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.

SECTION VIII.-THE PEOPLE TWICE FED IN THE DESERT.

Lu. 4. 16.

54 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

him.

& 20. 21.

3 For Herod had caused John to be apprehended, imprison- Mar. 6. 17. ed and bound, on account of Herodias his brother Philip's wife; Lu. 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 instigated 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.

13

When Jesus heard this, he embarked privately and retired Mar. 6. 32. 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.

Mar. 6. 45.
Jo. 6. 16.

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.

22

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 getting 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 stretch

ing 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. 34 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.

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.

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 Is. 29. 13. 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

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 Sea of Galilee, 30 and repaired to a mountain, where he sat down and great mul

:

ch. 10. 6.

Isa. 35. 5.

Mar. 8. 1.

Mar. 8. 11.
Lu. 12. 54.

ch. 12. 39.

Mar. 8. 14.
Lu. 12. 1.

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 L. 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, 16 said: Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus 17 replying, said to him: Happy art thou, Simon Barjona ;* for

Jo. 20. 23.

flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but my Father 18 who is in heaven. I tell thee likewise, Thou art named Rock;† Jo. 1. 42. and on this rock I will build my church, over which the gates of 19 hades shall not prevail. Moreover, I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever thou shalt bind upon the earth, ch. 18. 18. shall be bound in heaven; and whatever thou shalt loose upon 20 the earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then he forbade his disciples to tell any man that he is the Messiah. 21 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, 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

ch. 12. 22.

Mar. 8. 31.

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. 9. 28.

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 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 up- ch.3.171. 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.