tempest.

AND it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And the same day, when the even was come, when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment and he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And he said unto his disciples, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. And, behold, there arose a great storm of wind, and a great tempest in the sea, inso3 Matt. xiii. 44-52.

96 Christ heals the Demoniacs of Gadara.

much that the ship was covered with the waves, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full, and they were in jeopardy. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, carest thou not that we perish? Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the raging of the water, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. But the men feared exceedingly, and marvelled, and said one to another, What manner of man is this? for he commandeth even the winds and water, and even the winds and the sea obey him *.

Christ heals the Demoniacs of Gadara.

AND they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes and Gergesenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. One of them had devils long time, and no man

Matt. viii. 18-27; xiii. 53. Mark iv. 35-41. Luke viii. 22-25.

Christ heals the Demoniacs of Gadara. 97

could bind him, no, not with chains: because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him; and the fetters broken in pieces neither could any man tame him. And he was driven of the devil into the wilderness, and wore no clothes, neither abode in any house, but always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when they saw Jesus afar off, they ran and fell down and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? I beseech thee, I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many; because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country; and that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

Now there was there a good way off from them nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out,

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