seats on the green grass, in parties; and they sat down 40 in groups-in hundreds, and in fifties. Taking the five 41 loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked up to Heaven, and said the blessing; he broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples for them to serve out to the people, and he divided the two fishes also among them all. Every one 42 had sufficient to eat; and they picked up enough broken 43 pieces to fill twelve baskets, as well as some of the fish. men who ate the bread were five thousand in number. Jesus The 44 Immediately afterwards Jesus made his dis- 45 walks on the Ciples get into the boat, and cross over in advance, Water. in the direction of Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd. After he had taken leave of the people, 46 he went away up the hill to pray. When evening fell, the 47 boat was out in the middle of the Sea, and Jesus on the shore alone. Seeing them labouring at the oars-for the wind was against them--about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, intending to join them. But, when they saw him walking on the water, they thought 49 it was a ghost, and cried out; for all of them saw him, and 50 were terrified. But Jesus at once spoke to them. Courage!" he said, "it is I; do not be afraid!" 48 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. 51 The disciples were utterly amazed, for they had not under- 52 stood about the loaves, their minds being slow to learn. Jesus at When they had crossed over, they landed at 53 Gennesaret. Gennesaret, and moored the boat. But they had 54 no sooner left her than the people, recognizing Jesus, hurried 55 over the whole country-side, and began to carry about upon mats those who were ill, wherever they heard he was. So 56 wherever he went to villages, or towns, or farms-they would lay their sick in the market-places, begging him to let them touch only the tassel of his cloak; and all who touched were made well. blamed One day the Pharisees and some of the Teachers I 7 The Disciples of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered for neglecting round Jesus. They had noticed that some of his 2 Ceremonies. disciples ate their food with their hands 'defiled,' by which they meant unwashed. (For the Pharisees, and 3 indeed all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing their hands, holding in this to the traditions of their ancestors. When they come from market, they will not eat 4 without first sprinkling themselves; and there are many other customs which they have inherited and hold to, such as the ceremonial washing of cups, and jugs, and copper pans). So 5 the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law asked Jesus this question- 56 Num. 15. 38. "How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?” His answer was : 6 "It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites in the words 'This is a people that honour me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me For they teach but the precepts of men.' 7 You neglect God's commandments and hold to the traditions 8 of men. Wisely do you set aside God's commandments," he ex- 9 claimed, "to keep your own traditions! For while Moses said ΙΟ 'Honour thy father and thy mother,' and 'Let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death, you say 'If a man says to his father or mother "Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is Korban"' (which means 'Given to God')--why, then you do not allow him to do anything further for his father or mother! In this way you nullify the words of God by your traditions, which you hand down; and you do many similar things.” 14 There is 15 Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said : When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples 17 began questioning him about this saying. 19 'What, do even you understand so little?" exclaimed Jesus. 18 "Do not you see that there is nothing external to a man, which by going into a man, can ‘defile' him, because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got of?”—in saying this Jesus pronounced all food ‘clean.' rid 222 "It is what comes out from a man," he added, "that defiles him, for it is from within, out of the hearts of men, that there come evil thoughts-unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, haughtiness, folly; all these wicked things come from within, and do 23 defile a man. Cure of a On leaving that place, Jesus went to the dis- 24 Syrian Girl trict of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into near Tyre. a house, and did not wish any one to know it, but could not escape notice. For a woman, whose little daughter 25 had a foul spirit in her, heard of him immediately, and came and threw herself at his feet--the woman was a foreigner, 26 a native of Syrian Phoenicia-and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. "Let the children be satisfied first," answered Jesus. 27 "For it is not fair to take the children's food, and throw it to The 29 "For saying that," he answered, "you may go. demon has gone out of your daughter.” The woman went home, and found the child lying on her bed, and the demon gone. Cure 30 On returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus 31 of a deaf went, by way of Sidon, to the Sea of Galilee, across Mute. the district of the Ten Towns. Some 32 people brought to him a man who was deaf and almost dumb, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd quietly, put his fingers 33 into the man's ears, and touched his tongue with saliva. Then, looking up to Heaven, he sighed, and said to the man: "Ephphatha!" which means 'Be opened.' 