The complete works of Count Tolstoy. Vol. 15

Translated from the Original Russian and edited by Leo Wiener

Assittant Professor of Slavic Languages at Harvard University

BOSTON £ DANA ESTES & COMPANY £ PUBLISHERS

CONTENTS

THE FOUR GOSPELS HARMONIZED AND TRANSLATED

1881-1882

Volume II.

CHAPTER VII.

PROOF OF THE TRUTH OF THE TEACHING. DEMANDING PROOFS OF CHRIST

Serving God consists only in doing the work of God. Man’s life is from God. The true life is the life in God. The life in God consists in doing the will of God. The will of God is in the law of God ; the law of God consists in not being angry at men ; in not seeking the love of woman ; in not binding oneself by promises and oaths ; in not resisting evil, and in making no distinction between foreigners and countrymen. Only in the life of the flesh can one do the will of God. The life of the flesh is food for the execution of the will of God. The will of God can be executed only by works. The teaching of Jesus is the teaching about the works of life. Serving God consists in doing the work of God, and so it cannot be proved by words.

11. Καί ίξηλθον ο I Mark viii. 11. And 11. And the Pharisees

2int„„rn the Pharisees came came out, and began to Φαρισαωί,, καί ήρξαντο ^rth, and began to dispute with him, trying συζητάν αυτφ, ζητούντο question with him, seek-to get proofs from him trap αύτοΰ σημίΐον άπό ing of him a sign·» from and investigating his του ούρανοΰ, παράζονres heaven,» tempting him. teaching.

αίττόυ.

12. Καί άναστενάξας τψ πνεύματι αύτου λέγει, Τί ή yeveà αύτη σημείο ν επιζητε Γ; άμην λέγω ύμΐν, ΕI δοθήσεται τή yett? ταύτη σημεΐον.

54. Έλεγε δέ καίτοΐς δχλοις, Οταν ίδητε την νεφέλην άνατ έλλουσαν άπδ δυσμών, εύθίως λέ-γετε, “Ομβροι έρχεται· καί ylverai ούτω—

55. Καί δταν νότον πνίοντα, λέγετε, “Οτι καύσων έσται· καί, yίνε-ται.

56. ‘Ύποκριταί, τδ πρόσωπον της yrjs καί του ούρανού οΐδατε δοκι-μάζειν· τδν δέ καιρόν τούτον πως ού δοκ ι-pÂÇere-,

57. ΤΙ δέ καί άφ’ εαυτών ον κρίνετε τδ δίκαιον ;

38. Τότε άπεκρίθησάν τινες των γραμματέων καί Φαρισαίων, λέγοντε;, Διδάσκαλε, θίλομεν άπδ σου σημεΐον ίδεΐν.

29. Των δέ δχλων έπ αθροιζόμενων ήρξατο λέγει ν, Ή γενεά αυτή πονηρά ίστι· σημεΐον επιζητεί, καί σημεΐον ου δοθήσεται αύτή, el μη τδ σημεΐον Ιωνά του προφήτου.

30. Κα0ώ; yàp έγενετό Ιωνάς σημείον τοΐς Νινευϊται;, ούτως έσται καί ό υΐδς του άνθρωπον τη γενεμ ταύτη.

31. Βασίλισσα νότου èyερθήσετaι εν τή κρίσει μετά των άνδρων τής yεvεάς ταύτης, καί κατακρίνει αυτούς· δτι ήλθεν εκ των περάτων τής yής

12. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

Luke xii. 54. And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower ; and so it is.

55. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

56. Ye hypocrites,* ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth ; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?·*

57. Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

Matt. rii. 38. Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Lukexi. 29. And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil* generation : they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

30. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation/

31. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them : for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of

12. And suffering in spirit, he said, What? These people want proofs? Can there be any proofs for these men?

54. And he said to the people, When you see a cloud in the west, you suppose that there will be rain, and so it happens.

55. And when it blows from the south, you suppose that it will be good weather, and so it happens.

56. You are able to comprehend the appearance of earth and of heaven, but this life you do not comprehend.

57. Why do you not judge correctly about yourselves?

38. Then some of the disciples turned to Jesus, and said, Teacher, we should like to see proofs of thy teaching.

29. And when the peo-1)le were gathered, he >egan to speak, This tribe seeks proofs, but they shall have no other {«roof than what Jonah tad.

30. And since Jonah was a proof for theNine-vites, the same will be the proof of the son of man for this tribe.

31. If the queen of the south were brought to life and compared with the men of this generation, she would still appear more just than they, for she came from the utmost parts of the άκοΰσαι την σοφίαν Σο-λομωντος- καί ιδού πλεΐον Σολομώντος ωδε.

32. ‘Άνδρε; Νινευί-άναστήσονται έν τή κρί-σει μετά τής γενεά; ταύ-της, καί κατακρινούσιν αύτήν δτι μετενδησαν εις τδ κήρυ y μα ’Ιωνά· καί ιδού πλεΐον ’Ιωνά ωδε.

1. Καί περιεπάτει ό ’Ιησούς μετά ταυτα εν τή Γαλιλαίρ· ον yàp ήθελεν êv τή Ίουδαίςι περιπατεΐν, άτι εζητούν αύτδν οΐ ’Ιουδαίοι άποκτεΐναι.

2. ’Ην δέ έγγΰ; ή εορτή των ’Ιουδαίων ή σκηνοπηγία.

3. Ebrov οδν πρδς αύτδν οΐ άδελφοί αυτού, Νετάβηθι εντεύθεν, καί Î^aye εις την Ίουδαίαν, ϊνα καί οί μαθηταΐ σου θεωρήσωσι τα έργα σου & ποιείς·

4. Οΰδεί; yàp έν κρυπτψ τι ποιεί, καί ζητεΐ-αύτδς εν παρρησίμ εΐναι-εί ταυτα ποιείς, φανερωσον σεαυτόν τψ κδσμψ. „

5. Ουδέ yàp ol άδελφοί αύτου έπίστευον εις αυτόν.

6. Λέγει ούν αυτοί; ό ’Ιησούς, *0 καιρός ό ΐμδς οΰπω πάρεστιν-ό δέ καιρός δ ύμδτερος πάντοτε έστιν έτοιμος.

7. Ού δυναται ό κόσμος μισεΐν υμάς· έμέ δέ μισεί, δτι έγώ μαρτυρώ περί αύτου, δτι τά έργα αΰτοΰ πονηρά έστιν.

8. ‘Υμείς άνάβητε εις τήν ίορτήν ταύτην· έγώ

Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

32. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it : for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.?

John vii. 1. After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.*

2. Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at band.

3. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see» ’the works that thou doest.

4. For there is no man that doetlv anything in secret, ami he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

5. For neither did his brethren believe in him.*

6. Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready.

7. The world cannot* hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

8. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, but here it is more important for you.

32. If the men of Nineveh were brought back to life and compared with the men of this generation, they would appear more just, for they came to their senses after Jonah’s preaching, but here is one more important than Jonah.

1. After this, Jesus walked in Galilee; he did not want to walk through Judea, because the Jews had condemned him to death.

2. And a Jewish feast was at hand,

3. And bis brothers said to him, Go away from here, and go to Judea, that thy disciples may see before the others how thou servest God.

4. For no man will conceal his service of · God, but every man seeks to show himself. If thou servest God in this manner, show thyself to the world.

5. For his brothers did not believe in his teaching.

6. Jesus said to them, My time has not yet come; but for you the time has, of course, come.

7. The world will not hate you ; but mo it hates, because I prove that the world’s way of serving God is evil.

8. Go to this feast; but I cannot go to this

οϋττω άναβαίνω ds τήν ίορτ^ν τούτην, άτι ό καιρδι ό Îpbs ούττω TreiτΧήρωται.

9. Ταυτα δί dirùv aùroîs, εμεινε? ίν τη Γ αλιλαίςι.

10. ‘ils δί άνίβησα,ν ol αδελφοί αύτοΰ, τότε καί airrôs άνίβη ds την ίορτην, où φανερωτ, άλλ ώ$ ίν κρυπτψ.

11. 01 οΰν ’Ιουδαίοι ίζήτουν αύτδν ίν τη ίορτη, καί ÎXeyov, Uoû ίστιν ÎKfxvos ;

12. Καί yoyyvxpàs iroXùs icepl αΰτοΰ fjv ίν toÎs όχλοΐΐ. οι μίν ÎXe-yov, “Οτι àya0ôs ίστιν· άλλοι δί eXeyov, Ού· αλλά πλανςι τόν δχλον.

13. Ούδείΐ μίντοι πα(φησίη. ίλάλει irepl αύτου, διά τδν φόβον των Ιουδαίων.

unto thia”» feast; for my time is not yet full come.

feast, for my time has not yet come.

9. When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

10. But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.”

11. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?»

9. So he spoke, and he remained in Galilee.

10. And when they went a wav, he went there, not for the feast, but simply.

11. The Jews sought him at the feast, and said,Is he here, or not?

12. And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a Sood man: others said, ay; but he deceiveth the people.

13. Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

12. And there was much contention about him among the people : some said that he was a good man, and others said, No, he misleads the people.

13. But no one spoke openly of him for the fear of the Jews.

(α) σημειον means proof, and is in this sense used in the language of the gospels. Evidently it stood here in the sense of proof, and then from heaven was added, and the whole was transformed into a miracle. Here are the places where σημειον is unquestionably used in the sense of proof. The signification of miracle does not suit them in the least. But the meaning of proof fits all those places where it is translated by miracle :

Luke ii. 12. And this shall be a sign unto you ; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger.

John ii. 18. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

John vi. 30. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee ? what dost thou work ?

2 Cor. xii. 12. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

2 Thess. Hi. 17. The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle : so I write.

In these passages it cannot mean anything but proof. In all the other passages it means the same, and only by stretching it can it be interpreted as miracle :

Matt. xxiv. 3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world ?

and elsewhere.

(-) Many texts have not from heaven.

(e) The word hypocrites is wanting in many texts.

(d) καιρός temporal life.

(e) The word πονηρά is wanting in many texts, and I prefer to leave it out.

(/) For as Jonah the prophet was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so will the qon of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Here there exists another variant, which is still more simple, and independent of the supposed resurrection. και καθώς ’Ιωνάς εν τη κοιλία του κήτους τρεις ημέρας και νύκτας, ούτως και ό υίος του ανθρώπου εν τη yy. Jonah the prophet was sent by God into Nineveh to preach to the Nine vîtes, but, foreseeing the enmity of the Ninevites, he did not go to them, but went into Spain ; when a storm arose on the sea, he repented of his sins, and the sailors threw him into the sea. There a fish swallowed him and threw him out on the shore, and he went to the Ninevites, and converted them.

Jonah did not want to convert the Ninevites, but he was none the less led by the will of God to convert them. The son of man did hot wish to recognize his divinity in these people, but yet, by the will of God, he will turn them to the knowledge of God. And as Jonah departed from the execution of the will of God and was concealed in the belly of the whale, so the son of man departed from all, but, as the Ninevites were converted, so will the son of man be received.

(g) The meaning of the passage is this : the Pharisees and the learned demand proofs of the truth of the teaching. Jesus replies, The comprehension cannot be proved in any way. John has said, He who speaks the words of God is from God. And he who understands them, by this very fact puts the seal on the truth of the words. There are no proofs. But all men have always sought the comprehension, like the Ninevites and the queen of the south, who came to Solomon. I am revealing the comprehension to you, and you ask for proofs. You shall have no proofs.

(7t) ότι εξήτουν αυτόν οι ’Ιουδαίοι άττοκτεϊναι is used many times, as though it were a definite expression for a certain relation in which the Jews came to stand to him. In Chapter V. it says that they wanted to kill him for breaking the Sabbath. According to the law of Moses, he who broke the Sabbath was subject to death. So we must assume that εξήτουν αποκτεϊναι means, They tried him in order to sentence him to death.

(r) θεωρεω to be a spectator. Here it has to be translated, That they may see your works in the presence of others ; or else the words make no sense. Why should he go into Judea that the disciples might see, since they saw even there ? But the words, The works which thou dost, I translate by, Thy serving God, since the words τα epya σου à ποιείς have a definite and clear meaning : the life in God, the good life, serving God. The words are used in the following passages of the Gospel of John, and always with the same meaning:

III. 21. But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

I. 34. .Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

V. 20. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth : and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

36. But I have greater witness than that of John : for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that 1 do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

IV. 28. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God ?

29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

This passage directly defines what is to be understood by works of God.

VI. 30. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

X. 37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. XIV. 14. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.

(f) τι ποιεί ought to be translated by does something, but such a translation deprives the discourse of sense. Not every man who does something wants to show it to the world, but every man who professes the truth, who serves God for himself. To the word ποιεί must here be added epya του θεού ; such contractions frequently occur. The whole expression is ποιεϊν epya του θεού, but frequently epyov alone or ποιεϊν alone is used, with the same meaning.

(k) The words, For his brothers did not believe in him, that is, in his teaching, clearly confirm the statement that epya ποεϊν refers to his teaching.

(Z) ού δυναται is in John used in the sense of a simple future.

The conversation between the brothers and Jesus refers to this, that if he wishes to preach his teaching, he has a chance to go to the feast, when there will he a large multitude, and then he can announce his teaching in the presence of all. Then the disciples will see the truth of his teaching in the presence of others. They insist that he should go to the feast. To this Jesus says, For you there is a time of week-days and of holidays, but for me there is no particular time. This is the ver)’ reason why they hate me, for I show that their whole worship is evil, that there are no holidays.

(nr.) The word this twice repeated shows once more that Jesus does not recognize the holiday.

(n) It says, Not openly but in secret. In relation to his coming to the feast, and in connection with what was said before, this word must mean that he did not come for the holiday, that he might be seen on the holiday, but for his own sake.

(0) 7του here designates doubt, as in Luke viii. 25. Then he said to them, Where is your faith ? Knowing that he denied their faith, the Jews ask whether he came for the feast, or whether by his absence he denied the feast, and on that occasion they dispute about his teaching, but are afraid to say openly that he rejects the whole worship of the Jews.

JESUS’ DISCOURSES WITH THE PHARISEES

14. *Πδη δέ τ77$ εορτή$ μεσούσης, άνέβηδ’ϊησοΰ$ ci? τό ιερόν, και έδί-δασκε.

15. Καί έθαύμαζον οI ’Ιουδαίοι, λέ-γοντετ, Πώ$ οδτο$ -γράμματα οίδε, μη μεμαθηκώτ ;

16. ’ Α,πεκρίθη αύτοίΐ ό Ιησούς και είπεν, Ή έμη διδαχή ούκ εστιν έμη, άλλά του πέμφαντό$ με—

John vii. 14. Now about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

15. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters,— having never learned?

16. Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

14. In the middle of the feast Jesus entered the temple, and began to teach.

15. And the Jews marvelled, and said, How does he know, having never learned?

16. To this Jesus replied, My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.

17. ’Εάρ τις θέλη τό θέλημα αυτού ποιεΐν, -γνώσεται περί της διδα-χης, πότερον έκ του θεοί) έστιν ή έ~γώ απ’ έμαυτοΰ λαλώ.

18. *0 άφ’ εαυτού λάλων την δόξαν την ίδιαν ζητεί· ό δέ ζητών την δόξαν του πέμφαντos αυτόν, OUTOS αληθής έστι, καί αδικία έν αύτψ ούκ εστιν.

17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

17. He who will do his will will know of the teaching, whether it is from God, or whether I speak of myself.

18. He that speaketh of himself seeketb* his own glory : but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

18. He who speaks of himself discusses what seems proper to him; but he who discusses what seems proper to him who sent him, is true, and there is no untruth in him.

(a) 7ράμματα means learning. Acts iv. 5. Έy ενετό èè εττϊ την avptov συναχθηναέ αυτών τού? άρχοντας καϊ 7τρεσβυτέρους καϊ ηραμματεϊς είς ‘Ιερουσαλήμ.

As in the majority of passages in the Gospel of John, it has to be mentally supplied by what is said in other gospels. In this place it says that Jesus taught the people, and the people marvelled at his teaching.

Consequently, to make the context clear, we must imagine what he taught. What did he teach ? We cannot invent anything, and so must mentally supply his teaching about the falseness of the Jewish worship, about God being spirit, and about the necessity of serving him in spirit and with deeds, the sermon on the mount, the teaching about mendicancy and the five rules, in general, one of his teachings according to the gospel, all of which include the teaching about rejecting the false God, and about serving him in the spirit and with deeds: with doing good, with love, and with meekness.

(ό) ξητεΐν has heretofore been used by the writer and has the meaning to seek, to try, but now it is for the first time used by Jesus and cannot be rendered by to seek : one cannot seek glory, seek judgment. Ζητεΐν here means to reflect, to deliberate.

Mark xi. 18. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him.

Mark xiv. 1. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft.

11. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

Luke xii. 29. And seek not ye what ye shall eat.

Luke xxii. 2. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him.

1 Peter v. 8. Be sober, be vigilant ; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

And especially in John xvi. 19. Tlepl τούτου ζητάτβ μ€τ άΧΧήλων. In all these passages ζητάν is translated, and cannot be translated otherwise than, by deliberate. (According to the dictionary : cogitando, meditando, de-liberando quœro.) Even so, if δόξα, is translated here not glory, which it cannot mean, but judgment or that which seems, and ζητάν inevitably as to deliberate, we get a precise and clear meaning out of the absurdity, and we get a confirmation of Verse 17. The same is said in John v. 30. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge : and my judgment is just ; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me; 39. The Scriptures are a witness that I correctly transmit the will of the Father. 44. How can you believe since you receive from each other what seems proper to you, but do not understand what seems right to God?

This passage is an expression of the same thought that the only proof of God lies in the soul of man. We must well remember that, speaking of his teaching, Jesus speaks of the destruction of the Jewish worship, of God’s being a spirit ; he says that man can know God only within himself, that the life of the spirit consists in doing the will of God.

In order to understand John’s discourses, we must remember that Jesus in these discourses confirms, proves, elucidates what he has said in the discourse with Nicodemus, and does not expound any positive teaching.

There is here no new teaching, but only a confirmation of the old, which is especially expressed in the discourse with Nicodemus. Only by remembering this does it become clear why according to John the speeches of Jesus, which have nothing repulsive to the Jews, rouse their ire. We must remember that the purpose of every discourse of Jesus with the Jews is the denial of the worship of the Jews and of the whole law of Moses. Every discourse begins with their asking for his proofs of the legality of his denial.

19. Ού Μωσήΐ δίδω-Ktv ύμΐν τδν νόμον, καί ούδίΐί ίξ υμών ποteî τδν νόμον ; τΐ μχ ζητcire άποκτεΐναι ;

John vit. 19. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

19. Moses did not give you the law, and none of you lives according to the law, so how do you condemn me to death?

The first part is by no means an interrogative sentence. Jesus says, Moses has not given you the law of God, and none of you keep the law. Jesus is speaking here of the eternal law, of which he speaks in the sermon on the mount. He says, Moses did not give you the law ; the law is given by God, and by following the law of Moses none of you executes the law. And he asks them on what law they base their demand to have him killed.

20. ’Aπεκρίθη ô δχλοί καί dire, Δαιμόνων

τis σε ζητεί άποκτεΐναι-,

21. ΆπεκρΙθη ô Ιησούς κ al είπεν αύτ o’is, Έρ epyov έποίησα, καί πάντες θαυμάζετε.

22. Διά τούτο Μωσηί δέδωκεν ύμΐν την irepiτομήν, (ούχ 6τι έκ του Μωσ^ωί έστίν, άλλ’ έκ των πατέρων,) καί έν σαββάτψ περιτέμνετε άνθρωπον.

John vii. 20. The peo-Çle answered and said, hou hast a devil : who goeth about to kill thee?»

21. Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work,4 and ye all marvel.

22. Moses therefore® gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

20. And the people replied to him, Thou art besides thyself.

21. And Jesus answered them, 1 have made the service of God to be one, and at that you marvel.

22. For Moses gave you circumcision, not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers (as a covenant with God to keep the commandments and the Sabbath), and yet you circumcise on a Sabbath.

(a) The words, Who goeth about to kill thee, I omit, because these words say nothing and form a contradiction and do not call forth any answer from Jesus, and because they break the sense of the words, Thou art beside thyself.

(ά) epyov means serving God; ev means only. The double accusative means here, I have made the matter one.

(c) δίά τούτο, as in many passages in John, is used here as a connective. None of you fulfils the law of God, and here is the proof.

The explanation of this passage, which has no meaning according to the exposition of the church, depends on the preceding verses : on this, that Moses gave you the law and none of you lives according to the law, and on the preceding verse, where Jesus says that he has made the worship to be one, complete, not contradictory, as is the law of Moses. And so he gives an example of the internal contradiction, which is to be found in the law of Moses. We must also remember that the circumcision has two meanings: one — external, the other — a covenant with God, like the observance of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant with God. Jesus says, Here is an example : Moses told you to cut off the outer flesh, so that you may be in a covenant with God. The covenant with God is confirmed by the observance of the Sabbath, and now you, in order to keep the law of Moses, which has for its purpose the keeping of the covenant with God, break the Sabbath, the covenant with God.

23. EZ περιτομήν λαμβάνει άνθρωπος ίν σαβ-βάτιρ, ϊνα μή λυθρ ό νόμος Μωσέως, ΙμοΙ χαλάτε δτι 8λον άνθρωπον ίτγιη Ιποίησα iv σαβ-βάτφ ;

John vii. 23. If a man on the aabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole» on the sabbath day?

23. If a man receives the circumcision on a Sabbath, that the law of Moses should not be broken, why are you angry at me, because I have made a man right on the Sabbath?

(α) υγιής means not only well, but also straight, right, not false. Tit. ii. 8 : Sound speech, that cannot be condemned ; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.

The whole passage, from the beginning to the end, is, in our opinion, incorrectly conceived and translated.

This is the way the church explains it (Gospel of John, p. 264):

One work: The Lord did many miracles in Jerusalem on the first day of the passover, and of the events of the second passover only one work is mentioned, — the miracle which was the cause of the accusation preferred against him for breaking the law on the Sabbath.

Ye all marvel: Since I determined to do that on a Sabbath, thus, in your opinion, offending the law about the Sabbath, you marvel, are troubled and excited, and start a persecution against me; you press me hard and seek to kill me. The conception of surprise here includes the conception of an unfavourable relation to him who roused the surprise. But, continues the Lord, if I, according to your thinking, have once broken the law of Moses, you break it constantly, and I will prove it to you, and the Lord proceeds to disclose the idea which is in general terms expressed in Verse 19. The words, Moses gave unto you circumcision, correspond to the words, Did not Moses give you the law? etc., the same Moses who gave you the law in general, and among others the law about the Sabbath, gave you also the law of circumcision. The words, And ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man, correspond to the words, None of you keepeth the law, that is, on the basis of the law of circumcision you break the law of the Sabbath, when you circumcise the new-born on the Sabbath. The Lord is pointing to a fact of common occurrence in the life of the Jews, which was that, if the eighth day, on which the law demanded that the new-born boy be circumcised, fell on a Sabbath, every father broke the law of the Sabbath, in order to observe the law of circumcision. In this manner, concludes the Lord, if you break the law of the Sabbath for the sake of observing the law of circumcision, and do not consider yourselves as lawbreakers, why do you think that I broke the Sabbath, when I did a much higher act than circumcision, when I made a man whole on the Sabbath ?

Do you suppose that making a man whole is a lesser act than cutting off the outer flesh of the new-born boy?

In order to comprehend this comparison of the circumcision with the miracle of healing, performed by the Lord, we must remember that in either case there is a physical action and a spiritual reaction, — the entrance of the circumcised into the society of the chosen of God. In the healing the physical action is a complete reestablishment of the physical health ; the spiritual reaction is the sanctification of the whole man (Go and sin no more, v. 14). In either case the healing is higher than the circumcision, and the actions of the Lord are thus fully justified.

Thus the fundamental moral principle, on which this defensive speech of the Lord is based, is the same which is briefly and decidedly expressed by him on another occasion : The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath (Mark xi. 27).

By dint of this principle the law of the Sabbath is broken whenever a more important work is to be accomplished, though the permission to do so may not be directly expressed in the law. If you must circumcise on the Sabbath, do so, and do not consider yourselves breakers of the law; I did on the Sabbath a more important work than circumcision, so why do you consider me a breaker of the law of the Sabbath, and persecute me, and seek to kill me?

The remark made by the Lord concerning the circumcision, that it is not from Moses, but from the fathers, still more strengthens its idea. The law of the Sabbath is so important that it entered into the decalogue (the fourth commandment), while the law of circumcision does not form part of the decalogue ; it was transmitted from the fathers, that is, the patriarchs, and Moses only once mentions it in a few words. Thus, the most important law, which entered into the decalogue, is broken in the practice of the Jews for the sake of observing a law which did not enter into the decalogue. Why, then, accuse me of breaking the law of the Sabbath, since on the Sabbath I did a more important work than circumcision, and those who break the Sabbath for the sake of the latter do not consider themselves breakers of the law ?

Reuss (Vol. VI., pp. 201 and 202):

Voici en deux mots le sens du raisonnement contenu dans les dernières lignes de notre texte : « La guérison du paralytique, opérée pendant le sabbat, a causé parmi vous un étonnement tel, que vous en avez même voulu à ma vie. Mais il y a des choses qui priment le sabbat (Marc ii. 27). Ainsi la circoncision, instituée longtemps avant Moïse, se pratique à jour fixe, le huitième après la naissance de l’enfant, sans égard au sabbat. Or, qu’est-ce que la circoncision, en comparaison de la guérison d’un homme malade de tous ses membres ? Qu’est-ce qu’une consécration rituelle, en comparaison d’un acte de bienfaisance? Qu’est-ce que la chair en comparaison de l’esprit?” Le raisonnement est moins populaire que celui conservé par les Synoptiques (Matth. xii. 11. Luc xiv. 5, etc.), mais il répond mieux à la circonstance, en tant qu’il s’agissait pour Jésus de s’autoriser de la loi même pour justifier son acte.

Il y a cependant un peu d’obscurité dans l’exposé de l’argument, et les éditions mêmes s’en sont ressenties. Le texte vulgaire, que nous suivons ici, commence le v. 22 par les mots : C’est pour cela que, tandis que les modernes rattachent ces mots au verset précédent : vous vous étonnez « cause de cela. Cette dernière combinaison paraît plus simple, mais elle est contraire à l’usage constant de l’auteur, qui met régulièrement ces mots en tête de ses phrases, et jamais à la fin (Chap. v. 16, 18 ; vi. 65 ; viii. 47, etc.). Ici ils doivent insinuer que c’est à dessein que Moïse a conservé l’antique institution de la circoncision, comme telle, et sans y déroger au profit du sabbat, afin de faire ressortir la supériorité de la première. Jésus voulant mettre la guérison qu’il a opérée sur la même ligne que la circoncision, comme quelque chose de supérieur au sabbat, indique ce but par l’adverbe en question placé en tête de sou raisonnement. Avec l’autre ponctuation, le v. 22 est isolé du reste et le fil de l’argumentation est perdu.

Philologically such a translation is impossible, and what comes of this translation and of these interpretations ? Jesus begins his discourse by saying that he dôes not teach from himself, but from God, and that he who does the will of God knows whether what he does is true or not. Then he says that it is not Moses who gave the eternal law, and that none of them lives according to the law, and he asks why they want to kill him. They say, No, we do not want to kill thee. And he answers (according to the interpretation of the church), You want to kill me because I healed one on a Sabbath, but the Sabbath is not important ; and here is interpolated

a still more irrelevant detail about this, that it was not Moses, but the fathers, who gave the circumcision. You yourselves break the Sabbath, and it is more important to heal a man. And immediately after this excursus, which is out of season and out of reason, he says, Do not judge by appearances, but in truth. And immediately after that he says, You know me, but you do not know him who has sent me, etc., and he continues the same speech.

Involuntarily the question rises what sense there is in speaking in such a rambling fashion, and in uttering things which are quite useless and which break the train of thought and descend from high truths to base polemics.

In the proper translation nothing of the kind takes place, and these verses directly continue the same thought and are connected with the subsequent discourse. Jesus says, Not Moses gave you the law, but God, and you do not observe the law, why, then, do you want to kill me ? They say, Because thou art beside thyself. He says, I made the worship to be one, I gave you the one law, which is not contradictory, and that seems strange to you. And yet you do not marvel that Moses gave you the law, to be in a covenant with God, and that, though one of the chief conditions of the covenant with God is the keeping of the Sabbath, you circumcise on the Sabbath, in order to keep the law of Moses. Why, then, do you marvel that I made a man completely free and right on a Sabbath ? Judge not by the letter, but by the spirit. And he continues his speech, Do not ask who I am, but who he is who has sent the man, etc.

24. Μ ή κρίνετε κατ’ 6ψιν, αλλά την δικαίαν κρίσιν κρίνατε.

25. ’Έλεγον ούν τινες έκ των Ίεροσολυμιτών, Ούχ ούτός εστιν δν ζη-τοΰσιν άποκτειναι ;

John viz. 24. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.*

25. Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?

24. Do not judge according to the appearance, but in truth.

25. Then some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, Is this he whom they want to kill?

26. Kai Ιδε, παρρητίμ λαλεΐ, καί ovÔèv αύτψ λόγουσι. μήποτε άληθώς ένωσαν οί Άρχοντα, δτι ούτός ίστιν αληθώς ό Χριστός ;

27. ’Αλλά τούτον οίδα-μενπόθενέστίν- ό δό Χριστός δταν έρχεται, ούδείς Ύίνώσκει πόθεν εστίν·

28. “Εκραζαν ούν έν τψ Ιεριρ διδάσκων ό ’Ιησούς, καί λ^γων, Κάμό οΐδατε, καί οΐδατε πόθεν είμί-καί απ’ έμαυτοΰ ούκ έλήλυθα, άλλ’ εστιν αληθινός ό πέμψας με, δν υμάς ούκ οίδατε·

29. Έγώ δό οΊδα αυτόν, δτι παρ’ αύτου είμί, κάκεΐνός με άπέστειλεν.

30. Έξήτουν ούν αυτόν πιάσαι-καί ούδείς έπέβαλεν ίπ αυτόν την χάρα, δτι οϋπω έληλύθει ή ώρα αύτου.

31. Πολλοί δό εκ του όχλου ίπίστευσαν εις αυτόν, καί eheyov, “Οτι ό Χριστός δταν ελθη, μήτι πλείονα σημεία τούτων ποιήσει ων ουτος ίποίη-σεν;

32. Ήκουσαν οI Φαρισαίοι του όχλου yoyyù-ζοντος περί αύτου ταΰτα· καί άπίστειλαν οί Φαρί-σαωι καί οί αρχιερείς ΰπηρότας, ΐνα πιάσωσιν αυτόν.

33. Ε?7Γ€υ ούν αύτοΐς ό ‘ Ιησούς, “Ετι μικρόν χρόνον μεθ’ υμών ε’ιμι, καί ÙTayio πρός τόν πέμψαντά με.

34. Ί,ητήσετί με, και ούχ εύρήσετε· και δπου είμί tyù, υμείς ου δύνασθε έλθεΐν.

26. But, Ιο, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?

27. Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.

28. Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am : and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.

29. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

30. Then they sought to take him:* but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

31. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

32. The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.

33. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with Jyou, and then I go unto him that sent me.

34. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me : and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

26. He speaks openly, and they do not answer him. Have not the rnlers acknowledged him to be the anointed one?

27. The only thing is we know this man. When the anointed one comes, no man will know whence he comes.

28. And teaching in the temple, Jesus said loudly, You know me, and you know whence I come ; but I do not come of myself: he who has sent me is true, and him you do not know.

29. I know him; I know that I am from him and that he has sent me.

30. They wanted to overcome him, but could not vanquish him, for it was not yet to be.

31. And many of the people believed in his teaching, and said, When Christ comes, he will hardly prove better than this one.

32.The Pharisees heard that the people were disturbed abont his teaching; and the Pharisees and chief priests sent servants to take him.

33. And Jesus said, Only for a short time do I walk with you and lead you to him who has sent me.

34. You will seek arguments against me, and you will not find them; and whither I go you cannot come.

35. Εϊπον ούν ol ’ Ιουδαίοι πρό; Εαυτούς, 11ου οδτο; μέλλει πορεύεσθαι, δτι ημείς ούχ εύρήσομεν αυτόν ; μή εί; την δια-σποράν των ’Ελλήνων μέλλει πορεύεσθαι, καί διδάσκειν τού;-Ελληνα; ;

30. Τί; άττιν οδτο; ό λόγο; δν είπε, Ζητήσετε με, καί ούχ εύρήσετε· καί όπου είμί Εγώ, υμείς ού δύνασθε ίλθέΐν ;

37. Έν δέ τή Εσχάτη ήμέρςι τή μεγάλη τής εορτή; είστήκει ό ’Ιησού;, καί εκραξε λ^γων, ’Εάν τι; διφςί, Ερχέσθω πρό; με καί πινέτω·

38. *0 πιστεύων εί; ^μέ, καθώς είπεν ή γραφή, 7Γ0ταμοί ^κ τή; κοιλία; αύτου ρεύσουσιν Ιίδατο; j-ωντο;.

39. Τούτο δό είπε περί του Πνεύματο; ου εμελ-λον λαμβάνει ν οί πι-στεύοντε; εί; αυτόν· ουπω γάρ ήν Πνεύμα “Αγιον, δτι ό Ιησού; ούδέπω Εδοξάσθη.

40. Πολλοί οδν ^κ του όχλου ακόυσα ντε; τόν λόγον ελεγον, Οΰτό; άττιν άλη0ω; ό προφήτης.

41. Άλλοι ελεγον, Οδτό; άττιν ό Χριστός. Αλλοι δό ελεγον, Μή γάρ ^κ τη; Γαλιλαία; ό Χριστός έρχεται ;

42. Ούχί ή -γραφή είπεν, δτι ^κ του σπέρματος Δαβίδ, καί άπό Βηθλεέμ, τη; κώμης δπου ήν Δαβίδ, ό Χριστό; έρχεται ;

43. Σχίσμα οδν ^ν τ<ρ δχλψ éyévtro δΐ αυτόν.

35. Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

36. What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?»

37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38. lie that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out or his belly shall flow rivers of living water (Isaiah xii. 3; Joel iii. 18).

39. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost4 was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)·

40. Many of the peo-

Ele therefore, when they eard this saying, said. Of a truth this is the Prophet.

41. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

42. Hath not the Scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

43. So there was a division among the people because of him.

35. And the Jews said, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Does he want to go to the Greeks and teach, them?

36. What does it mean, You will seek and will not find, and you will not come whither I go?

37. On the last chief day of the feast, Jesus stood and spoke loudly, If any man is thirsty, let him come to me ana drink.

38. He who believes in my teaching, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.

39. This he spoke of the spirit of God, which they who believed in him would receive; for the spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet understood.

40. Many of the people, having understood his teaching, said, He is truly a prophet.

41. Others said, This is the chosen one of God. Some said, Shall the chosen one come out of Galilee?

42. The Scripture says that he is of the seed of David, and out of the village of Bethlehem.

43. And there was a division amonjj the people because of him.

44. Tινές ÔE ήθελαν Εξ αυτών πιάσαι αυτόν, άλλ’ ούδεί; Επέβαλεν Επ’ αυτόν τά; χείρα;.

45. Πλ9ον ούν οί ύπηρέται πρό; τού; άρχιερει; καί Φαρισαίους-καί είπον αΰτοι; εκείνοι, Διατί ούκ ήγάγετε αυτόν ;

46. ’Απεκρίθησαν οί ύπηρέται, Ουδέποτε ούτως Ελάλησεν Ανθρωπος, ώ; οδτο; ό άνθρωπος.

47. ’Απεκρίθησαν ουν αυτοί; οί Φαρισαίοι, Μ ή καί ύμεί; πεπλάνησθε ;

48. Μή τις Εκ των αρχόντων Επίστευσεν εί; αυτόν, ή Εκ των Φαρισαίων;

49. Άλλ’ ό όχλο; οδ-το;, ό μή γινώσκων τόν νόμον, Επικατάρατοι εΐσι.

50. ΑΕ-γει Νικόδημο; πρό; αυτούς, ό Α0ών νυκτό; πρό; αυτόν, εΓ; ών Εξ αυτών,

51. Μή ό νόμος ημών κρίνει τόν άνθρωπον, Εάν μή άκούση παρ’ αύτου πρότερον, καί γνιρ τί ποιεί ;

52. ’Απεκρίθησαν καί εϊπον αύτφ, Μή καί σύ Εκ τής Γαλιλαία; εί ; Ερεύνησαν καί ί’δε, δτι προφήτης Εκ τής Γαλιλαία; ούκ όγήγερται.

53. Καί Επορεύθη Εκαστος εί; τόν οίκον αύτου.

(a) These words are directly connected with Verse 19, which is, that it is not Moses who taught you the law, and nobody fulfils the law. He who will judge not by appearances but by the essence of the thing will understand it.

(b) έξήτουν πιάσαι, and ouôek επεβαΧε αυτόν. Both expressions may have the direct meaning to take him by

44. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

45. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought/ him?

46. The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.*

47. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?

^48. Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?

49. But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

50. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)

51. Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

52. They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

53. And every man 53. And all went home, went unto his own house.

44. Some of them wanted to overcome him but no one vanquished him.

45. Then the servants came to the priests, and the priests said, Why have you not taught him?

46. The servants re-

f>lied, No man ever spoke ike this one.

47. And the Pharisees said. Have you, too, erred?

48. For none of the rulers and none of the Pharisees believe in him.

49. But this rabble, accursed people, does not know the law.

50. Nicodemus said to them (it was he who had come to Jesus in the night, and he was with them):

51. Does our law allow us to condemn a man without learning first how he teaches?

52. They answered him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search in the law, and see whether there can be a prophet out of Galilee.

force, or the transferred meaning to overcome him in dispute and vanquish him with arguments. The second is more closely connected with what follows.

(c) Jesus says, You will dispute with me, and will not find anything. You must not dispute, but fulfil, do, follow me, then you will know whether it is true.

(d) In the majority of texts άγιον is wanting.

(e) δοξάζομαι, like παράΚαμβάνω, does not mean to glorify, but to acknowledge, to understand.

(/) άγω has the meaning of to teach.

(g) The answer of the servants of the priests shows that they were not police officers, but assistants of the priests in the interpretation of the laws, and that they tried to vanquish him with words.

Jesus does not go to celebrate the holiday, for he denies all holidays and all external worship ; but he comes in the middle of the feast, not to celebrate it, but to speak with the people. And, entering the temple, he teaches the people to serve God in the spirit, and they marvel at his teaching, and wonder how he, an unlearned man, can know all this. He says, This teaching is not mine, but God’s, the spirit’s. When he is asked for the proofs of the truth of his teaching, he says that there is one thing to prove the justice of what he is teaching: You must try to do the will of God the Father, and then you will know whether it is true, or whether it is an invention.

But the will is known to everybody : it is expressed by Jesus in his preaching, where he says that God is spirit, that no one has ever seen him, that the worship of the Jews is a deception, that the spirit of God is intelligible in man only.

To the objections made to him concerning the law of Moses, Jesus replies that it is not Moses who gave the law, but God, and that they do not understand the law. To exemplify the relation of his teaching to the law, he tells them that the chief law consists in the communion with God, which Moses commanded men to express by the circumcision. The covenant is the main thing, but the execution of the whole written law is contradictory. And he adduces as an example the case of the circumcision performed on the Sabbath. If, he says, the circumcision is performed on the Sabbath, we must understand that the chief and least important in the law is the covenant.

In my teaching the chief thing is to serve God by deeds. They do not understand him, and dispute with him, as to whether he is the Messiah, or not. It seems to them that he is not, for they know him, and no one will know the Messiah. And Jesus cries to them, You say that you will not know him who is sent by God. You do not know him : you know only me, the son of the carpenter ; but you do not know him who within me speaks of God. And he is Christ, the chosen one of God, and promised to you, — there is no other, and there will be none. Even now I lead you to the Father. Follow me and do not trouble yourselves about finding out who I am. If you do, you will not understand the Father. Follow me, — I have revealed the true life to you : so come to me, and commune with this life. It is like spring water: it will never be exhausted.

The words of Jesus Christ convinced many who had no learning ; but the priests and high priests said, This accursed rabble does not know the law. They believe anything which they are told. Nicodemus said, But ought we not to understand what he is saying? He may be telling the truth.

Impossible, said the Pharisees, for he is from Galilee. The learned repeated what the Jews had told Christ, what the churches have been saying for eighteen hundred years, namely, that according to the prophecies the son of God would come in a certain place, under definite conditions; and they did not hear what Jesus cried to them,

vUUlV·

nui 1 aid not come

m my own name, and true is he who sent me, and you do not know him. And that is all you need know. If you do not know that, that is, God within yourselves, you cannot help but not know me. If I said that I am Christ, you would believe me; but you would not believe God who is within you. Only by believing God through me will you be able to understand God who is within you.

12. Πάλιρ ούν ό ’Ιη-σούς αύτοί$ έλάλησε λέ-γων, Εγώ ε’ιμι τό φως τον κόσμου’ ό ακολουθών έμοι ου μή περιπατήσει έν τη σκοτίς., άλλ’ ίξει τό φως της ζωής.

John viii. 12. Then snake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John i. 4. In him is life, and life is the light of men. In this place we find what by all critics is recognized to be an interpolation of the history of the harlot’s pardon; but the didactic part of the discourse is a continuation of the preceding chapter. The peculiarity of speech in this chapter is this, that before this Jesus addressed the people, while now he addresses the Pharisees.

After the conversation of the Pharisees with the servants, it must be assumed that they themselves entered into a discussion with Jesus.

13. Ebrov ούν αύτψ οί Φαρισαίοι, Σύ περί σεαυτού μαρτυρείς· ή μαρτυρία σου ούκ εστιν αληθής·

14. ’ Απεκρίθη * Ιησούς καί εϊπεν αύτοϊς, Κάν όγώ μαρτυρώ περί έμαυτού, άΧηθής έστιν η μαρτυρία μου· δτι οΊδα πόθεν ήλ-θον, καί ιτού υπάγω· υμείς δέ ούκ οΐδατε πόθεν έρχομαι, και που υπάγω.

John viii. 13. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

14. Jesus answered and said unto them. Though I bear record of myself, yet ray record is true : for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

12. Another time Jesus said, I am the light of the world. He who will follow me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.

13. And the Pharisees said to him, Thou dearest witness of thyself, and so thy testimony is not true.

14. And Jesus replied to them, Though I bear witness of myself,, my testimony is true, for I know whence I came, and whither I lead : it is you only who do not know whence I come and whither I lead.

15. ‘Υμείς κατά την σάρκα κρίνετε· iyù ού κρίνω ούδένα.

10. Καί έαν κρίνω δό έγώ, η κρίσις η έμή αλή-θής έστιν δτι μόνος ούκ είμΐ, άλλ’ έγώ καί ό πέμ-ψας με πατήρ.

17. Καί έν τψ νόμψ τψ ύμετέρψ γέ”γραπ-

ται, δτι δύο ανθρώπων ή μαρτυρία αληθής έστιν.

18. Έγώ είμι ό μαρτύρων περί έμαυτού, καί μαρτυρεί περί έμοΰ ό πέμφας με πατήρ.

19. Έλίγον οΰν αύτψ, Που έστιν ό πατήρ σου ; άπεκρίθη ό ’Ιησουί, Ούτε έμέ οΐδατε, ούτε τόν πατέρα μου· εί έμέ ηδειτε, καί τόν πατέρα μου ηδειτε Αν.

20. Ταυτα τά ρήματα έλάλησεν ό ’Ιησούς έν τψ Ίαζοφυλακίφ, διδάσκων έν τψ Ιερψ· καί ούδείς έπίασεν αυτόν, δτι ούπω έληλύθει ή ώρα αυτού.

21. ΈΪπεν οΰν πάλιν αύτοϊς ό Ίησου$, Έγώ υπάγω, καί ζητήσετέ με, καί έν τή άμαρτίη. υμών άποθανεΐσθε· δπου έγώ υπάγω, υμείς ού δύνασθε έλθεΐν.

22. Έλεγον ούν οΐ Ίουδαϊοι, λΐήτι άποκτί-νεΐ εαυτόν, δτι λέ“γει, “Οπου έγώ υπάγω, ύμεϊς ού δύνασθε έλθεΐν ;

23. Καί εϊπεν αύτοϊς, ‘Ύμεϊς έκ των κάτω έστέ, έγώ έκ των άνω είμί’ υμείς έκ τού κόσμου τούτου έστέ, έγώ ούκ είμϊ έκ τού κόσμου τούτου.

15. Ye judge after the flesh ; I judge· no man.

IS. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.*

17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.·

18. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me bearetb witness of me.

19. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.*

20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple : and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.·

21. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

22. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

23. And be said unto them, Ye are from beneath ; I am from above : ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

15. You judge after the flesh; but I judge no man.

16. And if I judge, my judgment is true: for 1 am not alone, — there is also the Father who sent me.

17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is sufficient.

18. I bear witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me.

19. The Jews said to him, Who is this Father of thine? And Jesus said to them, You do not know me, and you do not know my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father.

20. These words Jesus spoke near the treasury in the temple, and no man overcame him; for evidently his time had not yet come.

21. And again Jesus said to them, I lead, and you will discuss who I am, and through your error you will die. You will not go whither I lead.

22. And the Jews said, Does he mean to kill himself? For he said, You will not go whither I lead.

23. And he said to them, You are from beneath, but I am from above. You are of this world, but I am not of this world.

24. ΐ,ϊπον o5t-υμΐν δτι άποθανέισθε iv τα?$ αμαρτίαν υμών· iàv yàp μη πιστίύσητε δτι èyù ΐΐμι, άιroOaveÏaOe έν ταΐς άμαρτίαι$ υμών.

25. ‘‘EXeyoF οι** αύτω, Συ tîs d ; καί eïircv αύ-TOÎS ό ‘ Ιησου$, Την αρχήν δ τι καί λαλώ υμΐν.

24. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

24. I said that you will die in your errors if you do not trust in me.

25. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning./

25. Then they said to him, Who art thou? And Jesus said to them, First of all I am what I tell you.

(tt) That κρίνω here means to judge, condemn, is confirmed by the object ούδά/α.

(L) In reply to the question, why his teaching is true, Jesus gives as the first proof, that if a man would do what he says, he would find out that his teaching is true ; as the second proof of the truth he advances this, that he explains whence comes the soul of man, and whither it goes, while they do not know.

(c) In many texts Verses 15 and 16 are omitted. They add nothing, and only make the discourse obscure.

(d) As the third proof of the truth of his teaching, Jesus states that its truth is attested by two witnesses : by man himself, and by his Father, — God.

The Jews ask, Who is thy father ? The trouble is, you do not know your Father ; you do not know your origin. If you knew, everything would be clear to you. He says the same that he told Nicodemus, that the foundation of everything is the understanding as to whence life, the soul of man, comes.

(e) Many texts have not αύτοΰ.

(/) lam what I told you about in the beginning — I am the light and the comprehension, or, I am what I tell you ; I am my teaching, I am the way and the truth, as it says farther down.

There follows Verse 26: I have many things to say, and to judge of you ; but he that sent me is true ; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. This verse has no clear meaning.

This is what the church has to say about it (Gospel of John, p. 297) :

I have many things to say, etc : The utterance of the preceding verse is called forth by the question of the Jews, which interrupted the Lord’s speech. Immediately after the answer to the proposed question, the Lord continues his discourse from Verses 21-24. He expressed to the people the bitter truth about their sad moral condition and proclivities, telling them what all that would bring them to, and now he continues that speech, telling them that he has much to tell them about the moral condition of the people, and to judge of them, to disclose before their eyes the whole abyss of their moral degradation, the whole weight of their responsibility before the judgment of God. But, continues the Lord, no matter how hard it is for yon to hear all this, and for me to accuse you, and still more to rouse you against me, I must do so and will tell you everything, for he who has sent me is the truth itself, and I must tell the truth which 1 heard from him.

They understood not, etc. : The evangelist’s remark as to the relation of the hearers to the meaning of Jesus’ discourse. This lack of comprehension seems terrible after what the Lord has been saying all the time about him who sent him, for formerly they seem to have understood similar utterances of his. No doubt those who frequently heard the Lord, even his enemies, now understood his utterances, though only in an external manner, but the crowd which surrounded him did not understand him, and it is of this crowd that the evangelist speaks. This is the reason why the Lord goes on to speak directly of the Father as having sent him.

This is what Reuss has to say (Vol. VI., pp. 212 and 213):

On ne saisit pas bien, à première vue, l’enchaînement logique des quelques phrases mises dans la bouche de Jésus en réponse à cette nouvelle question des Juifs. Aussi les interprètes ont-ils essayé des combinaisons très-variées et qui n’arrivent guère à écarter toute espèce d’obscurité. Voici comment nous comprenons la liaison des éléments réunis dans les v. 25 et 26. Λ la question: Qui es-tu? Jésus répond seulement par ces mots: Je suis ce que je vous dis ; en d’autres termes : je n’ai pas besoin de le dire de nouveau, je l’ait dit suffisamment. L’adverbe tout

Uvuv pas i equivalent de la phrase: “depuis le commencement,” car il ne se lie pas avec la fin, comme on le prend ordinairement (” je suis ce que je vous ai dit dès l’abord “), mais il est placé en tête, de manière à dire : La première et seule réponse à donner, c’est, etc. C’est une espèce de fin de non recevoir, un refus de revenir à des explications désormais superflues, une espèce de question préalable. Puis il ajoute par antithèse : C’est de vous que j’ai à parler ; ce serait là, pour vous, une préoccupation plus importante. La théorie a été établie, il serait temps que vous en fissiez l’application ; car ce que j’ai à dire de vous, c’est en même temps un jugement, une critique, un avertissement sérieux et sévère. Cela est d’autant plus nécessaire que vous n’en tenez pas compte, vous le négligez, comme si cela ne vous regardait pas : et pourtant je ne suis que l’interprète de l’autorité la plus élevée, du juge suprême (Chap. v. 30 ; viii. 15, 16), et je ne dis que ce qui est salutaire au monde. Nous ne traduisons pas : J’aurais beaucoup de choses à dire sur vous, mars je me borne æce que le Père me dicte.

This verse adds absolutely nothing to what has been said before, and it not only breaks the connection of the thought of Verse 25 with that of Verse 27, but even destroys the meaning of the latter. If Verse 27, They understood not that he spake to them of the Father, stands after the words, Even the same that I said unto you, then it is clear that the same is the Father. But after Verse 26, where reference is made to him who sent, that is, to the Father, Verse 27 has no sense. And so this verse must be omitted. In the preceding verse it says the same as what is given later, I and the Father are one. He said, I am what I tell you. What he speaks, the Father speaks, consequently they are one.

28. EΙπεν οΰν αυτού ο Ιησοΰ$, “Οταν ύφώ-σηιε τόν υιόν του ανθρώπου, τότε “γνώσεσθε δτι έγώ ειμι· και άττ éμαντού ποιώ ουδέν, αλλά καθώς έδίδαξέ με ό πατ·ήρ μου, ταυτα λαλώ.

John viii. 28. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself : but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

28. And Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know what I am. I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, so I speak.

29. Kal ό πίμφας με μετ’ έμου άττ ιν· ούκ άφηκε με μόνον ο πατήρ, δτι iyù τά αρεστά αύτφ ποιώ πάντοτε.

30. Ταυτα αΰτου λα-λουντοί πολλοί ίπίστευσαν είς αυτόν.

31. “Έλίγίν οόν ό Ίτ;-σου$ 7τρό$ τούς πεπιστευ-κότας αύτφ Ιουδαίους. ’Εάν ύμεΐς μείνητε tv τφ λόγψ, τφ ίμψ αληθώς μαθηταί μου tart·

32. Καί ‘γνώσεσθε την άλ-ήθειαν, καί η άλήθεια έλευθερώσει υμάς.

33. ’Απεκρίθησαν αύ· τφ, Σπέρμα Αβραάμ ίσμεν, καί ούδενί δεδου-λεύκαμεν πώποτε· πώς σύ λέγεις, *0τι Ελεύθεροι Ίενήσεσθε ;

34. ‘Απεκρίθη αύτοίς ό Ί^σουτ, ’Αμήν αμήν λέγω υμΐν, δτι πας ό ποιων την αμαρτίαν δού-λδς ton της άμαρτίας.

35. Ό δέ δούλος ού μόνει tv τη οίκίρ είς τόν αιώνα· ό υϊόι μίνει είς τόν αιώνα.

36. Έάν οΰν ό υΐδς υμάς έλευθερώση, όντως Ελεύθεροι εσεσθε.

37. Οΐδα δτι σπέρμα ’ Αβραάμ έστε-αλλά ξη-τεΐτt με άποκτείναι, δτι ό λόγο$ ό ίμδς ού χωρεΐ tv υμίν.

38. ’Εγώ δ εώρακα παρά τφ πατρί μου, λαλώ· καί υμείς ούν 6 εωράκατε παρά τφ πα-τρί υμών, ποιείτε.

39. ‘Απεκρίθησαν καί εϊπον αύτφ, Ό πατήρ ήμών ’Αβραάμ „ίστι. λέγει αύτοίς ό ‘Ιησούς,

29. And he that sent me is with me : the Father hath not left me alone; for 1 do always those things that please him.

30. As he spake these words, many believed on him.

31. Then said Jesus to those .lews which believed on him. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32. And ye shall know the truth, an<l the truth shall make you free.

33. They answered him,» We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man : bow gayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.4

35. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.®

37. I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

38. I speak that which I’ have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

39. They answered and said unto him. Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s cbil—

29. And he who sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone; for I do always and everywhere what pleases him.

30. And when ho said this, many believed iu bis teaching.

31. Then Jesus said to those who believed in him, If you are firm in my comprehension, you will be taught by me,

32. And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

33. They answered him, We arc of Abraham’s nation, and were never anybody’s slaves. How, then, dost thou say that thou wilt make us free?

31. And Jesus answered them, You know yourselves that every man who makes mistakes becomes the slave of mistakes.

35. But the slave does not always remain in the family, but the son always.

36. If, therefore, the son will free y eu, you will be free indeed.

37. I know that you are of Abraham’s tribe; but you want to kill me, because my comprehension has no place in you.

38. I speak what I have comprehended of my Father; and you do what you have comprehended of your father.

39. And they said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham’s children, you

El τέκνα του ‘Αβραάμ ήτε, τά έργα του Αβραάμ έποιεΐτε &ν.

40. Νυν δέ ζητεΐτέ με άποκτ είναι, άνθρωπον 6$ τήν αλήθειαν ύμΐν λελάληκα, ήν ήκου-σα παρά του θεοί)· τούτο ‘Αβραάμ ούκ έποίησεν.

41. ‘Τμείί ποιείτε τα έργα του πατρός υμών, εϊπον ούν αύτψ, ΉμεΪϊ έκ πορνείας ου γεγεννή-μεθα· ένα πατέρα έχο-μεν, τόν θεόν.

42. Είπεν ούν αυτοί! ο Ιησούς, ΕΖ ό θεόϊ πατήρ υμών ήν, ήγαπάτε άν έμέ· έyώ yàp έκ του θεού έξήλθον και ήκω· ουδέ yàp άπ’ έμαυτοΰ έλήλυθα, άλλ’ έκεΐνός με άπόστειλε.

43. Διατί την λαλιάν την έμην ου yινώσκετε ; δτι ου δύνασ^ε άκούειν τόν λόγον τόν όμόν.

44. Ύμε?! έκ πατρός του διαβόλου έστέ, καί τα! επιθυμίας τού πατρός υμών θέλατε ποιεΐν. εκείνο! άνθρωποκτόνος ήν άπ’ αρχής, καί εν τή άληθείγ. ούχ έστηκεν· δτι ούκ εστιν άλήθεια έν αύτιρ. όταν λαλή τό ψευδός, έκ των ιδίων λάλε?· δτι ψεύστης έστί και ό πατήρ αύτοΰ.

45. ’Εγώ δέ δτι την αλήθειαν λόγω, ού πιστεύετέ μοι.

46. TÎ! έ£ ύμών έλόγ-χει με περί αμαρτίας ; εί δέ αλήθειαν λόγω, διατΖ ύμε?! ού πιστεύετό μοι ;

47. Ό ών ε’κ του θεού τά ρήματα του θεού άκού-dren, ye would do the works of Abraham.

40. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

41. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one father, even God.

42. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me : for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

43. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

46. Which of you con-vinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?**

47. He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them would serve God like him.

40. But now you deliberate how you may kill me, a man who has told Jou the truth, which I ave heard of God. Abraham did not do this.

41. You serve your father. · They said to him, We are not born of fornication: we have one Father, —God.

42. Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for 1 proceeded from God and go to him. I did not come of myself, but he sent me.

43. You do not understand my words of the comprehension, because you cannot understand my discussion.

44. You are of the devil, and you will do the lust of your father : he was a murderer in the beginning, and did not live in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks, he speaks his own lie, and there is no truth in him, for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

45. But when I speak the truth, you do not believe me.

46. Who of you will accuse me that I am in error? If I say the truth, why do you not believe me?

47. He who is of God understands the works of God. You do not ει· διά τούτο υμείς ούκ ακούετε, δτι έκ τού θεού ούκ έστέ.

48. ’Απεκρίθησαν ούν οι ’Ιουδαίοι καί εϊπον αύ-τιρ Ού καλώς λέγομεν ήμεΐς, δτι Σαμαρείτης εϊ σύ, καί δαιμόνιου έχεις ;

49. ’Απεκρίθη’Ιησούς, Εγώ δαιμόνων ούκ έχω, αλλά τιμώ τόν πατέρα μου, καί υμείς άτιμάζετέ με.

50. ’Εγώ δέ ού ζητώ την δόξαν μου· εστιν ό ζητών καί κρίνων.

51. ’Αμήν άμήν λόγω ύμΐν, έάν τις τόν λόγον τόν όμόν τηρήση, θάνατον ού μή θεωρήση εις τόν αίώνα.

52. Εΐπον ούν αύτιρ οΐ Ιουδαίοι, Νυν όγνώ-καμεν δτι δαιμόνων έχεις· ’Αβραάμ άπέθανε καί οI προφήται, καί σύ λόγείΐ, ’Εάν τι! τόν λόγον μου τηρήση, ού μή γεύσεται θανάτου εις τόν αίώνα.

53. Μή σύ μείζων εϊ τού πατρός ημών Αβραάμ, δστις άπέθανε ; καί οI προφήται άπέθανον· τίνα σεαυτόν σύ ποιείς ;

54. Απεκρίθη’Ιησούς, Έάν όγώ δοξάζω όμαυ-τόν, ή δόξα μου ουδόν έστιν εστιν ό πατήρ μου ό δοξάζων με, δν ύμε?! λόγετε δτι θεόΐ ύμών όστι,

55. Καί ούκ εγνώκατε αύτόν, όγώ δέ οίδα αύ-τόν· καί έάν είπω δτι ούκ οϊδα αύτόν, εσομαι δμοως ύμών, ‘ψεύστης’ άλλ οίδα αύτόν, καί τόν λόγον αύτοΰ τηρώ.

not, because ye are not of God.

48. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.

50. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.*

51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, be shall never see death.

52. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead ? and the prophets are dead : whom makest thou thyself?

54. Jesus answered, If I honour mvself, my honour is nothing: It is my Father that honour-etn me ; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

55. Yet ye have not known him; but I know him:/ and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. hear, because you are not of God.

48. And the Jews replied to him, Did we not say right that thou art a mad Samaritan ?

49. Jesus answered, I am not mad; but I honour iny Father, and you dishonour me.

50. I do not discuss what seems good to me : there is one who discusses and punishes.

51. Verily I tell you, If a man understands my comprehension and fulfils it, he will never see death.

52. The Jews said to him, Now we see that thou art mad. Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man fulfils my comprehension, he will never see death.

53. If thou art greater than our father Abraham,—and he died, and so did the prophets,— whom makest thou thyself?

54. Jesus answered, If I acknowledged it myself, what seems good to me would have no meaning; but there is one who acknowledges me, he whom you call your God.

55. You have not known him, but I know him; and if I should say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like yourselves. But I know him, and keep his comprehension.

56. ’ Αβραάμ ό πατήρ υμών ήγαλλιάσατο ‘ίνα ÎÔr) την ημέραν την έμήν καί c?Sc καί έχάρη.

57. Είπον ούν οΐ ’Ιουδαίοι ττρδς αυτόν, ΙΙίντή-κοντα Ϊτη ούττω 6χ«$, καί ’Αβραάμ έώρακας ;

58. Ehrev αύτοΐς ό ’ Ιησουν, Άμην άμην λόγω ΰμίν, IIρίν ’Αβραάμ yevtaOai, έ-γώ €ίμι.

59. ‘ Ηραν οΰν λίθους ‘ίνα βάλωσιν έπ αυτόν. ’Ιησούς δέ έκρύβη, καί έζηλθίν έκ του αρού, δι-(λθων διά μέσου αυτών’ καί irapTjyev ούτως.

56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day :o and he saw it, and was glad.

57. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

56. Your father Abraham loved my light; and he saw it and was glad.

57. The Jews said to him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58. And Jesus said to them, Verily I tell you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59. Then they took up stones to throw them at him; but Jesus hid himself , and went out of the temple.

(a) Not those who believed, but those who wanted to dispute with him.

(b) In many texts της αμαρτίας is wanting.

(c) This passage is obscure. From the first part of the comparison, that the slave is not always in the house, but the son always, we should expect it to say, Try not to be slaves, but sons, and instead it says that the son will set free. The church explains it by saying that the son of God, the second person, will set free. But if Jesus wanted to say that, it would be superfluous to say that every man who commits a sin is the slave of sin, and that the slave is not always in the house, but the son is. To take the slave to be the sinner whom the Christ-God sets free, destroys the whole meaning of the comparison. Man, from his knowledge, is a son of God ; but from his error he is the slave of his error. The son is always in the family of the father, the slave not always. A man who commits a sin becomes for a time a slave. A man who turns to the father becomes a son and is set free and becomes eternal. It is possible to live in the house either as a son or as a slave. Only he who lives as a son is free. Consequently, the truth which makes you free is the knowledge of our filial relation to God. (Germ of the parable of the hired shepherd.)

(d) Verses 41-46 continue the same thought which was expressed in the beginning, that the law of Moses is false, and that, by not understanding the law of Moses, they do not do the law of God. Jesus announces to them that their whole law is a lie, that they serve the devil, the lusts, and not God, and that, therefore, they cannot and will not comprehend his manner of serving God.

(e) The words are not clear, but from the next verse it follows that what they mean is, that he who deliberates and punishes is death.

(f) A clear denial of the external God. It is the same idea as in the Introduction and in John’s epistle, that no one has ever known God.

(g) ήμερα must here be translated in the sense of the light of day. In many texts we read δόξαν.

Jesus says that he is that which he says ; but what he says is that he knows from the Father. He who will lift up in himself the son of God — the comprehension — will receive life and will not die, because this comprehension is God, and there is no other, and he cannot conceal it, even if he wants to do so. When they’ say, How can one help dying ? he says that the comprehension is one, that it is and was before Abraham, that it is outside time.

The discourses with the Pharisees, who demand proofs of the truth of the teaching according to the synoptics, and these two chapters of John (Chapters VII. and VIII.), constitute one discourse, in which Jesus, in reply to the questions of the Jews as to how he will prove his teaching, answers that there are no proofs of his teaching and can be none, because his teaching is the teaching about life, the serving of God the spirit, whom a man is conscious of in himself, but cannot see or show.

THE BLIND MAN RESTORED TO SIGHT

This chapter is placed between Chapters VIII. and X. and is an exposition of the same thought, and an answer to the same question, What are the proofs of the falseness of the law of Moses and of the truth of the teaching of Christ ?

In analyzing this chapter, it is impossible to assume that the writer wanted to speak of the carnal healing of the blind man. Even if we admit that the reference is to the actual restoring of the sight, it is incomprehensible why Jesus, after curing him, should say that he is the light of the world, and that it is necessary to walk while there is the light. It is not clear why the blind man should speak of Jesus as the prophet; it is not clear why the Pharisees should say to him, Thou art his disciple. It is not clear why Jesus should again meet the blind man, and say to him, Thou hast seen the son of God, and thou seest him. And, above all, incomprehensible and quite superfluous are the words of Verses 39-41, in which Jesus says :

39. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world ; that they which see not might see, and that they which see, might be made blind.

40. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also ?

41. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

If this is only a miracle, like the one in Mark viii. 22, then the whole didactic part of the passage falls away. If it is a didactic passage, then all that has to be dropped is the making of the clay and anointing of the eyes. I choose the latter : this is the more natural in this case, since the only incomprehensible and superfluous words are, He made clay of the spittle and anointed the eyes with it.

1. Καί παράγων âôev Ανθρωπον τυφλόν ίκ yeverijs.

2. Kat ήρώτησαν αυτόν ol μαθηταΐ αΰτου, λέγοντε $, ‘ΡαββΙ, τ Is ■ήμαρτεν, olros τ) οι γο-vas αΰτου, ϊνα τυφλός γεννηθτ) ;

3. ΆπεκρΙθη ό ‘ Ιησούς, Ούτε οΰτος ήμαρτεν ούτε ο I yoveîs αΰτου· άλλ’ ϊνα φανερωθη τά έργα του Oeoû έν αΰτιρ.

4. Έμό δα ίργάξεσθαι τα έργα του πέμφαντός με ko»; ηυΛρα ίστίν· έρχεται. νύξ, ΰτε vüZcir δύναται. έργάζεσθαι.

5. Οταν έν τφ κδ-σμψ ώ, φως είμι του κόσμου.

John ir. 1. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a inan which was blind from his birth.»

2. And his disciples asked him, saying, -faster, who* did sin, this man, - or his parents, that-he was born blind?

3. Jesus answered,.Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents :<* but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4. I must work the works of him that sent me,« while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5. As long as 1 am in the world, 1 am the light of the world.

1. And as Jeans passed by, he saw a man who was blind by his nature.

2. And his disciples asked him, Teacher, in what way did this man or his parents sin, that he was born blind?

3. Jesus answered. Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the serving of God should be made manifest in him.

4. We must serve him who has sent us, while it is day; when the night comes, nobody can do anything.

5. When I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

(a) The words τυφλό? c/L yawr/s occur but once in the New Testament; c’/c yeverij^ does not mean from birth, but something like it ; I translate it by from nature.

(ό) Many texts have τι, and this meaning is fuller.

(c) Here is another use of ϊνα for ώστ€.

(tZ) There ought to be a period here ; otherwise the following sentence makes no sense, or that coarse sense that he was blind that the works of God might be made manifest in him. Jesus’ answer is the same as his words to the Jews, Do not discuss whether I am guilty or not, but follow me. He says, Do not discuss who is to blame, but we must serve God while we are alive.

(e) Many texts have ημάς, both here and after sent.

The comprehension is the light of the world. But how if a man has not seen the light from his birth ? Is it his fault, or not ? the disciples ask. Jesus answers, Nobody is to blame. When we see a blind man, we must not ask who is to blame for it, but we must do the works of

God, the same works which would not be made manifest to us, if there were no blind ; we must give light to the blind ; not because God purposely blinded men, but because the whole manifestation of God consists in the enlightenment of the darkness, in the restoring of sight to the blind. While it is day, we must work for the illumination of the darkness. While we are in the world, we are the light of the world, and in this our true life consists.

7. Kai εΐπεν αύτψ, ’Ττταγβ, νίψαι ci; την κολυμπήθραν του Σιλωάμ (δ ερμηνεύεται, Απε-σταλμένος). άπήλθεν οΰν καί ένίψατο, καί ήλθε βλέπων.

8. 02 οΰν y εύτονες, καί οί θεωρούντες αύτόν τό πρότερον δτι τυφλόν ήν, έλεyov, Ούχ ούτός έστιν ό καθήμενος καί προσαιτών ;

9. Άλλοι βλεγορ,*Οτι οδτό; έστιν· άλλοι δέ, “Οτι όμοιος αύτψ έστιν. έκέίνος ελεγεν, “Οτι έyώ είμι.

10. “Ελεγον οΰν αύτψ, Πώ; άνεψχθησάν σου οί όφθαλμοί ;

11. Άτεκρίθη έκείνος καί εΐπεν, “Ανθρωπος λεyόμενος ’Ιησού; πηλόν έποίησε, καί έπέχρισέ μου τούς όφθαλμούς. καί εΐπέ μοι, r’‘ΐπayε ci; την κολυμβήθραν του Σιλω-άμ, καί νίψαι· άπελθών δέ καί νιψάμενος άνέ-βλεψα.

12. Εΐπον οΰν αύτψ, Πού έστιν έκείνος ; λέyει, Ούκ όϊδα.

13. Ay ουσιν αύτόν πρός τούς Φαρισαίους, τόν ποτέ τυφλόν.

John ir.. 7. And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) lie went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.-

8. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?6

9. Some said. This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11. He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay,« and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash : and I went and washed, and I received sight.

12. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

13. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

7. And said to him. Go, wash in the pool of him who is sent. He cleansed himself, and began to see.

8. The neighbours and those who had seen him before, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he who sat and begged?

9. Some said, This is the same. Others said, He is like him. But he said, I am he.

10. And they said to him, How were thy eyes opened?

11. And he replied to them, A man called Jesus taught me how to cleanse myself with the cleansing of him who is sent, and I cleansed myself, and now 1 see.

r

12. Then they said to him, Where is he? He said, I do not know.

13. Then they brought to the Pharisees him who had been blind.

14. ’Πρ δε σάββατον, 0τε τόν πηλόν έποίησεν ο Ιησούς, καί άνέψξεν αύτού τούς όφθαλμούς.

15. Πάλι»- ou»- ήρώ-των αύτόν καί οί Φαρισαίοι, πώς άνέβλεψεν. ό δέ εΐπεν αύτοίς, Πηλόν έπέθηκεν έπΐ τούς όφθαλμούς μου, καί ένιψά-μην, καί βλέπω.

16. “Ελε’/ο*’ οΰν έκ των Φαρισαίων τινές, Ούτος ό Ανθρωπος ούκ ϊστι παρά του θεού, δτι τό σάββατον ού τηρεί, άλλοι έλεyov, Πώ; δύναται Ανθρωπος αμαρτωλός τοιαύτα σημεία ποιεΐν · καί σχίσμα ήν έν αύτοίς.

17. AôyovaiTip τυ φλψ πάλιν, Σύ τί λέyεις περί αύτού, δτ’. ήνοιζέ σου τούς όφθαλμούς ; ό δέ είπεν, “Οτι προφήτης έστιν.

18. Ούκ έπίστευσαν οΰν οί ’Ιουδαίοι περί αύτού, δτι τυφλός ήν καί άνέβλεψεν, έως δτου έφώ-νησαν τούς yovεΐς αύτού τού άναβλέψαντος,

19. K αί ήρώτησαν αύ-τούς, λέοντες, Ούτός έστιν ό υιός υμών, δν ύμεΐς λέyετε δτι τυφλός έyεvvήθη ; πώς οΰν άρτι βλέπει ;

20. ’ Απεκρίθησαν αυτοί; οί 7ονεΐς αύτού καί εΐπον, 0ΐδαμεν δτι ούτός έστιν ό υιός ημών, καί δτι τυφλός έyεvvήθη^

21. Πώ$ δέ νύν βλέπει, ούκ οϊδαμεν-ή τις ήνοιξεν αύτού τούς όφθαλμούς, ήμεΐς ούκ οϊδαμεν· αύτός ηλικίαν έχει-αύτόν έρωτήσατε, αύτός περί αύτού λαλήσει.

14. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

17. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him,** that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18. But the Jews did not believe concerning him. that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

19. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20. His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind :

21. But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

14. It was the Sabbath when Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man.

15. And again the Pharisees asked him how he received the sight. He said to them. I cleansed myself, and now 1 see.

16. And some of the Pharisees said, This man is not in a covenant with God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. Others said, How can a sinner show such examples? And there was a dissension among them.

17. And again they said to him who had been blind, What dost thou say about this, that he has opened thy eyes? And he said, I suppose that he is a prophet.

18. And the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and received his si”ht, until they called his parents.

19. And they asked them, Is this yonr son, who you say was born blind? How, then, does he see now?

20. And the parents replied to them, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind.

21. But how he sees now, and who has opened his eyes, we do not know. Ho is of age; ask him: he will speak for himself.

22. Ταυτα εϊποv oî y ο vets αυτού, δτι ί φοβούντο τούς ’Ιουδαίονς· ■ήδη yàp συνετέθειντο οί ’Ιουδαίοι, ΐνα έάν τις αυτόν όμολογήση Χριστόν, àiroawàyioyos yÎ-νηται.

23. Διά τούτο ol y ο νεΐς αυτού εΐπον, Οτι ηλικίαν έχει, αυτόν (ρωτήσατε.

22. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

22. His parents spoke so, because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had agreed already that if any mau took him to be Christ, he would be put out of the assembly.

23. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

23. Therefore his parents said, He is of age; ask him.

(α) I leave out the stupid, useless detail of Verse 6, and in Verse 7, I put, instead of the words ας την κολυμπήθραν του ΣίΚωάμ (δ ερμηνεύεται., ’ Α.πεστάλμε’νος), in the pool of him who is sent. With such a translation I do not leave out anything.

The sight is restored by means of the purification by the spirit through him who is sent. And one cannot help observing that in Verse 4 it said that it is necessary to do the work of him who has sent. The blind man is cleansed and regenerated in the pool of him who is sent, that is, of him who does the works of him who has sent.

(b) In confirmation of the statement that the discourse is not about a blind man, we must notice that it does not say that the neighbours knew him as a blind man, but as a beggar.

Τϊροσαιτεϊν to beg persistently, demand.

(c) The unnecessary detail about the clay is omitted as before.

(d) περί αύτου is generally translated by of him. This translation is faulty ; if it meant of him, it would be ώς, and not otl I translate it by of this.

The interpreters and translators take this whole chapter to be a description of a miracle and generally explain it in this way, that the Jews do not believe that a miracle was wrought and question the blind man and his parents about it.

But we need only read what is written, to see that the Pharisees have not even in mind such a testimony. They ask (v. 10), How were thy eyes opened? that is, What dost thou see ? How didst thou receive sight ? (ν-15.) . , τ

Again they ask him, How didst thou come to see ? In neither question is there any testimony, but an interest in how this was accomplished. Then (v. 16) : they do not discuss about whether he has been blind or not, but about his not being from God. In Verse 17 they ask, What dost thou think of him who has opened thy eyes ? Then (v. 19) they call up his parents, and they do not ask them whether he had been blind, as they ought to have done, but say, Here is your son, whom you call blind ; how did he come to see ? Either the Pharisees do not know how to talk and think, or they are not inquiring about a blind man, but wish to know what it is the man sees who was blind in intellect. And they call up the parents, to find out where this man has picked up these free thoughts. If this is a testimony about blindness, then all the verses are without sense. But if the Pharisees want to know what the blind man sees and where he has picked up these thoughts, they are clear.

24. Έφύνησαν οδν έκ δευτέρου τόν Ανθρωπον δς ήν τυφλός, καί εΐπον αυτψ, Δός δόξαν τφ θεω· ήμεΐς οίδαμεν δτι ό Ανθρωπος αυτός αμαρτωλός έστιν.

25. ’ Απεκρίθη ουν έκείνος καί εΐπεν, Ei αμαρτωλός έστιν, ουκ οΐδα· êv οΐδα, δτι τυφλός ων άρτι βλέπω.

26. Εΐπον δέ αυτψ πάλιν, Τί έποίησέ σοι ; πως ήνοιξέ σου τους όφθαλμούς ;

John ix. 24. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise:·» we know that this man is a sinner.

24. Then they again called up the one who had been blind,and said to him, Confess God : we know that this man is a sinner.

25. He answered and said. Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not : one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26. Then said thev to him again, What did he to thee ? how opened he thine eyes?

25. And he answered them, Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know, that I was blind, and now I see.

26. Again they said to him, Wnat did he do to thee? How did he open thy eyes?

27. Άπεκρίθη αύτοΐς, Ebrov ΰμίν ήδη, καί ούκ ήκούσατε· τί πάλιν Θέλετε άκούειν ; μή καί ύμεΐς θέλετε αύτου μαθηταΐ y ενέσθαι ;

28. ’^λοιδόρησαν ούν αύτδν, καί εϊπον, Συ εΐ μαθητής έκείνου-ημείς δέ του Μωσέως έσμέν μαθηταί.

29. Ημείς οΐδαμεν άτι Μωσρ λελάληκεν ό θεό$· τούτον δέ ούκ οΐδαμεν πόθεν έστίν.

30. ’Απεκρίθη ό άνθρωπος καί εΐπεν αύτοΐς, Έν yàp τούτιρ θαυμαστόν έστιν, ϋτι υμείς ούκ οΐδατε πόθεν έστί, καί άνέψξέ μου τούς όφθαλμούς.

31. Οΐδαμεν δέ ‘ότι αμαρτωλών ό θεός ούΐί άκούει■ άλλ’ έάν τις θεοσεβής ή, καί τδ θέλημα αύτου ποιή, τούτου άκούει.

32. Έκ του αϊώνος ούκ ήκούσθη, ‘ότι ήνοιξέ τις όφθαλμούς τυφλού yεyεvvημέvoυ.

33. Et μή ήν ούτο$ παρά θεού, ούκ ήδύνατο ποιεΐν ούδέν.

34. ’Απεκρίθησαν και εΐπον αύτω. Εν αμαρτί-αις σύ έyεvvήθης ό’λοί, καί σύ διδάσκεις ημάς ; καί εξέβαλαν αύτδν εξω.

35. *Ηκουσεν ό ’Ιησούς ότι έξέβαλον αύτδν εξω· καί ευρών αύτδν εΐπεν αύτψ, Σύ πιστεύεις εις τδν υιόν του θεού ;

36. ’Απεκρίθη εκείνος καί είπε, Τί$ έστι. κύριε, ΐνα πιστεύσω εις αυτόν ; εΐπε δέ αύτψ ό Ιησούς,

27. He answered them, 1 have told you already, and ye did not hear: » wherekore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

28. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.

29. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is,« and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31. Now we·* know that God heareth not sinners : but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and’ when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36. He answered and said, Who is he. Lord, that I might believe on him?

27. And he replied to them, I have told you already, but you do not believe. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples?

28. And they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.

29. We know that God spoke to Moses : but we do not know this man, nor whence he comes.

30. And he answered them, and said, This is the marvel that you do not know whence he is, and yet he has opened my eyes.

31. We know that God does not hear sinners; but he hears those who are godly and do the will of God.

32. Since the world began it was not heard that any man opened the eyes of one born blind.

33. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34. And they answered him, Thou wast all born in sins, and yet thou teachest us. And they drove him away.

35. Jesus heard that they had driven him away; and when he met him, he said, Does thou trust in the son of God ?

36. And he replied Who is he, that I should trust in him?

37. Καί έώρακας αύτδν, καί δ λάλων μετά σού έκεινός έστιν.

38. Ό δέ ϊφη, Πιστεύω, κύριε· καί προσεκύ-νησεν αύτψ.

(α) δός Ζόξαν τώ θεώ cannot mean give God the praise. In my opinion this means nothing but that the Pharisees demand that he should recognize their God. Only by understanding it thus, all the previous conversations and especially Verses 28 and 29, where they say that they are disciples of Moses with whom God himself spoke, and not disciples of Jesus, and the subsequent verses, become comprehensible.

(b) In many texts we read believe.

(c) Ye know not from whence he is, is a repetition of the words of the discourse in the temple.

(d) We shows clearly that it is not the beggar alone who speaks, but he who understands the teaching of Jesus.

The man born blind tells the Pharisees what he experiences and can tell them nothing else: he did not see the true life and did not understand it. Jesus opened his eyes, and he can say nothing for or against Moses. He sees life, and he says that he sees, and can say nothing else. But when the Pharisees excommunicate him, Jesus finds him, and says to him, Dost thou trust in the son of God ? The blind man at first does not understand what the son of God is. Jesus explains to him, the son of God is that which thou knowest speaks with thee in thy soul, — thyself (the same was said in the discourse with Nicodemus) ; thou hearest and under-standest his voice.

39. Καί εΐπεν ό ’ Ιησούς, Εις κρίμα έγώ εις τδν κόσμον τούτον ήλθον,

37. And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

Johnix. 39. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not

37. And Jesus said to him, Thou hast seen him and seest him, and he talks with thee.

38. And he said, I trust in him, sir; and he bowed to him.

39. And Jesus said. I came into this world for the division : that they who do not see might

ΐνα ol μη βλέποντες βλέ-πωσι, καί οί βλέποντες τυφλοί γένωνται.

40. Καί ήκουσαν έκ των Φαρισαίων ταυτα οί δντες μετ’ αυτοί/, καί εϊπον αύτψ, Μη καί ημείς τυφλοί έσμεν ;

41. Εϊπεν αυτοί·; ό ‘Ιησούς, ΕΖ τυφλοί ήτε, ούκ άν εΐχετε αμαρτίαν· νυν 6è λέγετε, “Οτι βλέ-πομεν· ή οΰν αμαρτία υμών μένει.

might see ; and that they which see might be made blind.

40. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

see; and those who see might be made blind.

40. And the Pharisees and others with them heard this, and said, Dost thou consider us blind also?

41. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, there would be no error in you; but pow you consider yourselves seeing, and so there is error in you.

(a) κρίμα division.

In response to the question why there are men who are deprived of the understanding of the true good, and whether they or their parents are to blame for it, Jesus replies that the human question why ? and the human comprehension of justice are not applicable here. Neither he who does not see, nor his parents, are to blame ; we must not discuss this, but must live by the light of the comprehension. He was blind, and he began to see. The son of man, the son of God, came into the world, only to separate those who see from those who do not see. And only he who sees and does not go to the light is sinful.

19. Σχίσμα ουν πάλιν βένετο έν rots ’Ιουδαίου Otà tous λόγους τούτους.

20. ‘EXryoi’ πολλοί έξ αυτών, Δαιμόνων εχει και μαίνεται· τί αυτού άκούετε ;

21. “Αλλοι ελεγον, Ταυτα τα ρήματα ούκ εστι δαιμονιξομένου· μη δαιμόνων δύναται τύφλών όφθαλμούς άνοίγειν ;

John χ. 19. There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

21. Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

19. And there was discord among the Jews on account of these words.

20. Many of them said, He is stubborn and mad ; why do you listen to him?

21. Others said, You will not hear such words from a madman. A mad-man cannot open the eyes.

In the two preceding chapters Jesus said that the whole worship of the Jews is false, that the law of Moses is full of contradictions and is a lie, and that they do not know God and serve the lust of the devil, calling him God, while he gives them the teaching of the true service of God by deeds.

In response to their question as to the proofs of the truth of his teaching, he says that his teaching is not his own, but his from whom we all come, — the teaching of life. And, in order to find out whether this teaching is true, we must live according to it. His teaching consists in living as he teaches. He who will live in this manner will learn that he has become free, that for him there will be no terror, no evil, no death. He who will live will feel that he is a participant in the principle of life with God. He who lives for his tlesh lives contrary to the principle of life — God, just as the labourer lives in the house of the master, without caring for the master’s will. But we must live as in the house of the Father, unite with the will of the Father, and then we shall always live with the Father. For the life in God there is no death. It has always been and will always be, it is before the beginning of the world. He who does not live in God does not know God, and you cannot tell about him. To comprehend him, it is necessary to live in God.

Thus Jesus could not give them the proofs of the truth of his teaching, such as the Jews demanded. And to show them more clearly the impossibility of such proofs, he tells them the parable of the healing of the blind man. He who understands with his heart sees, and he who does not understand does not see, unless his eyes are opened. It is impossible to prove the truth of the teaching to another man ; he who has comprehended the chief meaning of life can no longer stop before any considerations : he knows that he was blind and now sees ; that heretofore everything was darkness, and now everything is light. He does not know why he did not see before,

and whether he who on the Sabbath opened his eyes is right or not ; and he cannot think of it : he was blind, and now he sees. There are no other proofs.

CHRIST THE DOOR OF LIFE

1. ’Αμήν άμήν λέγω ύμΐν, Ο μη εισερχόμενος διά της θύρας εις την αυλήν των προβάτων, άλλα άναβαίνων άλλα-χόθεν, έκεΐνοί κλέπτης έστί καί ληστήν

2. *0 δέ εισερχόμενος διά τής θύρας ποιμήν έστι των προβάτων.

3. Τουτψ ό θυρωρός àvolyci., και τα πρόβατα τής φωνής αυτόν άκουει, καί τά ίδια πρόβατα καλεΐ κατ’ όνομα, καί é£àyei αυτά.

4. Καί όταν τά ίδια πρόβατα έκβάλη, εμπρο-σθεν αυτών πορεύεται· καί τα πρόβατα αύτψ άκολουθεΐ. δτι οίδασι την φωνήν αυτού.

5. Άλλοτρίψ δέ ού μή άκολουθήσωσιν, άλλα φεΰξονται άπ αυτου· ότι ούκ οίδασι των άλλοτρίων τήν φωνήν.

6. Ταύτην τήν παροιμίαν εϊπεν αύτοϊς ό Ιησούς· έκείνοι δέ ούκ ένωσαν τίνα ήν â ^λάλίΐ αύτοϊς.

The disccurse is still about the proofs of the falseness of the Jewish faith and the truth of Jesus’ teaching. After the parable of the restored sight, the discourse is about this, that this restoration will always take place, because the teaching of Jesus consists in this, that all men know that he only reminds them of, enlightens them in, something they knew before, something which

John χ. 1. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him : for they know his voice.

5. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.

6. This parable spake Jesus unto them; but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

1. Verily, I tell you, He who does not enter into the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in somewhere, is a thief and a robber.

2. He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3. To him the watchman opens, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls each sheep by name, and lets them out into the field.

4. And when he lets out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5. And a stranger they will not follow, but will run away from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

6. This parable Jesus spoke to them; but they did not understand what he said.

lies in the hearts of men ; that his teaching is in comparison with the false teachings what the appearance of the true shepherd in the sheepfold is in comparison with the thief who climbs into the sheepfold. All recognize him at once, as the sheep recognize their shepherd. They know that he will feed them and will give them life, but at the false teaching men shy as the sheep shy at a robber who climbs over the fence. They do not recognize him, and are afraid, fearing evil. If Jesus said something unusual and improper to men, they might be afraid of him, as the sheep shy at him who climbs over the enclosure ; but what he says to them is what they know in themselves, — he speaks of the way which alone leads to life, — he enters by the door which alone leads into the pasture, — into life. And what he tells them is known to them, as the voice of the shepherd is known to the sheep, and so they will follow him and receive life.

7. ΈΊπεν ούν πάλιν αύτοϊς ό ’Ιησούς, ’Αμήν άμήν λέγω ύμΐν, Άτι έγώ είμι ή Θύρα των προβάτων.

8. ΙΙάντες δσοι πρδ έμού ήλθον, κλέπται εϊσί καί λησταί· άλλ’ ούκ ήκουσαν αύτών τά πρόβατα.

9. ’Εγώ είμι ή θύρα· δΐ έμοΰ έάν τις είσέλθη, σωθήσεται, καί είσελεύ-σεται, καί έξελεύσεται, καί νομήν εύρήσει.

10. Ό κλέπτης ούκ ερχεται εί μή ίνα κλέψη καί θύση καί άπολέση-έγώ ήλθαν ίνα ζωήν εχωσι, καί περισσόν εχωσιν.

John χ. 7. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers :» but the sheep did not hear them.

9. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

7. And again Jesus said to them, Verily, I tell you, my teaching is the door for the sheep.

8. All those who ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not obey them.

9. I am the door. If any man enters through me, he will be safe : he will go in and out, and will find pasture.

10. The thief goes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I came as the door, that they might have life more abundantly.

(a) One would think that it is quite clear. All those who came to teach as I teach are thieves and robbers,

that is, it is clear that Moses and the prophets are false teachers. The words, Moses’ law and the prophets were before John, the law was given by Moses, but truth and joy by Jesus Christ, mean the same. More clearly, it seems, the denial of the law of Moses could not have been expressed. And what does the church do ?

This is what it says (Gospel of John, p. 351) :

Verily, verily (assurance of the incontestable truth of his words), I say : Since the Pharisees do not understand the allegorical speech of the Lord, he explains its essence to them.

I am the door of the sheep: The door which leads to the sheep, through which the shepherd passes into the sheepfold. He is the only true mediator between God and the people, the chosen people of the Old Testament, the only path for the shepherds and the sheep.

All that ever came, etc. : The Lord has above called thieves and robbers those who do not enter by the door, but climb in elsewhere, consequently, if he here calls by the same name all those who came in before him, as many as ever came, he does not mean those who came in through the door, but those who climbed in, that is, he does not mean the true God-given leaders of the nation, the prophets and the hierarchy, who acted in the true spirit, but all the false leaders of the nation, whoever they may be : false prophets, false Messiases, but in particular the Pharisees, the enemies of Christ and of his spirit, who none the less regarded themselves as leaders of the people. They are said to have come before the Lord, since they had been active before him.

The sheep did not hear them : That is, the true members of the God-chosen people, those who formed the kernel of the kingdom of Messias, whom, as he expresses himself, the Father gave him, and in general all the true members of the kingdom of God. They did not hear the voice of the false leaders, for those who listened to them and followed them did not belong to the true members of the kingdom of God, but only externally deemed themselves to belong to it.

I am the door : The repetition strengthens the speech.

By me if any man enter in : The discourse, from the connection with what precedes, refers to the shepherds who pass through the door into the sheepfold ; but, as it seems, at the end of this allegory the picture is taken in a broader sense : since not only the shepherds, but also the sheep pass through the door, both the shepherd and the sheep are to be understood by those who come in and out. But with such a conception of the sheepfold the Messianic kingdom, the church of Christ, is meant, for which reason the expression shall be saved is used about those who enter in, an expression which really designates the salvation in the kingdom of Messias.

By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved : The whole expression points to the entering, the condition of reconciliation with God through faith, to the participation in the salvation in the church of Christ. The subsequent expressions, And shall go in and out, and find pasture, point to the gratification in the kingdom of Christ of all true spiritual needs of those who enter in, in the form of the gratification of the needs of the sheep.

The word shall go in designates the gratification of the need of assurance of safety, of a true defence and protection, where one can find the spirit and peace in God, as the sheep find their defence, protection, and rest in the sheepfold; by the words go out and find pasture is designated the gratification of the needs of the spiritual nutrition with the food of truth, goodness, beauty, in the Messianic kingdom, where for the gratification of all the needs of the spirit there is an abundance of all kinds of objects, — an ample pasture, where all men may feed as much as they please ; in the kingdom of Christ there is everything for the gratification of all spiritual needs.

The thief cometh not, — I am come, etc. : The first allegorical representation, in which the Lord pictures himself under the guise of a door leading into the sheepfold, is ended, and the Lord, continuing in general the same metaphorical discourse, changes the particular figures of speech, for the clearer enunciation of his thoughts, and represents himself, no longer under the form of a door, but under that of the true good shepherd, and the false shepherds under the form of hirelings. The transition to this change in the particular figures of speech forms a direct contrast of the Lord, as the true leader of the people, with the false ones, designated by him under the name of the thieves. The thief, who climbeth up some other way into the sheepfold, has selfish aims which, at that, are disastrous to the sheep : he steals, kills, and destroys ; even so the false shepherds and leaders of the people, who are not sent by Christ, and who do not act in his name, for example, the Pharisees, are guided by selfish aims alone, and their activity is connected with the ruin of the sheep : they kill them spiritually, for by their perverse doctrine and activity they abstract them from the true life in God and Vhnst, in the communion with whom alone there is life, — the life of the spirit. In contradistinction with this, the true shepherd Christ gives life and not death, life with an abundance. The spiritual life in communion with Christ in his kingdom is meant, as in numerous other parallel passages, where life is promised to the members of the kingdom of Christ.

More abundantly : The figure of speech is taken from the abundance of the pasture, which contains more than is necessary for the gratification of the needs of nutrition. The thought is the same as that expressed in the words, From his fulness have we received grace, that is, a superabundant gratification in the kingdom of Christ of all the true needs of the human spirit.

Reuss (Vol. VI., pp. 234 and 235):

Les Pharisiens n’ayant pas compris ou n’ayant pas voulu comprendre, Jésus reprend et son allégorie et sa polémique. Encore une fois il se nomme la porte, mais cette fois-ci, il l’est pour le troupeau lui-même. Heureuses les brebis qui savent trouver cette porte pour se mettre en sûreté dans le bercail, qui échappent ainsi aux voleurs rôdant au dehors! Voilà en deux mots le sens de ce petit tableau, dont nous nous garderons bien d’éplucher tous les éléments. Si nous insistions par exemple sur ce que le bercail doit être le royaume de Dieu, comment expliquerions-nous que les brebis en sortiront pour trouver leur pâture? Évidemment le mot sortir n’est là que pour les besoins de l’image, le pâturage n’étant pas dans le bercail. Par la même raison, nous disons sauf, et non sauve’, parce qu’il est encore question d’animaux qui s’abritent (voyez le verset suivant). Si l’auteur a mis quelqu’un, il, etc., c’est qu’il a mêlé à l’image une interprétation pratique parfaitement juste, mais qui brouille un peu les couleurs du tableau. Mais il va sans dire que la pâture aussi a son sens spirituel très-facile à trouver.

La phrase relative aux voleurs a dérouté les théologiens. On s’en est effrayé, comme si l’auteur avait voulu faire dire à Jésus que tous les conducteurs antérieurs du peuple d’Israël, les prophètes compris, avaient été de faux bergers. Les Gnos-tiques en ont profité pour justifier leur rejet de 1*Ancien Testament. Les copistes intimidés ont rayé ces deux mots : avant moi, comme si cela changeait le sens. Le fait est que le troupeau est la génération contemporaine (v. 16), par conséquent les voleurs sont ceux qui, à cette époque-là, avaient prétendu s’emparer de la direction spirituelle de la nation juive et contre les attaques desquels Jésus était venu ouvrir aux siens (Chap. vi. 45) la porte de refuge, en les recevant dans son sein ou dans ses bras. Comme il fait ici allusion à un fait, le noyau de son troupeau étant déjà formé, il pouvait dire: les brebis ne les ont pas écoutés. Par cette tournure, le discours quitte le terrain de la théorie ou de l’idéal et s’engage pour un moment dans celui de l’histoire. (Nous avons fait voir dans l’introduction, p. 82, que l’expression du v. 8 dépasse le but prochain auquel nous nous sommes arrêté ici.)

I refer shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture to the sheep, for without this the whole meaning of the comparison is lost, and the significance of door is spoiled. I understand it like this : Jesus Christ compares himself as a living man with a shepherd. But, besides this, he compares himself, his divine consciousness, with a door. And so he goes on and says, A thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came by the door, that men might have life, and might have it abundantly. And giving up the comparison of himself with the shepherd, he says :

11. ’Εγώ είμι ο ποι-μην ô καλό;. ό ποιμην ό καλό; τήν ψυχήν αυτοΰ τίθησιν υπέρ των προβάτων.

12. Ό μισθωτά δέ, καί ούκ ων ποιμην, ου ούκ dal τά πρόβατα (δια, θεωρεί τδν λύκον Ερχόμενον, καί άφίησι τά πρόβατα, καί φεύγει· καί ό λύκο; αρπάζει αυτά, καί σκορπίζει τά πρόβατα.

13. Ο δϊ μισθωτόν φεύ-γει, δτι μισθωτόν έστι, καί ού μέλει αύτψ περί των προβάτων.

14. είμι ό ποι-μτ)ν ό καλό;· καί yiνώ-σκω τά Εμά, καί “γινώσκο-μαι υπό των Εμων,

John χ. 11. I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

11. I am the good shepherd : the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

12. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

12. A hireling is not a shepherd : the sheep are not his own ; he sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and runs away; and the wolf catches and scatters the sheep.

13. The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and does not care for the sheep.

14. I am the good shepherd : I know my sheep, and they know me.

15. Κα0ώ$ “γινώσκίΐ ό 7τατήρ, κά-γώ yivib-σκω τόν πατέρα· καί την ψυχήν μου τίθημι ύπόρ των προβάτων.

16. Καί <ϊλλα πρόβατα εχω, â ούκ εστιν ίκ τής αυλής ταύτης· κάκεΐνά με Zc? àyayeîv, καί τής φωνής μου άκού-σουστ καί yεvησεταί μία ποίμνη, είς ποιμήν.

17. Διά τούτο ό πατήρ μ* àyaπq., Άτι £γώ τίθημι την ψυχήν μου, ϊνα πάλιν λάβω αυτήν.

18. Ούδείς αίρει αυτήν άπ’ ίμου, άλλ éyù τίθημι αυτήν άπ’ ίμαυ-του. Εξουσίαν εχω θεΐ-ναι αυτήν, καί Εξουσίαν εχω πάλιν λαβείν αυτήν, ταύτην τήν ίντόλήν ελα-βον παρά του πατρός μου.

(a) The good shepherd, as the master himself, or the son of the master.

(b) The commandment of the Father to give the carnal life for the life in God.

This parable of the sheep and the shepherd, which presented itself to Jesus Christ before, when the people appeared to him like sheep scattered without a shepherd, is now explained by Jesus Christ from three sides :

(1) He says that he said before more than once that there are many roads, but only one entrance. He says that one door leads into the sheepfold, and one exit leads from the sheepfold into the pasture, that is, out to feed, — to live. And so there is only one way out for men, — the comprehension of life, that which it teaches. Every teaching which is not based on the comprehension of life is false, and all men know this, as the sheep know when a thief climbs over the enclosure.

15. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father : and 1 lay down my life for the sheep.

16. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment* have I received of my Father.

15. As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16. And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold: I must lead them out, and they will hear my voice; and there will be one fold, and one shepherd.

17. Therefore my Father loves me, because I lay down my life that 1 may receive it again.

18. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own will, and I can receive it. This commandment I received from my Father.

(2) He says that he entered by this door, and he calls men to follow him through this door, in order to receive life. And as the sheep follow the shepherd who comes in by the door and calls them with a familiar voice, so men follow him, and not only those to whom he is speaking now, but all men, so that, as when all the sheep are brought together into one fold one shepherd leads them, his teaching will unite all men.

(3) He says, Not only do the sheep in the sheepfold recognize the true shepherd and tell him from a thief, but also in the field, in the pasture, is the true shepherd easily told from the hireling. Here Jesus Christ compares the hireling with the master’s son who is herding his father’s flock. The hireling flees from the wolf : he does not care for the sheep ; but the master’s son does’ not spare himself for the sake of the sheep, for they are his father’s. He does not leave them, for they are his, and he is their shepherd and master. Even so the teaching of Moses was false, for from his law there followed thieving, plundering, and advantages for those who preached, while according to Jesus’ teaching there is no thieving, no plundering, and not only no advantage to him who preaches, but, on the contrary, his whole teaching consists in giving one’s life for others, in order to receive the true life. In this consists the commandment of the Father, which he preaches to men.

24. Έκιίκλωσαρ οΰν αυτόν οΐ ’Ιουδαίοι, καί ίλεγον αύτψ, “Εωΐ πότε τήν ψυχήν ημών αίρεις ; ci σύ ci ό Χριστός, είπέ ήμΐν παρρησία.

25. Aπεκρίθη αύτοΐς ό ’Ιησούς, Ebro μ ύμΐν, και ού πιστεύετε, τα ïpya â éyù ποιώ èv τψ όνόματι του πατρός μου, ταΰτα μαρτυρεί περί έμοΰ’

John χ. 24. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.»

25. Jesus answered them, I told you. and ye believed not : the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

24. Then the Jews surrounded him, and said to him, How long wilt thou torment us? If thou art Christ, tell us so.

25. Jesus answered them, I have told you already, but you do not believe. The way I live according to my Father’s teaching shows you who 1 am.

26. Αλλ ΰμεΐς ον πιστεύετε-ού yàp έστε έκ τών προβάτων των έμών, καθώς εϊπον ύμΐν.

27. Τά πρόβατα τα έμά της φωνής μου άκού-€4, κά·γώ γινώσκω αυτά· καί άκολουθοΰσΐ μοι,

28. Κά7ω ζωήν αιώνιον δίδωμι αύτοΐς· καί ού μη άπδλωνται ec’r τδν αιώνα, καί ούχ άρπάσει τις αυτά έκ της χειρδς μου.

29. Ό πατήρ μου, 6; δέδωκέ μοι, μείζων πάντων έστί-καί ούδείς δύναται άρπάζειν έκ τής χειρδς του πατρδς μου.

30. Έγώ και ό πατήρ tv ίσμεν.

26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me :

28. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

26. But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.

27. My sheep know my voice, and 1 recognize them, and they follow me.

28. And I give them non-temporal life; and they will never perish, and no one will take them from me.

29. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

30. I and my Father are one.

29. My Father, who entrusted them to me. is greater than all, ana no one can take them from my Father.

30. I and my Father are one.

(a) Verses 22 and 23, which speak of a feast in the winter, which took place two months later, introduce a useless detail, the more so since the discourse on this occasion is a continuation of what was said before.

The Jews implore Jesus to reveal to them whether he is Christ. Apparently they suffer as much as many have suffered since, doubting that Christ is the second person of the Trinity and at the same time fearing to deny what millions believe and confess as a truth of religion, without which it is impossible to be saved and to recognize the lie as a truth. They implore Jesus to take the burden from their souls, — to lead them out of their agonizing doubt. And what does he answer them ? He continues the saying about the sheep, and says that he and the Father are one ; but he does not answer their question one way or another, — he does not solve their agonizing doubt, nor the doubt of us billions of people who have lived since his time. If he was God, how could an almighty, omniscient, all-good God help knowing all the sufferings which would befall those Jews and us and the billions of people who have been tormented by doubt and have been deprived of salvation. He could not have helped pitying them and us. All he had to say was, Yes, I am God, and the Jews and we would have been blessed.

But he did not have to be God, if he was only a saintly man ; and he did not have to be even a saintly man. Even if he had been an evil deceiver, he, knowing all the abyss of evil which would result from this doubt, could not have helped saying, Yes, or No: Yes, 1 am Christ, the Messiah; No, I am not the Messiah. But he said neither of these things. And all the evangelists made a note of it, yes, made a note of this cruelty of his, if he were a God, as the church understands him to be; of this begging of the question, if he was a man, as the historians understand it. He said neither the one, nor the other, but only repeated more clearly and more strongly what he had said before.

In explaining who he was, what he was, in the name of whom he was teaching, and in what sense he was Christ, he said, I and the Father are one. He answered everything he could ; he could not have answered otherwise, for he acknowledged himself to be Christ, the chosen one of God, but not in the sense in which the Jews understood the word Christ, Messiah. If he had told them that he was Christ, they would have understood him to be a prophet, a king, but in no way would they have understood what he professed himself to be, — a man who had exalted in himself the comprehension of life, in order to sanctify this comprehension in everybody else. If he had told them that he was not Christ, they would have been deprived of the only good which he was preaching to men, and that would have been an untruth, for he felt himself to be Christ, the chosen one of God. He had told them before that he had come from the Father who had sent him ; that he

only did the will of this Father ; that he was only a shepherd who showed the door to the sheep ; that he gave eternal life to those who believed him ; that the Father of men, God, led them to him, and that he and the Father were one, that is, that he was the comprehension.

31. Έβάστασαν oi*v πάλιν λίθους ol ’Ιουδαίοι, ϊνα λιθάσωσιν αυτόν.

32. Άττεκρίθη αύτοΐς à ’ Ιησού ς, Πολλά καλά epya έδειξα ύμΐν όκ του πατρός μου■ διά ποιον αυτών ϊργον λιθάζετέ με;

33. Άπεκρίθησαν αύ-τψ ol ’Ιουδαίοι λέγοντες, ΠβρΙ καλού έργου ου λιθάζομίν σε, άλλά περί βλασφημίας, καί 6τι σύ Άνθρωποί ών ποιείς σεαυτδν θεόν.

34. ’Απεκρίθη αύτοΐς δ ’Ιησούς, Ούκ εστι γε-γραμμδνον έν τψ νόμιρ ύμών, ‘Έγώ είπα, θεοί ίστε’;

35. ΕΖ έκείνους είπε θεούς, πρδς οΰς ό λόγος του θεού έγένετο, (καί ου δύναται λυθηναι η γραφή·)

30. “Ον δ πατήρ ήγία-σε καί άπέστείλεν εις τδν κόσμον, υμείς λέγετε, *Οτι βλασφημεΐς, Άτι έϊπον, TZds τού Seo 9 είμι·^

37. ΕΖ ού ποιώ τά έργα τού πατρός μου, μη πιστεύετέ μοι·

38. ΕΖ δδ ποιώ, κάν έμοί μή πιστεύητε, τοΐς εργοις πιστεύσατε· ϊνα γνώτε καί πιστεύσητε, δτι δν δμοI ό πατήρ, κάγώ δν αύτψ.

John χ. 31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33. The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not: but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Al. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35. If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken ;

36. Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified,*» and sent into the world, Thou blas—

rhemest ; because I said, am the Son of God?

37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works ; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32. Jesus said to them, I have showed you many good works of my Father; for which of those works do you want to stone me?

33. And the Jews replied to him, We will not stone thee for a

good work, but for lasphemy, because, being a man, thou makest thyself a God.

34. And Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I, God, said, You are gods?

35. If he called those gods, to whom he spoke, and the Scripture cannot be broken ;

36. How, then, do you say to me, whom God has loved and sent into the world, that I blaspheme, because I said that I was the son of God.

37. If I do not do as my Father, do not believe me.

38. But if I do as my Father, do not believe me; believe the work, then you will understand that the Father is in me, and I am in him.

(a) Many texts have ό πατήρ yyiaae, the same thought which is given in the discourse with Nicodemus (iii. 16), where obviously the words refer to the spirit of God, which is to be found in every man.

Jesus says that he is Christ in this sense, that he has within him the comprehension of the one God, whom we know, and so he and God are one.

The Jews want to kill him. He says, Has the comprehension produced anything bad ? The works of this comprehension, the works of the Father, cannot have been bad, so why stone me ? They say, Thou blasphemest, calling thyself God. And he says to them, Where is here the blasphemy ? In your Scripture it says, You are gods ; this is said in Psalm LX XXI I., where God reproves the mighty of the world who do injustice. It says there, They know not, neither will they understand : they walk on in darkness. I have said, Ye are gods; and children of Jehovah the Most High. If unrighteous men and oppressors are called gods in the Scripture, in which you believe, why, then, do you say of me, who am doing the will of God, that I blaspheme when I say that I am the son of God. If my works are bad, condemn them, but if the works of God proceed from me, believe that they are from the Father. Since I do the works of God, I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.

25. ΈΙπεν αύτή ό Ίη-<rous, Έγώ είμι ή άνά-στασις καί ή ζωή. ό π ιστεύων εις δμδ, κάν άποθάνη, ζήσεται·

26. Καί πας ό ζών καί πιστεύων εις δμδ ού μή άποθάνη εις τδν αιώνα.

39. Έζητούν ούν πάλιν αύτδν πιάσαι· καί δξήλθεν δκ τής χειρδς αυτών.

Johnxi. 25. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26. And whosoever liv-eth and believeth in me· shall never die. Believest thou this?

John r. 39. Therefore they sought again to take him; but he escaped out of their hand,

25. And Jesus said to her, My teaching is the teaching of the awakening and of life. He who believes in my teaching, though he died, will be alive.

26. And he who believes in my teaching will not die.

39. And the Jews deliberated again how to overthrow him. But he could not be vanquished.

40. Καί άπήλθβ πάλιν πέραν του Ίορδάνου, cis τόν τόπον δπου ήν ‘ Ιωάννης τό πρώτον βαπ-τίζων· καί fyeivev έκεΐ.

41. Καί πολλοί ήλθαν πρός αυτόν, καί ϊλ^γον. Οτι Ιωάννης μέν σημίΐον έποίησ€ΐ ούδέν· πάντα δέ δσα elnev Ιωάννης π epl τούτου, άληθή ήν.

42. Καί iirlarevcrav πολλοί έκ€Ϊ ίΐς αυτόν.

13. Έλ0ώρ δό ο ‘Ιησούς εΙ$ τά μέρη Καισα-pelaς της Φιλίππου, ήρώ-τα τούς μαΟητάς αύτοΰ, λέγων, Τίνα με λέγουσιν οΐ Ανθρωποι eîvai, τόν υίόν του άνθρώπου ;

14. 01 δέ ehrov, ΟΙ μέν’Ιωάννην τόν βαπτιστήν· άλλοι δέ Ήλίαΐ’· έτεροι δέ ‘Ιερεμίαν, ή ένα των προφητών.

15. Aôyei αύτοΐς, Ύμεΐ$ δέ τίνα με λέyeτe elvai ;

16. ’A ποκριθ€ΐς δέ Σιμών Π^τροί εΐτε, Σύ el ό Χριστός, ό υίόΐ του θεού του ξώντος.

68. “Ρήματα ζωής αιωνίου εχει$·

17. K al άποκριθ€Ϊς ο ’Ιησούς εΐττερ αύτιρ, Μακάριοί el, Σίμων Βάρ ’Ιωνά, Άτι σαρξ καί αίμα ούκ άπεκάλυψέ σοι, άλλ’ ό πατήρ μου ό έν τοΐς ουρανοίς.

18. Κάγώ δέ σοι λέγω, ότι σύ el ΙΙέτρος, και έπΐ ταύνη τη πέτρ? οικοδομήσω μου την έκκλη-σίαν, καί πύλαι <?δου οι) κατισχύσουσιν αυτής.

40. And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

41. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did nu miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42. And many believed on him there.

Matt. xvi. 13. When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?

14. And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Johnvi. 68. Thou hast the words of eternal life.

Matt. xvi. 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-zona: for flesh and blood6 hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.*

40. And he went again beyond the Jordan, to the place where John the Baptist used to baptize. And he stopped there.

41. And many took up his teaching, and said that John had given no proofs, but that everything he had said of this man was true.

42. And many believed in his teaching there.

13. And Jesus went into the villages of Cesarea, into Philippi, and asked his disciples, saying, How do people understand this, that I am the son of God?

14. They said, Some take you to be John the Baptist: some, Elijah; others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

15. And he said to them, And how do you judge of me?

16. And Simon, named the Rock, replied to him, Thou art Christ, the son of the living God.

68. Thou hast the words of the eternal life.

17. And Jesus replied to them, Happy art thou, Simon, son of Jonah, for no mortal has revealed this to you, but God my Father.

(a) In many texts the word c’rc, which gives a more private meaning to this verse, is wanting. Έie is interpolated so that the words of the preceding verse may refer to the resurrection of Lazarus. AVithout this word the verse only strengthens the meaning of the first.

(b) Flesh and blood in Hebrew means mortal.

(c) The words of Verse 19, Whatever thou shaft loose on earth, etc., have evidently been transferred here through a misunderstanding and for church purposes ; they have here no meaning, nor connection, for the address refers first to one, and then to all.

Simon understood well what Jesus Christ was saying of himself, and he gave a correct answer. He said, Thou art what thou sayest : in thee is the word of life, — thou art the son of life ; thy teaching is life.

And Jesus said to him, Thou art blessed, for thou hast comprehended, not from me, who am mortal, but from the spirit of God. Now, since thy foundation is the immortal one, not my words, not my prophecy, but the comprehension of God, thou art firm, and on this comprehension alone will the true union of men be based.

20. Τότε διεστείλατο τοΐς μαθηταΐς αύτοΰ, ϊνα μηδεν’ι €Ϊπωσιν δτι αυτός έστιν ’Ιησούς ό Χριστός.

Matt. xvi. 20. Then charged» he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

20. Then he explained to the disciples that they should tell no man that he was Christ.

18. And I tell thee that thou art a rock, and on this rock will I build my assembly of men, and death will not overcome this assembly of men.

(α) δίαστ^λλω means to divide, distinguish, explain. On what ground it is translated by to command we can understand only by considering that the meaning of this most important verse was lost, as we shall later see. Jesus said to Peter that he correctly understood him to be Christ in the sense of the living God, and added, Thou art right in looking for my rights, not in me, the mortal Jesus, but in the spirit of God ; and he went on to say that only on such a comprehension could an

assembly of men be founded. Then it says that he explained to his disciples in what sense he was Christ, so that they should not again fall into the error of saying that he, the mortal Jesus out of Nazareth, was the Christ.

This verse is repeated in all the synoptics with the change of the word δόαστβλλω, for which we there have €7τιτιμάω, that is, commanded, and the meaning is somewhat weakened.

Here is the delirium of the church (Gospel of Matt., p. 299):

Then he charged his disciples, etc. : The cause of this charge could have been, on the one hand, the desire not to kindle the passions too early in the people, with their false conceptions of the Messiah ; on the other, not to rouse in the Pharisees and the rulers, who were ill-disposed toward him, premature and violent anger, which would subject his life to danger, while his time had not yet come ; finally also this, that they would not have understood him then, since they had a false conception about him, by taking him to be, not the Messiah himself, but his forerunner. Time was needed for his teaching and for the activity of his person to clear up everything for those who could comprehend. Why did he charge them not to tell? In order that, after the removal of the tempters, after the accomplishment of the exploit on the cross, and after the cessation of all his sufferings, when there would not be any one to interfere with the belief of men in him and to harm them, the correct conception of him should be clearly and firmly impressed on the minds of those who heard him. So long as his mightiness was not yet made very manifest, he wanted the apostles to begin to preach only when the obvious truth of the preacher and the force of the events would confirm their words. For it was one thing to see him do miracles in Palestine and to be subject to insults and persecutions, especially when after the miracles the cross was to follow ; and another thing to see the whole universe bow to him and believe in him, when he no longer had to bear those sufferings through which he had passed. And so he charged them not to tell any man.

If those who had seen many miracles and had heard so many un uttered secrets were sorely tried at the very rumour about his sufferings, and among them not only all the other apostles, but the chief of them, Peter, you can imagine to what trial the people would have been subjected, if they had known that Jesus Christ was the son of God, and then had seen him crucified and spat upon, while they did not yet comprehend what was concealed in these mysteries, had not yet received the holy spirit! And so he justly charged them not to tell the people before the crucifixion, since before the crucifixion he was afraid to tell it even to those who were to be the teachers.

Here is Reuss’s view (Vol. I., pp. 395 and 396) :

La réponse de Simoii, diversement formulée dans les trois textes, mais revenant partout au même sens, est la preuve que même sans la déclaration positive de Jésus, il s’était formé dans l’esprit des disciples, spectateurs journaliers des miracles de leur maître et auditeurs permanents de son enseignement, la conviction arrêtée qu’il était le Christ, l’Oint de Dieu, le Messie promis, le fils de Dieu, formules partout identiques pour le sens et qui ne disent rien sur la nature de la personne, mais qui expriment la notion de la dignité de l’envoyé. “ Tu es celui que les prophètes ont annoncé, que le peuple attend, qui doit fonder le royaume de Dieu et restaurer Israël.” La spiritualité relative de la notion n’est pas déterminée par cette déclaration et nous allons en voir la preuve.

Tous les trois narrateurs ajoutent que Jésus interdit aux disciples de parler de cette conviction à d’autres personnes. Pourquoi cela? Il n’y a qu’une seule réponse à donner à cette question : c’est que la notion qu’ils avaient du Christ n’était pas encore celle que Jésus voulait leur faire adopter et qu’il voulait faire prévaloir dans le monde. Leur éducation apostolique n’était pas terminée. Ils auraient répandu ou corroboré des erreurs en combinant, avec leur attachement à sa personne, les espérances populaires qu’ils partageaient.

This is terrible ! Jesus in every imaginable way makes statements about his being a man, like everybody else, and all men being like himself ; at the same time he preaches the teaching about the spirit and the filial relation to the living God, a teaching which cannot be expressed in any other way than by the words of Jesus. He preaches this doctrine, and all understand it topsyturvy, saying that he makes himself out a God. He labours hard, and says, I am not God, but all of you are gods ; I am a man, I am saved by God who is within me ; this God in every man is the only Christ; there will never be any other. And no one wants to understand him. Some cry, He is the son of David ; and recognize him only as God, and worship him ; others recognize him only as man and want to crucify him for calling himself God. Finally his disciple, Simon Peter, understands him, and he explains to his disciples that he is not to be regarded as Jesus Christ.

This same phrase is copied with a slight change, and it turns out that he charges them for «orne reason not to tell that he is Jesus Christ.

They do not hear with their ears, and do not see with their eyes.

After transferring the parable of the man born blind to the end of the chapter, there follows the so-called resurrection of Lazarus.

This is what the church has to say (pp. 391 and 398):

He groaned in the spirit and was troubled : The Greek word which is translated by groaned includes the idea of provocation, anger, and disgust, caused by the provoking act, and the word which is rendered by troubled includes the idea of agitation, convulsion : consequently the whole expression could more correctly be translated by was agitated and convulsed.

What was it that at that moment so agitated the Lord’s soul ? A little later, when the Jews, who were present, clearly expressed their hostile relation to him, he was again agitated, which gives us reason for supposing that the Lord was at that moment agitated from the same cause, that is, on account of the Jews, on account of their conduct at that time. The evangelist says that the Lord was troubled when he saw Mary weeping and the Jews, who came with her, weeping, that is, when he saw, on the one hand, the sincere tears of the deeply mourning sister of the deceased man, and on the other, side by side with her, the weeping of these men (or of some of them), whose tears, it seems, were as sincere as the tears of Mary, but who harboured a hostile feeling toward him, the beloved friend of the grieving sisters. The Lord was profoundly troubled by the crocodile tears of his enemies. Besides, the Lord saw that this enmity toward him would lead to death, and the organs of this hostility toward him were there, in the presence of the greatest miracle, which was soon to take place. This miracle would be the greatest token and proof of his Messianic worth, and ought to wipe out the hatred ; but instead of this, he knew it would serve as a decisive cause for sentencing him to death.

The greatest miracle will be made by Satan the signal for the fatal capital punishment, and a few of the organs of this dark force are present, weeping crocodile tears. The Lord groaned in the spirit. This groaning was so great that it produced an external bodily agitation ; according to the meaning of the Greek word, this agitation was not entirely involuntary, but expressed a certain effort of the Lord himself to subdue this spiritual agitation.

Many believed on him, but some went their ways to the Pharisees, etc. : Again a usual division of the Jews, to which .John generally points ; this division is now deeper than it was before. Those who were less blinded, who were struck by the grandeur of the unquestionable miracle which was wrought in their presence, believed on the miracle-worker, as the Messiah ; but those who were more blinded became, so to speak, completely blind and grew furious in their unbelief. They went to the Lord’s worst enemies, to the Pharisees, and told them what Jesus had said to them. Judging from the fact that the council of the Sanhedrim was called immediately after their denunciation was in, and that it was decided there to kill the Lord, we must assume beyond a doubt that their report was evil, with a malicious purpose. They, no doubt, denounced him to the Pharisees with the intention of maligning him, as though he had done some unlawful thing, when he had ordered the dead man to be disinterred. How remarkable such malicious unbelief and blindness are in view of the greatest unquestionable miracle ! The evangelist himself marvels at such unbelief and blindness. No doubt they misinterpreted even this miracle, as they misinterpreted other miracles, either by saying that he wrought them with the aid of an unholy agency, or suspecting some trickery, and so forth. What limits will be reached by the blindness of man, whose heart is filled with malice, envy, and prejudices !

This is what Reuss says (Vol. VI.» pp. 250 and 251) :

La prière prononcée par Jésus ne présente rien qui puisse mériter les reproches qu’on lui a faits quelquefois de nos jours, dès qu’on s’en tient au texte qui déclare que c’était une prière d’action de grâces. Jésus n’a pas demandé en ce moment le pouvoir exceptionnel de ressusciter un mort; toujours uni à son père, il ne peut pas être question entre eux d’une délégation de faveur pour une circonstance spéciale. S’il a parlé à haute voix, c’est pour bien convaincre le inonde que son pouvoir vient de Dieu, et que ses œuvres sont accomplies à la gloire de Dieu (Chap. v. 36 suiv. ; xvii. 4, etc.). S’il remercie Dieu d’avance, c’est une preuve d’autant plus irréfragable qu’il n’est pas un thaumaturge d’occasion, mais le dépositaire des forces divines, d’une manière permanente (Chap. i. 52). — On remarquera encore qu’il rappelle à Marthe (v. 40) qu’il lui avait prédit qu’elle verrait la gloire de Dieu, si elle avait la foi. Or, cette phrase est composée d’éléments des versets 4, 23 et 26, et prouve encore que la rédaction est faite pour le lecteur du livre, et non inspirée par les préoccupations d’une exactitude diplomatique. Prétendre que Jésus avait fait dire à Marthe, par quelque messager, ce que nous lisons au v. 4, c’est retomber dans l’ornière du rationalisme vulgaire, qui s’obstine à ne voir partout dans cet évangile qu’une narration à fleur de terre.

Quant au fond de l’histoire, et au fait même de la résurrection de Lazare, il faut reconnaître que tous les essais d’écarter le miracle sont arbitraires, et reviennent en fin de compte à nier purement et simplement la crédibilité de l’auteur. Aucune explication, de toutes celles qu’on a proposées, ne porte en elle-même un caractère de vraisemblance et de simplicité tel qu’on serait tenté de la substituer sans plus ni moins à la forme traditionnelle du récit. L’argument négatif le plus grave est tiré du silence des Synoptiques; mais il peut être neutralisé par la considération des nombreuses lacunes que présentent leurs récits, pris individuellement. La tradition ayant conservé le souvenir de plusieurs faits analogues (Hist, év., sect. 31, 37), la présence de celui-ci ne compromet pas plus particulièrement l’autorité de notre auteur. Cependant il convient de faire remarquer ici, qu’après le rationalisme l’orthodoxie a éprouvé, à son tour, le besoin d’amoindrir le miracle. Si elle ne parle plus d’une simple léthargie, elle prétend cependant que l’assertion de Marthe, au v. 39, repose sur une présomption erronée. Elle aussi ne peut se décider à admettre le retour de la vie dans un corps dont la décomposition aurait commencé d’une manière sensible. La question physiologique n’est pas de notre compétence, mais nous soutenons qu’elle n’a pas arrêté le narrateur. Il ne fait pas dire à Jésus que Marthe se trompe, mais il oppose directement la gloire de Dieu à la désolation désespérée de l’homme, la réalité de la vie nouvelle à l’absolue destruction de la vie première. En méconnaissant ce fait, non seulement on marchande le miracle en lui-même, mais on efface aussi ce qu’il est destiné à mettre en relief, dans l’économie de cet ouvrage, savoir, l’antithèse radicale entre la vie physique et la vie spirituelle. A ce point de vue, nous osons affirmer que l’odeur cadavéreuse émanée du tombeau, même avant la levée de la pierre, est un trait essentiel dans le récit.

Reuss’s point of view is the so-called scientific one. Though the absurdity of the miracles is very clear, we have been brought to such a point by the obfuscation of a thousand years, wrought upon us by the church, that we are not at once struck by such absurdities, and so I do not consider it superfluous to explain how I now understand such stories of miracles.

Lazarus, of whose life nothing is said, is dead. Jesus arrives. Lazarus is in the grave, stinking. Jesus says certain words, and the dead man rises. This is to prove the truth of this, that Jesus was the son of God, God himself, and that he came to save us and to give us the teaching of truth.

First of all, what is meant by raising the dead? If a man is dead and smells, that means that his whole body has begun to decompose, and the life of the flesh has come to an end. The man has again come back to life : what does this mean ? Either that the man was not dead, that is, has not accomplished the process of death ; or that something took place which destroys the concept of life and death, that for me there does no longer exist the difference between death and life. In either case there is nothing remarkable. If he did not die, nothing is to be said ; but if my conceptions of death and of the carnal life are incorrect, there is again no cause for wonderment.

But let us say that we shall forget this reflection, and shall say that the resurrection is a manifestation of the mightiness of God. If so, we not only think of his mightiness, but involuntarily also of his wisdom, and ask ourselves, Why did he raise Lazarus, and not John or Peter ? And why did he raise Lazarus, since he could have made wings or two heads grow out of him ? And we are obliged to confess that in this action of God his wisdom was not expressed with his mightiness.

It says that Jesus raised Lazarus, because he pitied his sisters : this is something undivine. But suppose we shall forget that, too. God’s mightiness was manifested in order to prove his truth. Even if we suppose this to be so, we cannot help asking what the connection is between the truth of God and the resurrection of Lazarus. I am in doubt whether the coin which is given to me is genuine gold. I am shown that this coin has the property, say, of emitting sounds. Yes ; very well, he raised Lazarus, and the coin emits sounds, but how does this prove to me that Jesus is God, and that the coin is of gold ? There is no causal connection between them. But let us assume that we shall forget even this, and that we admit that the miracles assure us of the truth of the divinity. Very well, Jesus proved his divinity by raising a dead man. Even if he did so, this is a poor proof of his divinity, because the magicians did the same, and the spiritualists materialized Katie King. The apostles raised from the dead, and so did relics. If God wanted at all to prove his mightiness by some extraordinary act, he would have chosen something unusual, something which men could not imitate him in : he would have done something more marvellous, say, he would have made a square star. But let us forget this too, and let us suppose that God forgot that men would do such miracles, or would say that they did them, and let us admit that this miracle is one and unrepeated. To prove his truth to men, God raised Lazarus from the dead. Very well, he raised him to prove his own truth.

I am a man, so what use is there after eighteen hundred years of proving to me that eighteen hundred years ago God in the presence of a dozen people raised a man. 1 should have been glad to believe it, if I had seen it ; but I did not see it. It would have been an easy matter for God to have raised a man and let him live until now ; or to have caused a tree to grow on the leaves, with the roots in the air ; or to make a star as long as a stick, standing all the time in one spot, and then there would be no doubt. But as it is, I have not seen anything. I see such tricks performed by magicians and spiritualists, and this, too, not eighteen hundred years ago, but now, in our day, and they write in books about them, and adduce witnesses. Why, then, should I believe that more ? And so there is nothing to lay hands on, and it turns out in every way that God has disgraced himself, that he undertook to prove his truth, without proving it. More than that: by his very method of bad proofs he has acknowledged that he has no good proofs, that his coin is not genuine, and that a spurious coin is being foisted upon me.

Reuss’s point of view, the so-called scientific one, as was said before, is not even a point of view, but un faux fuyant, a begging of the question. I have no need of knowing what the author had in mind, when he wrote it ; what I want to know is what I am to think of it, and this Reuss does not say. If the author actually thought that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and thus proved his divinity, I cannot help observing that the author knows nothing of the teaching of Christ. And yet I draw from that very book the true meaning of Christ’s teaching, and even in this passage do I find the words of Verse 25, which directly contradict the story of the material resurrection of the dead man, He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, — which means that, as is said in the whole teaching, the true life is not in time, and does not depend on the will of man ; from the story, however, it turns out that the resurrection of Lazarus took place at the will of Jesus : if he had not come and had not been told of it, as he has not been informed of millions who died believing in him, Lazarus would not have been raised. This inner contradiction has to be explained ; but the quasi-scientific tone about what a putative author thought can be of no interest to any one. So also it is impossible to accept the whole chapter about the raising of Lazarus, if one understands and believes in the resurrection of Jesus. This and similar chapters could have been accepted only by church people, who never understood the teaching of Christ. But for all others, who are seeking the teaching, there cannot even be a question as to what the story of the resurrection means: it means nothing, just like all the other miracles. It has to be cleaned out. and rejected, and all there will be left will be the words of Verses 25 and 26 :

25. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live :

26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this ?

THE PROOF OF THE TRUTH OF THE TEACHING

To receive the true life one must give up the carnal life. The carnal life is the food for the true life. The teaching of Jesus consists in giving up the carnal life for the true life.

The Pharisees and learned men began to ask Jesus, Thou sayest that it is necessary to give up the carnal life and all its pleasures in order to receive the true life, but how dost thou prove this ?

And Jesus groaned from pity for these men. Their asking for proofs showed him that they did not understand him. And he said, Men want proofs, and proofs cannot be given to them.

And he said to them, What carnal proofs do you want for a non-carnal life ? Have you no proofs for everything which you know ? Looking at the beautiful evening glow you assume that next day there will be fair weather, and when it looks gloomy in the morning, you assume that it will rain. You have no proofs, but you judge of this from the appearance of the sky, and you are able to draw your conclusions. Why, then, do you not draw the same correct conclusions in regard to yourselves? If you judged just as correctly about yourselves as you do about the signs of the weather, you would know that just as certainly as the west wind brings rain, death follows after the temporal life.

And so there is no other proof, and there can be none, for the proof of my teaching, except the teaching itself.

There can be no proofs of the comprehension.

The southern queen went to see Solomon, not to ask for proofs, but to listen to his wisdom. The Ninevites did not ask Jonah for proofs, but listened to his teaching, and were converted ; even so you must do, and must not ask for any proofs.

After this the Jews tried to sentence Jesus to death, and Jesus went into Galilee, and there lived with his relatives.

There came the Jewish feast of the tabernacles.

The brothers of Jesus got ready to go to the feast, and asked Jesus to go with them. They did not believe in his teaching, and said to him, Thou sayest that the Jewish way of serving God is not right, and that thou knowest the right way of serving him with deeds. If thou truly believest that none but thee know the true service of God, go with us to the feast, for a large multitude will be there. There thou canst announce in the presence of the whole people that the teaching of Moses is false. If all of them will believe thee, all thy disciples will see that thou art right. What is the sense in con-coaling thyself ? Thou sayest that our service is wrong, that thou knowest the true way of serving God, so show it to all.

And Jesus said to them, For you there is a special time and place for serving God ; but I have no such special time and place. 1 always and everywhere work for God. It is this that I show people: I show them that their service of God is false, and for this they hate me. Go yourselves to the feast, and I will go whenever I wish.

And the brothers went away, but he remained at home ; later he went to the feast when it was half over.

The Jews were troubled, because he did not honour their holiday and did not come. And they disputed a great deal about his teaching: some said that he was telling the truth ; and others said that he only agitated the people.

In the middle of the holiday Jesus entered the temple and began to teach the people, saying that their worship was false, and that God must be worshipped not in the temple and with sacrifices, but in the spirit and with works. All listened to him and marvelled at his wisdom.

And Jesus, hearing that they marvelled at his wisdom, said to them, My wisdom consists in this, that I teach what I know from my Father. My teaching consists in doing the will of the spirit, which gives me life. He who does this will know that it is the truth, for he will not do what seems good to him, but what seems good to the spirit which lives within him. Your law of Moses is not the eternal law, and so those who follow it do not execute the eternal law, and do wrong and what is untrue. I teach you to do the one will, and in my teaching there can be no contradiction, but your written law of Moses is all filled with contradictions. I give you a teaching, with which man stands higher than all decrees and finds the law within himself.

And many said, They have said that he is a false prophet, and he has been condemning the law, and yet no one says anything to him. Maybe he is indeed real, and maybe the rulers have acknowledged him. There is one thing, however, which does not fit: it is said that when he who is sent by God shall come, no one will know whence he comes, but we know whence he comes, and we know his whole family.

The people did not understand his teaching, and kept looking for external proofs.

Then Jesus said to them, You know whence I come in a carnal way, but you do not know whence 1 come in the spirit. You do not know him from whom 1 come in the spirit, and it is only him that you ought to know. If I said that I am Christ, you would believe me as a man, but you would not believe God who is in me and in you. You must believe in the one God. I am here among you for a brief space of time: I show you the way of salvation, the return to that source of life from which I came. And you ask me for proofs and want to condemn me. If you do not know the way, you will certainly not find me when I am gone. You must not condemn me, but follow me. He who will do what I say will find out whether what I say is true or not. He for whom the life of the flesh has not become the food of the spirit, who does not seek the truth, as the thirsty person seeks water, cannot understand me. But he who thirsts for water may follow me and drink. And he who will believe in my teaching will receive the true life. He will receive the life of the spirit.

And many believed in his teaching, and said, What he says is true and from God. Others did not understand him, and kept looking in the prophecies for proofs of his being sent by God. And many disputed with him, but could not prevail against him. The Pharisees and learned men sent their assistants to contend with him. But their

assistants returned to them, saying, We can do nothing with him.

And the high priests said, Why did you not accuse him ?

And they replied, Never has a man spoken like him.

Then the Pharisees said, It does not mean anything, that you cannot prevail against him, and that the people believe in his teaching. We do not believe, and none of the rulers believe, but the accursed people are always stupid and ignorant.

And Jesus said to the Pharisees, There can be no proofs of the truth of my teaching, just as there can be no illumination of the light. My teaching is the true light, that light when men see what is good and what bad, and so it is impossible to prove my teaching: it proves everything else. He who will follow me will not be in the dark, but with him life and light is the same.

But the Pharisees still demanded proofs of the truth of his teaching, and said, Thou art the only one who says this.

And he replied to them, If I am the only one who says this, I am still in the right, for I know whence I come and whither I go. Besides, not I alone teach this, but the Father, my spirit, teaches it also. But you do not know him, and so this proves the falseness of your teaching. You do not know whence you come and whither you go. I am leading you, but, instead of following me, you discuss who I am ; and so you cannot come to salvation and to life, to which I lead you. And you will perish, if you abide in this error and do not follow me.

And the Jews asked, Who art thou ?

He said, I am not any special man ; as a man I am nothing ; but, above all, I am what I tell you : I am the way and the truth, — I am the comprehension. And when you make the spirit of the son of man your God, you will know what I am, because what I do and say

is not from me, as a man, but wnai> mj -> «–— -

taught me.

Only he who keeps the comprehension, who does the will of the Father, can be taught by me. To comprehend the truth, it is necessary to do good. He who does evil loves the darkness and goes toward it ; he who does good goes toward the light. And so, in order to understand my teaching, it is necessary to do good. He who will do good will know the truth, and he who will know the truth will be free from evil and from death ; for every man who errs becomes the slave of his error.

And as the slave does not always live in the house of his master, while the master’s son is always there, even so a man, who errs in life and becomes the slave of his error, does not live for ever, but dies. Only he who is in the truth lives for ever. But the truth consists in being a son, and not a slave. And so, if you err, you will be slaves, and you will die ; but if you abide in the truth, you will be free sons, and will live.

You say of yourselves that you are the children of Abraham, and that you know the truth ; and yet you want to kill me, because I tell you the truth. Abraham did not do so. If you wish to do this, — to kill a man, you are not the sons of God the Father, and you do not serve him, but serve your father. You are not with me the sons of the same Father: you are the slaves of error, and its sons. If you had the same Father with me, you would love me, for I, too, come from God. I was not born of myself, but am also from God. For this reason you do not understand my words, and the comprehension has no place in you. If I am from the Father, and you are from the same Father, you cannot wish to kill me. But since you wish to kill me, we are not of one Father. I am from God, but you arc from the devil. You want to do the will of your father : he has always been a murderer and liar, and there is no truth in him. If he, the

deni, says anything, he says his own personal matters, and not what is common to all, and he is the father of lying and error ; and so you are the slaves of error, and his children.

You see how easy it is to accuse you of error. If I err, accuse me; but if there is no error, why do you not believe me ?

And the Jews began to scold him, and said that he was mad.

He said, I am not mad, but honour my Father, and you want to kill me, the son of the Father; consequently you are not my brothers, but children of another father. Not I affirm that I am right, but the truth speaks for me. And so I repeat to you, He who will grasp and execute my teaching will not see death.

And the Jews said, Do we not tell the truth, when we say that he is a mad Samaritan ? Thou accusest thyself. The prophets are dead ; Abraham is dead, and thou sayest that he who will execute thy teaching will not see death. Abraham is dead, and thou wilt not die! Or art thou greater than Abraham ?

The Jews kept discussing whether he, Jesus of Galilee, was an important prophet or not, and forgot everything which he had said, and that he said nothing of himself as a man, but spoke of the spirit of God which was within him.

And Jesus said, I make nothing of myself. If I spoke of what seems good to me, everything I say would be without meaning ; but there is a beginning of all things, which you call God, and of him I speak. You have not known the true God, but I know him. I cannot help saying that I know him. I should be a liar, such as you are, if I said that I did not know him. I know him, and I know his will, and do it. Your father Abraham is holy for this reason only, that he saw my comprehension and rejoiced in it.

The Jews said, Thou art thirty years old ; how could you have lived in the days of Abraham ?

He said, Before Abraham was, I was, that I, of whom I have told you, — the comprehension.

The Jews picked up stones, to stone him, but he went away from them.

I am the light of the world. He who will follow me wall not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. If a man does not see the light, neither his parents, nor he, are to blame ; but if he has light, it is his duty to shine for others. While we are in the world, we are the light of the world. If we see men who are deprived of light, we reveal the light to them from the principle which has produced us. And if a man sees the light, he will all be changed so that no one can tell him. A man remains the same man ; but there is this difference that, having learned that he is a son of God, he receives the light and sees what he never saw before.

A man who did not see the light and has come to see it can say nothing as to whether it is true that he has regained his sight ; all he can say is, I am regenerated ; I am different from what I was ; before this I was blind and did not see the true good, but now I see it. I do not know how I came to see, but I think that he who revealed the light to me is a man from God.

And no matter how much they may say to a man who has seen the light, that it is not the true light; that he must pray to another God, the one he does not see ; that he who gave him the light is mistaken, the man will not believe it. He will say, I know nothing about your God, nor whether the man who opened my eyes was mistaken, or not ; but I know that formerly I did not see, and now I see.

And no matter how much you may ask such a man how his eyes were opened, he will tell you the same. They were opened in this way, that I found out that the beginning of my life is the spirit, and, having learned this, I was regenerated. No matter how much you may say that the law of Moses is the true law of God ; that God himself revealed it to Moses ; that God communes with the saints, and that he who opened his eyes is a sinner, the man will repeat the one answer, I know nothing about all that, but I know that I was blind, and now I see. And I know that he who opened my eyes is from God. For, if he were not from God, he could not do it. ‘

Such a man trusts only in the spirit of the son of God, which is in him, and that is all he needs.

And Jesus said, The teaching separates men: the blind receive their sight, and those who think that they see become blind. If men do not see the light from their birth, they are not to blame, and they may receive their sight. Only those who affirm that they see, when they see nothing, are to blame indeed.

And the Jews began to dispute. Some said, He is simply mad ; and others said, A madman cannot open men’s eyes.

Men abandon themselves to my teaching, not because I prove it to them : it is impossible to prove the truth, but the truth proves everything else. But people abandon themselves to my teaching, because it is one, and familiar to people, and promises them life. My teaching is for people what the familiar voice of the shepherd is for the sheep, when he enters to them by the door, and gathers them, to drive them into the pasture. But nobody believes your teaching, because it is foreign to men, and men see in it your lusts. It is for men what for the sheep is the sight of a man who does not enter by the door, but climbs over the enclosure : the sheep do not know him, and they feel that he is a robber.

My teaching is the only true one, as one door is f

But here ημέρα has the meaning of day of salvation, that is, of the means of salvation, or simply salvation. 20. ‘Έπτà οΰν αδελφοί ήσαν καί ό πρώτος έλαβε ’γυν

21. Καί έσθιδντων αυτών direv, ’Αμήν Xéyio ΰμΐν,

20. Jesus answered him, I spake* openly to the wor

SHORT EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL

SHORT EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL

My teaching is the only true one, as one door is for the sheep. All your teachings of the law of Moses are a lie, — as the thieves and robbers are lies for the sheep. He who abandons himself to my teaching will find the true life, just as the sheep will go out and find food, if they follow the shepherd. For a thief comes only to steal, rob, and destroy, while a shepherd comes to feed and give life. And it is only my teaching which promises the true life.

The shepherds are masters, whose lives are formed by the sheep and who give their lives for the sheep; they are true shepherds. But there are hirelings, who do not trouble themselves about the sheep, because they are hirelings, and the sheep are not their own, such as, when a wolf comes, forsake their sheep, and these are not true shepherds. Even so there are untrue teachers, such as have no thought for the life of men, and true teachers, such as give their souls for the life of men. I am such a teacher.

My teaching consists in giving the life for other men. No one takes it from me, but I of my own will give it for men, in order that I may receive the true life. This commandment I received from my Father. And as the Father knows me, so I know the Father, and so I lay my life down for the sake of men. And so the Father loves me, for I fulfil his commandments.

And all men, not only here and now, but all men, will understand my voice and will all come together, and will be one, and the teaching will be one.

And the Jews surrounded him, and said, Everything which thou sayest is hard to understand and does not agree with our Scripture. Do not torment us, but tell us outright, Art thou that Messiah who according to our books is to come into the world ?

And Jesus replied to them, I have already told you who I am. I am what I have told you ; but you do not believe my words. Believe my works, — the life in God, which I lead, — you will understand by them who I am, and wherefore I have come. But you do not

believe, for you do not follow me. He who walks in my path and does what I say understands me. And he who understands my teaching and fulfils it will receive the true life. My Father united them with me, and nobody can sever them. I and the Father are one.

And the Jews were offended by tills, and laid hold of stones to stone him.

But he said to them, I have shown you much good through my Father, so for what deed do you want to stone me?

They said, Not for a good deed do we wish to stone thee, but because thou, a man, makest thyself a God.

And Jesus answered them, But the same is said in your Scripture : it says that God himself said to the bad rulers, You are gods. If vicious people were called gods, why should you consider it a blasphemy to call God that which God, loving it, sent into the world ? Every man according to the spirit is a son of God. If I do not live in godly fashion, do not believe that I am a son of God ; but if I do, believe according to my life that I am in God. And then you will understand that God is in me, and I am in God, that I and the Father are one.

And Jesus said, My teaching is the awakening of life. He who believes in my teaching retains his life, though he dies carnally. He who lives does not die.

And the Jews did not know what to do with him, and were.not able to sentence him.

And he went once more beyond the Jordan, and remained there. And many believed in his teaching, and said that it was as true as John’s teaching. And so many believed in his teaching.

And Jesus once asked his disciples, and said, Tell me how people understand my teaching about the son of God and the son of man.

They said, Some understand it like John’s teaching; others, like the prophecy of Elijah ; others again say that it resembles the teaching of Jeremiah, and take you to be a prophet.

He said, And how do you understand my teaching? And Simon Peter said to him, In my opinion thy teaching consists in this, that thou art the chosen son of God, of life. Thou teachest that God is the life in man.

And Jesus said to him, Happy thou art, Simon, to have understood this. No man could have revealed this to thee, for God within thee has revealed it to thee. Not carnal reflection and not I with my words, but God, my Father, has directly revealed it to thee.

And on this comprehension is based the assembly of men, for whom there is no death.

φάς καί μητέρας καί τέκνα καί ά-γρούς, μ€τά διωγμών, καί έν τψ αίώνι τψ έρχομένψ ζωήν αιώνιον.

31. Πολλοί δέ έσονται πρώτοι έσχατοι, καί οι έσχατοι πρώτοι. dren, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come» eternal life.

31. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

dren, and fields, and eternal life in the passing world.

31. And many who are first will be last, and who were last will be first.

CHAPTER VIII

(a) έρχομαι, means to go, to pass.

THERE IS NO OTHER LIFE. OF THE REWARDS IN THE

KINGDOM OF GOD

37. Ο φίλων πατέρα H μητέρα υπέρ έμέ, ούκ έστι μου Αξιος-καί ό φιλών νϊόν ή θυγατέρα υπέρ έμέ, ούκ έστι μου Αξιος.

38. Καί δ$ ού λαμβά-vei τδν σταυρόν αυτού καί άκολουθά όπίσω μου, ούκ έστι μου Αξιος.

39. Ο ίύρών τήν ψυχήν αυτού άπολέσίΐ αυτήν-καί ό άπολέσας τήν ψυχήν αυτού AveKtv έμού eύρήσα αυτήν.

27. Τότβ άποκριθάς ô H^rpos elirtv αύτψ, ’Ιδού, ημάς άφήκαμίν πάντα, καί ήκολουθήσα-μέν σοι-τί Αρα έσται ήμΐν,

29. Καί iras Ας άφή-Kcv οικίας, ή άδίλφούς. ή αδίλφάς, ή πατέρα, ή μητέρα, ή -γυναίκα, ή τέκνα, ή άγρούς, Ivckcv τού όνδματδς μου, έκα-τονταπλασίονα λήψίται, καί ζωήν αιώνιον κλήρο-νομήσα.

30. ’Εανμήλάβη έκα-τονταπλασίονα νυν έν τω καιρω τούτψ, οικίας καί άδίλφούς καί άδίλ—

Matt. χ. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me. is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.

38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

39. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it.

Matt. rix. 27. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

29. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

30. But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and chil—

37. He who loves father or mother more than me, does not agree with me : and he who loves son or daughter more than me, does not agree with me.

38. And he who is not prepared for carnal privations and does not follow me, does not agree with me.

39. He who acquires (carnal) life will lose it; and he who loses his carnal life according to my teaching, will receive life.

27. Then Simon Peter said to him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have for it?

29. And Jesus answered them. You know yourselves that every one who forsakes his family, his brothers and sisters, or father, or mother, or wife and children, and fields for the sake of my teaching, — the true good,

30. Will receive a hundred times more here, in this life, amidst persecutions, families, brothers, sisters, chil—

Peter’s question as to what reward we shall receive is understood by Christ in two ways : first, as a reward in general for the execution of the law ; and secondly, What reward will they receive, — a reward which should correspond to the sacrifices which they are making ?

To the first part of the question as to the thrones in heaven, Jesus replies that they know themselves what the reward will be. The reward here, in this life, is a hundred times greater than the human joys which they have left, — it is the life outside of time.

In response to the second part of the question, Jesus says that in the kingdom of God there is no first and no last ; that the first are last, and the last first ; that the conception of the kingdom of God is not connected with the idea of rewards, which correspond to the deserts, — which was said in the parable of the talents. And he goes on to explain these words of the parables.

Peter’s next question and Jesus’ answer stand in Matthew directly after the conclusion of the discourse with the rich young man, which is, that no one can be saved, except he be a mendicant. These cruel words startle the disciples. It is these sacrifices of the carnal life which call forth Peter’s question. According to my harmonization of the chapters, this question follows after all the examples and indications as to how we must give up the carnal life for the life of the spirit. To this Peter asks, What shall we have ?

I omit Verse 28 from Matthew, as it has no definite meaning. It speaks of their sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Either it is entirely incomprehensible and means nothing, or it is meant for an irony, in response to the question what they will receive, what reward. The next passage points directly to an irony.

PARABLE OF THE LABOURERS IN THE VINEYARD

1. ‘Ομοια yάρ έστιν ή βασιλεία τών ουρανών άνθρώπψ οικοδεσπότη, δστις έξήλθεν &μα πρωί μισθώσασθαι ^pyàras c/r τδν άμπελώνα αύτοΰ.

2. Συμφωνήσας δέ μετά των ipyaTGjv έκ δηναρίου ττ)ν ημέραν, άπέστειλεν αυτούς εις τόν άμπελώνα αύτοΰ.

3. Καί έξελθών περί τήν τρίτην ώραν, εΐδεν Αλλους έστώτας έν τη àyopq. άpyoύς·

4. Κάκείνοις εΐπεν, ‘Τπα7ετε καί υμείς εις τδν άμπελώνα, καί δ έάν η δίκαιον δώσω ύμΐν.

5. 02 δέ άπηλθον. πάλιν έξελθών περί ίκ-την καί έννάτην ώραν, έποίησεν ωσαύτως.

6. Περί δέ TTjv ένδεκάτην ώραν έξελθών, εΰρεν Αλλοι·$ έστώτας àpyoύς, καί λέyει αύτοΐς, TI ώδε έστήκατε δλην την ημέραν àpyol;

7. Aéyouaiv αύτψ, Ότι ούδείΐ ημάς έμι-σθώσατο. λέyει αύτοΐς, ‘Ύπάyετε καί υμείς εις τδν άμπελώνα, καί § έαν ή δίκαιον λ-ήψεσθε.

Malt. χχ. 1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

2. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place,

4. And said unto them ; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

6. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7. They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard ; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

1. For the kingdom of God is like this : a master went out in the morning to hire labourers.

2. When he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his garden.

3. Then he went out at breakfast time to look around, and found other labourers, who were not occupied,

4. And he said to them, Go you also to work in my garden,.and I will pay you what is right. And they went.

5. And again the mas-ter went out to the market-place at the sixth and at the ninth hour, and he found other labourers who were not occupied, and be did the same with them.

6. At noon the master went again to the market-place, and saw labourers standing idle; and he said to them, Why do you stand here the whole day idle?

7. They said, Because no man has hired us. And he said to them. Go you also into the garden, and you will receive what is right.

8. Όψίας δέ yεvoμέ-νης, λέyει δ κύριος του άμπελώνος τψ έπιτρόπψ αύτοΰ, Κάλεσον τού$ έpyάτaς, καί άπόδος αύτοΐς τδν μισθδν, άρ£ά-μενος άπδ τών έσχάτων (ως τών πρώτων.

9. Καί έλθόντες οί περί τήν ένδεκάτην ώραν, ελαβον άνά δηνάριον.

10. Έλ0όρτε$ δέ οί πρώτοι ένόμισαν 6τι πλείονα λήψονται·

11. Ααβόντες δέ éyôy-yoÇov κατά του οικοδεσπότου,

12. Λ£γοντες, Ότι, ούτοι οI έσχατοι μίαν ώραν έποίησαν, καί ίσους ημΐν αυτούς έποίησας, τοΐς βαστάσασι τδ βάρος της ημέρας καί τδν καύσωνα.

13. ‘0 δέ άποκριθείς εΐπεν ένΐ αύτών, Εταίρε, ούκ άδικώ σε-ούχΐ δηναρίου συνεφώνησάς μοι ;

14. ’Αρον τδ σδν καί ΰπayε. Θέλω δέ τούτψ τψ έσχάτψ δούναι ώ$ καί σοί·

15. “Η ούκ εξεστί μοι ποιησαι δ θέλω έν τοΐς έμοΐς ; τ) ό όφθαλμός σου πονηρός έστιν, Ατι (yù άyaθός είμι ;

16. Οντωΐ εσονται οί έσχατοι πρώτοι, καί oî πρώτοι έσχατοί’ πολλοί yàp είσι κλητοί, όλίγοι δέ έκλεκτοί.

The final words, For many are apparently a useless addition, words are wanting, and they are

be called,

but few chosen, In many texts these In

not in Tischendorf.

8. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

12. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14. Take that thiue is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

8. When evening came, the master said to his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their wages, first to the last, and then to the first.

9. And those that came at noon received a penny.

10. And those who came first supposed that they would receive more; but they received only a penny each.

11. They took it, but they began to murmur against the master.

12. How is this? they said. They have done but one hour’s work, and thou hast made them equal with us. We have worked hard and sweated all day.

13. But the master answered one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong ; did we not agree for a penny?

14. Take what is thine, friend, and go thy way. I want to give the last as much as to thee.

15. Have I no right over what is mine? Or dost thou see that I am

Sood, and so thy eye has ecome envious?

16. So the last shall be like the first, and the first like the last.

Luke the disciples say these words to Jesus immediately after the elucidation that brothers are to be forgiven, not seven times, but seventy times seven times. Obviously these words, like Peter’s words, refer to all the cruel words of the demand for the renunciation of the carnal life. The possibility of the true life is given to all men. He who wants takes it ; he who does not want it does not take it. He who receives the true life has it and it cannot be said that it is equal for all, for to it cannot be applied the conceptions of more and less, of sooner and later. It is outside the category of space, time, and causality, as they would say in philosophical language.

But we are so accustomed to the retribution of the terrestrial life, that we cannot rid ourselves of the idea that he who does everything which is regarded as good and pleasing to a God, whom we represent as being outside us (while Jesus never stops expatiating on this, that no man has ever known God, except that the son has declared him) and that we want to establish our relations to God like those which exist between the peasants and their master. We want to please some one and do what we do not understand and do not wish to do, in order to please the master’s will ; but, while we admit that we ought to be punished for not pleasing the master, as we ourselves are fond of punishing the slaves for not doing so, we want to be rewarded for doing the will of a stranger. And although the whole teaching of Jesus denies this view, the disciples and all of us ask what we shall get for forsaking our children and house, and our life, in order to follow his teaching. What is it we ask about ? We ask what we shall get for going to the feast to which we are invited ; what we shall get for creeping into that boat of salvation which is ready to receive us ; what we shall get for having forsaken our wives and children, and having followed him. That is, what we shall get for having exchanged sorrow for joy, fetters for freedom, death for life. And he replies, In the first place, you do not sacrifice anything : when you forsake in this life your families, children, possessions, and all that, you will have a hundred times more, even amidst persecutions ; in the second place, you will receive the true life. What other reward do you wish ? Do you want to sit on thrones, like kings, and judge the nations ?

In this world of death I teach you the one possible life, the one plank of salvation. And thou, getting ready to clutch this plank, ask, What will the reward be for this ?

GREATEST IS

HE WHO IS A SERVANT TO ALL

35. Καί προσπορεύον-ται αύτφ ‘ Iάκωβος καί ’Ιωάννης, οΐ viol Ζεβεδαίου, λέοντες, Διδάσκαλέ, θέλομέν ϊνα Ô έάν αίτήσωμέν ποίησης ημΐν.

36. *0 δδ (ΐπέν αύτοΐς, Τί θέλέΤέ ποιησαΐ με ύμΐν;

37. 01 δδ εΐπον αύτφ, Δδς ημΐν, ϊνα εις δκ δεξιών σου καί εις δξ εύωνύμων σου καθίσωμεν δν τη δδξη σου.

38. 0 δδ Ίησοίλ εΐπεν αύτοΐς, .Ούκ οϊδατε τΐ αιτεΐσθε. δύνασθε πι-εΐν τδ ποτήριον A δyώ πίνω, καί τδ βάπτισμα δ tyù βαπτίζομαι βαπ-τισθηναι ;

22. Aéyooaiv αύτφ, Δυνάμεθα.

23. Καί \4yei αύτοΐς, Τό μδν ποτήριδν μου πίεσθε, καί τδ βάπτισμα δ èyib βαπτίξομαι βαπτισθησεσθε· τδ δδ καθίσαι δκ δεξιών μου καί δξ εύωνύμων μου, ούκ εστιν δμδν δούναι, άλλ’ οΐς ήτοίμασται ΰπδ του πατρδς μου.

Markx. 35. And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

35. And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus, saying, Teacher, we wish thou wouldst do for us what we shall ask thee.

36. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?»

37. They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.6

38. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup-that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

36. And he said to them, What do you want me to do for you?

37. And they said to him, Make us both equal to thee in thy teaching.

38. And Jesus replied to them, You do not know what you ask. On earth you can do the same as 1 am doing, and you may be regenerated in the spirit, just I am regenerated.

Matt. xx. 22. They say unto him, We are able.

23-And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with : but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father.·*

to him,

22. They said We can.

23. And he them, You can be regenerated the same

said to live and

as I; but to make you such as I am is not in my power, but in the power of my Father.

24. Kai άκούσαντες oi δόκα -Αγανάκτησαν περί των δυο άδελφών.

25. *0 δέ ‘ Iησούς προσ-καλεσάμενος αυτούς ει-πεν, Οίδατε δτιοι Λρχον-τες των ίθνών κατακυ-ριεύουσιν αυτών, καί οί μεγάλοι κατεξουσιάξου-σιν αύτών. ούχ ούτως Sè εσται iv ύμΐν·

26. ’Αλλ’ δς iàv θέλη iv ύμΐν μί-γας γενίσθαι, <·στω ύμών διάκονος·

27. Kai Sr iài θέλη iv ύμΐν eîvai πρώτος, έστω υμών δούλος·

26. ‘Υμείς δί ουχ ου-τως· άλλ’ ό μύξων iv ύμΐν -γενίσθω ώς ό νεώ-τερος, καί δ ηγούμενος ώΐ ό διακονών.

28. *ί!σπερ ό υίόΐ του άνθρωπον ούκ ήλθε διακο-νηθηναι, άλλά διάκο νη-σαι, καί δούναι την ΨυΧ^Ιν Λύτου λΰτρον άντί πολλών.

(a) That is, You speak nonsense.

. (b) These disciples put the question to Jesus as to why they are so dull and he so wise, and beg him to make them as wise as he himself is.

(c) To drink the cup means, in Hebrew, to hare the same part in the carnal life, to live in the same manner.

(d) To make you such as I am, to give you the same intellect, is not in my power. That is in the power of the Father, and is given variously, like the different amounts of the talents. But you can live and be regenerated in spirit like me.

(e) 7τολλα in the plural means something important, great.

24. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

25. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26. But it shall not be so among you : but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Luke xxii. 26. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Matt. xx. 28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom tor many.»

24. When the other ten heard this, they were angry at the two brothers.

25. And Jesus called them up, and said, You know that those who consider themselves rulers of the people have power over them. And the officers exercise authority over them.

26. But it ought not to be so among you : whoever will be great among you let him be a servant;

27. And whoever will be first, let him be a slave.

26. He who is as the younger is greatest, and he who is as the servant is first.

28. For the son of man did not declare himself to be ministered to, but to minister and lay down his life, as a ransom for what is great.

This last verse and Mark x. 45, which serve as the chief foundation of the misunderstanding, from which has resulted the stupid and immoral dogma of the redemption, has a simple and clear meaning, which follows strictly from the meaning of the whole passage.

The son of man is the only essence of the divinity which is to be found in all men. The existence of the son of man consists in nothing but the return to the source of God. The comprehension of the one God in all men is what we call life. In returning to the one source, the son of man reestablishes his unity. From this results the love of men among themselves. From this results the first commandment, the love of God, and the second, which is similar to it, the love of our neighbour.

The earthly life consists in nothing but giving it as a ransom for the true fife. The sons of Zebedee want to be like Jesus, just as wise as he. He says to them, Why do you want this ? You can live and be regenerated in the spirit like me ; consequently you want it, in order to be more important than the rest.

According to my teaching there is no more and less, no important and unimportant. To govern their nations, kings have to be greater and more important than others, but you do not need this, for according to my teaching it is more advantageous to be less than the rest. According to my teaching one must be a servant, a slave of everybody. My teaching consists only in this, that it is the business of the son of man to lay down his carnal flesh for others, in order to receive the true life.

11. ’Πλ& yàp ό νίδς τού ανθρώπου σώσαι τδ άπολωλδς.

12. Τί ύμΐν δοκεΐ; iàv ’γίνηταί τινι άνθρώπιρ δκατδν πρόβατα, καί πλανηθη iv ίξ αύτών·

Matt, xviit. 11. For the Son of man is cornea to save that which was lost.

12. How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and

11. It is the business of the son of man to save what is perishing.

12. How do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine, ούχί, άφείΐ τά έννενηκονταεννέα, έπί τά δρη πορευθεΪ! ζητεί τό 7τλα-νώμενον ;

13. Καί έάν “γίνηται εύρεΐν αύτό, άμήν λόγω ΰμιν, ό’τι χαίρα έπ’ αύ-τψ μάλλον, ή έπί rots έννενηκονταεννέα rois μη πεπλανημένοί!.

6. Kai, έλθών els τόν οίκον, σι/γκαλει τούΐ φίλου! καί toùs γείτονα$, λόγων αύτοΐί, Συγχά-prçré μοι, δτι εδρον τό πρόβατόν μου τό άπολω-λό$.

14. 01/τωΐ ούκ έστι θέλημα έμπροσθεν του πατpôs υμών του έν ουρανοίs, Ίνα άπόληται els των μικρών τούτων. nine, and goeth into the mountains, and aeeketh that which is gone astray?

(α) I translate ήλθε by the words it is the business of, since the words, The son of man came to, mean precisely this. I prefer this turn, because it excludes the ambiguity of the word came.

The verse from Luke xv., continuing the comparison, breaks the sense of the parable, and, strengthening the meaning of joy in heaven, introduces a false idea about somebody’s greater joy with the sinner than with the righteous man, and so I retain the words of Matthew, applying them to the following parables in Luke.

The sense of the parables results from Matthew’s first utterance that the son of man came to save what is perishing. Men rejoice in the return of what is lost, and direct all their forces to this. Even such is the aim of the son of man, for it is the will of the Father, who sent the light into the world, to return to himself the comprehension.

8· H rls yvv^i δραχ-Luke xv. 8. Either 8. If a woman loses μάϊ έχουσα δέκα, έάν what woman having ten one out of ten dimes,

13. And if so be that he tind it, verily I sav unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Luke xv. 6. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Matt, xvill. 14. Even so it is not the will of Îour Father which is in eaven, that one of these little ones should perish. and go everywhere to find the one which has gone astray?

13. And if it happens that he finds it, you know yourselves that he rejoices more at this one sheep, than at the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.

6. And when he comes home, he calls his neighbours, and says, I rejoice, I have found the sheep that went astray.

14. Even so it is the will of your Father in heaven that not one of these little men should perish. άπολέση δραχμήν μίαν, ούχΐ &πτει λύχνον, καί σαροΐ την οικίαν, καί ζητεί έπιμελω!, ?ω; δτου füpVi

9. Καί εύρούσα aoyκαλείται τά$ φίλα! καί τάs yeÎTovas, λόγουσα, Συγ-χάρητέ μοι, δτι εύραν τήν δραχμήν ήν άπω-λεσα.

10. Οϋτω, λόγω υμίν, χαρά γίνεται ένώπιον των άγγέλων του θεού έπί ένΐ άμαρτωλψ μετα-νοοΰντι.

7. Aέyωv irpàs αύτου!,

8. “Οταν κληθη! υπό τι vos εί$ γάμου$, μή κατακλιθήs εί! τήν πρω-τοκλισίαν· μήποτε έντι-μότερόΐ σου η κεκλημένos ύιτ αύτού,

9. Καί έλθύν ο σέ καί αυτόν καλέσαs έρεΐ σοι, Δό$ τούτψ τόπον· καί τότε &ρξη μετ’ αισχύνηs τόν έσχατον τόπον κατέ-χειν.

