Parable of the Pharisee

would not for a while, but afterwards he said within himself, Though I fear not God nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted and publican in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

SECT. XXV. DISCOURSE RESPECTING DIVORCE.*

(MATT. xix. MARK X.)

And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept: but from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his

The practice of unlimited divorce prevailed among the Jews, giving great encouragement to family quarrels, being destructive of domestic happiness and peace, and hindering the education of the children. On the strongest and most natural reasons Jesus prohibits such a custom. Perhaps the Pharisees wished to draw forth such a reply to their question as would bring upon Jesus the hostility of some particular sect, or even, it may be, of the adulterous tetrarch himself.

father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What, therefore, God hath joined together let no man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it let him receive it.

SECT. XXVI. JESUS BLESSES LITTLE CHILDREN. (MATT. xix. MARK X, LUKE Xviii.)

Then were brought unto him young children that he should put his hands on them and pray : but when his disciples saw it they rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased, and he called them unto him, and said, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. And he departed thence.

SECT. XXVII. THE RICH YOUNG RULER.

(MATT. xix. MARK X.

LUKE Xviii.)

And when Jesus was gone forth

into the way there came

a certain ruler running who kneeled to him, and asked him,

saying, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life. And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God; but if you will enter into life keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother, and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth up; what lack I yet ? Now Jesus, when he heard these things, beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing. If thou wilt be perfect, go thy way, sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, take up the cross and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying he went away very sorrowful, for he was very rich and had great possessions. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he looked round about and saith unto his disciples, Verily, I say unto you, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,* than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus, looking upon them, saith, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God for with God all things are possible.

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man

*This was a proverbial expression among the Jewish rabbis for what might appear an impossibility. Regarding its origin two ideas are held, the one being the natural and obvious one, and the other that there was in Jerusalem a small side gate for foot passengers, called the Needle's Eye, through which it was impossible for loaded camels to pass, and that from this circumstance the proverb was borrowed.

shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and

the last first.

SECT. XXVIII. PARABLE OF THE LABOURERS IN
THE VINEYARD.

(MATT. xx.)

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them : Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle ?* They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto

*These hours correspond to our nine, twelve, three, and five o'clock. The latter was just one working hour before the close of the day.

us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last for many be called, but few chosen.

SECT. XXIX. JESUS AGAIN FORETELLS HIS DEATH.* (MATT. XX. MARK X. LUKE Xviii.)

And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying, Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, to spit upon, to scourge, and to crucify him, and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

SECT. XXX. THE AMBITIOUS REQUEST OF JAMES
AND JOHN.t

Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons James and John, worshipping him, and saying,

This is the third time Jesus announced to his disciples his approaching death, and he does so with much greater particularity than before. They could not, however, form any just conceptions of its real nature. The plainest words of their Master could not change their preconceived opinions as to the nature of the Messianic kingdom; and the most explicit predictions of suffering and death could not, in their view, harmonize with a victorious and triumphant reign.

†Though James and John preferred the request through the medium of their mother, yet they seem to have been the principal movers of it, and this justifies Mark in representing them as making it. Salome was the actual speaker, but the apostles were the instigators.