Page images
PDF
EPUB

66

66

"seed are the children of the kingdom; but the "tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the har"vest is the end of the world: and the reapers "are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it "be in the end of this world. The Son of man "shall send forth his angels, and they shall ga "ther out of his kingdom all things that offend,* "and them which do iniquity; and shall cast "them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall "the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to "hear, let him hear.

66

66

66

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto "treasure hid in a field; the which when a man "hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof, goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buy"eth that field.

66

66

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto "a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, “when he had found one pearl of great price, "went and sold all that he had, and bought it..

66

66

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto "anet, that was cast into the sea, and gather"ed of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and ga"thered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world; "the angels shall come forth, and sever the "wicked from among the just, and shall cast "them into the furnace of fire: there shall be ་ wailing and gnashing of teeth." Jesus saith

[ocr errors]

All that obstruct the progress of the gospel.

unto them, "Have ye understood all these "things?" They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, "Therefore every "scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom "of heaven is like unto a man that is an hous“holder, which bringeth forth out of his trea"sure things new and old." And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

a

50. Jesus gives commandment to cross the Lake. Incidents on the way. A Tempest stilled.

Place. Between Capernaum

and the

Sea of Galilee.

Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, "The foxes have holes, and "birds of the air have nests; but the Son of "man hath not where to lay his head."

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him," "Follow me, and let "the dead bury their dead; but go thou, and preach the kingdom of God."

[ocr errors]

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewel,

It is a known custom in the East for the rich to make collections of costly garments and furniture, continually adding things new to the old.

I am the first object of your solicitude. Let men who are spiritually dead, consume their whole time in temporal

concerns.

which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, "No man, having put his hand "to the plough, and looking back, is fit for "the kingdom of God."

a

Galilee.

And when he was entered into a Place. ship, his disciples followed him, and The Sea of they launched forth. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, "Why are ye so fear"ful? how is it that ye have no faith?" and they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

51. Jesus heals a Demoniac of Gadara.

Near

Gadara.

2

AND they came over unto the other Place. side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man who had devils a long time, and wore no clothes; who had his dwelling among the tombs: and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: because that he had been

As no man is fit to manage a plough who is not intent on his work, so no real Christian must allow worldly things to be the supreme objects of his affections.

66

a

often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, "Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit." And he asked him, "What is thy "name?" and he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country, into the deep. there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thou sand ;) and were choked in the sea. they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done, and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of

b

Now

And

* This word literally means a large body of Roman soldiers, consisting of several thousand men.

This is the only miracle recorded to have been wrought by our Lord to the damage of any person, which we may be sure was a most just punishment. The swine was an unclean beast according to the law of Moses.

whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befel to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them for they were taken with great fear. And he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed, besought him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the "Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him, and all men did marvel.

66

66

52. Levi's Feast. Jesus' consequent Discourse. The raising of Jairus' Daughter.

AND he entered into a ship, and Place. passed over, and came into his own Capernaum. city. And much people gathered unto him, for they were all waiting for him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his own house. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Mas

* Levi is the same person as St. Matthew.

« PreviousContinue »