10. ’Αλλ’ 6ταν κλη-θήί, πορευθεί! άνάπεσον εΐ! τόν έσχατον τόπον ϊνα, όταν έλθη ό κεκλη-κώs σε, εΐπη σοι, Φίλε, προσανάβηθι άνώτερον τότε έσται σοι δόξα ένώπιον των συνανακειμένων σοι.

11. “Οτι πα$ ό υψών εαυτόν ταπεινωθήσεται· καί ό ταπεινών Εαυτόν ύψωθήσεται.

47. Ό δέ’Ιησοΰί Ιδών τόν διαλογισμόν Trjs καρ-δία! αύτών,

39. Καί λέyει αότοί$, Ef Tis θέλει πρώτοs είναι, έσται πάντων έσχατοs, καί πάντων διάκονοs. pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she tind it?

9. And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for 1 have found the piece which I bad lost.

10. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Luke xiv. 7. And he put forth a parable.

8. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

9. And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

10. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then sbalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

11. For whosoever ex-alteth’himself shall be abased ; and he that humhleth himself shall be exalted.

Lukeix. 47. And Jesne, perceiving the thought of their heart,

Mark lx. 39. Andsaith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. she will light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently, till she finds it.

9. And when she finds it, she says to her neighbours, I rejoice, for I have found the dime I had lost.

10. Even so your Father in heaven wishes that not one of these little people be lost.

7. And he said to them,

8. When thou art called to a wedding, do not sit down in the front corner, for it might happen that a more honoured guest than thou is iuviteu;

9. And the host will come and say to thee, Yield thy place to him; for then thou wilt in shame sit down in the lowest place.

10. But when thou art invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, that when the host sees thee, he may say, Friend, sit up higher; then thou wilt be honoured in the presence of the guests.

11. For whoever exalts himself will be abased; and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

47. And Jesus knew their thoughts,

35. And said to them, He who wants to he first will be the last of all, and a servant of all.

Representing to themselves the kingdom of God as something earthly, the disciples dispute again as to who of them is better, and ask, Who is greater ?

Jesus says, It is impossible to be better and greater than another, because the kingdom of God consists in regarding others as better than oneself. The moment a man begins to measure himself with others, asking himself who is better, he places himself in unloving relations, and so at once becomes worse. And so it is not possible to be better in the kingdom of God: this is so from the essence of the kingdom of God, and cannot be otherwise.

Even so, if a guest at a wedding makes for the front corner, he disgraces himself. And if the guest humbles himself and sits down at a distance, he will be brought out and honoured. Aggrandizement is incompatible with what is the kingdom of God.

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON

11. Είπε ‘Ανθρωπόν τιν είχε δύο υίούν

12. Καί eÏTTCv ô νεώτερον αύτών τψ πατρί, Πάτερ, δό$ μοι τδ έπι· βάΧΧον μέρος την ουσίαν, καί διεΐΧεν αυτοί$ τδν βίον.

13. Καί μετ’ ου ποΧ-λάν ημέραν συνα·γα·γών Άπαντα à νεώτερον υΐό$ άπεδημησεν civ χώραν μακράν, καί έκεΐ διασκόρπισε την ούσίαν αύτοΰ, ξών Ασώτων.

14. Δαπανήσαντον δέ αύτοΰ πάντα, βένετο Χιμάν Ισχυρόν κατά την χώραν έκείνην, καί αύτόν ήρξατο ύστερεΐσθαι.

15. Καί πορευθεΐν έκοΧ-Χήθη ένΐ των ποΧιτών

Luke χν. 11. And he said, A certain man had two sons :

12. And the younger of them said to nis father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15. And he went and joined himself to a citi

11. And Jesus said, A certain peasant bad two sons:

12. And the younger of them said to nis father, Father, give me my portion. And the father gave it to him.

13. And soon after the younger son took his whole portion, and went away; and he squandered all his substance.

14. When he had spent all, there arose a great famine in that land; and he began to suffer want.

15. And he joined a citizen; and he sent him την χώραν έκείνην καί επεμφεν αυτόν είν τούν άχρούν αύτοΰ βόσκειν χαίρουν.

16. Καί έπεθύμει ye-μίσαι την κοιΧίαν αύτοΰ άπό των κερατίων ων ησθιον οί χοίροι· καί ού-δείν ^δίδου αύτψ.

17. Έίν έαυτόν δέ έΧ-θών είπε, Πόσοι μίσθιοι του πατρόν μου περισ-σεύουσιν άρτων, ôyù δέ Χιμψ άπόΧΧυμαι ;

18. ’Αναστάν πορεύ-σομαι πρόν τόν πατέρα μου, καί έρώ αύτψ, Πά-τερ, V)μαρτον είν τόν ούρανόν καί ένώπιόν σου·

19. Καί ούκέτι είμΐ άξιον κΧηθηναι υϊόν σου-ποίησόν με ώ$ ένα των μισθίων σου.

20. Καί αγαστά; ηΧθε πρόν τόν πατέρα έαυτοΰ. *Ετι δέ αύτοΰ μακράν άπέχοντον, εϊδεν αύτόν ό πατήρ αύτοΰ, καί ε’σπλαγ-χνίσθη, καί δραμών έπέ-πεσεν έπΐ τόν τράχηΧον αύτοΰ, καί κατεφίΧησεν αύτόν.

21. Είπε δέ αύτψ ό υιόν, Πάτερ, Vfμαρτον είν τόν ούρανόν καί ένώπιόν σου, και ούκέτι είμ 1 άξιον κΧηθηναι υιόν σου.

22. Είπε δέ ό πατήρ πρόν τούν δούΧουν αύτοΰ, ’Εξενέ’γκατε την στοΧην την πρώτην, καί ένδύ-σατε αύτόν, καί δότε δακτύΧιον είν την χεΐρα αύτοΰ, καί ύποδήμα τα είν τούν πόδαν

23. Καί ένέ-γκαντεν τόν μόσχον τόν σιτευτόν θύσατε, καί φαγόν-τεν εύφρανθώμεν· zen of that country; and he sent him into his Helds to feed swine.

16. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17. And when he came to himself, he said. How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and 1 perish with hunger!

18. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son : make me as one of thy hired servants.

20. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: into the leld to herd swine.

16. Nobody gave him anything, and he was glad to eat the acorns that the swine ate.

17. And he reflected, and said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to eat, and 1 perish with hunger!

18. I will go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I am guilty toward God and toward thee,

19. And am not worthy to be called thy son: take me for a hired servant.

20. And he got up and went to his father. And his father recognized him at a distance, and

groaned, and ran toward im, and embraced bis neck, and kissed him.

21. And the son said, Father, I am guilty toward God and toward thee, and am not worthy to be thy son.

22. But the father said to his servants, Bring the best coat, and dress him; and 1 will put a costly ring on his hand, and give him good shoes;

23. And bring the fatted calf, and kill it; and we shall rejoice.

24. “Οτι ol4çt$ ό vlôs μου νεκρός ήν, καί άνέ-ξησε- καί άπολωλώς ήν, καί εύρέθη. κα.1 ήρξαντο εύφραίνεσθαι.

25. ‘ Ην δέ ό υιός αύτοΰ ό π ρεσβύτερος iv àypip-καί ώ$ έρχδμενος ήγγισε τη oîkIçl. ηκουσε συμφωνίας καί χορών·

26. Καί προσκαλεσά-μενος ίνα των παίδων, έπυνθάνετο τί εϊη ταΰτα.

27. Ό δέ είπεν αύτψ, “Οτι ό αδελφός σου ηκει· καί εθυσεν ό πατήρ σου τδν μόσχον τδν σιτευτόν, δτι àyiaivovra αύτδν άπέλαβε ν.

26. Ώργίσ#?? δέ. καί ούκ ηθελεν είσελθεΐν. ό ούν πατήρ αύτοΰ έξελθών παρεκάλει αύτδν.

29. Ό δè άποκριθείς είπε τω πατρί, ’Ιδού, τοσαΰτα er-η δουλεύω σοι, καί ουδέποτε εντολήν σου παρηλθον, καί έμοί ουδέποτε εδωκας εριφον, ϊνα μετά των φίλων μου εύφρανθώ.

30. “Οτε δέ ό υίό$ σου outos ό κaτaφayώv σου τδν βίον μετά πορνών ήλ0εν, εθνσας αύτψ τον μόσχον τδν σιτευτόν.

31. Ό δέ εΤπεν αΰτω, Τέκνον, συ πάντοτε μετ’ έμου εί, καί πάντα τα έμά σά έστιν.

32. Εύφραν0ήναι δέ καί χαρηναι εδει, 6τι ό άδελφδς σου οΰτος νεκρός ήν, καί άνέζησε· καί άπολωλώ$ ήν, καί ευρέθη.

14. Οϋτω$ ούκ έστι θέλημα έμπροσθεν του πατρδς υμών του έν ούρανοΐς, ϊνα άπδληται εΐς των μικρών τούτων.

24. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25. Now his elder son was in the field : and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.

29. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30. But as soon as this thy son was come, which bath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Matt, xviii. 14. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

24. For this son of mine was like one dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found. And he began to be merry.

25. But his elder son was at that time in the field: and as he came up, he heard music and dancing.

26. And he called up a boy, and asked, What is going on at our house?

27. And the boy said, Thy brother has come, and thy father has bad the fatted calf killed, because he has returned safe.

28. And the elder brother was angry, and would not go in. His father went out, and called him.

29. And the elder son said, These many years have I served thee, and have not disobeyed thy command, and thou hast not as much as given me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.

30. But this son of thine has squandered thy possessions with harlots, and as soon as he came home, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31. And the father said to him, Thou art always with me, and all that I have is thine.

32. But how can I help being happy, since thy brother was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.

14. Even so your Father in heaven does not want one man, even the least, to perish.

The son of man came, that is, lives, exists, in order to save what is perishing. His existence is the return of the comprehension of men to himself. In this does his life lie. Those who are with him, are with him, and he does not feel them ; but those who have departed from him, those he calls and seeks.

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD

1. Και ήρξατο αύτοΐς έν παραβολαΐς λέγειν, ’Αμπελώνα έφύτευσεν άνθρωποί, καί περιέθηκε φραγμόν, καί ώρυξεν ύπολήνιον, καί ψκοδό-μησε πύργον, καί έξέδοτο αυτόν γεωργοΐς, καί άπε-δ-ήμησε.

2. Kai άπέστειλε πρός τούς γεωργούς τ<ρ καιρψ δοΰλον, ϊνα παρά των γεωργών λάβη από του καρπού του άμπελώνος·

3. Oi δέ λαβόντες αυτόν έδειραν, καί άπέστειλαν κενόν.

4. Kai πάλιν άπέστειλε πρός αυτού ς, άλλον δοΰλον· κάκεΐνον λιθοβόλήσαντες έκεφα-λαίωσαν, καί άπέστειλαν ητιμωμένον.

5. Kai πάλιν άλλον άπέστειλε· κάκεΐνον άπέ-κτειναν- καί πολλούς άλλους, τούς μέν δέροντες, τούς δέ άποκτείνοντες.

6. Ετι οΰν ‘ένα υιόν εχων αγαπητόν αύτοΰ, άπέστειλε καί αυτόν πρός αυτούς έσχατον, λέγων, “Οτι έντραπησονται τόν υιόν μου.

7. Εκείνοι δέ οί γεωργοί εΐπον πρός εαυτούς,

Mark xii. 1. And be began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it ont to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

2. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

3. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

4. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the bead, and sent him away shamefully handled.

5. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

6. Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

7. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir;

1. And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a garden, and hedged it in, and dug a pond, and built a house, and let it out to peasants, and himself departed.

2. And at the proper time he sent to the peasants a servant, to receive from them by agreement the fruits of the garden.

3. The peasants caught the servant, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

4. The master sent another servant; and they stoned him, and wounded him in the head, and handled him disgracefully, and sent him away.

5. The master sent again another. And they killed him. And they beat and killed many other servants who were sent to them.

6. The master had a beloved son, and finally he sent him to them, saying, Maybe they will respect my son.

7. But the peasants said to themselves, This is the master himself.

Οτι ούτός ίστιν ό κληρονόμον deôre, άποκτεί-νωμεν αυτόν, καί ημών tarai η κλήρονομία.

8. Καί λαβόντες αυτόν άπίκτειναν, καί ίζί-βαλον εξω του άμπελώνος.

9. Tί ούν ποιήσει ό κύριοί τού άμπελώνος ;

41. Aéy ουσιν αύτφ, Κακούς κακώς άπολέσει αυτούς· και τόν αμπελώνα Ικδόσεται ίλλοις yeupyoîi, οΐτινες άποδώ-σουσιν αύτψ τούς καρπούς iv τοΐς καιροΐς αυτών.

42. Aéyei αύτοις ό Ιησούς. θύδίποτε άνέ—

yvvrc εν ταΐς yραφαΐς, * Αίθον $ν άπεδοκίμασαν οι οίκοδομούντες ούτος ^γενήθη εις κεφαλήν yv-νίας· παρά Κυρίου èyé-νετο αϋτη, καί εστι θαυμαστή εν δφθαλμοΐς ημών ; ’

43. Διά τούτο λ^γω ύμίν, ‘ότι άρθήσεται άφ’ υμών ή βασιλεία τού θεού, καί δοθήσεται εθνει π οιούντι τούς καρπούς αύτής.

come, let us kill him, Let us kill aud the inheritance shall be ours.

him, and everything will be ours.

8. And they took him, and killed him, aud cast him out of the vineyard.

9. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do?

Matt. xxi. 41. They say unto him. He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits iu their seasons.

8. And they took him, and killed him, and threw him out of the garden.

S. What was the master of the garden to do?

41. They replied to him, Let him kill these murderers, and let out the garden to others, who will give him the fruits of the garden.

42. Jesus saith unto them. Did ye never read in. the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?»

42. And Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the ‘Scripture, The stone which the builders rejected became the keystone. This keystone is from God, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

43. Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

43. Therefore I tell you, You will be deprived of the kingdom of God, and it will be given to those who bring forth its fruits.

(a) This passage — the reference to the keystone — is based on Psalm CXVIII. :

22. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

23. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

These verses have no definite meaning in the Book of Psalms and do not explain the connection of these verses with the parable. In the New Testament there are three references to the stone in the same sense :

Acts iv. 10. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

11. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

1 Peter ii. 6. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious : and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

Horn. ix. 31. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32. Wherefore ? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone ;

33. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence : and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

In all these passages the meaning of the stone is the foundation of everything, the foundation of life and of the teaching.

The words corner stone as an expression of the foundation of everything are first met with in Isaiah, and so we must quote the passage in Isaiah, to make the present one clear :

14. Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

15. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement ; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us : for we have made lies our refuge, aud under falsehood have we hid ourselves :

16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation : he that believeth shall not make haste.

17. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet : and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.

18. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand.

So this is the meaning of the foundation stone. The stone which will stand against death is justice and righteousness. And this stone, according to the verses of the psalm, men began to build with, but refused. And yet it is given by Clod, and for us it is marvellous.

This parable, which is full of the deepest meaning, is entirely lost on account of the particular meaning which is ascribed to it. The parable directly continues the idea of the preceding one about the labourer who came from the field, — that faith is not based on what men will promise us, but on the knowledge of our relation to God. This relation is expressed in the labourers in the garden, in the labourer coming from the field, and now is expressed from a new side. Jesus places himself on the standpoint of carnal people, who are convinced that life is given to them for their amusement, and who then condemn that spiritual foundation of life which rejects the carnal life. This parable clearly advances the idea, which is expressed in the labourer who hid the talent in the ground, and then scolded the master for being cruel and taking where he had not put away. Jesus expresses, as in all didactic passages, the same fundamental idea of his teaching, that life is a gift of God, a divine principle, and that man, having come to understand this, is able, by uniting with the principle of life, to save his true life. But in this parable Jesus expresses this idea from another side : he shows what becomes of those people who do not understand it and do not wish to understand it. He shows how absurd life becomes for those who imagine that there is but the carnal life. He says, The condition of men in the world is like the condition of the labourers in a garden which is not their own. It is necessary to work, to live. Whether you wish it, or not, you will work, and you will live, but not for yourselves. No matter how you may live and work, you will be working for others, in a stranger’s garden. If you do not acknowledge the master of the garden, him who has sent me hither, and will not do what he has commanded, he will drive you away, and will send others.

The sower sows : some seeds perish, others grow. The men who do not do the will of God, perish, and others are put in their place. The chief significance of the parable is a negative one. Jesus vividly portrays the absurdity of life, if there is no master and no definite will of the master. As soon as men shall forget the master and shall not know him, life will appear as a senseless game : to work all one’s life, to labour for another, to hear certain demands of conscience, which lead to nothing, to drown them, and then to perish. And if we do not recognize the master, there is not any other life, and there cannot be. Life is an absurdity. Life receives a meaning only when people recognize the master and give to him his fruits, when men recognize God, work for him, and unite their life with God’s will.

A master hired some labourers. Some came in the morning, others at noon, others again in the evening. The master gave the same wages to all.

And when those who worked from the morning rebuked the master, the master said, Have I promised you more ? If thou art not satisfied, it is because thou art evil.

Carnal life is given to men that they may lay it down for the non-temporal life. And in laying down one life and receiving another, thou askest what thy reward will be, or why thou hast not the reward which thou wishest to have. AVhen thy servant serves thee, dost thou thank him for it ? Dost thou ask what reward he is to get for it ? He did what he had to do, and he receives the stated reward for his labour, — his food and home.

Even so, no man who has entered into the kingdom of God, who lives by the will of God, can either compare himself with others, or find his reward great or small.

This is the one true life, the one good, and there can be no greater and no smaller good.

5. K al dirov ol απόστολοι τφ Kυρίψ, ΙΙρόσ-Oes ήμΐν ττίστιν.

6. Eire 8è ό Κύριο$, ΕΖ et%ct€ ττίστιν ώΐ κόκκον σινάπεως, éXéyere àv ττ) σνκαμίνψ ταΰττ), ’Εκριξωθητι, καί φντεύ-θητι ίν ττ) Θαλάσστ)· καί ΰπήκονσίν àv ΰμΐν.

Luke xvii. 5. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

6. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as» a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.»

5. And the disciples said to Jesus, Cause us to believe.

6. And Jesus said, If you had faith like a birch seed, you would say, Tree, £o and transplant thyself into the sea, and it would obey you.

(α) ώς means like, that is, the faith, the likeness of which I represent by a mustard seed. A mustard seed can by no means be taken as a picture of the smallest thing. It is never used in this sense: a mustard seed is used in the sense of the resemblance to the kingdom of heaven, which is found within men, and here it must have the same significance.

(b) The last part of the verse ought to be interrogative. From the construction of the Greek sentence, these words may be rendered by, You would say, and it would obey ; but then the conjunction καί is wanting before ελεγετε. But if these words are rendered in an interrogative form, the particle μη is wanting. Neither translation is exact, but with the first we get no meaning, while with the second the meaning is clear, and continuous with the rest of the speech.

This passage, which appears so monstrously senseless according to the interpretation of the church, is especially important, because it gives an exact definition of what Jesus calls faith. The church sees in this nothing but the possibility of doing miracles (Gospel of Luke, pp. 488 and 489):

Increase our faith: Add to our faith, strengthen our faith. The demand of the Lord that our neighbour be forgiven his transgressions, in case of his repentance, seemed difficult of execution to the apostles, so that they felt here the need of having their faith strengthened, and asked the Lord for it. The all-forgiveness of our neighbour is a high triumph of love, the highest victory over egoism ; and such a triumph, such a victory can be only the fruit of strong faith.

If ye had, etc. : The Lord does not therewith deny the presence of faith in the souls of his disciples, but at the same time shows how distant their faith is from that stage on which they were to enter in time, and on which they actually entered.

This sycamine tree: Obviously the Lord pointed to some sycamine tree which was growing near by.

It should obey you : The tree is represented as though it were alive and rational ; it would obey the command of the apostles, if they reached the degree of faith necessary for it.

But which of you. etc. : The connection of this parable with the preceding instruction of the Saviour is as follows: Your faith, when it has grown in your soul, will be such that it will produce great miracles ; but take care of yourselves : beware of pride and self-conceit as to your own’deserts, that you may not lose the fruits of such faith.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. L, pp. 507 and 508) :

Dans le troisième fragment, la réponse ne va pas bien à la question. Il serait possible que Luc, ne connaissant pas l’occasion dans laquelle Jésus avait fait sa déclaration assez paradoxale, ait supposé, de son chef, qu’elle avait été provoquée par une question des disciples. En tout cas, le passage parallèle (Matt. xvii. 20) nous empêchera de traduire cette question par : Augmente notre foi! à quoi Jésus aurait répondu: un peu suffit, pourvu qu’elle soit vivante et réelle. Mais le peu dont parle Jésus n’est pas opposé à une demande de plus ; il est opposé à rien du tout. Il reprochait aux disciples de n’avoir pu opérer de guérison faute de foi. Ils pouvaient donc lui dire : Donne-nous-en ! Mais que cette demande ait été formulée ou non, Jésus n’y répond pas, par une très-simple raison : la foi ne se donne pas de la main à la main (quoi qu’en disent les théologiens) ; elle vient du dedans, elle naît spontanément, et sa puissance est telle que, pour parler d’une manière figurée, la plus petite quantité, le germe déjà, suffit pour faire l’impossible. Celui qui en est à la demander, ne la possède pas, autrement il se sentirait aussi la puissance qu’elle confère. La réponse de Jésus, en supposant la demande faite réellement, contient donc implicitement un refus et un regret.

This passage has a deep significance. The disciples say, Increase our faith. And he tells them what faith is. He says, If you had the faith which I defined to you by the semblance of the mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds, from which grow the largest trees, you would not be looking for more faith. The faith, which is like the mustard seed, is the faith in this, that the seed which seems the smallest is the germ of what is immense, the faith in this, that what is least noticeable in you, life, the spirit, is a germ of the true life. If you believed in this, that is, if you knew it as unquestionably as you know that a tree will grow out of the mustard seed, you would not be asking for an increase of faith. Faith is an unquestionable knowledge. And here he utters those words which can have a double explanation. If the last words of Verse 6 mean what the church understands by them, he says, If you had such faith, you would not be asking, and nothing would appear remarkable to you ; but if these words have an interrogative sense, then he says, Faith is indubitable knowledge, so that if you know what you are, if you know that you have within you the germ of the spirit of God, according to the parable of the mustard seed, then you need no miracles. There can be nothing more miraculous than that there is in you a germ of the spirit of God. Thus, in either version, this verse points to this, that the foundation of everything is the consciousness of the spirit of God, and that there can be nothing more miraculous and more convincing than that. Then the subsequent parable of the labourer coming from the field follows directly from it. The whole truth of the mustard seed is this, that within thee there is a germ of God, that within is the son of man, sent to thee from God, and all thou hast to do is to fulfil that for which thou art sent.

7. Tis δέ έξ ΰμων δοΰ-Lukexvii.l. Butwhich 7. If thou hast a a of you, having a servant labourer ploughing or Χον εχων άροτριωντα r) p^ghing or feeding herding and he returns

ποιμαίνοντα, os είσελ-Θδντι έκ του άγροΰ έρεΐ ευθέως, άνά—

πεσαι·

8. ’Αλλ’ ούχί έρεΖ αύ-τφ, Ετοίμασαν τί δειπνήσω, καί περιξωσάμε-νος διακδνει μοι, Hcos φά-γω καί πίω· καί μετά ταΰτα φάγεσαι καί πίε-σαι σύ ;

9. Μη χάριν εχει τφ δούλψ έκείνφ, δτι έποίησε τα διαταχθέντα αύ-τψ ; οι) δοκω.

10. Οΰτω καί υμείς, δταν ποιήσητε πάντα τά διαταχθέντα ύμίν, λέγετε, Οτι δούλοι άχρείοί έσμεν· δτι 6 ώφείλομεν ποιήσαι πεποιήκαμεν.

cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

8. And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till 1 have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

9. Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

from the field, wilt thou say to him at once, Seat thyself at the table?

8. No, thou wilt say, Friend, get my supper ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; and then sit down thyself, and eat and drink.

9. Dost thou thank the labourer very much, because he has done what thou hast commanded him to do? Hardly.

10. Even so you, when you shall have done what you are commanded to do, must think of yourselves that you have not done more than unprofitable labourers, and only what was wanted of you.

What we call the earthly life is death. To-day, tomorrow, it will come to an end. We need only reflect on what we can acquire in it, in order to understand that everything of this earth is like the beginning of a structure which we cannot finish, and that its significance is only the possibility of life in God, which is not destroyed. We must make use of this possibility ; in this alone does the true life lie. Whether it is good or bad ; whether we like it or not ; whether, according to our ideas, we find it just or not, is a matter of indifference : it is so, and there is nothing else. When we find this unjust, it is so because we measure it with an earthly measure. In the true life there is no greater and no lesser. He says, A good master gives alike to all, both to those who work since the morning and to those who work since noon. And thou art offended, because the master is good. Evidently thou art evil, if thou canst not comprehend the true good, which does not measure and reward, but pours forth everywhere and at all times. And he says to them, Thou askest what thy reward will be ; consequently thou wan test thanks from somebody. For what does this gratitude belong to thee? For doing what thou shouldst do in order to live ? For this thou wantest gratitude? If thou wantest to look upon God, as the labourer looks upon his master, look that way. The labourer works, and for the work he is fed, and that is all. Maybe we should like to sit on thrones in heaven, and have a hundred wives, and all that ; but it is not my fault, not 1 have invented this, that it is impossible to have it, that all this is death. To-day thou livest; tomorrow thou wilt be dead and rotten, and nothing will be left. That is so, and thou canst not escape from it.

In this world of death I teach you how to obtain the true life ; amidst perdition I give you the plank of salvation. And you ask, What will be my reward, because thou hast saved me ? Ask for no reward, but » try to save thyself.

OF THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

20. ’Aπεκρίθη αύτoî?, καί εΐπεν, Ούκ έρχεται ή βασιλεία του θεού μετά παρατηρήσεων

21. Ουδέ έροΰσιν, ’Ιδού ώδε, ή, ’Ιδού έκεΐ. ιδού yàp, ή βασιλεία του θεού έντδ? υμών ίστιν.

22. Είπε δέ τrpô? τού? μαθητάς, Έλεύσονται ήμίραι, 8τε Επιθυμήσετε μίαν των ήμερων του υίου του άνθρώπου ίδεΐν, και ούκ δψεσθε.

23. Καί Ερουσιν ύμιν, Ιδού ώδε, ή, ’Ιδού Εκεΐ· μή άπΕλθητε, μηδδ διώ-ξητε. *

24. ‘Ωσπερ yàp ή αστραπή ή άστράπτουσα Εκ τή? υπ’ ούρανδν εις τήν

Luke xvii. 20. He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation :

21. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

22. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days-of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23. And* they shall say to you, See here! or, See there ! go not after them, nor follow them.

24. For as the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the

20. He said to them. The kingdom of Goa does not come through anything happening.

21. You will not be told, Here it is; or, There it is; for it is within you.

22. And be said to the disciples, The time will come, when you will wish to see one of the days of salvation of the son of man, and you will not see it.

23. And if they said to you. Here it is, there it is, do not go after it, do not seek it.

24. For it shines like lightning from one end or the heavens to the other. Let the son of ύπ’ ούρανδν λάμπει, ούτως εσται καί ό uios τού άνθρώπου Εν τή ήμΕρ$ι αύτ ου.

25. Πρώτον δέ δε? αυτόν πολλά παθείν, και άποδοκιμασθήναι άπδ τής γενεά? ταΰτης.

other partunderheaven ; so also shall the Son of man be in his day.

man be such in the day of his salvation.

25. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected* of this generation.**

25. But first ho must suffer and boar from his birth.

(α) η μέρα in the plural, according to the Jewish idea, means life, as can be clearly seen from the following :

Heb. v. 7. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared ;

Heb. vii. 3. Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life ; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Luke i. 7. And they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren; and they both were now well stricken in years.

But here ημέρα has the meaning of day of salvation, that is, of the means of salvation, or simply salvation.

Such a meaning is defined by Luke xvii. 27 and 28, and Matt. xxiv. 37, where it says that the day of the son of man will be the same as the day for Noah and Lot, when the first entered into the ark, and the second came out of Sodom.

The same meaning of ημέρα occurs in :

2 Cor. vi. 2. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time ; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

(b) Many texts have here èàv.

(c) άττοδο/αμασθήναι is translated by to be rejected, which this word has never meant, and never can mean. It means to demand, investigate, try. diro means separation from, completion.

(d) yevea means birth.

The discourse was begun about death, and is continued here. It says that man will inevitably die and perish, if he does not save himself through the teaching of Jesus. Wherein does this salvation consist ? In exalting the spirit. How is the spirit to be exalted ? And he says to them, The kingdom of God is neither here nor there, — it is within you. The time will come, when you shall feel the inevitableness of death and shall seek salvation, but you will not find what is passed. If they shall tell you, Here, there is salvation, do not believe them : the salvation of the son of man flashes suddenly, like lightning ; it is within you ; it is only in the present moment of life ; it is in the spirit, for which there is no time. Let man seek salvation in this present. And first of all let him suffer and endure much.

26. Kai καθώς iyi-vero iv rats ήμέραις του Νώε, ούτως εσται και έν τάΐς ήμέραις του υιού του ανθρώπου.

27. Ήσθιον, επινον, ίγάμουν, t&yaf.άξαντο, Λχρι Hî ημέρας είσηλθε Νώε είς την κιβωτόν, καί ήλθεν ό κατακλυσμός, καί άπώλεσεν άπαντας.

28. ‘Ομοίως καί ώ; èytvcTO εν τάΐς ημέραις Λώτ· ησθιον, Σπίνον, yybpaÇov, έπώλουν, έφύ-τευον, ψκοδόμουν

29. ΤΗ δέ ήμέρφ έξηλ-θε Λώτ από Σοδόμων, εβρεξε πυρ και θειον απ’ ούρανοΰ, καί άπώλεσεν άπαντας·

30. Κατά ταΰτα εσται η η μέρη, δ υιός του Ανθρώπου αποκαλύπτεται.

Luke xvii. 26. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days» of the Son of man.

26. And as it was in the life of Noah, so it will be in the day of salvation of the son of man.

27. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the hood came, and destroyed them all.

28. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

30. Even thus shall it be in the day» when the Son of man is revealed.

27. They ate, they drank, they married, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28. Even so it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

29. But on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone, and all were destroyed.

30. Even thus it will be in the day when the son of man is revealed.

(a) lu many texts ήμερα is given in the singular. Obviously ήμερα σωτηρίας is meant here.

(-) ή ή μέρα on the day in which the son of man is revealed. The day of the revelation of the human spirit is the same as the day of Noah and of Lot, that is, the day when they learned of their salvation.

Just as Noah and Lot were saved, so will man be saved when he has learned the meaning of the life of man, when he shall understand that life is in the spirit. Even so nothing changes or will be changed in the world, when each, having exalted the spirit of the son of man within him, leaves the cares of the world and steps out of it. And as the men perished who did not go out of it in the time of Lot, so the men of this world will perish if they have not transferred their life into the spirit of the son of man.

The coming of the son of man, or his declaration, is the manifestation of the life of the spirit, for which there is no death. And so what is meant by the coming of the son of man is death. The carnal death is, as it were, the separation of life from what is dead, like the flood and the rain of fire. All this passage is what in the language of the church is generally called the completion of time, the end of the world.

This is what Reuss says about this place (Vol. L, pp. 609-611):

D’après nos textes, Jésus aurait prédit: 1° la ruine de Jérusalem ; 2° son propre retour pour l’établissement éclatant de son royaume ; 3° la connexité de ces deux faits ; 4° leur proximité ou leur accomplissement pendant l’existence de la génération contemporaine. Or, il faut avant tout remarquer que ces textes ne sont pas les seuls du Nouveau Testament qui parlent de ces choses, et qu’on aurait tort de négliger les nombreux passages parallèles qui peuvent servir à l’intelligence de notre péricope. A la vérité, il n’est question nulle part ailleurs de la destruction de Jérusalem, et l’auteur de l’Apocalypse promet très-explicitement la conservation du temple. En revanche, la perspective de la prochaine fin du monde, de la parousie du Christ pour une époque antérieure à l’extinction totale de la présente génération, revient souvent et chez presque tous les auteurs du premier siècle ; l’Evangile selon Saint-jean est le seul livre qui ne reproduise pas cette idée. Dans nos évangiles synoptiques mêmes nous l’avons déjà rencontrée plusieurs fois.

Or la prédiction, ainsi formulée et comprise, ne s’étant point réalisée, on a cherché différents moyens de sauvegarder l’autorité du texte, malgré cet embarras provenant de la nature des faits positifs. Les orthodoxes ont dit que Jésus est revenu d’une manière invisible lors de la ruine de Jérusalem. Le^ rationalistes ont dit qu’il parle uniquement de celle-ci et non d’une parousie ultérieure. Les théoriciens du juste-milieu ont prétendu que la difficulté n’est qu’apparente, en ce que ce n’est pas l’époque, mais les faits en eux-mêmes qui ont été l’objet de la prophétie. La lettre du texte renverse toutes ces échappatoires : elle parle d’une parousie visible, postérieure à la ruine de Jérusalem, mais la suivant immédiatement.

Reste donc le dilemme que voici : Ou bien Jésus s’est trompé, ou bien nous ne sommes pas bien renseignés sur ce qu’il a dit. Et dans ce dernier cas, ou bien il n’a pas du tout prononcé des paroles telles que nous les lisons ici, ou bien ce qu’il a pu dire a été imparfaitement compris. Mais, en présence de tous les autres témoignages, il sera tout aussi impossible de regarder ceux-ci comme de pures inventions, qu’il serait téméraire de le traiter lui de visionnaire et d’enthousiaste, alors que tant de paroles incontestablement authentiques constatent son admirable sagacité et sa merveilleuse pénétration à l’égard des destinées réservées à sa cause. Ce n’est donc que la dernière alternative qui mérite d’être sérieusement prise en considération. Or, il est de fait que l’auditoire auquel Jésus s’adressait était imbu d’idées préconçues sur l’avenir; ces idées, loin de s’affaiblir sous l’influence des autres éléments de l’enseignement du maître, gagnaient en force et en vivacité, à mesure que les convictions relatives à sa personne et à sa dignité messianique devenaient plus énergiques. D’un autre côté, Jésus, alors même qu’il tâchait d’élever ses disciples à des points de vue plus spiritualistes, ne jugeait pas nécessaire d’éviter absolument les formes populaires, les images familières au commun de ses auditeurs. On sera donc autorisé à admettre que son enseignement, en tant qu’il avait en nie l’avenir, comprenait: 1 ° la prédiction positive d’une catastrophe nationale, terrible et définitive ; 2° la perspective des destinées de l’Evangile, représentées comme une manifestation permanente, sensible, visible même de son esprit et de sa puissance ; et 3° les conseils pratiques à donner à chacun individuellement au sujet de ses rapports avec le royaume à venir, conseils d’autant plus pressants que ses rapports pouvaient dépendre de la durée très-incertaine de l’existence actuelle d’un chacun.

As I have not the same point of view as Reuss, for whom the personality of Christ is of interest, I am also unable to share his opinion that Jesus wanted to predict something. For us Christians it is immaterial whether he meant to prophesy something or not ; what is important for us to know is what he taught. And what he did teach, as Reuss concludes quite correctly, is that the day of salvation of the son of man comes for every man in the same way in which it came for Noah. There can be no doubt but that Jesus Christ was speaking simply of the death of every man, an event of far greater importance to humanity than the knowledge of the heavens. What furnishes an unquestionable proof of this is the fact that in all the gospels this passage is immediately followed by admonitions as to being at all times ready for death. It is difficult to make out in what manner the accretion about the strange external events was made to this discourse; but it is only natural that such an accretion should have happened among people who did not comprehend the sense of the discourse.

Much may be added to those contradictions which Reuss cites. One of these things is especially remarkable, and excludes the possibility of admitting these verses about the external miracles which are performed. In Verse 20 it says clearly that the kingdom of God will not come with outward signs. In order to accept the verse about the tokens it is necessary to reject the verses about the kingdom of God being within us.

31 ’Ep εκείνη rri Luke xvii. 31. In that 31. In the day of salva-, . ’ . „ , > dav, he which shall be tion he who is on the

ημίρφ, ü! tarai tiri του u.,‘on the housetop, and roof, and his clothes in

δώματος, καί τά σκεύη his stuff in the house, the house, let him not

αυτου ίυ τη OÎKÎÇι, μη let him not come down come down to fetch καταβάτω αραι αυτά· καί ό ίν τψ άγρψ ομοίως μη έπιστρεψάτω εις τά όπίσω.

32. Μνημονεύετε της Ύυναικός Λώτ.

to take it away: and he that is in the held, let him likewise not return back.

32. Remember Lot’s wife.

them; and he who is in the held, let him not look back.

32. Remember Lot’s wife (she looked back, hated to lose what was of earth, and so perished).

He who looks back, having taken hold of the plough, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. When the meaning of the life of the spirit and of the life of the flesh, that is, the son of man, is revealed, man, having come to see that his life is perishing, like Noah and Lot, must not look back, but go on, and throw away everything ; and that there may be no doubt as to the meaning of the whole speech Jesus adds:

33. “Or éàv ξητήσrj την ψυχήν αυτού σωσαι, άπολόσει αυτήν· και δς εάν άπολόση αυτήν, £“ωο-7ονήσει αυτήν.

3. Μαθημένου δέ αυτού επί τού όρους των ελαίων, προσήλθον αύτιρ οΐ μαθηται κατ ιδίαν, λέγοντες, Είττ£ ήμΐν, πότε ταύτα εσται ; και τί τό σημεΐον τής σής παρουσίας, και τής συντέλειας τού αίωνος.

Luke xvii. 33. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Matt. xxlv. 3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming,0 and of the end* of the world?

33. Whoever wants to save his earthly life will lose it; and whoever loses it, will give it an increase, — eternity.

3. And as he sat on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came privately to him, and said, Tell us, when will it be, and what is the sign of the coming of thy teaching and of the getting of the eternal life?

(a) the word thy is to be understood in the sense of thy teaching.

(-) συντέλεια means accomplishment ; αιών means eternity, and so these words mean the getting of the eternal life.

The disciples ask, Thou promisest the eternal life, and since thou sayest that nothing visible will take place, how are we to know whether we have attained this eternal life and when ?

This verse is from one of the chapters which are generally called, The completion of the world. An analysis of these chapters may be seen in all the critics of the Gospel.

These chapters represent a complicated series of stratifications, which are foreign to the fundamental idea. I leave from these chapters according to the synoptics whatever is left, that is, whatever has a definite meaning. The impossibility of giving any explanation for them and of unravelling the contradiction is evident.to every reader -without any preconceived notions and is partly given in Reuss.

The formation of these chapters, in my opinion, is as follows: there are very few additions by the writers, or passages which have lost their meaning, but there is a transposition of verses from one place to another. In viewing this chapter according to the synoptics, we get the following: Matt. xxiv. 1-4, and the corresponding verses from Mark and Luke, have for their purpose the rejection of the temple, which is expounded in the second chapter of John. Outside of Verse 4, in which we have a question, to which Jesus replies, and from Verse 6 to Verse 14, the basis is formed by a discourse to the disciples on sending them out to preach. From Verse 15 to Verse 25 we obviously have an interpolation according to the introductory words of Mark in Chap. xiii. 11; Verses 26-29 are a repetition of what has been said about the inward kingdom of God; Verses 29-31 are predictions which refer to something material and which bear the seal of the distortion of some other idea. After these verses everything becomes again intelligible. And only for the greater connection of ideas do I find it better to place the parable of the fig-tree after the words that no one knows the time.

The meaning of the preceding is this, that, having explained that the kingdom of God appears outside time, suddenly, in the spirit of man, Jesus says again that for the manifestation of the kingdom of God in the spirit of man there can be no place and no time.

32. Τϊερ’ι δέ τής ημέρας έκείνης καί της ώρας ούδε’ις οϊδεν, ούδέ οι &y-yeXoi οι έν ούρανφ, ούδέ ό νίδς.

37. Καί άποκριθέντες Xéyovaiv αΰτψ, Που, κύ· ριε ; ό δέ έιπεν αΰτοις, “Οπου τό σώμα, έκεΐ συναχθήσονται οί άετοί.

Mark xiii. 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man. no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Luke xvii. 37. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together

32. And no one knows of the day of salvation and of the time, neither the powers of God, nor the son.

37. And again they said to him, Where? And he said to them, Where the carcass is, there the crows gather.

I omit the words of Verses 34, 35, and 36 of Luke xvii., where it speaks of one who shall be taken, and the other left. The idea which is expressed by these words is the same which is given in the discourse of the sending forth of the disciples, namely, that the teaching of Jesus will produce a division.

The irrelevant interpolation of this verse in this place may be explained by the fact that the whole passage, about the end and completion of the world, being understood by the writers in a material way, is composed of interpolations from various places, as will appear from what follows.

That these verses are an interpolation is confirmed by the fact that the question of the disciples, Where ? cannot refer to these verses, for there it says where : in one bed, in the mill, in the field ; in Verse 33, the words, Whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it, show what the word, Where ? refers to, — to preserve the life where ? And to this question Jesus replies, Nowhere. For the kingdom of God there is no place.

If you speak of what happens in the world, everything in the world is dead and carcasses, and where the carcasses are, there the crows gather.

The kingdom of God does not come in a visible manner. It is impossible to say of it, Here it is ; There it is. But if you wish to see in time the son of God, that is, the kingdom of God, and you do not find it, and will be told, Here it is, There it is, do not go, and do not believe. It is outside time and space. Look within yourselves. Like lightning, the sudden Hash from heaven to heaven will illuminate your souls. But first you must suffer and endure much. And, as in the days of Noah and Lot, when you shall be very close to perdition, as close as were Lot and Noah, then the son of man will appear in you. And whenever and wherever this inner light shall reach you, do not turn back to your former life.

But what proof have we that we have already received this life, that it has already come to us, is what the disciples ask. He says, Nobody knows, for it cannot be proved. It is impossible to say where it will be. Where ? we may say of the carcass, of the crows, but for what is spiritual there is no space, as there is no time. You will understand an example :

28. Από δέ της συκής μάθετε την παραβολήν· όταν αυτής ήδη ό κλάδος απαλός y ένηται, καί έκφύη τα φύλλα, yivû-σκετε δτι έyyυς τό θέρος έστίν·

29. Οΰτω καί υμείς, όταν ταΰτα ΐδητε yινό-μενα, yiviba^re δτι éy-yύς έστιν έπΐ θύραις.

28. ’ Αρχομένων δέ τούτων 7^σ0αι, άνακύ-φάτε καί έπάρατε τάς κεφαλάς υμών· διότι éy-y ίζ’ει ή άπολύτρωσις υμών.

Mark xiii. 28. Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

28. When the branches of the fig-tree become soft, and the leaves begin to come out, you know that summer is near.

29. So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Luke xxi. 28. And when these things begin to come to pass,—then look up, and lift up your beads,6 for your redemption draweth nigh.

29. So you, when you will see that these things have come to pass, shall know that the kingdom of God is at the door.

28. But when these things come to pass, straighten yourselves up and lift up your eyes, for your salvation is near.

(a) Hare come to pass is generally explained by saying that everything which has been prophesied heretofore has

come to pass ; but these predictions did not come to pass (are not comprehensible). It does not say πάντα ταύτα, but simply ταΰτα, consequently ταυτα refers to what is said of the fig-tree. Jesus says, The only proof of summer is life. The only proof of the kingdom of God is the union with the will of God, it is the life in the will of God.

(0 Many texts have eyes.

I place this verse here, as it contains an explanation of the parable of the fig-tree. There are no proofs, except the consciousness of the life in God ; this consciousness is expressed in deeds, as the growth of leaves takes place in the spring. When you feel this, when you lift up your eyes and are not afraid, then you may know that your salvation has begun.

This is the one token, the one proof.

1. “Ελεγε δέ καί παραβολήν αύτοΐς πρδς τό δεΐν πάντοτε προσεύχε-σθαι, καί μη έκκακεΐν.

2. Έϊπε δέ αύτοΐς, Οταν προσεύχησθε, λέγετε, Πάτερ ημών ό έν τοΐς ούρανοΐς, αΊΐασθήτω τό όνομά σον έλθέτω η βασιλεία σου· ·γενηθτ]τω τό θέλημά σου, ώς έν ού-ρανψ, καί έπί τής γης.

3. Τόρ Αρτον ημών τδν έπιούσιον δίδου ημΐν τό καθ’ ημέραν.

4. Καί άφες ημΐν ràs αμαρτίας ημών, καί yàp αυτοί άφίεμεν παντί όφεί-λοντι ημΐν·και μη είσενέy-κης ημάς εις πειρασμόν, αλλά ρΰσαι ημάς άπδ του πονηρού.

OF PRAYER

Lukexvïii. 1. And be spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray,— and not to faint ;

Luke xi. 2. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.* Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done,— as in heaven, so in earth.

3. Give us day by day our daily* bread.-

4. And forgive/ us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

1. And Jesus gave them an instruction to this end, that men should always pray, and never stop.

2. And Jesus said to them, When you pray, say, Father, be holy in us. Thy kingdom come, that is, thy will be done. Thy spirit come down upon us and cleanse us.

3. Give us the food of the spirit, which gives us life.

4. And do not request everything of us which we owe, for we do not request of those who owe us. Have no accounting with us.

11. Τίνα δέ υμών τδν πατέρα αιτήσει ό υΐδς άρτον, μη λίθον έπιδώσει αύτψ ; εί καί ίχθύν, μή άντί ιχθύος δφιν έπιδώσει αυτφ ;

12. Ή καί έάν αίτηση ώόν, μή έπιδώσει αύτιρ σκορπίον;

13. ΕΖ ούν ύμεΐς πονηροί υπάρχοντες οίδατε àyaOà δόματα διδόναι τοΐς τέκνοις υμών, πδσψ μάλλον ο πατήρ ο έξ ουρανού δώσει ΙΙ^ευμα “A yiov τοΐς αίτούσιν αύτόν ;

5. Καί είπε πρδς αυτούς, TZs έξ υμών έξει φίλον, καί πορεύσεται πρδς αύτδν μεσονυκτίου, καί είπη αύτψ, Φίλε, χρήσόν μοι τρεις άρτους,

6. Επειδή φίλος μου πapεyέvετo έξ οδού πρδς με, καί ούκ εχω δ παρα-θήσω αύτίρ·

7. Κ άκεΐνος εσωθεν άποκριθείς εΐπη, MtJ μοι κόπους πάρεχε· ήδη ή θύρα κέκλεισται, καί τά παιδία μου μετ’ έμού εις τήν κοίτην είσίν-ου δύναμαι άναστάς δούναί σοι ;

8. Α^γω ύμΐν, εί καί ού δώσει αύτψ άναστάς διά τό είναι αυτού φίλον, διά ye τήν άναίδειαν αυτού έyεpθεlς δώσει αύτφ δσων χρήξει.

9. Κάγώ ύμΐν λέyω. Αιτείτε, καί δοθήσεται ύμΐν· ζητείτε, καί εύρήσετε- κρούετε, καί άνοι-yήσετaι ύμΐν.

2. Aéyuv, Κριτής τις ήν εν τινι πδλει, τδν θεόν μή φοβούμενος, καί άνθρωπον μή έντρεπόμε-νος.

11. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12. Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

5. And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6. For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and “I have nothing to set before him?

7. And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I can*nt rise and give thee.

8. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he need-eth.

9. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given vou ; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Luke xviii. 2. Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared hot God, neither regarded man :

11. If any son will ask bread of any of you who is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he asks a fish, will he give him a snake?

12. Or if he asks an egg, will he give him a spider?

13. If yon live badly, and know how to give gifts to your children; so much the more will God give the holy spirit to those who ask him.

5. And be said to them, If thou hast a neighbour, and goest to him at midnight, and sayest to him, Friend, give me three loaves,

6. For a friend of mine is stopping with me in his journey, and I have nothing to set before him ;

7. That neighbour will not say from within, Do not trouble me : the door is already shut, and the children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you the loaves.

8. 1 suppose, if he will not get up because of his friendship and give it, he will jump up because of his shame (before him) and give him what he wants.

9. And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given to you; who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it is opened.

2. He said, There was in a city a judge, who neither feared God, nor was ashamed before men.

3. Χήρα δί τις ήν év τή πόλει έκείνη, καί ήρ-χετο πρδς αυτόν, λήγουσα, Έκδίκησόν με από του άντιδίκου μου.

4. Καί ούκ ήθέλησεν έπΐ χρόνον-μετά δό ταΰ-τα είπεν ^ν ε’αυτιρ, ΕΖ καί τόν θεόν οΰ φοβούμαι, καί άνθρωπον ούκ {ντρέπομαι—

5. Διά γε τό παρέχειν μοι κόπον την χήραν ταύτην, έκδικήσω αυτήν, ίνα μή εί; τ Aos έρχομένη ύπωπιάζη με.

6. Είπε δό ό Κύριο$, ’Ακούσατε τί ό κριτής τής αδικίας λέyει’

7. Ό δέ θεό$ ου μή ποιήσει τήν έκδίκησιν των έκλεκτών αΰτου των βοώντων πρδς αυτόν ημέρας καί νυκτδς, καί μακρόθυμων έπ’ αύτοίς ;

8. Λύγω ΰμιν, ότι ποιήσει τήν έκδίκησιν αυτών έν τάχει. πλήν ό υίό; του ανθρώπου Α0ών άρα εύρήσει τήν πίστιν έπί τής γής ;

22. Είπε δέ πρδς τούς μαθητάς αΰτου, Διά τούτο ΰμιν λ^γω, μή μεριμνάτε τή φυχή υμών,

25. Τί$ δό έξ υμών μεριμνών δύναται προσ-θεΐναι επί τήν ήλικίαν αΰτου πήχυν ένα ;

31. Πλήν ζητείτε τήν βασιλείαν του θεού, καί ταΰτα πάντα προστεθή-σεται ύμΐν.

35. “Εστιασαν υμών αί όσφύες περιεζωσμέναι, και οι λύχνοι καιόμενοι—

36. Καί ύμεΐς όμοιοι άνθρώποις προσδεχομέ-νοις τόν κύριον εαυτών,

3.’And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

4. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saitb.s

7. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless,* when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?»

Luke xii. 22. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life,

25. And which of you with taking thought can add to bis stature one cubit?/

31. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.

35. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

36. And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the

3. And there was a widow in that city, and she kept going to the Judge and saying to him, uage between me and him who has offended me.

4. And for a long time the judge would not judge; but afterward he said to himself, Though I do not fear God, and do not regard men,

5. Yet that I may not be annoyed by this widow, I will decide the case, lest she lose her patience and scratch out my eyes.

6. And Jesus said. Hear what the judge or unrighteousness said.

7. How, then, will God not act righteously with his own elect, who cry day and night to him, and endure.

8. I tell you that he will treat them righteously at once. Besides, the son of man will come and find faith on earth.

22. And he said to his disciples. Therefore take no thought for your life.

25. Who of you with taking thought can add one hour to his life?

31. Seek only to be in the will of God, and everything else will come of itself.

35. Be girded and ready, and let the night candles burn all the time.

36. Be always like servants, when they wait for their master to return from a visit, that, when πότε αναλύσει έκ τών yάμωv. Ινα, έλθόντος καί κρούσαντος, ευθέως άνοί-ξωσιν αύτψ.

37. Μακάριοι οΐ δούλοι έκεΐνοι, ούς έλθών ό κύριος εύρήσει Ίρη^ορούν-τας. άμήν λέyω ύμΐν, οτι περιζώσεται καί άνακλι-νεΐ αυτούς, καί παρελθων διακονήσει αύτοίς.

38. Καί έάν ίλθη έν τή δευτέρμ φυλακή, καί έν τή τρίτη φυλακή ελθη, καί εύρη ούτω, μακάριοί είσιν οι δούλοι έκεΐνοι.

39. Τούτο δό γινώ-σκετε, δτι εί ήδει ό οικοδεσπότης ποίμ ώρς. ό κλέπτης έρχεται, {yρη· yόpησεv άν, και ούκ άν άφήκε διο pυyήvaι τόν οίκον αυτού.

40. Καί ύμεΐς ούν y’i-νεσθε έτοιμοι· ό’τι ή ώρμ ού δοκεΐτε, ό υίό; του άνθρώπου έρχεται. wedding; that, when he Cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

(a) The first meaning of προσεύχομαι is to wish, seek, strive after something. Since it says that we must pray only about the Holy Spirit, we must also remember that the prayer, the wish, must be only about this, that God may give us the possibility of being in the kingdom of God, that is, of the Holy Spirit. In this verse I changed the word parable to instruction, because the instruction about the manner of praying is given here ; and the parables of Luke xi. without the slightest doubt make reference to the same.

(b) Many texts have έφ* ημάς, which gives a clearer meaning.

(c) Some verses have thg will, others again, thy spirit in us, and purify us.

(d) άρτος means the feeding of the spirit.

37. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watchiug: verily 1 say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh* at an hour when ye think not. he knocks, they may open to him at once.

37. Happy are the servants, whom the master finds prepared. You know yourselves that he will make them sit down at the table, and will serve them.

38. And if he comes at the first, the second, or the third hour, the servants will always be satisfied.

39. You know, that if the householder knew when the thief would come, he would not sleep, and would not allow the house to be broken into.

40. Even thus be you ready, for you do not know the time when the son of man will go away.

(e) €πιούσιο<ζ occurs but once, and only here. From the composition it means what gives existence.

(/) Do not demand of us what we owe thee.

We owe the life of the comprehension and do not give up our whole carnal life for the comprehension, and so we are insolvent debtors. There is one thing we can do, and that is, not to have an accounting with his children, with men, so that God may not have an accounting with us.

(<?) The emphasis is here on the word unrighteousness. Remember that it is a judge of unrighteousness who said this. Even the judge of xenrighteousncss was compelled to do righteousness.

(h) ττλήν here means besides.

(r) The question-mark only obscures the meaning.

Pray always, seek, strive. Even the unrighteous judge is afraid of the poor widow and does her will, so how will God not do what he is asked to do ? And even if there is no God in heaven, it is impossible not to believe in the son of man in the souls of men.

(f) Verses 26-30 are given in Chapter IV., in the sermon of the mount.

(h) έρχομαι may here mean to go away, and then it is clear that he is speaking of death, which is the subject of the discourse. But if we translate it by to come, no meaning is got : whither, whence, how ?

This is what Reuss says (Vol. I. pp. 470-472):

Ici encore, la simple comparaison des textes parallèles fait ressortir ce qu’il y a d’arbitraire dans la rédaction des divers éléments réunis par l’évangéliste en un discours continu, lequel, à vrai dire, serait a considérer comme la suite de celui de la péricope précédente. Nous voyons bien la liaison des idées qui forme le trait d’union entre les deux parties que nous avons séparées : la parabole de l’homme surpris par la mort, la mention faite de trésors impérissables, la promesse du royaume, tout cela peut être envisagé comme préludant aux exhortations que nous lisons ici et qui tendent essentiellement à inculquer le devoir de se tenir prêt pour le moment suprême. C’est cette association d’idées qui a dû guider Luc dans l’arrangement successif des maximes éparses, recueillies par lui et classées d’après leur affinité plus ou moins facile à saisir. Mais par les textes correspondants du premier évangile, nous voyons que cet arrangement n’est pas le fait de la tradition primitive, ni d’une source écrite qui l’aurait imposé aux narrateurs plus récents ; nous voyons même que le sens de l’un ou de l’autre mot a été mal compris ou diversement interprété, que tout ne se range pas naturellement dans le cadre général une fois adopté ; enfin, notre texte même n’a pas complètement effacé les traces du genre de travail que nous venons de signaler. Voyez v. 41, 42, 54, et surtout aussi le passage subit du pluriel au singulier, v. 58. D’après cela, nous serons autorisés à étudier le sens propre et prochain de chaque maxime indépendamment du contexte.

1° (v. 35-40). Soyez prêts «à tout moment ! Cétte idée est exprimée par plusieurs images. Celle de la ceinture serrée nous représente le voyageur qui se met en route, ou l’ouvrier qui met la main à la besogne ; celle de la lampe allumée peint une scène domestique, où les gens de la maison veillent plus ou moins avant dans la nuit, quand le maître est dehors, assistant à un festin, pour qu’au moment de son retour, dont l’heure n’est pas fixée d’avance, la porte lui soit immédiatement ouverte, la cour éclairée, et qu’il puisse être conduit dans sa chambre. Enfin, une troisième image, celle du voleur, est destinée à mettre en relief l’idée de l’incertitude absolue du moment précis où chacun sera mis en demeure de faire voir par le fait qu’il s’était tenu prêt. Toutes ces images sont claires et transparentes. Dans celle du voleur, il faut faire abstraction de tout autre élément (notamment de toute considération morale), pour ne s’en tenir qu’au seul point de comparaison que nous venons d’indiquer. Dans l’allégorie du maître revenant au milieu de la nuit, il faut mettre de côté tout ce que l’exégèse traditionnelle a dit d’une noce, pour s’arrêter à ce seul fait que le retard prolongé du maître est de nature à fatiguer le serviteur et l’entraîne à se livre au sommeil. Le fait que dans l’une de ces images c’est le maître lui-même qui veille pour attendre le voleur, tandis que dans l’autre ce sont les serviteurs qui veillent pour attendre le maître, ce fait prouve surabondamment que la pensée intime, qu’il s’agissait d’exprimer, ne s’attache pas aux personnes représentées, mais à l’acte de veiller, qui est le seul élément commun aux diverses images.

Mais il y a là une autre question, plus intéressante au point de vue théologique, et en même temps plus difficile à résoudre. Quel est ce moment suprême de l’épreuve décisive dont Jésus a voulu faire ressortir l’importance, ce moment à la fois certain et incertain, inévitable et inattendu? Nos évangélistes ont positivement songé à la parousie du Christ, à son retour triomphant pour l’établissement de son royaume, et l’Eglise l’a toujours compris ainsi. La phrase qui termine notre texte: le jils de l’homme viendra à l’heure où vous n’y penserez pas, ne laisse aucun doute à cet égard. Nous trouverons encore plus d’un passage qui confirme cette interprétation et qui fera voir clairement que Jésus a dû, dans de pareilles circonstances, se servir de terms qui l’autorisaient assez directement. Néanmoins ses paroles sont susceptibles d’être appliquées d’une manière plus immédiatement pratique, plus indéfiniment salutaire encore. Si nous nous bornions au premier sens, elles auraient perdu à peu près toute leur force, aujourd’hui que la perspective d’une fin prochaine du monde actuel, telle que la concevait la théologie judéo-chrétienne, ne captive plus guère les esprits ; tandis qu’elles subsistent, aussi sérieuses, aussi pressantes qu’au premier jour, si nous les supposons adressées, non à l’humanité considérée comme uu seul tout et attendant sa destinée collectivement, mais à chaque homme individuellement, en vue de sa fin particulière et du moment où il sera appelé à rendre compte, pour sa part personnelle, de l’usage qu’il a fait de son existence sur la terre, de ses moyens d’agir, et des instructions reçues. Nous ne craignons pas d’affirmer que ce point de vue peut être revendiqué à l’egard de la plupart des textes en question sans qu’il leur soit fait violence, et il resterait seulement à examiner si l’autre élément, celui que nous avons signalé d’abord, a été introduit par suite d’une méprise des auditeurs ou de la tradition, ou s’il doit être considéré comme une partie intégrante et authentique de l’enseignement de Jésus. Mais dans ce dernier cas, il restera encore la grande question de savoir si, dans sa bouche, ce n’était là qu’une forme imagée de la pensée, dont il empruntait les contours aux conceptions populaires relatives à l’avenir, ou bien s’il faut admettre que pour lui aussi l’idée de la proximité d’une grande révolution humanitaire effaçait la différence entre la sphère des destinées de notre espèce et celle des destinées individuelles. C’est là une question capitale pour l’appréciation de l’enseignement de Jésus. Nous aurons à y revenir.

45. Th άρα δστίν o πιστδί δούλο? καί φρδνι—

Matt. xxiv. 45. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his

45. Will he he a faithful and wise slave whom the master has put in

μοί, δν κατέστησαν δ κύριοί αύτοΰ δπΐ τηί Θα-ραπαΐαί αύτοΰ, του διδόναι αύτοΐί τ^ν τροφήν δν καιρψ ;

4G. Μακάριοί ό δούλο; δκαΐνοί, δν δλθών δ κύριοί αύτοΰ αύρήσαι ποι-οΰντα οΰτωί.

47. ‘Αμήν λέ~γω ύμΐν, 0τι δπι ττάσι το?; ύπάρ-χουσιν αύτου καταστή-σαι αυτόν.

48. ’Εάν δδ αίπη ό κακδί δούλο; έκαινοί δν τη καρδίφ αύτοΰ, Χρονί-ζαι δ κύριόί μου δλθαΐν,

49. Καί Αρξηται τύ-ττταιν τούί συνδούλουί, δσθίαιν δδ καί πίναιν ματ à των μαΟυδντων,

50. “Η£« ό κύριοί τοΰ δούλου δκαΐνου δν ημδρφ η ού Ίτροσδοκη., καί δν ώρη. η ού ‘γινώσκαι.

33. Βλότβτί, àypu-πναΐτα καί προσαύχασθα· ούκ οΐδατα yàp -κότα ό καιρδί δστιν.

34. Ώ; άνθρωποί άπό-δημοί άφαίί την οΙκίαν αύτοΰ, καί δούί τοΐί δούλοι; αύτου την δξουσίαν, καί δκάστψ τδ epyov αύτοΰ, καί τφ θυρωρω δναταΐλατο Ίνα ypηyopη.

35. Γpηyopcΐτa ούν, (ούκ οΐδατα yàp πδτα ό κύριοί τηί οικίαί αρχαται, όψδ, H μασονυκτίου, H άλακτοροφωνίαί, ή πρωΐ·)

36. Μή δλθών δξαΐ-φνηί αΰρη ύμάί καθαύδον-ταί.

37. * A δδ ύμΐν Xéyoj, πάσι Xéyia, Vpηyopaΐτa.

34. ΤΙροσδχατα δδ δαυ-τοΐί, μηποτα βαρυνθώσιν ύμων al καρδίαι αν κραι-lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

46. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall And so doing.

47. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delay-eth his coming;

49. And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

60. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of.»

Mark xiii. 33. Take ye heed, watch and pray : for ye know not when the time is.

34. As though a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning :

36. Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Luke xxi. 34. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be ‘ overcharged charge of his servants, to feed them in time?

46. Happy is the slave, if the master comes and finds him doing so.

47. Truly I tell you, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions.

48. But if the evil slave shall say to himself, My master will be late in coming back,

49. And shall begin to beat the servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards;

50. And the slave’s master shall come at a time when he does not expect him, the slave will fare ill.

33. And so do not fall asleep, for you do not know when the time will come.

34. When a man goes away from his house (giving freedom to his servants and each his work), and orders his watchman not to sleep,

35. Do not sleep, for you do not know when the master of the house will return, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning:

36. Lest, coming back, he find you sleeping.

37. It is this that I say to you, Be always ready.

34. Restrain yourselves, lest your hearts be surfeited with eating and drinking, and

πάλη καί μέόη καί μερί-μναις βιωτικαΐς, καί αιφνίδιος έφ’ υμάς έπιστη η ημέρα έκείνη—

35. Ώ$ παχίς yàp έπελεύσεται έπί πάντας τούς καθημένους έπί πρόσωπον πάσης της y^.

36. ‘Ayρυπverre οΰν έν παντί καιρψ δεόμενοι, ϊνα καταξιωθητε έκφυ-yeîv ταύτα ττάντα τα μέλλοντα yÎveaOai, καί σταθηναι έμπροσθεν του υιού του άνθρώπου.

(а) The last incomprehensible Verse 51 about the cutting up and apportioning to the hypocrites (comedians) is omitted.

(б) σταθηναι, to become worthy.

To receive the kingdom of God, which is within us, avoid the carnal life, be afraid of everything that will take you away from the comprehension of God, so that you may be able to avoid what happens, and may reestablish the son of man in you.

PARABLE OF THE VIRGINS AND

42. V ρη^ορείτε οΰν, δτι ούκ οίδατε ποίγ. ύρη. ό κύριος υμών έρχεται.

44. Διά τούτο καί υμείς y ίνεσθε έτοιμοι· δτι η ώρμ ού δοκεΐτε, ό υιό$ τού άνθρώπου έρχεται.

1. Τότε όμοιωθήσεται ή βασιλεία τών ουρανών δέκα παρθένοις, αϊτινες λαβούσαι τάς λαμπάδας αυτών έξηλθον εις άπάντησιν τού νυμφίου.

2. Πέντε δέ ησαν έξ αυτών φρόνιμοι, καί πέντε μωραί. with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand6 before the Son of man.

Matt. xxiv. 42. Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Matt. xxv. 1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

worldly cares, and that day find you unawares.

35. For it is thrown like a snare over all who live on earth.

36. Be wakeful therefore, fearing at all times, so that you may at all times be worthy of escaping ‘ everything which will be, and be worthy of the son of man.

THE LAMPS

42. Do not sleep, for you do not know what hour the master will come.

44. Therefore be prepared; for at an hour that you do not know the son of man will come.

1. Then will the kingdom of God be like the ten girls, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2. Five of them were wise, and five foolish.

3. Αϊτινες μωραί, λα-βοΰσαι τάς λαμπάδας εαυτών, ούκ έλαβον μεθ έαυτών ελαιον

4. Αί δέ φρόνιμοι ελα-βον έλαιον έν τοΐς ày-yείoις αυτών μετά τών λαμπάδων αυτών.

5. Χρονίζοντας δέ τού νυμφίου, ένύσταξαν πά-σαι καί έκάθευδον.

6. Μάτη$ δέ νυκτδς κραυγή yéyovev, ’Ιδού, ό νυμφίος έρχεται· έξέρχε-σθε εις άπάντησιν αυτού.

7. Τότε ^έρθησαν πάσαι αί παρθένοι έκεΐ-ναι, καί έκόσμησαν τάς λαμπάδας αυτών.

8. Αί δέ μωραί ταΐς φρονίμοις εΐπον, Δότε ημιν έκ τού έλαίου υμών, δτι αί λαμπάδες ημών σβέννυνται.

9. ’Απεκρίθησαν δέ αί φρόνιμοι, λέyουσαι, Μή-ϊτοτε ούκ άρκέση ήμίν καί ύμιν-πορεύεσθε δέ μάλλον πρδς τούς πωλούντας, καί άyopάσaτε έαυταΐς.

10. Απερχομένων δέ αυτών àyοράσαι, ήλθεν ό νυμφίος· καί αί έτοιμοι είσηλθον μετ’ αυτού εις τούς γάμου$, καί έκλείσθη η θύρα.

11. “Ύστερον δέ έρχονται καί αί λοιπαί παρθένοι, λέyoυσaι, Κύριε, κύριε, άνοιξον ημϊν.

12. *0 δέ άποκριθείς είπεν, ’Αμήν λέyω ύμιν, ούκ οΐδα ύμάς.

13. Vpηyopεΐτε οΰν, δτι ούκ οϊδατε την ημέραν ούδέ την ώραν, έν η ό υίδ$ τού άνθρώπου έρχεται.

3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them :

4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you : but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage : and the door was shut.

11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto yon, I know you not.

13. Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

3. The foolish girls took the lamps, but look no oil with them.

4. And the wise girls took their lamps and oil in the vessels.

5. The bridegroom tarried, and they were sleepy and fell asleep.

6. In the night they suddenly cried, The bridegroom is coming. Go out to meet him.

7. Then all the girls awoke, and trimmed their lamps.

8. The foolish girls said to the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps have gone out.

9. But the wise girls answered them, That is impossible: there will not be enough for us and you: go into the shop, and buy some.

10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went with the bridegroom to the wedding, and the door was shut.

11. Then came the other girls, and said, Master, open the door.

12. And he said to them, Truly, I do not know who you are.

13. So do not sleep, for you do not know the day ami the hour when the son of man will come.

43. Eκείνο ôè yiνώσκετε, δτι el ήδει ό οίκο-δεσπότης ποίςι φυλακή ό κλέπτην ερχεται, éyp-η-ybpyaev L», καί ούκ àv είασε Ôiopvyrjvai την οικίαν αύτοΰ.

23. Είπε δέ τis αύτψ, Κύριε, el δλίγοι οί σωζό-μενοι ; ό δί είπε προ; αύτούς,

24. ΆγωιΊξεσθε είσελθεΐν διά τής στενής πύλης· δτι πολλοί, λέγω ύμΐν, ξητήσουσιν είσελθεΐν. καί ούκ Ισχύσουσιν.

25. ’ Αφ’ ού àv èyepQrj ό οικοδεσπότης, καί άπο-κλείση την θύραν, καί &ρξησθε εξω εστάναι καί κρούειν την θύραν, λέγοντες, Κύριε, κύριε, άνοιξαν ήμΐν· καί άποκριθείς ερεΐ ύμΐν, Ούκ οίδα υμάς, πό0ει> άττέ·

26. Τότε Αρξεσθε λέ-yeiv, ‘Έ^^ομεν ίνώπιόν σου καί ίπίομεν, καί ίν ταΐς πλατείαις ήμων έδί-δαξας.

27. Καί έρει, Λέγω ύμΐν, ούκ οίδα υμάς, πό-θεν έστέ· άπόστητε απ’ έμου, πάντες οί έργάται τής άδικίας.

Matt. χχίν. 43. But know this, that if the goodman of the house ad known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.»

Luke xiii. 23. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

24. Strived to enter in at the strait gate: for many. I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.-

43. But you know also that if the master of the house knew when the thief was coming, he would not sleep and would not allow his house to be broken into.

23. And a man said to him, Sir, are there few who are saved?

25. When* once the master of the house is risen up,· and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are :

26. Then shall ye begin to sav, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

27. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

24. Fight to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will strive to enter, and but few will prevail.

25. If, from the time that the master comes, and shuts the door, you begin to stand outside, and to push at the door, saying, Master, master, open to us, he will say to you, I do not know you, and I do not know whence you come.

26. Then you will begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught among us.

27. And he will say, I tell you, I do not know you, whence you are. Go away from me, all you workers of iniquity.

(«) The kingdom of heaven is outside of time and space ; it is in you, in your present life. You will want to turn back those days, when it was within you, but it will be too late. The kingdom of God is your liberty to live in this world like sons, and not like slaves: your freedom is to live in the present. If you miss this life, you cannot turn it back.

(b) αγωνίζομαι, to struggle, fight. This word is placed here on purpose, in contradistinction to ζητησουσιν and in connection with ή βασιλεία βιάζεται. In this place the same thought is expressed as in the words, The kingdom of God is taken by force.

(c) ισχύω here, as in Acts xix. 20, in the sense of to prevail.

(<Z) This sentence is translated, When the master shuts the door, you will knock, etc. ; but the translation is incorrect : άφ’ ου àv does not mean when, and άρχομαι means to begin, and not will.

(e) Many texts have, The master will come. Will wake does not fit in with the master’s getting up on purpose to shut the door.

Having explained that the presence of the son of man is nowhere and not in time, Jesus proceeds to elucidate it by parables. He says that, since the days of the son of man are outside time, men who bear in themselves the comprehension of God must not represent it to themselves in time, but always outside of time, and must live the life of the son of man, unite with him. If in the comparison with the master of the house and the girls we are to see, as the church does, an indication of the time, and by the bridegroom we are to understand Christ’s coming in time, then the meaning of the whole teaching is lost, and we affirm precisely what Jesus denied.

The parables make it clear that there is no time for the son of man. The night watchman is made a night watchman for the very purpose that he may not sleep the whole night, for he cannot know the time when he may be needed. Even thus the girls met to receive the bridegroom. And even thus it is with the son of man. The son of man is a son of man for the very purpose that he may always live as the son in the house of the Father, and not as a slave, and may always recognize God in himself.

The master of the house which the thief broke into would not have allowed the house to be robbed, if he had known when the thief would come. Consequently it is impossible to know the time. Always and never. The master must so arrange his house that nothing may be stolen from it. Even thus it is with the comprehension of God. It does not come or go, — time does not exist for it. If there is the comprehension, that means that the life of the son of man outside of time has begun.

Jesus is asked after that whether there will be many who will be saved. He does not answer this question, for he cannot answer it.

For the son of man there is neither place, nor time, and so neither much, nor little. The seed is cast into all men. But he replies to it, We must not discuss who will be saved, and in what manner ; but we must work, struggle, by force enter through the door, for those who will discuss will not enter. There was a time for entering, but they did not do so, and the door is shut. And no reflection will be of any avail. We must not discuss, but work. Those enter who struggle and do righteousness. The doers of unrighteousness cannot enter, because the master does not know them, — they do not exist for him.

While instructing concerning the life of the son of man in all men, concerning its independence from place and time, Jesus Christ speaks of the life of men in general. Speaking of the son of man, he does not speak of the death of men. There is no death for the son of man ; death is only the manifestation of darkness. Death is everything which is not the son of man. If Jesus were speaking of the death of men, he ought to say that the spirit of man comes to life, but he does not say so anywhere, and seems to be avoiding the question of the visible death. He does not really avoid it, but this concept does not exist in his teaching. The death of the individual man is the same darkness as every action of all men who do not live by the comprehension of God. The death of individual men, according to his teaching, is a condition in which it is no longer possible to live by the comprehension of God ; it is that which in his similes he represents by the shut door.

OF THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

27. Μέλλει yàp ό vlbs τον άνθρωπον ερχεσθαι év τη δόξη του πατ αύτου μετά των àyyéXcvv αυτοί)· καί τότε αποδώσει έκάστφ κατά την πράξιν αυτόν.

31. “Οταν δέ ελθη ό υίό$ του ανθρώπου έν τη δδξη αυτοί), καί πάντα οι üy ιοι άγγελοι μετ’ αύτου, τότε καθίσει έπ’ι θρόνου δόξη! αύτου,

32. Καί συναχθήσεται έμπροσθεν αύτου πάντα τα έθνη, καί άφοριεΐ αύ-τούζ απ’ άλλ·ήλων, ώσπερ ό ποιμην άφορίζει τα πρόβατα άπδ των έρίφων,

33. Καί στήσει τα μέν πρόβατα έκ δεξιών αύτου, τα δέ έρίφια έξ εύωνύμων.

Matt.xvl. 27. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.»»

27. For the son of man will enter with his powers, and will reward every man according to his works.

Matt. xrv. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory :

32. And before him shall be gathered all nations : and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats :

33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

31. When the son of man will enter into his meaning, and all his powers with him, he will settle himself in the seat of his meaning.

32. Then all men will appear before him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

33. And he will drive the sheep to the right, and the goats to the left.

(α) I repeat this verse here so as to make clear Matt. xxv. 31, in which it says what will happen when the son of man will come in the glory of the Father. The word ev is in the gospel language frequently used for eZç, as in Mark vi. 17 : Autoç yàp υ Ήρώδτ/ς άττοστε/λας έκράτησζ τον Ίωάννην, καί ε^ησ^ν αυτόν èv τή φυλακή.

The coming of the son of man in the meaning of the Father, in his meaning, has no other significance than exalting the son of man. When this meaning of the son of man will appear, it will by this very appearance

(livide all men into two parts, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. It is the office of the son of man to divide the world, to separate the living from the dead.

34. T ότε έρεΐ ο βασιλεύς τοΐς έκ δεξιών αυτού, Δεύτε, οί (ύλοΊημένοι του πατρός μου, κληρονομή-σατε την ήτοιμασμένην ύμΐν βασιλείαν άπδ καταβολής κόσμου.

35. Έπείνασα yàp, καί έδώκατέ μοι cfrayeiv· έδίφησα, καί έποτίσατέ μ€· ξένος ήμην, καί συν-γγδύγετέ με·

36. Γυμνός, καί περιεβάλετέ με· ήσθένησα, καί έπεσκέφασθέ με· έν φυλακή ήμην, καί ήλθετε πρός με.

37. Τότε άπ οκριθή-σονται αύτω οί δίκαιοι, λέyοντες, Κ ύριε, πότε σε εΐδομεν πεινώντ a, καί έθρέψαμεν ; ή διψώντα, καί έποτίσαμεν ;

38. Πότ€ δέ σε εΐδομεν ξένον, και συvηyάyoμεv ; ή yυμvδv, και περιεβάλο-μεν,

39. Πότε δέ σε εΐδομεν άσθενή, ή έν φυλακή, καί ήλθομεν πρός σε ;

40. Καί άποκριθείς ό βασιλεύς έρεΐ αύτοΐς. Αμήν λέyω ύμΐν, έφ’ δσον έποιήσατε ένΐ τούτων των άδελφών μου των έλαχίστων, έμοϊ έποιήσατε.

41. Tôre έρεΐ καί τοΐς έξ εύωνύμων. ΤΙορεύεσθε άπ εμού, οι κατηραμένοι, εις τδ πυρ τό αιώνιον, τό ήτοιμασμένον τψ δια-βόλψ καί τοΐς àyyέλoις αύτοΰ.

Matt. χχν. 34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world :-

35. For I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirst}’ and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in :

36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying. Lord, when saw we thee a hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38. When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39. Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ?

40. And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting» fire, prepared for the devil and his angels :

34. Then the lord will say to those whom he has separated and placed on the right, Come hither, you beloved of my Father, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

35. For I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in ;

36. I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you tended on me; I was in prison, and you came to see me.

37. Then the righteous will answer him, and say, When did we see thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee to drink?

38. When did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39. When did we see thee sick, or in prison, and came to see thee?

40. And the lord will say to them in reply, Vou know yourselves that whatever you have done to the least of these my brethren, you have done to me.

41. Then he will say to those who are on the left, Go away from me, unbeloved, into the outer fire, prepared for evil and its powers.

42. Eπείνασα yàp, καί ούκ έδώκατέ μοι φα-y^îv-έδίφησα, καί ούκ έποτίσατέ με·

43. Ξένος ήμην, καί ού συvηyάyετέ με· yv-μνδς, καί ού περιεβάλετέ με· άσθενής, καί έν φυλακή, καί ούκ έπεσκέψα-σθε με.

44. Τ6γ€ άπ οκριθή-σονται αύτψ καί αύτοί, λέyovτες, Κύριε, πότε σε εΐδομεν πεινώντα, H διψώντα, ή ξένον, ή yv-μνδν,ή ασθενή, ή έν φυλακή, καί ού διηκονήσα-μέν σοι ;

45. Τότε άποκριθήσε-ται αυτοΐς, λέyωv, ’Αμήν λέyω ύμΐν, έφ’ δσον ούκ έποιήσατε ένΐ τούτων των έλαχίστων, ούδέ έμοϊ έποιήσατε.

46. Καί άπελεύσονται ούτοι εις κόλασιν αιώνιον· οί δέ δίκαιοι εις ζωήν αιώνιον.

(a) The same idea is expressed here as in the words, Before Abraham was, I am, and in the words, For God all are alive.

(b) Many texts have έξώτ€ρον external, that is, outside of life. The idea has been frequently expressed before.

(e) tcoAaais means not only punishment, but also cutting away, pruning.

The son of man in his meaning, that is, when the son of man is exalted, when the life of the spirit is understood, the son of man will reward each man according to his works. The son of man, the spirit in man, is the lord of life, and he separates the men. The same is said in Chapter V. of John. The Father does not judge, does not separate any one, but gives every judgment and divi-42. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: 1 was thirsty, and ye gave me uo drink :

43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick,or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment;c but the righteous into life eternal.

42. For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; 1 was thirsty, and you did not give me to drink;

43. I was a stranger, and you did not receive me; I was naked, and

Îou did not clothe me;

was sick and in prison, and you did not look after me.

44. Then these will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve thee?

45. Then he will answer them, You know yourselves that whatsoever you did not do to the least of your brethren, you did not do to me.

46. And they will go into the everlasting segregation, but the righteous into life eternal.

sion to the son. And the son divides all men, as the shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. To the first he says, Come and receive what has been intended for you since the beginning of the world, that is, receive the life, not the carnal life, but that of the spirit, which has no beginning, no end, and which you have retained in yourselves.

THERE IS NO OTHER LIFE

You will be mendicants and vagrants, you will be humbled. But he who loves father or mother, son or daughter, more than me, has not comprehended my teaching. He who is not prepared for all carnal sufferings has not understood me. He who acquires everything which is best for the carnal life will lose the true life. And he who loses the carnal life will receive the true life.

In response to these words Peter said to him, That is true, and we have listened to you, and have given up all cares and all property, and have become vagrants, and have followed thee. What will be our reward ?

Jesus said to them, Thou knowest thyself what thou hast given up ; and every man who gives up his family, sisters, brothers, father, mother, wife, children, and property, and follows my teaching of the true good, will he not receive a hundred times more even in this life, now, sisters, and brothers, and fields, and everything which he needs ? and besides, in this life, he receives the life outside of time. But thou art mistaken in supposing that thou wilt get a reward for what thou hast done. There are no rewards in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the aim and the reward. In the kingdom of God all are equal, and there are no first, and no last.

The kingdom of God is like this : A master went out in the morning to hire labourers for the garden. He hired them at a penny a day, and brought them to the garden, where he set them to work.

