Mar. 4. 3. Lu. 8, 4° 4 The sower, said he, went out to sow; and in sowing some seeds fell by the way-side, and the birds came and picked 5 them up. Some fell on rocky ground, where they had little earth; these sprang up the sooner, because the soil had no 6 depth; but after the sun had beaten upon them, they were 7 scorched, and having no root withered away. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Others fell into good ground, and yielded increase: some a 9 hundred, some sixty, some thirty fold. Whoever hath ears to hear, let him hear. Mar. 4, 10- 10 Mar. 4, 25. Lu. 8, 18. Lu. 8, 10. Then the disciples accosted him, saying, Why speakest thou 11 to them in parables? He answering, said unto them, Because it is your privilege, and not theirs, to know the secrets of the ch. 2, 29. 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 13 which he hath shall be taken. For this reason I speak to Mar. 4,12 14 them in parables; because they seeing, see not; and hearing, hear not, nor regard; insomuch that this prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them: "Ye may indeed listen, but will not un15 derstand ye 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 understandLu. 1c, 23. 16 ing, they should repent, and I should reclaim them." But Jo. 12, 39. Mar. 4, 4' blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, be17 cause they hear. For verily I say 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. 18 Understand ye, therefore, the parable of the sower. 19 When one heareth the doctrine of the reign, but mindeth it not, the evil one cometh, and snatcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This explaineth what fell by the way20 side. That which fell on rocky ground, denoteth him who, 21 hearing the word, receiveth it at first with pleasure; yet not having it rooted in his mind, retaineth it but a while; for when trouble or persecution cometh, because of the word, 22 instantly he relapseth. That which fell among thorns, denoteth that hearer in whom worldly cares and deceitful riches 23 stifle the word, and render it 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 ene my came, and sowed darnel among the wheat, and went off. 26 When the blade was up, and putting forth the ear, then ap 6 27 peared also the darnel. And the servants came and said to their master, Sir, thou sowedst good grain in the field; 28 whence, then, hath it darnel?" He answered, An enemy 29 hath done this.' They said, Wilt thou then, that we weed them out?' He replied, No; lest in weeding out the 30 darnel, ye tear up also the 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 king- Mar. 4. 31° dom of heaven is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man Lu. 13, 19° 32 set in his field; for though it is the smallest of all seeds, it is, 33 34 when grown, larger than any herb, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air take shelter in its branches. Another similitude he gave them: The kingdom of heaven Lu. 13, 21. is like leaven which a woman mingled in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened. All these similitudes Jesus spoke to the people; for he taught 35 them only by similitudes; herein verifying the words of the prophet: "I will discourse in parables; I will utter things where- Ps. 78, 2. of 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 king39 dom; and the darnel are the sons of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the con40 clusion of this state; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore, the darnel is gathered and burnt, so shall it be at 41 the conclusion of this state. The Son of Man will send his angels, who shall gather out of his kingdom all seducers and 42 iniquitous persons, and throw them into the burning fur43 nace: weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be there. Then Dan. 12, 3. 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, 49 but throw the useless away. So shall it be at the conclusion of this state. The angels will come and sever the wicked from Mar. 6, 1 Jo. 4, 44. Lu. 9, 7' 50 among the 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. SECTION VIII. THE PEOPLE TWICE FED IN THE desert. 54 JESUS being come into his own country, taught the inhabitants in their synagogue: and they said with astonishment, Whence hath this man this wisdom and this power of work55 ing 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 56 us? Whence then hath HE all these things? Thus they were 57 scandalized at him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is nowhere disregarded, except in his own country, and in his own family. And he did not many miracles there because of their unbelief. Mar. 6, 14 XIV. At that time Herod the tetrarch* hearing of the fame 2 of Jesus, said to his servants, This is John the Baptist: he is raised from the dead; and therefore miracles are performed by him. Mar. 6, 17 Lu. 3, 19: & 20, 21. ch. 21, 26. 