Book: His Life

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




The Jews said unto him, "Now we know that thou hast a demon. Abraham
died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, 'If a man keep my word, he
shall never taste of death.' Art thou greater than our father Abraham,
who died? and the prophets died: whom makest thou thyself?"

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing: it is my
Father that glorifieth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God; and ye
have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, 'I know him
not,' I shall be like unto you, a liar; but I know him, and keep his
word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and
was glad."

The Jews therefore said unto him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham?"

Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you. Before Abraham
was born, I am."

They took up stones therefore to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself,
and went out of the temple.




THE MINISTRY IN PEREA


THE MISSION OF THE SEVENTY.

And he arose and cometh into the borders of Judaea and beyond the
Jordan; and great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

And the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two
before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was
about to come. And he said unto them, "The harvest indeed is
plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the
harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways;
behold, I send you forth as lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no
purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. And into
whatsoever house ye shall enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'
And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if
not, it shall turn to you again. And in that same house remain, eating
and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of
his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye
enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, 'The kingdom of
God is come nigh unto you.' But into whatsoever city ye shall enter,
and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say,
'Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off
against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come
nigh.' I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable in that day for
Sodom, than for that city. He that heareth you heareth me; and he
that rejecteth you rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth
him that sent me."


THE RETURN OF THE SEVENTY.

And the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are
subject unto us in thy name."

And he said unto them, "I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from
heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in
any wise hurt you. Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits
are subject unto you: but rejoice that your names are written in
heaven."


THE MEEK AND LOWLY.

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I thank
thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these
things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto
babes; yea, Father; for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. All
things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth
who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son,
and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him."

And turning to the disciples, he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes
which see the things that ye see: for I say unto you, that many
prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw
them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light."


THE UNREPENTANT CITIES.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works
were done, because they repented not. "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe
unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre
and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in
sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. And thou,
Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto
Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done
in thee, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you
that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of
judgment, than for thee."


THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying,
"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

And he said unto him, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?"

And he answering said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all
thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."

And he said unto him, "Thou hast answered right: this do and thou
shalt live."

But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?"

Jesus made answer and said, "A certain man was going down from
Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him
and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance a
certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed
by on the other side. And in like manner a Levite also, when he came
to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he
was moved with compassion, and came to him, and bound up his wounds,
pouring on them oil and wine; and he set him on his own beast, and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow he took
out two shillings, and gave them to the host, and said, 'Take care of
him: and whatsoever thou spendest more, I, when I come back again,
will repay thee.' Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor
unto him that fell among the robbers?"

And he said, "He that showed mercy on him."

And Jesus said unto him, "Go, and do thou likewise."




IN JERUSALEM--THE ATTEMPT TO ARREST HIM.


THE FRIENDS AT BETHANY.

Now as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village: and
a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet and
heard his word.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him,
and said, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to
serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me."

But the Lord answered and said unto her, "Martha, Martha, thou art
anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: for
Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from
her."


A MIRACLE IN JERUSALEM.

And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his
disciples asked him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his
parents, that he should be born blind?"

Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that
the works of God should be made manifest in him. We must work the
works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no
man can work. When I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

When he had thus spoken he spat on the ground, and made clay of the
spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, and said unto him, "Go,
wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is by interpretation, Sent).

He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The neighbors therefore, and they that saw him aforetime, that he was
a beggar, said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?"

Others said, "It is he:" others said, "No, but he is like him."

He said, "I am he."

They said therefore unto him, "How then were thine eyes opened?"

He answered, "The man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine
eyes, and said unto me, 'Go to Siloam, and wash:' so I went away and
washed, and I received sight."

And they said unto him, "Where is he?"

He saith, "I know not."

They bring to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. Now it was
the sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his
sight.

And he said unto them, "He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and
I see."

Some therefore of the Pharisees said. "This man is not from God,
because he keepeth not the sabbath."

But others said, "How can a man that is a sinner do such signs?"

And there was a division among them.