And he went out again at noontime, and hired more labourers, and sent them to the garden to work. And he agreed with all of them to give them a penny.

When the time for paying came, the master commanded that all the labourers be paid an equal amount, first those who came last, and then those who came first.

When the first saw that the last were getting a penny each, they thought that they would get more. But the first received but a penny each. And they murmured, and said, How is this ? They have done but one plot, and we have done all four, and yet we are paid the same : this is not fair.

And the master came up, and said, Why do you grumble ? Have I not treated you right ? I have paid to you as much as we agreed upon. Take what belongs to you, and go. If I want to pay the last as much as I have paid you, have I not the right to do so ? Or are you envious, because you see that I am good ?

In the kingdom of God there are no first and no last, — all are the same. He who does the will of God and gives up the carnal life has the life of the spirit. And those who fulfil it are in the will of God. Nobody else can bring man nearer to the will of God. The kingdom of God is taken by assault.

One day, two of the disciples, James and John, came up to Jesus, saying, Teacher, promise us that thou wilt do for us what we shall ask thee.

He said, What do you wish ?

They said, We want to be as thou art.

And Jesus said to them, You ask what is not in my power. You can live like me, and be regenerated in spirit like me, but it is not in my power to make you like myself. All men are variously born, and to each a different degree of the comprehension is given, but all may alike do the will of God and receive life.

When the other disciples heard this, they grew angry at the two brothers, because they wanted to be like the teacher, and the eldest of the disciples.

But Jesus called them up, and said, If you, brothers James and John, asked me to make you like myself, in order to be the leading disciples, you were in error; if you, the other disciples, are angry at them, because these two want to be of greater authority than you, you, too, are in error. Only in the world do they count by kings and rulers, who are of greater authority, to rule the nations ; but among you there can be no greater and no smaller. In order that one of you may be greater than another, he must be a servant to all, for the teaching of the son of man consists even in this, that he does not live to be ministered to, but to minister to all, and that we should give up our life as a ransom for the life of the spirit. God the spirit seeks the salvation of him who perishes. God wishes the salvation of men, and rejoices at it, as rejoices the shepherd, when he has found his lost sheep. And when one has been lost, he leaves the ninety-nine, and goes to save the one which is lost. And if a woman loses a penny, she will sweep her whole house, until she finds it. God loves what perishes and calls it to himself.

And he told them another parable, saying that those who lived in the will of God should not exalt themselves. He said, If thou art called to a dinner, do not seat thyself in the front corner, lest some one more honoured should come, and the host say to thee, Go away from there, and let him sit down who is better than thou ; and then thou wilt be put to shame. Rather seat thyself in the lowest place, for then the host will find thee and call thee to the place of honour, and thou wilt be honoured.

Even thus there is no place of pride in the kingdom of God. He who exalts himself, by that very act abases himself, and he who humbles himself (considers himself unworthy), by that very act raises himself in the kingdom of God.

A man had two sons. The younger one said, Father, give me my portion. And the father gave it to him.

The younger son took his portion and went to a foreign country, where he squandered his possessions, and fell into misery. And he became a swineherd in that foreign land. And he suffered so much hunger that he ate the acorns with the swine. And one day he reflected on his life, and said to himself, Why did I leave my father’s house ? my father has plenty of everything. At my father’s the labourers get their fill to eat, while I eat the same food as the swine. I will go to my father, fall down before his feet, and say, Father, I have sinned before thee ; I am not worthy of being thy son, so take me as a labourer.

So he thought, and went to his father. And as he was coming near to the house, and his father saw him in the distance, he ran to meet his son, and embraced him, and began to kiss him.

And the son said, Father, I have sinned before thee, I am not worthy of being thy son.

But the father would not listen to him, and said to the servants, Go and bring at once the best raiment, and the best shoes, and dress him. And run and catch the fatted calf and kill it : we shall rejoice, because this son of mine was dead, and has been made alive. He was lost, and now he has been found.

The elder brother was returning from the field, and as he came near the house he heard them singing at home. He called up a boy, and asked him, What merriment is this in our house ?

And the boy said, Hast thou not heard ? Thy brother has returned, and thy father is rejoicing, and has commanded that the fatted calf be killed, to make merry at the return of bis son.

The elder brother was angry, and did not go into the house. But the father came out to him, and called him.

Father, I have worked for thee these many years, and have not disobeyed thee, but thou hast never killed a calf for me. My younger brother left the house and spent all his portion with drunkards, and thou hast ordered the fatted calf to be killed for him.

And the father said, Thou art always with me, and everything I have is thine. How can I help rejoicing, since thy brother was dead, and has come to life; he was lost, and has been found.

Even thus your Father in heaven does not want a single man, not even the least worthy, to be lost, but wants him to live.

The life of men, who do not understand that they are not living in this world that they may eat and drink and make merry, but that they may all their life work for God, is like this : a master planted a garden, got it into good shape, and did everything that it might bring forth fruits. And he sent labourers into the garden, to work, to gather the fruits, and to pay him for the garden according to the agreement.

This master is God, the garden is the world. The labourers are men. God created the world and sent men into it that they might give to God what is God’s, the comprehension of life, which he has placed in them. The time came, and the master sent his servant to collect the rent. God is in the souls of men, continually speaking to them of what they ought to do for him, and continually calling them.

The labourers drove away the messenger of the master without anything, and continued to live, imagining that it was their own garden, and that they were settled in it for their own sakes. Men have driven away the admonition of the will of God, and continue to live, imagining that they are living for themselves, for the pleasures of the carnal life.

Then the master sent more of his favourites, and his son, to remind the labourers of their duty. But the labourers entirely lost their reason and imagined that if they killed the master’s son, who reminded them of the fact that the garden was not theirs, they would be left in peace, and so they killed him. Men do not like to be reminded of the spirit which dwells within them and shows them that it is eternal, while they are not, and they have killed, as much as they could, the consciousness of the spirit, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and hid in the ground the talent which was given to them.

AVhat was the master to do ? Only this, to drive the labourers away, and to send others in their place. What is God to do? To sow while there is any fruit. And this he does. Men have not comprehended that the consciousness of the spirit, which is in them, and which they are hiding, because it interferes with them, is the very comprehension which is the foundation of life. They reject the very stone by which everything is supported. And those who will not take the spirit as the foundation of life, do not enter into the kingdom of God and do not receive life. In order to receive life and the kingdom of God, a man must remember his situation, not wait for rewards, but feel himself under obligations.

Then the disciples said to Jesus, Increase our faith. Tell us something which will make us believe more firmly in the life of the spirit so that we may not regret the life of the flesh. See how much we must give away, and it is necessary to give up everything for the life of the spirit. And thou sayest thyself that there is no reward.

And to this Jesus replied, If your faith were as strong as is your faith that out of a birch seed there will grow up a large tree, you would believe that within you there is the only germ of the life of the spirit, out of which grows the true life. Faith does not consist in believing in something miraculous, but in understanding our condition and that in which our salvation is. If thou under-standest thy condition, thou wilt not be waiting for rewards, but wilt work to retain what has been given thee. If thou comest from the field with thy labourer, thou wilt not seat him at the table, but wilt command him to put away the cattle and get thy supper ready, and only then wilt thou say to him, Eat and drink. Thou dost not thank the labourer for doing his duty. And the labourer is not offended, but works and waits for his due.

Even thus do what is right, and think that you are worthless labourers, and have done only what was right, and wait for no reward. The care ought to be, not about receiving the reward, but about not being a guilty and bad labourer. We must not have a thought for this, that we believe that there will be a reward and that there will be life, — this cannot be otherwise ; but we must have a thought for this, that we may not lose this life, and that we may not forget that it is given to us, that we may bring forth its fruits and do the will of God. We must not think of what we have accomplished, and that a reward is coming to us.

Only then will you understand that there is a kingdom of God, of which I tell you, and that this kingdom of God is the only salvation from death, and will not appear in such a way as to be visible. Of the kingdom of God which saves from death we cannot say, Here it has come, or, It will come ; Here it is, or, There it is. It is within you, in your soul : and so, if the time ever comes that you wish to find salvation in life, you will be searching for it in some time, and you will not find it. And if they tell you, Salvation is here, salvation is there, do not seek this salvation anywhere but within you ; for salva-ιίΛηωυχΠόΕυ 2Ϊ.1Ν L) ΊΚΑΛ SLATED 103

tion is like lightning, sudden, and for it there is no time, and there is no death, — it is within you.

And as was salvation for Noah, and as it was for Lot, such it always is for the son of man. Life remains the same for all men : all eat, drink, marry, but when the flood comes, and the rain from heaven, when carnal death comes, some perish, and others are saved. When the kingdom of God within you shall come, each one of you will no longer think of the carnal ; and do not look around, like Lot’s wife. It is impossible for you to plough, if you look back. Remember only the present.

Then the disciples asked how they could tell that the day of salvation had come and that we had attained eternal life.

And Jesus replied to them, Nobody can know when and where this is going to happen to man. It is impossible to show and prove it. The one thing which we can know is that, when this takes place in you, you will feel the true life. What will happen to you, is what happens to a tree in the spring : it was dead, and now you see the branches growing soft, and the buds filling up, and the leaves growing. It is this that you will feel in yourselves. You will feel in yourselves life which proceeds from you. When you feel tins, you may know that the kingdom of God and the day of salvation are near. Consequently, have no thought for the carnal life. Seek only to be in the will of God, — everything else will come of itself.

And he said that it was necessary to wish for this one thing only, and not to lose courage.

And the disciples said, Teach us to pray.

And he said, Your prayer shall be this only : Father, thy spirit be holy in us, thy will be in us. Let us feed on the carnal life for the life of the spirit. Do not importune us, asking for what we owe thee, as we will not importune those who are indebted to us. Have no accounting with us.

If a son asks his father for bread, his father will certainly not give him a stone ; nor will he give him a snake instead of a fish. If we, evil men, give to our children what is good, and not what is bad for them ; how then will our Father, from whom we come, the Father of the spirit, refuse us that spirit, for which alone we ask him ? Not only no father, but no stranger can refuse another, when he is persistently asked to give him a thing. If thou goest at midnight to thy neighbour to ask him for bread, in order to entertain thy guest, thou knowest that, if not out of friendship, certainly out of shame, he will give thee what thou wantest, if thou askest him persistently. If thou wilt ask, thou wilt receive; if thou wilt knock, it will be opened to thee. Certainly you cannot expect God to give you of the spirit, which saves from death, if you do not seek, and ask him.

And Jesus said, There was an evil judge, who feared neither God nor men. And a poor widow begged him, but he would not pass judgment. And the widow clung to the judge day and night, begging him all the time. And the judge said, What can I do ? I will settle the case as the widow wants me to, or else she will give me no rest.

Consider this, that, though the judge was unrighteous, he did it. How then will God refuse to do what they pray to him for day and night ? If there is God, he will do it. If there is no God, and instead of God there is an unrighteous judge, there is still the son of man, who is seeking truth, and we cannot help but believe in him. Seek the kingdom of God and his truth at all times, in every place, and all else will come of itself. Do not trouble yourselves about the future, and try only to avoid the present evil.

Be always ready, like servants waiting for the master, to open the door, the moment he comes. The servants do not know when be will return, whether early or late, and must always be ready. And if they meet the master and have done his will, they fare well. The same is in life: always, at every minute of the present, we must live the life of the spirit, without thinking of the past and the future, and without saying to ourselves, I will do tliis or that at such and such a time. If the master knew when the thief would come, he would not sleep; even thus you must not sleep, because for the son of man there is no time: he lives only in the present, and does not know when the beginning and the end of his life are. Our life is like the life of a slave whom the master left as a watchman in his house. Happy is the slave who always does the will of his master. But if he says, My master will not come back immediately, and forgets his master’s business, the master will return unawares, and will drive him away. And so do not lose your courage, but always live in the spirit in the present. For life there is no time.

Look after yourselves, lest you burden and bedim yourselves with too much eating and drinking and with cares, and lose the time of salvation. The time of salvation is thrown over you like a snare, — it is always here. And so always live the life of the son of man.

The kingdom of heaven is like this: Ten maidens went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise, and five foolish. The foolish girls took the lamps, but forgot the oil, while the wise maidens took both the lamps and a supply of oil. As they were waiting for the bridegroom, they fell asleep.

When the bridegroom came near, the foolish maidens saw that they did not have enough oil ; they begged the wise girls for some and went to buy it ; while they were gone, the bridegroom came, and the wise maidens, who had oil, went in with him, and the doors were closed. The only reason the maidens had to go out was to meet the bridegroom with their lamps, and they had forgotten that what was important was that the lamps should burn at the proper time. But that they should burn then, it was necessary for them to have burned all the time. Life is given only for the purpose of exalting the son of man, and the son of man is.always; he is not in time, and so we must serve him outside of time, in the present only. And so make an effort, do works, that you may enter into the life of the spirit ; if you make no effort, you will not enter into it.

You will say, We have said this and that, but you will not do good deeds, and so there will not be the whole life : for the son of man in his power will give to each what he has done.

Wen are all divided according to their manner of serving the son of man. By their works they are divided into two classes, as a flock of sheep is separated from the goats. Some will live, and others will die. Those who have served the son of man will receive what belonged to them from the beginning of the world, — the life which they have preserved. But they have preserved their life by serving the son of man : they have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, received the stranger, visited the prisoner. Some have lived the life of the son of man, feeling that he is one in all men, and so loved him. He is one in all. But those who have not lived the life of the son of man did not serve him and did not understand that he is one in all, and so they have not united with him, and have lost the life in him, and perished.

CHAPTER IX.

THE OFFENCES

The life of the spirit is given to man. This life is expressed in the life of the flesh. If a man will live the carnal life alone, he will perish, like all flesh.

His only salvation lies in living by the spirit. If a man has come to recognize the spirit in himself, he lives by it, and thus saves himself from death. Every man knows it, but the carnal life tempts him and leads him away from the life of the spirit.

In what do the offences of the flesh consist, and how are they to be avoided ?

13. Kai 7τροσέφερον αύτίρ παιδία, ΐνα Άψηται αυτών· οί δέ μαθηταί ίπετίμων rois προσφέ-ρουσιν·

14. Ίδών δϊ ό Ίησουζ rjyανάκτησε, και εΐπεν αύτοΐί, *Αφετε τά παιδία ερχεσθαι ιrpàs μέ, καί μή κωλύετε αυτά· των yàp τοιούτων έστ’ιν η βασιλεία του θεού—

15. ’Αμήν λéyω ύμΐν, “Os èàv μη δέξηται την βασιλείαν του θεού ώ$ παιδίον, ού μη είσέλθη εί$ αυτήν.

Mark χ. 13. And they brought young children to him, that he should touch*» them ; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.

15. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not received the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

13. And they brought children to Jesus, that they might walk up to him; but his disciples did not admit those who brought them.

14. When Jesus saw it, he was grieved, and he said to them, Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them ; for such as they are are in the kingdom of God.

15. You know yourselves that if the kingdom of God is not understood as a child understands it, you will not enter into it.

(α) άτττομαι, means to hook, and only in a transferred sense to tozich, come near.

(K) δέχομαι to understand :

1 Cor. ii. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

This passage is repeated in all the synoptics. The meaning of this place is completely lost.

This is what Reuss says about it (Vol. I., pp. 523 and 524):

L’imposition des mains implique l’idée et le fait d’une bénédiction que Matthieu et Marc seuls mentionnent explicitement. On sait par l’Ancien Testament quel prix les Israélites attachaient à la bénédiction d’un père, d’un prophète ou d’un autre personnage vénérable par son âge ou son caractère. L’opinion populaire, telle qu’elle s’était formée sur le compte de Jésus, devait donc voir, dans l’imposition de ses mains, un gage de bonheur. Les disciples ne voyaient là qu’une importune curiosité et voulaient débarrasser leur maître de la foule qui l’obsédait. Jésus leur dit de laisser faire les parents, à la foi desquels il veut donner la satisfaction qu’ils recherchaient. Mais il veut en même temps donner une leçon aux siens et prononce à cette occasion un mot que nous avons déjà rencontré plus haut (Matth. xviii. 3, sect. 55), sous une forme tant soit peu différente. Jésus déclare aimer les enfants, s’intéresser à eux, parce qu’ils ont une qualité que doivent avoir tous ceux qui veulent entrer au royaume de Dieu. Quelle est cette qualité ? Comment l’homme adulte peut-il être semblable à l’enfant, quand il s’agit pour lui d’avoir part à ce royaume ? Si la réponse de Jésus se bornait à la phrase commune aux trois évangélistes, nous pourrions nous contenter de rappeler l’explication donnée précédemment. Mais Marc et Luc en ajoutent une autre, qui dit qu’il faut recevoir le royaume comme le recevrait un enfant; c’est là une pensée nouvelle. Les enfants sont opposés ici aux hommes à qui Jésus avait affaire ordinairement quand il était question du royaume ; à ceux qui, en leur qualité de Juifs, ou de justes, ou d’observateurs rigoureux de la loi, réclamaient leur part au royaume comme un droit acquis, comme une récompense qui leur était due. L’enfant ne se met pas à ce point de vue ; il peut désirer vivement, mais il ne calcule pas, il ne pèse pas ses titres, il accepte avec bonheur et reconnaissance ce que ses parents lui offrent.

Ce mot de Jésus : Laissez venir à moi les enfants ! est cité à tort par ceux qui essaient d’établir le baptême des enfants sur des textes du Nouveau Testament. On peut s’en servir à cet effet, à condition qu’on se fasse du baptême lui-même une autre idée que Jean-Baptiste, Jésus et les apôtres, qui demandaient d’abord la foi consciente et réfléchie.

This is what the church says (pp. 349 and 350) :

To touch them: It was a Jewish custom to lay the hands on one’s head in invoking a special blessing of God upon a person. The Jews ascribed great importance to the prayers of godly people, since they knew the efficacy of such prayers from examples of their history, and were convinced that those who received a blessing from the saints, or had prayers said in their names, would be fortunate.

His disciples rebuked those: Out of respect for Jesus Christ, perhaps supposing that, being occupied with other important affairs and elevated discourses, he would be troubled by the children ; perhaps they did not wish to tax his strength.

For of such is the kingdom of heaven : Of such and of similar persons as regards their moral qualities : on account of innocence, simplicity, sincerity, and so forth.

Put his hands upon them: That is, blessed them and prayed for them.

But this passage must be important, since it is twice repeated in this division and in Matt, xviii., Mark ix., and Luke ix., and always to the same purpose. I place this passage before Chapter XVIII., because it expresses this idea in a general way. In Matt, xviii., this idea is already being elucidated. For the church people the whole meaning of this passage is concentrated on this, that Jesus blesses the children by putting on his hands, and they proceed to explain why he puts on his hands ; but they see nothing beyond this. And yet the putting on of the hands is of no interest : it is only the cause why Jesus expressed his instructive words. The putting on of the hands occupies the same place as in other places the words, At that time, After that, and so forth. What is important is what he expressed on this occasion. And what he did express is this : in the first place, he was grieved to see the disciples consider any being unworthy and incapable of uniting with him. In the second place, on this occasion he told the people that they must not keep the children from uniting with him. In the third place, he said, that was the more bad, since the children, as long as they were not spoiled men, naturally were in that kingdom of God which he was preaching, and so they ought not to be separated from him, but, on the contrary, men ought to learn from them how to understand the kingdom of God. All these ideas are explained in Matt, xviii.

2. Kal ττροσκαλεσά-μειωΐ ô ’ϊησοΰτ παιδίον, έστησε αυτά tv μέσιρ αυτών,

3. Kai élrrev, ’Αμήν λέγω ύμίν, έάν μη στρα-φητί και “γένησθί ώ$ τα 7ταιδία, ου μη είσέλ#ητε els την βασιλείαν των ουρανών.

5. Καί 6r έάν δέξηται παιδίον τοιουτον tv έττί τψ όνόματί μου, έμέ δέχεται·

37. Καί δ$ έάν εμέ δέξηται, ούκ έμέ δέχεται, αλλά τδν άποστείλαντά με.

Matt, xviii. 2. And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them.

3. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

5. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Markix. 37. And whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

2. And Jesus called a little boy, and placed him among his disciples.

3. And said, Truly I tell you, If you do not turn back, and become as little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

5. And whoever understands one such child, as he understands me, understands my teaching.

37. And he who understands me understands him who has sent me.

To enter into the kingdom of God one must be as a child. If you do not return to your childhood and will not be like children you cannot be in the will of God.

Before this it said, Be vagrants, mendicants, like children, not because you did not know how to obtain a country, possessions, a family, but like children who do not know anything about country, or courts, or property, or adultery, or oaths, — be like children. These words, like those about the adulterous woman, have had much luck, and an endless number of discussions, sentimental phrases, and pictures have been produced on this theme, but the meaning of these much-repeated words remain not only misty but even incomprehensible.

These words are anything but sentimental or misty phrases ; they are very definite and clear, stern words ; just as significant, stern, and clear, as the words about this, that if you are not like vagrants, mendicants, you will not enter into the kingdom of God. Either statement is repeated just as often, and again it says here, If you are not vagrants, like children, you will not enter into the kingdom of God.

What, then, does it mean to be like children ?

Jesus, who has been admonishing us to have the comprehension, could certainly not have said, Be as foolish as the children. To be as weak as the children would be of no use. To be as good as the children would be an untruth, for children are frequently very bad. To be prepared for everything, to love God and our neighbours,— that the children cannot be, for children are very egoistical beings. So in what way are we to be like children ? Those who have concealed the five commandments of the sermon on the mount will never guess it. Only those who comprehend these commandments will find the answer very simple and clear.

In the five rules it said :

(1) Be not angry, and forgive offences ; act in such a way that no one will have resentment against thee : children always do this, — no one is angry at children.

(2) Commit no adultery : children do not commit adultery.

(3) Do not swear: children do not understand what an oath is.

(4) Do not go to court : children are afraid of a court.

(5) Have no enemies of state : they do not understand this.

So this is what is meant by being like children : not to have faith in those human institutions which have created evil, — enmity, adultery, promises, courts, violence, and wars. In Matthew, Chapter XVIII., Verse 6, after pointing out how to enter into the kingdom of heaven, we read, Woe to those who will tempt, cheat, lead into evil these innocent ones. Only when we understand this shall we understand the meaning of the words, He who will understand what a child is, according to my teaching, will understand my teaching and the will of the Father. We must understand that a child is God’s soul, a child of God, who knows only the Father, and does not know the errors of the flesh ; that the whole teaching of Jesus consists in not doing evil, and a child does not yet do evil.

10. ‘Opare μτ) κατα-φρονησητε ενός τών μικρών τούτων· λέγω γάρ ύμύν, οτι ol AyyeXoi αυτών έν ουρανούς διά παντός βλέπουσι τό πρδσωπον του πατρός μου τού έν ούρανοΐς.

Matt, rviii. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels» do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

10. Take heed that you do not despise one child, for I tell you, their souls always see God their Father.

(a) ayyeXot I translate by souls. In many texts the words εν ούρανοϊς are wanting.

This verse, which is transferred farther down, obviously refers to the determination of the relation of the children to the kingdom of God. First it says that one must become like a child, in order to be in the kingdom of God. One must humble himself and understand life, as children understand it. And he says, Consequently we must not despise the children, but learn from them. Children are those who are not spoiled by evil : they are souls who always live according to the will of the Father.

14. Ούτως ούκ tan θέλημα έμπροσθεν τού πατρός υμών τού έν ουρανούς, ΐνα άπόληται εΐς των μικρών τούτων.

Matt, rviii. 14. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

14. Thus not one child perishes by the will of God your Father.

This verse, which is again detached from the discourse by the interpolation of the parable of the lost sheep, continues the same discussion. He says, All the children are in the will of God, and, while they have not yet their own will, are always in the kingdom of God. Their souls are inseparable from the Father, so that their disunion with the Father takes place not by the will of God, but by the will of men.

6. “Os δ’ àv σκανδα-λίση ένα τών μικρών τούτων τών πιστευδντων cir έμέ, συμφέρει αύτίρ ϊνα κρεμασθη μύλος όνικδς έπι τδν τράχηλον αυτού, και καταποντισθη έν τιρ πελάyει της θαλάσσης.

Matt, rviii. 6. Rut whoso shall offend® one of these little ones which believe in me,6 it were better for hiiu-that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

6. And he who will allure away even one of these children who believe in me, does this for him, that a millstone may be hanged around his neck, and he be drowned in the sea.

(a) The word σκανδαλίζω occurs several times, but here it occurs for the first time in its exact, definite, and particular meaning. The noun σκάνδαλον means a snare : in the language of the gospels σκανδαληθρον is used instead ; and then we have the active and passive of σκανδαλίζω. The verb means to deceive, to allure.

The peculiarity of this Greek verb lies in the use of the prepositions and cases which are used with it. It is used in the passive simply and with εν, and has the meaning of being deceived bg truth. Such meaning we find in

Matt. xiii. 21. yevoptev^ δè θλίψεως ή δι,α^μοΰ δια τδν λογορ, ευθυς σκανδαλίζεται.

Matt. xxiv. 10. και τότε σκανδαλισθησονται πολλοί.

Mark iv. 17. ενθεως σκανδαλίζονται.

Mark xiv. 29. καϊ ει πάντες σκανδαλισθησονται.

In the passive with the addition of εν :

Matt. xi. 6. δς èàu μη σακυ^αλίσθη ερ ύμοί.

Matt. xiii. 57. καϊ έσκαυδαλίζουτο ε’ρ αύτω.

Matt. xxvi. 31. 7τάντξς υμάς σκαυ&αλισθήσεσθζ ε’ρ ύμοϊ.

Matt. xxvi. 33. el καϊ πάντες σκαυδαλισθήσουται eu σοϊ.

Mark vi. 3. καϊ ύσκαυ^αλίζουτο ε’ρ αύτω.

Mark xiv. 27. otl πάντες σκαυδαλισθήσεσθε ε’ρ έμοί.

Έρ έμοί, that is, in my teaching, which is the truth.

This meaning of the verb in the passive also defines its meaning in the active. Its meaning is not merely to deceive, but to allure away front truth.

Having said that the children, since they do no wrong, are in the will of God, in the truth, Jesus says, Woe to him who will allure them away from truth, or from me.

(b) Who believe in me. The children, the little children, who understand nothing and who did not come near to Jesus, believe in Jesus and in his teaching : what does this mean ? And this is said alike in Matthew and in Mark. The children believe in Jesus. It is impossible for them to believe that he is the second person of the Trinity. The one thing they believe in is that life is good. And nothing but this is the teaching of Jesus. He who is not offended believes in Jesus. ·

The short sixth verse of Matthew xviii., And he who will allure away from the truth one of such children, and Mark ix. 42 are a solution of the whole Gospel. We must reject this passage, or understand the whole Gospel in this way, that Jesus did not teach any other doctrine but the belief in life.

(c) It is positively impossible to understand on what ground συμφέρα αύτω is translated by it would be better for him, meaning him who will offend.

It is only the awkward phrase in Luke xviii. 2 which could give any cause for it.

Ei7T€ δε προς τούς μαθητάς, Άρε’ρδεκτο’ρ εστι. μη èXdeîv τα σκάυΰαλα’ ούαϊ δε δά’ ού ep^erat. λυσίτελεί αύτω el μύλος ουι,κος TrepiKetTat Trepï του τράχηλου αύτού, καϊ eppe-πταν etç τηυ θάλασσαυ, η ϊυα σκαυ&αλίστ) ύυα τώρ μι,κρώυ τούτωυ.

It is quite evident that this is an interpolation in Luke : it speaks of the children out of season and out of reason. But in Matthew and in Mark the idea is expressed in the same way. In Mark καλού έστιυ αύτω μαλλου it would be better for him ; in Matthew συ/ζφερεί. αύτω, that is, he helps him. “Συμφύρω means to help, cooperate.

But why does him mean the one who offends, and not the child ? The offended child, deprived of life, is like a man with a millstone, cast into the sea. The millstone is the offence. But that he who offends should be like a man cast into the sea, is not only incomprehensible, but crude and foolish. The translation of this passage by the church is one of many examples not only of an ill-intentioned translation, but also of unusual recklessness and frivolity.

7. Ο ύαΐ τψ κόσμιρ από των σκανδάλων· άνάγκη yàp έστιν έΧθεΐν τα σκάνδαλα· πλην ούαϊ τψ άνθρώπιρ έκείνιρ. δΐ ου τό σκάνδαλον έρχεται.

8. Εΐ δέ η χειρ σου H ό ποΰς σου σκανδαλίζει σε, εκκοφον αυτά και βάλε άπό σου· καλόν σοι έστΙν είσελθεΐν εις την ζωήν χωλόν τ) κυλλδν, τ) δύο χέΐρας H δύο πόδας εχοντα βληθηναι εις τό πυρ τό αιώνιον.

9. Καί εί δ οφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζει σε, εξελε αύτδν και βάλε από σου· καλόν σοι έστϊ μονόφθαλμο ν εις την ζωήν είσελθεΐν, τ) δύο όφθαλμούς εχοντα βληθηναι εις την yéevvav του πυρός.

Matt, xviii. 7. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh !

8. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee : it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting tire.

7. The world of men is unhappy because of the offences, for it is impossible for the offences not to exist; but unhappy is the man who becomes a deceiver.

8. If thy hand or thy foot leads thee into deception, cut them off, and cast them from thee; for it is good to live even armless or lame, but not to perish with two hands and two feet.

9. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

9. And if thy eye leads thee into deception, tear it out, and cast it from thee. It is good to live with one eye, and not to perish with two eyes.

It says that the children are born believing in the teaching of Christ ; that they are in the kingdom of God ; and that they perish only because grown people entice them away from the kingdom of God and offend them.

These offences are and will be, but we must be afraid of them, for they cause the ruin of the children and those who themselves are an offence for others. An offence is what allures away from what is good and true ; it is the evil and the lie which seem good and true ; it is that allurement into the snare, which to the bird and beast seems good until the deceived creature is caught in the snare. Such snares and deceptions form the misfortune of the world. Men are good, but these deceptions cause their ruin. They are in the world and cannot help being in it, as there cannot help being darkness, if there is light, as there cannot help being error, if there is truth. But they must be known, for in them is the chief misfortune of men. Beware both that you are not caught in them and that, if you are caught, you do not become participants in them. There are offences against the five rules of the sermon on the mount.

The offence of anger, — which leads a man to commit murder and offer insult.

The offence of adultery, — which leads a man to bodily impurity and dissension with his neighbours.

The offence of the oath, — which draws a man to committing acts contrary to the will of God, under the pretext of a promise.

The offence of violence, — which provokes a man to recompense an evil with the same evil which he has suffered from another.

The offence of distinction between one’s own nation and a foreign one, and of the recognition of the necessity of defending one’s own and hurting the stranger’s.

Against these rules snares are placed over the whole world, and against them Jesus Christ now warns. They are the offences against what is accepted and regarded by everybody as good and important, against what is high before men, but an abomination before God. He does not call them evil ; he calls them snares, through which evil comes into the world, and which men must fear. It is not necessary to destroy them : they are neither important, nor evil, nor good ; but we must not take part in them.

3. ’Eàv Ôè αμάρτη els ffè ό άδελφός σου, ίπιτί-μησον αύτψ· και εάν με-τανοήστ/, &φες αύτψ.

Luke xvii. 3. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

3. Beware; if thy brother offends thee, rebuke him; and if he changes his conduct, forgive him.

This passage is given in Luke immediately after the words which speak of the necessity of having offences, but woe to him through whom they enter into the world. In Matthew this passage about forgiving a brother similarly follows after the words about the offences; but Peter’s question (Verse 21 of Matthew) is transferred to the end. For clearness’ sake, I put this verse in the beginning, and connect it with Verse 3 of Luke, with which it is connected by its meaning.

21. Τότε iτροσελθών αύτψ ό Tlérpos elire, Κιί-pie, ir οσάκις άμαρτήσει els έμϊ ο άδελφός μου, καί άφήσω αύτψ ; Ιως επτάκις ;

22. Λέγε: αύτψ ό Ιησούς, Ον, λόγω σοΙ, επτάκις, άλλ’ ϊως όβδο-μηκοντάκις επτά.

Matt, xviii. 21. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

21. Then Peter came up to him, and said, No matter how much a brother offends me, I will forgive him seven times.

22. Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

22. And Jesus said to him, I do not speak of forgiving seven times, but seventy times seven.

Peter offends by a discussion about revenge being a counteraction to evil. He says, I can see how we may forgive once ; but he will be certain to offend again, even because I have forgiven him. If it comes to forgiving,

one will have to do so continually, and people will continually offend thee. And Jesus cautions him against this deception and insincerity by saying, We must not forgive once only, but as many times as one offers an insult, without considering whether this will encourage the offender, or not.

23. Διά τούτο ώμοιώ-θη ή βασιλεία των ουρανών άνθρώπψ βασιλεΐ, 6; ήθέλησε συναραι λόγον μετά των δούλων αυτού.

24. ’Α ρξαμένου δέ αυτού συναίρειν, προ-σηνέχθη αύτψ εις όφει-λέτης μυρίων ταλάντων.

25. Μή εχοντος δέ αυτού άποδοΰναι, έκέ-λευσεν αυτόν ό κύριος αύτοΰ πραθήναι, καί την ‘γυναίκα αύτοΰ καί τά τέκνα, καί πάντα δσα είχε, καί άποδοθηναι.

26. Πεσών οΰν ό δούλο? προσεκύνει αύτψ, λόγων, Κύριε, μακροθύμησαν έπ έμοί, καί πάντα σοι άποδώσω.

27. ’Σπλα’γχνισθεΙς δέ ό κύριος τού δούλου έκείνου άπέλυσεν αυτόν, καί τό δάνειον άφηκεν αύτψ.

28. Έξελβών δέ ό δούλο? έκεΐνος εΰρεν ένα των συνδούλων αυτού, 6? ώφειλεν αύτψ εκατόν δηνάρια· καί κρατήσας αυτόν επνι”γε, λόγων, ’ Α,πόδος μοι δ τι όφεί-λεις.

29. Τϊεσών οΰν ό σύν-δουλος αύτοΰ ci? τού? ττόδα? αύτοΰ παρεκάλει αύτόν, λόγω»·, Μακροθύμησαν ίπ’ έμοί, καί πάντα άποδώσω σοι.

Matt, xviii. 23. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25. But forasmuch as he bad not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

23. Therefore the kingdom of God is like this : A rich man wanted to settle his alfairs with his clerks.

24. And when he had begun to make the account, they brought to him a clerk who owed him ten thousand dollars.

25. But he could not pay it, and so the master ordered his wife, his children, and everything he had to be sold, for the sake of the payment.

26. And the clerk fell down before the master, and began to bow to him, saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27. Then the master took pity upon the servant, and freed him and forgave him his debt.

28. And the clerk went out, and found one of his servants, who owed him one hundred cents. And calling him up, he began to choke him, saying, Pay me what thou owest me.

29. And that servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have pity on me, and I will pay thee all.

30. *0 δέ ούκ ήθελε v, αλλά άπελθών εβαλεν αύτόν ci? φυλακήν, έως ου άποδψ τό όφειλόμενον.

31. Ίδόντ« δ£ ο I σύνδουλοι αύτοΰ τά “γενόμενα, έλυπήθησαν σφό-δρα· καί έλθόντες διεσά-φησαν τψ κυρίψ αυτών πάντα τά “γενόμενα.

32. Τότε προσκαλε-σάμενος αύτόν ο κύριας αύτοΰ λέ-γει αύτψ, Δούλε πονηρέ, πάσαν τήν οφειλήν έκείνην άφήκά σοι, έπεί παρεκάλεσάς με.

33. Ούκ εδει καί σέ έλεήσαι τόν σύνδουλόν σου, ώ? καί όγώ crc ήλέησα ;

34. Kai όρΎισθεις ό κύριος αύτοΰ παρέδωκεν αύτόν τοΐς βασανισταΐς, ίως ού άποδψ παν τό όφειλόμενον αύτψ.

35. Οΰτω καί ό πατήρ μου ο έπουράνιος ποιήσει ύμίν, έάν μή άφήτε έκαστος τψ άδ^λφω αύτοΰ άπό των καρδιών υμών τά παραπτώματα αύ-τών.

The idea that any man may be guilty toward us is a deception. If we consider others guilty toward us, we do so only because we forget our own offences, because we forget everything we ought to have done ; and so it is not at all remarkable that we should forgive seventy times seven; on the contrary, it is remarkable that we should think it possible for any one to be guilty toward us. Anybody’s guilt is a deception, a deviation from truth. In order that we may not fall into this deception, we must carry out the first rule of the sermon on the mount : not to be angry at our brother, and live in peace with all.

30. And he would not : but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I for-Eave thee all that debt, ecause thou desiredst me :

33. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

34. And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you. if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

30. But the clerk would not listen: he went and took him to the prison, till he should pay his debt.

31. And the other servants saw what was done, and they were much grieved, and went and told their master everything which had happened.

32. Then the master called up the clerk, and said to him, Thou wicked slave, I forgave thee the whole debt, because thou didst ask me,

33. And thou oughtest to have forgiven thy servant, as I had pity on thee.

34. And the master was angry, and turned him over to the tormentors, till he should pay everything which he owed him.

35. Even thus my heavenly Father will do to you, if every one of you will not in his heart forgive his brother his trespasses.

15. ’Εάν δό ίμαρτήση els σί ό άδελφόΐ σου, ΰπαye καί eKey£ov αυτόν μεταξύ σου καί αυτού μόνου, ίάν σου άκούση, ίκίρδ ησας τδν άδελφόν σου—

16. ‘ Εάν δέ μη άκούση, παράλαβε μετά σου en ?να ή δυο, ϊνα ίπΐ στόματος δυο μαρτύρων H τριών σταθη παν ρήμα.

17. ’Εάν δί παρακούση αύτών, είπέ τη έκκλησίφ· éàv δό καί τηϊ Εκκλησίας παρακούση, έστω σοι ώσπερ ό εθνικδϊ και δ τελώνηϊ.

18. ’Αμήν λ^γω ύμΐν, *Οσα ίάν δήσητε ίπ! τή$ yrjs. εσται δεδεμίνα ίν τψ ούρανψ· καί δ’σα έάν λύσητε ίπΐ τή$ yijs, εσται λελυμένα έν τιρ ούρανψ.

Matt, xviii. 15. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall bear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church:·» but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.

18. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

15. If thy brother of. fends thee, go and tell him his fault face to face. If he shall hear thee, thou art the gainer, for thou hast found a brother.

16. But if he shall not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that the two or three may persuade him.

17. And if he shall not bear them either, tell it to the assembly; and if he does not hear the assembly, let him be to thee as a stranger or as a tax-collector.

18. Verily I tell you, Whatever you will bind on earth, will be bound with God, and whatever you will loose on earth, will be loosed with God.

(α) ζκκΧησία I translate by a word which corresponds to the Greek.

This is what the church says about it (pp. 333, 297-299):

Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, etc. : What before was promised to Peter is now promised to all the apostles. The Lord employs absolutely the same expressions in either case, to show his disciples that they all receive the same power ; that Peter is not granted the exclusive, or even preponderant, right to rule the church ; that everything legally established by all of them and their successors in matters of church government will be confirmed by the divine determination in heaven, in accordance with the spirit of truth inherent in the church and its representatives.

See to what misery he subjects the stubborn : both to present punishment and future torments. And he threatens these things, not that all this may happen, but that he who is menaced, that is, menaced to be cut off from the church and to be bound in heaven, shall become meeker and. knowing this, may give up his anger, if not in the beginning, at least after many condemnations. Thus the Lord established the first, the second, and the third judgment, and did not suddenly reject the trespasser, — in order that, if he does not hear the first court, he may submit to the second; and if he contemn this one also, he may be frightened by the third ; and if he disrespect this one too, he may be terrified at the future punishment, determination, and judgment of God.

If in the words, Whatsoever ye shall bind, etc., there is contained the power to forbid the communion with the unrepenting and to cut him off from the church, then in the words, Whatsoever ye shall loose, etc., there is contained the power to forgive the sinner and again receive him into the communion with the church, if he repent.

The keys of the heavenly kingdom: The conception of the kingdom of heaven here corresponds to the concept of the church, and, as the church is represented under the form of a structure which, naturally, has an entrance and an exit, which are opened and locked by means of keys, the keys here metaphorically represent the instrument of admission or non-admission into the structure of the church or the society of believers. The possession of the keys of the building presupposes free admission into the building and even management of it.

Therefore the handing of the keys is the granting of the right to enter into the building, manage it, and admit or exclude others. Consequently the expression, I shall give unto thee the keys of the heavenly kingdom, signifies the same as the subsequent utterance, Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.

I shall give unto thee : With these words no exclusive right is given to Peter alone, as the Roman Catholics think, but the same privilege is later given to all the apostles ; here it is given to Peter only because he was the first to confess Jesus Christ the Son of God. Is it possible that only Peter, and not Paul, received these keys? that Peter received them, and not John and James, and the other apostles? Are not these keys in the church, where sins are remitted daily? These keys and the right to bind and loose were not given to one man, but to the one universal church. That it was not given to one individual exclusively can be seen from another place, where the Lord says the same to all the apostles.

Thus the church binds} the church looses: Thus binds and looses the church, which is based on the corner-stone, on Jesus Christ himself.

Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, etc.: To bind and loose is frequently used by the Jews in the sense of prohibiting and permitting. Thus, for example, speaking of the gathering of wood for the Sabbath, they expressed themselves in this manner : the school of Shamai binds this, that is, forbids it ; the school of Hillel looses it, that is, permits it. Apostle Peter and, later on, all the apostles are by these words given the right to determine the trespasses which permit or do not permit one to remain in the church or the society of believers, and they are told that what they will not permit in the church or the society of believers will also be prohibited by God. Such a power is granted to them, because after Christ the apostles and their successors remain upon earth as the visible legislative power in the church, as the representatives of the church government by Jesus Christ himself.

It is hard to imagine a more ridiculous misconception than this one. Jesus says to Peter, I will give thee the key to the kingdom of heaven, just as we should say at the present time, I will give thee the key for it, so that you may understand it : and immediately he goes on to say what this key consists in : in loosing all the enmities here on earth, — precisely what has been said many times before, in the parable of the two debtors, in the parable of him who goes to the judgment with his adversary, — and what the Gospel is full of : to forgive all, to have no enemies, as is said here in Chapter XVIII. This chapter begins with telling how we are to settle with our enemies in the case of hostilities and insults, and finishes with the rule that we ought to forgive, not seven times, but seventy times seven. This is the key. And suddenly it turns out that Jesus by these words commands the popes to confess people and gather in eggs for it. It would be ridiculous, if it were not terrible.

And, as usual, the blasphemous, stupid misinterpretation of this passage has taken firm root, though it occurs only in the Gospel of Matthew, in spite of the palpable error, and contrary to sense and to the exigencies of the language. This passage follows, both in Matthew and in Luke, immediately after the admonition not to take part in the offences : it is an explanation of how offences are to be avoided.

19. Πάλο» λέγω ύμΐν, δτι ίάν δύο υμών συμφω-νήσωσιν éirï ττμ yfjs ircpl iravràs πρά-γματοτ oîi èàv αίτήσωνται, ye-vfyrerai αι/rot’s παρά του πατρό$ μου του έν ούρα vois.

20. Ου yàp άσι δύο f) rpeîs avvTjypivoi els τδ ίμδν όνομα, ticeÎ elpi iv μέσψ αύτών.

Matt, xviii. 19. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask,*» it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

19. Again you know, that if two or three of you have agreed on earth in everything, then whomever they ask, they will get what they ask before my Father in heaven.

20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

20. For where two or three are united through my teaching, 1 am before them.

(a) The translation in this place of όΰ èàv αίτησωνταυ by what they shall ask is quite arbitrary. There can be no contraction here, and we cannot ask for a στραγ/χα. Ού means here whom. The meaning is : It is evident that if two or three agree, obviously each will get what the other asks for.

This, one of the most important and clearest places of the Gospel, is completely lost on account of the incredibly stupid interpretation of the church.

Having said that the conception of guilt is a deception, Jesus Christ teaches that for those who execute his teaching there cannot even present itself the case of guilt and punishments and forgiveness, and for those who execute his teaching there can be no dissension. He says, If thou hast been offended, speak privately to thy brother, to make peace with him ; if he will not listen to thee, call in others ; if he does not listen to them, take all the inhabitants for thy judges, and if he does not listen to them, leave him alone, bear the insult, and do

not quarrel with him, for every earthly affair in which you bind yourselves, binds also your soul and your relation to God, and so the loosing in earthly matters is also a loosing of the soul.

And you know yourselves that, if you agree here upon earth, and live in peace, every one will give what he is asked for, and so, if two or three are united through my teaching, my teaching of love and truth will be among them, that is, a foundation of their relations among themselves.

ON MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

3. Καί προσήλθον αύ-τψ ol Φαρισαίοι πειρά-ξοντες αυτόν, καί \iyov-τ ες αύτώ, Et εξεστιν άνθρώπψ άττολυσαι την “γυναίκα αύτοΰ κατά πα-σαν αιτίαν ;

4. *0 δέ άποκριθείς εΐ-πεν αύτοΐς, Ο ύκ άνέ-yviüT€ δτι ό ποιήσας άπ Αρχής Αρσεν καί Θήλυ έποίησεν αυτούς,

5. Καί εϊπεν, ‘“Eve-κεν τούτου καταλείφει άνθρωπος τόν πατέρα καϊ την μητέρα· καϊ προσ· κολληθήσεται τη yυvaι-κι αύτοΰ, καί εσονται οί δύο, εις σάρκα μίαν

(>. *Ωστε ούκέτι είσϊ δύο, αλλά σαρξ μία· δ ούν à Ocàr συνέζευξεν, άνθρωπος μη χωριξέτω.

7. Aέyoυσιv αύτψ. Τί οΰν Μωστ/ΐ ένετείλατο δούναι βιβλίον άποστα-σίου, καί άπολΰσαι αύ-τήν,

8. A^ct αύτοΐς, Οτι Μωσής πρός την σκληρο-καρδίαν ύμών έπέτρεφεν

Matt. xix. 3. The Pharisees also came unto him, temptine him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4. And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8. He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away

3. And the Pharisees came up to him, and, tempting him, said to him, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for every cause?

4. And Jesus replied to them, Do you not know that he who made male and female in the beginning, made also them?

5. And said, For this reason will a man leave father and mother, and will cleave to his wife; and the two will be one body.

6. So that there will not be two, hut one body. Therefore, what God has united, no man shall divide.

7. And they said to him, Why, then, did Moses command us to give a writing of divorcement, and to divorce a wife?

8. And he said to them, Because of your rudeness did Moses command you to divorce ύμΐν άπολΰσαι τάς γυναΐ-κας ύμών· άπ’ αρχής δέ ού yéyovev οΰτω.

9. Αέγω δέ ύμΐν, δτι δς Αν άπολύση την yu-ναΐκα αύτοΰ, εΐ μη έπί πορνείφ, καί yαμήση Αλλην, μοιχαται·

11. Καί λέyeι αύτοίς, *0r ίάν άπολύση την yvvaiKa αύτοΰ καϊ yaμή-ση Αλλην, μοιχάται έπ αυτήν·

10. Aéyouaiv αύτψ οί μαθηταί αύτοΰ, El ούτως έστϊν ή αΙτία του Ανθρώπου μετά τής yυναικός, ού συμφέρει “γαμήσαι.

11. *0 δέ εϊπεν αύτοίς, Ού πάντες χωροΰσι τόν λόyov τοΰτον, άλλ’ οϊς δέδοται.

12. ΕΖσί yàp εύνοΰχοι, οϊτινες έκ κοιλίας μητρός iyεννήθησαν οΰτω· καί είσιν εύνοΰχοι, οϊτινες εύνουχίσθησαν ύπό των Ανθρώπων· καί είσιν εύνοΰχοι, οϊτινες ευνούχισαν εαυτούς, διά την βασιλείαν των ουρανών, à δυνάμενος χωρεΐν χω-ρείτω. your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

(a) The disciples say, It is better not to marry, in order that we may not have these sins. He replies, Yes, it is better : it is easy to say so, but not easy to fulfil it, that is, entirely to abstain from women.

The Pharisees, who have established the offence of the divorce, ask Jesus whether it is lawful to send away a wife, if she has not found favour, and to take another, pointing out that that is permissible according to the law of Moses.

9. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put a wav his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is nut away doth commit adultery.

Mark x. 11. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

Matt. xix. 10. His disciples say unto him. If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

11. But be said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.·»

12. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb : and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men : and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Îour wives : from the eginning it was not so.

9. I tell you, Whoever puts away his wife, except for fornication, causes her to commit adultery.

11. And every man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

10. And his disciples said to him, If such is the duty of a man to his wife, it is more profitable not to marry.

11. And he said to them, Not all keep this comprehension in their heart, save those to whom it is given.

12. For there are chaste people, without adulterous passion, who were’so born from their mother’s womb; and there are others who are deprived of their lust by men; and others again, who have made themselves chaste for the kingdom of God. He who is able to take to heart this comprehension, let him receive it.

He says that the meaning of marriage is the union of husband and wife into one, and so the violation of this natural law is a sin. And so, he who puts away his wife is committing an offence in that he himself commits adultery and causes his wife to do the same. The disciples say, Then it is better not to marry at all. He says, , Of course, it is better, only one has to be entirely pure. We who can do it, let him do it. There are people who are continent by Nature or by circumstances. Why, then, can one not be so, in order to be in the kingdom of God ? He who can, let him do so. But it is not right to offend others ; and so, every thought of the possibility of taking another wife is an offence and dissemination of evil, which must be cut off like a hand.

24. ’Έλθδντων 5è αυτών εις K απερναούμ, προσηλθον οί τά δίδραχμα λαμβάνοντες τψ ΙΙέτρψ, καί είττον, Ό διδάσκαλος υμών ού τελεί τά δίδραχμα.

ON TRIBUTE

Matt. xvji.24. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received didrachms came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay the di drachms ?»

24. When they came to Capernaum, those who collected didrachms came to Peter, and said to him, Your teacher does not pay the didrachms.

(α) I omit the question mark. The construction of the sentence is not interrogative, — the verb is in the present : Your teacher does not pay.

It has become a common custom to assume that they collected for the temple, and so this passage is entitled, but it does not appear from anything that the tribute was meant for the temple. On the contrary, it is apparent that it was a simple, customary tribute. At the end of Chapter XXX., Verse 13, it says, according to the Greek text, that everybody was required to pay half a didrachm for the temple. Even if collectors of half-didrachms were mentioned here, there would be no reason for supposing that it was a tribute for the temple; a half-didrachm might have been collected for the temple, or for Cæsar, for not a word is said in the whole chapter about any temple, and from the meaning of the word τελβϊ, which signifies payment for taxes, it is not possible to assume anything but that reference is made here to the payment of taxes. More than that: the coin itself, which it was necessary to pay into the temple, and which was demanded of Peter, is not the same : now it is a half-didrachm, and now again a didrachm. The explanation that two drachms were equal to a Jewish half-shekel is evidently an invention, which was made for the purpose of explaining the tribute for the temple.

25. Atyei, Ned. Kai Άτε είσηλθεν εις τήν οικίαν, προέφθασεν αύτδν ô Ιησούς, λί-γων, Ύί σοι δοκεΐ, Σιμών ; οί βασιλείς της Ύης άπδ τίνων λαμ-βάνουσι τέλη H κηνσον; άττδ των υιών αυτών, H άπδ των άλλοτρίων ;

26. Aéyei αύτψ ό Πό-τρος, Άττδ των άλλοτρίων. “Εφη αύτψ ό ’Ιησούς, ” A paye Ελεύθεροί είσιν οί υΙοί.

Matt. xvii. 25. He saitb, Yes.<» And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying,What thinnest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

26. Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.6

25. He said, Yes. And when Peter entered into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom and tribute? of their children, or of strangers?

26. And Peter said, Of strangers. Jesus said to him, Then are the children free.

(a) It is hard to say on what ground this Yes is explained as meaning that the teacher pays. Neither from the context, nor from what comes next does this perverse sense follow. In one text of the Latin translation we read utique non.

(b) John viii. 36 : If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. The children of God are those who are in the kingdom of God. In the will of God they can be under no obligation to any one, — they are free from everything. And as the king frees his children from all the tax-collectors, so God frees his children from every dependance, except the filial relation to him.

27. “Iva δέ μη σκαν-δαλίσωμεν αΰτού$, πορευ-3els eZs την θάλασσαν βάλε &Ύκιστρον, καί τδν άναβάντα πρώτον ίχθύν άρον’ καί άνοίξας τό στόμα αύτοΰ, εΰρήσε is στατήρα-ίκεΐνον λαβών δόΐ αι/rois αντί é/xoû καί σου.

Matt. xvii. 27. Notwithstanding. lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first couieth up; and when thou hast opened his mouth,*» thou shalt find a stater : that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

27. But, lest we should lead them into sin, go and cast out a tackle, and take up the first fish which thou catchest, and get a stater for it, and give this for me and thee.

(a) In many texts these words are wanting. These two words, being doubtful, I omit. Άνο/γω το στόμα always means to speak, cry.

The whole of Verse 27 has apparently been subject to many changes and violations, with the purpose of subverting it to the meaning of a miracle, but, in spite of the changes, it has retained the original meaning, and may most exactly be translated by, Go and cast out the tackle, and take the first fish which comes up (in the sense of many fish), and, opening thy mouth, that is, calling buyers, thou wilt find a stater, and this give for me and thee.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. I., pp. 417 and 418) :

Du temps de Jésus-Christ, c’était la règle que tout Israélite âgé de vingt ans et plus payât annuellement une redevance au temple de Jérusalem, pour les frais du culte. Cet usage remontait, quant au principe, à une haute antiquité, mais on ne sait pas à quelle époque il reçut sa forme définitive. La somme à payer était de deux drachmes par tête, soit à peu près 1 fr. 80 c. Telle que l’histoire est racontée ici, il faut supposer que les percepteurs rencontrèrent Pierre dans la rue, et que les paroles qu’ils lui adressent sont une espèce d’invitation à payer. Car il n’est pas possible d’admettre que Jésus ait antérieurement refusé de payer.

Le reste du récit présente deux éléments distincts et indépendants l’un de l’autre : un fait matériel et miraculeux, et une parole de Jésus. Quant au premier, beaucoup de commentateurs ont hésité à l’accepter dans son sens littéral, d’après lequel le premier poisson qui mordrait à l’hameçon de Pierre devait porter dans sa bouche un statère, une pièce d’argent valant quatre drachmes, ou 3 fr. 60 c. Jésus, se demandait-on, a-t-il jamais fait des miracles pour satisfaire ses propres besoins matériels? Et l’on pensa qu’il s’agissait simplement d’une pêche dont le produit, vendu au marché, devait suffire pour payer une si petite redevance. Cette explication est beaucoup trop simple pour être admissible, car on a de la peine à concevoir qu’un fait si naturel, et si journalier dans la vie d’un pêcheur, ait pu se transformer en miracle dans la tradition. Or, il faut remarquer: 1° qu’avant même que Pierre rapporte la conversation qu’il vient d’avoir avec les percepteurs, Jésus la sait déjà; 2Q qu’il sait aussi que le premier poisson qui sera pris mettra Pierre à même de payer l’impôt pour deux personnes; 3° qu’il est positivement question d’une pièce d’argent à trouver, et non d’un poisson à vendre, parce qu’un poisson qu’on aurait pris avec l’hameçon ne pouvait pas valoir, à cette époque, 3 fr. 60 c. à Capharnaoum ; 4° enfin, que cette pièce d’argent devait se trouver dans la bouche du poisson, et non dans son ventre, ce qui paraîtrait moins étonnant. Toutes ces circonstances font voir qu’à moins de dénaturer complètement le récit de l’évangéliste, on ne parvient pas à faire disparaître le miracle. Nous convenons que ce miracle est unique en son genre dans l’histoire de Jésus, et ne comprend aucun de ces éléments qui, ailleurs si souvent, en font accepter d’autres au sentiment religieux, quand la raison y trouve des difficultés plus ou moins grandes.

Mais il y a au fond de ce récit une idée assez clairement formulée pour qu’on puisse s’étonner à juste titre des tâtonnements des commentateurs. Notre texte est du nombre de ceux dans lesquels Jésus déclare franchement que lui et les siens ne sont plus soumis à la loi. Nous disons lui et les siens, et non pas lui seul, comme on prétend vulgairement, en disant qu’il se pose ici comme fils (unique) de Dieu, exempt comme tel d’un impôt payé à Dieu. Il est bien question de fils au pluriel ; les quatre drachmes sont payées pour Jésus et pour Pierre, afin que les percepteurs, c’est-à-dire les représentants officiels du judaïsme légal, ne soient pas choqués par un refus autrement légitime. Jésus consent donc à s’assujettir à des devoirs qui ne lui incombent pas ; or, il ne peut avoir voulu s’affranchir d’un devoir quelconque qui l’obligeait envers Dieu ; le devoir en question l’obligeait envers le temple et son culte, envers un ordre de choses qui appartenait au passé (Jean iv. 24), et qui, comme tel, est en vérité étranger à Dieu, à partir du moment où ce Dieu veut le remplacer par un ordre de choses nouveau. De même que dans l’administration politique l’impôt se perçoit sur ceux qui ne sont pas de la famille du souverain, de même dans l’économie théocratique il ne saurait être question d’un impôt matériel à exiger de la part des membres de la famille spirituelle. La loi suprême du culte ayant changé, les formes anciennes ne sont plus obligatoires.

Nous n’avons pas besoin de faire remarquer que Pierre n’aura rien compris à cette parole. Elle n’en est que plus sûrement authentique, et si la tradition, restée provisoirement incertaine à l’égard du sens, a pu, par cela même, risquer de se fourvoyer, ce n’est que dans le cadre de la narration que nous pourrons soupçonner quelque malentendu.

This is what the church says (pp. 318-320):

They that received didrachms : A drachm was a small Greek silver coin, worth about seven cents ; two such were a didrachm, equal in value to an old Jewish half shekel. A drachm formed the definite annual tribute toward the temple by each man who had reached the age of twenty years. This tribute was originally established by Moses, but it does not appear that it was then an annual tribute. Later on, no doubt since the building of Solomon’s temple, this tribute was made to be annual and obligatory for all, except the priests and Levites, who were to collect the tribute. This money was used for the support of the temple and the purchase of the requisite things for the divine service, such as sacrificial animals for the daily sacrifices, flour, salt, incense, etc.

Doth not your master pay tribute ? The collectors did not dare approach Jesus Christ, but went to Peter ; however, they did not come to him even with a violent demand, but modestly, for they did not ask persistently: they only said, Doth not your master pay the didrachms? They did not have any definite opinion of him, and regarded him as a simple man, though they showed him some honour and respect on account of the preceding tokens, or, perhaps, they acted with a sly purpose, that is, We wonder whether your master, being opposed to the law, will be willing to pay the didrachms?

Yes: From this answer of Peter, who did not ask Jesus about it, we can conclude that the Lord was in the habit of paying the tribute.

Jesus prevented him, saying: Simon had not yet spoken with Jesus Christ about it, but he, from his divine knowledge, knew already the question and the answer.

Of their own children: That is, of the members of the royal family, or of strangers, that is, of all who do not belong to the royal family.

Then are the children free: From paying custom and tribute,— they do not pay them. The meaning is : consequently I am free from paying the didrachms, for 1 am the Son of God, and the didrachms are collected for God my Father, who abides in this temple. Again : if the kings of the earth do not take tribute of their children, but of strangers, 1 must be so much the more free from it, being a king and a son, not of a king of earth, but of heaven.

Lest we should offend them : (The collectors of the tribute), lest they might think that we do not wish to pay tribute into the temple, and thus might become contemners of the temple and adversaries of the law.

Go thou to the sea : Of Galilee, on the shore of which Capernaum was situated.

Thou shalt fnd a stater : A Roman silver coin, equal in value to four Greek drachms, or one Jewish shekel, consequently, a coin which would pay the tribute for two. This makes it indubitable that Jesus Christ is God : if he knew that in the mouth of the first fish which Peter would catch there would be a stater swallowed by it, then he is omniscient; and if he created the stater in the mouth of the fish, he is almighty.

Jesus, even according to the teaching of all the churches, came to establish the kingdom of God, to teach the moral law. Is it possible, then, that he did not notice, that he overlooked that one-half of mankind oppressed and flayed the other half, collecting from them tribute in the name of the State, every king for himself ? and did he not find anything contrary to his teaching in it ? According to the church teaching that is so. Jesus uttered sentimental words, wrought some miracles, and, allowing the popes to smear oil on people, again returned to heaven.

But this passage and the passage about the tribute to Cæsar show clearly that Jesus did not overlook the evil, and showed how we have to act toward it. This passage and, To Cæsar that which is of Cæsar, directly and clearly define the question as to whether tribute is good, and how we must look upon it and upon those who exact it from us. To the question whether, according to the teaching of Jesus, it is necessary and obligatory to pay tribute, the answer is that neither he, nor the disciples, regard the tribute as obligatory, for the children of God depend only on the God their Father, and neither can exact, nor pay tribute.

But to the second question as to how we are to bear ourselves in relation to the demand for tribute, Jesus answers : though men cannot in any way be under obligation to kings, there are some who consider this necessary, and so we must think only of those who demand the tribute. These people exact it, and if we do not pay it, they will sin, and so, in order that we may not lead them into sin, we must pay them what they demand ; and although the tribute cannot be obligatory for those who live according to the will of God, for the children of God, Jesus commands us to pay the tribute, so that we may not lead them to commit offences. He recognizes tribute as an evil, but, from his rule of non-resistance to evil, he commands us to pay the tribute. Not to pay the tribute, because it is unjust, would be the same as abandoning ourselves to the offence of reflecting of what is just, and what not. And a man who resists evil himself commits an offence and leads others into it.

15. Τότ€ πορευθέντες οί Φαρισαίοι, συμβούλων έλαβον, δπως αυτόν πα-Ίϊδίύσωσιν εν Xbyip.

16. Καί άποστέλλου-σιν αύτψ τού ς μαθητάς αυτών μετά των ‘Πρω-διανών, λέοντες, Διδάσκαλε, οΐδαμεν δτι άλη-θτ]$ εϊ, καί την όδδν του θεού έν αληθείς, διδάσκεις, καί ού μέλει σοι περί ούδενδς, ού yàp βλέπεις εις πρόσωπον ανθρώπων.

Matt. xxü. 15. Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

16. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the llerodians, 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.

15. Then the Pharisees went, and took counsel how they might catch him in his speech.

16. And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that thou teachest the way of God in truth, and that thou dost not care for any man, for thou pay-est no attention to persons.

17. Είπί οΰν ημιν, TI σοι δοκεΐ; εζεστι δούναι κηνσον Καίσαρι, ή οδ ;

17. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not?

17. Tell us therefore, Is it lawful according to your opinion to pay tribute to Cæsar, or not?

From the whole teaching of Jesus Christ, who denies courts, powers, wars, on which the tribute is expended, it was clear that he did not consider the paying of tribute necessary. The question itself shows clearly that the teaching of Jesus was understood in this way, namely, that taxes ought not to be paid. The Pharisees, having invited the officers of Herod, ask this of him, wishing that he should express himself outright in the presence of the people. The interpretation of this text by the church is full of the highest comicalness.

This text, which obviously denies the authorities, is read on royal days, and forms the chief stay of power. They say that a sly question was proposed to Jesus, in order to catch him; but where is the cunning, if Jesus Christ recognized the power ? All he had to do was to say, as Apostle Paul said, Every power is from God, and all.would have been well. But the trouble is that Jesus not only fails to recognize the power, not only despises it, but regards it in its nature as an evil, and places himself and men higher than it. His whole teaching, which recognizes every man as his judge and free, directly excludes every power, considering it evil and therefore darkness.

18. Γνούΐ δέ ό ’Ιησούς την πονηριάν αυτών είπε. Ti με πειράζετε, ύποκριταί ;

19. ‘Έπιδείξατέ μοι τδ νόμισμα του κήνσου. οί δέ πpoσηvεyκav αύτψ δηνάριον.

20. Kai λέyει αύτοΐς, Τίνος ή είκών αΰτη καί η έπυγραφή ;

Matt. xxii. 18. Rut Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Whv tempt ve me, ye

18. And guessing their cunning, Jesus said, Why do you tempt me, cunning people?

hypocrites?

19. Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

20. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

19. Show me the tribute money. And they brought him a penny.

20. And he said to them, Whose is this image and superscription?

21. Λόγοι/σιρ αύτφ, Κα(σαρο$. τότε λέγει αΰ-toÎî, Aττόδοτε ούρ τά Καίσαροί Καίσαρι· καί τά του θεού τψ θεψ.

22. Καί άκουσαρτεί ^θαύμασαν-καί αφέντη αύτάν άπηλθον.

21. 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.

22. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

21. They said, Cæsar’s. Then he said to them, Then give back to Cæsar what is Cæsar’s : and to God give what is God’s.

22. When they heard this, they marvelled, and left him, and went away.

(α) άττοδοτε in its most usual signification, and obviously in place here.

According to the teaching of the church people, both the Orthodox and the free, it turns out that this passage means the same as Rom. xiii. 1 ; 1 Tim. ii. 2 ; 1 Peter ii.

13. And this passage is always read on royal days. According to them this passage means that we must fulfil our obligations toward the king in the same way as toward God.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. I., p. 571):

Mais on aurait tort de s’arrêter à cette interprétation de la réponse. En effet, celle-ci pourrait paraître insuffisante, en ce sens qu’elle semble plutôt éviter que résoudre la question posée, laquelle, après tout, avait sa haute importance. Mais Jésus n’entre point dans la discussion du droit ; sa mission n’était pas politique, son royaume ne devait pas être de ce monde. Il ne se préoccupe pas de faire le bilan des grands principes de la nationalité et de la puissance matérielle. Il se borne à constater que l’homme (ainsi que la société) appartient ici-bas à deux sphères distinctes, à la sphère politique et civile, et à la sphère morale et religieuse. Chacune lui impose des devoirs particuliers auxquels personne ne doit se soustraire. Il pouvait admettre, bien qu’ici il ne le déclare pas explicitement, que la première sphère est inférieure à la seconde; mais tant qu’elle ne gêne pas l’exercice des devoirs de celle-ci, rien ne dispense l’individu de ceux qui lui incombent envers l’autre. Tant que Dieu reçoit ce qui lui est dû, il n’y a pas de raison pour qu’on s’insurge contre l’ordre établi dans le monde (Rom. xiii. 1 ss. 1 Tim. ii. 1 ss. 1 Pierre ii. 13 ss.), et il y a des moyens plus efficaces d’assurer le sort d’une nation que ceux desquels celle-ci attend en vain le résultat désiré quand elle a négligé les autres.

The church says (p. 409):

However, when thou hearest, Render unto Cæsar the things which are Casar’s, thou must understand only as much as does not interfere with godliness; for everything which is contrary to godliness is no longer a tribute to Cæsar, but a tribute and custom to the devil.

They marvelled : At the wisdom of the Lord’s answer to the cunningly put question ; the answer surpassed and deceived their expectations. Evidently the answer was in favour of the Herodians, but the second part of the answer not only failed to represent a pretext for accusing the Lord on the part of the Pharisees, but, on the contrary, pointed directly to the necessity or duty of rendering unto God the things which are God’s, by the side of. Cæsar’s tribute. One obligation does not contradict the other; on the contrary, they conveniently go together and must be paid at the same time.

But they fail to explain how these two obligations are to be united. In the person of Jesus they were not united, just as they cannot be united in the case of all those who understand his teaching. From the teaching of Jesus it follows that he who believes in life and in God will not resist evil, will not go to court, will not wage war, will not collect possessions for himself, and so, obviously, will not pay any taxes, for there will be nothing to pay them with, and, besides, there is no cause for a man to pay, who does not recognize courts, governments, and nationalities. But the Pharisees think that this is all he teaches, and so they come up with the Herodians, and ask, Is it right to pay the taxes to Cæsar ? He says, What does it mean to pay taxes? Show me your taxes, what you pay with ? They show him a coin. He looks at the image of Cæsar, and asks, What is coined here ? He does not even know, and does not want to know that there is a Cæsar. They say, it is Cæsar. Cæsar ? His coin ? Well, then give back to him what is his. Jesus says that a man can be in no dependence on Cæsar, but is always dependent on God. The same verb άττο’δοτε to Cæsar what is Cæsar’s, and to God what

is God’s, has led the interpreters into error. But it is sufficient to comprehend God differently from a king, which, the popes are unable to do, and then the difference of the two phrases becomes clear. To give back that which is somebody else’s means to divide up with him, to have no relations with him, not to take from him. But to give back to God means to give to God the comprehension which he has given to men. .

There can be no choice about this; either we must understand it as the priests do, namely, that a king is almost a God, and that nearly equal honours are to be given to a king and to God ; or else we must understand that the one is to be despised, and the other honoured. The meaning of the whole discourse, which was started by the Pharisees only in order to cause Jesus to commit an offence, is this, that, as in the case of the demand of tribute in Capernaum, he removes the offence, while fulfilling the teaching. Not to offend them, give, in accordance with the rule of non-resistance to evil ; do not submit to the offence of the leaven, by not resisting, by not taking part in it.

52. ΚαΖ άπ έστειλαν άγγΑουί πρδ προσώπου αώτου· καί πορευθέντες είσήλθον ci; κώμην Σαμαρειτών, ώστε έτοιμά-σαι αύτψ.

53. Kai ούκ έδέξαντο αυτόν, ότι τό πρόσωπον aùroû Hv πορευόμενον είς ‘Ιερουσαλήμ.

54. ‘Ιδόντες 5è ol μαθηταΐ αύτού ‘Ιάκωβος καί ’Ιωάννης έϊπον, Κύριε, θέλεις εΐπωμεν πυρ κατα-βήναι άπδ του ούρανού, καί άναλώσαι αυτούς, ως καί Ήλίας έποΐησε;

OF THE ADULTERESS

Luke ix. 52. And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

53. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

54. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?-

52. On their way the disciples of Jesus entered into a village of Samaria, to prepare a night’s lodging for him.

53. But they did not receive him there.

54. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Dost thou agree to this, that it is proper to say, May they be killed by lightning from heaven for this?

55. Στραφείς δέ έπε-τίμησεν αύτοΐς, καί εϊπεν, Ούκ οΐδατε οί’ου πνεύματός ίστε υμείς·

56. Ο yàp υΙός του ανθρώπου ούκ ήλθε φυ-χδ,ς άνθρώπων άπολέσαι, αλλά σώσαι. καί έπορεύ-θησαν είς έτέραν κώμην.

3. ” Ayουσι δέ ol yραμ-ματεΐς καί οί Φαρισαίοι πρδς αύτδν yvvaÏKa έν μοιχείη. κατειλημμένην, καί στήσαντες αύτήν έν μίσψ,

4. Αέγουσιν αύτψ, Διδάσκαλε, αυτή ή yov:q κατελήφθη έπαυτοφώρψ μοιχευομένη.

5. Έν δέ τψ νόμψ Μωσ77$ ήμ’ιν ένετείλατο τάς τοιαύτας λιθοβολεΐ-σθαι· σύ ούν τΐ λέγεις ;

6. Τούτο δέ ελεγον πειράζοντε ς αύτδν, ϊνα ϊχωσι KaTTjyopeiv αύτου. ό δδ ’Ιησούς κάτω κύφας, τψ δακτύλψ έγραφεν είς την yήν·

7. Ώ; δέ έπέμενον έρωτώντες αύτδν, άνακύ-φας εΐπε πρδς αύτούς, Ό άναμάρτητος υμών πρώτος τδν λίθον έπ’ αυτή βαλέτω.

8. Καί πάλιν κάτω κύφας ραφεν ci; την ηήν.

9. ΟΙ δέ, άκούσαντες καί ύπδ τής συνειδήσεως Ώ^χόμενοι, έξήρχοντο εΐς καθείς, άρξάμενοι άπδ τών πρεσβυτέρων Ιως τών έσχάτων· καί κατελείφθη μόνος ό ’Ιησούς, καί ή yυvή έν μέσψ έστώσα.

10. ’Ανακύφας δέ ό ’Ιησού;, καί μηδένα θεα-

10. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and

55. But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

56. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

John viii. 3. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery: and when they had set her in the midst,

4. They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

5. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

6. This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

7. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said’unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

S. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the’eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

55. And Jesus replied to them, You do not understand of what spirit you are.

56. For the son of man has not come to destroy the lives of men, but to save them. And he went to another village.

3. And the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman taken in adultery; and they placed her before him,

4. And said to him. Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery.

5. According to the law of Moses we are commanded to stone such a one to death. What dost thou say?

6. They said this, tempting him, that they might have cause for accusing him. But Jesus, bending down, wrote with his finger on the ground.

7. And they continued asking him. He lifted himself up, and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.

8. And again he bent down and began to write on the ground.

9. They understood him, and their conscience reproved them, and one by one, from the eldest to the youngest, they all went away. And Jesus alone was left, and the woman standing before him.

10. Jesus lifted himself and saw none but

σ&μενοί πλήν τηί yovai-kôj, elirev aύτη, Ή yovjj, που clair έκεΐνοι ol κατήγοροί σου ; ovôtls σε κατέκρινεν ;

11. Ή Si €Î7T€P, OÛ-Sàs, κύριε. είττε Si αΰτή à Ii^ovr, OùSi iyw σε κατακρίνω· πορεύου καί μηκίτι άμάρτανε.

saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11. She said, No man. Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do 1 condemn thee: go, and Bin no more.

the woman. And he said to her, Woman, where are thy accusers? Has no one condemned thee?

11. She said, No one, sir. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

(a) Even as Elias did, is wanting in many texts.

In this story the Pharisees directly approach Christ with a provocation for an offence, by bringing in the adulteress and asking what he would say. He has nothing to say. Well, an adulteress ; well, she has sinned ; well, what of it ? It is a pity she has sinned, — that is all he can say. So he keeps silence. They do not ask him outright what they should do, and so he keeps silence. But when they ask him directly what to do, whether to stone her, or not, he says, He who is without sin, let him stone her. And they went away. They saw that only he who is without sin has a right to punish, and as there can be no such people, there can be no punishment. And when they went away, he asked, Well, has no one condemned thee ? No one. Neither can I condemn thee : go, and sin no more. Do not sin thyself, and let them not sin, that is all. And the offence of the judgment is destroyed.

This parable has had a wonderful fate. Although it is semi-apocryphal, it has had unusual luck. For some reason people have a special liking for it and find in it something very sentimental and poetical. The divine teacher, — the adulteress : He is in meditation, drawing with his finger in the sand. And they go and paint pictures and write verses on this occasion. All they see in this is only what is sentimental ; but they do not see that sturdy common sense, from which follows the impossibility of a code of laws, of a senate, of circuit and district courts, and of justices of the peace. They are possible only when men have not even that degree of truthfulness which the Pharisees had. Not one Pharisee dared to say that he was without sin, and they comprehended that only he could punish who could have the boldness to say that he was without sin.

This parable has had a wonderful fate. In what way is it possible more clearly to discuss and picture the impossibility of courts than in this parable ? It is impossible to do so. And what happens ? The sentimentality, the drawing with the finger in the sand, is what gives especial pleasure; but the meaning, the significance, the purpose of this parable do not seem to exist at all. The sentimentality is pleasing, and it is pleasant to receive a salary, and the meaning, well, — it means that in a conversation you must not condemn your neighbour ; you must not say of Marya Ivanovna that she has lovers ; but hanging and chopping off heads, that is all right, that is a different matter.

13. Ehre Si ns αύτφ έκ του ίχλου, Διδάσκαλε, chri τφ άΒελφψ μου με-ρίσασθαι μετ’ έμοΰ την κληρονομιάν.

14. Ό Si είπεν αύτφ, “Ανθρωπε, tîs με κατέστησε όικαστην ή μερι-στην έφ’ ύμαι;

OF THE TRUE LIFE

Luke xii. 13. And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

14. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

13. And one of the people said to Jesus, Teacher, command my brother to divide the inheritance with me.

14. And Jesus said to him, Man, has any one made me a judge or divider among you?

The man asks Jesus justly to divide his inheritance with his brother. Jesus replies that it is not his, nor anybody else’s business, except of those who divide. But how to divide is well known : give everything. To be himself a judge over others is an offence. And so Jesus angrily rebukes him.

25. Καί Ιδού, νομικός τις άνέστη, έκπειράζων αυτόν, καί λόγωρ, Διδάσκαλε, τί ποιήσας ζωήν αιώνιον κληρονομήσω ;

26. Ο δέ είπε ιτρός αυτόν, ‘Εν τψ νόμψ τΐ yiypa-σται ; πώς àvayi-νώσκεις ;

27. Ό δέ άποκριθείς είπεν, 1 ‘ kyαιτήσει Κύριο ν τόν θεόν σου εξ δλης τής καρδίας σου, καί έξ όλης τής ψυχής σου, καί έξ όλης τής Ισχύος σου, καί έξ δλης τής διανοίας σου·’ καί 1 τόν πλησίον σου ως σεαυτόν.’

(a) Many texts have the variant εαυτόν.

I leave here the customary reading, as the meaning of the lawyer’s words is not important here, but what is important is the parable to which Luke alonç attached these words. The meaning of this variant is analyzed in another place. Here we must not forget that Luke has very unsuccessfully attached these words to the parable, in the first place, because he has weakened their meaning, and secondly, because he has put them in the mouth of the lawyer. The lawyer could not have known this commandment, for it is not a commandment, but detached words from two different books of Moses.

Deut. vi. 5. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Lev. xix. 18. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself : I am the Lord.

28. EÎttc δέ αύτφ, Όρθώς άπεκρίθης· τούτο ποίει, καί ζήση.

29. Ο δέ, θέλων δικαι-οΰν εαυτόν, είπε πρός τόν Ίησοΰν, Καί τίς έστί μου πλησίον;

Luke χ. 25. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26. He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27. And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.*»

Luke χ. 28. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right : this do, and thou shalt live.

29. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

25. And, behold, a lawyer stood up and, tempting Jesus, said, Teacher, what shall I do to receive eternal life?

26. Jesus said to him, What is written in the law? How dost thou read?

27. And the lawyer replied, Love thy Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28. Jesus said to him. Thou hast answered right: do this, and thou wilt live.

29. But the lawyer wanted to justify himself, and said to Jesus, And who Is my neighbour?

30. ‘Tπαλαβών δέ ό Ιησούς είπεν, Ανθρωπός τις κατέβαινεν άπό ‘ Ιερουσαλήμ είς Ιεριχώ, καί λησταΐς περιέπεσεν, oî καί έκδύσαντες αυτόν καί πληχάς έπιθέντες άπήλθον, άφαντες ήμι -θανή Tvyxàvovra.

31. Κατά συχκυρίαν δέ Ιερεύς τις κατέβαινεν έν τή όδψ έκείνη, καί Ιδών αύτόν άντιπαρήλθεν.

32. ‘Ομοίως δέ καί Αευΐτης, yεvόμεvoς κατά τόν τόπον, έλθών καί Ιδών άντιπαρήλθεν.

33. Σαμαρείτης δέ τις όδεύων ήλθε κατ αύτόν, καί ιδών αύτόν έσπλαχ-χνίσθη’

34. Καί προσελθών κατέδησε τά τραύματα αύτοΰ, έπιχέων ϊλαιον καί οίνον· έπιβιβάσας δέ αύτόν έπΐ τό ίδιον κτήνος, ήyayεv αύτόν είς πανδοχέων, καί έπεμελήθη αύτοΰ.

35. Καί έπΐ τήν αύρων έξελθών, έκβαλών δύο δηνάρια εδωκε τψ πανδοχεΐ, καί εΙπεν αύ-τψ, Έπιμελήθητι αύτοΰ· καί S τι &ν προσδαπανή-σης, έχώ έν τψ έπανέρ-χεσθαί με άποδώσω σοι.

36. Τί$ οΰν τούτων των τριών δοκεΐ σοι πλησίον χεχονέναι τού έμ-πεσόντος είς τούς λη-στάς;

37. 0 δέ είπεν, Ό ποιήσας τό ελεος μετ’ αύτοΰ. εΐπεν ούν αύτψ δ Ιησούς, Πορεύου, καί σύ ποίει ομοίως.

30. And Jesus answering, said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way ; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him: and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37. And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

30. And Jesus said to him, There was a man who went from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers. The robbers took everything from him, boat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

31. A priest happened to come that way. When he saw the man, he turned around and went away.

32. And likewise a Levite, passing by that place, saw him, and went away.

33. A Samaritan, as he travelled, came where he was; he saw him and took pity on him.

34. And he went and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his horse, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35. On the following morning the Samaritan proceeded on his journey, giving the host two pence, and saying, Take care of this man. If thou spendest more on him, I will repay thee on my way back.

36. Well, what do you think? Which of the three, the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan, was a neighbour to him who fell among the robbers?

37. And the lawyer said, Of course, he who had pity on him. Then Jesus said, Go, and do likewise.

The lawyer retorts to Jesus against his teaching that all men are the children of one Father — God, and that therefore a man must make no distinction between people. He said, for example, that we must love our neighbour, but these words do not prove anything, for it is impossible to love all. I love my wife, my children, and all love some, and do not love others. It is easy enough to say, Love thy neighbour. Who is thy neighbour ? And if it does not say who is a neighbour, nothing is said, and nothing but words are left.

