66 gave them to the host, and said unto him, "Take care of him: and whatsoever thou "spendest more, when I come again I will 66 repay thee. Which now of these three, " thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that " fell among the thieves?" And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, "Go, and do thou likewise."* 87. The Disciples are again taught how to pray. AND it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, "When ye pray, say, Our Father "which art in heaven; Hallowed be thy name. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as " in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day " our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for "we also forgive every one that is indebted to "us. And lead us not into temptation; but "deliver us from evil." And he said unto them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and " shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto "him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a "friend of mine in his journey is come to me, " and I have nothing to set before him? and " he from within shall answer and say, Trouble * Esteem every man thy neighbour, and suffer no prejudices to stop the current of thy charity. ► The same form of prayer which Christ delivered in his sermon on the mount. • Reverenced and glorified. 2 i " me not: the door is now shut, and my chil- "dren are with me in bed; I cannot rise and " give thee. I say unto you, Though he will "not rise and give him, because he is his "friend; yet because of his importunity he " will rise and give him as many as he needeth. "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be "given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, " and it shall be opened unto you. For every "one that asketh, receiveth; and he that "seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, " it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread " of any of you that is a father, will he give " him a stone? or, if he ask a fish, will he for " a fish give him a serpent? or, if he shall ask " an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? if ye " then, being evil, know how to give good gifts " unto your children; how much more shall "your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to "them that ask him?" 88. Jesus restores a woman who had been bowed down for eighteen years. AND he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said • He recommends earnestness, fervency, and importunate perseverance in prayer. Your heavenly father is in his nature infinitely more compassionate, than earthly fathers. unto her, "Woman, thou art loosed from "thine infirmity." And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, "Thou hy"pocrite, doth not each one of you on the "sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, " and lead him away to watering? and ought " not this woman, being a daughter of Abra"ham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these " eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond " on the sabbath day?" and when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. Then said he, "Unto what is the kingdom " of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble " it? it is like a grain of mustard-seed, which " a man took, and cast into his garden; and it " grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls " of the air lodged in the branches of it." And again he said, "Whereunto shall I likeņ "the kingdom of God? it is like leaven, " which a woman took and hid in three mea"sures of meal, till the whole was leavened." • Satan is said to inflict diseases by the permission of God. • As a little leaven ferments a large heap of meal, so shall my gospel, from a small beginning, quickly spread through all the world. 89. Jesus replies to the question, Are there few that be saved? b AND he went through the cities and vil lages, teaching, and journeying towards Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate:* " for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter " in, and shall not be able. When once the " master of the house is risen up, and hath "shut to the door, and ye begin to stand " without, and knock at the door, saying, " Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall an"swer and say unto you, I know you not " whence ye are: then shall ye begin to say, "We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, " and thou hast taught in our streets. But he " shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence "ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of " iniquity. There shall be weeping and " gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abra" ham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the pro" phets, in the kingdom of God, and you your"selves thrust out. And they shall come from "the east, and from the west, and from the "north, and from the south, and shall sit " down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, "there are last which shall be first, and there "are first which shall be last."" a : Lay aside fruitless enquiries, and look to your salvatión. • The Gentiles, who are now the least favoured, shall be preferred to the Jews. The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, "Go ye, and tell that fox,' " Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to" day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall " be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to"day and to-morrow and the day following: " for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of "Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which "killest the prophets, and stonest them that " are sent unto thee; how often would I have "gathered thy children together, as a hen " doth gather her brood under her wings, and "ye would not! behold, your house is left "unto you desolate: and verily I say unto "you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come "when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh " in the name of the Lord."d C 90. The transactions when our Lord eat bread with a chief Pharisee on the Sabbath day. AND it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man : That crafty and cruel prince. Put for an indeterminate short space of time. In spite of dangers he would prosecute his appointed work even to death. The original word means simply " a bird," and perhaps alludes to the eagle. Deut. xxxii. 11. When your destruction cometh, then ye will acknowledge my divine authority. |