had it been buried in the depths of hades.) "Moreover, I tell you, that it shall be more endurable in the judgment-day for the land of Sodom than for you." (Jesus here declared degrees of penalty for unbelievers, as He hereafter sets forth degrees of blessedness for the faithful.

Towards the close of His stay in Peræa, Jesus contemplates the result of His labours there with satisfaction.) At that season (taking a survey of the Father's work in the present circuit, wherein He prepared the souls of simple men to receive Jesus without miracles) Jesus replied and said, "I thankfully concur with Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast concealed these truths from the wise and intelligent (men of wisdom and natural intellect), and hast revealed them to babes (men of meekness and humility). Yea, Father, because thus has come to pass the approval of them in Thy sight. (Deep and mysterious truths Jesus made known to them, because their hearts were open to receive blessing: He said,) All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one has knowledge of the Son except the Father, and no one has knowledge of the Father except the Son, and the man to whom the Son should wish to reveal Him."

m

(Jesus then declared to all that He was Himself the centre and source of good.) "Come to Me, all you who are weary and laden with burdens

A Successful Mission.

151

(imposed by the traditions of Jewish teachers), and I will cause you to rest (from trouble). Take upon yourselves My yoke, and learn from Me, because I am meek and lowly in heart (not stern and high-minded as the Jewish teacher), and you shall find rest for your souls. For the yoke which I lay upon you is easy of use, and the burden I impose is light" (to bear.

Thus Jesus parted from these simple-minded people with the affectionate exhortation, "Learn of Me." No breath of opposition had disturbed the calm of this circuit, which peculiarly resembled in that respect the early Galilæan circuits, before the period of miracles commenced, when "He was glorified of all." Since, therefore, the records make no mention of miracles performed on this circuit, it is only right to admit that the ministry in Perea has been confined to the first section of the fourfold system in which He taught and preached to the people.

The record of St. Matthew also breaks off at this point, and the combined record becomes discontinuous. The journey of Jesus up to Jerusalem, and the return of the twelve Apostles from their mission, and probably other events, have not been recorded by any Evangelist.)

Chapter xxxiii.

The Proceedings at the Second Passover.

1

a

AFTER these things (that is after what had been previously done) there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem, at the sheep-gate', a bathing-pool, called in Hebrew, Bethesda (the house of mercy), having five porches; in these were laid a great number of the infirm, (namely,) blind, lame, and withered, expecting the moving of the water. For an Angel from time to time went down into the pool and troubled the water. He therefore who first stepped in after the troubling of the water became whole, whatever might be the disease wherewith he was afflicted. (What was the origin of this custom, or how long it had existed, is not on record. It kept alive among the people some witness of a beneficent spiritual power among so many dæmoniacal influences for evil.) There was a certain man there, who had been for thirty-eight years in his infirmity. Jesus, when He perceived him lie, and recognized that he had already been (so) for a long time, said to him, "Do you wish to become whole ?" The sick man replied, "Lord, I have not a man who, when the

water has been troubled, may cast me into the pool; but whilst I am coming another descends before me." Jesus says to him, "Arise, take up your hammock and walk." Immediately the man became whole, took up his hammock, and began to walk. (No sick persons asked to be healed or pressed forward to touch the garments of Jesus in Jerusalem; the presence of the Physician was disregarded or not perceived by the people.)

There was a Sabbath on that day. The Jews therefore (whilst their learned doctors acknowledged the genuineness of the miracle, but cavilled at the day) said to the man that had been healed, "It is a Sabbath, it is not permitted you to take up your hammock." He replied, "He that made me whole, said to me, 'Take up your hammock and walk.'" They therefore questioned him; "Who is the man that said to you, 'Take up your hammock and walk'?" But he that was healed knew not who it was, for Jesus had glided away, (in consequence of) there being a crowd in that place. But Jesus (who had not completed His work of mercy in revealing Himself to the man's soul) after this finds him in the Temple (whither he had gone to return thanks for his cure, as appears from his character in the sequel), and says to him, "Lo, you have become whole: sin no longer, lest some worse thing befall you."

The man departed, and reported to the Jews

ὰ ἐξένευσεν.

that it was Jesus who had made him whole. On this account the Jews were persecuting Jesus and seeking to slay Him, because He was (in the habit of) doing these things upon a Sabbath; but Jesus (before the court of the synagogue where the matter was being investigated) replied to them (and urged the primary doctrine of His Sonship, which they of Jerusalem were now rejecting), "My Father up to the present time works (on Sabbath days in preserving and ruling His creation); I also work" (in its restoration). On account of this saying, the Jews were seeking the more to kill Him, because He not only was (in the habit of) breaking the Sabbath, but also (of) saying that God was His own Father, making Himself equal to God. (They understood the drift of His teaching, but were not now convinced of a truth which a year before, in their enthusiasm, they had admitted.)

Jesus continued (showing them that there was no need for jealousy on their part lest the authority of God should be encroached upon by His claim of Sonship), "Amen, amen (most assuredly), I tell you, The Son (who is incarnate in the person of the Messiah) is not able to do any thing of His own mind, except what He sees the Father doing. For whatever He does, these things also the Son in like manner does. For the Father loves the Son, and shows to Him all things whatever He does Himself. He will show Him greater works than these, that you may wonder. For as the MSS. many 8 ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ.

• Omitted in

· ἴδιον.