To this Jesus replies by citing the Samaritan and what he did. He does not say who is a neighbour, but chooses one who is farthest removed from the Jews, a Samaritan, and says what he did, and in reply says, Do likewise.

The discussion as to who is a neighbour is a snare which entices away from the truth, and, in order not to fall into it, it is necessary not to discuss, but to act. This is the offence of the leaven of the Sadducees and the Herodians.

21. ‘Airà τότε ήρξατο ο ‘ Ιησούς δεικνύειν τοΐς μαθηταΐς αυτού, δτι δεΐ αύτδν άπελθεΐν εις ‘Ιεροσόλυμα,

22. ΕΙπών, *Οτι δεΐ τδν υΐδν του άνθρώπου ττολλά παθεΐν, καί άπο-δοκιμασθηναι άττδ των πρεσβυτέρων καί άρχιερέων καί -γραμματέων, καί άποκτανθηναι. καί τη τρίτη ήμέρΐ} έ-γερθηναι.

Matt. xvi. 21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem,

22. Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

21. And Jesus began to tell his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem,

22. For the son of man must suffer much, and be rejected by elders, priests, and learned men, and be slain, and be raised after three days.

In Matthew it says that Jesus announced that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer there and be killed, and so forth. In Mark it says that the son of man was to suffer, be killed, and raised.

Jesus calls himself the son of man when he understands by himself his divine essence, which is common to all men. Even thus we must understand it here.

Jesus at the same time says that first he, Jesus, would have to suffer much, and be killed, and be raised from the dead in the spiritual sense; he also says that the comprehension of the son of man will be rejected, before it is raised and accepted.

32. Καί παρρησία τδν λό-γονέλάλει. Καίπροσ-λαβόμενος αύτδν ό ΙΙέτρος ήρξατο έπιτιμμν αύτψ.

33. Ό δέ έπιστραφείς, καί ίδών τούς μαθητας αύτου, έπετίμησε τψ Πέτρψ, λέ-γων, “Ύπα-γε όπίσω μου, “Σατανά· δτι ου φρονείς τα του θεόν, άλλά τά των άνθρώπων.

9. ΟύχΙ δώδεκά είσιν ύραι της ημέρας ; έάν τις περιπατη έν τη ημέρφ, ού προσκόπτει, δτι τδ φως του κόσμου τούτου βλέπει—

10. Έάν δέ τις περιπατη έν τη νυκτι, προσκόπτει, δτι τδ φως ούκ εστιν έν αύτψ.

Mark viii. 32. And be spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the thingi that be of men.

John xi. 9. Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

32. And he spoke these words with confidence. And taking him by the hand, Simon Peter began to hold him back.

33. But when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, be rebuked Simon Peter, saying, Get away from me, olfeuder. Thou en-ticest me away from the truth,for thou dost not think of what is divine, but what is human.

9. There are twelve hours in the day. And if thou walkest in the day, thou dost not stumble, for it is light.

10. But if a man walk in the night, be stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

10. But if thou walkest in the night, thou stum-blest, for thou dost not see the light.

John r’r. 7. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again.

8. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee ; and goest thou thither again ?

And to Peter’s remark, Jesus replies, Thou wan test to allure me away from the truth and light. If I am going to consider what is dangerous for me, and what not, if I am going to reflect as to what will come to me as a result of my act in my carnal life, I shall go from the light into the darkness, and then I shall perish, for he who walks in the light does not stumble. This is the first example of enticing away from the truth. Jesus calls this an offence. It is the offence of the leaven of the Sadducees. And to this offence Jesus replies that,

on the contrary, what turns out to be reasonable accord’ ing to our carnal considerations, is nothing but the darkness, and that only spirit is light, for which there can be no errors and no stumbling-blocks.

34. Καί προσκαλεσά-μενος τόν όχλον συν rois μαθηταΊς αΰτοΰ, εϊπεν αυτού, “Οστις θέλει όπίσω μου έλθεΐν, άπαρνησάσθω εαυτόν, καί άράτω τόν σταυρόν αΰτοΰ, καί άκο-λουθείτω μοι.

35. “Os yàp âv θέλη τήν ψυχήν αΰτοΰ σώσαι, άπολέσει αυτήν· 6r §’ αν άπολέση την ψυχήν αυτού ένεκεν έμοΰ καί του εύayyελloυ, ούτο$ σώσει αυτήν.

18. Kai έρχονται Σαδδουκαΐοι πρός αυτόν, οϊτινε ς Xéyouaiv άνάστασιν μή είναι· καί έπηρώτησαν αυτόν, λέ-Ύοντες,

19. Διδάσκαλε, Μωσηι ε”γραψεν ήμΐν. ‘ότι έάν τίνος άδελφός άποθάνη, καί καταλίπη “γυναίκα, καί τέκνα μή αφή, ϊνα λάβη ο άδελφός αΰτοΰ τήν “γυναίκα αΰτοΰ, καί έξαναστήση σπέρμα τψ άδελφψ αΰτοΰ.

20. ‘Έπτà οΰν αδελφοί ήσαν καί ό πρώτος έλαβε ’γυναίκα. καί άποθνήσκων ούκ άφήκε σπέρμα’

21. Kai ό δεύτερος ελαβεν αυτήν, καί άπέθανε, καί ουδέ αυτός άφήκε σπέρμα· καί ό τρίτος ωσαύτως’

22. Καί ελαβον αυτήν οι επτά, καί ούκ άφήκαν σπέρμα, έσχάτη πάντων άπέθανε καί ή “γυνή.

Mark υίίί. 34. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Mark xii. 18. Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection,» and they asked him, saying,

19. Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

20. Now there were seven brethren : and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

21. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed : and the third likewise.

22. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

34. And he called the people with his disciples, and said to them, He who wants to walk according to me, let him deny himself (let him take the cross and follow me).

35. For he who wants to save his earthly life, will lose the true life; and he who will lose the earthly life for me and the true good, will save it.

18. Then the Sadducees came to him. They told him, on the contrary, that there would be no awakening of life, and began to ask him,

19. Teacher, Moses said that if one dies and leaves no children, then the brother is to take the wife of him who died, to raise up a descent to his brother.

20. There were seven brothers, and the first married and died, and had no children, and left his wife to his brother.

21. And similarly the second and the third,

22. Up to the seventh. After all of these the woman died.

23. Έρ τή οΰν άνα-στάσει, όταν άναστώσι, τίνος αυτών εσται “γυνή-, ol yàp επτά εσχον αυτήν yuvaÎKa.

24. Καί άποκριθείς ό ‘Irçaoûs είπεν αύτοίς, Ού διά τοΰτο πλανάσθε, μή είδδτες τάς ypaφàς, μηδέ τήν δύναμιν τοΰ θεοΰ ;

34. Οί υιοί τοΰ αίώνος τούτου yaμoΰσι καί έκ-yaμίσκovτaι’

35. ΟΙ δέ καταξιωθέν-τες τοΰ αίώνος έκείνου τυχειν, καί τής άνα-στάσεως τής έκ νεκρών, ούτε yαμοΰσιν ούτε ôrya-μίσκονται·

36. Ούτε yàp άποθα-νεϊν ετι δύνανται· laày-yελoι yàp είσι, καί υΙοί είσι τοΰ θεοΰ, τής άνα-στάσεως υιοί δντες.

33. Καί άκούσαντες ol όχλοι έξεπλήσσοντο έπΐ τή διδαχή αΰτοΰ.

39. Αποκριθέντες δέ τινες τών ypaμμaτέωv εϊπον, Διδάσκαλε, καλώς εΐπας.

40. Ούκ έτι δέ έτόλ-μων έπερωτφν αύτόν ούδέν.

(a) In Matthew it says ol Xéyovreç μη είναι ανάστασή. In Mark, οΐτινες Xéyουσιν ανάστασή μη είναι. According to Matthew, we should have to translate, They said that there was not; according to Mark, Those who say. According to Luke, ol Xeyovre; άνάστασιν μη είναι. Luke’s version defines the meaning of the words, The Sadducees came to deny his teaching about the resurrection.

The word resurrection can by no means be left with the significance which it has with us, a vivification after

23. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

24. And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?

Lvkexx. 34. The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

35. But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage :

36. Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

Matt. xxii. 33. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

Luke XX. 39. Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

40. And after that they 40. And they did not durst not ask him any dare to ask him again, question at all.

23. Whose wife will she be in the resurrection. when they will rise to life? All seven had her.

24. And Jesus replied to them, You are mixed-you do not understand the Scripture and the power of God.

Al. Men of this life marry, and women are given in marriage :

35. But those who become worthy of the other life and of the reestablishment from the dead neither marry, nor are given in marriage.

36. For they cannot die again; for they become the will of God: they become the children of God and the children of the reestablishment.

33. And the people marvelled at his teaching.

39. And many of the learned said, Teacher, thou art right.

And explaining the concept of the reestablishment of life, he says :

31. Περί δί τη» άνα-Matt. xxii. 31. But as 31. But as to the wa-, « .. touchinc: the resurrec-kening of the dead,

στασεω» των νεκρών, ουκ tjon of tjje dead, have have you not read the όν^γνωτε τό ρηθίν υμιν ye not read that which word of God spoken to ντό τον θεού, λ^γοντο», was spoken unto you by you? He said.

God, saying,

In Matthew it speaks of the reestablishment of the dead ; in Mark and in Luke it says etpovrat oi νεκροί, that is, the idea of the resurrection is again expressed by the word of the wakening front sleep, the same word which is several times used in John to express the regeneration by the spirit. Generally this passage is understood to mean that Jesus is disputing some idea of the resurrection, as it existed among the Pharisees. Without entering into the historical investigations, which prove that such a conception did not exist, the discourse itself, both in the beginning of the discourse and in this place, shows that the discourse has reference to the teaching of Christ about the reestablishment from the dead, and by no means about some unknown teaching of the Pharisees. And in this place Jesus explains his teaching with the help of the Scripture.

32. ‘ ’Εγώ (Ιμι ό θεύ» ’Αβραάμ, καί ό θεό» ’Ισαάκ, καί ο θεό» ’Ιακώβ ; ’ ονκ εστιν ό θεό» θεό» νεκρών, άλλά $ων-των.

38. Πόντε» γάρ αύτψ ξωσι,ν.

Matt. xxii. 32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God Is not the God of the dead, but of the liv-ing.

Luke xx. 38. For all live unto him.

32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

38. For all are living to him.

This passage, one of the most significant on account of the clearness of exposition and the unity of the thought with the whole teaching, as expounded in the Gospel of John, is completely lost in the crude conception of the church. The radical mistake is made in supposing that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection, and the Sadducees did not, and that the whole passage is dealing with an elucidation of the difference of view-points of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

No matter how accustomed one may have become to the insipidity of the church interpretations, one cannot help but be each time terrified anew at the manifestations of this lack of comprehension. The whohT passage is interpreted in relation to the difference of opinion as held by the Pharisees and the Sadducees. But what the Pharisees and the Sadducees are no one knows.

In the Acts of the Apostles there is this passage :

XXIII. 7. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees : and the multitude was divided.

8. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit : but the Pharisees confess both.

And on this passage, which does not at all mean that the belief in immortality formed the peculiarity of the teaching of the Pharisees, but only that certain Pharisees, like Paul, believed in the resurrection, on this verse is based the interpretation that the discourse of Jesus is not concerning the teaching of life, but that Jesus is suddenly becoming the advocate of the teaching of the Pharisees. And the clear and profound passage, which unquestionably denies the destruction in death and the future life, is understood as a teaching of the future life and of angels.

This is what the church says (pp. 409-413):

The Sadducees : Who say that there is no resurrection. The resurrection is the miraculous calling of the dead body to life, through the union with the soul of the dead body, such as will be the universal resurrection at the end of the world. The Sadducees rejected not only the resurrection itself, but also the future life and the existence of the soul after death separately from the body, and the existence of spirits and angels. They were ruder than the Pharisees, being completely given to material things. The law of Moses concerning the levirate marriage, pointed out by the Sadducees, had for its purpose the prevention of the cessation of, issue, which was regarded as a misfortune by the Jews. According to this law, the brother of the deceased man had to take his widow unto himself, and the first-born of their male issue was considered to be the son of the deceased man, and thus established the continuation of the race.

Note there were seven brethren, etc. : In approaching the Saviour, the Sadducees do not begin to speak to him directly about the resurrection, but invent a story and tell an incident which, in my opinion, has never happened, hoping to puzzle him and to overthrow both the possibility of the resurrection and of what the Saviour thought it would be.

Lest he should ask why seven had one wife, the Sadducees refer to Moses, though their whole story, in my opinion, was a mere invention. For the third one would not have taken her, seeing that two husbands had already died with her; and if the third brother had taken her, the fourth and the fifth would have refused her ; and if these had agreed, the sixth and the seventh would certainly have declined her : they would have turned away from her, fearing the same fate, for the Jews were prone to express such fear. But why did the Sadducees invent seven husbands, and not two or three, for the one woman ? They hoped so much the more to ridicule his teaching of the resurrection. And so they said, All had her, thinking that after that he would not have anything to say. In pointing to the law of Moses and showing the difficulty in harmonizing this law with the idea of the resurrection, the Sadducees let him know that, in their opinion, the idea of the resurrection is incompatible (if not in direct opposition) with the law itself, which was given by God as a guidance into faith.

Do ye not therefore err, etc. : In solving the misunderstanding, the Lord shows that the denial of the resurrection of the dead by the Sadducees, which is apparently based on the law, is an error due to their incorrect understanding of (1) the Scripture, (2) the power or mightiness of God. They refer to Moses and to the law, as though they knew it, and the Saviour, on the contrary, shows them that their very question betrayed their ignorance of the Scripture. This is the very reason why they tempted him, for they did not properly comprehend the Scripture, and did not know the power of God, of which so many examples had been presented to you (the Sadducees), and yet you have not come to know it either from the Scripture, or from the general principles of reason. For it is possible to know even from the general principles of reason that everything is possible to God. This ignorance of the Scripture found its expression in this, that they imagined that the order of things would always be the same as at present, that it would always be necessary to marry and get married. For example, in the Old Testament it does not say anywhere that things would be the same after the resurrection; the Sadducees invented this themselves and found in it an incompatibility with the Scripture. The Lord points out this their false representation, showing that after the resurrection there would be a different order of life.

The Sadducees’ ignorance of the power of God expressed itself in this, that they denied the possibility of the resurrection of the corruptible body, which has turned to dust. The Lord shows them their error, proving the reality of the resurrection from the Scripture.

Neither marry, nor are given in marriage: There will be no continuation of the race, consequently there is no need of marrying, or being given in marriage, although the difference of the sexes will be preserved.

Equal unto the angels : After the resurrection men will live and be related to each other as are the angels of God. However, the children of the resurrection are not called angels, because they will not marry, but they will not marry, because they will be like the angels.

And the resurrection from the dead, etc. : The Lord borrows the proof of the reality of the resurrection of the dead, which the Sadducees deny, from the Scriptures of Moses, since the Sadducees in their question pointed to Moses. The passage is taken from the Book of Exodus, and contains the words of God himself, said to Moses in the burning bush.

Not the God of the dead, but of the living : God is not the God of those who do not exist and are completely annihilated, who will never rise from the dead. For he did not say of himself, I was, but I am the God of the existing and the living. As Adam, though he was alive on the day when he ate of the fruit of the tree, was subject to death immediately after the sentence of God’s judgment, so the forefathers, though they died, remained alive according to the promise of the resurrection.

There are passages in the Old Testament, and other clear indications, in which mention is made of the resurrection, but the Saviour points only to one place in the Book of Moses, since the Sadducees made reference only to Moses.

To Reuss, too, this passage seems strange, and he cautiously expresses the idea that possibly these words have no senseless meaning (Vol. I., pp. 573 and 574) :

La réponse de Jésus est double. 11 se prononce d’abord sur la question spéciale qui lui est posée ; en second lieu, il affirme la croyance à la vie future comme implicitement enseignée dans un texte sacré que les Sadducéens eux-mêmes ne pouvaient pas récuser. Subsidiairement il en appelle à la puissance de Dieu, comme devant et pouvant écarter toutes les objections de l’incrédulité.

11 déclare donc que les rapports sexuels ne subsistent que dans le monde actuel et pour lui. La vie future n’étant plus sujette à la mort, la nécessité de conserver l’humanité par la propagation des individus et la succession des générations n’existe plus. La question posée par les interlocuteurs est donc parfaitement oiseuse. Quand il est dit que les ressuscités sont semblables aux anges, cela doit être entendu de l’immortalité. On a eu bien tort d’en conclure qu’il a voulu dire que les anges sont sans sexe (comp. Gen. vi. 3). C’est là une thèse que Jésus ne songeait ni à affirmer, ni à examiner.

Quant à la seconde partie de la réponse, qui n’avait pas été directement provoquée par les interlocuteurs, on pourrait être tenté de croire qu’elle appartient à une autre occasion ou qu’elle trahit du moins quelque lacune dans le présent récit. Cependant il n’était pas trop difficile de reconnaître que la question des Sadducéens n’avait point été inspirée par un scrupule théologique, par un doute concernant l’application d’un principe, mais bien par un scepticisme frivole qui s’attaquait à la base même du dogme. Jésus était donc non-seulement autorisé à toucher au fond de la chose, mais sa réplique n’était complète et décisive qu’autant qu’il le faisait.

Cette dernière partie de la réponse est remarquable à plusieurs égards. A première vue, on pourrait dire qu’elle ne prouve pas grand’chose, tout le monde sachant que la locution biblique citée par lui (d’après Exod. iii. 6) signifie proprement : le Dieu déjà adoré par les pères et restant éternellement le même pour leurs descendants. D’après le sens littéral et historique de cette phrase, il n’y est pas question d’immortalité et encore moins de résurrection. Il y a plus. Le fait que Jésus ne trouve, dans tout l’Ancien Testament, rien de plus explicite à citer en faveur de la certitude d’une vie future, prouve que cette idée si importante à la religion était réellement étrangère à l’enseignement des prophètes.

Malgré cela, il nous semble que son raisonnement exégétique, tout libre et subjectif qu’il est, wa une grande portée. D’abord il faut bien remarquer qu’il aboutit à prouver non point la résurrection, mais Yimmortalité, ce qui est tout autre chose et appartient à un ordre d’idées plus familières au christianisme qu’au judaïsme. Jésus ne dit pas, et ne pouvait pas dire, que les Patriarches étaient ressuscités ; il affirme qu’ils ne sont pas morts. Ensuite, quand ou va au fond du raisonnement et qu’on l’examine au point de vue théologique, on reconnaît qu’il proclame l’indes-tructibilité de toute vie qui reste en communion avec Dieu, puisque les patriarches étaient, pour le peuple comme pour les écoles, les types de l’homme réalisant l’idéal religieux et pouvaient ainsi servir d’éléments à une démonstration théologique du genre indiqué. Cette idée a été développée plus tard par Paul.

Again, as in the case of the sly question of the Pharisees and the Herodians concerning the tribute, to which it seemed that no other answer could be given than, Yes, or, No, Jesus replies directly to the temptation of the Sadducees, and expresses his teaching. And he not only gives expression to his whole teaching, but does it in such a way as not to offend any one, by turning the question against those who ask him. They see themselves that they are guilty and have obtained the very opposite result of what they expected. The Pharisees and the Herodians thought, He will not get out of this. If he condemns the kings and the power, he will be guilty toward the kings and toward his teaching in that he condemns ; and if he approves submission to the power, he destroys his teaching. But he answers, without cunning, everything he knows about giving the money back to one, or not giving it back : I never said anything, or wished to judge you in matters of inheritance or disputes.

Questions of earth are decided in an earthly fashion, but the divine question is the only one about which I teach : Give what is God’s to no one but to God, consequently, not even to a king, if his demand is contrary to God. And the question is turned against them.

The Sadducees make fun of the resurrection, and prove to him that the resurrection from the dead is foolish.

He tells them what the reestablishment from death means. The reestablishment from death is the life in God. For the life in God marriages mean nothing, and it is unnecessary to regard the reestablishment of life as an awakening of the dead ; it has to be understood as an awakening of the true life in the carnal life, and its union with God. For God there is no time, and so, in uniting with God, man passes out of time, consequently, out of death. If the deceased Abraham was united with God, he has remained with God. And if there is a God, there is also Abraham. And if Jesus, as he said in the discourse of John x., united with God, he could say that before Abraham was, he is. This is the positive side of the teaching, as expressed in this passage ; but there is also another side, the negative, — the destruction of the offence, the leaven of the Sadducees ; this is also expressed in this place, and it is generally left out, though it destroys all the errors which are based on the falsely understood teaching of Christ.

The Sadducees represent to themselves the regeneration of life, taught by Jesus, as a continuation in the flesh, in time and in space, of the same carnal life, as we know it.

This is the very conception of the future life as formed in all mystical church teachings, and this conception is the very leaven of the Sadducees, against which Jesus warns us. He firmly and clearly rejects this doctrine. After this place it is impossible to base the doctrine of the future life in the body on the teaching of Christ. It is possible to believe in such a doctrine, but it is not possible to base it on the teaching of Jesus. In all the didactic passages of Jesus, where he defines what he means by the true life, he speaks of the life which does not depend on time, or on space ; but here he says directly that it is impossible and wrong to understand his teaching as a teaching of life in time and space. The question of the Sadducees expresses only in a coarse form what the mystics and the churches say, when they describe the future life in the kingdom of heaven.

To this representation of the future life, Jesus replies. One side of the teaching consists in rejecting the carnal life, for the true life is the life in the will of God. Life consists in uniting with God, and for him who has united his life with God there is no past and no future.

And the other side is this, that every representation of the future shows that a man has not come to understand what the true life means.

34. 01 ôè Φαρισαίοι, άκούσαντα δτι ίφίμωσε τού$ Σαδδουκαίουϊ, συνήχθησαν ίπΐ τδ αυτό·

Matt. xxii. 34. But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.»

34. But when the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they united.

(α) συνήχθησαν e’?ri το αυτό really means they came together in one place ; here it means, they united, that is, first the Pharisees had tempted him, and then the Sadducees, but now the next question is put by both together.

A whole series of offences presents itself to Jesus.

(1) The disciples wanted to wreak their vengeance on those who did not receive Christ. He said to them, You do not understand the meaning of the teaching.

(2) Peter begged him to consider the danger of his journey to Jerusalem.

To this Jesus replied that it is an offence to reflect on the danger, that not a hair will fall from a man’s head without the will of God, and that a man can be guided only by the inner light, and not by reflection, — for reflection is darkness.

This is the first answer, and it refers to all the other offences, including them.

(3) The tax-collectors could have led into an offence both him and all those mendicants who lived in the will of God according to the teaching of Jesus. And Jesus said that according to the fifth rule, which is, that no distinction be made between the nations, the children of God are under no obligation to any one ; and he said also that, in order that there be no offence, it was necessary to carry out the rule of non-resistance to evil, and, in order to free others from the offence, it was better to work and give what was demanded than to refuse it.

(4) Christ’s disciples remark that such a submission to evil may increase the evil, and that one may have to forgive seven times each day. To this Jesus says that the reflection is unnecessary. Reflection is an offence, and it is necessary to forgive according to the first rule: Be not angry, and if thou hast quarrelled, make thy peace.

(5) The Pharisees want to permit the legal remarrying. Jesus replies that this is an offence against oneself, against the wife, and against the other. The disciples discuss, saying, If so, it is better not to marry. Jesus says, Reflection is an offence, and we must cease causing offences ; there is no need of reflecting on what is better, what worse, but we should carry out the second rule, which is, that we must not look upon woman as a carnal solace.

(6) A man of the people asks Jesus to judge in matters of his inheritance. Jesus says that a man who takes upon himself to judge is given to the offence of reflection. According to the fourth rule, Give everything which they take from thee.

(7) The Pharisees bring the adulteress, and ask, Has she done well ? And ought she not to be punished, so as to correct her ? He says, I cannot discuss this ; I know that she has not done right, and I wish she would

not do it again ; but the reflection on the usefulness of punishment can bring us only to the offence of punishing. The answer is in the fourth rule : Do not resist evil, do not judge.

(8) The lawyer of the Pharisees apparently wants to lead Jesus to committing an offence, and so discusses the impossibility of forgiving all men and doing good to all men, because all men are not of one nation, and there are enemies. To this Jesus replies with a parable, which explains the fifth rule about all men being the children of one Father.

(9) The Pharisees gather with the Herodians, wishing to make him express himself concerning authority. He said, Give the tribute, in order not to cause them to give offence, but evidently he regards the tribute as unnecessary. So let him say whether the tribute should be paid, or not. According to the fifth rule the children of God do not know the distinction of kings and kingdoms, and so tribute ought not to be paid, but if the question is whether thou shouldst give to Cæsar, or to John, or to anybody else, give everything, but give thy soul to none but God the Father.

(10) The Sadducees philosophize and prove that the teaching about the eternal life is impossible, and to the offence, to the reflection, he replies that there is no future and no past life, but a life for which there is no past and no future. In all the offences the Pharisees are the chief offenders. The Herodians offended with the tribute at Capernaum ; the Sadducees offended with their speech about the resurrection ; the Pharisees again offended with their discourse about divorce and about the judgment over the adulteress, and later, uniting with the Herodians, they offended with the question as to the payment of tribute to Cæsar. But now, after the answer to the Sadducees, they united with them, and together put the chief question, in order to lead him into committing an offence.

THE CHIEF COMMANDMENTS

35. Kal ίπηρώτησεν els e% αυτών νομικά s, πειράξων αύτάν, καί λίγων.

36. Διδάσκαλε.ποΙαίν-τοΧή μεγάλη ίντψ νδμψ ;

37. ‘Ο δί ,Iησoΰs direv αύτιρ,

29. Οτι πρώτη πασών τών ίντολών,

Ακούε, ’Ισραήλ-Κύριοί ό θεόί ημών Κύριοί els ίστι.

30. Καί αγαπήσει Κύριοί τδν θεόν σου ίξ δληs Tijs Kapôlas σου, καί ίξ δληs tt)S ψυχν σου, καί ίζ l^s tt)S δια-volas σου, καί ίξ δληs tt)S Ζσχύοί σου.’ αΰτη πρώτη ίντολή.

Matt. xxü. 35. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37. Jesus said unto him,

Markxii. 29. The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel ; The Lorda our God is one Lord :

30. 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.

35. And of them, a lawyer, tempting him, said,

36. Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?

37. And Jesus said to him,

29. The first thing is, the Lord our God is the only Lord.

30. And thou wilt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the chief commandment.

(«) κύριος we are in the habit of translating without ascribing any especial meaning to this word, except that of politeness, whereas it has a definite meaning. The word means master, lord, in whose power you are, whose power you feel. Jesus understands by the word κύριος not God in heaven, but that lord whose power you always feel; that he thus understands it, and not otherwise, is clear from the following :

Matt. xxii. 43. Πώς ούν Δαβίδ èv ττνζύματι κύριον αυτόν καΧέί, Χύγων, 1 Et7rev δ Κύριος τω κυρίω μου, … et ο ούν Δαβίδ καΧά αυτόν κύριον, πως νιος αυτού ίστι ;

In order to answer the question of the Sadducees and of the Pharisees, Jesus chooses passages from two books of the Pentateuch, from Deuteronomy and Leviticus, which are in no way connected by the books of Moses, and connects them in his own way, that is, expresses an entirely new teaching, which has nothing in common

with that of Moses, by merely making use of these words of the Pentateuch.

31. Καί δευτέρα όμοια αΰτη, ‘Άγαΐτάσεις τδν πλησίον σου ώ$ σεαντόν.’

Matt. xxii. 31. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.®

31. And the second is like it: Thou wilt love thy neighbour as him.

(a) In the majority of texts, in Griesbach’s opinion, we ought to read Εαυτόν and not σεαυτόν.

This variant, which seems strange, on account of our habit of reading this best known verse of the Gospel as, As thyself, becomes necessary the moment we stop to reflect upon it. First of all we must well understand the meaning of this passage. The Pharisees and the Sadducees, uniting, demanded of Jesus that he should express his teaching in one commandment, and that he should express it in the words of the law. To say, Love the Lord thy God, and, at that, with all thy heart, thy mind, etc., and then suddenly to say, Love thy neighbour as thyself, would be strange, if it did not say how one is to love oneself. In a conversation we may say, I love him as myself, but when we define a law, how to love and whom to love, it is impossible to assume self-love as the foundation and measure of everything, simply because it is taken to be known. In the second place, if we read as thyself’, the two commandments are not connected,— they are quite independent of each other, and we get two commandments, whereas they asked for one. In the third place, according to Griesbach’s texts, we have everywhere the variant εαυτόν, while in Matthew it is given so as a correction. If in the Hebrew σεαυτόν and εαυτόν have no corresponding distinction, that might also serve as a confirmation. In reading as thyself it turns out that Jesus says (and we must remember that he does not speak in the imperative, but in the future) that the whole meaning of his teaching consists in this, that (whether thou wishest, or not) thou wilt love and obey one master, the spirit of God in thyself, and that thou wilt love the same spirit of God in thy neighbour, for he is also in every neighbour of thine.

40. Ep ταύταις ταΐς δυσίν όντολαΐς SXor ό νόμος καί οΐ προφηται κρόμανται.

41. Συνηγμόνων δό των Φαρισαίων, έπηρώ-τησεν αυτούς ό Ιησούς,

42. Λόγων, Τί ύμΐν δοκεΐ περί του Χρίστου;

Matt. xxii. 40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

41. While the Pharisees were gathered together.® Jesus asked them,

42. Saying, What think ye of Christ?4

40. On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets.

41. Then Jesus asked them,

42. In your opinion, what is Christ?

(a) I omit the words συνημμένων Lc των Φαρίσα ίων, which are obviously wrongly placed here. Jesus is answering both the Sadducees and the Pharisees.

(b) Christ, in addition to its direct meaning of one anointed, has many definitions which may be found in Gospel dictionaries and church writings, but all of these definitions have the fault of obscurity and mistiness, whereas Jesus is speaking here of something definite.

In John iv. 25, 26 : The Samaritan woman said to Jesus, I know that Messiah will come, who is called Christ ; when he comes, he will announce the good to us. And Jesus said, It is I, who am speaking with thee, that announce the whole good.

On another occasion Jesus, having learned from his disciples that they recognize him as Christ, confirmed this :

Matt. xvi. 15. Νέμει αυτοί?, rTp«? Be τίνα με λέμετε εΐναι,; άττοκριθεϊς Βε Σιμών Πέτρο? είπε, Σύ έι ό Χρίστο?, ο υιός του Θεού τού ζωντος.

Mark viii. 29. Άττοκριθεϊς Βε 6 Πέτρος λέγει αύτω, Συ ει 6 Χρίστο?.

Luke lx. 20. Άττοκριθεϊς Βε ό Πέτρος είπε, Ύόν Χρίστου τού Θεού.

These are the two places in the whole four gospels, where Jesus calls himself Christ. In all the other places it looks as though he cannot, not to say he will not, call himself Christ. He evidently calls himself Christ, but only in one definite meaning.

In all the texts, wherever mention is made of Christ, we can see this struggle of Jesus with his hearers; they want to understand him as Christ in the sense of a man, the son of David, who is to come at a certain time, whereas he establishes another conception of Christ, which is in no relation to time. Only to the Samaritan woman, who said, Christ will announce the true good, and to Peter, who said, Christ is the son of the God of life, did he say, Yes, I am that Christ, who will announce the true good, and who is the son of the God of life.

But in all the other cases he stubbornly denies being Christ, Messiah, the son of David.

In John x. 24 he is told, Do not torment us, if thou art Christ, but tell us outright, and he does not answer, because, if he speaks outright, as they want him to, he will say precisely what he thinks. Even so he does not answer at the judgment. More than that: In Matt. xvi. 20 he, after encouraging Peter for having recognized him as Christ in the sense of the son of the God of life, forbids his disciples from saying that he, Jesus, is Christ. He is Christ in this sense, that with his teaching of the filial relation he has announced the true good. But, as Jesus, he is not Christ and forbids his disciples to utter this blasphemy. Striking is the misconception about the teaching of Christ, which began in his lifetime, which brought him to the gallows, and which lasts until this day. The foundation of the teaching of Christ is the teaching of the filial relation of man to God, that which is said in the discourse with Nicodemus.

The question of faith among the masses, among whom Jesus preaches, is always one and the same, and always consists in this: We are unfortunate, we perish: who will save us, and when, and how ? Christ, Messiah, the Saviour, all that is one and the same. Jesus says, The salvation of man is in himself, in his filial relation to God. And this idea he expresses from all sides, trying to separate it from the coarse conception of salvation and happiness in time. And now it is not possible to express the idea differently from the way in which he expressed it, from all possible sides, — one and the same idea of the spirituality of the salvation. And in all the forms in which he expressed this idea, it has been turned topsyturvy and understood wrongly ; either he is taken to be Messiah, Christ, God, and he is worshipped, or he is crucified for calling himself God. And yet he equally rejects those who deify him and those who crucify him.

42. TIvos vlôs έστι; λέγουσιν αύτφ, Του Δαβίδ.

43. Aéyei αύτοΐς, Πώ$ οΰν Δαβίδ έν πνεύματι κύριον αυτόν καλέί, λέ-yuv,

44. ‘ Εϊπεν ô Kùptos τφ κυρίφ μου, Κάθου έκ δεξιών μου, Ιως άν θω τούς έχθρούς σου ùiroirb-διον των ίΓοδων σου ’ ;

Matt. xxii. 42. Whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.

43. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him

42. Whether he is a son of man? And they replied to him, The son of David.

43. And Jesns said to them. How, then, does David call him his lord

Lord, saying,

44. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool ?

in the spirit.

44. The Lord has said to my Lord, Be on my right hand, till I conquer thy enemies.

This is the first verse of Psalm ex., and the following verse does not explain anything. We must assume that Jesus quoted these words as meaning that David called his Lord Christ the Saviour, and that so the lawyers understood it, but it is not the meaning of the verse that is important but the exact definition which the word Christ receives according to this passage, — a definition with which the lawyers and Jesus agree. The meaning of the word κύριος is here the same as that of the word Christ, the Saviour. The main thing, which we must not forget, is that this passage follows immediately after the exposition of the chief commandment, and that we get the interpretation of the same word κύριος, which serves as the definition of the commandment. To love the Lord thy God with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as him, that is, as this lord. Here it says that this lord and saviour was the saviour of David.

45. EI οΰν Δα/3Ζδ κα-Xct αυτόν κύριον, nus vids αντου Ιση ;

46. Καί ovZcis Αδύνατο αύτφ άποκριθηναι Xhyov ουδό ΙτδΧμησΙ ns άιτ’ ίκάντμ tt)S ημίρας èirt-ρωτησαι αύτδν ούκίτι.

Matt. xxii. 45. If David then call him* Lord, how is he his son?

4L. And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.»

45. But if David calls him Lord,’ how can he be his son?

46. And they did not dare ask him more.

(a) That is, the Saviour, Christ.

(b) The last words, And did not dare to ask him any more, show clearly that this speech is a continuation of the speech in reply to the question, What is the chief commandment ?

This is what the church has to say (p. 416) :

What think ye of Christ? etc.: How do you understand the prophecies concerning the Messiah, as to his origin, for such prophecies have been given you as a guide. He does not ask concerning himself, as the Jews expected he would, lest his teaching of his divinity appear inappropriate to them.

Whose son is he? Of what race was he to come?

Of David : In accordance with the promises about him, given to this forefather, and confirmed later.

In spirit: From the Holy Ghost, consequently, truly and incontrovertibly.

The Lord said unto my Lord, etc. : The words are taken from Psalm CX., in which the might and eternal glory of Messiah are represented. Go, the Father (Jehovah) said to my Lord, his son in humanity (The Lord Jesus Christ).

Sit thou on my right hand : To sit on the right hand of a king designates the favour of the king to him who is sitting, and the power of the latter.

Till I make thine enemies a footstool : A picture which shows Messiah’s power over all his spiritual enemies, and at the same time over the world.

If David then call him, etc. : How will you harmonize this, that David calls his son his Lord? The word Lord points to a higher dignity in the son of David than in David himself. If Messiah is to be only a descendant of David, like the rest; if he is to be simply a man, as you, the Jews, think ; if he did not yet exist when David wrote of him, how could he call him his Lord? And if he was the Lord of David, if he already existed at that time, how could he be his descendant? To this question the Pharisees could make no reply. The answer would have to be like this: According to his human origin, Messiah is a son or descendant of .David, but according to his divinity, as the incarnate Son of God, he is the Lord of David. But the Pharisees did not understand this double relation of Messiah to David,— they did not understand, or lost the understanding of the mystery of the person of Messiah, as a God-man. Thus a decisive blow was given to them, and they no longer dared attack him, for it says, From that day forth they durst not ask him any more questions.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. L, pp. 577 and 578):

On se méprend généralement sur le sens de la question adressée ici par Jésus aux théologiens de son temps. On croit qu’il veut revendiquer pour lui-même un titre et une dignité tout à fait supérieurs, qu’il veut, en un mot, leur faire une leçon de théologie chrétienne. Il n’est nullement question de tout cela. Il a un double but : d’abord, celui de couper court à leurs interpellations oiseuses et astucieuses à la fois, en leur posant à son tour une question qui les mettait dans l’embarras ; ensuite, celui d’opposer aux notions vulgaires relatives au Messie attendu, des notions plus pures et plus spirituelles. Seulement cette dernière intention n’est point formulée ici en termes propres; c’est le lecteur chrétien qui doit savoir la découvrir.

Du reste, ce morceau est combiné de diverses manières dans nos trois textes avec ceux qui le précèdent. Mais au fond il ne se rattache directement à aucun d’eux. Nous y voyons, comme dans la plupart des autres, un souvenir de la tradition, un tableau qui a sa valeur en lui-même et qui, pour être bien compris, n’a pas besoin d’une fixation chronologique préalable.

Le vulgaire et les gens d’école appelaient le Messie fis de David; ce terme, à n’en pas douter, avait toujours eu, et avait encore une signification essentiellement politique. C’est à ce titre que les prophètes l’avaient consacré; c’est en vue de cette notion que les contemporains le répétaient à l’envi. Le fils et successeur de David qu’on attendait, c’était le restaurateur politique de la nation, le triomphateur glorieux, le héros de la vengeance et de la nouvelle liberté. Nous n’avons pas besoin d’affirmer que Jésus n’avait aucune prétention à le faire valoir dans ce sens-là, qui pourtant était le seul sens essentiel et important, soit pour le peuple, soit pour les interprètes lettrés de la loi et des prophètes.

Or, dans un texte généralement expliqué dans le sens messianique (Ps. ex. 1), l’auteur, supposé être David lui-même, appelle le Christ son Seigneur. Comment cela est-il possible, si ce Christ devait simplement être le successeur, le continuateur, l’égal du grand roi? La question ainsi posée ne s’était jamais produite dans les écoles, et la dialectique des Pharisiens, ailleurs si bien exercée à traiter les problèmes les plus subtils, se trouve prise au dépourvu : ils ne savent que répondre et Jésus les laisse là.

Il en résulte, pour nous, que la question ne doit pas se poser dans ces termes, ou plutôt que la saine intelligence des voies de Dieu dans la conduite de l’humanité nous révèle comme but de celle-ci autre chose que le triomphe d’une nationalité sur les autres, et comme guide vers le vrai but, non pas quelqu’un qui prendrait pour modèle un héros guerrier de l’antiquité, mais quelqu’un dont les qualités et les titres relèveront d’un ordre de choses et d’idées absolument différent. Si Jésus dédaigne ici de développer cette pensée, c’est qu’il avait maintes fois reconnu antérieurement que les gens de l’espèce de ceux qu’il avait devant lui, restaient sourds à ses leçons.

For the interpreters this passage appears detached, and its whole meaning for them lies in the finesse of Jesus’ dialectics. But, besides being a key to the comprehension of what Jesus wanted meu to understand by him, it is also an elucidation of the whole teaching in the compacted form.

After all the attempts, disputes, and réfutais of the teaching of Jesus, the Pharisees and the Sadducees come together, and propound to him a question as to how he understands the law and the teaching.

And he says, There is but one commandment, that is, one law of the life of man. This law is such that it is not a command from without, but has always been and will always be, and cannot be otherwise. This law is that thou wilt love with all thy strength thy lord God, that is, the comprehension which is within thee, and thou wilt love thy neighbour, because he, too, is the comprehension. And there is no other saviour except this lord of life, and there was no other in the days of David and of Abraham. This lord of life is one in all men at all time.

OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES, THE SADDUCEES, AND THE HERODIANS

6. *0 δέ ’Ιησούς εϊπεν αύτois, Όpare καί προσέχετε από της ζύμης των Φαρισαίων καί Σαδ-δουκαίων.

7. Ο! δέ διεΧογίζοντο ένέαυτοΐς, Χέ’γοντες,” Οτι άρτους ούκ έΧάβομεν.

11. Πώς ού νοείτε, δτι ού περί άρτου είπον ύμΐν προσέχειν άπό της ζύμης των Φαρισαίων καί Σαδ-δουκαίων ;

12. Τότε συνηκαν, 6τι ούκ είπε προσέχειν άπό της ζύμης του άρτου, άλλ’ άπό της διδαχής των Φαρισαίων καί Σαδδου-καίων.

1. ‘Ηρξατο Χέγειν πρδς τούς μαθητάς αυτού. Πρώτον προσέχετε éauroîs άπό της ζύμης των Φαρισαίων, ήτ<$ έστίν ύπόκρισις.

2. Ούδέν δέ συγκεκα-Χυμμένον έστίν, $ ούκ άποκαΧνφθήσεται· καί κρυπτόν, δ ού ‘’/νωσθη-σεται.

Matt. χνί. 6. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

11. How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

12. Then understood they how that he hade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Lukexii. 1. He began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

6. And Jesns said, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees and of the Herodians.

7. The disciples thought that he was speaking of bread.

11. Then he said to them, Why do you not understand that I am not speaking concerning bread; Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees, and of the Herodians.

12. Then they understood that he was not speaking to them that they should beware of bread, but that he was speaking of the teaching.

1. But most of all beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, for it is hypocrisy.

2. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

2. For there is nothing covered, that will not be revealed; uor hid, that will not be known.

And so we must by the leaven of the Sadducees understand the scientific materialism.

The leaven of the Herodians is the leaven of power. The Herodians arc those who assume that the violence of power is necessary for the good of men ; those who, considering John to be a saint, imprisoned and later killed him, in order to please a dancing woman ; they are those who collect taxes, who judge, punish, and wage war ; they are those who were glad to see Jesus, but none the less crucified him.

By the leaven of the Herodians we must understand the teaching of civil government, jurisprudence.

The leaven of the Pharisees is the leaven of clericalism. The Pharisees, according to the Gospel, are those who rebuke people for the non-observance of the Sabbath ; those who brought the adulteress to punish her; those who were always with the Herodians ; those who insist that it is lawful to change wives, and who bribe Judas to betray Christ ; those who pray in a loud voice, thanking God for being better than anybody else, and those who crucify Christ.

It is to these that Jesus addresses himself mainly, only once in his. life growing angry as he speaks to them. Above all beware of this leaven!

45. ’Aκοΰοντοζ δέπαν-tôs του λαού, εΐττε roîs μαθηταΐς αυτού,

46. Προσέχετε άττό των γραμματέων.

Luke χχ. 45. Then in the audience of all the people, he said unto his disciples,

46. Beware of the scribes.

45. And when all the people understood him, he said to his disciples,

46. Beware of the Pharisees.

To the last offence of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who provoked Jesus to explain his principles, he replied, but, as before, they did not understand him. He sees that even now his simple, clear teaching of what everybody knows in himself will not be understood, not because people do not know it (people do know it), but because

the eyes of men are blinded by the false teaching. And he speaks against the chief source of all the errors of men, — against the false teaching.

2. ΈτγΙ τής Mωσέως καθέδρας έκάθισαν οί Ίραμματεΐς καί οι Φα-ρισαΐοι·

3. Πάρτα οΰν όσα άν εΐπωσιν ύμΐν τηρεΐν, τηρείτε καί ποιείτε· κατά δέ τα epya αυτών μη ποιείτε. X^yovcri yàp καί ού ποιοΰσι.

4. Δεσμεύουσι yàp φορτία βαρέα καί δυσβάστακτα, καί έπιτιθέα-σιν έπί τούς ώμους τών άνθρώπων· τψ δέ δα-κτύλιρ αυτών ού θέλουσι κινήσαι αυτά.

(a) Many texts have not rypetre ; I put here a comma.

(ά) I translate it by do in the indicative. With the customary translation the meaning is not only obscure, but even contradictory. It says, Do not according to their works, because they speak, and do not do. What works are there, if they do not do them ? In my opinion, it means, Beware of the Pharisees, because they do not guide : they only say, Do this. But, as they themselves do not do it, follow their example, and do nothing.

The burdens of the law are hard, and no one observes them. The burden of Jesus is light. The discourse is still the same, as to why nobody observes the law and does works; it is so, because, (I) they speak and do not do, and so set no example ; (2) because what they order you to do is too hard, and this difficulty is of no importance to them, since they do not help you to lift the burden.

Matt, xxiii. 2. The scribes and the Pharisees sit iu .Moses’ seat:

3. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,® that observe and do; but dod not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

2. The learned men and the Pharisees have taken up the place of Moses, the prophet of God.

3. So that whatever thev tell you, Observe and do, you, following their example, do not do, because they speak, and do not do.

4. For they bind heavy burdens and hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5. Πάρτα δέ τά epya αύτώρ ποιοΰσι πρδς τό θεαθήναι τοΐς άνθρωποί, πλατύνουσι δέ τά φυλα-κτήρια αυτών, καί μεya-λύνουσι τά κράσπεδα τών ίματίων αυτών·

6. Φιλοΰσί τε την πρωτοκλισία ν έν τοΐς δείπνοις, καί τάς πρωτοκαθεδρίας έν ταΐς συνα-yitiyais,

7. Καί τούς ασπασμούς έν ταΐς àyopaiï, καί καλεΐσθαι υπάτων άνθρώπων., ‘Ραββί, ραββί.

8. ‘Τμεΐς δέ μη κληθήτε, ‘Ραββί· εις yàp έστιν υμών ό κaθηyητής, ό Χριστός· πάντες δέ ύμεΐς άδελφοί έστε.

9. Καί πατέρα μη καλέσητε υμών έπί της yής^ εΐς yàp έστιν ό πατήρ υμών, ο έν τοίς ο ύρανοΐς.

10. ΙιΙηδέ κληθήτε κaθηyητaί· εΐς yàp υμών έστιν ό κaθηyητής, ο Χριστός.

13. ΟύαΙ δέ ύμΐν, y pc.ιμ-ματεΐς καί Φαρισαίοι, ύποκριταί, δτι κλείετε την βασιλείαν τών ουρανών έμπροσθεν τών άνθρώπων· ύμεΐί yàp ούκ είσέρχεσθε, ουδέ τούς είσερχομέ νους άφίετε είσελθέίν.

52. Ούαί ύμΐν τοίς νομικοίς, δτι ήρατε την κλείδα τής yvd^c^· αυτοί ούκ είσήλθετε, καί τούς είσερχομένους έκω-λύσατε.

15. Ούαί ύμΐν, yραμ-ματεΐς καί Φαρισαίοι, ύποκριταί, δτι περ^ετε την θάλασσαν καί την

Matt, xxiii. 5. But all 5. Only that they may their works they do for be seen of men do they to be seen of men : they hang their rosaries over make broad their phy-their hands, and let out lacteries, and enlarge the borders of their cas-the borders of their socks and mantles, garments,

6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7. And greetings in the ‘markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master,even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10. Neither be ye called masters : for one is your Master, even Christ.®

13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men : for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Luke xi. 52. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge : ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

Matt, xxiii. 15. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye compass sea and land to make one pros—

6. And they love to take the first place at dinners, and the chief seats in the churches.

7. And like to have their hands kissed in the presence of people, and to be called, Master, and, Teacher.

8. But do not call yourselves teachers, for you have the one teacher, Christ; and all you are brothers.

9. And do not call any man father upon earth, for one is your Father, who is in heaven.

10. And be not called masters, for one is your pastor, Christ.

13. Woe to you, learned men and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of God against men : for neither do you yourselves go in, nor do you let others enter.

52. Woe to you, lawyers ! for you have taken away the key of the comprehension : you have not entered yourselves, and you do not let others enter.

15. Wretched you are, learned men and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for you travel over the earth and the seas, to make men ζηράν, ποιήσαι (να προ-σήλυτον, καί δταν yt-νηται, ποιείτε αυτόν υίόν γείννης διπλότερον υμών.

16. Ούαΐ ύμΐν, οδηγοί τυφλοί, οΐ λόγοντες, “Os άν όμόση tv τψ ναψ, ού-ôtv ίστιν· δς δ’ άν όμόση εν τψ χρυσψ του ναού, όφείλει.

17. Μωροί καί τυφλοί· ris yàp μείζων όστίν, ό χρυσός, ή ό vaàs ό à^tck-ξων τδν χρυσόν ;

18. Καί,~ “Or tàv όμόση tv τψ θυσιαστηρίψ, ούδόν όστιν· 6r 8’ &ν όμόση tv τψ δώρψ τψ ίπάνω αύτοΰ, όφίί-λει.

19. Μωροί καί τυφλοί· τί yàp μεΐζον, τό δώρον, ή τό θυσιαστήριον τό άγιάζον τδ δωρον ;

20. Ό οδν όμόσας tv τιρ θυσιαστηρίψ όμνύει tv αύτψ καί ττασι to?s όπάνω αύτοΰ·

21. Καί ό όμόσας τψ ραψ όμνύει tv αύτψ καί ^ρ τψ κάτοικουντι αυτόν’

22. Καί ό όμόσας tv τψ ούρανψ όμνύει tv τψ θρόνψ του θ«ου καί tv τψ καθημόνψ ίπάνω αύτοΰ.

(a) Verses 11 and 12 are omitted here, as being out of place. They are put in their proper place. The same is true of Matt, xxiii. 14: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer ; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. This verse is out of place and adds nothin» to what has been said.

elyte and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of bell than yourselves.

16. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor I

17. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctiiieth the gold?

18. And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, be is guilty.

19. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctiiieth the gift?

20. Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. swear to keep your law and obey your authorities; and when they swear, they become children of the abyss, and twice as bad as you are.

16. Wretched you are, blind guides! You say, Who swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold in the temple must Fulfil.

17. Foolish and blind men! What is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctities the gold?

18. And whoever will swear by the altar, it is nothing: but whoever swears by the gift on the altar must fulfil.

19. Foolish and blind men! What is greater, the altar or the gift?

20. He who swears by the altar, swears also by what is upon it.

21. And whoever swears by the temple, swears by it and by what lives in it.

22. And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by what is over it.

(b) προσήλυτος was the name given a man who swore that he would fulfil the Jewish law. Among the promises which the proselytes made was an oath that they would obey the authorities.

Having said that the learned men and the Pharisees hinder men from being in the kingdom of God, Jesus shows how they shut the door of the kingdom of God, — by external forms of faith, by oaths. He says, Why do you travel over the earth and the seas, trying to gain believers in your faith by oaths ? In the first place, a man who in advance promises obedience is worse than he was ; in the second place, a man cannot swear by anything. He says, To say that an oath may be obligatory for a man, is the same as saying that the contents can be greater than that which contains ; that the gold in the temple is greater than the temple ; that the sacrifice which is placed on the altar is greater than the altar ; that heaven is greater than God. Every oath, every promise is made by a living man, by life, and life is that which is higher than everything, which contains everything ; how, then, can a man promise a manifestation of life for life ?

23. Ούαί ύμΐν, γραμματείς καί Φαρισαίοι, ύποκριταΐ δτι άποδεκα-τοΰτε τό ηδύοσμον καί τό Άνηθον και τό κύμινον, καί άφήκατε τα βαρύτερα του νόμου, την κρί-σιν καί τδν ελεον καί την ιτίστιν· ταΰτα εδει ποιήσαι, κάκεΐνα μή άφιόναι.

24. ‘Οδηγοί τυφλοί, οί διΰλίξοντες τόν κώνω-1τα, την δέ κάμηλον κα-τα πίνοντες·

25. Ούαί ύμΐν, γραμματείς καί Φαρισαίοι, ύποκριται, δτι καθαρίζετε

Matt, rxiii. 23. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith : these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.*

24. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye make clean the outside of the

23. Woe to you, learned men and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, and do not fulfil what is difficult in the law, justice, mercy, faith in God; it is this that you ought to have done.

24. Blind guides, you strain a gnat and swallow a camel.

25. Woe to you, learned men and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you make clean the glasses and

τδ έξωθεν τού ποτηρίου καί τής παροφίδος, έσω-θεν δέ “γέμουσιν έξ άρπα-γή$ καί άκρασίας.

26. Φαρισαΐε τυφλέ, καθάρισαν πρώτον τδ έυτό$ τον ποτηριού καί τής παροφίδος, ϊνα “γένηται καί τό έκτδς αυτών καθαρόν.

27. ΟύαΙ ύμΐν, “γραμ-ματεΐς καί Φαρισαίοι. νποκριταί, ότι παρομοιά-ζετε τάφοις κεκονιαμέ-vois, οϊτινες έξωθεν μέν φαίνονται ωραίοι, έσωθεν δέ “γέμουσιν όστέων νε-κρων καί πάσης ακαθαρσίας.

28. 0ύτω καί υμείς ΐίξωθεν μέν φαίνεσθε τοΐς άνθρώποις δίκαιοι, έσωθεν δέ μεστοί έστε ύποκρί-σεως και ανομίας.

29. Ούαΐ ύμΐν, “γραμματείς καί Φαρισαίοι, νποκριταί, ότι οίκοδο-μεΐτε τούς τάφους των προφητών, καί κοσμείτε τα μνημεία των δικαίων,

30. Καί λέyετε, ΕΖ ήμεν έν ταϊς ήμέραις των πατέρων ημών, ούκ Αν ήμεν κοινωνοί αυτών έν τψ αΐματι των προφητών.

31. *Ώστε μαρτυρείτε έαυτοΐς, ότι υιοί έστε τών φονευσάντων τούς προφήτας· cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

(a) The last words must be an addition ; they completely destroy the force of the speech. Jesus says, You regularly pay the tithe on condiments, on what is a matter of luxury, what cannot be used much, what in itself is not necessary, like mint, anise, cummin ; but what is difficult to fulfil, that you do not do, and yet that

26. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy aud iniquity.

29. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30. And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. vessels from the outside, and within you swarm with pillage and injustice.

26. Blind Pharisee! Cleanse first the inside of the vessel, and the outside will be clean.

27. Woe to you, learned men and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whited sepulchres. The sepulchres look beautiful outwardly, and within are full of bones and of all uncleanness.

28. Even thus you outwardly appear righteous, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29. Woe to you, learned-men and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the churches for the prophets and paint the coflins of the martyrs,

30. And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers in the blood of the prophets.

31. Therefore you witness of yourselves that you are the sons of those who killed the prophets.

alone you ought to do. And suddenly we get the remark that they ought not to leave the other undone.

You say, If we lived in those days when our fathers lived, and were teachers of the law, as were our fathers, we should not have killed them. But your fathers killed the prophets only because they were teachers. Consequently you accuse yourselves : they took it upon themselves to teach, and they killed the prophets. You took it upon yourselves to be teachers, and you will kill them. I told you that one must not be a teacher.

32. ΚαΖ ύμεΐς πληρώσατε τό μέτρον τών πατέρων υμών.

33. “Οφεις, “γεννήματα έχιδνών, πώς φύ-γητε άπδ τής κρίσεως τής “γεέννης ;

34. Διά τούτο, Ιδού, έ-γώ άποστέλλω πρδς ύμας προφήτας καί σοφούς καί “γραμματείς· καί έξ αύτών άποκτενεΐτε καί σταυρώσετε, καί έξ αύτών μαστιγώσετε έν raîs συναΎω-γαΐς ύμών, καί διώξετε άπδ πόλεως εις πόλιν—

35. “Oirws ελθη έφ’ ύμάς παν αΐμα δίκαιον έκχυνόμενον επί τής -γής, άπδ τού αίματος ” Αβελ του δικαίου, έως τού αΐματος Ζ αχαρίου υιού Βαραχίου, δν έφονεύσατε μεταξύ τού ναού καί τού θυσιαστηρίου.

39. Λέγω γάρ ύμΐν, Ού μη με ΐδητε άπ’ Αρτι, έως Αν εΐπητε, Εύλο”γη-μένος δ έρχόμενος έν όνόματι Κυρίου·

28. ’Αμήν λέγω ύμΐν, ότι πάντα άφεθήσεται τά

Matt, xxiii. 32. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, ow can ye escape the damnation of hell?

34. Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city :

35. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar?

39. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Mark Hi. 28. Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto

32. And you observe the faith of your fathers.

33. O you serpents, generation of vipers, where will you escape from the destruction of Gehenna.

34. Because, behold, I sent to you prophets, wise and learned men, you will kill and crucify them, and flog them in your assemblies, and drive them from city to city.

35. So that upon you comes all the righteous blood shed upon earth from righteous Abel to Zechariah, who was killed in the temple.

39. For I tell you, you will not understand my teaching, till you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of God.

28. For yon know yourselves that all mistakes may be forgiven to peo—

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the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

29. But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.·

pie, and all blasphemies, whatever they be;

29. But if one blasphemes against the spirit of God, he will not be forgiven in this life : he is subject to the destruction of life.

(it) That is, I have taught the truth to men, and you will kill all these men, — the prophets.

(6) The words of this verse must be understood not as a rhetorical phrase, but as a definite statement. All the blood, all the murders from the beginning of the world to the present, capital punishments, wars, all that is the work of those who conceal God from men, and put an idol in the place of God. The next three verses, 36-38, do not break the meaning of the whole discourse, but are not quite clear and add nothing to the exposition, and so I omit them.

(c) This verse expresses the same as the whole accusation of the Pharisees.

A man may sin, err, and scoff at all in the world, and yet carry within him the spirit of God.

But when he scoffs at this spirit, at that which is his life in him, he has taken his life from him. Terrible are all the offences. Terrible are the personal offences,— lusts, selfishness, vainglory ; terrible are the general offences, — the offences of the earthly reflections of the Sadducees, which produce indifference to the real life, the cleaving of men to that only which is of earth, and pride of mind ; terrible are the offences which exalt what is an abomination before God ; terrible are the offences of power, which produce courts, punishments, pillage, wars, murders ; but more terrible than all these offences are the offences which result from the leaven of the Pharisees, — hypocrisy, the substitution of untruth for divine truth, the contempt for God in the soul, the use of his name in order to confuse men and obtain one’s ends. Jesus knew in advance that, no matter how inimical his teaching was to the Hcrodians and the Sadducees, they were not standing in the way of this teaching, for from them one could free oneself, but the Pharisees bar, have barred, and will always bar the way to his teaching.

Thousands and thousands before me, and now I, have tried to approach God, and we have met on our way Sadducees and Herodians ; but we feel that they err, even as we have erred, that we can together seek the truth, and that they may understand it ; but in the very middle of the road stand the Pharisees and bar our way, and with them we cannot come to any agreement. Their life is a lie and a confirmation of their lie. Their whole life is a lie, and so they cannot depart from it. In as much as we are near to God, in so much we are their enemies. I penetrate the meaning of the teaching, rejoice at the discovery of truths, seek aid, indications, exchange of ideas, and I know in advance that, outside of their hatred of me for my love of truth and of God, I have nothing to expect from them. And the nearer I shall be to Jesus, the greater shall I be hated by them.

The arraignment of the Pharisees is in itself a negative passage : it does not give the direct teaching, but in it we find a warning against accepting the lie as a revelation. And this warning is apparently important, for Jesus several times returns to it, expressing it each time with great force and clearness. There is a clear and precise determination of what is the source of the deception ; the seal is impressed, by which the deceivers can be easily told. He is speaking of the same blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which alone will not be forgiven, as he says. Every sin may be forgiven, but the blasphemy of the spirit, the deception of the teachers, who give out the lie as the only truth, destroys the very sign of good and of evil and deals out the works of the devil in the place of the works of God. They are those of whom it is said, Woe unto those who offend. What is more remarkable still in this arraignment is this, that what was written against the Pharisees eighteen hundred years ago might have been written in any of the subsequent eighteen hundred years, and to us, in this year 1879, sounds as though it were written directly against our bishops, metropolitans, and popes in yesterday’s gazette, which in some way managed to escape the censor.

As I read the Gospel according to our church editions, I always imagine that this passage will be omitted or changed, but the ability of men to err is extraordinary. One reads and wonders how the pastors of the church could read this passage, not only without shame, but simply how they could read it, believe in the Gospel, and remain what they are.

But they represent to themselves some other kind of cheats, and do not refer to themselves what, from the most essential to the most trifling point, expresses that same offence in which they live, and which they preach. What are the Pharisees ? The churchmen have affirmed and still affirm that they were a sect. A sect, according to the meaning of the word, is a schism, a teaching which departs from the fundamental doctrine. From what fundamental doctrine did the teaching of the Pharisees depart ? There is no answer to this question. Where and how was the fundamental doctrine expressed, of which the teaching of the Pharisees is a sect? No matter where and how persistently we may look for answers to this question, we do not find them anywhere. Jesus, according to the synoptics, struggled only with the Pharisees whenever he opposed his teaching to the law. At the end of his life it says that the high priest and the Pharisees attacked him indiscriminately. In the Gospel of John it says that Jesus struggled against the Jews, and by the Jews the Pharisees and high priests are meant.

Paul says of himself (Acts xxii. 3-5) that he was taught the truest observance of the law of the forefathers, and was zealous toward God, and persecuted Christ, oppressing Christians and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the elders may witness. And in Acts xxvi. 5 he says that he lived a Pharisee and served God in the truest and strictest manner. Of Nicodemus it is said that he was a ruler of the Pharisees, and then Jesus says, How then dost thou teach Israel ? Where, then, was the real teaching, of which that of the Pharisees was a sect ? Paul speaks of belonging to the real teaching, when he no longer observes it ; he does not say that he belonged to a sect. Nicodemus the Pharisee was a teacher of Israel.

I can understand how for Josephus Flavius Pharisaism represented itself as a sect, just as for a historian of the present religious condition of Russia the present Orthodoxy must present itself as a sect, the Milkers as another sect, just as the Sadducees, who did not believe in the doctrine of the Pharisees, appeared as a sect to Josephus Flavius. But those who, like our churchmen, assert that Jesus did not change the law of Moses, and that they believe in the law of Moses, can by no means call the Pharisees a sect, since only this teaching of Moses is known to us, and has reached us. In order to call Pharisaism a sect it is necessary to show when and by whom the true teaching of Moses’ law was kept ; but such teachers have not existed, and from all the books of the New Testament it is apparent that these same teachers were the Pharisees, and no others have existed, or could exist.

What a remarkably strange story of this base and obvious deception and error ! Jesus expounds his divine teaching, and a quasi-divine teaching exists among the very people to whom he preaches, and it does not exist since yesterday as a hazy, obscure teaching, which gives room for interpretations, but as a complicated, minutely detailed, coarse, cruel, godless teaching of the books of Moses, such as we know it. There is there about murder, about the swine, about circumcision, — a series of monstrous precepts ; but all that is expounded so fully that there is no place for any new teaching. Everything is defined and prescribed, and each monstrous injunction is followed by, God himself said so.

Not only Jesus, with his divine teaching of humility, forgiveness, love, but even Simon, the magician, and the chairman of the Court of Trullo, with his conceptions of justice, could do nothing better than first reject all the monstrous and definitive rules of the books of Moses, if they wanted to impart their ideas of morality to the Mosaic people. And with the very first steps which Jesus takes, he comes into the temple, makes void all the sacrifices, rejects all the teaching of Moses, and utters his divine truths. It is evident that to unite the teaching of Christ with that of Moses would be the same as uniting fire and water, this highest expression of the fullest impossibility.

Jesus teaches and lives contrary to all the traditions of Moses ; he is crucified for it, and suddenly it turns out that he did net· break the law of Moses, but that he continued it. It seems as though nothing more senseless could be invented, and yet this was done. And when one grasps the meaning of all this, one sees that it is not senseless : it is not logical, but it is wise and answers its purposes. Christ was crucified for the teaching, thinking that the teaching would be destroyed ; but the teaching lived, and it was necessary to conceal it. How this was done by the Pharisee Paul, who changed the name of his God, but retained the leaven of the Pharisees, I shall tell later. But now I wish to tell why there inevitably appeared this stupid, obvious deception, which has lasted these eighteen hundred years, that the Pharisees were a sect, and not the representatives of the law of Moses, and that it was not the law of Moses in its best representatives that crucified Christ, but some fantastic sect of the Pharisees.

The teachers, those who with us are called the teachers of the church, pastors, and who were called teachers of the law by the Jews, crucified Ch list, even because they were teachers. In Christ’s teachings, these teachers are arraigned on nearly every page and in passages especially devoted to them.

Christ’s teaching preaches the immediate communion of man with God, rejects all teacherships, and affirms that the teachership is the source of every evil in the world. And here the first Pharisee, Paul, who does not understand the teaching, picks up words and hurries as quickly as possible to teach a certain external faith in Christ’s having risen from the dead and in his redeeming the world. He teaches himself, establishes a teachership, which crucified him, and in his name carries the evil through the world.

When Paul teaches, the Gospel does not yet exist, and Christ’s teaching is almost unknown ; but Paul exchanges one superstition for another and preaches it to the world. And many accept it, some exchanging for it Judaism, and others Hellenism. But there appear the gospels of Matthew and of Luke, and in them the whole side of Christ’s teaching is explained ; it is bent to fit Paul’s superstition, Judaism is mixed with it, and the faith in Christ is represented as a belief in a new additional God, Messiah.

In this tangle everything is lost sight of, and the ethical side of the Gospel is gone. The whole meaning is centred on finesses of explaining the law, on welding it with the teaching, on dreams, but there is one contradiction which is startling. The teachers of the law of Moses hanged Christ. With them alone he struggled, them alone he arraigned. How, then, can it be explained that his teaching is the continuation of the law of Moses and its confirmation ? If he had continued the law of Moses, he would not have had any one to struggle against ; he would have arraigned no one, and no one would have crucified him. And here there presents itself a very stupid way out, but it is the only one : the teachers with whom he struggled and who crucified him were a sect,— what sect ? a sect of what ? how did it differ from that which was not a sect? of this we know nothing and nothing can be said.

But there is nothing hidden which cannot be made manifest, and for me, as for a child that does not know all the philosophizing, according to which everything has to be believed topsyturvy, it suddenly becomes clear that it is a coarse, stupid deception, and I say so, and the cataracts fall off the eyes of all.

The word Pharisee may have two meanings, that of interpreter and of separate. What, then, do these words mean, if not teacher and pastor ? If that were a sect, it would bear an appropriate name ; but this name corresponds to our orthodox. All that the words of Paul, in Acts xxii. 3-5, mean is this, I was an orthodox Jew.

Now, what is this so-called sect ? Here is its definition according to all the church sources : They considered themselves to be the true and only interpreters of the law of God. As the foundation of the truth of their interpretation they take the tradition which has reached them from Jesus Christ. They form a distinct institution, governed by the sanhedrim, by bishops, and pastors. They differ from those who are not teachers in their apparel and external appearance of godliness.

Thus the church defines the Pharisees and itself. For a man outside the church it is evident that the definition of the Pharisees as men who have established many superfluous ceremonies, as hypocrites and rascals who caused Christ’s ruin, will be precisely the same, down to the minutest details of faith, in relation to the churchmen.

Christ did not struggle with certain Pharisees, and Pharisee does not mean hypocrite alone, but any man who takes it upon himself to teach.

Christ struggled against individual teachers, and he said so in Hebrew. He said, Pharisees, that is, pastors, — people who assume the knowledge of the full truth and who teach it. The moment you understand and translate properly the word Pharisee as teacher of the church, a new, bright light is shed on the whole history and position of Christ among the people, on his words, and even on his whole teaching. And it is not a light which in any way changes the meaning of Christ’s teaching, but which dispels all the obscurities and inaccuracies which heretofore disagreeably impaired the clearness of the divine teaching.

Matt. iii. 7. The Pharisees and Sadducees come to John to be cleansed, and John says to them, Generation of vipers, who has taught you, etc. This address, which was not clear before, if the Pharisees and Sadducees are taken as a sect, is clear, if they are to be understood as representatives of the true faith. What John then said, is what a preacher would say now, if Orthodox and Protestants came to him. He would say, Why have you come, you who profess the knowledge of the truth ?

John iv. 1-3. When Jesus learned that a rumour about him had reached the Pharisees (the pastors of the people), he withdrew. It is evident that he withdrew from the acknowledged pastors of the people, but not from the sect.

Luke v. 17. Pharisees καί voμοδιδάσκαλοί. Here we get for the first time the connection of Pharisees and teachers of the law ; but who the Pharisees and doctors of the .law were is not defined, any more than what γραμματείς and νομικοί were, and since obviously the doctors of the law, the lawyers, and the scribes were not sects, this has to be rendered by, The pastors who taught the law.

In the same chapter, four verses farther down, the same Pharisees and doctors of the law are called scribes and Pharisees. The Pharisees are the same, but instead of the doctors of the law we have scribes. Are we to suppose that others came? Apparently this is another definition which is identical with the first. Even so the word Pharisees is connected with the lawyers and high priests.

John ix. 57 ; Matt. xxvi. 57. It is evident that Pharisees means pastors. But the pastors are lawyers, scribes, and chief priests. Why Pharisees is used instead of of the Pharisees, may be explained on the ground that all the clerical copyists had this false comprehension of what the Pharisees were, and so were tending to mix up these passages, by giving to the Pharisees the meaning of a false sect.

Luke v. 30 ; Matt. ix. 14. The Pharisees demand the keeping of fasts and non-communion with the publicans ; consequently they are not a sect.

Luke vi. 7. The Pharisees watch the keeping of the Sabbath, which is a covenant with God according to Moses; consequently they are no sect, but the reigning faith, — orthodoxy.

Mark iii. 6. The Pharisees take counsel with the Herodians how they may destroy Jesus for not keeping the Sabbath ; consequently they are not a sect, but the ruling church, — orthodoxy.

John vii. 32. The Pharisees and chief priests send officers to take Jesus ; consequently the Pharisees were in agreement with the chief priests, — they were orthodox.

John vii 48. None of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in Jesus ; consequently the Pharisees were the rulers of faith.

John viii. 3. The Pharisees and scribes bring to him a woman for the purpose of executing her according to the law ; consequently they are the ruling, true teaching, and not a sect.

John ix. 13. To decide the question of the blind man, he is brought before the Pharisees, as the true interpreters of the law.

John xi. 57. The Pharisee chief priests commanded. If they were a sect, they could not command.

John xii. 42. Many of the rulers believed in Jesus, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they be put out of the synagogue. What sect is this ?

Matt, xxiii. 2. The Pharisee scribes sit in Moses’ seat. Thus Jesus himself defined the Pharisees. This is not a sect, but the orthodox.

John xviii. 3. Judas took a detachment from the chief priests and Pharisees. It is not a sect, but the one spiritual power.

It is ridiculous and strange to have to prove that the word means what it means. And there would be no need of proving it, if the deception were not so stupid and so old, and, besides, so common in human affairs. The Revolution is struggling against the monarchical power. Bonaparte comes out of the Revolution and. establishes the same power, but he says that the Monarchists are a sect of Royalists. And all swallow this pill, and speak most calmly of Royalists and Bonapartists. For the Bonapartiste and Royalists there is naturally a difference, but for men who seek the meaning of things, there is no difference, and it is clear that the Bonapartists, in calling the Royalists a sect, are playing with words, or are speaking of what may serve them, but it has no meaning for a deeper point of view. For the men of the Paulinian faith, who established the new superstitions in the place

of the old ones, the Pharisees may present themselves as something distinct from Paul’s sect, but for men who have come to understand Christ’s faith there is no difference between them.

In Christ’s faith this deception is especially striking, in that Jesus foresaw it and, as far as was possible, undermined it, and, pointing directly to this cause of error, said, Deware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and clearly and precisely defined in what it consists.

The arraignment of the pastors, which with the usual reading presents itself as an expression of indignation, or even of warning and foresight of what could be, is in reality a most precise definition of this evil and its source.

37. ’Ιερουσαλήμ, ’Ιερουσαλήμ, ή άποκτεί-νουσα τους προφήτας καί λιθοβολούσα τούς àir(σταλμένους πρδς αΰ-την, ποσάκις ηθέλησα iiriavvayayeîv τα τέκνα σου, 6ν τρόπον έπισυν-àyei δρνις τα νοσσία έαυτης υπό τάς πτέρυ-yat, καί ούκ ηθελησατε ;

38. ’Ιδού, άφίεται ΰμΐν ό οϊκος υμών έρημος.

39. b.éywyà.p ΰμΐν, Ου μή με ΐδητε άπ Αρτι, έως άν είπητε, Εύλoyη-μένος ό έρχόμενος έν όνόματι Κυρίου.

1. Καί έξελθών ό Ίησοΰΐ έττορεύετο άπδ του ιερού· καί προσηλθον οΐ μαθηταΐ αύτοΰ έπι-δεΐξαι αύτψ τας οικοδομάς του Ιερού.

1. Ποταποί λίθοι καί ποταπαί οίκοδομαί.

2. Ό δί ’ Ιησού! εΐπεν αυτοί!, Οΰ βλέπετε

Matt.xxiii. 37.0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not !

38. Behold, your house® is left unto you* desolate.

39. For 1 say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.·

Matt. χχΐυ. 1. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Mark xiii. 1. What manner of stones and what buildings are here !<*

Matt. χχΐυ. 2. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these

37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou killest the prophets and stonest those who are sent to thee. How often did I wish to bring all thy children together, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wing, but you would not!

38. And so your house is being ruined.

39. For I tell you, You will not see the truth, till you will say, Blessed is he who teaches the comprehension of the Lora.

1. And leaving the temple, Jesus went away. Then his disciples ap-Eroached him, to show im the buildings of the temple.

1. Precious stones, and what offerings !

2. And Jesus replied to them, Pay no attention to these things. Truly •πάντα ταΰτα ; άμην λέyω ΰμΐν, Ού μή άφε-θη ώδε λίθος έπί λίθον, δς ού μη καταλυθήσεται.

3. Μαθημένου δέ αύτοΰ έπί του όρους των έλαιών, προσηλθον αύτψ οί μαθηταί κατ’ Ιδίαν, λέyovτες, Είπέ ημΐν, πότε ταΰτα εσται ; καί τί τό σημεΐον της σης παρουσίας, καί της συντέλειας τοΰ αίώνος ;

4. Καί άποκριθείς ό Ί ησοΰς εΐπεν αύτοΐς, Βλέπετε μή τις ΰμαϊ πλανήση.

5. Πολλοί γάρ έλεύ-σονται έπί τψ όνόματι μου, λέyovτες, ’Εγώ είμι ό Χριστό!· καί πολλούϊ πλανήσουσι.

G. Μελλήσετε δέ άκούειν πολέμους καί άκοάς πολέμων, ορατέ μή θροεΐσθε· δει γάρ πάντα yεvέσθaι. άλλ οΰπω έστί τδ τέλος.

7. ’Εγερ0ήσεται γάρ έθνος έπί έθνος, καί βασιλεία έπί βασιλείαν καί έσονται λιμοί καί λοιμοί, καί σεισμοί κατά τόπους.

8. Πάντα δέ ταΰτα άρχη ώδίνων.

11. Καί πολλοί ψευ-δοπροφηται έyεpθ■ήσov-ται, καί πλανήσουσι πολλούϊ·

12. Καί διά τδ πλη-θυνθηναι την ανομίαν, \/^·ήσεται ή άyάπη των πολλών·

14. Καί κηρυχθήσεται τούτο τό εύayyέλιov της βασιλείας έν δλη τη οικουμένη, εις μαρτύριαν πασι τοΐς εθνεσι. καί τότε ή£ει τδ τέλος. things? verily I say unto you, There shall iiot be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?·

4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars : see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom : and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places-/

8. All these are the beginning of sorrows.»

11. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.*

14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

I tell you, There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.

3. And when ho sat down on the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him and asked him privately, when will it be? And wnat will be the sign that thy teaching has stopped, and that the present life is ended?

4. And Jesus answered them, Take heed and beware that you make no mistake.

5. For many will teach you in the name of the comprehension and will deceive many.

6. You will hear of wars and disturbances: see that you are not afraid, for all these things will be, but that is not the end of the offences.

7. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be hunger and earthquake in various places.

8. All these are only the torments of labour.

11. And many false teachers will appear, and they will deceive many.

12. And from the increase of the iniquity the love of many will be diminished.

14. And when the announcement of the true good shall be borne through the whole world as a confirmation for all the nations, then there will be an end of the offences.

(a) Your house means your temple, the house of your God, and the subsequent reference to the temple confirms that this is meant here also.

(b) In many texts υμών and έρημος are wanting.

(c) Jesus concludes the accusation of the self-styled pastors by saying that their house will be deserted, and they will not know the truth, till they invoke the comprehension into themselves.

(d) The disciples say that this is their false temple, and yet it is adorned so much.

(e) The disciples ask when it will happen, that is, when that will take place which he promised, when they should worship God, not in the temple, but indeed, and when all this lie of the pastors and of their temples would be destroyed, and Christ’s teaching would be everywhere. The disciples ask what they always ask, when Christ’s true teaching is mentioned. They say, It would be very nice, but when will it be ?

(/) The disciples ask when the offences will end, and Jesus replies, They will assure you of it, and there will be wars and disturbances on account of it, but you know that that is not the end of the offences and of the evil.

(g) αρχή ώΖίυων means the torments of child-labour and nothin” else, and so it has to be translated. Verses 9 and 10 are introduced here by the copyist from the discourse to the disciples when sending them out to preach, and evidently have no place here.

Qi) Verse 13 is again an interpolation from the discourse to the disciples.

MAN LIVES THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT IN THE FLESH

If a man lives for the flesh, he perishes, like all flesh. If he lives in the spirit, he acquires the true life, but the flesh offends him.

Beware of offences. For it is better that one of thy members should perish than that the whole body be lost. It is better to be deprived of a momentary joy than of the true life. The true life is given to us, and we all know it, but the deception of the flesh ensnares us.

One day they brought children to Jesus, that they might be with him. But the disciples drove the children away, saying, What is our teacher to do with the silly children ?

Jesus saw that they had no respect for the children and drove them away, and he was grieved at the disciples, and said, You have no reason to drive these children away, — they are the best of people, for they all live in the will of God. They are certainly already in the kingdom of God. You must not drive them, but learn from them, for, in order that you may live in the will of God, you must live like children. Children always execute the five rules, which I have given you : children do not scold, do not harbour evil against men, do not commit adultery, do not swear, do not resist evil, do not litigate, do not know the difference between their own nation and another, and do not wage war. Children execute the five rules, and so they are better than grown people and are in the kingdom of God.

If you will not abandon all the deceptions of the flesh and will not become like children, you will not be in the kingdom of God.

Only he who understands that the children are better than we, because they do not break the law of God, comprehends my teaching. Only he who understands my teaching understands God.

We cannot despise the children, for they are better than we, and their souls are pure before God, and are always with God. They are all good. And not one child perishes through the will of God ; they all perish through men, who entice them away from the truth.

And so we must guard them, and not entice them away from the Father and from the life of truth. And badly acts the man who entices them away from purity. To entice a child away from what is good, to offend him with anger, adultery, oaths, courts, war, is as bad as hanging a millstone around his neck and throwing him into the water: he will hardly swim out, but will rather be drowned. Even so it is hard for a child to get away from an offence into which a man has led him.

The world is unfortunate only through offences. Offences have always been in the world and always will be, and a man perishes through offences.

And so give everything away, sacrifice everything, if only you can keep out of offences. When a fox falls into a trap, he wrenches off his leg and runs away, and lives. Even so must you do : give everything away, so long as you can get away from an offence. Offences are put up against all five rules, and you must guard yourselves against all of them.

Beware then ! Here is the offence against the first rule, Be not angry.

Do not ask how many times thou shaft forgive thy brother; do not imagine that thou must forgive him seven times, and may est wreak vengeance after that. Forgive, not seven times, but seventy times seven, and then forgive again.

For the kingdom of God may be likened to this: A king was settling his accounts with the proprietors. And they brought to him one who owed him a million dollars. And he could not pay what he owed. And the king would have sold his estate, his wife, his children, and himself ; but the proprietor began to beg the king’s mercy, and the king had mercy on him, and forgave him his whole debt.

This proprietor went home and saw a peasant who owed him fifty cents. The proprietor took hold of him, began to choke him, and said, Give me what thou owcst me. And the peasant fell down at his feet, and said, Have patience with me, and I will give thee all. But the proprietor did not have mercy on him, but put him in prison, to let him stay there until he paid all he owed.

