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CHAPTER 152

Jesus rebukes a barren fig tree. Drives the merchants out of the temple. Teaches the people. Returns to Bethany.

Next day, the Monday of the week, the master with the twelve, went to Jerusalem.

2 And as they passed along the way they saw a fig tree full of leaves without a sign of fruit.

3 And Jesus spoke unto the tree; he said, You useless cumberer of the ground; you fig tree fair to look upon, but a delusive thing.

4 You take from earth and air the food that fruitful trees should have.

5 Go back to earth and be yourself the food for other trees to eat.

6 When Jesus had thus spoken to the tree he went his way.

7 And when he reached the temple, lo, the rooms were filled with petty merchants selling doves and animals, and other things, for sacrifice; the temple was a mart of trade.

8 And Jesus was indignant at the sight, and said, You men of Israel, for shame! This is supposed to be the house of prayer; but it is now a den of thieves. Remove this plunder from this holy place.

9 The merchants only laughed and said, We are protected in our trade by those who bear the rule; we will not go.

10 Then Jesus made a scourge of cords, as he did once before, and rushed among the merchantmen, threw all their money on the floor;

11 Threw wide the cages of the doves, and cut the cords that held the bleating lambs and set them free.

12 And then he drove the merchants from the place, and with a clean, new broom he swept the floors.

13 Chief priests and scribes were filled with wrath, but feared to touch or even to rebuke the Lord, for all the people stood in his defense.

14 And Jesus taught the people all day long and healed a multitude of those diseased,

15 And when the evening came he went again to Bethany.

CHAPTER 153

The Christines go to Jerusalem. They note the withered fig tree; its symbolic meaning. Jesus teaches in the temple. Is censured by the priests. Relates a parable of a rich man’s feast.

On Tuesday, early in the day, the master and the twelve went to Jerusalem.

2 And as they went the twelve observed the tree to which the Lord had talked the day before, and lo, the leaves were withered, just as if they had been scorched with fire.

3 And Peter said, Lord, see the tree! Its leaves are withered and the tree seems dead.

4 And Jesus said, So shall it be with those who bear no fruit. When God shall call them up to give account, lo, he will breathe upon them, and their leaves, their empty words, will wither and decay.

5 God will not let the fruitless trees of life encumber ground, and he will pluck them up and cast them all away.

6 Now, you can demonstrate the power of God. Have faith in God, and you can bid the mountains to depart, and they will crumble at your feet;

7 And you may talk to wind and wave, and they will hear, and will obey what you command.

8 God hears the prayer of faith and when you ask in faith you shall receive.

9 You must not ask amiss; God will not hear the prayer of any man who comes to him with blood of other men upon his hands.

10 And he who harbors envious thoughts, and does not love his fellow men, may pray forever unto God, and he will hear him not.

11 God can do nothing more for men than they would do for other men.

12 And Jesus walked again within the temple courts.

13 The priests and scribes were much emboldened by the council of Caiaphas and the other men in power, and so they came to Jesus and they said,

14 Who gave you the authority to do as you have done? Why did you drive the merchants from the temple yesterday?

15 And Jesus answered them and said, If you will answer what I ask, then I will answer you; Was John, the harbinger, a man of God, or was he a seditious man?

16 The scribes and Pharisees were loath to answer him; they reasoned thus among themselves:

17 If we shall say, John was a prophet sent from God, then he will say,

18 John testified for me, that I am son of God; why do you not believe his words?

19 If we should say, John was a bold, seditious man, the people will be angered, for they think he was a prophet of the living God.

20 And so they answered Jesus and they said, We do not know; we cannot tell.

21 Then Jesus said, If you will tell me not, then I will tell you not who gave me power to drive the robbers from the house of God.

22 And then he spoke a parable to them; he said, A man once made a feast inviting all the rich and honored people of the land.

23 But when they came, they found the door into the banquet hall was low, and they could enter not except they bowed their heads and fell down on their knees.

24 These people would not bow their heads and fall down on their knees, and so they went away; they went not to the feast.

25 And then the man sent forth his messengers to bid the common folks, and those of low estate, to come and feast with him.

26 These people gladly came; they bowed their heads and fell down on their knees, and came into the banquet hall and it was full, and every one rejoiced.

27 And then the master said, Behold, you priests and scribes, and Pharisees! the Lord of heaven and earth has spread a sumptuous feast, and you were bidden first of all;

28 But you have found the door into the banquet hall so low that you must bow your heads and fall down on your knees to enter in, and you have scorned the king who made the feast, refused to bow your heads and fall down on your knees, and you have gone your way;

29 But now God calls again; the common folks and those of low estate have come in multitudes, have entered in unto the feast and all rejoice.

