Book: His Life

W >> William E. Barton, Theodore G. Soares, Sydney Strong >> His Life




Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, ruler of the
Jews; the same came unto him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these
signs that thou doest, except God be with him."

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus saith unto him, "How can a man be born when he is old? can
he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born
of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That
which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, 'Ye must be born
anew.' The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice
thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is
every one that is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, "How can these things be?"

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Art thou the teacher of Israel, and
understandest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We
speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen;
and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things and ye
believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? And
no one hath ascended into heaven but he that descended out of heaven,
even the Son of man, who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up;
that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that
the world should be saved through him. He that believeth on him is not
judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he
hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. And
this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men
loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the
light, lest his works should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth
cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they
have been wrought in God."




PREPARATORY PREACHING


JESUS BAPTIZING AND PREACHING.

After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of
Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized (although Jesus
himself baptized not, but his disciples).

And John also was baptizing in AEnon near to Salim, because there was
much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not
yet cast into prison.

And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of
age.


JOHN'S TRIBUTE TO JESUS.

There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples
with a Jew about purifying. And they came unto John, and said to him,
"Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast
borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him."

John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, except it have
been given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I
said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him. He that
hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom,
that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the
bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full. He must
increase, but I must decrease."

He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of
the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: he that cometh from heaven is
above all. What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness;
and no man receiveth his witness. He that hath received his witness
hath set his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God hath sent
speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He
that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.


AT JACOB'S WELL.

When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus
was making and baptizing more disciples than John, he left Judaea, and
departed again into Galilee.

And he must needs pass through Samaria. So he cometh to a city of
Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave
to his son Joseph: and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being
wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth
hour.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her,
"Give me to drink." For his disciples were gone away into the city to
buy food.

The Samaritan woman therefore saith unto him, "How is it that thou,
being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a Samaritan woman?" (for Jews
have no dealings with Samaritans).

Jesus answered and said unto her, "If thou knewest the gift of God,
and who it is that saith to thee, 'Give me to drink' thou wouldest
have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."

The woman saith unto him, "Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and
the well is deep; whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou
greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof
himself, and his sons, and his cattle?"

Jesus answered and said unto her, "Every one that drinketh of this
water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall become in him a well of water, springing up unto eternal life."

The woman saith unto him, "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not,
neither come all the way hither to draw."

Jesus saith unto her, "Go, call thy husband, and come hither."

The woman answered and said unto him, "I have no husband."

Jesus saith unto her, "Thou saidst well, I have no husband: for thou
hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband:
this hast thou said truly."

The woman saith unto him, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem
is the place where men ought to worship."

Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when
neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the
Father. Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we
know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is,
when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and
truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. God is a
Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

The woman saith unto him, "I know that Messiah cometh (he that is
called Christ): when he is come, he will declare unto us all things."

Jesus saith unto her, "I that speak unto thee am he."


PREACHING TO THE SAMARITANS.

And upon this came his disciples; and they marvelled that he was
speaking with a woman; yet no man said, "What seekest thou?" or, "Why
speakest thou with her?"

So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith
to the people, "Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I
did: can this be the Christ?"

They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

In the mean while the disciples prayed him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."

But he said unto them, "I have meat to eat that ye know not."

The disciples therefore said one to another, "Hath any man brought him
aught to eat?"

Jesus saith unto them, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me,
and to accomplish his work. Say not ye, 'There are yet four months,
and then cometh the harvest'? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your
eyes and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest.
He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life
eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent
you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored and
ye are entered into their labor."

And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of
the word of the woman, who testified, "He told me all things that ever
I did."

So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with
them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of
his word; and they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of
thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is
indeed the Saviour of the world."




=HIS YEAR OF POPULARITY=

* * * * *

JESUS IN GALILEE


JOHN THE BAPTIST IMPRISONED.

Herod the tetrarch sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him
in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he
had married her. For John said unto Herod, "It is not lawful for thee
to have thy brother's wife."

And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him: and she
could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and
holy man, and kept him safe.

And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude,
because they counted him as a prophet.


RECEPTION OF JESUS BY THE GALILAEANS.

Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he returned in the
power of the Spirit into Galilee, and the Galilaeans received him,
having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast: for
they also went unto the feast.

And a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about.
And he taught in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of God, and
saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe in the gospel."


HEALING THE NOBLEMAN'S SON.

He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water
wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at
Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into
Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down,
and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

Jesus therefore said unto him, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye
will in no wise believe."

The nobleman saith unto him, "Sir, come down ere my child die."

Jesus saith unto him, "Go thy way; thy son liveth."

The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his
way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying that
his son lived. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend.

They said therefore unto him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever
left him."

So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto
him, "Thy son liveth": and himself believed, and his whole house.

This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judaea
into Galilee.


THE RECALL OF THE FISHERMEN.

And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, which is by the sea,
in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
The people that sat in darkness
Saw a great light,
And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death,
To them did light spring up."

Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard
the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and
he saw two boats standing by the lake: but the fishermen had gone out
of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the
boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the
land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat.

And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, "Put out into the
deep, and let down your nets for a draught."

And Simon answered and said, "Master, we toiled all night, and took
nothing: but at thy word I will let down the nets."

And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of
fishes; and their nets were breaking; and they beckoned unto their
partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And
they came, and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,
"Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the
fishes which they had taken; and so were also James and John, sons of
Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon,
"Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men."

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and
followed him.


A DAY OF GOOD DEEDS IN CAPERNAUM.

And straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and
taught. And they were astonished at his teaching: for his word was
with authority.

