Page images
PDF
EPUB

66

66

66

[ocr errors]

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,* The kingdom "of heaven is like unto a certain king, which "made a marriage' for his son, and sent forth "his servants to call them that were bidden to "the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, "Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have "prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his "farm, another to his merchandise: And the "remnant took his servants, and entreated "them spitefully, and slew them. But when "the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and "he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those "murderers, and burned up their city. Then "saith he to his servants, The wedding is "ready, but they which were bidden were not "worthy, Go ye therefore into the highways, "and as many as ye shall find, bid to the "marriage, So those servants went out into "the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: "and the wedding was furnished with guests. "And when the king came in to see the guests,

d

The primary object of this parable is to represent the rejection of the Gospel by the Jews, and the admission of the Heathens to its privileges in their room.

b Marriage feast.

This points out the Roman armies under Vespasian and Titus, which not many years after besieged Jerusalem, and destroyed the city.

At this day an Arab prince will often dine in the street before his door, and invite even beggars to sit down to his table.

66

66

he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment; and he saith unto him, "Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having "a wedding garment? And he was speechless. "Then said the king to the servants, Bind "him hand and foot, and take him away, and "cast him into outer darkness; there shall be "weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many "are called, but few are chosen."

[ocr errors]

115. The Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees, and one of the Pharisees, who was

a Scribe, question Jesus. Jesus questions the Pharisees.

THEN went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? is it lawful to

2. Every one that came to a marriage feast was expected to appear in a handsome dress, frequently a white robe. If he were a stranger, or unable to provide one, the master of the feast furnished it. If the host was of high rank, he sometimes furnished robes to the whole assembly.

с

A true evangelical temper and disposition of mind.

Many are invited to embrace the gospel, but few are deemed worthy to inherit the kingdom of heaven.

[ocr errors]

him a penny.

دو

give tribute unto Cesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? shew me the "tribute-money. And they brought unto And he saith unto them, "Whose is this image and superscription?" They say unto him, Cesar's. Then saith he unto them, "Render therefore unto Cesar "the things which are Cesar's ;" and unto God "the things that are God's." And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace, and left him, and went their

way.

d

The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, saying, Master, Moses said," If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother. Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, "Ye do err, not knowing

The Roman Emperor.

A Roman penny, equal to seven-pence three farthings English.

C

By admitting this was Cesar's coin, they acknowledged their subjection to his government.

Pay obedience to lawful authority, and submit to the established government under which you live.

• Deut. xxv. 5.

"the scriptures, nor the power of God. The “children of this world marry, and are given "in marriage: but they which shall be ac"counted worthy to obtain that world, and "the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: neither

66

66

can they die any more; for they are equal "unto the angels; and are the children of "God, being the children of the resurrection. "And as touching the dead, that they rise: "have ye not read in the book of Moses, how "in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I 66 am the God of Abraham, and the God of "Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the "God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err." And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

a

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments" is, "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one "Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God "with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and "with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: "this is the first commandment. And the "second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love

:

Christ infers a general resurrection. Although the bodies of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, have long been in their graves, yet their souls had survived, and were at that moment in existence. Exod. iii. 6.

Deut. vi. 4,

< Lev. xix. 18.

[ocr errors]

thy neighbour as thyself. On these two "commandments hang all the law and the prophets." And the Scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of "God."

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?" They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, "How then doth David in spirit call him Lord,

66

d

saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit "thou on my right hand, till I make thine "enemies thy footstool? if David then call "him Lord, how is he his son ?" And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

a Thou shalt love him with an affection similar in kind, though not equal in degree, to that which thou entertainedst for thyself.

On them rests the whole Mosaic dispensation.
Thou art not far from becoming a Christian.

Psalm cx. 1.

« PreviousContinue »