30 I tell you, men, that publicans and courtesans go through the gates into the kingdom of the God of heaven, and you are left without.

31 John came to you in righteousness; he brought the truth, but you believed him not.

32 But publicans and courtesans believed, and were baptized and now have entered in unto the feast.

33 I tell you now, as I have told you many times, The many have been called, but chosen are the few.

CHAPTER 154

Jesus teaches in the temple court. The parable of the householder and wicked husbandmen. Parable of the marriage feast and the guest without a wedding robe.

The multitudes would hear what Jesus had to say, and so they built a platform in the temple court, and Jesus stood upon the place and taught. He spoke in parables; he said,

2 A man possessed a vast estate; he planted out a vineyard, placed a hedge about it, built a tower, installed the press for making wine.

3 He placed his vineyard in the hands of husbandmen and then he journeyed to a distant land.

4 Now, in the vintage time the man sent forth a servant to receive and bring to him his portion of the fruitage of the vines.

5 The husbandmen came forth and beat the man; laid forty lashes on his back and cast him out beyond the vineyard gate.

6 And then the owner sent another man to bring to him his own. The husbandmen laid hold of him and sorely wounded him and cast him from the vineyard, leaving him half dead beside the way.

7 The owner sent another man to bring to him his own. The husbandmen seized hold of him and with a javelin they pierced his heart; then buried him beyond the hedge.

8 The owner was aggrieved. He thought within himself, What shall I do? and then he said, This will I do. My only son is here, and I will send him to the husbandmen,

9 They surely will respect my son and send me what is mine.

10 He sent his son; the husbandmen took counsel with themselves; they said, This is the only heir to all this wealth, and if we take his life the vast inheritance is ours.

11 They took his life and cast him out beyond the vineyard hedge.

12 The days will come; the owner will return to reckon with the husbandmen, and he will seize them every one, and cast them into scorching fires where they shall stay until they pay the debts they owe.

13 And he will place his vineyard in the care of honest men.

14 Then turning to the priests and scribes he said, Did not your prophets say,

15 The stone the builders cast away became the capstone of the arch?

16 You men who pose as men of God, as husbandmen, lo, you have stoned and killed the messengers of God, his prophets and his seers, and now you seek to slay his son.

17 I tell you men, the kingdom shall be snatched away from you, and shall be given unto people who are not a people now, and to a nation that is not a nation now.

18 And men whose speech you cannot understand, will stand between the living and the dead, and show the way to life.

19 The chief priests and the Pharisees were deeply moved with anger when they heard this parable, and would have seized the Lord and done him harm, but they were sore afraid; they feared the multitude.

20 And Jesus spoke another parable; he said, The kingdom is alike a certain king who made a feast in honor of the marriage of his son.

21 He sent his servants forth to call the people who had been invited to the feast.

22 The servants called; but then the people would not come.

23 And then the king sent other messengers abroad to say, Behold, my tables now are spread; my oxen and my fatlings are prepared.

24 The choicest viands and the richest wines are on my boards; come to the marriage feast.

25 The people laughed and treated with disdain his call, and went their way, one to his farm, another to his merchandise;

26 And others seized the servants of the king; abused them shamefully; and some of them they killed.

27 And then the king sent forth his soldiery who slew the murderers and burned their towns.

28 And then the king sent other servants forth; to them he said, Go to the corners of the streets, the partings of the ways, and to the marts of trade and say,

29 Whoever will may come up to the marriage feast.

30 The servants went their way and called; and lo, the banquet hall was filled with guests.

31 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man who had not on a wedding robe; he called to him and said,

32 Friend, why are you here without a wedding robe? Would you dishonor thus my son?

33 The man was dumb; he answered not.

34 And then the king said to his guards, Take you this man and bind him hand and foot and cast him out into the darkness of the night.

35 The many have been called, but none are chosen to be guests who have not clad themselves in wedding robes.

CHAPTER 155

Jesus recognizes the justice of paying secular taxes. He teaches a lesson on family relationships in the life beyond. The greatest of the commandments is comprised in love. He warns his disciples against the hypocrisy of scribes and Pharisees.

As Jesus spoke, the Pharisees came up to question him; they thought to criminate him by what he said.