When the peasants saw this, they went to the king, and told him what the proprietor had done. Then the king called the proprietor, and said to him, Thou dog, I forgave thee the whole rental, because thou didst beg me, so thou oughtest to have forgiven thy debtor, because I forgave thee. And the king grew angry and turned the proprietor over to be tormented, till he should pay what he owed.

Even so God the Father will do with you, if you will not forgive with all your heart those who are guilty toward you.

When a man offends thee, remember that he is the son of the same God the Father, and a brother of thine. If he has offended thee, go and admonish him face to face. If he listens to thee, thou art the gainer, for thou wilt have a new brother.

If he does not listen to thee, admonish him, and call two or three with thee to admonish him. If he does not listen to them, tell it to the assembly ; and if he does not listen to the assembly, then he will be as a stranger to thee: forgive him, and have nothing to do with him.

Thou knowest that if a quarrel is taken up with a man it is better to make peace with him without letting it come before the courts. Thou knowest this, and dost, so, because thou knowest that if it comes to litigating, thou wilt lose more. The same is true of any quarrel: if thou knowest that it is bad and that it will remove thee from God, then get rid of the evil at once and make thy peace, as long as he has not yet left, with whom the evil was started.

You know yourselves that as it is started on earth, so will it be before God ; and if you loose it on earth, you will be loosed in heaven.

Again you must understand that if two or three have agreed in everything on earth, they will receive from their Father everything for which they shall ask. For where two or three are united by my teaching, they execute my teaching.

Beware ! Here is the offence against the second rule, Do not commit adujtery.

One day self-styled pastors went up to Jesus and, tempting him, said, May a man leave his wife ?

But he said, Man was created male and female from the beginning, — this is a natural law. And so a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife, and man and wife unite into one. Consequently a man must not break the natural, divine law, and separate what is united. But if according to your law of Moses it is permitted to send away a wife, this is untrue, for according to the natural law it is not so. And I tell you that he who sends away his wife drives into debauch both her and him who takes her up.

And the disciples said to Jesus, If it is necessary to keep the same wife which a man has once taken to himself, and never to abandon her, that is so difficult to do that it is better not to marry at all.

He said to them, You may not marry, but you must understand what it means. If a man wants to live without a wife, he must be pure and not touch a woman. There are such people who have no use for women ; but if a man loves women, let him bind himself to one woman, and keep her all the time, and have nothing to do with other women.

Beware ! Here is the offence against the third rule, Make no promises to any one about anything.

Your self-styled pastors travel about everywhere and cause the people to swear that they will be true to the law and the authorities, but they only subvert them in this manner. It is impossible to promise your body for your soul, for in your soul is God, and men cannot make promises to men for God.

And one day the tax-collectors went up to Peter, and asked him, Well, does your teacher not pay his taxes ?

Peter said, No, he does not pay, and he went and told Jesus that he had been stopped and told that all must pay their taxes.

Then Jesus said to him, A king does not receive tribute from his sons, and they have to pay no one but the king. Even so it is with us. If we are the children of God, we are under no obligations to any one but God, and are free before everybody. We are not bound by anything, but if they ask thee to pay taxes, give them to them, not because thou art obliged to, but because thou shouldst not resist* evil. And if they want to take thy cloak away, give them also thy coat.

At another time the pastors came together with the officers of the king, and went to Jesus, trying to catch him with words.

They said to him, Thou teachest in truth, so tell us· whether we are obliged to pay tribute to Cæsar or not.

Jesus saw that they wanted to condemn him for opposing himself to the oath to Cæsar. He said to them, Show me that with which you pay tribute to Cæsar.

They showed him a coin. He looked at the coin, and said, What is this ? Whose image and superscription ?

They said, Cæsar’s.

And then he said, If so, give to Cæsar what is Cæsar’s, but what is God’s, your soul, do not give to any one but God. Money, property, your labour, everything give to him who will ask you for it, but do not give your soul to any one but God. And make no promises to any one, for you are all in the power of God, and your soul give to God alone.

Beware ! Here is the offence against the fourth rule, Do not judge, and be not judged.

One day the disciples of Jesus entered a village and begged permission to stay overnight. They were not allowed to remain. Then the disciples came to Jesus to complain about it, and they said, May they be killed by lightning.

Jesus said, Still you do not understand of what spirit you are. I do not teach how to destroy, but how to save people.

One day they brought a woman to Jesus, and said, This woman was caught in adultery. According to the law she ought to be stoned to death. What dost thou say ?

Jesus made no reply, and waited for them to change their minds. But they stuck to him, and asked how he would judge this woman.

Then he said, He who among you is without error, let him cast the first stone at her. Then the Pharisees looked at each other, and their conscience smote them, and those who were in front stepped behind the others, and all went away.

And Jesus was left alone with the woman. He looked up, and saw that no one was there. Well, he said, Has no one accused thee ?

She said, No one.

And he said, Neither can I accuse thee. Go, and err no more.

No matter how clear, how bad the case is, there is no one who can accuse a man of it. Only he who has not erred can accuse, but accusing is already an error.

Once there came a man to Jesus, who said, Order my brother to give me my inheritance.

Jesus said to him, No one has made me a judge over you, and I do not sit in judgment over any one. Neither can you judge any one.

Beware ! Here is the offence against the fifth rule, There are no different nations ; all men are brothers, children of one God the Father.

A lawyer wanted to offend Jesus, and said, What must I do, in order that I may obtain the true life ?

Jesus said, Thou knowest what : love God thy Father and thy brother, no matter what his nationality may be.

And the lawyer said, This would be well, if there were no different nations, for how can I love the enemy of my nation ?

And Jesus said, There was a Jew who fell into misfortune : he was beaten, robbed, and thrown out into the road. A Jewish priest passed by, and he looked at the beaten man, and went his way. Then a Levite passed by, and he looked at him, and went his way. Then a man of a hostile nation, a Samaritan, passed by. This Samaritan saw the Jew, and he did not consider this, that the Jews had no regard for the Samaritans, but had pity on the Jew who was beaten. He washed his wounds and dressed them, and took him on his ass to an inn, and paid the innkeeper for him, and promised to come later and pay more. Even so treat foreigners, those who have no regard for you and destroy you, and then you will get the true life.

Jesus said, The world loves its own, but despises the things that are of God, and so the people of the world, priests and scribes, will torment those who keep the law of God. And I, too, am going to Jerusalem, and shall be tormented and killed, but my spirit cannot be killed,— it will live.

When Peter heard that Jesus would be tormented and killed in Jerusalem, he was grieved. He took the hand of Jesus, and said to him, If this is so, thou hadst better not go to Jerusalem.

Then Jesus said to Peter, Do not say this. What thou sayest is an offence. If thou art afraid for me, lest I

should be tortured and killed, that means that thou art thinking of human, and not of divine things.

He who lives by the light of the comprehension can have no evil befall him, for he is always in the light; evil can befall only him who comes out of the light of truth into the darkness of the offence of the flesh.

And calling up the people with his disciples, Jesus said, He who wants to live according to my teaching must renounce his carnal life; let him be ready for all carnal sufferings, for he who is afraid for his carnal life will lose his true life, and he who neglects the carnal life will save the true life.

And again he told them that when they kill a man who lives by the comprehension, the comprehension does not die, but will live.

And they did not understand it. And the Sadducees came up, and he explained to all what was meant by the true life in God, and by the rising from the dead. The Sadducees said that after the carnal death there was no life. They said, How can all rise from the dead ? If they did rise, they could not all live together. For example, we had seven brothers. The first married and died. His wife married the second brother, and he died ; and she married the third, and so on, until the seventh. How are the seven brothers going to live with one wife, if they shall all rise from the dead ?

Jesus said to them, You purposely mix up matters, and do not comprehend what the life after death is. In this life people marry and are given in marriage ; but those who will earn the life after the carnal death will not marry and be given in marriage, for they do not have to continue life in others : they themselves do not die, for they unite with God, having become his children.

In your Scripture it says that God said, I am the God of Abraham and Jacob. And this God said when Abraham and Jacob were already dead for men. Con—

When the people understood whereof he spoke, he said, Above all, beware of the teaching of the learned self-styled pastors. Beware of them, for they have usurped the place of the prophet who announces the will of God to the people. They have usurped the power to preach the will of God to the people. They preach words, and do nothing. And it turns out that they say, Do this and that, but there is nothing to do, for they do not do anything good, and only talk. And they talk of what cannot be done, but themselves do nothing. All they care to do is to retain the right of their teachership, and so they try to distinguish themselves : they dress up and want to receive honours. And so know that no one ought to call himself teacher and pastor. None but our Lord is a teacher and pastor. But the pastors call themselves teachers, and thus prevent our entering the kingdom of God, and themselves do not enter into it.

These pastors think that it is possible to lead to God by external ceremonies, by oaths, and, like blind people, they do not see that the external things do not mean anything, that everything is in the soul of man. They do those external things which are easiest, but what is necessary and difficult, — love, compassion, truth, — they leave out. All they care for is to be externally in the law, and to lead others externally to the law. And so they are like whited sepulchres, apparently clean without, but an abomination within. Externally they honour the holy martyrs, but in fact they are those who torture and kill the saints.

They have always been the enemies of what is good. From them proceeds all the evil in the world, for they conceal the good, and instead of the good bring forward the bad. Most of all fear these self-styled pastors. For you know yourselves that any mistake may be corrected ; but if men err in what is good, such a mistake can no longer be corrected. And it is this that the self-styled pastors do.

And Jesus said, I wanted here, in Jerusalem, to unite all men into one comprehension of the true good, but the teachers of this city know only how to kill the teachers of good. And so they remain the same godless people that they were, and do not know God, unless, loving, they accept the comprehension of God.

And Jesus went away from the temple. Then his disciples said to him, What about this temple of God with all its adornments, which men have brought as an offering for God ?

And Jesus said, Truly I tell you that this whole temple with all its adornments will be destroyed, and nothing will be left. There is one temple of God, — the hearts of men, when they love one another.

And they asked him, When will this temple be?

And Jesus said to them, It will not be soon. Many people will deceive through my teaching, and there will be wars and disturbances on account of it. And there will be great lawlessness, and little love. But when the true teaching shall be disseminated among all men, there will be an end to evil and to offences.

CHAPTER X.

THK STRUGGLE AGAINST THE OFFENCES

63. KéyovTot δέ αυτού ταΰτα πγ>δ$ αύτούί, ήρζαντο ο! Ύραμματεΐϊ καί οί Φαρισαίοι δεινως ίνίχειν, καί απόσταμα· τίξειν αύτόν περί πλειό-νων,

54. Ένεδρεύοντετ αΰ-τδν, καί ζητούνres θήρευα al τι έκ του στόματος αύτου, ϊνα κατηγορ-ησω-σιν αύτου.

47. Συνή’γα’γον ούν οί άρχιερεΐτ καί οί Φαρισαίοι συνίδριον, καί eXc-γον, Τί ιτοιούμεν ; δτι ουτοs ό άνθρωποί πολλά σημεία ποιεί.

48. Έάν άφωμεν αύ-τδνοΰτω, πάντες πιστεύ-σουσιν εΙ$ αυτόν· καί ίλεύσονται οί ‘Ρωμαίοι καί άροΰσιν ήμων καί τδν τόπον καί τό εθνοί.

Luke. xi. 53. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:

53. As he said this, the learned pastors began to urge Jesus vehemently, and to ask him about many things.

54. Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

Johnxi. 47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

54. They devised to catch him in his own words, so as to accuse him.

47. And the chief priests, the pastors, met in council, and said, What shall we do? The man gives such proofs of his truth.

48. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

48. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him. And the Romans will come and will take our city and our nation.

Ik we leave him, all will believe, and if all will believe, the Romans will take. us. This verse is remarkable in that it clearly defines the significance of Christ’s teaching, as the Jews and their pastors understood it, and as our pastors intentionally fail to see it.

Jesus teaches that God is spirit, that he must be served in the spirit and with works, that it is not right to resist evil, that we must submit to it, that there are not different nationalities and kingdoms, because in the place of the former kingdoms of the earth the kingdom of God is preached, where each is free and depends only on God. And, of course, if men will believe this, the Romans will come and take us. Now the Romans feel that they are dealing with a nation ; but then they will take us like a flock of sheep. And it is this very teaching in which all are beginning to believe. It is easy enough to see why, if all will believe, the Romans will take us, and why it is necessary to put a stop to all these fancies.

This is what the church says (p. 400) :

If we let him thus alone: Without counteracting him, all will believe in him ; and it is the truth ; the influence of the miracles of the Lord on the people was such that, if there had been no strong counteraction of the party, which was hostile to him, the number of believers in him would have been much greater than his open adherents.

And the Romans shall come, etc. : From their point of view, there was truth in it, and their fear of the Romans was well grounded ; a national uprising would have been for the Romans a pretext for destroying even that shadow of independence which was still left with the Jews as a nation. In the case of a strong national uprising, the Romans would have actually taken possession of the place itself, that is, of Jerusalem, as the capital of the nation and centre of the nation’s whole life, both religious and political, with its temple, worship, etc., and would have possessed themselves of the nation itself, that is, would have destroyed its very political existence as a nation, as a separate political unit. The justice of this judgment showed itself after the experiences, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, laid waste Palestine, and wiped out the Jews, as a political nation, from the list of nations. But the fatal lie in this judgment of the leaders of the national life of the Jews consisted in this, that they considered an uprising under the leadership of Jesus Christ possible. Absolutely failing to recognize the Messiah in the Lord Jesus, because he did not come up to the ideal of the Messiah, formed on the basis of distorted and false conceptions of what the Messiah was to be, they assumed that this miracle-worker might stand at the head of a national uprising and bring calamity to the whole nation. This fatal lie and judgment about the Lord led to fatal mistakes in the further actions of the sanhedrim in relation to Jesus Christ, which were foreseen by God and were directed toward the great work of the redemption of all humanity through the death of the unacknowledged but true Messiah.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. VI., p. 252):

Le mobile qui décida l’autorité nationale à se défaire de Jésus est, d’après notre texte, d’une nature exclusivement politique. On craignait un mouvement populaire, une insurrection fomentée, non sans doute par Jésus lui-même, mais par les aspirations religieuses et nationales qui croyaient avoir trouvé en lui le roi promis par les prophètes (Chap. VI., 15). Or, les hommes placés à la tête des affaires ne partageaient nullement cette dernière conviction ; ils comprenaient donc que le mouvement prévu n’aboutirait qu’à une nouvelle catastrophe, qui détruirait immanquablement les derniers restes de l’autonomie que le gouvernement impérial avait encore laissés subsister. Comment conjurer cette éventualité ? Le pontife leur indique le moyen le plus simple et le plus expéditif. — Il faut cependant rappeler que les Pharisiens étaient les adversaires de Jésus plutôt à cause de ce qu’ils pouvaient appeler son latitudinarisme ; c’étaient les Sadducéens qui se placèrent au point de vue politique que nous venons d’indiquer. On le voit clairement par les Actes des apôtres.

As they do not understand the teaching as it is, there results an absurdity, and an artificial explanation is needed, which is, that the nation will rise, and the Romans will be compelled to suppress the rising. All say so alike, but evidently they all alike talk nonsense, for there was no cause for any uprising. If all believed, all would submit the left cheek after the right, all would give up their coats and their cloaks. Whence should the uprising come? There would have been no uprising, but if all believed, there would be no Jewish state, no armies, no courts, no wealth, no taxes, — so much is certain.

48. Καί οΰχ el’piσκον τό τί ποιήσωσιν, ό Xaôs yàp diras έξακρέματο αυτού άκούων.

47. Καί ην διδάσκων τό καθ’ ημέραν έν τφ ίαρψ-οί δέ άρχκραs καί ο I ΊραμματΜ έζήτουν αυτόν άπολέσαι, καί οΐ πρώτοι του λαού·

49. ΕΓ$ δέ τι$ έξ αύ-των Καϊάφα*, άρχιαραυs ûv του ένιαυτου έκαΐνου, ίϊπαν αΰτοΐί, Ύμαΐί οΰκ οΐδατα ούδέν·

50. διαλογί^ε-σθα, ότι συμφέρει ήμΐν ϊνα εΐ* Ανθρωποί άποθάνη υπέρ του λαού, καί μη δλον τό έθνοs άπόληται.

51. Τούτο δέ άφ’ tau-τού οΰκ είπαν, άλλά άρ-χιαραυς ών του ένιαυτου έκαίνου, προαφηταυσαν ότι αμαλλαν ό Ιησού* άπο-θνησκαιν υπέρ του αθνου*·

52. Καί ούχ υπέρ του έθνους μόνον, άλλ ϊνα καί τά τέκνα του θεού τα διασκορπισμένα συνα-yàyy ε/s tv

Luke rix. 48. And could not find wbat they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

47. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him.

48. And they could not find what they might do, for the people clung to him and listened to him.

47. And the chief priests and the learned sought to destroy him.

John xi. 49. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all.

50. Nor consider that it is better for us, that one man should die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish.»

51. And this spake he not of himself : but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation:

49. One of them, named Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, said to them, You do not understand anything.

50. You do not consider that it is necessary that one man should die for the people, and that the whole people may not perish.

51. This he did not speak of himself, but, being the high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

52. And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.4

52. And not only for the nation, but in order that the children of God be united into one.

(a) John xi. 50 is for some reason wrongly translated in all the translations. There is nothing to warrant the translation, It is better that one man should die, than ; it says simply 1 that it is necessary that one man should die, and not that the whole nation should perish. This is again an example of a careless relation to the word of the Gospel. One translated it wrongly, and all repeated the same error, like a lot of sheep.

This is what the church says (p. 402) :

Ye know nothing at all: You present yourselves as ignorant of the whole matter, as irrational and dull of comprehension, since

1 Nearly as in the King James translation. — Translator’s Note. you consider what you should do, and do not consider and weigh this, according to his opinion, most important and decisive circumstance, that it is better for us, that is, for the whole Jewish nation and, in particular, for its representatives, to sacrifice one man, in order that the whole nation may not perish from the Romans in case of the supposed rising of the nation for the sake of this man. The external rudeness of Caiaphas’s speech (Ye know nothing at all, and, Nor consider) are quite natural with him, as a Sadducee, to which sect he belonged. The Pharisees were softer in their mutual relations and in relation to others as far as external matters were concerned (like hypocrites and insincere people, which they were) ; but the Sadducees were distinguished for their coarse manners, but under this coarseness frequently concealed a greater cunning than that of the Pharisees.

h In relation to the internal character, the speech of Caiaphas ‘ transferred the question from the field of conscience to that of external politics, and decided without appeal in favour of the latter.

What need is there of considering what to do? Whoever he may be, a whole nation may perish on his account, and so he has to be sacrificed. What need of considering according to our conscience ? We must decide according to external circumstances.

At the basis of the solution lies the same fatal lie as in the case of the other members of the sanhedrim : He is not the Messiah ; but there there is reflection, while here is the cold, egoistical, Sacrifice him, without considering, without wavering.

(ό) tà ^σκορπισμένα, like καί before τα τέκνα, is wanting in many texts. These words are evidently added, in order that the words of Caiaphas, which refer directly to the Jews, may be referred to the future church. Caiaphas says simply that he has to die for the good of the nation and for the unity of the faith, precisely what the persecutors of the heretics have always said. It seems to be quite clear. In the Gospel, on the occasion of the execution of Christ after the accusation of the pastors and the indications that all the innocent blood from Abel to our day was upon them, we are shown in what way they shed this blood and in the name of what considerations. And the church is so used to lying with immunity that it naively points out the sinfulness of Caiaphas’s reasoning, forgetting that it has judged in precisely the same manner for eighteen hundred years, and even now judges thus before executions. The church has forgotten that it is arraigning itself, for to us the centre of gravity of these three verses consists in this, that, according to its conceptions, wc have here a huge pun, and Caiaphas suddenly becomes a prophet.

This what the church says (p. 403) :

And this spake he not of himself, etc. : The remark of the evangelist himself in regard to Caiaphas’s speech, as a prophetic utterance. Not the external form of speech or its internal character are here kept in view, but only the fundamental thought that the Lord will die for the nation. The high priest was in antiquity the immediate bearer of the divine revelation, which was communicated to him through the Urim and the Thummim.

After the Babylonian captivity this was no longer the case, but none the less it lay in the very idea of the high priesthood that it could be the organ of the immediate revelation of God, though during the decline of the high priesthood this was no longer the case. But God can choose even an unworthy man for his all-wise purposes and make him an organ of his immediate revelation. Out of the evil heart there proceeded words which contain a miraculous prophecy.

He (Caiaphas) said it with malicious intent, but the grace of the Spirit used his lips for a prediction of a future event. The devil frequently distorts the words of God in a lying manner and presents the self-existing truth as a lie. God at times makes sport of the devil by placing a striking truth into the mouth of the father of lies and his organs.

Should die for the people : In the sense of an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of the people, which is not to be assumed in Caiaphas’s words ; he had in mind the execution of one man for the whole nation for the sake of its political welfare, but the Holy Ghost prophesied through this the grandest truth, namely, that one would die for the redemption of the people from spiritual death and for the sake of the spiritual eternal life.

And not for that nation only: The evangelist completes the involuntary prophecy of Caiaphas, But also that he should gather together in one the children of God, that were scattered abroad. By the scattered children of God we must understand, in contradistinction with the nation, as the Jewish nationality, the pagans, and not the Jews who were scattered abroad among the pagans. The Lord brought an expiatory sacrifice for the whole world, both of Jews and of pagans ; both through their belief in him become the children of God. It is a prophetic manner of speech ; he called them the children of God, as they were to become such. By gathering together in one the children of God we must not understand the assembly in one place, but the gathering of those who were scattered everywhere into one society according to the faith in Christ (the one church). All believers in Christ, wherever scattered among the unbelievers, form one common Christian society, one spiritual body, whose head is Christ, and whose members all the rest are.

And to his shame Reuss says the same (Vol. VI., p. 253):

Car Caïaphas, en sa qualité de grand-prêtre, a parlé en prophète, involontairement sans doute, mais tout juste au moment de la péripétie suprême du drame sacré, cette année-là. D’après les institutions mosaïques, le grand-prêtre rendait des oracles. L’usage en était perdu depuis longtemps ; la loi et l’exégèse suffisant à tous les besoins sociaux ou ecclésiastiques. Mais on comprend que le peuple considérait toujours son chef spirituel comme un personnage plus spécialement en rapport avec le Très-Haut. Nous ne serons donc pas surpris qu’un chrétien, frappé de l’analogie d’une certaine parole, émanée d’une telle bouche et prononcée dans un but froidement politique, avec ce que la foi évangélique regardait comme la vérité fondamentale, ait pu envisager cette parole comme inspirée par l’esprit de Dieu, pour forcer l’ennemi de la nouvelle révélation à lui rendre un éclatant témoignage. L’Ancien Testament avait bien donné d’illustres exemples de cette catégorie.

He imagines that the author, that is, John, is making capital of the pun vTrep του έ‘0υου<?, but there could not be such a thing as a pun here for the author, because he has not the slightest idea about the dogma of the redemption ; he says simply that Caiaphas as a man could not say for himself that Jesus ought to be killed, but he said it, because, being the high priest, he could utter a prophecy as to what would be for the good of the nation. Nothing else is said, and we have no right whatsoever to ascribe any other meaning to these words, the more so that with this meaning, as given to it by the church, we get nothing but a useless pun, while with the actual meaning we get a deep significance, which is connected with the words about all the blood falling on the pastors, and an instruction as to how bad and senseless it is in the name of the prophecies of the good of the nation to kill men. The following verse again shows that it is not an interpolated sentence, but an elucidation of a thought, in consequence of which the Jews to kill him.

53. ’Αττ’ έκείνης οΰν τίημέραν συνεβουΧεύ-σαντο ϊνα άποκτείνωσιν αύτδν.

54. Ιησούς οΰν ού-

κέτι παρρησία περιπάτα. έν τοίς ’Ιουδαίου, αλλά άπήΧθεν έκεϊθεν είς την χώραν της

έρημου, είς Έφραίμ Χε-“γομένην πδΧιν, κάκεϊ διέτριβε μετά των μαθητών αυτού.

55. Ήν δέ έyyύς τδ πάσχα των ’Ιουδαίων· καί άνέβησαν πολλοί είς ΊεροσδΧυμα έκ της χώρας πρδ του πάσχα, ϊνα ày νίσωσιν εαυτούς.

56. ’Ε{ήτουν οΰν τδν Ίησοΰν, καί εXεyον μετ’ άΧΧήΧων έν τψ ίερψ έστηκδτες, Τί δοκεΐ ύμΐν, δτι ου μη εΧθη είς την εορτήν ;

57. Δεδώκεισαν δέ καί οι άρχιερεΐς καί οΐ Φαρισαίοι έντοΧήν, ϊνα, έάν τις yv<p που έστι, μηνύσγ, δπως πιάσωσιν αυτόν.

decide conclusively

that it is necessary

Johnri. 53. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

54. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

53. From that day on they decided to kill him.

54. But Jesus did not appear before the Jews; he went away nearer to the desert, into the city of Ephraim, and there remained with his disciples.

55. And the Jews’ Eassover was nigh at and: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

56. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

57. Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it. that they might take him.

55. The Jewish passover was near, and many people came from the villages to Jerusalem for the passover, to prepare themselves for the feast.

56. And they sought Jesus and spoke among themselves in the temple, What do you think? Will he come to the feast?

57. And the chief priests gave a command, that if any man knew where he was, he should announce it, that they might vanquish him.

1. *0 ούν ’Ιησούς iτρδ ήμερων τού πάσχα

ήλθεν els Βηθανίαν.

8. Aiyovaiv αύτψ οΐ μαθηταί, ‘Ρ αββί, νυν έξήτουν σε λιθάσαι οI ’Ιουδαίοι, και πάλιν ύπά-yeis έκεΐ;

9. Άπεκρίθη ό Ίη-σού$, Ούχί δώδεκά είσιν ώραι τής ημέρας; έάν ris περιπατή èv τη ήμέ-ρμ ού προσκόπτει, δτι τδ φως του κόσμου τούτου βλέπει’

10. Έάι» δέ ns περιπατά έν τη νυκτί, προσκόπτει, δτι τδ φως ούκ εστιν έν αύτψ.

2. Έποίησανούν αύτψ δείπνου έκεΐ, καί η Μάρ-θα διηκόνει-ο δέ Λάζαρος els ήν των συνανακειμένων αύτψ.

3. Ή ούν Μαρία, Χαλούσα λίτρα ν μύρου νάρδου πιστικής πολυτίμου, ήλειφε τούς πόδας τού ’Ιησού, καί έξέμαξε τα?; θριξιν αυτής τούς πόδας αυτού· η δέ οικία έπλη-ρώθη έκ της οσμής τού μύρου.

4. Aiyei ούν εΓ; έκ των μαθητών αύτοΰ, Ιούδα; Σίμωνος Iσκαριώτης, ό μέλλων αύτδν παραδι-δόναι,

5. Διατί τούτο τδ μύρον ούκ έπράθη τριακο-σίων δηναρίων, καί έδόθη πτωχό?; ;

6. Είπε δέ τούτο, ούχ δτι περί των πτωχών εμελεν αύτψ, άλλ’ δτι κλέπτης ήν, καί τδ yλωσ-σόκομον είχε, καί τα βαλλόμενα έβάσταζεν.

John xii. 1. Then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany.®

John xi. 8. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

9. Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

John xii. 2. There they made him a supper; and’Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

3. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

5. Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6. This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

1. Six days before the {>assover, Jesus went to tethany.

8. And his disciples said to him, Teacher, the chief priests want to stone thee; and thou goest there again.

9. And Jesus answered them, In the day there are twelve hours. If a man walks in the day, be does not stumble, because he sees the light of the world.

10. Only he who walks at night stumbles, because there is no light in him.

2. And they made him a supper, and Martha served him.

3. Then Mary, her sister, took a pound of pure, costly, perfumed oil, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the odour of the oil.

4. Then said Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who betrayed him,

5. This oil could be sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor.

6. He did not say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and carried the bag.

7. Έ,ϊπεν ούν ο’Ιησούς,

’Aφες αύτήν· είς την ημέραν του ένταφιασμοΰ μου τετήρηκεν αύτό. *

8. Τού; πτωχούς yàp πάντοτε έχετε μεθ’ εαυτών, έμέ δέ ού πάντοτε €χ€Τ€.

12. Ύη έπαύριον δχλος πολύς ό έλθών είς την εορτήν, άκούσαντες δτι έρχεται ό ’Ιησού; είς ’Ιεροσόλυμα,

13. Έλαβον τα βαΐα τών φοινίκων, καί έξήλθον είς υπάντησιν αύτψ, καί εκραζον, Ώσαννά’ εύλoyημέvos ό έρχόμένος έν όνόματι Κυρίου, ό βασιλεύς τού Ισραήλ.

14. Ευρών δέ ό’Ιησού; όνάριον, έκάθισενέπ αύτο,

11. Καί είσήλθεν είς ‘Ιεροσόλυμα.

10. Καί είσελθόντος αύτοΰ είς ‘Ιεροσόλυμα, έσείσθη πάσα ή πόλις, λήγουσα. Τί; έστιν ούτος ;

11. Οί δέ δχλοι ελε-yov, Ούτός έστιν’Ιησούς ό προφήτης, ό άπδ Ναζαρέτ τής Ταλιλαίας.

12. Καί είσήλθεν ό ’Ιησού; είς τδ Ιερδν τού θεού, καί έξέβαλε πάντας τούς πωλοΰντας καί àyo-ράζοντας έν τψ ίερψ,

19. 01 ούν Φαρισαίοι εΐπον πρδς εαυτούς, θεωρείτε δτι ούκ ωφελείτε ούδέν, ίδε ό κόσμος όπίσω αύτοΰ άπήλθεν.

18. Καί ήκουσαν οί ypaμμaτεîς καί οί άρχιερεΐς, καί έζήτουν πώς αύτδν άπόλέσουσ ιν· έφο-βοΰντο yàp αύτδν, δτι πας ό δχλος έξεπλήσσετο έπί τη διδαχή αύτοΰ.

7. Then’ said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

8. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

12. On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13. Took branches of

falm trees, and went or th to meet him, and cried, Hosanna; Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon.»

Markxi. 11. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem.

Matt. xri. 10. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

11. And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

12. Aud Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple.

John xii. 19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

Mark xi. 18. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him : for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

7. And Jesus said, Let her alone: she did this for the day of my burial.

8. You will always have the poor, but me not always.

12. On the next day, the whole people that came to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

13. And they took branches, and came oht to meet him, and cried, Blessed is he who comes in the name of God, the king of Israel.

14. And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon

11. And Jesus entered Jerusalem.

10. And when he entered, all the city arose, and asked, Who is this?

11. The people said, This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

12. And Jesus entered the temple, and drove out all who sold and bought.

19. The pastors said among themselves, See there, what else will it be? The whole world is following him.

18. And they considered how they might destroy him, for they were afraid of him, lest the people should be carried away by his teaching.

20. ‘Ιΐσαν δέ rivez “Ελληνα έκ των άναβαι-νόντων ϊνα προσκυνήσω-σιν èv τη èo ρτή—

21. Οΰτοι οΰν προσήλθον Φιλίππψ τψ άπό ΒηΟσαϊδά τής Γαλϊλαίας, καί ήρώτων αυτόν Xlyov-τ«, Κ ùpie, θέλομχν τόν Ιησοΰν lôeïv.

22. “Epxerai Φίλιπποί καί Myet τψ Αν-δρέ$· καί πάλιν ’ Ανδρέας καί Φίλιπποί Xéyovai τψ ’ Ιησού.

23. ‘Ο δό ’Ιησούς άπe-κρίνατο αύτοΐς Xiyœv, ’Ελήλυ&ν ή ώρα ϊνα δο-ζασθή ο υΙός του άνθρώπου.

24. ’Αμήν άμήν Xéyu ύμϊν, ’Εάν μ); ο κόκκος του σίτου πeσώv el ς την yrjv άποθάνη, αυτός μόνος μένα· έάν δό άποθάνη. πολύν καρπόν (frépei.

25. Ό φιλών την ψυ-χήν αΰτοΰ άποXéaei αυτήν-καί ό μισών την ψυχήν αύ του έν τψ κόσμψ τούτψ, ci’s ζωήν αιώνιον φυλάει αυτήν.

20. Έάν έμοι διακονή τις. έμοί άκολουθίίτω-και οπού eίμΐ lyù), Ikcî και δ διάκονος ό έμός earai-καί έάν τις έμοί διακονή. ^ιμήσeι αυτόν ο πατήρ.

John xii. 20. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast :

21. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethesda of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

20. And there were some Greeks among those who came to the feast.

21. These went up to Philip, and said, Sir, we want to see Jesus.

22. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

22. Philip went, and told Andrew; and Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

23. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

23. And Jesus replied to them, The hour has come, when the son of man will be recognized.

24. Yon know yourselves that, if a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and does not die. it remains alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.

25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal.

25. He who is afraid for his life will lose it; and he who does not spare his life in this world, will keep it in the true life.

26. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be : if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.*

26. If any man serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there is my servant. lie who serves me will be honoured by my Father.

(α) I put here Verses 8-10 of Chapter XL of John, as more instructive in this place.

(b) Verses 14—18 speak of the meaning of Jesus’ sitting on the ass.

Here is what Reuss says about it (Vol. VI., p. 257):

Jésus montait un âne qu’il avait trouvé. Personne, en ce moment, ne faisait attention à cette circonstance. Plus tard, quand les disciples commencèrent à étudier l’Ecriture pour y chercher des allusions à l’histoire de leur Maître, ils découvrirent entre autres le passage de Zacharie ix. 9, qui parle de l’entrée du Messie monté sur un âne. Ce détail, purement accessoire dans la peinture idéale du prophète, est la chose capitale pour notre auteur, qui néglige les autres éléments du texte, pour se rappeler seulement que cet âne a réellement figuré ce jour-là, et pour constater ainsi la réalité de la prédiction. Ce naïf aveu nous fait voir comment, dès l’abord, la société chrétienne fut à même de rassembler un nombre assez considérable et toujours croissant de prophéties très-spéciales découvertes dans les anciens textes et qui bientôt formèrent le fonds principal de la science apologétique. Quant à la phrase: lorsqu’il eut été glorifié, nous savons qu’elle signifie : après sa mort et sou exaltation. — On avait fait ainsi, parce que cela avait été prédit : c’est le même point de vue que celui de Matthieu, dans sa phrase accoutumée. Il n’est nullement nécessaire de traduire : Ils (les disciples) avaient fait ainsi sans savoir qu’ils accomplissaient une prophétie.

These verses show nothing and change nothing, and so are not needed.

(c) Reuss says (Vol. VL, pp. 258-262):

Voici encore un passage qui est de nature à confirmer notre manière de voir au sujet du degré de réalité historique des conversations qui servent à l’exposition des idées développées par la bouche de Jésus, d’après la méthode de l’évangéliste. Que des Grecs, c’est-à-dire ici des nationaux Hellènes non circonsis, se soient trouvés parmi les pèlerins de la fête de Pâques, et cela non pas comme simples curieux, mais conduits par un besoin religieux réel, c’est là un fait trop explicitement attesté par l’histoire apostolique, pour qu’il puisse soulever le moindre doute. Mais on remarquera que l’auteur se borne à les introduire sur la scène, et qu’il les laisse là sans plus s’en occuper le moins du monde. (Les plus avisés pensent que Jésus aura eu un entretien sympathique avec ces Grecs, en traversant la cour extérieure où ils avaient dû s’arrêter et attendre qu’il sortît.) Ce n’est pas à eux que Jésus adresse la parole, mais à ses disciples, ou pour mieux dire, aux lecteurs de ce livre; les disciples ne rapportent pas de réponse aux Grecs, et ceux-ci disparaissent sans qu’on apprenne même s’ils ont atteint leur but et s’ils se retirent contents.

Mais si ce morceau ne satisfait en aucune façon celui qui demande à l’historien des faits à contours nettement dessinés, en revanche, il est on ne peut plus significatif par l’idée qu’il exprime, et la valeur symbolique du récit ne se révèle nulle part d’une manière à la fois plus grandiose et plus heureuse.

L’auteur est arrivé aû terme de la vie publique de Jésus. Le tableau du conflit tragique entre la nouvelle révélation et l’esprit du judaïsme est achevé. Une faible minorité a cru, une puissante majorité, non seulement est restée sourde à l’appel, mais s’apprête à détruire violemment l’œuvre de la régénération du monde à peine commencée. Tout est dit désormais sur cet antagonisme. Le lecteur pressent la catastrophe imminente. Voilà qu’un nouvel horizon s’ouvre tout à coup devant ses yeux ; une perspect ve, pour le moment encore tout idéale et prophétique, lui fait entrevoir, pour une cause en apparence compromise, si ce n’est perdue, la glorieuse conquête du monde païen, cette compensation brillante et pleine d’avenir, qui fera bientôt oublier la résistance aussi mesquine que méchante du monde judaïque. Et cette conquête, elle vient pour ainsi dire s’offrir d’elle-même ; ce ne sont pas les apôtres de Christ qui l’entreprennent spontanément. Tout au contraire, quand les premiers symptômes de ce mouvement providentiel et presque miraculeux se manifestent, les disciples ont de la peine à le comprendre, ils hésitent à s’y associer, ils se consultent les uns les autres, ils ont recours, avec une espèce de timidité formaliste, au Maître lui-même, pour savoir ce qu’ils ont à faire… . Mais c’est là de l’histoire dans le grand style ; c’est, en deux mots, l’esprit des faits si clairement retracés dans les Actes ; c’est le résumé de l’histoire apostolique. Sobre de paroles, comme toujours, l’auteur ébauche en quelques lignes •je programme d’un avenir dont lui-même a contemplé les péripéties, avant d’écrire son livre; ce n’est pas sa faute si ses commentateurs, restant à fleur de terre, se débattent dans les embarras d’une interprétation aveuglément littérale, désorientés par les réticences du texte et manquant d’autant plus naturellement l’intelligence de l’idée, qu’ils épluchent plus méticuleusement les détails de la forme. (La fable de l’ambuscade du roi Abgar d’Édesse, rapportée par Eusèbe, et répétée par les amateurs de légendes, n’a rien à faire ici.)

Dès qu’on se place à ce point de vue pour se rendre compte de la nature du cadre, on n’a plus de peine à saisir le sens intime des paroles de Jésus auxquelles ce cadre doit donner du relief. La conquête du monde, j’entends celle du monde païen, a pour condition la mort préalable du Sauveur. C’est elle qui donnera le signal de cette course victorieuse de l’Évangile, toujours promise, et jusque-là si peu réalisée (v. 32) ; elle sera donc avant tout la glorification et du Père et du Fils qui fait l’œuvre du Père. Ici encore, l’histoire se charge de ratifier les assertions de notre texte. Mais si notre auteur a pu avoir besoin d’une expérience pratique pour se pénétrer de cette vérité, Jésus, d’après le témoignage même des Synoptiques, prévoyait et prédisait les grandes destinées de son Évangile, subordonnées à cette condition, sans qu’il jugeât à propos de mettre la main à leur accomplissement, d’une manière directe et immédiate, même sans diriger ses disciples de ce côté-là. On remarquera que l’idée d’une glorification du fils de l’homme est mise ici en rapport intime avec l’extension de son œuvre ou de son influence (v. 32) dans le monde ; et c’est pour cela que l’image du grain de blé est choisie de préférence à toute autre. Ce grain peut se conserver dans sa condition naturelle pendant un temps indéterminé, mais il restera ce qu’il est, seul et isolé, à moins d’être mis en contact avec l’humidité de la terre. Sa fécondité (Matth. xiii. 23) dépend de sa mort, c’est-à-dire d’une transformation qui dégage le germe vivifiant de son enveloppe. Cette image est de nature à rendre plausible le paradoxe de la mort considérée comme condition de la vie, ou plus exactement, de la mort individuelle, considérée comme condition de la vie à communiquer au dehors.

Et ce qui est une vérité à la fois théologique et historique dans son application immédiate à la personne du Sauveur, envoyé au monde pour y déposer le germe de la vie céleste qui lui était propre, ce sera vrai aussi, dans un sens analogue, bien que modifié, pour tous ceux qui marchent sur ses traces. Pour avoir la vie, il ne faut pas craindre la mort (Matth. x. 39 ; xvi. 25. Luc ix. 24 ; xvii. 33). Après ce qui a été dit sur ces passages parallèles, nous n’avons pas à analyser cette pensée tout au long. Disons seulement que notre texte, reproduit d’abord la maxime spirituellement paradoxale de la vie qui se perd quand on l’aime, et de la vie qui se conserve quand on la hait (cette dernière exagération de l’expression nous est également connue par Luc xiv. 26), dans laquelle un seul et même mot (psyche) est tour à tour pris dans deux sens différents. Mais il comprend un élément qui a été quelquefois mal expliqué et qui nous embarrasse dans la traduction, en ce que la langue française, pour rendre le mot zoe, se sert également du terme de vie. Cela a conduit quelques interprètes à croire que l’auteur veut dire : celui qui sacrifie sa vie terrestre (pour la cause de la vérité), la conservera pour la vie éternelle, c’est-à-dire s’assurera la jouissance future de la vie de l’autre monde. Cela ne serait être la pensée de l’évangéliste (Chap. v. 24 ; xi. 26). En traduisant : en vie éternelle, phrase assez peu claire, mais adoptée faute de mieux, nous avons voulu exprimer cette pensée: celui qui sacrifie sa vie, en tant qu’elle est terrestre et passagère, la conserve, en tant qu’elle est devenue éternelle, impérissable (comp. Chap. iv. 14). La mention du service doit probablement nous rappeler l’apostolat, lequel a des chances analogues de mort, mais aussi des promesses pareilles de glorification ; mais il va sans dire, qu’en parlant de l’apostolat, nous n’entendons pas en restreindre la sphère aux Douze. Ici, comme partout, la parole de Jésus s’adresse à tous ceux qui le suivent et le servent; elle ne tire pas sa valeur des circonstances dans lesquelles elle est censée se produire d’après le cadre historique, mais de sa vérité intrinsèque et. absolue.

On rapproche communément 1 * émotion, dont il est question à la fin de ce morceau, de ce que les antres évangélistes racontent de la scène de Gethsémané, et par cette même raison, on emploie de préférence les termes de trouble, d’effroi, d’angoisse. L’analogie est trop grande pour pouvoir être contestée, malgré la différence absolue des circonstances extérieures. Cependant il n’est pas moins évident que l’auteur, s’il avait eu en vue la scène de Gethsémané, soit qu’il en ait été témoin oculaire, soit qu’il ne l’ait connue que par la tradition, en aurait singulièrement affaibli les couleurs. Il n’est pas question ici d’une lutte intérieure, d’une angoisse qui serait allée jusqu’à réagir sur le corps, et qui aurait éprouvé le besoin d’aller chercher un appui et une consolation auprès des disciples plongés dans le sommeil de l’insouciance. Le Jésus du 4e évangile peut verser des larmes de sympathie pour la douleur de ses amis, il ne saurait reculer un instant devant la mort qu’il a proclamée dès l’abord (Chap. iii. 14) comme la condition du salut du monde, et qui, arrivée à son heure (Chap. vii. 30; viii. 20), ne peut lui apparaître comme quelque chose qui devait l’étonner. Il ne dit pas ici avec un serrement de cœur : Mon père, sauve-moi ! Il dit : Devrai-je dire : mon père, sauve-moi ? Mais … , etc. Son émotion n’est pas celle d’une faiblesse momentanée et touchante, qui lui arracherait des soupirs et qui se trahirait par de grosses gouttes de sueur, c’est celle d’une grande âme, d’un héroïsme divin, qui a la pleine conscience de son but et de son devoir, et dont la résolution est plus fortifiée qu’ébranlée en face de la péripétie suprême. C’est pour cela qu’il est arrivé à cette heure, pour que, de la mort d’un seul, naisse la vie de plusieurs ; pour que l’inimité du monde aboutisse à la gloire de Dieu. Cette pensée explique aussi la forme donnée à la prière finale.

Ne nous le cachons pas: la scène de Gethsémané et celle-ci témoignent de deux conceptions différentes de la position de Jésus en face de la mort. Elles sont belles et sublimes toutes les deux ; toutes les deux ont un cachet de vérité intrinsèque. Celle de la tradition représentée par les Synoptiques reste davantage sur le terrain des réalités humaines, et par cela même elle est devenue plus populaire et surtout plus individuellement édifiante; celle que nous venons de lire est plus idéale et plus théologique ; aussi bien n’a-t-elle jamais créé, comme l’autre, des embarras à la théorie des écoles. La scène de la transfiguration complète théologiquement la première conception et l’élève à la hauteur de la seconde.

The church says the same in regard to the connection of Jesus’ speech with the desire of the Greeks to see him.

Reuss’s view is correct, but, as in all of his explanations, there are added mystical, obscure interpretations of what is clear without any interpretation, if we do not forget that Jesus denies the whole faith of Moses. The whole speech of Jesus, after he heard that the Greeks, or the Gentiles in general, wanted to be his disciples, is called forth by the consciousness that the decisive minute has come. But for the explanation it is not necessary to assume any prophetic ideas in Jesus. The whole proposition is clear as it is. According to his whole teaching, Jesus is incomparably nearer to the Gentiles than to the Jews. When he spoke to the Jews, he spoke the words of their Scripture and visited their sanctuaries, but now there appear pagans who want to be his disciples.

The pagans, according to the conception of the Jews, are apostates, godless people, who ought to be exterminated, and suddenly he sides with the pagans. So long as he seemingly corrected the Jewish law, he was a kind of a Jewish prophet, but suddenly, through his siding with the pagans, it appears clearly that, according to the ideas of the Jews, he is a pagan. And if he is a pagan, he must perish, and there is no salvation for him.

And it is this siding with the pagans which calls forth in him the decisive words, which show the imperturbability of his conviction. He is a pagan, well, let him be, he says. What am I ? And you may understand me as you please. I shall perish, but the seed must perish in order that it may give forth fruit.

27. Nup η ψυχή μου τίτάρακται· καί τί εΓπω ; πάτερ, σώσόν με ΐκ τής upas ταύτης. αλλά διά τούτο ήλθον cl’r την ώραν ταύτην.

28. Πάτερ, δόξασόν σου τό 6νομα.

31. Νυυ κρίσις έστί του κόσμου τούτου’ νυν ô Λρχων του κόσμου τούτου {κβληθήσεται %ξω·

32. Κάγώ tàv ύψω-θώ ίκ τής γής, πάντας έλκύσω πρό$ ίμαυτόν.

34. *Απίκρίθη αύτψ ό όχλος, *Ημε?$ ήκούσαμεν ίκ του νόμου, ότι ο Χριστός μίνει άς τόν αιώνα· καί πώς σύ λ^γει;, “Orc δει υψωθήναι τόν υΙόν τού ανθρώπου ; τις έστιν ου-τος ό υΙός τού ανθρώπου ;

John xii. 27. Now is my soul troubled: and what shall 1 say? Father, save me from this hour : but for this cause came I unto this hour.

27. Now my life is being decided, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour.

28. Father, glorify thy name.·»

31. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

32. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.*

34. The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth* forever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

28. Father, show thyself.

31. Now is the sentence pronounced on the world; now will ho who rules the world be cast out.

32. And if I shall be lifted up above the earth, I will draw all toward me.

34. And the people answered him, We know from the law that the Lord does never change; how, then, dost thou say that the son of man must be lifted up? Who is this son of man?

(a) Verses 29 and 30 are left out, as incomprehensible and unnecessary. So far Jesus spoke with the disciples, but now he turns to all the people and to the Greeks.

(b) This is what Reuss says of Verse 33 (Vol. VI., p. 264):

La mort de Christ est une glorification, surtout par ses conséquences pratiques, déjà signalées plus haut : ce qui tout à l’heure était symbolisé par la fécondation du grain de blé, est ici exprimé en toutes lettres, comme une force d’attraction, non pas certes absolument irrésistible, puisqu’il y a toujours des incrédules, mais tellement puissante, qu’elle s’exercera au loin, sur toutes les catégories d’hommes, sur ceux-là même auxquels personne ne songeait encore en ce moment. La mort de Christ, au gré de la théologie joannique, est donc une exaltation, et non un abaissement. Et qui voudrait en douter, puisque c’est l’auteur qui prononce ce mot? Et qui refusera de faire remonter à Jésus même cette sublime réflexion sur sa destinée et sur celle du monde (comp. l’histoire de la transfiguration), quand il se sera convaincu que l’interprète de sa pensée l’affaiblit, comme s’il ne l’avait pas suffisamment approfondie? Car il est impossible que Jésus ait simplement voulu dire: je ne serai ni lapidé, ni décapité, mais je serai crucifié, comme si c’avait été là la chose importante par excellence, ou que cela eût changé le moins du monde la portée de sa mort. Mais l’apôtre, comme tous ses collègues et contemporains, avait le goût des rapprochements de détail, et cette préoccupation pouvait lui faire perdre de vue les grandes affinités des idées et des faits considérés dans leur ensemble.

In any case this verse is quite superfluous, especially since the question of the Jews (Verse 34) no longer refers to Christ’s death on the cross, but only to the lifting up of the son of man.

(c) pevei, has here clearly its usual meaning of opposition to motion, that is, to lifting up. This points out who the son of man is that is to be lifted up.

Jesus and the Jews understand what they are talking about. Jesus says that he will draw all toward him, that when he shall be lifted up over the earth, there will happen what will unite them, that is, Christ will be the lord of life. The Jews very clearly understand his words, and say, But how is it that it says that Christ is always unchangeable, while thou sayest that this Christ, the lord, is nothing more than man, who will be lifted up over the earth ? And Jesus at once replies to this question that this man who is lifted up over the earth is the light of the comprehension.

35. *Eτι μικρόν χρόνον τύ φως με# υμών ίστι. ίΓεριπατειτε Ιίως τό φώς £χετε, ϊνα μή σκοτία υμάς καταλάβη· καί ό πζριπατών ίν τή σκοτίφ ούκ oîôe πού υπάγει.

36. “Eus τό φώς εχετε, πιστεύετε ει‘5 τό

John xii. 35. Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.·» Walk while* ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

36. While ye have light, believe in the

35. And Jesus said to them, Yet a little while is the light in you. Live since there is light, lest darkness come upon you. He who walks in darkness does not know whither he goes.

36. While you have the light, believe in the

φώί, ϊνα υιοί φωτόί Ί&ησθΐ.

44. Ιησούς δέ εκραξε καί είπεν, Ο πιστεύων di έμό ού πιστεύει di ίμέ, άλλ’ di τόν πίμ-φαντά με·

45. Καί ό θεωρών ίμί dewpet τόν πόμφαντά με.

46. ’Εγώ φώί eli τόν κόσμον ίληλυθα, ϊνα πας ό πιστεύων di έμό ίν τη σκοτίη. μή μείνη.

47. Καί όάν τίί μου άκούση των βημάτων καί μή πιστεύση, ίγώ ού κρίνω αύτόν· ού yàp ήλ-θον ϊνα κρίνω τδν κόσμον, άλλ’ ϊνα σώσω τόν κόσμον.

48. Ό άθετών ίμό, καί μή λαμβάνων τά {νήματά μου, εχει τόν κρίνοντα αύτόν· ό Xôyoi 6ν έλάλησα, ίκεΐνοί κρίνει αύτόν iv τη ίσχάτη η μέρη..

49. “Οτι όγώ έξ έμαυτού ούκ ίλάλησα· άλλ ό πίμφας με πατήρ, αύτόί μοι Εντολήν εδωκε, τί εϊπω καί τί λαλήσω—

50. Καί οΐδα ότι ή Εντολή αύτοΰ ζωή αίώ-vtôi έστιν. â οΰν λαλώ ^γώ, καθώί εϊρηκέ μοι ό πατήρ, οΰτω λαλώ.

36. Ταύτα έλάλησεν ό Ιησοΰί, καί άπελθών ίκρύβη άπ αύτών.

light, that ye may be the children’of light.

44. Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

45. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

46. I am come a light into the world, that wno-soever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

47. And if any man hear my words, and believe-not, I judge him not: for !<* came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

48. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

49. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

50. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

36. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

light, that you may be the children of the light.

44. Jesus spoke in a loud voice, He who believes in my teaching believes not me, but him who sent me.

45. And he who understands me, understands him who sent me.

46. ‘My teaching is the light, which has come into the world that whoever believes in me should not be left in darkness.

47. And if any man hears my words and does not keep them, I do not condemn him, for I am not called to condemn men, but to save them.

48. He who does not unite with me and does not receive my words, has within him the one who will condemn him. The comprehension, which 1 have expressed, condemns him till the last day.

49. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father who sent me gave me a commandment, what I should say and speak.

50. And I know that this commandment is the eternal life. What I speak, I speak, as the Father has told me : so I speak.

36. Thus spoke Jesus, and he went away, and hid himself from them.

* (c) Griesbach has καϊ μη φύλαξη ; the same in Tischendorf.

(d) έγώ shows that the emphasis is on the pronoun.

So this is what Jesus said about the pagans, when he was provoked to say clearly what their Christ and his son of man were. He said simply and clearly, The son of man is the lord of life, and the basis of his teaching is light. In each of you is this light, so live by this light, and you will be the children of the light. And that is all.

Immediately after these verses follow unnecessary discussions about the agreement of this passage with the prophecy, and then the story of how these words acted on the people. After this story Jesus’ speech is continued, though it is not explained on what occasion and when it was told. This discourse is a continuation of the preceding one, and so has to be connected with it ; but the verses of how it affected the people ought to be transferred after the discourse.

42. “Ομωΐ μίντοι καί ίκ των άρχόντων πολλοί ίπίστευσαν di αύτόν· άλλά διά τού i Φαρισαίους ούχ ώμο λόγου ν, ϊνα μή αποσυνάγωγοι yévwvrai·

43. Ήγάπησαν yàp τήν δόξαν των άνθρώπων μάλλον ήπερ τήν δόξαν τού θεού.

John rii. 42. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue :

43. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

42. But many of the rulers believed in his teaching, but did not confess it on account of the pastors, lest they be put out of the church,

43. For they valued more the judgment of men, than of God.

(a) Most remarkable is the change of èv υμιν into με#’ υμών, which is found in many texts. The translations generally render it by with you, whereas it says that it, the light, is in all people.

(ό) In many texts and in Tischendorf it reads ώς.

Several times before, the pastors of the Mosaic church wanted in one way or another to put a stop to the preaching which destroyed their teaching and made their lie manifest. They tried to prove to him the incorrectness of his teaching, but their arguments only confirmed it, and they felt their helplessness ; but to them the recognition or non-recognition of his teaching meant something different than to simple people. A simple man, on learning the truth, rejected the error, and was happy. But a pastor, a teacher, on learning the truth, had to admit that he had been a deceiver. But this the pastors neither would nor could admit. They did not live by the true good, and so the true good was hateful to them.

After the arraignment of the pastors, the disciples saw that he would not fare well, if he went to Jerusalem, and so they tried to persuade him not to go, and were afraid for him. They feared lest something bad might befall him. But he said to them, Can anything bad befall him who knows what he is doing ? As he who walks in daytime does not stumble, so there cannot be anything bad to him who lives in the light and by the light of truth. I bear within me the light of truth, and as long as there is light in me, there cannot be anything bad. What of it, if they spit upon, and strike, and beat, and even kill the son of man ? They will kill the body, but the son of man will arise.

But the disciples did not understand it. They came to Bethany, near Jerusalem, and the chief priests and the Pharisees learned that he was coming, and that the people joined them more and more. What shall we do ? thought the Pharisees. All believe him : they believe that power is not necessary, that riches are not necessary, that nationality is not necessary. If all will believe, the other nations will take us and will take from us everything which to us seems so important.

At the council Caiaphas said, Of course, our nationality and our whole civil life will perish, if we allow this man to continue his preaching. We must kill him at once. It is better that one man should perish, than that the nationality, the state, should be destroyed ; and they decided to kill him. And it was not Caiaphas the man, but Caiaphas the high priest, who decided to have him killed. In the name of his prophetic utterance that it would be worse for the nation, he departed from the law, Thou shalt not kill.

What extraordinary blindness of the men who profess to be Christians ! All the evil which they commit is foreseen in the Gospel and is directly pointed out. The considerations of state stand in opposition to the teaching of God, and the adherence to the considerations of state leads to the killing of Jesus the God, according to the teaching of the churches. Is it possible more strongly and more manifestly to point out the evil which results from considerations of state, and can they more strongly be prohibited ? And yet Christians have been putting to death these eighteen hundred years in the name of the considerations of state.

In Jerusalem the pagans come to Jesus and want to be his disciples. He is troubled for a moment, when he has openly and completely to renounce Judaism and acknowledge that he is nearer to the pagans than to the Jews; but this confusion lasts but a short time. He says to himself, Why should I be afraid ? It is precisely what I have been wishing, and even now I wish that the will of God be made manifest. And he says outright that Christ, whom they expect, is nothing else but this, that in man there is the light of the comprehension ; but it is necessary to live by this light of the comprehension, in order that one may have the true life, and that it is not he who is thinking so, but that it is the will of God, the beginning of everything. He who believes me, believes him who sent me. If one does not believe, there is in him what condemns him. The comprehension condemns him. This light is in you, so live by this light, for it is life, and you will be the children of the light.

They ask him, Who is the son of man ? How can he say it more clearly ? If he said, It is I, they would have

the right to understand him wrongly; if he said, It is you, it would be the same. He tells them what forms his teaching of the son of man, — that he is the light which is sent into the world, and that the light is life, and that we must live by it alone.

THE ASSEMBLING AND PLOTTING OF THE HIGH PRIESTS

3. Τότε συνήχθησαν οί άρχιερεΐς καί οί γραμματείς καί οί πρεσβύτεροι τον λαόν εις την αυλήν τον άρχιερέως, του λεγομένου Καϊάφα,

4. Καί συνεβουλεύ-σαντο Γνα τδν Ίησούν κρατησωσι δόλψ, καί άποκτείνωσιν.

5. Έλεγαν δέ, Μ h έν τη εορτή, ϊνα μη θόρυβος γένηται έν τψ λαω.

14. Τότε πορευθείς εις των δώδεκα, ό λεγόμενοί Ίούδας’Ισ καριώτης, πρδς τούς αρχιερείς,

15. Είπε, Τί θέλετέ μοι δούναι, κάγώ ύμΐν παραδώσω αυτόν ; οί δέ έστησαν αύτψ τριάκοντα άργύρια·

16. Καί άπδ τότε έξή-τει ευκαιρίαν ϊνα αυτόν παραδω.

17. Τρ δέ πρώτη των άζύμων προσηλθον οί μαθηταί τψ ’Ιησού, λέγοντες αύτψ, Που θέλεις έτοιμάσωμέν σοι φαγεϊν τδ πάσχα ;’

18. Ο δέ είπεν, Υπάγετε εις την πόλιν πρδς τδν δείνα, και είπατε αύτψ, Ο διδάσκαλο? λέγει, Ο καιρός μου έγγύς έστι· πρδς σέ ποιώ τδ πάσχα μετά των μαθητών μου.

Matt. xrvi. 3. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

4. And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

5. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

14. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

15. And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him uuto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty ueces of silver.

16. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

17. Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him. Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

18. And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith,<* My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.»

3. Then assembled the chief priests.the scribes, the elders of the people in the yard of the high priest Caiaphas,

4. And consulted how they might take Jesus by cunning, and kill him.

5. And they said, Only not on the feast day, or else there will be a noise among the people.

14. Then one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,

15. And said, What will you give me, if I deliver him to you? They promised him thirty coins.

16. And from that time he sought an opportunity to betray him.

17. On the first day of the feast of the unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, and said to him, Where dost thou order us to prepare the passover?

18. And he said, Go into the city to some man, and say to him, I have little time: I want to take the passover with thee.

19. Καί έποίησαν ol μαθηταί ώς συνέταξεν αντο?; ό ’Ιησούς, καί ετοίμασαν τδ πάσχα.

20. Όψίας δέ γενομέ νης άνέκειτο μετά τών δώδεκα.

1. ΙΙρδ δέ της εορτής τού πάσχα, είδώς ό ’Ιησούς δτι έλήλυθεν αυτού η ώρα ϊνα μεταβη έκ τού κόσμου τούτου πρδς τδν πατέρα, άγαπήσας τούς ίδιους τούς έν τψ κόσμψ, εις τέλος ήγάπησεν αύ-το ιί;.

2. Καί δείπνου γενομέ νου, τού διαβόλου ηδη βεβληκότος εις τ^ν καρδιάν Ιούδα Σίμωνος Ίσκαριώτου ϊνα αστόν παραδψ.

(a) In many texts the words, The teacher saith, are wanting.

(-) This verse has by no means that mysterious prophetic meaning about death, that the church ascribes to it. This verse means simply that on the eve of the passover it is too late to prepare for it, and Jesus, like any mendicant, sends his disciples to ask the first stranger they meet to receive and entertain him for the passover.

The key for the comprehension of the so-called Lord’s supper is found in the last two verses from John. I have translated them literally. The verses explain what Jesus would do during the supper.

Jesus knew that he would be betrayed, and he guessed, or knew, that one of his disciples would betray him, and so he, at a time when the plot is formed in the heart of one of his disciples, carries out his teaching of love, and only in love rebukes and accuses his disciples.

3oth the offering of bread and wine and the washing of the feet are nothing but acts of love, with which he

19. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

20. Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

Johnxiii. 1. Now before the feast of the 1>assover, when Jesus :new that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2. And during the supper, (.the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him).

19. And the disciples did as Jesus had ordered them, and they prepared the passover.

20. In the evening he sat down with his twelve disciples.

1. Before the feast of the passover Jesus knew that his hour had come, that he should depart from this world to his Father; as he loved his own, he did good to them until the end.

2. And during the supper, when the evil intention to betray him had already entered the soul of Judas Iscariot.

replies to the hatred and treason. All the interpreters agree that that which is described by John is only a complement to what the synoptics describe. And so the words which are rendered by John are an introduction to the whole Lord’s supper. In all the evangelists Jesus’ actions at this supper are indissolubly connected with the treason of Judas; but all the interpreters insist on separating one from the other. But as soon as these two events are separated, they both lose their significance.

Why it is necessary to drink wine and eat bread, calling it body and blood, — no matter how much you may interpret it, — remains not only unintelligible, but apparently monstrous. And equally unintelligible and monstrous is this, why we need know that Judas betrayed him and dipped his bread in a dish.

Here is what the church says (p. 445) :

Before the feast of the passover : That his time had come, etc., that is, the time of his death had arrived, and through his death, his glorification in the resurrection and ascension to the heavenly Father.

Depart out of this world: In a highly significant manner the evangelist calls his death a departure (Chrys.) on account of his ascension after the resurrection (Theoph.).

Having loved his own, etc. : The Lord, incarnating love, always loved all, especially his followers ; but in these last days and hours of his earthly life these feelings of love for them increased, so to speak, in the highest degree, — he loved them unto the end, completely, entirely, ” he did not omit anything •which one must do who loves strongly” (Theoph.). This fulness of love was expressed in all his actions in relation to them during these last hours of his earthly existence : the evangelist points out the first example of it in the event of the washing of the feet of the disciples, performed by the Lord during his last supper with them.

His own : His own, in the particular and narrower sense of the word, he called the holy apostles, as the representatives in the present case of all the believers in Christ, who are all the Lord’s and God’s own in the sense of his particular nearness to them.

Which were in the world: Who were still left in the world, on earth, when the time came for him to depart from this world to the Father.

During the supper: Since after this supper the Lord with his disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane, where he was taken at night, sentenced in the morning, and crucified about noon, this supper must have been on the eve of his death, and consequently this was the same supper of which the first three evangelists speak as of the last supper of the Lord with his disciples, at which the paschal lamb was eaten and the mystery of the Eucharist was established. This was on a Thursday, the 13th of Nisan (the end of our March), twenty-four hours before the legal time of the eating of the paschal lamb (the 14th of Nisan, in the evening). The Lord performed the passover a day earlier, since on the lawful day of the paschal supper he, as a true paschal lamb, was to be offered as a sacrifice on the cross ; but according to a custom it was allowable to partake of the passover earlier than the lawful time, especially for those who came to Jerusalem from Galilee, and of this custom the Lord had availed himself. Complementing in this case, as in other cases, the utterances of the first three evangelists, and omitting what they have already described, the evangelist says nothing of their partaking of the paschal lamb at that supper, nor of the establishment of the mystery of the Eucharist, as being something which was known to his readers from the first gospels, and describes only the event which they omitted, — the washing of the feet of the disciples, which the Lord performed, and the discourse in elucidation of this his action.

The devil having now put into his heart, etc.: The first two evangelists narrate that on the eve of this day (in the evening of Wednesday), after the supper in Bethany, where the Lord was anointed by the sinful woman, Judas had come to an agreement with the members of the sanhedrim as to his betraying the Lord; consequently the condition of the treason had already taken place, which the evangelist signifies by the words, The devil having already put into the heart of Judas, to betray him.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. VI., p. 268) :

La nouvelle série de discours est introduite par une phrase un peu longue et traînante, et qui par cela même a été exposée à des manipulations exégétiques assez divergentes. Pourtant les différentes idées que l’auteur y a logées, un peu à l’étroit sans doute, se dessinent assez nettement quand on y regarde de près. L’historien veut raconter la scène de l’ablution des pieds, et représenter d’avance cet acte comme une preuve de l’amour que Jésus portait aux siens, et du dévouement dont lui, le fils de Dieu, qui allait entrer dans la gloire du Père, était animé, au point de s’abaisser jusqu’à rendre à ses inférieurs un service qu’ils n’auraient jamais osé lui demander : en même temps il lui importait de constater que cette scène s’est passée pour ainsi dire en face de la mort, lorsque les conditions purement extérieures qui devaient déterminer la catastrophe, allaient déjà s’accomplir. Tous les éléments, qui auraient été plus clairement exposés l’un après l’autre, se trouvent combinés ici dans une seule et même phrase.

24. Ό μϊν vlàs του άνθρώιτου ôiràyei, καθωτ yiypaiTTai περί αύτου·

18. ‘Ό τρύγων μετ’ Ιμουτδν Αρτον Ιπηρεν ίπ ίμϊ τήν πτέρναν αύτου.’

24. Ούαί ôè τψ άν-θρώπφ έκείνψ, δι ου ό

vids του άνθρωπον παραδίδοται· καλδν ήν αύτψ, εΐ ούκ ^εννήθη ό Ανθρω-πos I κείνοι.

24. The Son of man goeth, as it is written of him :

Johnxiii. 18. lie that eateth bread with me, hath lifted up his heel against me.

Matt. xxvi. 24. But woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been

good for that man if he ad not been born.

24. The eon of man goes away, as it is written,

18. He who has eaten with me, will betray me.

24. But woe to the man by whom the son of man is betrayed ! It would be better for him if he were not born.

Apparently the monstrous habit of communion, which was established by Paul and his other followers, who did not know Christ’s teaching, seems so important to people that they do not want to see the direct sense of the discourse.

21. Καί έσθιδντων αυτών direv, ’Αμήν Xéyio ΰμΐν, Ατι els Ιξ υμών παραδώσει με.

Matt, χχιη. 21. And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

21. And Jesns said, You know yourselves that one of you, who are eating with me, will betray me.

Only in Luke these words are preceded by words about his wishing to eat the passover with them, knowing that he would not again eat it in this world, and about offering the cup ; apparently Luke holds to Paul’s idea that at this supper Jesus established a rite (Luke xxii. 14). According to Matthew and Mark, and also according to John, the first words of Jesus refer to the treason of Judas. And if we hold to this, the meaning of everything which follows is connected and clear.

22. Ka! λυπούμενοι σφδδρα ήρξαντο Xéyeiv αυτψ Σκαστοί αυτών, Μήτι Ργώ είμι, κύριε ;

23. *0 δέ άποκριθε^ eîirev, Ό έμβάψας μετ’ έμου èv τφ τρυβλίφ την χίίρα, ούτό$ με παραδώσει.

Matt. xxvi. 22. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?-

23. And he answered and said, He that dip-peth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

22. And the disciples were very much grieved, and began one after another to say to him, Is it I, sir?

23. And he answered them, He who eats with me out of the same dish, will betray me.

(tt) μήτι presupposes a negative answer.

Verse 25, about it being Judas, is not repeated in Mark, and is omitted, as being contradictory and obscure.

This is what Reuss has to say (Vol. I., pp. 630-632) :

Vient ensuite la prédiction de Jésus, que l’un de ses disciples le livrera à ses ennemis. Ici la comparaison des textes semble, à première vue, faire ressortir des différences très-notables, des contradictions positives. Nous n’avons encore transcrit que les deux récits qui s’accordent presque mot pour mot ; toutefois eux aussi présentent quelques variantes : d’après Marc, Jésus aurait dit : Celui qui trempe ; d’après Matthieu : Celui qui a trempe. De plus, ce dernier ajoute que Judas eut le front de demander si c’était lui, et que Jésus lui répondit : Oui, c’est toi ! Ce sont ces deux récits qui ont donné lieu à la conception le plus généralement répandue jusqu’à nos jours, savoir que Jésus a désigné le traître directement et ostensiblement, soit par les paroles qu’il lui adresse à lui, soit en disant aux autres à haute voix : c’est celui qui en ce moment même porte sa main avec moi au plat, pour y tremper le morceau de pain qu’il tient (Marc), ou: c’est celui qui tout a l’heure a fait ce geste (Matthieu). Mais dans ce cas, le récit de Jean (xiii. 23) est absolument différent. D’après le 4e évangile, Jean seul aurait appris le nom du traître, par un mot que Jésus lui aurait dit à l’oreille, et ce mot aurait été : c’est celui auquel je vais donner un morceau de pain trempé. Les autres disciples n’eurent pas même le plus léger soupçon à l’égard de Judas (v. 28). D’après Luc enfin, il n’y a pas eu du tout de désignation personnelle. Jésus aurait dit simplement : La main de celui qui va me livrer est ici même à cette table. (Voir plus bas, où nous examinerons aussi une autre question controversée, celle relative à la présence de Judas pendant la sainte Cène.)

Jusqu’à quel point ces différents récits s’accordent-ils? Nous le répétons, l’opinion commune aujourd’hui parmi les commentateurs est qu’ils sont inconciliables. Si l’on s’attache à la lettre, il faut avouer que nous avons devant nous trois (ou même quatre) relations diverses, dont une seule au plus peut être absolument exacte, et provenir d’un témoin oculaire. Mais nous croyons qu’au fond, et pour la chose essentielle, la différence n’est pas bien grande, et qu’il est même très-facile de voir d’où elle est née. Nous sommes convaincu que la phrase de Luc : La main du traître est avec moi à cette table, et celle de Matthieu et de Marc : Celui qui trempe avec moi dans le plat l’a me livrer, que ces deux phrases, disons-nous, sont identiques pour le sens et expriment simplement cette idée, que le traître serait l’un des disciples, des commensaux habituels, par conséquent un homme de la part duquel un pareil acte est doublement odieux. C’est ce que Jean exprime par ces mots tirés d’un Psaume (xiii. 18): Celui qui mange de mon pain lève le talon contre moi. Or, la version des deux premiers évangélistes est positivement authentique pour la forme, celle de Luc substitue à cette forme, avec une parfaite justesse, le sens propre et vrai ; mais la tradition s’arrêtant à la forme figurée et la prenant à la lettre, en a tiré la conception que Jésus aurait désigné Judas aux autres disciples par des paroles qui se seraient rapportées à un geste accidentel du traître. Cette interprétation est contredite non-seulement par Jean, mais plus directement encore par Luc ; celui-ci nous offre ici la relation de tous points la plus naturelle, en représentant les disciples comme ignorant absolument de qui Jésus a pu vouloir parler, même après qu’il eut prononcé les paroles que l’on prend comme destinées à désigner le traître.

Enfin une dernière parole, rapportée aussi par Luc, v. 22, rattache le fait de la trahison à la nécessité de la mort du Seigneur. Cette nécessité est dérivée ici, comme dans la plupart des passages parallèles que nous rencontrerons encore (Luc xxii. 37; xxiv. 26, 44), des prédictions scripturaires; les autres faces de la question théologique ne se dessinent point dans ces textes. Cependant on aurait tort de dériver de cette circonstance la notion d’une espèce de fatalité à laquelle Jésus aurait succombé ou cru succomber. Car l’Écriture elle-même n’étant que le reflet de la pensée providentielle qui règle les destinées des individus et la marche de l’humanité, il s’ensuit que tout ce qu’elle prédit dépend de la sagesse et de l’amour de Dieu. D’un autre côté, cette nécessité de la mort de Jésus n’est pas une excuse pour celui qui l’amène ou qui y prête la main. Le bien qui en résulte par la volonté de Dieu n’efface pas le crime en lui-même, qui est l’œuvre de l’homme.

The church says nearly the same. What is important is that the chief, indisputable meaning of the words of Jesus is that he suspects a traitor among his disciples, that he suspects that among those who are eating with him, there is a man who harbours evil against him.

The following words and actions result directly from this assertion.

26. ’Εσθιόντων δέ αυτών, λαβών ό Ιησούς τδν Αρτον, καί εύλογησας, 6κλασε καί ΙδΙδου τοΐς μαθηταΐς, καί είπε, Χάβετε, φά-γετε· τουτδ Ιστι τδ σωμά μου.

Matt, χχιri. 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

26. And when they ate, Jesus took the bread, and, having prayed to God, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my body.

Jesus told the disciples that a traitor was among them ; he knew this, as it is said in John, A traitor who gives him up to death. All of them deny it, and they continue to eat, when he takes the bread, breaks it, and gives it to them, saying, Eat it, here it is. He who will betray me to death, will eat my body.

27. Καί λαβών τδ ττοτήριον, καί εύχαριστή-σας, εδωκεν αύτοΐς, λέ-γων, Πίετε έξ αυτοΰ πάντες·

28. Τούτο yàp Ιστι τδ αΐμά μου, τδ τη ς καινής διαθήκης, τδ περί ττολλών Ικχυνόμενον είς Α,φεσιν αμαρτιών.

Matt. XXvi. 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;»

28. For this is my blood of the new testament,6 which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

27. And he took the glass, and, having prayed to God, he handed it to them, and said, Drink all from it.

28. This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the sake of forgiveness.

(a) Drink all, all twelve, so that even the traitor has to drink. And all drank out of the glass. If this did not have reference to the traitor, there would have been no need of noting it down.

(b) What is remarkable is that iu Matthew is put in, though it is wanting in the majority of texts : it tends to break the first simple meaning.

Instead of rebuking and accusing the traitor, whom he knows, Jesus gives him to eat and drink from his hands together with the others, and says that he is a traitor who will eat and drink this bread and wine, knowing that he is giving up my body to death and is getting ready to shed my blood : this traitor will not eat bread, but my body ; he will not drink wine, but my blood. And when they have all drunk, he says to them, What is necessary is not to resist evil, but to repay it with good, to give up our life, — to give the blood to those who drink it, and in this does my testament consist. My testament, which gives the good to many, consists in the forgiveness of errors.

29. Λέγω δέ ΰμΐν, δτι ού μη πιω άπ άρτι έκ τούτου τού γεννήματος της άμπέλου, έω? της ημέρας έκείνης, δταν αύ-τό πίνω μεθ’ υμών καινόν έν τη βασιλείς, τού πα-τρός μου.

Matt. xxvi. 29. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new— with you in my Father’s kingdom.

29. You know yourselves that I will not henceforth drink of the juice of the grape, until the day when I drink another wine in the kingdom of my Father.

(α) καινόν is used here, not in the sense of new, but another, not such as this.

Jesus will drink the new wine with his disciples in the kingdom of God, as it is said in Luke (xxii. 30), Iva εσθί-ητε και κινητέ εττϊ τήζ τραττεζης μου εν τη βασιλεία μου. In this verse Jesus explains why he said that that which he told them is his testament, his dying words. He says, You know, that is, that traitor among you knows, that I am already sentenced to death, and that I shall never eat and drink again.

My life is now only in the spirit. He had said at the feast that his soul was already separated. Henceforth he would feed only on the food of the spirit of God.

This is all that is said iu these verses. It would be quite incomprehensible why to this passage have been attached those idolatrous interpretations, which have produced so much evil, so many executions, burnings, tortures, if we did not know that all these interpretations grew out of the faith which was preached by Paul, which he called Christ’s, and which he preached without knowing the Gospel, and not even distantly comprehending the teaching of Jesus. No matter how the words referring to the last supper may be understood in the four gospels, it is impossible to deduce from them even distantly what is generally deduced from them. Let us even suppose that we translate, Do this in commemoration of me ; what follows from this ? Twist the passage as you may ; separate it, as the church has done, from the treason of Judas, it still remains as trite and unnecessary as possible. Drink the wine in commemoration, or not, that is all the same according to the teaching of Christ, who keeps repeating that we must do good works, and that outside of good works nothing is necessary. And suddenly there appears something extraordinary, something savage, the like of which will not be found in any savage religion. And hundreds of thousands, millions of people kill and are killed for the sake of this strange invention. All this would be intelligible, if the source were not left. The source is the monstrous epistle of Paul (1 Cor. xi. 1): Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Paul teaches his faith, which he calls Christ’s, and this is the way he teaches according to the doctrine of the church : From the very start he says, Follow me, that is, I am your teacher, whereas Christ said that there are no teachers except the Lord ; then he speaks of the communion, and so forth. Only after this is it possible to understand, not the meaning of the church interpretation itself, for that is beyond our comprehension, but how it is that the teaching, which is called Christ’s, could have fallen so low.

The church says (p. 493) :

And ns they were eating : No doubt before the end of the supper, perhaps during the so-called cup of benediction, as may partly be concluded from this, that the holy Apostle Paul called the Eucharist itself the cup of benediction.

Took bread: dpros, risen, leavened bread, in distinction from Lfv/ior, unleavened bread. No doubt such leavened bread was purposely prepared by order of the Lord in order to establish the new sacrament, although the law demanded that nothing but unleavened bread be eaten on that evening.

This is my body : When he says, This is my body, he shows that the bread which is sanctified on the altar is the very body of Christ, and not merely its representation, for he did not say, This is the representation of my body, but, This is my body. By an inexplicable action this bread is transformed, though to us it seems to be bread. Since we are weak and could not make up our mind to eat raw flesh, especially human flesh, bread is given to us, and this, indeed, is flesh. Why were not.the disciples troubled, when they heard this? Because Christ had told them many important things about this mystery.

He said, My body, consequently the bread, though it remains bread, is the body. But he said also, I am the vine, consequently we must worship the vine, and, looking at it, we must know that this vine is Christ.

The cup: Filled with wine, which, according to the custom, was weakened by water.

Gave thanks : To pronounce the words of thanks to God and the blessing.

Drink ye all of it: Why did he not say above, Take, eat ye all, while here he says, Drink ye all of it? Because not all men can partake of solid food, but only those who are of full age, while all can drink. And so Jesus said here, Drink ye all.

My blood : Not a metaphor, a symbol of faith, but the true, actual blood.

Of the New Testament: As the Old Testament has rams and calves, so the New Testament has the blood of the Lord. By this Christ also shows that he suffered death, and so makes mention of the testament and refers to the first, for this testament was renovated by the blood.

For the remission of sins: The sufferings and the death of his only begotten Son God the Father received as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of his human race, which therefore are remitted to all the believers in Christ, and who in this faith receive the communion of his most holy body and blood.

Of this fruit of the vine: That is, of the wine.

Until the day when, I drink it, etc. : Since he was talking with his disciples about suffering and about the cross, he again spoke of the resurrection, by mentioning the kingdom and thus referring to his resurrection. His resurrection he justly calls the kingdom, for he then did away with death, appearing as a true king. But why did he drink after the resurrection ? That rude people might not regard the resurrection as a phantom, for many accounted it a phantom of the resurrection. And so, in order to show his disciples that they would see him distinctly after the resurrection, that he would again be with them, and that they themselves would be the witnesses of the event, both through seeing and through works, he says, When I drink it new with you : you witnessing it, for you shall see me after the resurrection. What does new mean? That is, in an unusual manner, not in the body which is subject to suffering, but in the immortal, incorruptible body, which has no need of food. Or you may understand it like this : the new drink is a revelation of the divine mysteries. Christ himself promises to drink it with us in this sense, that he considers our benefit his food and drink. In this latter sense the whole utterance has a transferred meaning. All the ceremonies of the Old Testament law, which are only a shadow or image of truth, are now to cease : I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine.

And that is what they do : they drink this wine, and say that it is blood.

Reuss says nearly the same. To him, too, this discourse at the table appears as something very important.