3 For Herod had caused John to be apprehended, imprisoned, and bound, on account of Herodias his brother Philip's wife; 4 for John had said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. Lev. 18, 16 5 And Herod would have put him to death, but was afraid of 6 the populace, who accounted him a prophet. But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before 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 9 of John the Baptist. And the king was sorry; nevertheless from a regard to his oath and his guests, he commanded that 10 it should be given her. Accordingly John was beheaded in 11 the 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. Mar. 6, 32 13 Lu. 9, 10. Mar. 6. 35. When Jesus heard this, he embarked privately, and retired into a desert place; whereof the people being informed, fol14 lowed him by land out of the cities. Observing, as he landed, a great multitude, he had compassion upon them, and healed their sick. 15 Towards the evening his disciples accosted him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past: dismiss the * That is, governor of a fourth part. multitude, that they may go to the villages, and buy them16 selves victuals. Jesus answered, They need not go. Supply 17 them yourselves. They said to him, We have here but five J 6, 5° 18 loaves 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 24 Jo. 6, 16. Immediately Jesus obliged his disciples to embark and pass Mar. 6, 45 23 over before him, while he dismissed the multitude. Having dismissed the multitude, he retired by himself to a mountain to 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 weni 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 29 to 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 be31 ginning 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, 33 the 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 Genne- Mar 6, 53 35 saret; the inhabitants whereof knowing him, sent through all 36 that country, and brought to him all the diseased, who be sought him to let them touch but a tuft of his mantle; and us many as touched were cured. XV. Then some Scribes and Pharisees of Jerusalem addressed Mar. 7 1· 2 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 Ex. 20, 12. Deut. 5, 16. Ex. 21, 17. Prov. 20, 20. God hath commanded, saying, "Honour thy father and mother;" and, "Whosoever revileth father or mother shall be Lev. 20. 9. 5 punished with death." But ye affirm, If a man say to father or mother, I devote whatever of mine shall profit thee,' he 6 shall not afterwards honour, by his assistance, his father or his mother. Thus, by your tradition, ye annul the commandBetween three and six in the morning. In the Old Testament, Chinnereth. Isa. 29, 13. 7 ment of God. Hypocrites, well do ye suit the character which 8 Isaiah gave of you, saying, "This people address me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips, though their 9 heart is estranged from me. But in vain they worship me, while they teach institutions merely human." Mar. 7, 14 10 Lu. 6, 39. Mar. 7, 24 ch, 30, 6. Isa. 35,5 Mar. 3. 1' 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 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 14 extirpated. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind; and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the 15 ditch. Then Peter addressing him, said, Explain to us that 16 saying. Jesus answered, Are ye also still void of understand17 ing? Do ye not yet apprehend, that whatever entereth the mouth, passeth into the belly, and is thrown out into the 18 sink? But that which proceedeth out of the mouth, issueth 19 from the heart, and so polluteth the man. For out of the heart proceed malicious contrivances, murders, adulteries, 20 fornications, thefts, false testimonies, calumnies. These are the things which pollute the man; but to eat with unwashen hands polluteth not the man. 21 THEN Jesus withdrew into the confines of Tyre and 22 Sidon; and behold! a Canaanitish woman of those territories came to him, crying, Master, Son of David, have pity upon 23 me; my daughter is grievously afflicted by a demon. But he gave her no answer. Then his disciples interposed, and intreated him, saying, Dismiss her, for she clamoureth after us. 24 He answering, said, My mission is only to the lost sheep of 25 the stock of Israel. She nevertheless advanced, and prostrat26 ing herself before him, said, O Master, help me! He replied, It is not seemly to take the children's bread, and throw it to 27 the dogs. True, Sir, returned she; yet even the dogs are 28 allowed the 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 multitudes flocked to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the dumb, the cripple, and several others (in distress,) 31 whom 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 |