Mar. 6, 1.
Lu. 4, 16.
Jo. 6, 42,

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

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.

Lu. 9, 7.

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.

3

Jo. 4, 44.

Mar. 6, 17

Lu. 3, 19:

Lev. 18, 16 & 20, 21.

ch. 21, 26.

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.

Mar. 6. 35.
Lu. 9, 12.

54

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. 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 insti

gated 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.

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.

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.

Mar. 6, 32 13

Lu. 9, 10.

15

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 Jo 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

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 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 wen 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 stretching 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, 5335 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 as 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?

Deut. 5,

For Ex. 20, 12. God hath commanded, saying, "Honour thy father and mo- Ex. 21, 17. ther;" and, "Whosoever revileth father or mother shall be Prov. 20, 20. 5 punished with death." But ye affirm, If a man say to father

Lev. 20, 9.

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.

Mar. 7, 14 10

Lu. 6, 39.
Mar. 7, 17.

Mar. 7, 24

ch, 30, 6.

Isa. 35,5

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. 8. 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

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 divided, and gave to his disciples, who distributed them among 37 the people. When all had partaken, and were satisfied, they carried off seven maunds full of the fragments that remained. 38 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 Mar. 8, 11and Sadducees repaired, who, to try him, desired that he would 2 show them a sign in the sky. He answering, said to them, In

Lu. 12, 54

the evening ye say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is 3 red;' 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 the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the 4 times. An evil and adulterous race demandeth a sign, but ch. 12, 39. 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 Mar. 8, 14 6 bring loaves with them. Jesus said to them, Take heed, and Lu. 12, 1beware 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 ch. 14, 15five loaves among the five thousand, and how many baskets

10

ye

filled with the fragments; nor the seven loaves among the ch. 15, 3211 four 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 12 of the Sadducees? 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.

13

Lu. 9, 18.

AS Jesus was going to the district of Cesarea Philippi, he Mar. 6, 27 asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of 14 Man is? They answered, Some say, 'John the Baptist,'

others Elijah, others Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets.' 15 But who, returned he, say ye that I am? Simon Peter an- Jo. 6, 69.

Jo. 1, 42.

ch. 18, 18.

Jo. 20, 23.

h. 17, 22ch. 20, 17.

Mar. 8, 31.

& 9, 31. Lu. 9, 44.

21

From that time Jesus began to discover to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and there suffer much from the elders and the chief priests, and the Scribes, and be killed, and that 22 he must be raised the third day. On which Peter, taking him

aside, reproved him, saying, God forbid, Master: this shall 23 not befal 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. 10, 38 Mar. 8, 34. Lu. 9, 23. 14, 27, &

Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come under my guidance, let him renounce himself, and take up his 25 cross and follow me. For, whosoever would save his life,

17, 33.

shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, Jo. 12,25. 26 shall find it. What is a man profited, if he should gain the

whole world, with the forfeit of his life? or what will a man 27 not give in ransom for his life? For the Son of Man, vested

with his Father's glory, shall come hereafter with his angels, 28 and recompense every one according to his actions. Verily

I say unto you, Some of those who are present shall not taste death, until they see the Son of Man enter upon his reign.

Ro. 2, 6.
Rev. 22, 12.
Mar. 9, 1.

Lu. 9, 27.

16 swering, said, Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living 17 God. Jesus replying, said to him, Happy art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, 18 but my Father who is in heaven. I tell thee likewise, Thou art named Rock; † and on this rock I will build my church, over which the gates of hades shall not prevail. Moreover, 19 I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever thou shalt bind upon the earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatever thou shalt loose upon the earth, shall be loosed 20 in heaven. Then he forbade his disciples to tell any man that he is the Messiah.

2 Pet. 1, 17. ch. 3, 17. Mar. 1, 11. Lu. 3, 22.

Lu. 9, 28.

Mar. 9, 2 XVII. AFTER six days Jesus took Peter, and James, and John brother of James, apart to the top of a high mountain, 2 and was transfigured in their presence. His face shone as 3 the sun; and his raiment became white as the light. And presently appeared to them Moses and Elijah conversing with 4 him. Peter, upon this addressing Jesus, said, Master, it is good for us to stay here; let us make here, if thou wilt, three booths, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 5 While he was speaking, behold! a bright cloud covered them,

and out of the cloud came a voice which said, This is my be6 loved Son in whom I delight, hear him. The disciples hear

Mar. 9, 9'

ing this, fell upon their faces, and were greatly frightened. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, Arise, be not afraid. 8 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

Syr. son of Jonas. + So Peter in Greek, and Cephas in Syr. signifies.