CHAPTER XVII.

FROM THE FEAST OF DEDICATION TO THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS.

Jno. x. 22-42.

said unto him, How long If thou be the Christ, tell

AND it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication":1 it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.b Then came the Jews round about him, and dost thou make us to doubt? us plainly. Jesus answered,2 I told you, and ye believe not; the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. The Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of the Father's hand. I and my Father are

one.

4

The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from the Father; for which of those works do ye stone

a

There

me? The Jews answered him,' For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, that I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and understand,3 that the Father is in me, and I in the Father. fore they sought to take him; but he escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle; but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there. And he went through the cities and villages, teachMatt. xix. 1, 2. ing, and journeying toward Jerusalem, and came into the coasts of Judæa beyond Jordan; and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

Mar. x. 1.

Lk. xiii. 22--33.

b

Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait door c; 6 many, I say unto you, will seek

1 answered him, saying,

4 and I in him

a P's. lxxxii. 6.

for

UNAVAILING PROFESSIONS.

153

to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord,1 open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:" then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and the west, and 2 the north, and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

The same hour3 there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence; for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to-day, and tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath-day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had

1 saying, Lord, Lord, open a Comp. Matt. vii. 22, 23

Lk. xiv. 1-24.

2 from the north 3 The same day

b Matt. viii. 11, 12.

c Matt. xix. 30; xx. 16; Mar. x. 31.

the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying. Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath-day, or not? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them, saying, Which of you shall have a son or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath-day? And they could not answer again to these things.

3

a

2

And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of all* them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.b

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the

1 omit or not?

3 answer him again

a Comp. Lk. xiii. 15,

2 an ass or an ox

4 omit all

b Matt. xxiii. 12; Lk. xviii. 14.

THE MARRIAGE SUPPER.

155

1

maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed;" for they cannot recompense thee; but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

I

And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he whosoever shall eat bread in the kingdom of God! Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for the3 things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So the 1 servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, what thou hast commanded is done,5 and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.c

2 that shall eat

1 for thou shalt be recompensed 3 all things 4 that servant 5 Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet a Comp. Acts xx. 35. b Comp. Matt. xxii. 2-14. c Matt. xxi. 43