Sunday, January 15, 2017

focusing on Jesus' spoken words (6)

26.
THE MAN BLIND, MUTE, AND BEDEVILED—
DOUBTING PHARISEES ADMONISHED—
PARABLES—"EVERY IDLE WORD"

A.D. 28. Age 31. Capernaum.

Matthew 12, 22-37: Luke 11, 17-23: Mark 3, 22-29.

UNTO Jesus was brought one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb; and he
healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

The people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But the Pharisees
said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them,

*Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or
house divided against itself falleth: it shall not stand: and if Satan cast out Satan, he
is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? because ye say that I
cast out devils through Beelzebub.

And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?
therefore they shall be your judges.

But if I with the finger of God cast out devils by the Spirit of God, no doubt then the
kingdom of God is come unto you.

Or else, how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except
he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a
stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his
armor wherein he trusted, and divideth the spoils.

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth
abroad.

¶Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto
the sons of men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven
unto men.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but
whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost is in danger of eternal damnation: it
shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt: for the
tree is known by his fruit.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of
the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth
forth evil things.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Footnotes
35:* From Matthew, and Luke. In 19 of this book a rebuke similar to the following, but addressed to

certain scribes, is a part of Mark's narrative.

27.
DOUBTERS SEEK A SIGN—"A GREATER
THAN SOLOMON IS HERE"—PARABLE: THE
BACKSLIDER

A.D. 28. Age 31. Capernaum.

Matthew 12, 38-45.

CERTAIN of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered Jesus, saying, Master, we
would see a sign from thee. But he said unto them,

An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be
given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three
nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it:
because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas
is here.

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall
condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of
Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,
seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from
whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself,
and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the
first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. *

Footnotes
37:* Thus Matthew (12, 43-45). In 19 of this book the same saying is phrased somewhat differently

in the narrative by Luke (11, 24-26).

28.
HIS MOTHER AND BRETHREN WOULD SPEAK
WITH JESUS—FROM SHIP TALKS TO
HEARERS ON THE SHORE: THREE PARABLES
ON SEEDS, ONE ON THE CANDLE

A.D. 28, Age 31, Capernaum: Sea of Galilee.

Matt. 12, 46-50; 13, 1-30; Mark 3, 31-35; 4, 1-29: Luke 8, 4-18; 19-21.

WHILE Jesus yet talked, behold, there came his mother and his brethren, desiring to
speak with him, and could not come at him for the press. Then one said unto him,
Thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. But Jesus answered him that told
him,

Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

He looked on them which sat about him, stretched forth his hand toward his
disciples, and said,

Behold my mother and my brethren! My mother and my brethren are these which
hear the word of God, and do it. For whosoever shall do the will of God my Father
which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

¶The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. Much people
were come to him out of every city; so that he entered into a ship, and sat. The
multitude stood on the shore. And Jesus spake many things unto them in parables,
saying, †

Hearken: Behold, a sower went forth to sow his seed: and it came to pass, as he
sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air
came and devoured it up.

Some seed fell on stony ground where it had not much earth: and immediately it
sprang up, because it had not much deepness of earth: but when the sun was up,
because it had no depth of earth, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it
withered away.

And some fell upon a rock: as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it
lacked moisture.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it, and choked it, and it

yielded no fruit.

But other fell into good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up, and increased; and
bare fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

When he was alone, his disciples came and said unto Jesus, Why speakest thou in
parables? He answered,

Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it is not given but in parables: unto them that are without, all these things are
done in parables.

*For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but
whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing
they hear not, neither do they understand.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, † which saith, By hearing ye shall
hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for
this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes
they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should
heal them, and their sins should be forgiven them.

‡But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I
say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those
things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye
hear, and have not heard them.

And he said unto them,

Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?
¶Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. Now the parable is this:

The seed is the word of God. The sower soweth the word. When any one heareth
the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh immediately Satan
the wicked one, and catcheth away that word, which was sown in his heart: the devil
taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. This
is he which received seed by the way side, where the word is sown.

