12 speak, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; and 13 you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved. As 14 soon, however, as you see the Foul Desecration' standing where he ought not" (the reader must consider what this means) "then those of you who are in Judaea must take refuge in the mountains; and a man on the house-top must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; nor mus. one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak. And alas 17 for the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! Pray, too, that this may not occur in 18 winter. For those days will be a time of distress, the like of 19 which has not occurred from the beginning of God's_creation until now-and never will again. And, had not the Lord put 20 a limit to those days, not a single soul would escape; but, for the sake of God's own chosen People, he did limit them. And at that time if any one should say to you 'Look, here is the Christ!' 'Look, there he is!', do not believe it; for false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and display signs and marvels, to lead astray, were it possible, even God's People. But see that you are on your guard! I 23 have told you all this beforehand. In those days, after 24 that time of distress, 'the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, the stars will be falling from the 25 heavens,' and 'the forces that are in the heavens will be convulsed.' Then will be seen the 'Son of Man coming in 26 clouds' with great power and glory; and then he will send 27 the angels, and gather his People from the four winds, from one end of the world to the other. The Need 21 22 22 Learn the lesson taught by the fig-tree. As 28 for soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is Watchfulness. bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. And so may you, as soon as you see these things hap- 29 pening, know that he is at your doors. I tell you that even 30 the present generation will not pass away, until all these things have taken place. The heavens and the earth will pass 31 away, but my words will not pass away. But about 32 See 33 "That Day,' or 'The Hour,' no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor yet the Son-but only the Father. that you are on the watch; for you do not know when the time will be. It is like a man going on a journey, who leaves 34 his home, puts his servants in charge-each having his special duty—and orders the porter to watch. Therefore watch, for 35 you cannot be sure when the Master of the house is coming- 12 Mic. 7. 6. 24 Isa. 13. 10. Deut. 28. 64. 14 Dan. 12. II. 16 Gen. 19. 26. 19 Dan. 12. 1. 22 Deut. 13. I. 27 Deut. 30. 4; Zech. 2. 6; whether in the evening, at midnight, at daybreak, or in the morning--lest he should come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all-Watch!" The Plot against Jesus. It was now two days before the Festival of the The Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus by stealth, and to put him to death; for they said: "Not during the Festival, for fear of a riot." anointed by 36 37 I 14 2 When Jesus was still at Bethany, in the house 3 Jesus of Simon the leper, while he was at table, a a Woman woman came with an alabaster jar of choice at Bethany. spikenard perfume of great value. She broke the jar, and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those who were present said to one another indignantly : Why has the perfume been wasted like this? fume could have been sold for more than thirty pounds, and the money given to the poor." This per- 5 "Let her alone," said Jesus, as they began to find fault with 6 her, "why are you troubling her? This is a beautiful deed that she has done for me. You always have the poor with you, 7 and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she 8 has perfumed my body beforehand for my burial. And I tell you, wherever, in the whole world, the Good News is proclaimed, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her." Judas agrees After this, Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, to betray went to the Chief Priests, to betray Jesus to Jesus. them. They were glad to hear what he said, and promised to pay him. So he looked for a way to betray Jesus opportunely. The On the first day of the Festival of the UnPassover. leavened Bread, when it was customary to kill the Passover lambs, his disciples said to Jesus: "Where do you wish us to go and make preparations for your eating the Passover?" Jesus sent forward two of his disciples and said to them : 9 ΙΟ II 12 13 "Go into the city, and there a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him; and, wherever he goes in, say to 14 the owner of the house 'The Teacher says-Where is my room where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?' He 15 will himself show you a large upstairs room, set out ready; and there make preparations for us. So the disciples set out and went into the city, and found 16 everything just as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover. C In the evening he went there with the Twelve, and, when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said : "I tell you that one of you is going to betray me—one who is eating with me." They were grieved at this, and began to say to him, one after another : "Can it be I?" "It is one of you Twelve," said Jesus, "the one who is dipping his bread beside me into the dish. True, the Son of Man must go, as Scripture says of him, yet alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man 'it would be better never to have been born!'" The 'Lord's While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said: Supper.' "Take it; this is my body." 17 IQ 20 21 22 Then he took a cup, and, after saying the thanksgiving, gave 23 it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my Covenant-blood," he said, "which is poured 24 out on behalf of many. I tell you that I shall never again 25 drink of the juice of the grape, until that day when I shall drink it new in the Kingdom of God." They then sang a hymn, and went out up the Mount of Olives. 