And in the synagogue there was a man, that had a spirit of an unclean
demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ah! what have we to do
with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know
thee who thou art, the Holy One of God!"

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Hold thy peace, and come out of him."

And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, tearing him and
crying out with a loud voice, he came out of him, having done him no
hurt.

And amazement came upon all, and they spake together, one with
another, saying, "What is this word? for with authority and power he
commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out."

And there went forth a rumor concerning him into every place of the
region of Galilee round about.

And he rose up from the synagogue, and entered into the house of
Simon. And Simon's wife's mother was holden with a great fever; and
they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the
fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered
unto them.

And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were
sick, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was
gathered together at the door. And he cast out many demons with a
word, and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew that
he was the Christ. And he laid his hands on every one of them, and
healed all that were sick of divers diseases; that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
"Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases."


THE FIRST LEPER HEALED.

And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out,
and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they
that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and say
unto him, "All are seeking thee."

And he saith unto them, "Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that
I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth."

And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching
and casting out demons.

And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, there cometh
to him a man full of leprosy, beseeching him, and kneeling down to
him, and saying unto him, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me
clean."

And being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and
touched him, and saith unto him, "I will; be thou made clean." And
straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. And
he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out, and saith unto
him, "See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the
priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded,
for a testimony unto them."

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad
the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a
city, but withdrew himself to desert places and prayed: and they came
to him from every quarter to hear and to be healed of their
infirmities. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.




BEGINNINGS OF CONTROVERSY


THE HEALING OF A PARALYTIC.

And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was
noised that he was in the house. And many were gathered together, so
that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door;
and he spake the word unto them.

And they come, bringing unto him a man sick of the palsy, borne of
four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the crowd, they
went up to the housetop, and uncovered the roof where he was: and when
they had broken it up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the
palsy lay.

And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, "Son,
thy sins are forgiven."

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in
their hearts, "Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can
forgive sins but one, even God?"

And straightway Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned
within themselves, saith unto them, "Why reason ye these things in
your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy, 'Thy
sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?'
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to
forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy), 'I say unto thee,
Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house.'"

And he arose, and straightway took up the bed, and went forth before
them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and were filled with
fear, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw it on this fashion: we
have seen strange things to-day."


THE PUBLICAN DISCIPLE.

And Jesus went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude
resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw a
man, called Levi Matthew, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the place of
toll, and he saith unto him, "Follow me."

And he forsook all, and arose and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his house. And there was a great
multitude of publicans and sinners that were sitting at meat with
Jesus and his disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, "Why
eateth your Teacher with the publicans and sinners?"

But when he heard it, he said, "They that are whole have no need of a
physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what this
meaneth, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice': for I came not to call
the righteous, but sinners."


THE OLD AND THE NEW.

And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they come and
say unto him, "The disciples of John fast often, and make
supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine
eat and drink."

And Jesus said unto them, "Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber
fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come; and
when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast
in those days."

And he spake also a parable unto them: "No man rendeth a piece from a
new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the
new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old. And
no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will
burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will
perish. But new wine must be put into fresh wine-skins. And no man
having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good."


A SABBATH HEALING IN JERUSALEM.

After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in
Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a multitude of them
that were sick, blind, halt, withered. And a certain man was there,
who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. When Jesus saw
him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he
saith unto him, "Wouldest thou be made whole?"

The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is
troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another
steppeth down before me."

Jesus saith unto him, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk."

And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and
walked.

Now it was the sabbath on that day.

So the Jews said unto him that was cured, "It is the sabbath, and it
is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed."

But he answered them, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me,
'Take up thy bed, and walk.'"

They asked him, "Who is the man that said unto thee, 'Take up thy bed,
and walk'?"

But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed
himself away, a multitude being in the place. Afterward Jesus findeth
him in the temple, and said unto him, "Behold, thou art made whole:
sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee."

The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made
him whole. And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he
did these things on the sabbath.

But Jesus answered them, "My Father worketh even until now, and I
work."

For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because
he not only brake the sabbath, but also called God his own Father,
making himself equal with God.

Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the
Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also
doeth in like manner. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him
all things that himself doeth: and greater works than these will he
show him, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth the dead and
giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom he will.
For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all
judgment unto the Son; that all may honor the Son, even as they honor
the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that
sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into
judgment, but hath passed out of death into life. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear
the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the
Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have
life in himself: and he gave him authority to execute judgment,
because he is a son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh,
in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall
come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.

"I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is
righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that
sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. It is
another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which
he witnesseth of me is true. Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne
witness unto the truth. But the witness which I receive is not from
man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved. He was the lamp
that burneth and shineth; and ye were willing to rejoice for a season
in his light. But the witness which I have is greater than that of
John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the
very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent
me. And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me. Ye have
neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. And ye have
not his word abiding in you: for whom he sent, him ye believe not.

"Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have
eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; and ye will
not come to me, that ye may have life. I receive not glory from men.
But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves. I am
come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come
in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, who receive
glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye
seek not? Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one
that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye have set your hope. For if
ye believed Moses, ye would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if ye
believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"


PLUCKING GRAIN ON THE SABBATH.

At that season Jesus went on the sabbath day through the grainfields;
and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears and to eat,
rubbing them in their hands.

But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said unto him, "Behold, thy
disciples do that which it is not lawful to do upon the sabbath."

But he said unto them, "Have ye not read what David did, when he had
need and was hungry, and they that were with him: how he entered into
the house of God, and ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for
him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the
priests? Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath day the
priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless? But I
say unto you, that one greater than the temple is here. But if ye had
known what this meaneth, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' ye would
not have condemned the guiltless."

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