2 A strict Herodian spoke and said, My Lord, you are a man of truth; you show the way to God, and you do not regard the personality of men;

3 Tell us, what do you think; should we, who are the seed of Abraham, pay tribute unto Cæsar? or should we not?

4 And Jesus knew his wickedness of heart and said, Why do you come to tempt me thus? Show me the tribute money that you speak about.

5 The man brought forth a piece of coin on which an image was engraved.

6 And Jesus said, Whose image and whose name is on this coin?

7 The man replied, ’Tis Cæsar’s image and his name.

8 And Jesus said, Give unto Cæsar that which is Cæsar’s own; but give to God the things of God.

9 And they who heard him said, He answers well.

10 And then a Sadducee, who thinks there is no resurrection of the dead, came up and said, Rabboni, Moses wrote that if a married man shall die, and have no child, his widow shall become his brother’s wife.

11 Now, there were seven brothers and the eldest had a wife; he died and had no child; a brother took his widow for his wife, and then he died;

12 And every brother had this woman for his wife; in course of time the woman died;

13 Now which will have this woman for a wife in the resurrection day?

14 And Jesus said, Here in this plane of life men marry just to gratify their selfish selfs, or to perpetuate the race; but in the world to come, and in the resurrection day, men do not take upon themselves the marriage vows,

15 But, like the angels and the other sons of God, they form not unions for the pleasure of the self, nor to perpetuate the race.

16 Death does not mean the end of life. The grave is not the goal of men, no more than is the earth the goal of seeds.

17 Life is the consequence of death. The seed may seem to die, but from its grave the tree arises into life.

18 So man may seem to die, but he lives on, and from the grave he springs up into life.

19 If you could comprehend the word that Moses spoke about the burning bush that burned and still was not consumed, then you would know that death cannot destroy the life.

20 And Moses said that God is God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel.

21 God is not God of dead men’s bones, but of the living man.

22 I tell you, men, man goes down to the grave, but he will rise again and manifest the life;

23 For every life is hid with Christ in God, and man shall live while God shall live.

24 The Pharisees and scribes who heard the Lord, exclaimed, He speaks the truth; and they were glad to have the Sadducees discomfited.

25 And then an honest scribe came forth and said to Jesus, Lord, you speak as one whom God has sent, and may I ask,

26 Which is the greatest and the first of the Commandments of the Law?

27 And Jesus said, The first is: Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, with all your strength;

28 And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

29 These are the greatest of the ten, and on them hang the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms.

30 The scribe replied, My soul gives witness that you speak the truth, for love fulfills the law, and far transcends burnt offerings and sacrifice.

31 And Jesus said to him, Lo, you have solved a mystery; you are within the kingdom and the kingdom is in you.

32 To his disciples Jesus spoke, and all the people heard; he said, Beware you of the scribes and Pharisees who pride themselves in wearing long and richly decorated robes,

33 And love to be saluted in the market place, and seek the highest seats at feasts, and take the hard-earned wages of the poor to satisfy their carnal selves, and pray in public, long and loud.

34 These are the wolves who clothe themselves to look like sheep.

35 And then he said to all, The scribes and Pharisees are placed by law in Moses’ seat, and by the law they may interpret law;

36 So what they bid you do, that do; but do not imitate their deeds.

37 They say the things that Moses taught; they do the things of Beelzebul.

38 They talk of mercy, yet they bind on human shoulders burdens grievous to bear.

39 They talk of helpfulness, and yet they put not forth the slightest helpful efforts for their brother man.

40 They make a show of doing things, and yet they do not anything but show their gaudy robes, and broad phylacteries, and smile when people call them honored masters of the law.

41 They strut about and show their pride when people call them father, so and so.

42 Hear, now, you men, Call no man father here. The God of heaven and earth, and he alone, is Father of the race of men.

43 Christ is the hierarch, the high, exalted master of the sons of men.

44 If you would be exalted, sit down at the master’s feet and serve. He is the greatest man who serves the best.

CHAPTER 156

The scribes and Pharisees are angered. Jesus rebukes them for their hypocrisy. He laments over Jerusalem. The widow’s mite. Jesus delivers his farewell address to the people in the temple.

The scribes and Pharisees were wild with rage; and Jesus said,

2 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you stand within the way; you block the door; you will not go into the kingdom and you turn aside the pure in heart who are about to enter in.

3 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he has been made he is a son of hell, just like yourselves.

4 Woe unto you who call yourselves the guides of men! and you are guides, blind guides;

5 For you pay tithes of cummin, mint and dill, and leave undone the weightier matters of the law; of judgment, justice, faith.

