Let the dead bury their dead;* but go thou and proclaim the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go and take leave of them that are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No mant having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. [The Apostle Paul thus describes the state of those who are living in sin, as a state of death, and their deliverance from that state as a resurrection from the dead.-Ephes. ii. 1-10.] And you [hath God made alive] when ye were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein, in time past, ye [Gentiles] walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air of the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. In which things § we [Jews] also were conversant in time past-in the lusts of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, through his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath made us alive with Christ. (By grace ye are saved,) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places through Christ Jesus: that he might show in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace, in his goodness towards us through Christ Jesus. For by grace ye are saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any * Not that Christ disapproved of any filial duty, but we must not make it an excuse for the omission of our duty to God. + No person who proposes to follow the Saviour, and who looks wishfully back on worldly things, as loth to part with them, will be received by him as a disciple. + Or unbelief. § Viz. trespasses and sins. man should glory, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath prepared before hand, that we should walk in them. WORDS, &c. TO BE EXPLAINED IN LESSON XIII, WHAT are the contents of this Lesson ? What report had Herod heard that perplexed him? What question did he ask them as to their own opinion? Which of them gave the answer, and what was it? What did he tell his disciples respecting his treatment by the Jews? What did he declare to be necessary for any man desiring to be his follower? Which of the disciples were with him during the transfiguration ? Describe the transfiguration? Who are seen talking with him, and about what was their discourse ? What proposal did Peter make on this occasion? What extraordinary appearance terrified the three disciples? Of what was the cloud a sign? What voice was heard out of the cloud? What miracle, did Jesus perform on the next day? Did the disciples understand what was meant by their Lord's being delivered into the hands of men? What hindered them from understanding it? What ambitious thought arose in their hearts ? In what way did Jesus reprove their thought? What instance of a narrow spirit did John and the other disciples shew? What answer did Christ give them? Why did not the Samaritans receive him? What proposal did James and John make about those Samaritans, and to what event in Jewish history did they refer? How did our Lord treat their proposal, and what did he say? What did Jesus say to the man who said that he would follow him whithersoever he went? What did he say to the man who wanted first to bury his father? What objection did the third man make to an immediate following of Jesus? What was our Lord's answer? What is meant by a man's putting his hand to the plough and looking back? LESSON XIV. Christ sends forth 70 disciples-they return with joy-a lawyer proposes a question concerning the means of obtaining eternal life-Jesus, in reply, tells the story of the good Samaritan--he is entertained by Martha and Mary-different conduct of the two sisters-Christ teaches his disciples to pray-parable of the man who went to a neighbour's house at night to borrow three loaves. FROM LUKE X. AND XI. After these things the Lord appointed other seventy* also, and sent them two and two before * That is, beside the twelve. As the elders of Israel, who were partakers of the same spirit which was upon Moses, were seventy, it is probable that our Lord chose that number for that reason. See Numb. ii. 25. And also the twelve apostles were answerable to the twelve tribes. his face into every city and place, whither he himself was to come. He said to them, The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs amidst wolves. Carry neither purse, nor bag, nor shoes: * and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall return to you. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you and cure the sick that are therein, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, Even the dust of your city, which cleaveth to us, we wipe off against you: notwithstanding, be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say to you, That it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done in you, they would have long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. very * A sign of haste and of important business. Thus the Prophet Elisha, when informed by the Shunamite of the death of her son, sent his servant on before him in haste to lay his staff on the child's face, saying to him, "If thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again." 2 Kings iv. + Notwithstanding your rejection of us and of the doctrine of the gospel, be ye sure of this, &c. &c. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to destruction. He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiteth me despiseth him that sent me. And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us through thy name. And he said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven. Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. But yet rejoice not in this, that the spirits are subject unto you: but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the spirit and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me by my Father: And no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see the things which ye see; for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. * And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him, and saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the Law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God * Making trial of him. |