ΙΟ II prove your repentance; and do not think that you can say 9 among yourselves 'Abraham is our ancestor,' for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham! Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I, indeed, baptize you with water to teach repentance; but He who is Coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, and store his grain in the barn, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire." The Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, Baptism of to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried Jesus. to prevent him. "It is I," he said, "who need to be baptized by you; why then do you come to me?" I2 13 14 "Let it be so for the present," Jesus answered, "since 15 it is fitting for us thus to satisfy every claim of religion." Upon this, John consented. After the baptism of Jesus, and just as he came up from the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending, like a dove, and alighting upon him, and from the heavens there came a voice which said: "This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight." The 16 17 I 4 2 Then Jesus was led up into the Wilderness by the Temptation Spirit to be tempted by the Devil. And, after he had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he And the Tempter came to him, and 3 of Jesus. became hungry. said: "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to become loaves of bread. But Jesus answered: " Scripture says— 'It is not on bread alone that man is to live, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the Devil took him to the Holy City, and, placing him on the parapet of the temple, said to him: "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down, for Scripture says- 'He will give his angels commands about thee, And on their hands they will upbear thee, Lest ever thou should'st strike thy foot against a stone." Scripture also says," answered Jesus, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."" 5 11 Ps. 118. 26, 17 Ps. 2. 7; Isa. 42. 1. 3 Ps. 2. 7. 4 Deut. 8. 3. 6 Ps. 91. 11-12, 7 Deut, 6, 16. The third time, the Devil took Jesus to a very high moun- 8 tain, and, showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour, said to him : "All these I will give you, if you will fall at my feet and do homage to me. Then Jesus said to him: ་་ Begone, Satan! for Scripture says— Thou shalt do homage to the Lord thy God, and worship him only."" Then the Devil left him alone, and angels came and ministered to him. 9 10 II Jesus settles III. THE WORK IN Galilee. When Jesus heard that John had been com at mitted to prison, he retired to Galilee. AfterCapernaum, wards, leaving Nazareth, he went and settled at Capernaum, which is by the side of the Sea, within the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali; in fulfilment of these words in the Prophet Isaiah The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, The land of the Road by the Sea, and beyond the Jordan, With Galilee of the Gentiles- The people who were dwelling in darkness Have seen a great Light, And, for those who were dwelling in the shadow-land of Death, 12 13 14 15 16 Jesus begins his Work. At that time Jesus began to proclaim 17 Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." The first As Jesus was walking along the shore of the Disciples. Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers-Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew-casting a net into the Sea; for they were fishermen. "Come and follow me," Jesus said, "and I will set you to fish for men." The two men left their nets at once and followed him. 10 Deut. 6. 13. 15-16 Isa. 9. 1—2, and they at once left their boat and their father, and followed 22 him. Jesus preaches And Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching 23 in their Synagogues, proclaiming the Good in Galilee. News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people; and his fame spread all through Syria. They brought 24 to him all who were ill with any form of disease, or who were suffering pain--any who were either possessed by demons, or were lunatic, or paralyzed; and he cured them. And he 25 was followed by large crowds from Galilee, the district of the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judaea, and from beyond the Jordan. On seeing the crowds of people, Jesus went up 15 'THE SERMON the hill; and, when he had taken his seat, his disciples came up to him; and he began to teach them as follows: ON THE The Happy. 2 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the 3 Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. 789 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Sons of 9 Blessed are those who have been persecuted in the cause of A real 10 II 12 14 It is you who are the Salt of the earth; but, if 13 Disciple of the salt should lose its strength, what will you Jesus. use to restore its saltness? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown away, and trampled underfoot. It is you who are the Light of the world. A town that stands Lesson from on a hill cannot be hidden. Men do not light a Lamp. a lamp and put it under the corn-measure, but on the lamp-stand, where it gives light to every one in the house. Let your light so shine before the eyes of your fellowmen, that, seeing your good actions, they may praise your Father who is in Heaven. The old Law Do not think that I have come to do away with and the new- the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to do away with them, but to complete them. For I tell you, Isa. 61. 