Reuss says (Vol. L, pp. 635 and 636) :

Pour le fond et l’essence même de l’acte du Seigneur, ou du rite institué par lui et que, pour plus de clarté, nous appellerons ici le sacrement, terme consacré par le langage ecclésiastique, mais étranger à celui du Nouveau Testament, il conviendra de rappeler à nos lecteurs qu’il n’y a guère de point plus controversé dans la théologie chrétienne et relativement auquel la controverse soit devenue plus populaire. La plupart des questions qui ont autrefois eu le triste privilège de diviser l’Église, de provoquer des définitions devenues la base de l’orthodoxie traditionnelle et d’amener des schismes, étaient généralement d’une portée plus métaphysique et dépassaient le niveau de l’intelligence laïque. Mais les discussions élevées au sujet de la sainte Cène ont eu un bien plus grand retentissement dans toutes les couches de la société ; elles y ont pénétré d’autant plus facilement qu’elles étaient plus simples et plus aisément comprises, elles remontent aux origines mêmes de la réforme, à une époque où tout le monde s’occupait des affaires de la religion, et elles n’ont encore rien perdu de leur intérêt. Leur durée séculaire leur a donné une importance majeure et aujourd’hui encore elles sont assez vivantes pour s’opposer à une union solide entre les diverses communautés protestantes. Car c’est dans le sein du protestantisme à peine né qu’ont surgi ces discussions, comme le premier, et à vrai dire, comme le seul élément dissolvant qui devait arrêter le mouvement et la puissance des idées de la réformation.

Pour réduire ces discussions à leur plus simple expression, nous pourrons dire que deux interprétations du sacrement sont en présence depuis des siècles, mais surtout depuis le seizième. L’une peut s’appeler l’interprétation symbolique, l’autre, l’interprétation mystique, ou peut-être dirait-on mieux encore l’interprétation spiritualiste et l’interprétation réaliste. D’après toutes les deux, la forme du rite, l’usage des éléments (pain et vin), n’est pas la chose essentielle, mais bien l’idée et le fait religieux qui s’y rattachent ; nous voulons dire la participation à la grâce de Dieu en Christ, la communion ; mais, d’après la première, le pain et le vin sont de simples signes de ce fait, destinés à le rendre plus palpable à notre faiblesse spirituelle ; tandis que d’après la seconde, ils le contiennent, pour ainsi dire, matériellement. En d’autres termes, ce qui est offert aux communiants dans la Cène, ce sont, selon la première opinion, des substances ordinaires et terrestres, du pain et du vin véritables, mais consacrés par une promesse divine spéciale et garantissant, d’une manière symbolique, à ceux qui croient, la participation aux grâces de la rédemption ; d’après la seconde opinion, au contraire, le corps et le sang de Christ sont réellement et substantiellement présents par le fait même de la consécration, et par conséquent aussi reçus par tous ceux qui prennent part à l’acte, n’importe leurs dispositions individuelles.

Les origines de cette seconde manière de voir (qui invoque nos textes tout aussi bien que la théorie opposée) remontent si haut, que nous ne sommes pas autorisés à dire qu’elle doit avoir été étrangère aux premières générations de chrétiens. Mais comme les méditations des Pères à ce sujet n’aboutissaient jamais à des définitions officielles, et que les formules employées par les différents écrivains restèrent généralement vagues, on ne peut pas dire qu’il se soit formé alors ce qu’on pourrait appeler une orthodoxie obligatoire, un dogme nettement énoncé sur cette matière. Seulement l’idée fondamentale du système catholique, à savoir que la Cène (le sacrement de l’autel) est un véritable sacrifice, se trouve déjà énoncée au second siècle et n’a fait que gagner du terrain depuis cette époque.

I quote this only to show that in nothing is the terrible departure from Jesus so manifest as in the monstrous interpretation of this passage. It is as in Khcmnitser’s fable : A learned man falls into a ditch ; a rope is brought to him to pull him out, but he takes hold of the rope and discusses the properties of the rope: Is a rope a simple cable, or not ?

And this is the more striking since in the church they acknowledge that on that evening Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and told them on that occasion wherein his whole teaching consisted, and how his disciples are to differ from those who do not recognize his teaching. This whole passage is clearly and simply determined according to the Gospel of John, and all that is left without attention, and the whole meaning of the last supper is represented in words about the wine and bread.

3. ΕΖδώΐ ό Ιησούς Ôtl πάντα δίδωκεν αύτω ό πατήρ είς ras χεΐpas, καί δτι άπδ θεού έξηλθε καί ίrpàs τδν θεάν υπά—

4. ’Εγείρεται έκ του δείπνου, καί τίθησι τά Ιμάτια, καί λαβών λέν-τιον διίξωσεν εαυτόν·

John xiii. 3. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God

3. Knowing that the Father had given everything into the power of the son, and that he came from God, and went to God,

4. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

4. Jesus rose from supper, put off his garments, and, taking a towel, girded himself with it.

(«) Recognizing at this moment that he was not a carnal man, but the spirit of God in man, who came from God and went to God.

The last supper, according to John, may serve as a continuation of the last supper according to the synoptics, as the church recognizes it to be. Indeed, the thought is the same: Jesus knows that Judas will betray him, and, instead of condemning him, he accuses him only with works of love, and in the same way tells them what his commandment and testament is. In John, the work of love, which Jesus does to his disciples and to the traitor among them, is only more striking and more pronounced ; there he gives bread and wine, and here he humbly washes the feet of all, and among them of the traitor. The two versions may be united, but in reality it is evident that they were written independently of each other. John describes a more powerful and striking action than the offering of bread and wine, and he gives a different interpretation to the offering of bread, than the synoptics. He says that the giving of a piece of bread was a token by which Christ pointed to the traitor.

5. Eϊτα βάλλει ύδωρ εις τδν νιπτήρα, και ηρξατο νίπτειν τούς ττό-δας των μαθητών, και ίκμάσσειν τφ λεντίψ ψ ην διεζωσμένος.

6. “Ερχεται ούν πρδς Σίμωνα Πίτρον καίλέγει αύτψ έκεΐνος, Κύριε, σύ μου νίπτεις τούς πόδας ;

7. Απεκρίθη Ί ησοΰς καί είπεν αύτω, *0 έ”γώ ποιώ, σύ ούκ οϊδας Αρτι, Ύνώση δέ μετά ταυτα.

10. Λ^γει αύτω ό ’Ιησούς, Καί ύμεΐς καθαροί ίστε, άλλ ούχ’ι πάν-τες.

John xiii. 5. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

5. Then he poured water into a pitcher, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel, with which he was girded.

6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

6. Then he went up to Peter, and Peter said to him, Art thou really going to wash my feet?

7. Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

io. Jesus saith to him, And ye are clean, but not all.

7. And Jesus answered, Thou thinkest strange what I am doing; but thou wilt understand it.

10. And Jesus said to him, You are clean, but not all.

The meaning of the preceding two verses is lost, and so they are to be omitted.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. VI., pp. 271 and 272):

Pierre ayant déclaré qu’il était prêt à se laisser laver le corps entier (dans le sens matériel), Jésus relève ce mot et s’en sert à son tour, mais dans un sens spirituel et figuré. L’ablution devient ici le symbole de la purification morale. De même que quand on sort du bain on est net de tout le corps, à l’exception des pieds qui peuvent encore être souillés dans ce moment-là, de même Jésus regarde ses disciples comme ayant passé par un bain de purification, au moyen de la nouvelle naissance symbolisée par le baptême (Chap. III. 5); il exprime la certitude que cette œuvre est accomplie en eux, et que pour cette raison il peut leur confier la continuation de la sienne. Mais il reste un point encore; c’est précisément celui qu’il veut inculquer par son action symbolique : il faut que les disciples apprennent à servir ; après le devoir suprême de la régénération personnelle vient le devoir social. Nous savons déjà que cette idée est représentée ici par l’ablution des pieds, à laquelle le discours est ainsi ramené naturellement. La plupart des commentateurs veulent interpréter ici l’ablution des pieds par la purification accidentellement nécessaire à l’égard des souillures que le chrétien même peut contracter dans son contact avec le monde, le fond de son être étant déjà purifié une fois pour toutes. Mais cette idée, qui n’est exprimée nulle part, que nous sachions, dans notre évangile, nous semble complètement étrangère an contexte. Nous avouons cependant que toute cette exception relative aux pieds nous paraît assez gênante au point de vue rhétorique, en ce qu’elle mêle ensemble deux applications toutes différentes d’une même image, l’ablution qu’on fait à d’autres et celle qu’on subit soi-même. Or, il est à remarquer, que quelques-uns des manuscrits les plus anciens l’omettent. Elle pourrait bien avoir été introduite par des copistes qui trouvaient une contradiction entre l’action de Jésus, et son assertion relative à la netteté parfaite des disciples.

11. ’Ίΐιδει yàp τδν παραδιδδντα αύτδν· δια τούτο εϊπεν, Ούχ’ι πάν-τες καθαροί ίστε.

12. “Οτε ούν ενιψε τούς πδδας αυτών, καί ελαβε τά Ιμάτια αύτοΰ, άναπε-σών πάλιν εΐπεν αύτοΐς,

John xiii. 11. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.»

12. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know

11. For he knew him who would betray him; therefore he said, Not all are clean.

12. But when Jesus had washed their feet, and had dressed himself, he sat down, and said to them again, Do

Γινωσκετε τί πεποίηκα ύμΐν;

13. ‘Τμεΐ$ φωνεΐτέ με, Ό διδάσκαλοί, και Ό κύριοί· και καλώί λέγετε, είμΐ yàp.

14. Εί οΰν έγώ Ένιψα ύμων τού$ πόδαί, ό κύριοί καί ό διδάσκαλοί, καί ύμεΐί όφείλετε άλλήλων νίπτειν τούί πόδαί.

15. ‘Υπόδειγμα yàp εδωκα ύμΐν, ϊνα, καθώί έγώ έποίησα ύμΐν, καί ύμεΐί ποιητε.

16. ’Αμήν άμην λέγω ύμΐν, Ούκ εστι ZovXor μείζων του κυρίου αύτοΰ, ούδέ άπόστολοί μείξων του πέμψαντοί αυτόν.

20. ‘Αμήν άμην λέγω ύμΐν, Ό λαμβάνων έάν τινα πέμψω έμέ λαμβάνει· ό δέ έμέ λαμβάνων λαμβάνει τδν πέμψαντά με.

17. ΕI ταΰτα οΐδατε, μακάριοί έστε έάν ποιητε αύτά. ye what I have done to you?

(«) Jesus says that he wants to wash the feet of his betrayer, and so he has to wash the feet of all. He knows that his disciples are pure, but not all.

(b) I transfer Verse 20 after Verse 16, since it is an addition. Its meaning is the same, but now the speech about the betrayer is not interrupted by the discourse on the commander.

Jesus did good to all the disciples, and among them to him whom he knows as a traitor, and he says to his disciples, I did this to show you how we must not resist evil. We must do good to our enemy. Do likewise : fulfil what I teach, just as I do what the Father has taught me, and you will be happy.

13. Te call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as 1 have done to you.

16. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.*

20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. you know what I have done to you?

13. You call me teacher and master; and you say well, for I am indeed a teacher.

14. If, then, I, your teacher and master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15. I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done.

16. You know yourselves, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the messenger greater than the commander.

20. You know yourselves that he who will listen to what I command, will listen to my teaching, and to him who commands me.

17. If you know this, you are happy if you do it.

18. Ού περί πάντων ύμων λέγω· έγώ οίδα ovs έξελεξάμην-άλλ’ ϊνα η γραφή πληρωθη, ‘ Ό τρύγων μετ’ έμοΰ τδν άρτον έπηρεν έπ’ έμέ την πτέρναν αύτοΰ.’

19. ‘Απ’ άρτι λέγω ύμΐν πρδ τοΰ γενέσθαι, ϊνα, δταν γένηται, πιστεύσητε δτι έγώ είμι.

21. Ταΰτα είπών δ Ίησοΰί έταράχθη τψ π νεύματι, καί έ μαρτύρησε καί είπεν, ’Αμήν άμην λέγω ύμΐν, δτι εΐί έξ ύμων παραδώσει με.

22. “Εβλεπαν οΰν εΐί άλλήλουί οΐ μαθηταΐ, άπορούμενοι περί τίνοί λέγει.

23. ΤΗρ δέ άνακείμενοί εΐί των μαθητών αύτοΰ έν τψ κόλπψ τοΰ ’ Ιησού, δν -τγγάπα ό ’Ιησού?·

24. Νεύει οΰν τούτψ Σίμων Πέτροί πυθέσθαι τίί άν εϊη περί οΰ λέγει.

25. ’Επιπεσών δέ έκέΐ-νοί έπί τδ στηθοί τοΰ ‘ Ιησού, λέγει αύτψ, Κύριε, τίί έστιν;

26. ’Αποκρίνεται ό ’Ιησού?, ’ΕκεΪρόΐ έστιν ψ έγώ βάψαί τδ ψωμίον έπιδώσω. καί έμβάψαί τδψωμίον, δίδωσιν Ιούδα Σίμωνοί Ίσκαριώτη.

27. Καί μετά τδ ψωμίον, τότε είσηλθεν εΐί έκεΐνον ό Σατανάί. λέγει οΰν αύτψ δ Ίησοΰί, *0 ποιεΐί, ποίησαν τάχιον.

28. Τούτο δέ ούδείΐ εγνω των άνακειμένων πρδί τί είπεν αύτψ·

29. Tipèî yàp έδδκουν, έπεί τδ γλωσσόκομον

John xiii. 18. I speak not of you all : I know whom I have chosen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me (realm xli. 9).

19. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.»

21. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

25. He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

26. Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27. And after the sop* Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.e

28. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29. For some of them thought, because Judas

18. I do not speak of all, for I know those whom I have chosen. Thus the Scripture is fulfilled, He who ate bread with me has destroyed me.

19. Now I tell it to you, that, when it comes to pass, you may believe that my teaching is.

21. When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and affirmed, and said, You know yourselves that one of you will betray me to be killed.

22. And again the disciples began to look at each other, unable to guess whom he meant.

23. One of the disciples, whom Jesus loved, was sitting near him.

24. Simon Peter beckoned to him, that he should ask who it would be.

25. He moved up to Jesus, and said to him, Who is it?

26. And Jesus replied, It is he to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot.

27. And Jesus said to him, Whatever thou wilt do, do it quickly.

28. And nobody guessed wherefore he said this.

29. They thought, because Judas had the ίΐχίρ ό Ίούδα$, ‘ότι XÎyei αύτψ ό ‘Ιησούς, ’ Ay δρα-σον ών χρείαν εχομεν cis τήν εορτήν· ή το?$ πτωχοίς ΐνα τι δψ.

30. λαβών ούν τό φωμίον ικανοί εύθίως ίξήλθεν-ήν δί νύξ.

31. **0τ€ ούν ίξήλθε, Xéyu ό Ίησουί, Νυν έδοξάσθη ό υίό$ του ανθρώπου, και ό θ«ό$ ίδοξάσθη ίν αύτψ.

32. ΕI ό θ€0$ ^δοξάσθη ίν αύτψ, καί ό θ€0$ δοξάσει αύτδν ίν εαυτψ, καί ευθύς δοξάσει αύτδν.

33. Τεκνία, ετι μικρόν μεθ’ ύμών είμι. ζητήσετί με, καί καθώς είπον τοΐς ’Ιουδαίου, “Οτι ό’που υπάγω Îyù, ύμεΐ$ ού δύνασθε ίλθεΐν, καί ύμΐν Xéyii> Αρτι.

34. Εντολήν καινήν δίδωμι ύμίν, ΐνα àyαπατε άλλήλους· καθώς r/yà-πησα ύμάς, ΐνα καί ύμεΐς àyaiΓάτε άλλήλους.

35. Έν τούτψ yvûaov-ται πάντες 8τι ίμοι μαθηταί ίστε, ίάν άyάπηv εχητε ίν άλλήλοις.

30. Καί ύμνήσαντες ίξήλθον εις τδ δρος των ελαίων.

31. Τότβ Xéyei αύτοΐς ό Ιησούς, ΙΙάντες υμείς σκανδαλισθήσεσθε ίν ίμοί εν τη νυκτί ταύτη. yéypanrai yàp, ‘ Πατάξω τδν ποιμίνα, καί διασκορπισθήσεται τά πρόβατα της ποίμνης.’

33. ’Αποκριθείς δί ό Πέτροί εϊπεν αύτψ, Εί καί πάντες σκανδαλι-σθήσονται ίν σοι, ^γώ οΰδ^ττοτ€ σκανδαλισθή-σομαι. had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

30. He then, having received the sop, went immediately out; and it was night.

31. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.*

32. If God be glorified in him/ God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway/ glorify him.»

33. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

Al. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as 1 have loved you, that ye also love one another.*

35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ve have love one to another.

30. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

31. Then saith Jesus unto them. All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd.and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

33. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. money, that he commanded him to buy what was needed for the feast; and others thought that he commanded him to give to the poor.

30. And having received the sop, Judas went out at once; and it was night.

31. When Judas was gone, Jesus said, Now the son of man is recognized, and that God is in him.

32. And God recognizes him in himself, and recognizes him directly.

33. Children, only a short while longer shall I be with you; you will discuss my teaching, and as I told the Jews, you will not go whither I lead; and so I tell you now.

34. I give you a new commandment. Love one another; as I have loved you, so love one another.

35. By this all men will tell who are my disciples, if you love one another.

30. And having sung psalms, they went into the mount of Olives.

31. Then Jesus said, This night all of you will be enticed away from me, as it says in the Scripture, I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.

33. And Peter replied to him, Though all will be enticed away from thee, I will not fall into the deception.

33. Μ«τά σου ίτοιμδς είμι καί εις φυλακήν καί εις θάνατον πορεύεσθαι.

34. Έφη αύτψ ό’Ιησούς, ’Αμήν λ^γω σοι, δτι ίν ταύτη τή νυκτί, πρΙν άλίκτορα φωνησαι, τρίς άπαρνήση με.

35. Aéyei αύτψ ό ΤΙίτρος, Κάν δίη με σύν σοΙ άποθανεΐν, ού μη σε άπαρνήσομαι. ομοίως καί πάντες οΐ μαθηταΐ εΐπον.

(a) Is wanting in many texts. Verse 20 is an inappropriate repetition of what was said before.

(b) After the sop, is wanting in many texts. These words mean that Satan, evil, was in no one else but Judas.

(c) By the words, That thou dost, do quickly, Jesus does not at all mean the betraying. Jesus had no reason to advise him to betray him ; but Jesus had several times hinted to his disciples that the traitor was among them, and he saw that Judas was troubled and wanted to get away. Judas could not help being afraid. If his disciples had known it, Simon Peter, not to speak of the others, would have killed him. Now Jesus has pointed out Judas to Simon Peter. If Judas had not gone, he would have been killed, and so Jesus says to him, Bun quickly ; but he says this in such a way that none but Judas could understand him. And nobody does. But when he went away, the disciples found it out, but they could not run after him and catch him, for it was night. Such is the meaning which the words, And it was night, have.

(c?) The teaching of the son of man, the non-resistance to evil, was recognized. . The evil-doer, who is to betray his teacher to death, is not punished or arraigned; but he whom he will betray washes his feet and feeds him.

(e) These words are wanting in many texts.

Luke χχίι. 33. I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

Matt. xxvi. 34. Jesus said unto him, Verily 1 say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

35. Peter said nnto him, Though 1 should die with thee, yet will 1 not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

33. I am ready to go with thee, sir, both into prison, and to death.

34. And Jesus said to him, 1 tell thee, Peter, before the cock crows, thou wilt deny me thrice.

35. And Peter said to him, Though I should die with thee, 1 will not deny thee. The same said all the disciples.

(/) ευθύς means directly.

(g) Jesus says that if we will understand ourselves as God, there will be God, and God will act directly in us. And, having said these words, which are obscure to his disciples, he expresses his words to them in a simple and clear manner.

(7t) The commandment, the new testament, which in the synoptics is expressed as a cessation of offences, is here expressed as love.

The meaning of this passage is this, that only he who, like Jesus, has already retreated from the world and lives by the spirit of God alone, is able, without being offended, to bear all the terrors and torments of the flesh ; that the conception of the renunciation from the world is easy, but the renunciation itself difficult ; and that it is not possible to make in advance any promises about oneself. It is not right to swear, to make promises for the future, to pledge the true, the real life for the temporal life. Everything can be done in the present ; in the present a man is free, but the future is darkness, and we do not know it.

It is impossible to make promises, but we must be of good cheer and pray every minute. This passage is connected with the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. Peter and the disciples here frivolously make promises for the future, that they will not deny him in the garden of Gethsemane, when the moment of torment is near. When Jesus admonishes them to pray with him, they are dejected and do not keep up their courage, and so do not bear up under the temptation, and deny him.

35. Kai εΪττερ αυτό?;, *Οτε άπ έστειλα ΰμα; &rep βαλαντίου καί πή· pat καί υποδημάτων, μη Tivot υστερήσατε ; οΐ δό εΪττορ, Ούδερό;.

36. Έ,ϊπεν οΐ>ν αυτοί;, Άλλα νυν 6 εχωυ βαλάν—

Lukexxii. 35. And he said unto them. When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

35. And Jesus said to them, When I sent you out without purse, and bag, and shoes, dia you lack anything? They said, Nothing.

36. Then said he unto them, But now, he that

36. And he said to them, But now, he who

tiov άράτω, όμοίω; καί πήραν· καί ό μη εχων πωλ??σάτω τό Ιμάτιον αυτού, καί αγόρασα τω μάχαιραν.

«37. Λ^γω yàp ύμιυ, ότι ετι τούτο τό γεγραμ-μίνον δει τελεσί/ήυαι ίν ίμοί, τό, ‘ Kai μετά άνό-μων ίλο^ίσθη·’ καί yàp τα πίρ’ι εμού τAos εχει.

38. Οί δέ είπου, Κύριε, Ιδού μάχαιραι ώδε δύο. ό δί είπευ αυτοί;, Ικανόν ίστι.

hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and be that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

37. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors : for the things concerning me have an end.

38. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And be said unto them, It is enough.

has a purse, let him take also his bag; and be who has not, let him sell his garment, and buy a knife.

37. For I tell you, the Scripture will be accomplished in me, And he was regarded as a transgressor; and an end has come to all about me.

38. They said, Sir, here are two knives. And he said, Very well.

No matter how much the interpreters have laboured on this passage, there is no possibility of giving it any other meaning than this, that Jesus is getting ready to defend himself. Before this he tells his disciples that they will deny him, that is, will not defend him, will run away from him. Then he reminds them of the time when the criminal accusation did not yet hang over them. Then he says, It was not necessary then to struggle. You were then without your scrips, and did not need anything, but now the time of the struggle has come, and we must provide ourselves with food and with knives, in order to defend ourselves. This is necessary, since they regard us as outlaws.

Is. liii. 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong ; because he hath poured out his soul unto death : and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Jesus has reference to this passage. He speaks of the physical struggle, and that the end will come to all of you. It is impossible to understand it in any other way, for the disciples reply to this, Here we have two knives, and so it is impossible to understand it to mean that his disciples did not understand him, because Jesus replies to them, Ικανόν έστιν, that is, Very well.

The church interpretations have so spoiled the Gospel, and have mixed us up in such a way that the clear and profound and significant passage is either lost for us, or, like a cataract, represents a manifest contradiction. The chief obstacle in the comprehension of this passage is this, that Jesus is God, and so he could not have weakened and fallen into an offence. But here we get a clear and straight story, — not an inward moment of wavering, as is shown in the discourse with the Greeks, in the garden at Gethsemane and on the cross, but a moment of wavering, a dejection of spirit, which almost passes into action. He orders them to provide themselves with knives, and praises them for having done so. He wants to struggle with evil against evil, and even explains this by saying that he did not struggle as long as he was not persecuted, but that he cannot help fighting when he is regarded as an outlaw.

After that height of love, which he expressed at the arraignment of the traitor at the last supper, the temptation overcomes him in the night, and he says, Let us fight with knives, that is, he wants to do what is contrary to his teaching. This passage would be offensive, if it were not connected with what follows, if it were not a necessary introduction and illumination of the minute in the garden of Gethsemane and of the conduct of Jesus when he is taken, when the disciples wanted to make use of their knives and cut off Malchus’s ear ; in connection with these it not only fails to be offensive, but is even necessary, and is one of the profoundest and most instructive passages of the Gospel. Two dangers beset those who profess Christ’s teaching : the offence of cowardice, — the renunciation of the teaching, against which Jesus warns Peter; and the offence of violence, — fighting evil with evil. Against the first evil Jesus struggles all his life. He goes away, when he is persecuted. He answers the temptation of the Pharisees in such a way as to contradict them as little as possible. Most strongly does this offence show itself in the discourse in the temple with the Gentiles, when Jesus struggles against the offence, and comes out a victor. Now there approaches the second offence, the resistance to evil, and Jesus for a moment submits to it ; but he goes out and prays, and struggles against the offence, and vanquishes it. The failure to understand this passage is due to the fact that it is separated from the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, as the church does it, and both passages become obscure, but especially the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane.

1. Taura eΙπών o ‘ Ιη-σους έξήλθε συν το?; μαθηταΐς αυτοΰ πέραν του χειμάρρου των Κέδρων, δπου ήν κήπος, ci; δν είσήλθεν αυτός καί οΐ μαθηταί αυτοΰ.

36. Τότε έρχεται μετ’ αυτών à Ιησούς εις χω-ρίον λεγόμενον Γεθση-μανή, καί λέγει το?; μαθηταΐς, Καθίσατε αύ-τοΰ, έως ου άπελθών προσεύξωμαι έκεΐ.

37. Καί παραλαβών τδν ‘Πέτρον καί τούς δυο υιούς Ζεβεδαίου. ήρξατο λυπεΐσθαι και άδημονεΐν.

38. Τότε λέγει αύτοΐς, Περίλυπός έστιν ή ψυχή μου έως θανάτου· μείνατε ώδε καί γρηγορεΐτε μετ έμοΰ.

39. Καί προελθών μικρόν, έπεσεν έπί πρόσωπον αυτοΰ προσευχόμενος, καί λέγων, Πάτερ μου, εΐ δυνατόν έστι,

John xviii. 1. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

Matt, xxvi. 36. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.·

1. When Jesus had said this, he went with his disciples over Dark River, and came to the village of Gethsemane, where there was a garden, which he entered, and his disciples.

36. And Jesus said to the disciples, Wait here, while 1 pray.

37. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death : tarry ye here, and watch» with’me.»

37. And turning to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to pine and be sorrowful.

38. And he said to them, My soul is heavy, even unto death; stay here, and do not be sorrowful as I am.

39. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saving, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup* pass from me : neverthe—

39. And he went away a little distance, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, Father, everything is possible to thee : let this cup pass by me,

7ταρελθέτω άπ έμοΰ τδ ποτήριον τούτο· πλην ούχ ώ$ éyd} θέλω, αλλ ώ$ <717.

40. Καί έρχεται πρδς tous μαθητάς, καί εύρί-σκει αύτούί καθεύδοντας, καί λέ-yei τψ Γϊέτρψ, Ούτως ούκ Ισχύσατε μίαν ώραν Ίρτργορησαι μετ’ έμοΰ ;

41. Γρη-γορέϊτζ καί προσεύχεσθε, ϊνα μη είσέλθητε ct’r πειρασμόν, τδ μέν πνεύμα πρόθυμον, ή 6ό σαρξ άσθενήί.

42. IlciXtv έκ δευτέρου άπελθών προσηύξατο, λέ-7ων, ΙΙάτep μου, el ού δΰναται τούτο τδ ποτήριον παρελθεΐν άπ’ έμοΰ έάν μη αυτό πιω, yεvη-θήτω τδ θέλημά σου.

43. Καί έλθών εύρί-σκει αυτούς πάλιν καθεύδοντας· ήσαν yàp αυτών οι όφθαλμοί βεβαρημένοι.

44. Καί άφείς αυτούς, άπελθών πάλιν, προσηύξατο έκ τρίτου, τδν αυτόν Xôyov ε’ιπών.

45. Τότε ερχεται πρδς τούς μαθητάς αύτοΰ, καί λέy€ι αύτοις, Κ αθεύδετε τδ λοιπόν καί άναπαύε-σθε- ιδού, rjyyiKev ή ώρα, και ό υιός του άνθρώπου παραδίδοται εις χεϊρας αμαρτωλών.

less, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40. And he cometh unto the disciples, and tindeth them asleep,· and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:/ the spirit indeed is willing,t but the tlesh is weak.

42. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

43. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.*

44. And he left them, and went away again: and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

45. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto’them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at band, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.» not as I want it, but as thou wan test it.

40. And he went up to bis disciples, and saw that they were dispirited. And he said to Peter, Could you not keep one hour from being dispirited, as I do?

41. Take courage and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is strong, but the flesh is weak.

42. And he went away a second time, and began to pray, saying, O my Father, if this cup cannot pass by me, unless I drink it, thy will be done.

43. And he came and found them again dispirited, for their eyes were dimmed.

44. And be left them, and went away again, and prayed for a third time, saying the same words.

45. Then he returned to his disciples, and said, Sleep now, and take your rest: the hour is near when the son of man is

given over into the ands of worldly men.

(a) Here and there are wanting in many texts. Jesus said, Be with me, I will pray.

(b) yppyopeïre means here struggle, be manly, do not lose courage, rouse yourselves.

(c) per έμοΰ does not mean here with me, but just as I.

(d) What cup ? According to all the church interpretations it is suffering and death. But why this means

suffering and death is not explained. It says that Jesus was tormented and troubled, but it does not say that he expected death. And then it says that he asked the Father that this cup might pass by him. What cup is it, then ? Apparently the cup πειρασμού, of temptation, as I understand this passage.

Jesus asks God to free him from the temptation of the struggle, but adds that he does not ask for the liberation as he wants it, that is, that that which was to be should not be, but as thou wantest it, that is, that he may bear everything which is to be, without entering into the temptation.

(e) καθεύδω means not only to sleep, but also to be dispirited, lazy, and is here used in contradistinction with ypηyopώ.

So it is used in :

Eph. v. 14. Wherefore it says, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

1 Thess. v. 6. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others ; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Thess. v. 10. Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

(/) To enter into temptation means to arrive at that condition of the weakness of spirit, in which a man cannot answer for himself.

(g) πρόθυμος is here used in contradistinction with ασθενής, and so means strong.

(h) If it meant heavy with sleep, άφ’ ΰπνου would be added. Bεβαρεϊσθαι means to be dim.

(r) This passage has called forth many explanations on account of the contradiction, which resulted from that senseless reading, which made the disciples be overcome by sleep, and Jesus exceedingly offended on account of it. Jesus calls them to the spiritual awakening, and does not

XJ I I

see it in them ; only later does he say, Fall asleep, so that you may he rested.

THE STRUGGLE WITH THE OFFENCES

After this the pastors, the chief priests, sought with all their might to get at Jesus, so as to destroy him. They assembled in a council, and began to judge; they said, We must in some way put a stop to this man ; he proves his teaching in such a way that, if we let him alone, all will believe in him and will abandon our faith. Even now half of the nation is believing in him. And if people will believe in his teaching, that man, the son of God, is not obliged to obey any one, that all nations are brothers, that there is nothing special in our Jewish nation which distinguishes us from the other nations, then the Romans will completely vanquish us, and will destroy all our laws and our whole faith, and there will no longer be any Jewish kingdom.

And the pastors, chief priests, and learned men took counsel for a long time, and could not devise what to do with him, for they could not make up their mind to kill him.

Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was the high priest during that year, devised this : he said to them, We must remember that it is advantageous to kill one man, in order that a whole nation should not perish. If we let this man alone, the nation will perish, — this I prophesy to you, — and so it is best to kill Jesus. Even if the people will not perish, they will scatter and will abandon the one faith, if we do not kill Jesus, and so it is best to kill him.

When Caiaphas said this, all decided that there was nothing to reflect on, and that they ought by all means to kill Jesus. They would have taken him at once and killed him, but he hid from them in the wilderness.

But at this time the feast of the passover was at hand, and many people used to gather in Jerusalem for the feast. And the pastors, the bishops, counted on this, that Jesus would come to the feast with the people. And so they announced to the people that if they saw Jesus they should bring him to them.

And, indeed, six days before the passover Jesus said to his disciples, Let us go to Jerusalem ; and he went with them.

And the disciples said to him, Do not go to Jerusalem.

And Jesus said to them, I cannot fear anything, for I am living in the light of the comprehension. And as any man can walk in daytime, and not at night, that he may not stumble, so any man may live by the comprehension, that he may not doubt or fear anything. Only he doubts and fears who lives in the flesh; but for him who lives in the comprehension there is notliing doubtful or terrible.

And Jesus came into the village of Bethany, near Jerusalem, to Martha and Mary, and the sisters prepared a supper for him. And as they sat at supper, Martha served them, and Mary took a pound of costly, precious, perfumed oil, and rubbed Jesus’ feet with it, and wiped them with her hair. And when the odour of the oil spread in the room, Judas Iscariot said, In vain has Mary wasted this oil. It would have been better if the oil had been sold for three hundred pieces, and the money given to the poor.

But Jesus said, You will have the poor with you, but me you will soon not have. She did well, for she has prepared my body for burial.

In the morning Jesus went to Jerusalem. There was a great multitude there for the feast. And when they saw Jesus they surrounded him, and broke off branches from the trees, and threw their garments on the road, and cried, Here he is, our true king, who has taught us about the true God. Jesus sat down on a young ass and rode

X XX XJ

WÜ1 XJ XJ Μ

on it, and the people ran before him, crying. And thus Jesus rode into Jerusalem. And when he entered into the city, all the people were agitated, and asked, Who is he? And those who knew him said, It is Jesus, the prophet out of Nazareth of Galilee.

And Jesus entered the temple, and again drove all the buyers and sellers out of it.

And the pastors, the bishops, saw all this, and said among themselves, See what this man is doing. All the people are following after him.

But they did not dare to take him away from the people, for they saw that the people clung to him, and they devised how they might take him by stratagem.

In the meantime Jesus was in the temple, teaching the people. Among the people there were not only Jews, but also pagan Greeks. The Greeks had heard of Jesus’ teaching and understood that he was not teaching the truth to the Jews alone, but to all men, and so they wanted also to be his disciples ; and they told so Philip, and Philip told Andrew. The disciples were afraid of bringing Jesus and the Greeks together. They were afraid that the people would be angered, because he did not recognize any difference between the Jews and the other nations, and so they could not for a long time make up their mind to tell Jesus so.

When Jesus heard that the Greeks wished to be his disciples, he said, I know that the people hate me, because I make no difference between Jews and Gentiles and because I recognize myself to be just like a Gentile ; but now the time has come when the teaching of the son of God has to be recognized among all men. And if I perish for this, I must tell the truth. A grain of wheat brings fruit only when it perishes. He who is afraid for his carnal life loses the true life, and he who despises the carnal life will make this temporal life true, not in time, but in God.

And turning to Andrew and to Philip, he said, He who wants to serve my, teaching, let him do the same as I. And he who does as 1 do, will be loved by my Father. Now it will be decided whether my life will be carnal or spiritual. Now, when that toward which 1 have been walking has come, shall I say, Father, free me from what I ought to do ? I cannot say this, for I have been walking toward it. And so I say, Father, manifest thyself in me.

And, turning to the whole people, Jesus said, In the present alone is the power of the spirit over the flesh ; in the present alone is the power of flesh vanquished. And if I lift myself up above the earthly life, 1 shall draw all toward me.

And they said to him, According to the law, we have heard, Christ is something especial and definite, which remains always the same, so how dost thou say that thou, Christ, wilt be lifted up as the son of man ? What is meant by lifting up the son of man ?

To this Jesus replied, To lift up the son of man means to live by that light of the comprehension which is within you ; to lift up the son of man above what is of earth means to believe in the light of the comprehension, while there is this light, in order to be the son of the comprehension. He who believes in my teaching does not believe me, but the spirit which gave life to the world. He who understands my teaching, understands the spirit which gave the light to the world. My teaching is the same light of life which has brought men out of the darkness. And if one hears my words and does not fulfil them, I do not condemn him, for my teaching does not condemn, but saves. He who does not receive my words is not condemned by my teaching, but by the comprehension which is in him. It is this which condemns him. For I did not speak my own words, but what my Father, the spirit which is within me, has inspired. What I speak is what

betray him to death; but be did not accuse Judas, or avenge himself on him ; as he had taught love to his disciples all his life, so he rebuked Judas in love even now.

When all twelve of them were seated at the table, he looked at them, and said, Among you sits he who has betrayed me. Yes, he who drinks and eats with me will cause my destruction.

And so they did not find out of whom he was speaking, and began to eat the supper. As they were getting ready to eat, Jesus took a loaf, broke it into twelve parts, and gave each disciple a piece, saying, Take it, and eat it. He who is betraying me, if he eats this piece, will be eating my body.

Then he filled a cup with wine, and offered it to his disciples, saying, Drink you all out of this cup.

And when they had all drunk, he said, He who is betraying me has drunk my blood. I will shed my blood that men may know my testament, — to forgive others their sins. For I shall soon die and shall no longer be with you in the world, and shall unite with you only in God.

After this Jesus arose from the table, girded himself with a towel, took a pitcher of water, and began to wash the feet of all the disciples.

When he came up to Peter, Peter said, Art thou really going to wash my feet ?

Jesus said to him, Thou thinkest it strange that I am washing thy feet ; but thou wilt soon learn why I do it. I do it because not all of you are clean, and because among you is my betrayer, whose feet I want to wash also.

And when Jesus had washed the feet of all of them, he sat down again, and said, Do you understand why I did it ? I did it, that you may do likewise to one another. If I, your teacher, do it, you certainly must

serve all and not hate any one. If you know this you are blessed. I am not speaking of all of you, for one of you, whose feet 1 have washed, and who has eaten bread with me, will betray me. Having said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and confirmed that one of them would betray him. And again did the disciples look at each other, but they did not know of whom he was speaking. One of the disciples was sitting near Jesus, and Simon Peter beckoned to him to ask him who the traitor was. He asked him.

Jesus said, I will dip a piece, and he to whom I will give it is the traitor. And he gave it to Judas Iscariot, saying to him, Whatever thou wilt do, do it at once ; and Judas understood that he ought to go away, and when he took the piece, he went away at once, and it was not possible to run after him, for it was night.

When Judas was gone, Jesus said, Now it is clear to you what the son of man is ; now it is clear to you that God is in him, that he can forgive his enemies and do good. Children ! I have but a little while to stay with you. Do not philosophize on my teaching, as I have told the pastors, but do what I do. I give you one new commandment : As I have loved you and Judas the traitor, so you love one another. Only thus shall you be distinguished: be distinguished from other men in that you love one another.

After this they went to the mount of Olives. On the way Jesus said to them, Now the time comes when that will happen which is saicl in the Scripture, that the shepherd will be killed, and the sheep will scatter. And this will happen this very night : I shall be taken, and all of you will abandon me and run away.

And in reply Peter said to him, Even if all are frightened and run away, I will not deny thee. I am prepared to die with thee.

And Jesus said to him, But I tell thee that this very night, before cockcrow, when they will take me, thou wilt deny me, not once, but thrice.

But Peter said that he would not, and the disciples said the same.

And then, seeing that the disciples were with him, Jesus was tempted. He felt sorry, because they wanted to kill him without cause. And he said to his disciples, At first neither you nor I needed anything. You went without a scrip and without reserve footgear, and I commanded you to do so ; but now, since they regard me as an outlaw, it can no longer be so, and you must provide yourselves with everything and with knives, lest you be destroyed without cause.

And the disciples said, We have two knives.

And Jesus said, Very well.

And they went beyond the river Cedron, where there was a garden, and entered that garden.

And Jesus said to his disciples, I am weakened, and I must pray. Be with me.

And he seated Peter and the sons of Zebedee near him, and began to groan and feel sorrowful, because he had fallen into an offence and wanted to struggle against evil.

He said, I am pained and grieved. Help me, rise in spirit together with me.

And he knelt down and prayed.

He said, Aly Father, spirit, thou art free : strengthen me that the offence of struggle may leave me ; that everything may be as thou wishest, and not as I wish it, and that I may unite with thy will.

The disciples were not praying and were dispirited, and Jesus rebuked them, and said, Pray ; be strong in spirit, lest you fall into the temptation of timidity or struggle. There is strength in the soul, but the body is powerless.

And he began to pray a second time, saying, Father, spirit, let everything be as thou wilt.

And again the disciples did not pray with him, but

were dejected. And he prayed for a third time in the same way, and then, when he was strengthened in spirit, he said to his disciples, Now I shall soon be given into the hands of worldly men.

CHAPTER XL

THE FAREWELL DISCOURSE

36. Λέγει αύτψ ΣΙ-μων Πέτρος, Κύριβ, που υπάγεις ; άπεκρίθη αύτψ ό ’Ιησούς, “Οπου υπάγω, ού δύνασαί μοι νυν άκολουθήσαι· ύστερον δέ ακολουθήσεις μοι.

37. Λέγει αυτψ ό Πέτρος, Κύριε, διατί ού δύ-ναμαί σοι άκολουθήσαι άρτι; την ψυχήν μου υπέρ σου θήσω·

38. ’Απεκρίθη αυτψ ό ‘ Ιησούς, Την ψυχήν σου υπέρ έμού θήσεις ; άμήν άμήν λέγω σοι, Ού μη άλέκτωρ φωνήσει έως ού άπαρνήση με τρίς.

1. Μη ταρασσέσθω υμών ή καρδία· πιστεύετε εις τδν θε’ον, καί εις έμέ πιστεύετε.

John xiii. 36. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shall follow me afterward.

37. Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

38. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

John xiv. 1. Let not your heart be troubled: Îe believe in God, be-ieve also in me.

36. And Peter said ta Jesus, Whither dost thou go? Jesus replied, Thou wilt not be able to follow me, whither I am going now: but thou wilt follow me later.

37. And Peter said. Why dost thou think that I cannot follow thee now, whither thou goest? I will lay down my life for thee.

38. And Jesus said, Thou sayest that thou wilt lay down thy life for me, but before the cock will crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.

1. Do not trouble yourselves in your hearts. Believe in God, aud believe in my teaching.

This discourse is given in John after the holy supper and before the seizing of Jesus, consequently it takes place in the garden of Gethsemane.

The life of Jesus is coming to an end. He knows it, and the disciples know it. The end of the sermon about the one true good and about the life which he led according to this teaching, is this, that the world hates him, and that they want to kill him, as a criminal dangerous to the peace of the nation. Naturally the disciples are

assailed by doubt as to whether the persecution, capital punishment, and hatred of the world are the one true good, the one true life, given by God to men. How are the disciples to be quieted, and their doubts to be destroyed ? Shall he say that it is only an accidental misfortune which has befallen Christ? That he and they would be happy on earth, if the evil people were not to blame ?

Shall he say, If I and you suffer misfortune here, as the prophets have suffered, we shall be rewarded in the next world, after the resurrection ?

Either might have consoled his disciples; but either would be an untruth and a consolation which does not result from the teaching.

And Jesus says neither the one, nor the other, and only explains more clearly than before the meaning of his teaching, of what he calls the true good, the true life ; he explains the meaning of human life, not because he thinks so, but because it is such, and there is no other, and this forms the contents of the farewell discourse.

2. ’Ep tt) oîkÎç. τού πατρόϊ μου μονα.1 πολλοί datv d Sè μη, ίϊπον άν ύμΐν· πορεύομαι ΐτοιμά-σαι τόπον ύμΐν.

John xiν. 2. In my Father’s house are many mansions.® If it were not so. 1 would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.*

2. In God’s world are many different lives. If it were not so, I should have told you, I go to prepare a place for yon.

(a) These words are most calmly translated by, In my Father’s house are many mansions, and this sentence is taken to be a metaphor (which is of no use) : the following words, If it were not so, I would have told you, are taken to be a confirmation of the truth, and the speech proceeds, taking the denial to be a confirmation, and in general depriving the first three verses of all sense.

This is what the church says (p. 469) :

In my Father’s house are many mansions: Evidently an allegorical statement. The picture is taken from the magnificent royal palaces of the Eastern lands, in which there are many rooms, not only for the kings and heirs to the throne, but also for the royal children which, under the peculiar domestic conditions, are very numerous in the East; or, perhaps, from the temple at Jerusalem, as the Father’s house upon earth, in the adjoining structures of which there were also many apartments (mansions). By the picture of this house with the many mansions is meant a certain condition, namely, the condition of the Lord’s glory in the glory of his heavenly Father, to the participation in which glory, some day will be called the Lord’s disciples, to whom this discourse is addressed. This condition of glory will, naturally, appear in a given place, where God manifests his presence and glory in a peculiar manner, and where the Lord Jesus abides in glory with his glorified body, that is, in heaven.

Many mansions : Sufficient to place all of you in them. Not only Peter will follow the Lord, but also all the disciples, and for all there will be sufficient mansions, for there are many of them. The word many does not signify a variety of mansions, as though the Lord indicated several degrees of blessedness in heaven ; he only indicates their number (the doctrine of the various degrees of blessedness is based on other passages of the New Testament, for example, on 1 Cor. xv. 39).

If it were not so, I would have told you : A new asseveration that it is really so, that he told them the truth, so that their hearts may not be troubled.

Reuss entirely evades the difficulty, and says this (Vol. VI, p. 279 and 280) :

Un premier motif de consolation est offert dans la promesse que la séparation entre le maître et les disciples ne durera pas éternellement. A un moment donné, il reviendra les prendre pour les conduire là où il va dès à présent, et où il veut leur préparer une place. Quel est ce moment? La plupart des commentateurs songent à la fin des temps, à l’avénement final de Christ, à la résurrection universelle. Nous ne saurions nous arrêter à cette idée, un texte précédent (Chap. xi. 24) nous ayant déjà fait comprendre qu’au point de vue de la théologie johan-nique, ce n’est pas là une consolation suffisante. Hais il y a plus. Partout, dans la suite de ce discours, la phrase : je viendrai, se rapporte à des faits qui ne sauraient être reculés jusqu’à l’époque de la parousie finale. L’idée d’un intervalle de séparation, à partir de la mort de chaque individu, jusqu’au moment de la parousie et du jugement dernier, est incompatible avec l’esprit et la tendance des paroles que nous avons sous les yeux, sans compter que la notion d’un jugement dernier est un hors-d’œuvre dans un livre de théologie qui place partout ce qu’on pourrait appeler le jugement, dans le moment même où chaque homme accepte ou rejette le salut offert. Si la foi fait passer l’homme, sur cette terre déjà, de la mort à la vie, à une vie dite éternelle, c’est-à-dire qui ne peut plus être sujette à une interruption, il est évident que la réunion personnelle du croyant à Christ, réunion momentanément interrompue par la mort de celui-ci, se fera au moment de la mort de celui-là. (Nous ne confondons point ce qui est dit ici avec ce que nous lirons au v. 18.)

Du reste, ce premier motif de consolation est exposé dans une forme tout à fait populaire. Jésus parle de demeures, de places, nous pourrions dire de logements, de chambres, qu’il va préparer, retenir, pour les siens, dans le vaste domaine ou palais du Père. Dans cette description figurée, on pourra retenir d’un côté l’assurance que la mort physique ne termine pas l’existence de l’homme (bien que cette assertion tout à fait superflue soit probablement étrangère à la pensée de l’auteur), de l’autre côté, la conviction que l’individualité des fidèles sauvés subsistera, ce qui est assez directement indiqué par la pluralité des demeures, bien que l’auteur, peut-être, n’ait pas même songé au panthéisme qu’il combat ici directement. Il n’y a de difficulté que dans la liaison logique des phrases, si bien que les copistes et les éditeurs ont varié le texte pour se tirer d’affaire. Nous admettons que la fin du v. 2 : C’est que je vais préparer, etc., se rattache au v. 1 : Ayez foi en moi, et énonce ainsi ce que nous avons appelé le premier motif de consolation. Mais, par une tournure qui n’a rien d’insolite, l’auteur donne d’avance l’explication qui pouvait être nécessaire au sujet de la place à préparer. Il y a donc inversion des éléments de la pensée, au point de vue logique, tandis que la rédaction a conservé les particules comme elles pouvaient se produire dans l’ordre naturel. Pour de pareilles bagatelles on ne devrait pas chercher querelle à un auteur à qui la syntaxe grecque n’est pas trop familière.

And yet these words have a very definite and simple significance. It says, In the house of my Father, that is, in the world of God, èv ry οικία του πατρός. The word μουαί is only twice used in the Gospel. In the other discourse it says, He who loves me and fulfils my teaching, in him abide μουαί, the Father and Jesus. Consequently μουαί is the abiding of the spirit, the life of the spirit.

Πολλαι means many different, and so these words are not metaphorical, but express a deep thought, which is evolved in what follows.

Jesus says, In God’s world the spirit abides in most varied manifestations. We know the manifestation of the spirit in the living man, but I am dying, going out of the life we know of, and my spirit will live somewhere, in some new manifestation ; and immediately after this he says that his spirit will live in his disciples.

(b) That is, Christ says directly, Abandon the idea of the place where you will be in bliss after death : there is no such place.

3. Καί έάν πορευθω καί ετοιμάσω ύμΐν τόπον, πάλιν έρχομαι καί παρα-λήγομαι υμάς πρδς έμαυτόν· ϊνα, όπου είμΐ έγώ, καί υμείς ήτε.

4. Καί όπου έγώ υπά-γω οΐδατε, καί την οδόν οίδατε.

5. Λ^γει αυτψ θωμάς, Κύριε, ούκ οίδαμεν που υπάγεις· καί πως δυνά-μεθα τήν οδόν είδέναι ;

6. Αέγει αύτψ ο ’ Ιησούς, ’Εγώ ε’ιμι ή όδόΐ καί ή άλήθεια καί ή ζωή. ούδείς έρχεται πρδς τδν πατέρα, εΐ μή δΐ έμου.

7. Εί έγνώκειτέ με, καί τδν πατέρα μου έγνώ-κειτε &ν· καί άπ’ άρτι γι νώσκετε αύτδν, καί έωράκατε αυτόν.

8. Αέγει αύτψ Φίλιππος, Κύριε, δεΐξον ήμΐν τδν πατέρα, καί άρκεΐ ήμΐν.

9. Αέγει αυτψ ô ’Itj-σοΰς, Τοσοΰτον χρόνον

John χΐν. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, 1 will come again, and receive you unto myself that* where I am, there ye may be also.

4. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we snow the way?

6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.*

7. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also : and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.**

8. Philip saith unto him. Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufliceth us.·

3. And if I go and pre-Eare a place, 1 will come ack, and will take you with me, that where I am, you may be also.

4. And whither I go, you know, and you know the way.

5. And Thomas said to him, Sir, we do not know whither thou goest; how can we know the way?

6. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.

7. If you know me, you know also the Father, and now you will know him and see him.

8. Philip said to him, Sir, show us the Father, and we shall be contented.

9. Jesus saith unto him, Have 1 been so

9. And Jesus said to them, I have been so

μ(θ υμών είμι, καί ούκ ^νωκάς με, Φίλιππέ; ό ίωρακύς ίμί ίωρακε τόν πατίρα· καί πως συ λί-7«s, Δεΐξον -ημίν τόν πατίρα ;

10. Ού πιστεύεις δτι îyù ίν τψ 7τατρί, καί ό πατήρ ίν ίμοί ίστι ; τά ρήματα â îyù λαλώ ύμΪΡ, άπ’ ίμαυτού ού λαλώ· ό δδ πατήρ ό ίν ίμοί μινών, αύτός ποιεί τά tpya.

11. ΙΙιστωετί μοι δτι îyù ίν τψ πατρί, καί ό πατήρ ίν ίμοί ίστιν· ci δδ μή, διά τά epya αυτά πιστεύετί μοι.

12. ‘Αμήν άμήν XÎyi>) ύμΐν, ‘0 πιστεύων εις ίμί, τά Ipya â Îyù ποιώ κάκεΐνος ποιήσει, καΖ μεί· ξονα τούτων ποιήσει· δτι îyù 7rpôs τδρ πατίρα μου πορεύομαι.

13. ΚαΖ δ τι άν αίτήσητε ίν τψ όνόματί μου, τούτο ποιήσω· ΐνα δοξα-σθή ό πατήρ ίν τψ υ’ιψ.

14. Έάρ τι αίτήσητε ίν τψ όνόματί μου, δγώ ποιήσω.

15. Έάρ άγαττατδ μ€, τάς δρτολάΐ τά$ «μά$ τηρήσατε

16. ΚαΖ Îyù ίρωτήσω τδρ πατίρα, καί Άλλον παράκλητον δώσει ύμΐν, ϊνα μίνη μεθ’ ύμων ci’r τδρ αιώρα,

17. Τδ πνεύμα τής άληθείας, δ ό κόσμος ού δύναται λαβεΐν, δτι ού θεωρεί αύτό. ούδί yivù-σκει αύτό· υμείς δδ yiνώσκετε αύτό, δτι παρ’ ύμΐν μίνει, καί ίν ύμΐν ίσται. long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?/

10. Believesto thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that 1 speak unto you I speak not of myself : but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me : or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

12. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do ; because I go unto my Father.’»

13. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.»

14. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16. And I will pray the Father,/ and he shall give you another* Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17. Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.* long a time with you and yet thou dost not understand my teaching, Philip. He who sees me sees the Father; how, then, dost thou say, Show me the Father?

10. Dost thou not comprehend that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words which I speak I do not speak of myself: the Father who is in me does the works.

11. Believe in my teaching, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else, by my works will you comprehend my teaching.

12. You know yourselves that he who believes in my teaching will live as well as I, and even better, for I go to my Father.

13. That is, everything which you will wish for according to my teaching, my teaching will give you, so that in the son will the Father be known.

14. And if you ask for anything for the comprehension, my teaching will give it to you.

15. If you love my teaching, keep my commandments.

16. And my teaching will be an intercessor before the Father, and he will give you another protector, who will be with you in life,

17. The spirit of truth, which the world cannot receive, because it does not see it and does not know it. But you know it, because it is with you and in you.

18. Ούκ άφήσω ύμας όρφανούς-ίρχομαι πρός υμάς.

16. Έτι μικρόν καί δ κόσμος με ούκίτι θεωρεί, ύμεΐς δδ θεωρεΐτί με· δτι Îyù ζω, καί ύμεΐς ζήσε-σθε.

20. Έρ ίκείνη τή ήμί-ρμ yυώσεσθε ύμεΐς δτι Îyù ίν τψ πατρί μου, καί ύμεΐς ίν ίμοί, κάγώ ίν ύμΐν.

21. Ό εχων τάς ίν-τολάς μου καί τηρων αύ-τάς, ίκεΐνός ίστιν ό àya-πων με· ό δδ άyaπωv με άyaπηθήσετaι ύπό τού πατρός μου· καΖ iyù άyaπήσω αύτόν, καΖ ίμ-φανίσω αύτψ ίμαυτόν.

(tt) 71-/SO? έμαυτόν is wanting in many texts.

(b) καί means here besides, above, in addition to. Jesus says from the very start, Fear nothing, believe in God and in my teaching. What will become of us, how we are going to live after our death, we cannot know. The life in God is very varied and incomprehensible to us. I cannot say, as the lawyers do, that I will go to Abraham and prepare a place for you there, for that would be a he. This much I can say, that in my life I have shown you what to strive after. Thomas asks, What, then, is the way of life?

(c) That I has to be translated by my teaching, is proved, not only by the demands of the context, but also by this, that in John viii. 25 Jesus says in reply to the question, Who art thou ? I am what I say.

(d) These words signify that Jesus now explains to them in the most intelligible manner possible what he calls the Father.

(e) Philip thus understood the words of Jesus, and

18. I will not leave you comfortless : I will come to you.

IS. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more ; but ye see me : because I live, ye shall live also.

20. At that day ye shall know that 1 am in my Father, and ye in me, and 1 in you.

21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and 1 will love nim, and will manifest myself to him.

18. I will not leave you as orphans: 1 stay with you.

19. A little while longer, and the world will not see me: but you will see me; for my teaching lives, and you will live.

20. At that time you will know that 1 am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you.

21. He who keeps my commandments and observes them, loves my teaching. And he who loves my teaching, is loved by the Father, and I love him, and will appear to him.

said, Yes, what will make us understand thy teaching will convince us that there is a Father. Let us see him.

(/) It is impossible to see the Father. The Father is visible only in the sou.

(g) Here the word πιστεύω may be, indeed, rendered by the word believe, but better by the word grasp.

(h) He will do in the world more than I, for he will live, while 1 am dead.

(i) To do works like me, to live like me means to live freely, having everything which you wish.

(j) και εγώ ερωτήσω τον πατέρα, ajid I will ask the Father. This expression is translated as though it means that Jesus will ask the Father, and to this verb in the future tense is ascribed the whole quasi-Christian mythology. But it is impossible to understand these words in such a manner.

This is what the church says (p. 479) :

I will pray the Father: Au humble expression of the Lord’s relations to his Father, as the intercessor of the redeemed brethren in the flesh. Marvel not at his saying, I will pray the Father, for he does not pray like a slave ; but, in order to assure his disciples that the consoling Spirit will certainly come to them, he condescends to them, and says, I will pray the Father. I will pray, he says, that they may not regard him as an adversary of God, and as speaking for the sake of some other power.

(&) Instead of me, the man, Jesus, my teaching, my spirit.

(I) με’νη, in the present ; εσται is in many texts also in the present. Only from the undefinable meaning which is given to το πνεύμα της αλήθειας, Holy Ghost, can we understand why these verbs are changed into and translated as futures. This transformation shows why εγώ ερωτησω in the previous verse is of importance. The meaning is that the Father will give you a comforter, the spirit of truth, which is already in you.

One would think that nothing could be simpler and clearer. Jesus, speaking of his death, of his going away, consoles his disciples. He says that besides the life in the flesh there is the life of the spirit in the Father, that the Father is living in every man who does his will, and so, going away from the world, Jesus will live in those who will observe his teaching about the life in the Father. And for those who will keep his teaching he, Jesus, will be the comforter, in the spirit.

This is what the church says (p. 479):

Shall give you another Comforter: Or intercessor, «advocate, defender, — a word used only in this speech of the Lord and in the first epistle of John (ii. 1). Saying another (that is, besides me), the Lord evidently applies to himself the appellation of comforter, and St. John actually calls him directly by this name ; but by this word another the Lord distinguishes him from himself, as another person. “ Saying another, Christ points to the distinction of the hypostasis ; and saying Comforter, to the unity of the essence ” (Chrys.). This is the third person of the worshipful Trinity, the Holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father.

On the word άλλος, which it is impossible not to use when speaking of Christ as the comforter, but in another form, not in the carnal integument, but in the spirit, on this word they build up a dogma about Jesus and the spirit being one and the same, and yet not one and the same.

This is what Reuss says (Vol. VI., pp. 285 and 286):

Le troisième motif de consolation, c’est la promesse de l’assistance du saint esprit. Le saint esprit est désigné ici et dans quelques autres passages (Chap. xiv. 26 ; xv. 26 ; xvi. 7) par un nom qui ne se rencontre pas dans les autres livres du Nouveau Testament, mais qui est également appliqué à Jésus (ici même, et 1 Jean ii. 1), et dont il importe de fixer le sens. Le verbe dont dérive le mot de Paraclet est fréquemment employé par les auteurs sacrés dans le sens de consoler, exhorter, instruire. Aussi bien ces diverses significations ont-elles été tour à tour proposées pour déterminer la valeur du substantif. Celle qui a prévalu anciennement, c’est le consolateur, ce qui va assez bien avec le présent contexte ; le docteur se recommande surtout au v. 26 de notre chapitre; on l’appliquerait aussi très-facilement aux autres passages de notre livre qui viennent d’être cités. Enfin le passage de l’épitre a fait préférer à d’autres traducteurs le mot défenseur, dans le sens juridique. L’étymologie et la forme du terme grec nous feront rejeter les deux premières interprétations, et adopter celle par le mot latin advocatus, c’est-à-dire quelqu’un qui est appelé pour assister un autre dans une action judiciaire. En examinant bien tous les passages où le mot se trouve, cette dernière expression française paraîtra sans doute la plus acceptable, puisqu’après tout il en faut une qui aille à tous les textes. Celle de défenseur ne va nullement à ceux de l’évangile, où les disciples, certes, ne sont pas représentés comme des accusés. L’assistant pourra tour à tour, et selon le besoin du moment, conseiller, consoler, instruire ou défendre.

Cet assistant est le saint esprit ; qui est appelé ici l’esprit de vérité, parce que la vérité, qui est essentiellement en Dieu, ne peut arriver à l’homme que par cet intermédiaire; ce qui se comprendra surtout, si l’on veut se rappeler que la vérité, dans la terminologie de notre livre, n’est pas seulement tout ce qui tient à l’illumination de l’intelligence, mais encore tout ce qui se rapporte à la sanctification de la volonté. En général, toutes les forces dont le chrétien a besoin, pour son propre avancement spirituel et pour celui de l’œuvre de Dieu dans le monde, à laquelle il est appelé à travailler, lui viennent de l’esprit saint. A cet égard, on ne saurait assez élargir le cercle de cette notion qui est l’une des plus fondamentales dans la théologie évangélique. En revanche, nous écartons explicitement deux éléments accessoires de cette doctrine, qui ont eu le privilège de préoccuper la théologie officielle presque exclusivement : la thèse de la personnalité du saint esprit (que l’on trouvera traitée au long dans l’Histoire de la théologie apostolique, Livre VIL, Chap. 12), et celle de l’infaillibilité des apôtres, qui est une conception absolument étrangère au Nouveau Testament et d’autant moins nécessaire ici que la promesse s’adresse à tous les chrétiens.

La communication de l’esprit a pour prémisse et condition : l9 qu’on voie et connaisse les choses de Dieu, 2Q qu’on garde les commandements de Christ. L’une comme l’autre condition ne peut être remplie que là où l’on croit, c’est-à-dire où l’on est en communion avec le Verbe révélateur, ce qui a été dit maintes fois dans les textes précédents. La séparation du monde et des fidèles, existant déjà pour d’autres causes, se constatera et se consolidera donc encore dans ce nouveau rapport.

Why πνεύμα της αλήθειας means a Holy Ghost, when it says directly that this paraclete, that is, the advocate, is the spirit of truth and also the teaching of Jesus, in which there is one way, truth, and life, remains completely incomprehensible. There are church interpretations which it is possible to reject, because they are based on some false foundation ; but this is one of those interpretations which cannot be overthrown, as it is impossible to understand on what it is based.

22. Λéyei αύτψ Ιούδας, ούχ ό Ίσκαριώτης, Kύριε, τΐ yéyovcv Άτι ήμΐν μέλλεις έμφανίξειν σεαυτδν, καί ούχΐ τψ κδσμψ ;

23. ΆπεκρΙθη ο ’Ιησούς καί εΐπεν αύτψ, Έάν τις àyairq. με, τδν X6yov μου τηρήσει, καί δ πατήρ μου àyait^aei αύτδν, και πρδς αύτδν έλευσόμεθα, καί μονήν παρ’ αύτψ ποιήσομε ν.

24. Ό μή àyaπωv με τούς λίτγους μου ού τηρεί’ καί o λόγο$ δν ακούετε ούκ εστιν έμδς, άλλα του πέμψαντδς με πατρός.

John xiν. 22. Judas saith uuto him, not Iscariot. Lord, how is it that tnou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

22. And Judas, not Iscariot, said to him, Why, sir, dost thou want to manifest thyself to us, and not to all?

23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words : and my Father’will love him, and we will come unto him. and make our abode with him.·»

23. And Jesus replied to him, He who loves me, fulfils my teaching; and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him, and shall abide in him.

24. He that love th me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

24. He who does not love me, does not keep my words. My word is not mine, but the Father’s who has sent me.

(a) μονήν παρ’ αύτώ ποι,ησομεν, will make our abode in him. There are different abodes in the Father’s house: the abode in the human life, and in God. Jesus, upon going to the Father, says that he will come outside his carnal integument to be a comforter and to live in the soul of him who will fulfil his teaching.

In reply to Judas’s question why he will not appear to all, Jesus says that he can appear only to those who love him and, loving him, fulfil his teaching.

In this place Jesus rejects outright, as in many other places, the crude conception of the resurrection. He says

of his spirit that it will appear to him who will love it and will keep the commandments. Only in this sense will Jesus not die, and make his appearance. And he will not appear alone, but with his Father, and will take up his abode in the soul of him who will love him.

25. Ταυτα λελάληκα ύμΐν παρ’ ύμΐν μινών

26. *0 δδ παράκλητοι, τό Π νεύμα τό “ Ay ιον δ πέμφει ό πατήρ iv τφ ονόματί μου, έκεΐνοί ύμάς διδάξει πάντα, καί ύπο-μνήσει ύμάς πάντα â εϊπον ύμΐν.

27. Ειρήνην άφίημ ι ύμΐν, ειρήνην την δ μην δίδωμι ύμΐν ού καθώς ό κόσμοι δίδωσιν, έχώ δί-δωμι ύμΐν. μή ταρασσέσθω ύμών ή καρδία, μηδδ δειλιάτω.

28. Ήκούσατε δτι έχώ εϊπον ύμΐν, ‘Tir άγω καί έρχομαι πρδς ύμάς. εΐ ήχαπατέ με, έχάρητε άν Ατι εϊπον, Πορεύομαι πρδς τδν πατέρα· δτι ό πατήρ μου μείξων μου έστί.

(a) In many texts Holy Ghost is wanting. Jesus says, I, being a man, like you, cannot say everything, but the spirit of truth, which is from the Father, will be in you : it will tell.

(b) ειρήνη must not be translated by peace, as in Luke, Did not bring peace on earth, but by restfulness, which the knowledge of the truth gives. Why Reuss translates and the church explains it as, I bid you farewell, would be unintelligible, if everything which precedes were intelligible. The translation is only a way out of a difficulty. It is necessary in one way or other to translate

John xiv. 25. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26. But’the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,® whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27. Peace* I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

25. This did I say, while I was still with you.

26. And the intercessor, whom the Father will send in my place, will teach you everything, and will remind

Îou of everything which told you.

27. I will leave you restfulness; not such as men give do I give you : let not your heart be troubled, and do not lose courage.

28. You have heard me say to you : I go away, and come to you. If you love me, you must rejoice, for I told you, I unite with the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

the words which make no definite sense, and they are translated as though the whole discourse were a useless jumble of words.

The discourse began with this, that they ought not to be troubled by his death. In the middle of the discourse we get an explanation why it is said that he will unite with the Father, and that the Father lives in those who love him and therefore do the will of his Father : for he, Jesus, though not living carnally, will live with his Father in the soul of him who will fulfil his teaching about the filial relation to God. At the end of the discourse he says, And so you must not only refrain from being grieved by my death, but must also be completely at rest, for, if you will fulfil my teaching, you will be, not with me alone, but with me and the Father, who will be in you.

29. Kai νυν εϊρηκα ύμΐν πρΙν χενέσθαι-ΐνα, δταν χένηται, πιστεύσητε·

30. 0ύκ ετι πολλά λαλήσω μεθ’ ύμών έρχεται yàp ό τον κόσμου τούτου Αρχών, καί έν έμοί ούκ εχει ούδέν

31. ’Αλλ ϊνα yvy ό κόσμοι δτι άχαπώ τδν πατέρα, καί καθώς ένε-τείλατό μοι ό πατήρ, ού τω ποιώ, έχείρεσθε, Αχωμεν έντεύθεν.

John xiv. 29. And now I have told you before it come to pass,® that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

30. Hereafter I will not talk much with you : for the prince of this world* cometh, and hath nothing in me.’

31. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

29. I have told you before it has happened, and I tell you now, that you may believe when it happens.

30. I have but a little while to talk with you, for the power of this world is near; but in me it has nothing.

31. But that the world may know that 1 love the Father; and as the Father commanded me, so I do. Awaken, and let us go out of this world.

(a) That is, my death.

(Z>) Death.

(c) Nothing subservient to it.

The last profound words, which so clearly flow from what precedes and weld with what follows, are not

understood at all. What they refer to is that some one is coming, and Jesus tells his disciples to go away from the place where they are. Jesus says that life is in the comprehension, and not in the flesh, and so he cannot die. And, concluding his speech, he says, Death is coming, but in me there is nothing left which comes under its dominion. And that the world may know that the true life is the life in the comprehension, in the doing of the will of the Father, awaken all from the carnal life and come out of it, out cf the care for the life of the world. These words conclude the first part of the discourse, and form the introduction to the second, in which Jesus answers Philip’s question, Show us the Father. This first part of the discourse, the whole fourteenth chapter, is an exposition of what is the visible, carnal death. Jesus says that with God (in the house of the Father) there are many different manifestations of life, and that he, dying carnally, unites with the Father, and will return to them as their consoler, — the spirit of truth. And so, if they live in the Father, they must not grieve, nor fear, but only rejoice at his uniting with the Father, for he unites with them. Even now he feels himself liberated from death, and he admonishes them to awaken likewise and liberate themselves from death.

μή μείνη ίν τή άμπίλψ· ούτως ουδέ ύμεΐς, ίάν μή ίν ίμοί μείνητε.

5. ’Εγώ είμι ή Αμπελος, ύμεΐς τά κλήματα, ό μινών ίν ίμοί, κάγώ ίν αύτψ, ουτο$ φίρει καρπόν πολΰν· δτι χωρίς ίμού ού δύνασθε ποιεΐν ούδίν.

6. ’Εάν μή τις μείνη ίν ίμοί, ίβλήθη εξω ώ$ τό κλήμα, καί ίξηράνθη, καί συνά-γουσιν αύτά καί είς πυρ βάλλουσι, καί καίεται.

7. ’Εάν μείνητε ίν ίμοί, καί τά ρήματά μου ίν ύμΐν μείνη, δ ίάν θί-λητε αίτήσεσθε, καί γε-νήσεται ύμΐν.

8. Έντούτψ ίδοξάσθη ό πατήρ μου, ϊνα καρπόν πολύν φίρητε· καί γενή-σεσθε ίμοί μαθηταί.

ye, except ye abide iu me.

5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6. If a man abide not iu me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the tire, and they are burned.6

7. If ye abide iu me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. self, if it is not on the root, so are you, if you do not abide in the comprehension.

5. The comprehension is the root, you are the shoots. He who is in the comprehension, and the comprehension in him, bears much fruit, so that nothing can be done without the comprehension.

6. He who does not live in the comprehension is cut off like a shoot, and withers; and men gather them into heaps, and burn them.

7. If you will abide in the comprehension, and my words will abide in you, ask whatever you wish,and it will be done to you.

8. For iu this is the decision of my Father, that you should bear fruit; and then you are my disciples.

(α) I has to be translated here by comprehension, in order that what follows may be clear.

(b) The same idea in the parable of the tares, of the husbandman who cleans his threshing-floor.

1. ’Εγώ είμι ή &μπε-Xor ή αληθινή, καί ό πατήρ μου ό γεωργόϊ ίστι.

2. Παν κλήμα ίν ίμοί μή φίρον καρπόν, αίρει αυτό· καί παν τό καρπόν φίρον, καθαίρει αυτό, ϊνα πλείονα καρπόν φίρη.

3. Ήδη ύμεΐς καθαροί ίστε, δια τόν λόγον δν λελάληκα ύμΐν.

4. Μείνατε ίν ίμοί, κά*γω ίν ύμΐν. καθώς τό κλήμα ού δύναται καρπόν φίρειν άφ εαυτού, ίάν

John χν. 1. Ι-» am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away: and every branch that bearetb fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine: no more can

1. The comprehension is the true root, and my Father is my gardener.

2. Every shoot in the comprehension, which bears no fruit, is cut off ; and every shoot which bears fruit is cleaned, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3. You are already cleaned by the teaching which I have taught you.

4. Abide in the comprehension, and the comprehension in you. And as a shoot cannot bring forth fruit of it—

The Father decided that only in the comprehension can men bear fruit, that is, live fruitfully, that is, eternally, and receive everything they desire, that is, be satisfied. The one true life is the life in the comprehension : it alone bears fruit and is not destroyed. As a branch can live only on the root, so only on the comprehension can there be life. The root of the life of men is the comprehension, as expressed by Jesus. Outside of it there is no life. He who does not live on the root is cut off and perishes. Only when you will be one with me and will fulfil my commandments, will you live, and

only then, in the name of the true life, will everything you ask for be given to you, for God the Father has determined that only the wishes which are based on the comprehension of men can be fulfilled. Only by living in the spirit is man free and always satisfied. Only he is my disciple.

of the vine, he explains why it is so. He says that the beginning of life is the love of the Father. The Father loving the world, gave his son, the comprehension, to it. Jesus calls himself the comprehension, and says that the comprehension is love.

9. Κα0ώ$ τργάπησέ με ό πατήρ, κάγώ -ίργάπησα υμάς-μείνατε έν ττ) ά-γάπτ) τή έμή.

10. ’Εάν τας έντολάς μου τηρήσητε, μενεΐτε «ν τ y àyà/rry μον καθώς όγώ ràs έντολάς του πατρός μου τετ ήρηκα, καί μένω αύτοΰ έν ry ά-γάπτ).

11. Ταυτα λελάληκα ύμΐν, Ίνα ή χαρά ή έμή έν ύμΐν μά-ντ), και ή χαρά ύμών πληρωθή.

12. Λύτη έστίν ή έν-τολή ή έμή, Ίνα àyanâre άλλήλους, καθώς Tjyà-πησα υμάς.

(a) The following seven verses are nothing but an elucidation of the parable of the root. Verse 16, which says that you will bear fruit, points to this. Verses 9 and 10, where the same expressions μείνατε εν are repeated, are only an explanation of Verses 4-6, where it says that only that shoot will bring forth fruit, which με ivy εν ry αμττελω. Jesus says, The Father, the gardener, has loved me, the root, and I have loved you, the shoots on me, and you live by this love, and act with the same love toward all the shoots on you.

(b) The present life consists only in love. It proceeds from love and is continued through love.

(c) Jesus said before that his commandment is the love for one another ; but now, making use of the comparison

John χν. 9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you : continue ye in my love.·

10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.6

11. These things have I spoken unto you,that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.-

9. As the Father has loved me, so I loved you. Live by my love.

10. If you keep my commandments, you live by my love. Even so I have kept my Father’s commandments, and live by his love.

11. This I have told you that my blessedness might remain in you, and that your blessedness might be fulfilled.

12. My commandment is that you should love one another, as I have loved you.

13. Μεί^ονα ταύτης àyàir-ην ούδείς ϊχει, Ίνα τις τήν ψυχήν αύτου 0y ύπέρ των φίλων αύτοΰ.

14. ‘Ύμεΐς φίλοι μου έστέ, έάν ποιήτε δσα έγώ έντέλλομαι ύμΐν.

15. Ούκέτι υμάς XEyio δούλους, 6τι ό δοΰλοί ούκ οϊδε τί ποιεί αύτου ο κύριος-υμάς δέ εΐρηκα φίλους, δτι πάντα & ήκουσα παρά του πα-τρός μου έ’γνώρισα ύμΐν.

16. Ούχ ύμεΐς με έξε-λέξασθε, άλλ tyo> έξελε-ζάμην υμάς, καί εθηκα υμάς,.Ίνα ύμεΐς ΰτάγητε καί καρπόν φέρητε, καί ό καρπός υμών μέντ)· Ίνα 5 τι άν αίτήσητε τόν πατέρα έν τφ όνόματί μου, δφ ύμΐν.

17. Ταυτα έντέλλομαι ύμΐν, Ίνα άyaπâτε άλλήλους.

John χν. 13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.»

14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth : but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.6

16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go ’and bring’ forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain : that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

13. The truest love is to lay down one’s life for those one loves.

14. Yon are loved by me, if you do what I command you.

15. I do not regard you as slaves, lor the slave does not know what the master does; hut I ref;ard you as friends, for I lave* ex plained to you everything which I know from my Father.

16. You (the shoots) have not chosen me, but I have sent you forth and placed you in such a way that you can grow and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit may remain, that whatever you may ask of the Father, living by me, he may give you.

17. This I command you, Love one another.

(a) As Jesus did ill respect to Judas.

(b) Jesus says that be does not command, but that he explains everything which he knows, that life is the work of the Father’s love, and so life is love.

In this chapter, Verses 1-17, we really find the answer to Philip’s request, Show us the Father, and that awakening from the carnal life, to which Jesus calls men at the end of the previous chapter. Jesus says that the Father is that invisible gardener who cleans the root and

the shoots which bear fruit. But the life of the shoots is the comprehension. It is the same thought as in the parables of the sower and the talents. But here Jesus says also what was said in the discourse with Nicodemus. He says that the source of this life is love. The Father loves those shoots, or does good to those shoots, which bring forth fruit. Even so the root does good, feeding the shoots which bring forth fruit. But to bear .fruit means to keep the commandments, the will of the Father. And the will of the Father is that the root should love, foster, feed the shoots. Consequently, to bring forth fruit means to do good, to love. And so the commandment of both the Father and Jesus is to love one another, to do one another good. Here we find expressed in the name of Jesus what was said in the introduction, in the first chapter of John : No man knows God. God gave in the beginning his son, the comprehension, to the world, and everything living, life, is only the comprehension. If it were not for this action of God, there would be no life. Everything we love is life; everything we do not love, which we fear, is death. Consequently, the gift of life is the gift of good. The gift of good we understand as a fruit of love. If the cause of life is love, then by returning to the cause we return to the one, true life.

In order that we may the more clearly understand this conception of life by Jesus, we must oppose to it the customary comprehension of life. The customary comprehension is like this : Ever since I know myself I live, and I know nothing but my earthly life with all its joys and sorrows. Life and joys are good, and death and sufferings are bad. I will make use of the joys and of life, and will avoid sufferings and death. Life is good ; death is not only bad, but even senseless. I live and know no other good than life. Wherefore, then, is death ? Life there must be, — it is mine, I have a right to it. Death is something foreign to me, some violence from without. I live according to my right, lawfully, rationally, well ; and what is illegal, stupid, cruel, is that someone is taking this life from me. It would have been better if it had not been given to me, since it is taken from me so cruelly.

Such is the customary comprehension of life, in the place of which Christ furnishes another. He does not justify death, does not do what the false religions do, does not try to assure people that after the carnal death something particular will take place. He says, You must direct your thought to this, that your life is not only not a natural phenomenon, but the most remarkable miracle that can exist and one that must have some explanation. Your false view and your terror before death are due to this, that you take the most remarkable miracle, the consequence of something, for a natural, fundamental phenomenon. You speak that remarkable absurdity that the most miraculous thing on earth, your momentary life after an eternity of death and before just such an eternity, is a most simple, lawful, comprehensible phenomenon. Naturally death will after this appear incomprehensible to you. He says, On the contrary, it is not death, the absence of life, in which you were, not eternity, which is incomprehensible to you, but life, and we must understand it in some manner. Or else you are like labourers in somebody else’s garden, and like children of the labourers, born in somebody else’s garden, who for some reason imagine that the garden with the apple-trees and wells and houses came of itself and belongs to you. Naturally you will be surprised, when the master comes and demands an account of you or drives you away.

Jesus says, You, men, remember first of all that you did not exist before and would not exist if it were not for something. But you imagine that you have been living eternally, appeared of your own will. You imagined this, and thus imagined an untruth, and so it seems so cruel and ‘ *

stupid to you, when you are driven out ; but this seems so cruel to you only because you have not considered what your life is and whence it comes. Itemember that you were not before, that you did not live, that is, there was with you what you are most afraid of, what you call evil, — you were in death. Something brought you out of tliis condition, something gave you the highest good. So understand this something, and turn to it, and ask yourselves what this something is which gave you the highest good. Judging by yourselves, you know that the good is given only through love, or else you do not understand the good. Now who loves you and gave you this good ? Something or somebody did it. Whatever it may be that did it, what did it is stronger than you, and in it is all your life. So can we not in some way unite with this principle ? And here Jesus teaches that this principle gave the good, and so is love. And this principle is in us, as love, and, by giving ourselves over to this principle, we live and do not die.

Ep. of John iv. 7. Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8. He that loveth not, knowetb not God ; for God is love.

11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar : for he that loveth not bis brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

τού κόσμου, διά τούτο μισεί ΰμα$ ό κόσμο!.

20. Μ νημονεύετε του λόγου ού έγώ εϊπον ΰμΐν, Ούκ εστι δούλο$ μείξων του κυρίου αύτού. εΐ έμδ έδιωξαν, καί ΰμα.! διώξου-σιν· el τδν λόγον μου έτ-ήρησαν, καί τδν ΰμέτε-ρον τηρήσουσιν.

21. ’Αλλά ταΰτα πάντα ποιήσουσιν ΰμΐν διά τδ δνομά μου, δτι ούκ οίδασι τδν πέμψαντά με.

Jesus says that we must marvel at the malice of people. This malice is directed against the good. If people do not love the good, how can they love the servants of the good ?

22. Et μη ήλθον καί έλάλησα αυτοί!, αμαρτίαν ούκ εΐχον-νυν δδ πρόφασιν ούκ έχουσι π epl τη! αμαρτία! αύτων.

23. *0 έμδ μισών καί τδν πατέρα μου μισεί.

24. Et τά ϊργα μη έποίησα έν αυτοί!, A ου-Sels Αλλο! πεποίηκεν, αμαρτίαν ούκ εϊχον· νυν δδ καί έωράκασι,’ καί με-μισήκασι καί έμδ καί τδν πατέρα μου.

25. Αλλ’ ϊνα πληρωθη δ λόγο! δ γεγραμ-therefore the world hateth you.