They on the rock received seed into stony places: these are they who when they
have heard the word, anon with joy receive it, and for a while believe; yet have no
root in themselves, and so endure but for a time; and in time of temptation fall away:
for afterward, when affliction or tribulation or persecution ariseth for the word's sake,
immediately they are offended. *

And they which received the seed among thorns, are they, which, when they have
heard the word, go forth, and are choked with the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the pleasures of this life; and bring no fruit to perfection:
the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

But he that received the seed into the good ground is he that in an honest and good
heart, having heard the word, understandeth it, and keepeth it, and beareth fruit with
patience, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went
his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared
the tares also.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow
good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

¶He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.
The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with
them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to
the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn
them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

¶And he said unto them,

Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a
candlestick?

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under
a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

For there is nothing hid, neither was anything kept secret, which shall not be
manifested; but that it should be known and come abroad. If any man have ears to
hear, let him hear.

Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you;
and unto you that hear shall more be given: for he that hath, to him shall be given;
and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. *

¶And he said,

So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should
sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth
not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after
that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth
in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

29.
PARABLES: THE MUSTARD SEED, THE
LEAVEN, THE MERCHANTMAN, THE NET—
PARABLE OF THE TARES EXPLAINED—THE
TEMPEST QUELLED

A.D. 28. Age 31. Capernaum: Sea of Galilee.

Mk. 4, 30-34; 35-41: Matt. 13, 31-34; 36-52: Lk. 13, 18-21; 8, 22-25.

ANOTHER parable put he forth unto them, saying,

†Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we
compare it? A grain of mustard seed is the least of all seeds: is indeed less than all
the seeds that be in the earth; but when it is sown in the earth, it groweth up: it
becometh greater than all herbs; it shooteth out great branches, and becometh a
tree, so that the fowls of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Then said he,

Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? The
kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and cast
into a garden in his field; and it grew, and waxed a great tree, and the birds of the air
lodged in the branches thereof, in the shadow of it.

¶Again Jesus said,

Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?

And another parable spake he unto them,

The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three
measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables.

Then he sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came,
saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered,

He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good
seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked
one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and

the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of
this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of
his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them
into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

¶Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field; the which when a
man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and
buyeth that field.

¶Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls:
who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and
bought it.

¶Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and
gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down,
and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the
wicked from the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be
wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus saith unto them,

Have ye understood all these things?

They say, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them,

Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a
man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and
old.

And with many such parables spake Jesus the word unto them, as they were able to
hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he
expounded all things to his disciples.

The same day, when even was come, Jesus entered into a ship. His disciples
followed, and he said unto them,

Let us pass over unto the other side of the lake.

They took him even as he was in the ship. And they launched forth.

As they sailed, behold, there came down a storm of wind: the waves beat into the

ship, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves.

Jesus was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and his disciples awoke
him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. He said unto them,

Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Then he arose and rebuked the winds, and the raging of the water: he said unto the
sea,

Peace, be still.

The wind ceased: there was a great calm, and Jesus said unto his disciples,

Why are ye fearful? where is your faith? how is it that ye have no faith?

But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and
the sea obey him?

Footnotes
40:† This parable and the one following may profitably be compared with the similar ones from Luke

(13, 18-21) at the end of LIII in this book.

XXX
THE MADMAN AND THE SWINE

A.D. 28. Age 31. Sea of Galilee. Decapolis.

Mark 5, 1-20: Luke 8, 26-40: Matthew 8, 28-34.

THEY came over unto the other side of the sea, and arrived at the country of the
Gadarenes, over against Galilee.

And when Jesus was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the
tombs a man * with an unclean spirit, who ware no clothes, neither abode in any
house, but among the tombs: he had devils long time, and no man could bind him,
no not with chains.

Jesus said,

Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

He fell down before Jesus, and cried out, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou
Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. And Jesus asked him,

What is thy name?

He answered, Legion: for we are many.

Now there was a good way off from them a herd of swine feeding. And

the devils besought Jesus, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the
herd of swine.

Jesus gave them leave: he said,

Go.

The unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently
down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. They were about two
thousand.

They that fed the swine went and told it in the city. And, behold, the whole city came
out: they come to Jesus, and see him that had the legion, sitting at the feet of Jesus,
clothed, and in his right mind: they were afraid. And the Gadarenes round about
besought Jesus to depart out of their coasts.


Jesus went up into the ship.

Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, besought Jesus that he might
be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,

Return to thine own house. Go home to thy friends; tell them how the Lord had
compassion on thee, and shew them how great things God hath done unto thee.

Jesus passed over by ship unto the other side, and came into his own city. Much

people gladly received him.

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