1, 4 Isa. 61. 2. 5 Ps. 37. 11. 8 Ps. 24. 4. 15 16 17 18 until the heavens and the earth disappear, not even the smallest letter, nor one stroke of a letter, shall disappear from the Law until all is done. Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these commandments, even the least of them, and teaches others to do so, will be the least-esteemed in the Kingdom of Heaven ; but whoever keeps them, and teaches others to do so, will be esteemed great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed I tell you that, unless your religion is above that of the Teachers of the Law, and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. You have heard that to our ancestors it was said and on Anger, 'Thou shalt not commit murder,' 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to answer for it to the Court." 19 20 21 I, however, say to you that any one who cherishes anger against 22 his brother shall be liable to answer for it to the Court; and whoever pours contempt upon his brother shall be liable to answer for it to the High Council, while whoever calls down curses upon him shall be liable to answer for it in the fiery Pit. Therefore, when presenting your gift at the altar, if 23 even there you remember that your brother has some grievance against you, leave your gift there, before the altar, go and be reconciled to your brother first, then come and present your gift. Be ready to make friends with your opponent, even when you meet him on your way to the court; for fear that he should hand you over to the judge, and the judge to his officer, and you should be thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not come out until you have paid the last penny. on Impurity, You have heard that it was said 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' 24 25 26 27 28 I, however, say to you that any one who looks at a woman with an impure intention has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye is a snare to you, take it out and 29 throw it away. It would be best for you to lose one part of your body, and not to have the whole of it thrown into the Pit. And, if your right hand is a snare to you, cut it off and throw 30 it away. It would be best for you to lose one part of your body, and not to have the whole of it go down to the Pit. on Divorce, It was also said-- 'Let any one who divorces his wife serve her with a notice of separation.' 31 I, however, say to you that any one who divorces his wife, 32 except on the ground of her unchastity, leads to her 21 Exod. 20. 13; Enoch 27. 2; 90. 26. 27. 27 Exod. 20. 14. 31 Deut. 24. 3. committing adultery; while any one who marries her after her divorce is guilty of adultery. on Oaths, Again, you have heard that to our ancestors it 33 was said 'Thou shalt not break an oath, but thou shalt keep thine oaths as a debt due to the Lord.' I, however, say to you that you must not swear at all, either 34 by Heaven, since that is God's throne, or by the earth, since 35 that is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the Great King. Nor should you swear by your head, since you 36 cannot make a single hair either white or black. Let your 37 words be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from what is wrong. on Revenge, You have heard that it was said- An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 38 40 I, however, say to you that you must not resist wrong; but, 39 if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also; and, when any one wants to go to law with you, to take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and, if 41 any one compels you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to him who asks of you; and, from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. on Love. You have heard that it was said 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thy enemy.' 42 43 44 I, however, say to you-Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may become Sons of your Father 45 who is in Heaven; for he causes his sun to rise upon bad and good alike, and sends rain upon the righteous and upon the unrighteous. For, if you love only those who love you, what 46 reward will you have? Even the tax-gatherers do this! And, 47 if you show courtesy to your brothers only, what are you doing more than others? Even the Gentiles do this! then, must become perfect-as your heavenly Father is perfect. About You, 48 Take care not to perform your religious duties Giving. in public in order to be seen by others; if you do, your Father who is in Heaven has no reward for you. I 6 2 Therefore, when you do acts of charity, do not have a trumpet blown in front of you, as hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. There, I tell you, is their reward! But, when you do acts of 3 charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charity may be secret; and your Father, 4 who sees what is in secret, will recompense you. 33 Num. 30 2; Deut. 23. 21. 34 Isa. 66. 1. 35 Ps. 48. 2. 43 Lev. 19. 18. 48 Deut. 18. 13. 38 Exod. 21. 24. |