let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. And when they heard it they said, God forbid. And Jesus beheld them and said, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the Ps. cxviii. 22. builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet: and they left him and went their way.

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by Parable of the marriage parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto feast. a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he

saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment ?* And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

SECT. V. INSIDIOUS QUESTIONS PUT TO CHRIST. (MATT. XXII. MARK XII. LUKE XX.)

Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent forth spies who should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him into the power and authority of the governor. Certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians therefore came and asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's.† When they had

* It being customary in the East for the guests to be supplied with appropriate robes on such occasions as a wedding-feast, there was great neglect and a proud disregard of the king's dignity and pleasure in the conduct described. The man was without excuse, and was justly hurried from the brilliancy of the palace into the coldness and darkness of night. How inexcusable then those are who refuse the wedding garment of purity freely provided for all men by a crucified Redeemer !

The Pharisees and Herodians differed in regard to the justice of Cæsar's authority, the former advocating the independence of the nation, and the latter holding that the dominion of the Romans was just, and should be supported. Both, however, agreed in their hatred of Christ, and they expected to entrap him either into expressions of disloyalty to Cæsar, or into such statements as would stir up against him the resentment of the Jews. The answer returned was admirable. The Roman was the accepted coin of the realm, and its admission legal tender was an acknowledgment of the government by which it was issued.

heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

The same day came to him certain of the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection, and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother Deut. xxv. 5. die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her ; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage, but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.* Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth Exɔd iii. 6. the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living for all live unto him. Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence they also were gathered together. And one of them which was a lawyer asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? And Jesus answered him, The first Deut. vi. 4. 5. of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy

*The question of the Sadducees was easily disposed of by showing that the condition of things in the next world was very different from what it is here. The argument taken from the Pentateuch, to which alone the Sadducees allowed divine authority, was specially appropriate.

mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, namely, this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none Lev. xix. 18. other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. And the lawyer said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth; for there is one God; and there is none other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

Ps. cx. 1.

And while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?* They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. And the common people heard him gladly.

SECT. VI. WOES DENOUNCED ON THE SCRIBES AND

PHARISEES.

(MATT. xxiii. MARK Xii. LUKE XX.)

Then, in the audience of all the people, Jesus spake to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, Beware of the scribes. The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but

* Christ having now silenced all his enemies becomes in turn the questioner, and puts a question to which the only admissible reply would contain an acknowledgment of the divinity as well as the humanity of the promised Messiah.

they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men; they make broad their phylacteries,* and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor ! Ye fools and blind for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind : for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth Exod. xxx. the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Woe unto you,

* Phylacteries were strips of parchment inscribed with the passages in Deut. vi. 4-9; xi. 13-21; Exod. xiii. 2-16. They were worn at prayer on the forehead and the left arm, either as mementos to remind the wearer to keep the law, or as charms to guard him from evil. The Pharisees wore them very broad, that they might have the more written on them, and that they might thus be the more conspicuous for piety and zeal.

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