7

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A 8 reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing 9 are in kings' houses. But what went ye out to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, 10 and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face who shall prepare thy 11 way before thee. Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist : notwithstanding, he that is least in the king12 dom of heaven is greater than he.* And from the days of John the Baptist, until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the 13 violent take it by force. For all the prophets 14 and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah who was to 15 come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. § 16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets 17 and calling unto their fellows, and saying,

* That is, the Christian church. Those who are made acquainted with all the doctrines of the gospel, and were endowed (as were the first preachers) with miraculous powers, were, in a sense, superior to John the Baptist. † See Luke xvi. 16.

Prophesied of by Malachi; and John did come in the spirit of Elijah.

§ He who is desirous to hear, let him listen and understand.

We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye 18 have not lamented. For John came neither

eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a 19 devil.* The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

20 Then he began to reprove severely the cities wherein most of his mighty works were 21 done, because they repented not. Wo unto thee, Chorazin; wo unto thee, Bethsaida: for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment 23 than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell for if the mighty works which have

* That is, is insane, or actuated by a strange sort of spirit-not that they probably supposed him possessed of an evil spirit.

† Evidences of a cavilling disposition in the Jews, who made objections to every thing they disliked. The conduct both of John and Jesus was highly appropriate, and such as was adapted to the character each was to sustain.

Tyre and Sidon were cities on the Mediterranean sea, and not far distant from the northern parts of Judea, where Christ was now preaching. Their destruction, as predicted by the ancient Jewish prophets, had been remarkable.

§ Capernaum and Chorazin were in Galilee, near the sea or lake of that name; and in those cities, and the neighboring villages, Christ spent a great portion of his ministry.

been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, 24 it would have remained until this day. But L say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

25

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the

wise and prudent,* and hast revealed them 26 unto babes.† Even so, Father, for so it seemed 27 good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son shall reveal him.

28

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are 29 heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest 30 unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

* Learned and philosophic.

+ Unlearned and humble men.

Though the gospel enjoins self-denying duties, yet its sincere votaries receive consolation and joy, which the world cannot impart.

1

CHAP. XII.

ABOUT that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the sabbath day; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears 2 of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the 3 sabbath-day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him? How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shew-bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them who were with him, 5 but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath-days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and 6 are blameless?* But I say unto you, that in 7 this place is a greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, in preference to sacrifice, ye would not 8 have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of 9 man is Lord even of the sabbath-day.† And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue.

10

And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked him, saying,

*They profaned it, in a sense, by preparing and offering sacrifices for they were forbidden in the law to do any thing; yet as it was a duty to sacrifice on the sabbath, they were blameless.

He can alter the day, or dispense with the peculiar duties of it, if he see fit.

Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath-days? that 11 they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man is there among you who shall have one sheep, and .if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day, will not lay hold on 12 it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to 13 do well on the sabbath-days.* Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

14

Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy 15 him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence and great multitudes 16 followed him, and he healed them all, and

charged them that they should not make him 17 known. That it might be fulfilled which was 18 spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew 19 judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice 20 in the streets. A bruised reed he shall not

* This argument was so convincing, that they could not reply to it.

Lest the people insist on his assuming the title and the authority of a temporal prince, which was their idea of the Messiah: And this would occasion tumult and confusion among the Jews and Romans.

Christ was unlike the vociferous bawlers of the present age. He made no attempt to excite the people against their rulers, nor attempt to gain followers by addressing the passions and prejudices of the people.