They say therefore unto the blind man again, "What sayest thou of him,
in that he opened thine eyes?"

And he said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been
blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of
him that had received his sight, and asked them, saying, "Is this your
son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?"

His parents answered and said, "We know that this is our son, and that
he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened
his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for
himself."

These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews; for the
Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess him to be
Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his
parents, "He is of age; ask him."

So they called a second time the man that was blind, and said unto
him, "Give glory to God: we know that this man is a sinner."

He therefore answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I know not: one thing
I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."

They said therefore unto him, "What did he to thee? how opened he
thine eyes."

He answered them, "I told you even now, and ye did not hear; wherefore
would ye hear it again? would ye also become his disciples?"

And they reviled him, and said, "Thou art his disciple; but we are
disciples of Moses. We know that God hath spoken unto Moses: but as
for this man, we know not whence he is."

The man answered and said unto them. "Why, herein is the marvel, that
ye know not whence he is, and yet he opened mine eyes. We know that
God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do
his will, him he heareth. Since the world began it was never heard
that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not
from God, he could do nothing."

They answered and said unto him, "Thou wast altogether born in sins,
and dost thou teach us?" And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and finding him, he said,
"Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"

He answered and said, "And who is he, Lord, that I may believe on
him?"

Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that
speaketh with thee."

And he said, "Lord, I believe."

And he worshipped him.

And Jesus said, "For judgment came I into this world, that they that
see not may see; and that they that see may become blind."

Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said
unto him, "Are we also blind?"

Jesus said unto them, "If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now
ye say, 'We see:' your sin remaineth."


THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into
the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a
thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear
his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the
sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they
not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of
strangers."

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what
things they were which he spake unto them.

Jesus therefore said unto them again, "Verily, verily, I say unto
you, I am the door of the sheep. All that came before me are thieves
and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; by me if
any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and
shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and
kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it
abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his
life for the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose
own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the
sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them;
he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am
the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me, even as
the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life
for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and they shall
become one flock, one shepherd. Therefore doth the Father love me,
because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one taketh it
away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it
down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I
from my Father."

There arose a division again among the Jews because of these words.
And many of them said, "He hath a demon, and is mad; why hear ye him?"

Others said, "These are not the sayings of one possessed with a demon.
Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"


JESUS AT THE FEAST OF DEDICATION.

And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem; it was winter;
and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's porch. The Jews
therefore came round about him, and said unto him, "How long dost thou
hold us in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus answered them, "I told you, and ye believe not; the works that I
do in my Father's name, these bear witness of me. But ye believe not,
because ye are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My
Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one
is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are
one."

The Jews took up stones again to stone him.

Jesus answered them, "Many good works have I showed you from the
Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?"

The Jews answered him, "For a good work we stone thee not, but for
blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."

Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, Ye are
gods?' If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the
scripture cannot be broken), say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified
and sent into the world, 'Thou blasphemest;' because I said, 'I am the
Son of God?' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But
if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may
know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."

They sought again to take him: and he went forth out of their hand.




RENEWED MINISTRY IN PEREA


JESUS AND THE PHARISEES.

And he went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was
at the first baptizing; and there he abode. And many came unto him;
and they said, "John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever
John spake of this man were true." And many believed on him there.

Now a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat
down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had
not first bathed himself before dinner.

And the Lord said unto him, "Now ye the Pharisees cleanse the outside
of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of
extortion and wickedness. Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the
outside make the inside also? But give for alms those things which are
within; and behold, all things are clean unto you."

And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees
began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of
many things; laying wait for him, to catch something out of his mouth.

In the meantime, when the many thousands of the multitude were
gathered together, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began
to say unto his disciples first of all, "Beware ye of the leaven of
the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up,
that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known."


WARNING AGAINST COVETOUSNESS.

And one out of the multitude said unto him, "Teacher, bid my brother
divide the inheritance with me."

But he said unto him, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over
you?"

And he said unto them, "Take heed and keep yourselves from all
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth."

