CHAPTERS IN THE AUTHORIZED VERSION, PERIODS OF TIME. OF THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 5-25. Zacharias and Elizabeth. The birth of St. John the Baptist foretold to Zacharias, in the Temple by an Angel. He is struck dumb on account of his unbelief. The conception of St. John. 26-38. The Angel Gabriel visits a virgin named Mary at Nazareth in Galilee, and foretels the birth of a Son, by miraculous conception, whose name she should call Jesus. 39-56. Mary visits Elizabeth. The address of Elizabeth to Mary. Mary magnifies the Lord in a hymn of praise. 57-79. Elizabeth is delivered. On the eighth day they circumcise the child. They call him Zacharias; his father writes his name John. The Hymn of praise to God, of Zacharias. 80. The private life of St. John. CHAP. II. 1-3. The decree of Cæsar Augustus for a general taxation. 4-7. Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem to be taxed. The birth of the child in a stable. 8-20. His birth announced to the Shepherds feeding their flock by night, by an Angel. The Choir of Angels. The Shepherds visit Bethlehem. ST. MATTHEW. Judea; for thus it is written by the Prophets." Herod sends the wise men to Bethlehem to search for the young child and bring him word again. They depart, led by the star, which stood over where the young child was. They rejoice with exceeding great joy, On entering, they behold the young child, and Mary his mother, and fall down, and worship him, and present gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. Warned of God in a dream not to return to Herod, they go into their own country another way. The angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph, and commands him to fly into Egypt with the young child and his mother, and to stay till the Angel brought him word. The Prophecy fulfilled. Herod slays the children of Bethlehem from two years old and under. The Prophecy fulfilled. Herod being dead, the Angel appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and command's him to return to the land of Israel. Joseph fears to go into Judea, on account of Archelaus, who succeeded his father Herod; but being warned of God, he goes into Galilee, and dwells at Nazareth. ST. MARK. PERIOD II. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PREACHING OF JOHN CHAP. III. 1-12. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." As foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah. XL. 3. The personal description of St. John. The people of Jerusalem, Judea, and the region of Jordan, go out to him, and are baptized in Jordan, confessing their sins. The Pharisees and Sadducees CHAP. I. 1-8. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, as it is written in the Prophets, Mal. iii. 1. Is. xl. 3. St. John baptizes in the wilderness, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. The people of Judea and Jerusalem go out to him and are baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. The personal description of St. John. His announcement of one to come after 21. ST. LUKE. The child is circumcised and named Jesus. 22-38. Joseph and Mary bring the young child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to offer the appointed offerings. Simeon, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit visits the Temple, and takes up the child Jesus in his arms and blesses God. His hymn of praise. Anna the Prophetess, comes at that instant into the Temple, she gives thanks to the Lord, and speaks of him to all them that look for redemption in Israel. 39-52. Joseph and Mary return to Galilee to Nazareth, Jesus grows, and waxes strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God is upon him. At twelve years old his parents take him to Jerusalem, Jesus is lost on the journey on their return home, and found at Jerusalem among the doctors in the Temple, hearing them and asking them questions. He returns to Nazareth with them, and is subject unto them, and increases in wisdom and stature and favour with God and man. ST. JOHN. received him not. The blessedness of those that receive him, they become the sons of God, even they that believe on his name. The Word is made flesh and dwells among men, and they behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. THE BAPTIST TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF OUR SAVIOUR'S MINISTRY. CHAP. III. 1-20. In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituræa, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene; Annas and Caiaphas being High Priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. He comes into the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of re CHAP. I. 19-28. The record of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who art thou? He confessed, I am not the "Christ." "Art thou Elias !" He saith, "I am not." "Art thou that prophet!" He answers "No." "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as saith the prophet Esaias." They ask him, "Why baptizest thou then ?" ST. MATTHEW. come to him; his address to them. 13-17. Jesus comes to be bap- John refuses, "I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me!" The answer of our blessed Lord, "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Jesus being baptized, goes up out of the water, and lo the heavens are opened, and he sees the Spirit of God, descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; and lo a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my up into the wilderness to be tempt- ed of the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights he is hungred. The Devil tempts him. God, command that these stones into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, saying, "If thou be the Son of devil misquotes the Scripture. into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him: "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship The devil leaveth him, and an- gels come and minister unto him. ST. MARK. him, who should baptize with the 9-13. Jesus comes from Na- Straightway coming up out of the water, he sees the heavens Immediately, the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. He is. there forty days, tempted of Satan, ST. LUKE. pentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in Isaiah XL. 3.4.5. St. John's address to the multitude. His replies to the question, What shall we do then? His testimony to Jesus Christ. Herod shuts John up in prison, and why. 21-38. Now when all the people are baptized, Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven is opened, and the Holy Ghost descends in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice comes from heaven, which says, "Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." Jesus begins to be about 30 years of age. The Genealogy of our blessed Lord. CHAP. IV. 1-13. Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returns from Jordan, and is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He is tempted forty days of the devil. During this time he fasts; and when they were ended, he hungers. The devil says to him, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Our Saviour's reply. The devil taketh our Saviour up into an high mountain and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil saith, All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore, wilt worship me, all shall be thine." Jesus "Get thee behind me, answers, Satan, for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." The devil brings our Saviour to Jerusalem and sets him on a ST. JOHN. John answers "I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose." These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29-42. The testimony of John to Jesus: " Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Again, John stood and two of his disciples, and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, "Behold the Lamb of God." The two disciples follow Jesus. One of them Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He finds his brother Simon, saying "We have found the Messias, which is being interpreted the Christ." and brings him to Jesus. Our Saviour's address to Simon, "Thou art Simon the son of Jona, thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A Stone." |