34 The man's ears were opened, the string of his tongue was 35 freed, and he began to talk plainly. Jesus insisted upon their 36 not telling any one; but the more he insisted, the more perseveringly they made it known, and a profound impression 37 was made upon the people. "He has done everything well!" they exclaimed. makes even the deaf hear and the dumb speak!" "He About that time, when there was again a great I 8 Jesus feeds crowd of people who had nothing to eat, Jesus four thousand. called his disciples to him, and said: My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they 2 have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; and if I send them away to their homes hungry, they 3 will break down on the way; and some of them have come a long distance." 66 Where will it be possible," his disciples answered, "to get 4 sufficient bread for these people in this lonely place? "How many loaves have you?" he asked. "Seven," they answered. 5 Jesus told the crowd to sit down upon the ground. Then he 6 Immediately afterwards, disciples, Jesus went to the ΙΟ Warning Here the Pharisees came out, and began to against the argue with Jesus, asking him for some sign from the heavens, to test him. Sighing deeply, Jesus said: Teaching of the Pharisees. "Why does this generation ask for a sign? I tell you, no sign shall be given it." So he left them to themselves, and, getting into the boat again, went away to the opposite shore. 11 12 13 Now the disciples had forgotten to take any bread with them, one loaf being all that they had in the boat. So Jesus gave them this warning. "Take care," he said, "beware of the leaven of the Phari sees and the leaven of Herod." They began talking to one another about their being short of bread. And, noticing this, Jesus said to them: 66 · 'Why are you talking about your being short of bread? Do not you yet see or understand? Are your minds still so slow of comprehension? Though you have eyes, do you not see? and though you have ears, do you not hear?' Do not you remember, when I broke up the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets of broken pieces you picked up? Twelve," they said. "And when the seven for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you pick up?" Seven," they said. "Do not you understand now?” he repeated. Cure They came to Bethsaida. 16 17 18 19 20 21 of a blind people brought a blind man to Jesus, and begged Man him to touch him. Taking the blind man's at Bethsaida. hand, Jesus led him to the outskirts of the village, and, when he had put saliva on the man's eyes, he placed his hands on him, and asked him: "Do you see anything?" The man looked up, and said: 'I see the people, for, as they walk about, they look to me like trees. Then Jesus again placed his hands on the man's eyes; and the man saw clearly, his sight was restored, and he saw everything with perfect distinctness. Jesus sent him to his home, Do not go even into the village.' Afterwards Jesus and his disciples went into the villages round Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples this question "" Who do people say that I am?" "John the Baptist," they answered, “but others say Elijah, 28 while others say one of the Prophets. 66 But you, he asked, "who do you say that I am?" 18 Jer. 5. 21. 29 Jesus 30 To this Peter replied: "You are the Christ." On which Jesus charged them not to say this about him to anyone. Then he began to teach them that the Son of 31 foretells his Man must undergo much suffering, and that he Death. must be rejected by the Councillors, and the Chief Priests, and the Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise again after three days. This statement he made 32 openly. But Peter took Jesus aside, and began to rebuke him. Jesus, however, turning round and seeing his disciples, 33 rebuked Peter. "For you look "Out of my sight, Satan!" he exclaimed. at things, not as God does, but as man does." A Call 333 Calling the people and his disciples to him, 34 to renounce Jesus said: Self. For 35 36 "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me. whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, will lose his life shall save it. What good is it to a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what could a man give that is 37 of equal value with his life? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, in this unfaithful and wicked generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his Father's Glory with the holy angels. I tell you,” he added, "that some of those who are standing here will not know death, till they have seen the Kingdom of God come in power." The 38 I 9 2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, Transfigura. James, and John, and led them up a high mountion. tain alone by themselves. There his appearance was transformed before their eyes, and his clothes became of a more dazzling white than any bleacher in the world could make them. And Elijah appeared to them, in company 4 with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 3 "Rabbi,” said Peter, interposing, "it is good to be here; 5 let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. For he did not know what to say, because they 6 were much afraid. Then a cloud came down and enveloped 7 them; and from the cloud there came a voice-- ་་ 'This is my Son, the Beloved; him you must hear." And suddenly, on looking round, they saw that there was now 8 no one with them but Jesus alone. As they were going 9 down the mountain-side, Jesus cautioned them not A Question to relate what they had seen to any one, till after about Elijah. the Son of Man should have risen again from the dead. They seized upon these words and discussed with one IO another what this 'rising from the dead' meant. 31 Hos. 6. 2. 7 Ps, 2, 7; Isa. 42. 1. |