Walks and Words of Jesus Part 26

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. And one of the scribes _which was_ a lawyer, came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked _him a question_, tempting him, and saying, Master, which _is_ the great commandment in the law? Which is the First commandment of all?

And Jesus answered him,

The first of all the commandments _is_, Hear, O Israel, The Lord our G.o.d is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first and great commandment. And the second _is_ like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. There is none other commandment greater than these.

And the scribe said unto him, Well Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one G.o.d; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love _his_ neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him,

Thou art not far from the kingdom of G.o.d.

And no man after that durst ask him _any question_.

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying,

What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?

They say unto him, _The Son_ of David. He saith unto them,

How then doth David in spirit call him Lord?

And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple,

How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself saith by the Holy Ghost, in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he _then_ his son?

And no man was able to answer him a word: and the common people heard him gladly: neither durst any _man_ from that day forth ask him any more _questions_.

Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, in his doctrine,

Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and _love_ salutations in the market places, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater d.a.m.nation.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury. And he looked up, and saw the people casting their gifts into the treasury. And many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called _unto him_ his disciples, and saith unto them,

Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all _they_ did cast in of their abundance, unto the offerings of G.o.d: but she of her want did cast in all that she had, _even_ all her living.

But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with _their_ eyes, nor understand with _their_ heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess _him_, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of G.o.d. Jesus cried and said,

He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

CHAPTER LVIII.

WOES AGAINST SCRIBES, PHARISEES AND HYPOCRITES.

Then spake Jesus to the mult.i.tude, and to his disciples, saying,

The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, _that_ observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay _them_ on men's shoulders; but they _themselves_ will not move them with one of their fingers.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the border of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, _even_ Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no _man_ your father upon the earth: for one is your Father which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, _even_ Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in _yourselves_, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater d.a.m.nation.

Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compa.s.s sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of h.e.l.l than yourselves.

Woe unto you, _ye_ blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! _Ye_ fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

_Ye_ fools and blind: for whether _is_ greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of G.o.d, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay t.i.the of mint and anise and c.u.mmin, and have omitted the weightier _matters_ of the law, judgment, mercy and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. _Ye_ blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. _Thou_ blind Pharisee, cleanse first that _which is_ within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead _men's_ bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. _Ye_ serpents, _ye_ generation of vipers, how can ye escape the d.a.m.nation of h.e.l.l.

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and _some_ of them ye shall kill and crucify; and _some_ of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute _them_ from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, _thou_ that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under _her_ wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed _is_ he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

CHAPTER LIX.

DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE AND COMING OF THE SON OF MAN FORETOLD.

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple, and as he went out, his disciples came to _him_ for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings _are here_! And Jesus answering said unto him,

Seest thou these great buildings? _As for_ these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which, verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, saying, Master, tell us, when shall these things be? and what _shall be_ the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, when all these things shall be fulfilled? and Jesus answered and said unto them,

Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near; and shall deceive many; go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled: for all _these things_ must first come to pa.s.s; but the end is not yet.