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, "The ground of a certain
rich man brought forth plentifully; and he reasoned within himself,
saying, 'What shall I do, because I have not where to bestow my
fruits?' And he said, 'This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and
build greater; and there will I bestow all my grain and my goods. And
I will say to my soul, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry."' But God said unto him,
'Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee: and the
things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?' So is he that
layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."


THE FALL OF THE TOWER.

Now there were some present at that very season who told him of the
Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And
he answered and said unto them, "Think ye that these Galilaeans were
sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they have suffered these
things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like
manner perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell,
and killed them, think ye that they were offenders above all the men
that dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish."

And he spake this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in
his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. And
he said unto the vinedresser, 'Behold, these three years I come
seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth
it also cumber the ground.' And he answering saith unto him, 'Lord,
let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it
down.'"


THE USES OF THE SABBATH.

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath day. And
behold, a woman that had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she
was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up. And when
Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, "Woman, thou art loosed
from thine infirmity."

And he laid his hands upon her: and immediately she was made straight,
and glorified God.

And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because
Jesus had healed on the sabbath, answered and said to the multitude,
"There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come
and be healed, and not on the day of the sabbath."

But the Lord answered him and said, "Ye hypocrites, doth not each one
of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead
him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of
Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been
loosed from this bond on the day of the sabbath?"

And as he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame:
and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were
done by him.


A QUESTION OF SALVATION.

And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and
journeying on unto Jerusalem. And one said unto him, "Lord, are they
few that are saved?"

And he said unto them, "Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for
many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the
door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying,
'Lord, open to us,' and he shall answer and say to you, 'I know you
not whence ye are'; then shall ye begin to say, 'We did eat and drink
in thy presence, and thou didst teach in our streets'; and he shall
say, 'I tell you, I know not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye
workers of iniquity.' There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of
teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the
prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without.
And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north and
south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are
last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last."


A MESSAGE TO HEROD.

In that very hour there came certain Pharisees, saying to him, "Get
thee out, and go hence: for Herod would fain kill thee."

And he said unto them, "Go and say to that fox, 'Behold, I cast out
demons and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am
perfected.' Nevertheless I must go on my way to-day and to-morrow and
the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of
Jerusalem."


THE OX IN THE PIT.

And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers
of the Pharisees on a sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching
him. And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the
dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees,
saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?"

But they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let
him go.

And he said unto them, "Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen
into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day?"
And they could not answer again unto these things.


THE CHIEF PLACES AT THE FEAST.

And he spake a parable unto those that were bidden, when he marked how
they chose out the chief seats; saying unto them, "When thou art
bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat;
lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, and he
that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, 'Give this man
place'; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that
when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, 'Friend, go
up higher'; then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit
at meat with thee. For every one that exalteth himself shall be
humbled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

And he said to him also that had bidden him, "When thou makest a
dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy
kinsmen, nor rich neighbors; lest haply they also bid thee again, and
a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, bid the poor,
the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; because
they have not wherewith to recompense thee: for thou shalt be
recompensed in the resurrection of the just.


THE SLIGHTED INVITATION.

And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he
said unto him, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of
God."

But he said unto him, "A certain man made a great supper; and he bade
many: and he sent forth his servant at supper time to say to them that
were bidden, 'Come; for all things are now ready.' And they all with
one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, 'I have
bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have
me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I
go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.' And another said, 'I
have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' And the servant
came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house,
being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and
lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind
and lame.' And the servant said, 'Lord, what thou didst command is
done, and yet there is room.' And the lord said unto the servant, 'Go
out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that
my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men
that were bidden shall taste of my supper.'"


COUNTING THE COST.

Now there went with him great multitudes: and he turned, and said unto
them, "If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his own father, and
mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and
his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Whosoever doth not bear
his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of
you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the
cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? Lest haply, when he
hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold
begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able
to finish.' Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in
war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with
ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an
ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. So therefore whosoever he
be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my
disciple. Salt therefore is good: but if even the salt have lost its
savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is fit neither for the land
nor for the dunghill: men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear."

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