26 Peter's Fall foretold. Presently Jesus said to them: "All of you will fall away; for Scripture says— 'I will strike down the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' Yet, after I have risen, I shall go before you into Galilee.” 27 28 29 "I tell you," answered Jesus, "that you yourself to-day- 30 yes, this very night-before the cock crows twice, will disown me three times. But Peter vehemently protested : Even if I must die with you, I shall never disown you!" And they all said the same. Jesus in 31 Presently they came to a garden known as 32 Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples Gethsemane. down here while I pray." "Sit He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to show 33 signs of great dismay and deep distress of mind. "I am sad at heart," he said, "sad even to death; wait 34 here, and watch." Going on a little further, he threw himself on the ground, and 35 began to pray that, if it were possible, he might be spared that hour. 18 Ps 41.9. 21 Enoch 38. 2. 'Abba, Father," he said, "all things are possible to thee; take away this cup from me; yet, not what I will, but what thou willest." Then he came and found the three Apostles asleep. 37 "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could not you watch for one hour? Watch and pray," he said to them 38 all, "that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak. A third 41 Again he went away, and prayed in the same words; and 39, 40 coming back again he found them asleep, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. time he came, and said to them: "Sleep on now, and rest yourselves. has come. Hark! the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of wicked men. Up, and let us be going. my betrayer is close at hand." The Jesus. Enough! My time Look! 42 And just then, while he was still speaking, 43 Arrest of Judas, who was one of the Twelve, came up; and with him a crowd of people, with swords and clubs, sent by the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. "The man whom I kiss," he had said, arrest him and take him away safely." "will be the one; 44 45 46 As soon as Judas came, he went up to Jesus at once, and said: "Rabbi!" and kissed him. Then the men seized Jesus, and arrested him. One of those who were standing by 47 drew his sword, and struck at the High Priest's servant, and cut off his ear. But Jesus interposed, and said to the men: 48 "Have you come out, as if after a robber, with swords and clubs, to take me? I have been among you day after 49 day in the Temple Courts teaching, and yet you did not arrest me; but this is in fulfilment of the Scriptures.' And all the Apostles forsook him, and fled. One young 50, 51 man did indeed follow him, wrapped only in a linen sheet. They tried to arrest him; but he left the sheet in their hands, 52 and fled naked. Jesus Then they took Jesus to the High Priest; and 53 before the all the Chief Priests, the Councillors, and the High Priest. Teachers of the Law assembled. Peter, who had 54 followed Jesus at a distance into the court-yard of the High Priest, was sitting there among the police-officers, warming himself at the blaze of the fire. Meanwhile the Chief Priests 55 and the whole of the High Council were trying to get such evidence against Jesus as would warrant his being put to death, but they could not find any; for, though there were many who 56 gave false evidence against him, yet their evidence did not agree. Presently some men stood up, and gave this false 57 evidence against him "We ourselves heard him say 'I will destroy this Temple 58 made with hands, and in three days build another made without hands.'" Then 59, Yet not even on that point did their evidence agree. But Jesus remained silent, and made no answer. A second 61 time the High Priest questioned him. "Are you," he asked, "the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," replied Jesus, "and you shall all see the Son of 62 Man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty; and 'coming in the clouds of heaven"." At this the High Priest tore his vestments. 63 64 "Why do we want any more witnesses?" he exclaimed. "You heard his blasphemy? What is your verdict?" They all condemned him, declaring that he deserved death. Some of those present began to spit at him, 65 and to blindfold his eyes, and strike him, saying, as they did So, "Now play the Prophet!" and even the police-officers received him with blows. Peter disowns While Peter was in the court-yard down below, Jesus. one of the High Priest's maidservants came up ; and, seeing Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him, and exclaimed: 66 67 "Why, you were with Jesus, the Nazarene !" But Peter denied it. 68 "I do not know or understand what you mean," he replied. Then he went out into the porch; and there the maidservant, 69 on seeing him, began to say again to the by-standers : "This is one of them!" But Peter again denied it. again said to him: Soon afterwards the by-standers 70 "You certainly are one of them; why, you are a Galilean!" But he began to swear with the most solemn imprecations : "I do not know the man you are speaking about." 71 At that moment, for the second time, a cock crowed; and Peter 72 remembered the words that Jesus had said to him-' Before a cock has crowed twice, you will disown me three times'; and, as he thought of it, he began to weep. Jesus before As soon as it was daylight, the Chief Priests, I the Roman after holding a consultation with the Councillors Governor. and Teachers of the Law--that is to say, the C2 Ps. 110. 1; Dan. 7. 13. |