The Bible Story Part 239

_The Two Blind Men_.

And as Jesus pa.s.sed by from thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, "Have mercy on us, thou son of David."

And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus said unto them, "Believe ye that I am able to do this?"

They say unto him, "Yea, Lord."

Then touched he their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done unto you." And their eyes were opened.

And Jesus strictly charged them, saying, "See that no man know it."

But they went forth, and spread abroad his fame in all that land.

_The Throngs About the Master_.

And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea: and a great mult.i.tude from Galilee followed: and from Judaea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and beyond Jordan, and about Tyre and Sidon, a great mult.i.tude, {129} hearing what great things he did, came unto him. And he spoke to his disciples, that a little boat should wait on him because of the crowd, lest they should throng him: for he had healed many; insomuch that as many as had plagues pressed upon him that they might touch him. And the unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, "Thou art the Son of G.o.d."

And he charged them much that they should not make him known.

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IV

THE MIRACLE AT NAIN

_How the Lord Jesus Raised a Widow's Son from the Dead_.

And it came to pa.s.s soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain; and his disciples went with him, and a great mult.i.tude. Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, there was carried out one that was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and many people of the city were with her.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compa.s.sion on her, and said unto her, "Weep not."

And he came nigh and touched the bier: and the bearers stood still.

And he said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

And fear took hold on all: and they glorified G.o.d, saying, "A great prophet is arisen among us": and, "G.o.d hath visited his people." And this report went forth concerning him in the whole of Judaea, and all the region round about.

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JESUS PREACHING BY THE SEASIDE [End ill.u.s.tration]

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V

THE GREAT TEACHER

_How the Lord Jesus Told the People Stories by the Sea_.

And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there was gathered unto him a very great mult.i.tude, so that he entered into a boat, which was on the sea, and sat in it; and all the mult.i.tude were by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things in stories, and told them in his teaching,--

_The Story of the Sower_.

"Behold, the sower went forth to sow: and, as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it. And other seed fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other seed fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold."

And he said, "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Afterward he explained the parable to them thus):--

"The sower soweth the word. And these are they by {134} the wayside, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them. And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble. And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word, and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the l.u.s.ts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it; and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold."

_The Story of the Growing Grain_.

And he said, "The kingdom of G.o.d is as if a man should cast seed upon the earth; and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how. The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come."

_The Story of the Mustard Seed_.

And he said, "How shall we liken the kingdom of G.o.d? or in what story shall we set it forth? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, {135} though it he less than all the seeds that are upon the earth, yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof."

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VI

THE TEMPEST

_How the Lord Jesus Stilled the Storm, and Did Miracles by the Sea_.

And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, "Let us go over unto the other side."

And leaving the mult.i.tude, they took him with them in the boat. And other boats were with him. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, that the boat was now filling. And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

And he awoke, 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 fearful? have ye not yet faith?"

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling in the tombs: and no man could bind him, no, not with a chain; because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: and no man had strength to tame him. And always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones.

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HOUSETOPS AT TIBERIAS, LOOKING OVER SEA OF GALILEE.