agogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. And when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the even-tide was come, he left them, and went out of the city unto Bethany, with the twelve, and he lodged there. Now, on the morrow, in the morning, when they were come from Bethany, as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig-tree in the way, afar off, having leaves, he came to it, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter; Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward HE ENJOINS FAITH. 201 for ever. And his disciples heard it. And presently the fig-tree withered away.' * And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. And the scribes and the chief priests, and the chief of the people, heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: And could not find what they might do: for they feared him, because all the people were astonished at his doctrine, and were very attentive to hear him. And when even was come, he went out of the city. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig-tree withered away! And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the figtree which thou cursedst is withered away! And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. *The barren fig-tree and its withering away, represent the condition and the doom of hypocrites. This is a solemn warning that Christ requires the fruits of his religion from all who profess and call themselves Christians. It is also a type of the character and fate of the Jewish people. They professed themselves children of God and expectants of the promised Messiah, but when He came unto his own' they received Him not. And fearful was the curse which fell upon them, and withered their people and rooted up their place and nation, after they had rejected Christ. (See preceding note.) For verily I say unto you, that if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but also that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; it shall be done, he shall have whatsoever he saith. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. And it came to pass, that on one of those days, they come again to Jerusalem: And when he was come into the temple, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the Gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, and the elders of the people, came unto him, as he was teaching, and spake unto him, saying, Tell us by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority, to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; all the people will stone us: for they be NECESSITY OF REPENTANCE. 203 persuaded that John was a prophet. They feared the people for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell whence it was. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will And he And he Whe They not but afterward he repented, and went. came to the second, and said likewise. answered and said, I go, Sir: and went not. ther of them twain did the will of his father? say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the Publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the Publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. Then began he to speak to the people this parable; Hear another parable: There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country; and for a long time. And at the season when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. But the husbandmen caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and they beat him also, and wounded him in the head, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty, shamefully handled. And again he sent a third : and they wounded him also, and cast him out. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last, last of all, unto them, saying, They will reverence my Son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they reasoned among themselves, and said, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When therefore the lord of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will come, and miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written? Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes* ? And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and the scribes and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them; and had spoken this parable against them. * See the 118th psalm. |