these many years have I served thee, nor have I at any time transgressed thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might be joyful with my friends: but when this thy son hath come, who hath devoured thy substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.' And he said unto him, 'Son, thou art always with me, and all that I have is thine.1 But it was meet that we should be for this thy brother was dead, and is

joyful and be glad
alive again; and was lost, and is found.''

§. 4. Parables: the Unjust Steward-the Rich Man and Lazarus.

Now he said also unto his disciples, "There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and he was accused unto him as wasting his possessions. And he called him, and said unto him, 'Why do I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou canst no longer be steward.' But the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? for my master taketh away from me the stewardship: I am not able to dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what I will do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' And having called every one of his master's debtors unto him, he said unto the first, 'How much owest thou unto my master?' And he said, 'A hundred measures 2 of oil.' And he said unto him, 'Take thy writing, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.' Then he said to another, 'And how much owest thou?' 'And he said 'A hundred measures 2 of wheat.' And he said unto him, 'Take thy writing, and write four-score.' And the master commended the unjust steward, because he had done prudently for the sons of this world are more prudent in their generation than the sons of the light. And I say

unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness,1 so that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

"He that is faithful in what is least, is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in deceitful wealth, who will intrust you with the true? And if ye have not been faithful in that over which ye have no power,2 who will give you your own?

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Now the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they scoffed at him. And he said unto them, "Ye are they that justify yourselves before men ; but God knoweth your hearts for that which is high in esteem among men, is an abomination in the sight of God.

"The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man eagerly presseth into it.3 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall.

"Every one who putteth away his wife and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and every one who marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery.

"Now there was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted splendidly every day and there was a certain poor man, Lazarus by name, who was laid at his gate full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover even the dogs came and licked his sores. Now it came to

1 Or, of unrighteous wealth: or, rather, of deceitful wealth. 2 Lit. which is foreign to you: v. H. n. 3 v. M. xi. 12, p. 83.

K

pass, that the poor man died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died, and was buried. And in hades 1 he lifted up his eyes, being in tortures, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried aloud and said, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son,2 remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all these things, between us and you a great gulf is fixed so that they who would pass from hence to you, are not able; nor can they that would come from thence, pass over to us.' But he said, 'I entreat thee therefore, Father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, that they also may not come to this place of torture.' Abraham saith unto him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'Nay, father Abraham yet if one should go unto them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said unto him, 'If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, even if some one should rise from the dead.""

1 The unseen state, the abode of the dead.

2 Child.

SECT. VIII.

Jesus goes to Bethany and raises Lazarus from the Dead : the Sanhedrim formally resolve to put him to Death; and he withdraws to Ephraim, with some of his Disciples.About this time the Baptist was beheaded.

JOHN xi. 1-54.

Now a certain man was sick1-Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and Martha her sister.1 (Now it was the Mary that anointed the Lord with balsam, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick). The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick." But Jesus having heard it, said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it." (Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.) When therefore he heard that he was sick, he still abode two days in the place where he was. Then after this he saith to the disciples, "Let us go into Judea again." The disciples say unto him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?

If any one walk seeth the light of this world but if any one walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him."

in the day, he stumbleth not, because he

:

These things said he and afterward he saith unto them, "Our friend Lazarus hath fallen asleep; but I am going, that I may awake him out of sleep." His disciples therefore said, "Lord, if he sleep, he will do well." (Now Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he spake of the rest of sleep.) Jesus therefore then said unto them

10. H. n. 2 v. Part VIII. Sect. I. 3 Lit., he will be restored, [saved.]

plainly; "Lazarus is dead: and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him." Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, saith unto his fellow-disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

When Jesus therefore came, he found that he had already been four days in the tomb. (Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem; about fifteen furlongs off: and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, that they might comfort them concerning their brother.) Martha therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him but Mary continued sitting in the house. Martha therefore said unto Jesus, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died: but, even now, I know that whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee." Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha saith unto him, "I know that he will rise again, in the resurrection, at the last day." Jesus said unto her, “I

he that believeth in me,

am the resurrection and the life: though he die, yet shall he live: and every one who liveth and believeth in me shall never die.1 Believest thou this?" She saith unto him, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, he that cometh into the world." 2

And when she had said these things, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, "The Teacher is here, and calleth for thee. When Mary heard this, she ariseth quickly, and cometh unto him. (Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha had met him.) The Jews therefore who were with her in the house, and were comforting her, when they saw

1 Lit. shall not die for ever. 2 Or, Yes, Lord, I have believed; (Or, I fully believe;) because thou art the Christ, &c. : v. H. n.