6 You filter out the gnats before you drink; but then you swallow camels and the like.

7 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you clean and scour the outside of the cup, while it is full of filth, extortion and excess.

8 Go to and clean the inside of the cup, and then the poisonous fumes will not defile the outside of the cup.

9 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you are yourselves like whitewashed sepulchres; your outer garbs are beautiful, but you are full of dead men’s bones.

10 You seem to men to be divine; but in your hearts you nourish lust, hypocrisies and vile iniquities.

11 Woe unto you, you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! you build and then adorn the tombs of holy men of old and say,

12 If we had lived when these men lived, we would have guarded them, would not have acted as our fathers did, when they maltreated them and put them to the sword.

13 But you are sons of them who slew the holy men, and you are not a whit more just than they.

14 Go forth and fill the measure of your fathers who were steeped in crime.

15 You are the offsprings of the vipers, and how can you be but serpents of the dust?

16 God now has sent again to you his prophets and his seers, his wise men and his holy men, and you will scourge them in your synagogues, and stone them in the streets, and nail them to the cross.

17 Woe unto you! for on your heads will come the blood of all the holy men who have been slain upon the earth,

18 From righteous Abel down to Zacharias, son of Barachias, who was slain within the Holy Place before the altar of the Lord.

19 Behold, I say that these things all shall come upon this nation and the people of Jerusalem.

20 And Jesus looked about and said, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou cruel city of Jerusalem, that slays the prophets in the streets and kills the holy men whom God has sent to you!

21 Lo, I would oft have gathered you as children to the fold of God; but you would not.

22 You have rejected God, and now your house is desolate, and you shall see me not again till you can say,

23 Thrice blessed is the son of man who comes as son of God.

24 Then Jesus went and sat beside the treasury and watched the people as they paid their tithes.

25 The rich men came and gave of their abundance; and then he saw a poor but loyal widow come and put a farthing in the treasure box.

26 And then he said to his disciples who were standing by, Behold, for this poor widow who has put a farthing in the treasury has done more than they all;

27 For she has given all she had; the rich have given just a little share of what they have.

28 A company of Grecian Jews were at the feast, and they met Philip, who could talk with them, and said, Sir, we would see the Lord, this Jesus, who is called the Christ.

29 And Philip led the way, and brought them to the Christ.

30 And Jesus said, The hour has come; the son of man is ready to be glorified, and it cannot be otherwise.

31 Except a grain of wheat fall into earth and die it can be nothing but a grain of wheat; but if it die it lives again, and from its grave a hundred grains of wheat arise.

32 My soul is troubled now; What shall I say? And then he cast his eyes to heaven and said,

33 My Father-God, I would not ask to be relieved of all the burdens I must bear; I only ask for grace and strength to bear the burdens whatso’er they be,

34 This is the hour for which I came to earth. O Father, glorify thy name!

35 And then the place was lighted with a light more brilliant than the noonday sun; the people stood a-back; they were afraid.

36 And then a voice that seemed to come from heaven said,

37 I have both glorified my name and yours, and I will honor them again.

38 The people heard the voice, and some exclaimed, Behold, a distant thunder! Others said, An angel spoke to him.

39 But Jesus said, This voice was not for me; it was for you, that you might know that I am come from God.

40 Now is the judgment of the world at hand; the prince of darkness shall be manifest and go unto his own.

41 The son of man will now be lifted up from earth, and he will draw all men unto himself.

42 The people said, The law declares that Christ abides forever more. How can you say, The son of man will now be lifted up? Who is the son of man?

43 And Jesus said to them, The light is shining now; walk in the light while you still have the light.

44 The darkness comes; but he who walks in darkness cannot find the way.

45 Again I say, Walk in the light while you still have the light, that men may know that you are sons of light.

46 And Jesus stood out in the temple porch, and made his last appeal unto the multitudes; he said,

47 He who believes in me, believes in God who sent me forth to do his will, and he who sees me now beholds my Father-God.

48 Behold, I came a light unto the world; he who believes in me shall walk in light, the light of life.

49 You men who hear me now, If you believe me not, I judge you not.

50 I am not come to judge the world, but I am come to save the world.

51 God is the only judge of men; but what I speak will stand against you in the day when God will judge the world;

52 For from myself I do not speak; I speak the words that God has given me to speak.

53 And then he said, Jerusalem, with all your glory and your crimes, Farewell.