μένα! έν τίρ νόμιρ αύτών, ‘ Ort έμίσησάν με δωρεάν.”

20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

John χν. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin : but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. the whole world hates you.

20. Remember the words which I told you, The slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If you keep my word, they will keep yours also.

21. But all this they will do to you for my comprehension, for they do not know him that sent me.

22. If I had not come and spoken to them, their errors would not be apparent to them ; but now they have no excuse for their error.

23. He who does not love my teaching does not love my Father also.

24. If I had not lived among them as no other man lived before, their error would not be apparent to them ; but now they have seen, and hate both me and the Father.

25. Thus the word has come to pass, that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

18. El ô κόσμοι ύμα! μισεί, yiνώσκετε δτι έμδ πρώτον υμών μεμίσηκεν.

19. Εί έκ του κόσμου Hrc. ό κόσμο! Αν τδ ίδιον έφίλει· δτι δδ έκ του κόσμου ούκ έστδ, άλλ ύγώ έξελε^άμην υμάς έκ

John χν. 18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own ; but because ye are not of the world, but 1 have chosen you out of the world,

18. If the world hates you, know that it hated me before, and still hates me.

IS. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but you are not of the world, for I have separated you from the world, and so

Jesus explains that the men of darkness must hate the men of light, even because the light will show the errors of the men of darkness. Remarkable are here the words, In their law; if we need any confirmation of the fact that Jesus rejected the law of Moses, these words certainly prove it.

26. Οταν δΕ -XSv ό παράκλητο!, δν Eyù) πΕμφω ύμΐν παρά του πατρδί, τδ IIνεύμα τη! άληθεία! δ παρά τοΰ πα-τρο! Εκπορεύεται, Εκεΐ-ΐΌ! μαρτυρήσει περί Εμού·

27. Καί ύμεΪ! δΕ μαρτυρείτε, δτι άπ’ άρχη! μετ’ Εμού Εστε.

1. Ταΰτα λελάληκα ύμΐν, ΐνα μή σκανδα-λισθήτε.

2. ’Αποσυναγώγου! ποιήσουσιν ύμα!· άλλ ίρχεται ώρα, ΐνα πα! δ άποκτείνα! ύμα! δόξη λατρείαν προσφΕρειν τψ θεψ.

3. ΚαI ταΰτα ποιήσουσιν ύμιν, δτι ούκ &γνω-σαν τδν πατΕρα ούδΕ ΕμΕ.

4. ’Αλλά ταΰτα λελάληκα ύμΐν, ΐνα, δταν ελθη ή ώρα, μνημονεύητε αυτών, δτι Eyù εΐπον ύμιν· ταΰτα δΕ ύμιν εξ αρχή ! ούκ εϊπον, δτι μεθ’ ύμών ήμην.

(a) The words, Which proceedeth from the Father, are interpolated and are not found in many texts.

Men must hate the light, but the spirit of truth will show the justice of the teaching of Jesus, and you, the disciples, will also show that this teaching is natural to men.

Femember, he says, that men hate the good, because they do not know the Father and the comprehension, and so they cannot help hating you. Their hating you is one of the signs that you have remained true to me. You are blessed when they drive you in my name. Men are not to blame, — it must be so, and you must remember it. As long as I was with you, I could explain it to you ;

John τυ. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom 1 will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father,® he shall testify of me:

27. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

John xvi. 1. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

3. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

26. When the intercessor comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the spirit of truth, he ‘ will confirm my teaching.

27. And you will confirm that you are by principle with me.

1. This I have told you that you should not be offended.

2. They will put you out of the assemblies. Nay, the time comes when every one who kills you will think that he is working for God.

3. All this will they do, because they have known neither the Father, nor my teaching.

4. But I told you this, that when the time comes you may remember what I told you. In the beginning I did not tell you this, because I was with you.

but soon I will not be with you, and then you must not be offended. You will be put out from worshipping and they will beat you, assuring people that they are doing it for God’s sake; but do not be troubled, and remember that I told you so.

5. Νυν δΕ ύπά^ω πρδ! τδν πΕμφαντά με, καί ούδεΪ! Εξ ύμών Ερωτμ με, Πού ύπά^εΐ! ;

6. Αλλ δτι ταΰτα λελάληκα ύμιν, ή λύπη πεπλήρωκεν ύμών την καρδίαν.

7. Αλλ’ Εγώ την αλήθειαν λΕ”γω ύμΐν, συμφΕ-ρει ύμΐν ΐνα όγώ άπΕλθω. Εάν yàp μή άπΕλθω, δ παράκλητο! ούκ Ελεύσεται πρδ! ύμα!· Εάν δΕ πορευθώ, πΕμφω αύτδν πρδ! ύμα!·

8. Καί Ελθών Εκείνο! EλEyξει τδν κόσμον περί αμαρτία! καί περί δικαιοσύνη! καί περί κρίσεω!.

9. IIερί αμαρτία! μΕν, δτι ού πιστεύουσιν είί ΕμΕ·

10. Περί δικαιοσύνη! δΕ, δτι πρδ! τδν πατΕρα μου ύπάyω, καί ούκ ετι θεωρεΐτΕ με·

11. Περί κρίσεω!, δτι ό &ρχων του κόσμου τούτου κΕκριται.

12. *Ετι πολλά εχω λEyfιv ύμΐν, άλλ’ ού δύνασθε βαστάζειν άρτι·

13. “Οτα„ δΕ ελθη εκείνο!, τδ Π νεύμα τη! άληθεία!, δδηyήσει ύμα! εί! πάσαν την αλήθειαν ού yàp λαλήσει άφ’ εαυτόν, άλλ’ δσα άν άκούση λαλήσει, καί τά Ερχόμενα àvayyελεΐ ύμΐν.

John xvi. 5. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketli me, Whither goest thou?®

6. But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go awav: for’if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9. Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world* is judged.

12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak : and he will shew you things to come.®

5. Now I go away to him who sent me, and nobody asks me,Whither dost thou go?

6. But when I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

7. But I tell you the truth: it is useful for you that I go away. If I do not go away, the intercessor will hot come to you : but if I go away, he will come to you.

8. Ho will come, and there will appear for men error, and righteousness, and condemnation.

9. The error is, that they have not believed in my teaching.

10. The righteousness is in this, that I lead to the Father, and that they have not understood my teaching.

11. And the condemnation is in this, that death is condemned.

12. Though I should like to tell you many things now, yon cannot understand them.

13. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will show you the path to all truth; for he will not speak of himself ; but whatever he will hear, that he will speak, and announce to you in any case.

14. Εκείνος έμέ δοξάσει , 3η έκ του έμοΰ λήγεται, καί άνα-γγελεΐ ύμίν.

15. ΙΙάντα δσα εχει ό πατήρ, έμά έστι· διά τούτο είπον, 6τι έκ του έμοΰ λήψεται, καί àvay-Ύελεΐ ΰμΐν.

(a) Before this (John xiv. 5) Thomas said that we cannot know the way. Jesus showed him the way of suffering, and now no one asks about the path.

(b) The prince of the world means death.

(c) ep’xfpeva, the going, the subsequent events.

(d) e-χω I translate by to be, to mean.

Verses 48 of Chapter XV. to 16 of Chapter XVI. of John form the third part of the discourse.

In the first Jesus says what death means to him. He says that he will not die, but will live as the comprehension in those who fulfil his teaching. In the second part he speaks of what the Father and what the comprehension are, and that the commandment of the Father and the comprehension is to love one another. Now, in the third part, Jesus says that this comprehension is not accepted by the world and will not at once be accepted by the world, and that he will be persecuted, and that it cannot be otherwise. And so he shows them the way to the Father, and they are grieved ; but he tells them the truth, — there is no other comforter than truth, — that he himself, Jesus, as the spirit of truth, will live in those who are chosen. It is better for you that I should die, and that the spirit of truth should come. This spirit of truth will convince the world that the truth is only in the filial relation to the Father, that the flesh is powerless. Even though I have something to say, I cannot do so, but the spirit of truth (I myself in the spirit) will reveal every

14. Fie shall glorify me : for he shall receive of mine, aud shall shew it unto you.

15. All things that the Father hath** are mine: therefore said 1, that he shall take of mine, aud shall shew it uuto you.

14. He will judge just as I do, for he will take of mine, aud will announce it.

15. All that the Father is, is mine; therefore I said that he will take of mine, aud will announce it to you.

thing to you, and will reveal to you in all circumstances of life. He will not tell you anything new, but the same as I tell you, — of your filial relation to God.

10. Μικρόν καί où θεωρεΐτέ με, καί πάλιν μικρόν καί δψεσθέ με, δτι éyù υπάγω προς τόν πατέρα.

17. Εΐπου οΰν έκ των μαθητών αυτού πρός άλλήλους, Ή έστι τούτο δ λέyει ήμϊν, Μικρόν καί ού θεωρεΐτέ με, καί πάλιν μικρόν καί δψεσθέ με ; καί, Οτι έγώ υπάγω πρός τόν πατέρα ;

18. ’Έλργου οΰν, Τούτο τI έστιν 6 λέyει, τό μικρόν; ούκ οΐδαμεν τΐ λάλε ΐ.

1ί). “Εγνω οΰν ό Ίη-<7oùr δτι ήθελον αύτόν έρωταν, καί εϊπεν αύτοΐς, Hep! τούτου ζητείτε μετ’ άλλήλων, δτι εΐπον, Μι-κρόν καί ού θεωρεΐτέ με, καί πάλιν μικρόν καί δψεσθέ με;

20. ‘Αμήν άμήν λέyω ύμΐν, δτι κλαύσετε καί θρηνήσετε υμείς, ό δέ κόσμος χαρήσεται· υμείς δέ λυπηθήσεσθε, άλλ’ ή λύπη υμών εις χαράν yεvήσετaι.

21. Ή yυvή δταν τίκτη, λύπην εχει, δτι ήλθεν ή ώρα αύτής· δταν δέ yεvvήστ) τό παιδίον, ούκ ετι μνημονεύει τής θλίψεως, διά τήν χαράν, δτι έyεvvήθη Ανθρωπος εις τόν κόσμον.

22. Kαί υμείς οΰν λύπην μέν νυν εχετε-πάλιν δέ δψομαι υμάς, καί χα—

John xvi. 16. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because 1 go to the Father.

17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me : and again, a little while, and ?e shall see me: and, because I go to the Father?

18. They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and yq shall see me?

20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.·

21. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

22. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice,

16. At times you will not see me for a little while; and again you will see mo for a little while, because 1 shall go to the Father.

17. And the disciples said among themselves, What does this mean which he says, Yon will not see mo, and again

Îou will see me, because go to the Father?

18. And they said, What does this mean, It will be, it will not be? We do not know what he says.

19. Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him, and said to them, You are trying to make out what I said, You will not see me, and again you will see me.

20. You know yourselves that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

21. A woman when she is in child labour is sorrowful, when her hour has come; but as soon as the child is born, she does not remember the pains for joy that a man is born into the world.

22. And so you will have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and ρήσεται υμών ή καρδία, καί την χαράν υμών ούδείς αίρει άφ’ υμών’

23. Καί έν έκείνη τη ήμέρη. έμέ ούκ έρωτήσετε ούδέν. ’Αμήν άμήν λέ-γω ύμΐν, δτι δσα άν αίτήσητε τδν πατέρα έν τφ όνόματί μου, δώσει ύμΐν.

24. Εω$ Αρτι ο ύκ ήτήσατε ούδέν έν τφ όνόματί μου’ αιτείτε, καί λήφεσθε, ϊνα η χαρά υμών ή πεπληρωμένη.

25. Ταύτα έν παροιμίαν λελάληκα ύμΐν· άλλ’ έρχεται ώρα ό’τε ούκ ετι έν παροιμίαν λαλήσω ύμΐν, άλλά παβρησίφ περί τού πατρδς αι-α^εΧώ ύμΐν.

26. Έν έκείνη τη ήμέ-pq έν τφ όνόματί μου αίτήσεσθε· καί ού λέ~γω ύμΐν Ατι έγώ έρωτήσω τδν πατέρα περί ύμών·

27. Aύτδς 7®Ρ θ πατήρ φίλε? ύμάΐ, δτι ύμεΐς έμέ πεφιλήκατε, καί πε-πιστεύκατε δτι έ^ώ παρά, τού θεού έξήλθον.

28. ‘Ιύζήλθον παρά τού πατρδς, καί έλήλυθα εις τδν κόσμον πάλιν άφίημι τδν κόσμον, καί πορεύομαι πρδς τδν πατέρα.

29. Αέγουσιν αύτφ οί μαθηταί αύτοΰ, “Ιδε νυν παρρησίς. λαλεΐς, καί παροιμίαν ούδεμίαν λ^γείϊ.

30. Νυν οϊδαμεν δτι οϊδας πάντα, καί ού χρείαν εχείΐ ί’να τί$ σε ^ρω-rçt. ^ν τούτφ πιστεύο-μεν δτι άπδ θεού έζήλθες.

31. ’ Απεκρίθη αύτοΐς δ ’Ιησούς, *Αρτι πιστεύετε;

and your joy no man taketh from you.

23. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, W hatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.*

25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.®

26. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27. For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world : again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee : by this we believe that thou earnest forth from God.

31. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

no man will take your joy from you.

23. And in that day you will ask me nothing. You know yourselves that everything which you will ask of the Father for the spirit’s sake, will be given to you.

24. Hitherto you have not asked anything for the sake of the spirit. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy will be full.

25. I tell you this in ambiguous words; but the time will come when I will not speak to you in ambiguous words, but will directly announce to you about the Father.

26. On that day you will ask according to my teaching; and I do not say that I will ask my Father for you.

27. The Father himself loves you. because you have loved me, and have believed that the comprehension is God ;

28. That I am the comprehension, come into the world from the Father, and that I again leave the world, and go to the Father.

29. The disciples said to him, Now thou speakest plainly, and not ambiguously.

30. Now we understand that thou knowest everything, and that we need not ask thee any more. Now we believe that the comprehension is from God.

31. Jesus replied to them, Now you believe;

32. ’Ιδού, έρχεται ώρα καί νυν έλήλυθεν, ϊνα σκορπισθήτε έκαστος εις τα ίδια, καί έμέ μόνον άφητε· και ούκ είμί μόνος, δτι ό πατήρ μετ’ έμού έστι.

33. Ταύτα λελάληκα ύμΐν. ϊνα έν έμοί ειρήνην εχητε. έν τφ κόσμιρ θλΐφιν έξετε· άλλα θαρ-σεΐτε, £γώ νενίκηκα τδν κόσμον.

(a) In reply to the question as to what is meant by, Now you will not see, and now you will see, Jesus says, You will weep and rejoice. When you rejoice, you see; when you weep, you do not see.

(b) This verse shows clearly what is meant by asking the Father in my name.

(c) That is, The time will come when you will with your heart understand your sonhood and the essence of the Father.

(d) νυν is wanting in many texts.

(e) This verse repeats the former idea that at times they will be with him, and at times will abandon him, but never entirely, for they are one with the Father, and will return to the Father.

This is the fourth part of the discourse. Jesus here defines what kind of a comprehension the spirit of truth will give. He says, The consolation will not be continuous. You will not all the time see me, that is, the consolation in the spirit of truth ; there will be minutes of decline, weakness, and sorrow. You will not see me all the time, but, as it is in life, now you will lament, and you will not see me, and now you will rejoice, and you will see me. And as a woman, when she is in labour, is in pain and then rejoices, so you will be pained and will rejoice. But your joy, when

23. Behold, the hour cometb, yea, is nowJ come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone : and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.-

33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might nave peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation : but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

32. But the time will come and is coming, when you will be scattered, every man in his own, and will leave me alone. But 1 am not alone, for the Father is with me.

33. All this I have told you that you might have restfnlness through my teaching. In the world there will be calamities; but have no fear : I have overcome the world.

you see me, will be complete, and no man will take it from you, for then everything which you wish for the spirit will be given to you ; you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. Now, as a man, I can speak to you only in words, which do not express everything, but then I will announce to you about the Father within you. And then you will feel yourselves completely satisfied, and all your wishes will be fulfilled. The Father himself will be in you, because he loves you for loving me and believing in me. And to this the disciples say that now they understand wherein the consolation consists. Now he speaks simply and plainly, and they do not need to ask him again. We understand, and we believe. Jesus says, Now you believe, but you will be scattered again, and will forget me. 1 told you so, that you might know in time of sorrow and of insults where to find peace. I have discovered this peace of men, in spite of all carnal misfortunes. I am stronger than the flesh.

1. Ταυτα έλάλησεν i Tησοΰς, καί έπήρε τούς <5φθαλμούς αυτού eî? τόν ουρανόν, καί είπε, Πάτερ, έλήλυθεν ή ώρα-δό£α-σόν σου τόν υιόν, Ίνα καί ό υιός σου δοξάση σε·

2. Καθώς έδωκας αύτψ έζουσίαν πάσης σαρκός, ’ίνα παν δ δέδωκάς αύτψ, δώση αύτοes ζωήν αιώνιον.

3. Αυτή δέ έστιν ή αΙώνιος ζωή, ϊνα yivib-σκωσί σε τόν μόνον αληθινόν θεόν, καί δν άπέ-στ«ιλα$ Iήσουν Χριστόν.

4. ’Εγώ ere /δόξασα έπΐ της Ίης-τό tpyov έτελείωσα δ δέδωκάς μοι ϊνα ποιήσω·

John xvii. 1. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee :

2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4. I have glorified thee on the earth : I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

1. Having said this, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour has come : recognize thy son, that thy son may recognize thee :

2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he may give the true life to everything thou hast given him.

3. The true life consists in knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4. I have recognized thee on earth; I have done the work which thou commandedst me to do.

5. Kai νυν δόξασόν με σύ, πάτερ, παρά σεαυ-τψ, τή δόξη ή εϊχον πρό του τόν κόσμον είναι παρά σοί.

6. Έφανέρωσά σου τό δνομα τοϊς άνθρώποις οί»ΐ δέδωκάς μοι έκ του κόσμου· σοί ήσαν, καί έμοί αύτούΐ δέδωκάς· καί τόν λόγον σου τετηρήκασι.

7. Νυν εγνωκαν ότι πάντα δσα δέδωκάς μοι, παρά σου έστιν

8. Οτι τά ρήματα â δέδωκάς μοι, δέδωκα αύ-τοις· και αύτοI eλαβον, καί ^νωσαν άληθώς δτι παρά σου έξήλθον, καί έπίστευσαν δτι σύ με άπέστειλας.

9. ’Εγώ 7repi αυτών /ρωτώ, οΰ περί του κόσμου έρωτώ, αλλά π epl ών δέδωκάς μοι, δτι σοί είσι.

10. Kai τα έμά πάντα σά έστι, καί τά σά έμά· καί δεδόξασμαι έν αύτοΐς.

11. Kai ούκ έτι είμΐ έν τψ κόσμψ, καί ούτοι έν τψ κόσμψ είσΙ, καί έ·γώ πρός σέ έρχομαι, πάτερ Îyie. τήρησαν αυτούς έν τψ όνόματί σου, ούς δέδωκάς μοι, ϊνα ώσιν έν, καθώς ημείς.

12. **0Τ€ ήμην μετ’ αύτών έν τψ κόσμψ, έyώ έτήρουν αυτούς έν τψ όνόματί σου■ οΰς δέδωκάς μοι έφύλαξα, καί οόδείς έξ αύτών άπώλετο, εί μή ό υΙός τής άπωλείας, ϊνα ή y ραφή πληρωθή.

13. Νυν δ/ πρός σέ έρχομαι, καί ταυτα λαλώ έν τψ κόσμψ, ϊνα έχωσι

5. And now, Ο Father, glorify thou mo with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

V. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

13. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have

5. And now, O Father, recognize me as I was before the world was.

6. I have showed thy comprehension to the men out of the world, whom thou gavest me. They were thine, but thou gavest them to me ; and they have kept thy comprehension.

7. Now they have learned that all things which thou hast taught me are from thee.

8. What thou hast taught me, I have taught them. And they have understood and know well that I come from thee, and have believed that thou hast sent me.

9. I pray thee for them: not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine.

10. And everything of mine is thine, and thine is mine, and thou hast recognized my teaching in them.

11. For they are in the world, and I go to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thee, those that thou gavest me, that they may be one with us.

12. When I was with them in the world, I kept them in thee. I kept those whom thou gavest me, and none of them perished, except the son of perdition, as it is said in the Scripture.

13. Now I go to thee; and I speak this in the world, that they may have my joy, that την χαράν την δμήν πε-πληρωμδνην év αύτοί;.

14. ’Εγώ δέδωκα αυτού τδν λόχον σου, καί δ κόσμος έμίσησεν αυτούς, δτι ούκ είσϊν έκ του κόσμου, καθώς εγώ ούκ είμί έκ του κόσμου.

15. Ούκ ίρωτω ϊνα Αρης αυτούς έκ του κόσμου, άλλ ϊνα τηρήσης αυτούς έκ τού πονηρού.

16. Έκ τού κόσμου ούκ είσΐ, καθώς éyù εκ τού κόσμου ούκ είμί.

17. Άχίασον αύτούς év τή αληθείς σου· ο λόχος δ σδς αλήθεια άττι.

18. Κα0ώ; δμδ άπί-στειλας είς τδν κόσμον, κάχώ άπδστείλα αύτούς είς τδν κόσμον·

19. Καί ύπδρ αυτών έχω άχιάζω ίμαυτδν, ϊνα και αύτοί ώσιν ήχια-σμίνοι év άληθείς..

20. Ού περί τούτων δδ δρωτώ μόνον, άλλα καί περί των πιστευσόν-των διά τού λόχου αύ-τών εις δμί·

21. *Τνα πάντες tv ώσι· καθώς σύ, πάτερ, év δμοί, κάχώ év σοΙ, ϊνα και αύτοί év ήμΐν tv ώσιν· ϊνα ô κόσμος πιστεύση Ατι σύ με άπδστειλα;.

22. Καί ^γώ την δόξαν ήν δϊδωκάς μοι, δδ-δωκα αύτοΐς, ϊνα ώσιν tv, καθώς ήμεΐς tv ίσμεν·

23. ’Εγώ év αύτο?;, καί σύ év épo’i, ϊνα ώσι τετελειωμδνοι είς tv, καί ϊνα χινώσκη δ κόσμος δτι σύ με άπδστειλας, καί ήχάπησας αύτούς, καθώς éμé ήχάπησας.

24. Πάτερ, ούς δί-my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14. 1 have given them thy word ; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as 1 am not of the world.

15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16. They are not of the world, even as 1 am not of the world.

17. Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth.

18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have 1 also sent them into the world.

19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word ;

21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and 1 in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22. And the glory which thou gavest me 1 have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one :

23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. it may be fulfilled in them.

24. Father, I will that

24. Father, I wist^that

14. I have taught them the comprehension of thee, and the world hates them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15. I do not ask thee to take them out of the world of the flesh, but to keep them from the evil.

16. They are not of the world of flesh, even as I am not of the world of flesh.

17. Holy Father, keep them in truth. Thy comprehension is truth.

18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so I send them into the world.

19. And for them I purify myself, that they also may’be purified in the truth.

20. I do not pray for them alone, but for those also who believe in me according to their comprehension,

21. That they all may be one; even as thou, () Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they all may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou bast sent me.

22. And I have taught them the recognition which thou hast taught me, that they may be one, even as we are one:

23. I in them, and thou in me, that we may be united in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and lovest them, as thou lovest me. δωκάς μοι, θϊλω ϊνα όπου είμί δχώ, κάκεϊνοι ώσι μετ’ έμοΰ· ϊνα θεωρώσι την δόξαν την έμήν, ήν ε δωκάς μοι, δτι ήχάπησάς με πρδ καταβολής κόσμον.

25. Πάτερ δίκαιε, καί ό κόσμος σε ούκ εχνω, όγώ δδ σε εχνων, καί ούτοι ϊχνωσαν δτι σύ με άπδστ ειλας·

26. Καί ^γνώρισα αυτοί; τό όνομά σου, καί χνωρίσω-ϊνα ή άχάπη, ήν ήχάπησάς με, év αυτοί; ή, κάχώ év αύτοί;. they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold mv glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

THE FAREWELL DISCOURSE

The personal life is a deception of the flesh. The true life is the life which is common to all men.

When Jesus, feeling himself prepared for death, went out, in order to deliver himself, Peter stopped him and asked him whither he was going. Jesus replied, I go whither thou canst not follow me. I am prepared for death, but thou art not yet prepared for it. Peter said, Nay, I am even now prepared to give my life for thee. Jesus replied, A man can make no promises. And he said to all the disciples, I know that death awaits me, but I believe in the life of the Father, and so am not afraid of it. Let not my death agitate you, but believe in the true God and in the Father of life, and then my death will not appear terrible to you. If I am united with the Father of life, I cannot be deprived of life. It is true, I do not tell you what and when and where my life after death will be, but I point out to you the way to the true life. My teaching does not say what kind of a life it is going to be, but it reveals the only true way of life. It consists in this, that we should unite with the Father, for

25. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. those whom thou hast given me should be with me where 1 am, that they may know that thou hast sent me, for thou lovedst me before the beginning of the world.

25. 0 righteous Father, the world did not know thee; but 1 have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26. And I have explained thee to them, and am explaining thee, that the love with which thou lovest me may be in them, and 1 in them.

the Father is the principle of life. My teaching is this, that we should live in the will of the Father and do his will for the life and good of all men. Your teacher after me will be your recognition of the truth.

By keeping my teaching, you will always feel that you have the truth, that the Father is in you and you are in the Father. And by recognizing the Father of life in you, you will experience that peace which nothing will take away from you. And so, if you know the truth and live in it, neither my death, nor yours can trouble you. Men imagine themselves as separate beings, each with his own will of life, but that is only a deception. The only true life is the one wliich recognizes the will of the Father as the principle of life. My teaching reveals this unity of life and represents life not as separate shoots, but as one tree, on which all the shoots grow. Only he lives who lives in the will of the Father, as a shoot on a tree ; but he who wants to live by his own will, like a shoot broken off, dies. If you will live in the will of the Father, you will have everything you wish, for life is given to man for the good. The Father has given me life for the good, and I have taught you to live for the good. If you will fulfil my commandments you will be blessed. The commandment which expresses my whole teaching is only this, that we should love one another. But love consists in sacrificing our carnal life for another. There is no other definition of love. By keeping my commandment of love, you will not fulfil it as slaves, who do their master’s will without understanding it, but you will live like free men, even as I, for I have explained to you the meaning of life which flows from the recognition of the Father of life. You have accepted my teaching, not because you have chosen it by chance, but because it is the only true one, and the one with which alone men are free.

The teaching of the world consists in doing evil to men ; but my teaching consists in loving one another, and so the world hates you, even as it has hated me.

The world does not understand my teaching, and so it will persecute you and cause you harm, imagining that it thus serves God ; so do not marvel at it, and understand that it must be so. The world, which does not comprehend the true God, must persecute you, and you must affirm the truth. You will be grieved, because they will kill me ; but I shall be killed for establishing the truth. Thus my death is necessary in order that truth may be established. My death, when I will not recede from the truth, will confirm you, and you will know wherein the lie is, and wherein the truth, and what comes from the knowledge of the lie and of the truth.

You will understand that the lie is this, that men believe in the carnal life, and do not believe in the life of the spirit ; that the truth is in the union with the Father ; and that this results in the victory of the spirit over the flesh. When I shall no longer be in the carnal life, my spirit will be with you. But, like all men, you will not always feel in yourselves the power of the spirit. At times you will weaken and lose the power of the spirit : you will fall into temptation ; at other times you will awaken to the true life. You will be overcome by the enslavement of the flesh, but that will He only temporary ; you will suffer for awhile, and then you will again be regenerated in spirit, even as a woman who suffers in labour and then feels joy, because she has brought a man into the world. The same you will feel when, after the enslavement of the flesh, you will rise in spirit : you will then feel such bliss that there will be nothing for you to wish for.

Know in advance, and know this, in spite of persecutions, and inner struggles, and dejection of spirit, that the spirit is alive in you, and that the one true God is the comprehension of the will of the Father, as I have revealed it. And turning to the Father, the spirit, Jesus said, I have done what thou commandedst me : I revealed to people that thou art the beginning of everything, and they comprehended me ; I taught them this, that they all have come from the one principle of endless life, and that, therefore, they are one and, as the Father is in me, and I in the Father, so they are one with me and with the Father. I revealed this to them, that, as thou, loving them, hast sent them into the world, they also must live in the world by love.

And Peter said to Jesus, Whither dost thou go ?

Jesus replied, Thou wilt not be able to go whither I am going ; but later thou wilt go thither thyself.

And Peter said, Why dost thou think that I am not able to follow thee ; I will give my life for thee.

And Jesus said, Thou sayest that thou wilt give thy life for me, but thou wilt deny me thrice before cockcrow.

And Jesus said to his disciples, Let not your spirit be troubled and lose courage, but believe in the true God of life and in my teaching. The life of the Father is not only the one which is on earth ; there is also another life. If there were only the life which is here, I should have told you that, when I die, I shall go to the bosom of Abraham and prepare there a place for you, and will come and take you, and we will be in bliss together in the bosom of Abraham. But I show you only the way to life.

Thomas said, But we do not know whither thou goest, and so we cannot know the path. We must know what will be there after death.

Jesus said, I cannot show you what will be there ; my teaching is the way, the truth, and life, and it is impossible to unite with the Father of life, except through my teaching. If you will fulfil my teaching, you will know the Father.

Philip said, But who is thy Father?

And Jesus said, The Father is that which gives life. I do the will of the Father, and so thou canst understand from my life wherein the will of the Father is. 1 live through the Father, and the Father lives in me, and everything I do and say, I do by the will of the Father. This is my teaching, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. If you do not understand the teaching itself, you see me and my works, and so you can understand what the Father is. And you know that he who will follow my teaching can do the same as I do, and even more, for I shall die, and he will still live. He who will live according to my teaching will have everything he wishes, for then the son will be the same as the Father.

Whatever you may wish according to my teaching you will have ; but you must love my teaching for that. My teaching will give you an intercessor and comforter in my place. This comforter will be the recognition of the truth, which the men of the world do not understand, but you will know it in yourselves. You will never be alone, if the spirit of my teaching is with you. I shall die, and the men of the world shall not see me ; but you will see me, because my teaching lives, and you will live by it. And if my teaching will be in you, you will understand that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. He who will fulfil my teaching will feel the Father in himself, and my spirit will live in him.

And Judas, not Iscariot, said to him, But why cannot all live by the spirit of truth ?

And Jesus replied to him, Only him who fulfils my teaching does the Father love, and only in him can my spirit take up his abode. He who does not fulfil my teaching is not loved by my Father, because this teaching is not mine, but the Father’s. This is all I can tell you now. But my spirit, the spirit of truth, who will take up his abode in you after me, will reveal everything to you, and you will recall and understand much of what I have told you.

Thus you may always be calm in spirit, not with that worldly peace which men of the world seek, but with the peace of the spirit, with which you will no longer have any fear. And so, if you will fulfil my teaching, you will have no cause for grieving at my death. I will come to you as the spirit of truth, and together with the recognition of the Father will take up my abode in your heart. If you fulfil my teaching, you must rejoice, for instead of me the Father will be in your heart, and that is better for you.

My teaching is the tree of life. The Father is he who tends the tree. He cleans and watches the branches on which there is any fruit, so that they may bring forth more.

Keep my teaching of life, and life will be in you. And as a shoot does not live of itself, but of the tree, even so you must live by my teaching. My teaching is the tree, and you are the shoots. He who lives by my teaching of life brings forth much fruit, and outside of my teaching there is no life. He who does not live by teaching withers and perishes, and the dry branches are cut off and burned. If you live by my teaching and fulfil it, you will have everything you wish : for the will of the Father is that you should live the true life and have what you wish. As the Father has given me the good, even so I give you the good. Keep this good. I live, because my Father loves me, and I love the Father, and you must live by the same love. If you live by it, you will be blessed. My commandment is that you should love one another as I love you. There is no other love than that we should sacrifice our life for the love of others, even as I have done.

Let us love one another, for love is from God. And he who loves was born of God and knows God. And he who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love for us has shown itself in this, that he has sent his son, such as he himself is, that we might live through him.

His love for us is seen in this, that it is not we who have come to love God, but God loves us, and we must love one another. God can never be seen. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is accomplished in us. We recognize one another only because we remain in him, and he in us, because he has given us Ills spirit.

Love is accomplished in us, when we are sure and calm on the day of death, for such as God is, we are in this world. Love does not know fear ; on the contrary, complete love destroys fear, for fear causes resistance, struggle. And he who fears is not perfect in love.

We love God only because he has loved us first. (Consequently we first know love toward men.) And so, if one says, I love God, but will not love my brother, he lies, for he who does not love his brother, whom he sees, cannot love God, whom he has not seen and cannot see. The commandment is for one who loves God to love his brother.

You are equal to me if you do what I have taught you. I do not regard you as slaves, who are commanded, but as equals, for I have explained to you everything which I know about the Father. You do not choose my teaching of your own will, but because I have pointed out to you this only truth, by which, if you live in it, you will have everything you wish. The whole teaching is in this, that we should love one another. If the world shall hate you, you must not wonder, for it hates my teaching. If you were one with the world, the world would love you ; but I have separated you from the world, and for this it will hate you. If they have persecuted me, they will }>ersecute you also.

They will do all this, because they do not know the true God. I have explained to them, but they would not even listen to me. They have not understood the Father. They have seen my life, and my life has shown them their error, and for this they have hated me even more. The spirit of truth, which will come to you, will confirm the same. And you will confirm it. I tell you this in advance, that you may not be deceived, when they shall persecute you. They will make you apostates. All will think that killing you they do something pleasing to God. They cannot help doing it, for they do not understand my teaching, nor the true God. All this I tell you in advance, that you may not marvel, when all this shall happen.

And so I now go to this spirit who has sent me, and now you understand that you must not ask whither I go. Before this you were grieved, because I did not tell you whither, to what place, I go. But I tell you truly that it is good for you that I am going away. If I do not die, the spirit of truth will not appear to you ; and if I die, it will take the abode in you. He will take his abode in you, and it will be clear to you wherein the truth is, wherein the solution is. The lie is this, .that men do not believe in the life of the spirit. The truth is this, that I am one with the Father. The solution is this, that the power of the carnal life is destroyed.

I could tell you many things more, but it is hard for you to understand them. But when the spirit of truth shall take his abode in you, he will show you the whole truth, for he will not tell you anything new, that which is his, but that which is from God, and he will in all conditions of fife show you the way. He will also be of the Father, as I am of the Father, for he will speak the same as I speak. But when I, the spirit of truth, shall be in you, you will not always see me. At times you will hear me, and at other times you will not.

And the disciples said among themselves, What does this mean which he says, At times you will see me, and at other times you will not see me ? What does this mean : at times you will, and others you will not ? What does he say ?

Jesus said to them, Do you not understand what is meant by, At times you will see me, and at other times you will not see me ? You know how it always is in the world, that some are sorrowful and lamenting, while others rejoice. You will be sorrowful, and your sorrow will pass into joy. When a woman bears a child, she is sorrowful in her labour, but when the labour is over she does not remember her pain for joy, because a man is born into the world.

Even so you will grieve, and suddenly you will see me : the spirit of truth will enter into you, and your sorrow will be changed into joy. Then you will no longer ask anything of me, for then you will have everything you wish. Then a man will have from his Father everything he wishes in his spirit. Before this you asked nothing for the spirit, but then you will ask what you want for the spirit, and everything will be given you, so that your blessedness will be complete. Now I, a man, cannot explain all this in words ; but when I shall live in you as the spirit of truth, I will clearly announce to you about the Father. Then everything you will ask of the Father in the name of the spirit will be given you not by me, but by your Father, for he loves you, because you have received my teaching. You have understood that the comprehension proceeds in the world from the Father and returns from the world to the Father.

Then the disciples said to Jesus, Now we understand, and we have nothing more to ask. We believe that thou art from God.

And Jesus said, I told you all this that you may have assurance and rest in my teaching. No matter what calamities may befall you in the world, fear nothing, for my teaching has conquered the world.

After this Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, My Father, thou hast given thy son the freedom of life, that he may know the true life. Life is the knowledge of the true God, of the comprehension discovered by me. I have revealed you to men on earth. I have done the work which thou commandedst me. I have declared thy essence to men on earth. They were thine even before this : they have understood that everything they have, that their life, is only from thee ; and that 1 have taught them not of me, but that I and they have proceeded from thee. I pray thee for those who recognize thee. They understand that all mine is thine, and thine mine. I am no longer in the world, but return to thee; but they are in the world, and so I pray thee, Father, keep thy comprehension in them. I do not ask thee that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst deliver them from evil. Confirm them in thy truth. Thy comprehension is truth.

My Father, I wish that they should be such as I am, that they should understand, even as I do, that the true life began before the beginning of the world ; that they should all be one, as thou, O Father, art in me, and I in thee, — that they should be one in us; that I in them and thou in me should unite into one ; and that men should understand that they were not born of themselves, but that thou, loving, hast sent them into the world, as thou hast sent me.

Righteous Father! The world has not known thee, but I have known thee, and they know thee through me. I have explained to them what thou art. Thou art this, that love, with which thou lovest me, should be in them. Thou hast given them life, consequently thou lovest them. 1 have taught them to know this and to love thee in such a way that thy love for them should return from them to thee.

CHAPTER XII.

THE VICTORY OF THE SPIRIT

46. ’Εγείρειτθε, dyoi-μεν. ιδού, ijyyiKev à παραδιδούς ιχε.

47. Καί en αυτοί) λα-λουχτο;, Ιδού, ’Ιούδα; elr των δώδεκα ήλθε, καί μετ’ αυτού 6χλος πολύ; μετά μαχαιρών καί ξύ-λωρ, άπδ των άρχιερέων καί πρεσβυτέρων του λαού.

48. Ο δέ παραδιδούς αυτόν έδωκεν αύτοΐς σημεΐον, λέyωv, *Ον άν φιλήσω, αύτός έστι· κρατήσατε αύτόν.

49. Καί ευθέως προσελθών τψ ‘Ιησού είπε, Χαΐρε, ραββί-καί κατε-φίλησεν αυτόν.

50. Ο δέ ’I?ίσους εϊπεν αύτψ, Εταίρε, έφ’ ψ πάρει. ; τότε προσελθόντες έπέβαλον τάς χείρας έπΐ τδν Ίησούν, καί έκράτησαν αυτόν.

10. Σίμων οΰν Πέτρος έχων μάχαιραν, εΐλκυσεν αυτήν, καί επαισε τόν του άρχιερέως δουλον, καί άπέκοψεν αύτού τδ ώτίον τδ δεξιόν.

51. ’ Αποκριθείς δέ ό Ιησούς εΐπεν, ’Eâre έως τούτου.

52. Τότε λέyει αύτψ δ ’Ιησούς, Άπόστρεφόν

Matt. xxvi. 46. Rise, let us be going : behold, be is at hand that doth betray me.*

47. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast.

49. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail,Master; and kissed him.

50. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus; and took him.

John xviii. 10. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear.

Luke xxii. 51. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far.

Matt. xxvi. 52. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword

46. Awaken, let us be going; he who will betray me is already here.

47. And as he had said this, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with knives and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders.

48. He who betrayed him had had an understanding with them beforehand; he said to them, He whom 1 shall kiss, as I go up to him, is he : seize him.

49. And going up at once to Jesus, he said, Hail, teacher, and kissed him.

50. And Jesus said to him, Didst thou come for this? Then they came up, and took him.

10. Then Peter drew his sword and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.

51. And Jesus said, Stop it.

52. And he said to Peter, Put up the sword into its place, for those

σου την μάχαιραν είς τόν τόπον αυτής· πάντες yàp οί λαβόντες μάχαι-ρανέν μαχαίρι άπολούν-ται.

55. Έν έκείνη τή ωρςι εΐπεν ό ’Ιησούς τοΐς δχλοις, Ώ; έπΐ ληστήν έξήλθετε μετά μαχαιρών καί ξύλων συλλαβεΐν με ; καθ’ ήμέραν πρδς υμάς έκαθιξόμην διδάσκων έν τψ ίερψ, καί ούκ έκρατή-σατέ με.

53. ΑΧΧ’ αύτη υμών έστιν ή ώρα. καί ή έξου-σΐα τού σκότους.

56. Τότε οί μαθηταΐ πάντες άφέντες αύτδν έφιΓγον.

12. Ή οΰν σπείρα και ό χιλίαρχος καί οί ύπηρέται των ’Ιουδαίων συν-έλαβον τδν Ίησούν, καί εδησαν αύτδν,

13. Καί άπήyayον αύτδν πρδς *Ανναν πρώτον· ήν yàp πενθερδς τού Καϊάφα, δς ήν άρχιερεύς τού ένιαυτού έκείνου.

14. Ήν δέ Καϊάφα; ό συμβουλεύσας τοίς ’Ιουδαίοι;, άτι συμφέρει ένα άνθρωπον άπολέσθαι υπέρ τού λαού.

53. Καί άπήyayov τδν Ίησούν πρδς τδν άρχιερέα. καί συνέρχονται αύτψ πάντες οί άρ-χιερείς καί οί πρεσβύτεροι καί οΐ ypaμμaτεΐς.

58. Ό δέ Πέτρο; ήκο-Χού0ει αύτψ άπδ μακρό-θεν, έως τής αύλής τού άρχιερέως· καί είσελθών εσω έκάθητο μετά τών ύπηρετών. ίδείν τδ τέλος.

69. Καί προσήλθεν αύτψ μία παιδίσκη, λέ-

into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the 8 word.

55. In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

Luke xxii. 53. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Matt. xxvi. 56. Then all the disciples forsook him, and tied.

John xviii. 12. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

13. And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

14. Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Mark xiv. 53. And they led Jesus away to the high priest : and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

Matt. xxvi. 58. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in. and sat with the servants, to see the end.

69. And a damsel name unto him, saying, Thou

who take up the sword will perish by the power of the sword.

55. Then Jesus said to the people, Why have you come out with knives and clubs, to take me as a thief? 1 sat daily with you in the temple, teaching you, and you did not take me.

53. Now is your hour and power of darkness.

56. Then all the disciples ran away.

12. Then the soldiers, and the captain, and the servants took Jesus, and bound him,

13. And first led him away to Annas, who was Caiaphas’8 father-in-law, for Caiaphas was the high priest that year.

14. Caiaphas was be who counselled the Jews that it was useful to destroy one man for the nation’.

53. And they led Jesus into the house of the high priest, and all the chief priests and elders and scribes were gathered there.

58. And Peter followed Jesus afar off to the high priest’s yard, and went in, and sat down with the high priest’s servants, to see how it would end.

69. And a girl came up to Peter, and said, Art

7 ουσα, Καί σύ ήσθα μετά Ίησοΰ του Γαλιλαίου.

70. ‘Ο δέ ήρνήσατο έμπροσθεν πάντων, λόγων, Ούκ οίδα τί λέγεις.

71. Έξελθόντα δέ αύ-τόν εις τόν πυλώνα, εΐδεν αυτόν Αλλη, καί λόχει τοΪ3 έκεΓ, Καί οΰtos ήν μετά ’Ιησού του Ναζωραίου.

72. Καί πάλιν ήρνήσατο μεθ’ όρκου, Οτι ούκ οϊδα τδν Άνθρωπον.

73. Μετά μικρόν δέ προσελθόντες οΐ έστωτες εϊπον τφ ΙΙότρψ, ’ Αλη-θως καί σύ έξ αύτων εΙ· καί yàp ή λαλιά σου δήλόν σε ποιεί.

74. Τότε ήρξατο κατα· ναθεματίξειν και όμνύειν,

Οτι ούκ οΐδα τόν άνθρωπον. καί ευ^όω; άλέκτωρ έφώνησε.

75. Καί έμνήσθη ό Γίέτρος του ρήματος του Ίησοΰ είρηκόtos αύτψ,

Οτι πρΙν άλέκτορα φω-νήσαι, τρις άπαρνήση με· καί έξελθών εξω εκλαυσε πικρως.

19. Ο ούν άρχιερεύς ήρώτησε τόν Ίησοΰν περί των μαθητών αύτοΰ, καί περί τής διδαχής αύ-τοΰ.

20. ’Απεκρίθη αύτφ δ Ίησοΰς, Εγώ παήρησίς. έλάλησα τψ κόσμιρ· έ“γώ πάντοτε έδίδαξα έν τή συναγωγή καί έν τφ ίερω, όπου πάντοθεν οΐ

Ιουδαίοι συνέρχονται, καί έν κρυπτφ έλάλησα ούδέν.

21. Τί με έπερωτή,ς; έπερώτησον τούς άκηκοό-also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

70. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

71. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

72. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

73. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewray-eth thee.

74. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

75. And Peter remembered the word of J esus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he’ went out, and wept bitterly.

John xviii. 19. The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

20. Jesus answered him, I spake* openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

21. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have thou with Jesus of Galilee?

70. And Peter denied before them all, and said, I do not know what thou sayest.

71. And when he went into the vestibule, a woman saw him, and said to those who were there, This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.

72. And again he denied with an oath, saying that he did not know this man.

73. A little while passed, and men came up to Peter, and said, No doubt thou art one of these, for we can tell thee by thy speech.

74. Then Peter began to swear and curse, that he did not know that man. And immediately the cock crew.

75. And Peter thought of the words which Jesus had told him, Before cockcrow thou wilt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

19. The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in the assemblies, in the temple where all gather, and have said nothing in secret.

21. Why askest thou me? Ask those who have heard what I have

lo IbiiW1

ras, τί έλάλησα αύτοΐ$· Γδε οΐιτοι οϊδασιν â εϊπον έγώ.

22. Ταύτα δέ αυτού είπδντος, εΓ$ των ύπηρετών παρεστηκώς ε δω/ce ράπισμα τψ ’ Ιησού, είπών, Ούτως άποκρίνη τψ άρχιερεΐ;

23. ’Απεκρίθη αύτψ ό ’Ιησούς, Εί κακώς έλάλησα, μαρτύρησαν περί τού cacoû· εί δέ καλώς, τί με δέρεις ;

59. Οί δέ άρχιερεΐς καί οΐ πρεσβύτεροι καί τδ συνέδριον δλον έζήτουν ψευδομαρτυρίαν κατά του ’Ιησού, δπως αύτδν θανα-τώσωσι,

60. Καί ούχ εΐιρον· καί πολλών φευδομαρ-τύρων προσελθδντων, ούχ εύρον. ύστερον δέ προσ-ελθδντες δύο φευδομάρ-τυρες

61. ΕΪτγορ, Ούτοί εφη, Δύναμαι καταλΰσαι τδν ναόν τού θεού, καί διά τριών ημερών ο’ικοδομη-σαι αύτδν.

62. Καί άναστάς ό άρχιερεύς είπεν αύτψ, Ούδέν άποκρίνη, τί ούτοί σου καταμαρτυρούσα ;

63. ‘Ο δέ ’Ιησούς έσίωπα. καί άποκριθείς ό άρχιερεύς εϊπεν αύτψ, Έξορκίζω σε κατά τού θεού τού ζώντος, ΐνα ημΐν εΐπης, εί σύ εί δ Χριστός, ό υίόΐ τού θεού.

64. Λέγει αύτψ ό ’Ιησούς, Σύ εϊπας. πλην λέγω ύμΐν, ’Απ’ άρτι δφεσθε τον υίδν τού άνθρώπου καθήμενον έκ said unto them : behold, they know what I said.

22. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

23. Jesus answered him, If 1 have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Matt. xxvi. 59. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

60. But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

61. And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

62. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee ?

63. But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

64. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand-said to them; they know what 1 have told them.

22. One of the high priest’s servants was standing near by. When Jesus said this, he boxed Jesus’ ears, and said, Dost thou answer the high priest so?

23. Jesus said to him, If I have spoken evil, show what is evil; and if 1 have spoken well, why dost thou strike me?

59. But the chief priests and the whole council sought accusations against Jesus, so as to put him to death.

60. But they did not find any, because many accused him falsely, and the accusations did not agree. Then there came two false witnesses.

61. They said, We have heard this man say, I will destroy this hand-made temple, and in three days I will build another, which is not made by hands.

62. The high priest arose, and said to Jesus, Why dost thou not answer to what they show against thee?

63. Jesus was silent, and made no reply. Ana the high priest said to him again, In the name of the living God I adjure thee, Tell us, art thou the Christ, the Son of God?

64. And Jesus said to him, That I am. And 1 will tell you also that from now on you will all understand the son of man, who is equal

δεξιών της δυνάμεως, καί δρχόμενον àt τών νεφελών του ουρανού.

65. Τότε ό άρχιερεύς διδβρηξε τά Ιμάτια αύ-τοΰ, λέ-γων/Οτι δβλασ-φήμησε· τί ετι χρείαν ϊχομεν μαρτύρων, ϊδε, νυν ήκούσατε την βλασφημίαν αύτοΰ.

66. Τί ΰμ’ίν δοκεϊ; 01 δδ άποκριθδν res εϊπον, “Ενοχοί θανάτου δστί.

67. Τότε δνδπτυσαν εις τδ πρόσωπον αύτοΰ.

63. Καί οΐ Λνδρες οι συνδχοντες τδν ’Ιησοΰν δνδπαιζοναύτψ, δδροντες·

64. Καί περικαλύ-ψαντες αύτδν, έτυπταν αύτοΰ τδ πρδσωπον, καί δπηρώτων αύτδν, λδγον-τες, Π ροφήτευσαν, τίς δστιν δ παίσας σε;

65. Καί ετερα πολλά βλασφημοΰντες ελε^ον εις αύτδν.

1. Πρφαί δδ y ενο-μδνης, συμβούλων ελα-βον πάντες οί άρχιερεΐς καί οί πρεσβύτεροι τοΰ λαού κατά τοΰ Ίησοΰ, ώστε θανατώσαι αυτόν·

2. Καί δησαντες αύτδν άπτ/yayov, και παρδδω-καν αύτδν Ποντίιρ Πι-λάτψ τψ τγγεμόνι.

28. *Αγουσιν οΰν τδν Ίησοΰν από τοΰ Καϊάφα εΐ$ τδ πραιτώριον. ήν δδ πρωία· καί αυτοί ούκ είσηλθον εις τδ πραιτόρων., ϊνα μη μιανθώσιν. άλλ ϊνα φάyωσι τδ πάσχα.

29. ‘Εζηλθεν οΰν δ Πιλάτοί πρδς αυτούς, και είπε, Τίνα κατηγορίαν φδρετε κατά τοΰ ανθρώπου τούτου ;

of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

65. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

66. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

67. Then did they spit in his face.

Luke xxii. 63. And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

64. And when they bad blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

65. And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

Matt, xxvii. 1. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death :

2. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

John xviii. 28. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

29. Ulate then went out unto them, and said. What accusation bring ye against this man? in power with God in heaven.

65. Then the high priest tore his clothes, and said, Thou art blaspheming. What need have we of witnesses? You have beard him blaspheme.

66. What shall you decide about him? And all decided that he was guilty of death.

67. Then they began to spit into his face.

63. And the men that held him, struck and scratched him.

64. And covering his eyes, they struck him in the face, saying, Now guess who has struck thee.

65. And many other curses did they pronounce against, him.

1. When the morning came, all the elders of the people, the chief priest, and the learned took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

2. And having bound him, they took him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

28. And they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the court; but they themselves did not enter the court, lest they should be defiled and could not eat the passover.

29. Pilate came out to them, and said, Of what do you accuse this man?

30. ’Aπεκρίθησαν καί εϊπον αύτψ, Εί μη ήν οΰτος κακοποιός, ούκ &ν σοι παρεδώκαμεν αύτδν.

31. Είπεν οΰν αύτοΐς δ Πιλάτοί, Λάβετε αύτδν υμείς, καί κατά τδν νόμον υμών κρίνατε αύτδν. εϊπον ούν αύτψ οί ’Ιουδαίοι, Ήμΐν ούκ εξεστιν άποκτεΐναι ούδδνα—

32. ϊνα ό λόγος τοΰ Ίησοΰ πληρωθη, δν είπε σημαίνων ποίψ θανάτψ ήμελλεν άποθνήσκειν.

2. Ήρξαντο δδ κατη-γορεΐν αύτοΰ, λέγοντες, Τοΰτον εΰρομεν διαστρδ-φοντα τδ έθνος, καί κω-λύοντα Καίσαρι φόρους διδόναι, λδγοντα εαυτόν Χριστόν βασιλδα είναι.

34. ’Απεκρίθη αύτψ δ Ίησοΰς, ’Αφ’ εαυτού σύ τούτο λέγεις, τ) άλλοι σοι εϊπον περί δμοΰ ;

35. ’Απεκρίθη ό Πιλάτος, Μήτι δγώ Ίου-δαΐός είμι ; τδ έθνος τδ σδν καί οί αρχιερείς παρδδωκάν σε δμοί-τί δποίησας ;

36. ’ Απεκρίθη ό Ίη-σοΰ$, Ή βασιλεία ή δ μη ούκ εστιν δκ τοΰ κόσμου τούτου· εί δκ τοΰ κόσμου τούτου ήν η βασιλεία η δμη, οί ύπηρδται άν οί δμοί ηγωνίξοντο, ϊνα μ^ παραδοθώ τοΐς

Ιουδαίου· νυν δδ ή βασιλεία η δμη ούκ εστιν δντεΰθεν.

33. Είσηλθεν ούν εις τδ πραιτώριον πάλιν δ Πιλάτοί, καί δφώνησε τόν Ίησοΰν, καί εϊπεν αύτψ, Σύ εϊ ό βασιλεύς των Ιουδαίων ;

30. They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

31. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him. It is not lawful for us to put any man to death :

32. That the saying of Jesus might he fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.**

Luke xxiii. 2. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king.*

John xviii. 34. Jesus answered him, Savest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell “it thee of me?

35. Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me : what hast thou done?

36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world : if my kingdom were of this’ world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews : but now/ is my kingdom not from hence.

33. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again,a and called Jesus, and said unto him. Art thou the Kiug of the Jews?

30. And they said to him in reply, If he were not a malefactor, and had not done any evil, we should not have brought him before the·.

31. Then Pilate said to them, Take him, and judge him according to your law. And they said, It is not lawful for us to put any one to death.

32. Thus was the saying of Jesus fulfilled, which showed by what death be would die.

2. And all began to accuse him, We think that this man is perverting the nation, and forbidding men to give tribute to Cæsar, calling himself king and Christ.

Al. Jesus replied to them, Thou thyself considerest me a king, or thou sayest only what others have said of me.

35. Pilate answered, I am not a J ew ; thy own nation and thy chief priests have delivered thee to me. And I ask what thou hast done.

36. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of the earth. If my kingdom were of the” earth, my servants would fight for me. that I should not be delivered to the chief priests : but you see that my kingdom is not such.

38. And Pilate entered the court, and called Jesus, and said to him, Thou art the King of the Jews.

37. Eîttcp ούν αύτψ à Πιλάτοί, Οΰκούν βασιλεύς εϊ σύ·, άπεκρίθη ο ’Ιησούς, Σύ λέγεις, δτι βασιλεύς είμι έγώ. έγώ elt τούτο yeyévin]μαι, καί elf τούτο έλήλυθα elf τδν κόσμον, ϊνα μαρτυρήσω τή άληθείφ. πας ό ών έκ τής άληθείαί άκούει μου τής φωνής.

38. Λέγει αύτψ â Πίλάτοϊ, Τί έστιν άλήθεια ; Kai τούτο είπών, πάλιν έξήλθε πρδς τού$ Ιουδαίους, καί λέγει αυτοίf, ‘Εγώ ούδεμίαν αιτίαν ευρίσκω έν αύτψ.

37. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was 1 born, and for this cause came I into the world, that 1 should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

37. Pilate said to him, Dost thou consider thyself a king? Jesus said to him, Thou callest me king. I came into the world to confirm the truth ; every man who lives by the truth understands my voice.

38. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went ont again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

38. Pilate said to him, What is the truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, I find no guilt in him.

(a) When the disciples fell asleep for a little while, Jesus said to them, Wake up.

(b) In many texts λελάληκα.

(e) The right means equal. Jesus says that the son of man is equal to the power of God, and so he is the very Christ whom the Jews are expecting.

(d) What death he would die has to be understood to mean that Jesus guessed that he would not be put to death by the Jews, but by the Romans. The saying to which this verse refers is that about the cross, Take thy cross and follow me. If Jesus had been afraid of death at the hands of the Jews, he would not have spoken of the cross: it was only the Romans who executed people by crucifying them.

(e) The first accusation : he takes the Jewish nation away from the customary path.

The second : he forbids the paying of tribute, calling himself king. He preaches the kingdom of the sons of God and calls himself Christ, who has brought the announcement about this kingdom.

The accusation is quite correct; all that Jesus did, and so he does not deny the accusations. It would have been useless to explain the meaning to those who did not wish to understand him.

(/) νυν in the sense of behold.

(y) In many texts the word πάλιν, which confuses the sense, is wanting.

In questioning Jesus, Pilate asks what he means by calling himself the King of the Jews. Jesus says to him, I call myself king in the sense of having established the truth among men : that was my vocation ; that I did, and in this sense I was and am king, and thou recognizest me as a king. I have explained the truth, and every living man understands the truth. Pilate says that he does not understand what the truth is; but he goes to the Jews, and tells them that he does not see any guilt in the man. When the people say that the chief guilt of Jesus is that he calls himself the son of God, Pilate is troubled even more. The words of Jesus that he is a king in that he announces the truth, and now, that he announces the truth as the son of God, present to him Jesus as a man of unusual elevation of soul. He calls him to himself, and asks him whence he comes, that is, how he understands his origin. But Jesus makes no reply, for he is stopped by the consciousness that explanations are unnecessary.

3. Kal κατηγορούν αύ-τού ol αρχιερείς πολλά·

5. Οί δέ έπίσχυον λέγοντες,“Οτι άνασείει τον λαδν, διδάσκων καθ’ δληςτής Ίουδαίας, άρξά-μενος άπδ τής Γάλιλαίας έως ώδε.

4. *0 δδ Πιλάτος πάλιν έιτηρώτησεν αυτόν, λέγων. Ούκ άποκρίνη ού-δέν ; ϊδε πόσα σου καταμαρτυρούσα.

Mark xv. 3. And the chief priests accused him of many things;

Luke rxiii. 5. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stir—

reth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

Mark xv. 4. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.

3. But the chief priests accused him of many things.

5. And the chief priests were persistent, and said, He has with his teaching stirred up the nation throughout Judea, beginning with Galilee.

4. And Pilate began once more to ask him, saying, Why dost thou not answer? Thou seest how they accuse thee.

5. Ό δό ‘Ιησούς ού-κέτι ούδόν άπεκρίθη, ώστε θαύμαζαν τόν Πι-Χάτον.

6. Πιλάτο? δό, άκούσας Γαλιλαίαν, έπηρώ-τησευ ci ό άνθρωπος Γα-λιλαΐό? όστι·

7. Καί έπιγνού? ότι όκ της ε’£ουσίας Ήρώδου έστίν, άνέπεμψεν αύτόν πρός Ήρώδην, δντα και αυτόν év Ίεροσολύμοις όν ταύταις ταις ήμόραις.

8. *0 δό Ηρώδης ίδών τόν’Ιησούν όχάρη λίαν· ήν yàp θίλων όξ ικανού ίδίίν αυτόν, διά τδ άκού-αν πολλά περί αύτου· καί ήλπιζό τι σημείου ίδίίν ύπ’ αύτου γινόμενον.

9. Έπηρώτα δό αυτόν év λόγοι? Ικανοΐς. αυτός δό ουδόν άπεκρί-νατο αύτψ.

11. Έξουθενήσας δό αυτόν ό ‘Ηρώδης σύν τοΐς στρατεύμασιν αύτου, καί όμπαίξας, περίβολων αυτόν έσθήτα λαμπρόν, άνέπεμψεν αυτόν τιρ Πιλάτψ.

12. ’Ey όνο ντο δό φίλοι 5 τε Πιλάτο? καί ό ‘Ηρώδη? έυ αύτή τη ήμέρμ μετ’ άλληλων προύπήρ-χον yap év εχθρφ. 6ντες πρός εαυτού?.

Pilate, troubled and fearing to take the matter into his hands, used a pretext for sending Jesus to Herod, in order to throw the responsibility on him, but Herod regarded the whole affair as of little consequence. He had heard of Jesus before, and thought he would find something interesting in him, and so sent for him and questioned him ; but he saw only a man who did not speak, a kind

5. But Jesus yet answered nothing: so that Pilate marvelled.

Luke xxiii. 6. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean.

7. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

8. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because be had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

9. Then he questioned with him in· many words; but he answered him nothing.

11. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

12. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together; for before they were at enmity between themselves.

5. But Jesus did not answer with a single word, so that Pilate marvelled very much.

6. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.

7. When he heard that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was at that time at Jerusalem.

8. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for Herod had heard much of him and had for a long time wanted to see him. Herod thought that he would see him do some miracle.

9. And he questioned him a great deal ; but he did not answer him.

11. And Herod with his soldiers, thinking little of him, dressed him in a red robe, and sent him back to Pilate.

12. And from that day Pilate and Herod became friends, for before they were at enmity.

of a fool, and so mocked him by dressing him up and sending him back to Pilate.

13. Πιλάτο? δό, συγ-καλεσάμενος τους άρχ ιε-ρεΐς καί τούς άρχοντας καί τόν λαόν,

14. Είπε πρός αυτούς, Π poσηvéyκaτé μοι τόν άνθρωπον τούτον, ώΐ άποστρέφοντα τόν λαόν· καί ιδού, έγώ ίνώπιον υμών άνακρίνας ουδόν εύρον év τψ άνθρώπψ τούτψ αίτιον, ών κατηγορείτε κατ αύτου·

15. Αλλ’ ουδέ Ηρώδη?· άνέπεμφα yàp υμάς πρός αυτόν, καί ιδού, ουδόν άξιον θανάτου έστί π επ pay μόνον αύ τψ.

16. Παιδέυσα? ούν αυτόν άπολύσω.

13. 01 δό πάλιν εκρα-ξαν, “Σταύρωσαν αύτόν.

15. Κατά δό εορτήν είώθει ό ήγεμώυ απολύει ν ?υα τψ δχλψ δόσμιον, $ν ήθελαν.

16. Εϊχον δό τότε δέσμιου επίσημον, λεγάμενου Βαραββάν.

19. ” Οστι? ήν διά στά-σιν τινά yεvoμévηv όν τη πόλει καί φόνον βεβλη-μόνος εις φυλακήν.

17. Συvηyμόνων ούν αυτών, εϊπεν αυτοί? ό Πιλάτο?, Τίυα θέλετε άπολύσω ύμίν ; Βαραββαν, ή ’ [ήσουν τόν λεγάμενου Χριστόν;

18. ‘Ηιδει yàp δτι διά φθόνον παρέδωκαν αύτόν.

11. Οΐ δό άρχιερεΐς άνέσεισαν τόν δχλον, ίνα μάλλον τόν Βαραββαν άπολύση αύτοίς.

Luke xxiii. 13. And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,

14. Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people; and, behold, 1, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him :

15. No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.

16. 1 will therefore chastise him, and release him.

Mark xv. 13. And they cried out again, Crucify him.

Matt. xvii. 15. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

Luke xxiii. 19. (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)

Matt.xxvii. 17. Therefore when they were feathered together, Plate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

18. For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

Mark xv. 11. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

13. But Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,

14. Said to them, You have brought this man to me, because he perverts the people; and here 1 have examined him in your presence, and have found no fault in him. of which you accuse him;

15. Nor has Herod found any, for I sent you to him; and you see that nothing has been found for which he should be worthy of death.

16. And so punish him, and set him free.

13. But they cried, Crucify him.

15. At the feast the governor was in the abit of releasing one of the prisoners, whom they wanted.

16. And they had then a prisoner, called Barabbas.

19. Barabbas had caused sedition and murder in the city, and was sitting in prison.

17. And Pilate said to them, Whom do you want me to release to you, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?

18. For he saw that the chief priests had delivered him out of envy.

11. But the chief priests incited the people to cry, that he should rather release Barabbas to them.

12. Ό δ^ Πιλάτο; άποκριθείς πάλιν είπεν αυτοί;, T ί οΰν θέλετε ποιήσω δν Xéyere βασιλέα των ‘ Ιουδαίων ;

13. ΟΙ δέ πάλιν έκραξαν, “Σταύρωσαν αύτδν.

20. Πάλιν ουν ό Πιλάτοι προσεφώνησε, βέλων άπολΰσαι τδν ’ Ιησού ν.

21. 01 δέ έπεφώνουν λέyovτες, Σταύρωσαν, σταύρωσαν αύτδν.

22. Ό δέ τρίτον είπε πρδς αυτού;, Τί yàp κακόν έποίησεν οΰτος ; ού-δέν αίτιον θανάτου εύραν έν αύτψ· παιδεύσαί οΰν αύτδν άπολύσω.

4. Ίδί, άγω ύμΐν αύτδν έξω, ϊνα γνώτβ δτι έν αύτψ ούδεμίαν αίτίαν ευρίσκω.

6. “Otc οδν εϊδον αύτδν οί άρχιερεΐς καί οΐ ύπηρέται, έκpaύyaσav λέyovτες, Σταύρωσαν, σταύρωσαν, λέyει αύτοΐς ό Πιλάτο;, Χάβετε αύτδν υμείς καί σταυρώσατε· έγώ yàp ούχ ευρίσκω έν αύτψ αίτίαν.

7. ’Απεκρίθησαν αύτψ οί Ιουδαίοι, ‘Η/ιβΪ; νδμον εχομεν, και κατά τδν νδμον ημών όφείλει άποθανεΐν, δτι έαυτδν υίδν τού θεού έποίησεν.

8. ” Οτε οΰν ήκουσεν δ Πιλάτο; τούτον τδν λόγον, μάλλον έφοβήθη,

9. Καί είσήλθεν cl; τδ πραιτώριον πάλιν, και λέyει τψ ’Ιησού, Πό0€ν εΐ σύ ; δ δέ ’Ιησούς άπδ-κρισιν ούκ εδωκεν αύτψ.

10. Λέγει οΰν αύτψ ό Πιλάτος, ΈμοΙ ου λα—

12. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?

13. And they cried out again, Crucify him.

Luke xxiii. 20. Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

21. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

22. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, aud let him go.

John xix. 4. Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

6. When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him. and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

7. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

8. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraia;

9. And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

10. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest

12. And Pilate replied to them, What, then, do you want me to do with him whom you call the King of the Jews?

13. And they cried again, Crucify him.

20. And Pilate again tried to persuade them that they should release Jesus.

21. . But they cried again, Crucify him.

22. And he said to them for the third time, What wrong has he done you? 1 nave found no cause for which lie should be put to death; Punish him, and let him go.

4. I will let him out of the court, for I find no fault in him.

6. When the chief priests and their servants saw him, they cried, Crucify him. And Pilate said, Take him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him.

7. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die who makes himself a son of God.

8. When Pilate heard this, that Jesus was the son of God, he was disturbed even more.

9. And he returned to the court, and said to Jesus, Who art thou? But Jesus made no answer.

10. Pilate said to him. Dost thou not answer me? Dost thou not λεΐς, ούκ οίδα; δτι έξουσίαν έχω σταυρώσαί σε, καί έξουσίαν εχω άπο-λΰσαί σε ;

11. ‘Απεκρίθη δ ’Ιησού;, Ούκ είχες έξουσίαν ούδεμίαν κατ’ έμού, εί μη ήν σοι δεδομένον Ανωθεν· διά τούτο δ παραδιδούς μέ σοι μείξονα αμαρτίαν έχει.

The last words are a useless, incoherent interpolation. Pilate says, I have the power to kill thee or not. If thou seest the light, thou walkest toward the light ; if thou dost not see it, thou wilt inevitably do the work of darkness. And immediately that which Jesus has said takes place. He, that is, Pilate, wants to save him, but cannot do so. He who betrayed me had the power not to do so ; but thou hast not the power to release me, and thou wilt not release me ; if thou wert taught the light, thou wouldst be able

to do SO,

but now thou canst not do so.

τούτου έξήτει άπολύσαι αύ-δέ ’Ιουδαίοι

12. Έκ δ Πιλάτο; τδν. 01 έκραξαν λέοντες, ’Εάν τούτον απόλυσης, ούκ εϊ φίλος τού Καίσαρος. πας δ Βασιλέα αύτδν ποιων άντίλέyei τψ Καίσαρι.

24. Ίδών δέ δ Πιλάτο;, δτι ούδέν ώφελεΐ, άλλα μάλλον θδρυβος γίνεται, λαβών ύδωρ, άπενίφατο τα; χε?ρα; απέναντι του δχλου, λίγων, ’Αθώος είμι άπδ τού αίματος του δικαίου τούτου-υμείς δψεσθε.

25. Καί άποκριθείς πας δ λαό; είπε, Τό αΐμα αύτού έφ ημάς καί έπί τα τέκνα ημών.

23. Οί δέ έπέκειντο φωναϊς μεyάλaις, αϊτού-thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

11. Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above : therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

John xix. 12. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cesar.·»

Matt, xxvii. 24. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person : see ye to it.

25. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Luke xxiii. 23. And they were instant with know that 1 can crucify or release thee?

11. And Jesus answered, Thou hast no power over me, if thou art not taught by God.

12. Pilate was anxious to release him; but the Jews said, If thou lettest him go, thou art not Cæsar’s faithful servant ; whoever makes himself a king is Cæsar’s adversary.

24. When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that the cry was growing louder, he took water, washed his hands before the multitude, and said, I am innocent of the blood of this just man. You see yourselves.

25. And all the people cried, His blood is on us and on our children.

23. And they cried louder still, that he be

μενοι αυτόν σταυρωθήναι· καί κατίσχυον al φωναΐ αυτών καί των αρχαρίων.

13. Ό οΰν Πιλάτο$ άκούσας τούτον τόν λό-7ον, -ijyaycv έξω τόν ’ Ιησού ν, καί έκάθισεν έπΐ του βήματος.

1. Τότε οΰν ελαβεν ό Πιλάτο? τόν Ίήσοΰν, καί έμασ τίγωσε.

2. Kai oi στρατιώται πλέξαντες στέφανον έξ άκανθων, έπέθηκαν αύ-του τη κεφαλή, καί ιμά-των πορφυρουν περιέ-βαλον αυτόν,

29. Kai κάλαμον ίιri τήν δεξιάν αύτου· καί yovunerfaavres έμπροσθεν αύτου, ένέπαιξον αυτιρ, XéyovTes, Χα?ρε, ό βασιλεύς των ’Ιουδαίων.

30. Kai έμπτύσαντες είς αυτόν, ελαβον τόν κάλαμον, καί έτυπταν εις τήν κεφαλήν αύτου.

14. ’Hr δέ παρασκευή τού πάσχα, ώρα δέ ώσεϊ έκτη· καί λ^ει τοΐς ’Ιουδαίοι, Ιδε ό βασιλεύς υμών.

15. 01 δέ ÎKpaùyaaav, ‘ Aρον, άρον, σταύρωσον αύτόν. Xéyει αύτοις ό Πιλάτο?, Tôr βασιλέα υμών σταυρώσω ; άπε-κρίθησαν οΐ άρχιερεΐς, Ούκ έχομεν βασιλέα εΐ μή Καίσαρα. loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified: and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

John xix. 13. When Pilate therefore beard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat.

1. Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

2. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe.

Matt, xxvii. 29. And a reed in his right hand : and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying. Hail, King of the Jews!

30. And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

John xix. 14. And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

15. But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto’them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Cesar. crucified, and the voices of the chief priests prevailed.

13. When Pilate understood that saying, he brought out Jesus, and sat down in his judgment seat.

1. Then Pilate took Jesus, and had him flogged.

2. And the soldiers who flogged him put a crown on his head, and a red robe on him.

29. And gave him a stick in his hand, and bowed before him, mocking him.

30. And they boxed his ears and beat him on the head, and spit on him, and said, Hail, King of the Jews.

14. It ‘ was the sixth hour, and Pilate said, This is your King.

15. They cried, Take him and crucify him. Pilate said, You want me to crucify your king. The chief priests replied, We have no king but Cæsar.

(a) Jesus had been saying all the time that the kingdom of God, which is in all men, must take the place of the kingdom of Cæsar, and he was right.

Pilate wants to save Jesus ; but he lives by the Herodian leaven, that is, for him the considerations of state are higher than anything, and the chief priests know this, and lead him with these considerations of state, as by a leash, whither they want.

5. *Έζηλθεν οΰν ο ‘Ιησούς ίξω, φορών τάν άκάνθινον στέφανον, καί τό πορφυροΰν Ιμάτιον. καί Xéyei αύτοΐς, “ILc ό Ανθρωπος.

John iix. 5. Then earns Jesus forth, wearing ths crown of thorns, and ths purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

5. Jesus came out in his crown and red robe, and said to them, Behold the man !

From the context it is Jesus who says, Behold the man, and not Pilate. In the mouth of Jesus these words can have a deep significance, but in Pilate’s mouth none whatever. As a doubtful place, which is of no consequence to the teaching, it may be omitted. But in the mouth of Jesus these words have the following meaning : I am a man, remember this, and everything which you ought to do concerning me will be clear to all, and your disputes and dissensions will be ended. I am a man, and remembering this it will be clear to you that you can do nothing to me.

The verse may even be left where it stands, but it is also in place here, since it corresponds to Pilate’s words, Behold your king.

Pilate says, Behold your king. Jesus says, Behold the man. And as before Jesus in a short speech replied to the false accusations of the Jews, expressing his whole teaching, even so he now with one word answers all their doubts and expresses all his teaching.

In the last verses certain transpositions in the harmonization of the four gospels were inevitable. What guided me in these transpositions was this, that Jesus was judged by his chief priests, then by Pilate, then was sent to Herod, and then back again to Pilate, who three times came out to the people, trying to free Jesus, and then was compelled to turn him over to be put to death, because

the cliief priests said to him that the release of Jesus would be unfriendly to Cæsar.

16. Τότε οΰν παρΕδω-καν αυτόν αύτοΐς, tva σταυρωθη.

31. ΕξΕδυσαν αυτόν την χλαμύδα, και ΕνΕ-δυσαν αυτόν τά Ιμάτια αυτού-καί àirfyayov αυτόν εί; τό σταυρώσαι.

17. Καί βαστάζων τόν σταυρόν αυτού Εξηλ-θ(ν εί; τόν Xayôpavov Κρανίου τόπον, ό; λ^γε-ται Έβραϊστί Γολγοθά—

18. “Οπου αυτόν ^σταύρωσαν, καί ματ αυτού Αλλους δύο Ενταύθαν καί Ενταύθαν, μισόν δΕ τόν Ίησοΰν.

34. ‘Ο δΕ ’Ιησού! aXaya, Πάτερ, Αφας αυτοί;- ου yàp οίδασι τί ποιούσι. διαμαριζόμανοι δΕ τά ιμάτια αυτού, έβαλαν κληρον.

29. Καί οί παραπο-ραυόμανοι Εβλασφήμουν αυτόν, κινούντο τά; καφαλάς αυτών, καί λΕ-yovret, Οΰά, ό κατάλύων τόν ναόν, καί Εν τρισίν ήμΕραις οικοδομών,

30. Σώσον σααυτόν, καί κατάβα από τού σταυρού.

31. ‘Ομοίως δΕ καί οί άρχιαραΐς Εμπαίζοντας πρός άλληλους μετά των ypaμμaτEωv EXayov, Αλλου; Εσωσαν, Εαυτόν ου δύναται σώσαι.

32. Ό Χριστός ο βασιλαυς τού ‘ Ισραήλ καταβάτω νύν από τού σταυρού, ϊνα ΐδωμαν καί πισταύσωμαν.

John xix. 16. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.

Matt, xxvii. 31. They took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

John xix. 17. And he bearing bis cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

18. Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

Luke xxiii. 34. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Mark xv. 29. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

30. Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

31. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

32. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.

16. Then Pilate delivered him to them to be crucified.

31. And they took off his red robe, and put on his own garment, and led him away to crucify him..

17. And he carried his cross to the place called Golgotha.

18. And there they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle.

34. Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do net know what they do.

29. And the people mocked him : they came up, and shook their heads, saying, And thou wouldst destroy the temple, and build it up again in three days;

30. Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

31. And the chief priests and learned men laughed among themselves, saying, He has saved others, but cannot save himself.

32. Let Christ, the King of the Jews, come down from the cross and we will believe him.

43. Πίποιθαν Επί τόν θαόν· (ίυσάσθω νύν αυτόν, αί ΘΕλαι αύτόν. chτα yàp, *Οτι θεού αίμι υιό;.

36. ’Έ,νΕπαιζον δΕ αύ-τψ καί οί στρατιώται,

44. Τό δ’ αυτό καί οί λησταί οί συσταυρω-ΘΕντας αύτψ ώναίδιζΟν αύτψ.

39. ΕΓ; δΕ των κρα-μασθΕντων κακούργων Εβλασφήμαι αύτόν, ΧΕ-y<j>v, ΕΖ σύ cl ό Χριστός, σώσον σααυτόν καί ημάς.

40. ’ λποκριθαίς δΕ ό Εταρος Επατίμα αύτψ, λ^-yivv, ΟύδΕ φοβη σύ τόν θαόν, δτι Εν τψ αύτψ κρίματι αί ;

41. Καί ήμεί; μΕν δικαίως· άξια yàp ών Επράξαμαν άπολαμβάνο-μαν οδτο; δΕ ούδΕν Ατο-πον Επραξα.

42. Καί ελεγε τψ ’Ιησού, Μνήσθητί μου, κύρια, όταν Ελθης Εν τη βασιλαίς. σου.

43. Καί αϊπαν αύτψ ό Ιησού;, Άμην λόγω σοι, σήμερον ματ Εμού Εση Εν τψ παραδαίσψ.

46. Περί δΕ την Εννά-την ώραν άναβόησαν ό ’Ιησούς φωνή μεγάλη, λόγων, Ήλί, Ηλί, λαμά σαβαχθανί ; τούτ Εστι, ‘ θαΕ μου, θαΕ μου, Ινάτι μα όγκατόλιττε; ; ’

47. Τινό; δΕ τών Εκαΐ Εστώτων άκούσαντας ελε-yov, Οτι Ήλίαν φωναΐ ουτος.

49. Οί δΕ λοιποί Ελα-yov. A φας, ίδωμεν αί Ερχαται Ήλία; σώσων αύτόν.

Matt, xxvii. 43. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for be said, I am the Son of God.

Luke xxiii. 36. And the soldiers also mocked him.

Matt, xxvii. 44. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Luke xxiii. 39. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41. And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42. And he said unto Jesus, Lord,» remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shaft thou be with me in paradise

Matt, xxvii. 46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why* hast thou forsaken^ me?

47. Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

49. The rest said. Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

43. He trusted all the time in God; let him save himself now, for he says that he is the son of God.

36. And the soldiers also mocked him.

44. Anil the robbers, who were crucified with him, mocked him.

39. And one of the robbers who were hanged with him, scolded him, saying, If thou art Christ, save thyself and us.

40. But the other stopped him, saying, Dost thou not fear God? Thou art punished enough.

41. We deserve it, but he has done no wrong.

42. And he said to Jesus, Remember me, Lord, in thy kingdom.

43. And Jesus said to him, Thou speakest truly: now thou art in paradise with me.

46. About the ninth hour, Jesus said in a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? which means. My God, my God, in what hast thou left me?

47. Some of those who stood near heard it, and said, He is calling Elijah.

49. And others said, Let be, let us see whether Elijah will come.

28. Merà τούτο είδώς ό ’Ιησούς, δτι πάντα ηδη τετίλεσται, ϊνα τελειωθη ή ‘γραφή, λέγει, Διφώ.

48. Καί ευθέως δραμών είς έξ αυτών, καί λαβών σπόγγον, πλήσας re δξους, καί περιθείς κα-λάμψ, έπότιξεν αυτόν.

30. “Ore ουν έλαβε τδ δξος ό ’Ιησούς,

40. Καί φωνησας φωνή μεγάλη ό ’Ιησούς dire, Πάτερ, εις χεΐράς σου παραθήσομαι τδ πνευμά μου.

30. Τετέλεσται· καί κλίνας τήν κεφαλήν, παρέδωκε τδ πνεύμα.

John riz. 28. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, Ί thirst.

Matt. XXt’ii. 48. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

John xix. 30. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,

Luke xxiii. 46. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

John xix. 30. It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

28. Then Jesus called out, I want to drink.

48. And a man took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him this vinegar to drink.

30. And when Jesus had partaken of the vinegar,

46. lie said in a loud voice, Father, into thy hands 1 give my spirit.

30. It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

(a) In many texts this is wanting. The robber has heard about a King Jesus, and says, Remember me in thy kingdom, that is, can I not in some way be with thee ?

(-) The robber took pity on Jesus, and this feeling of pity was a manifestation of life, and so Jesus says to him, Thou livest.

(c) Jesus is barely alive, and calls out, My God, in what, in what weary body, hast thou left my spirit.

(</) Εγκαταλείπω, to leave in something.

THE VICTORY OF THE SPIRIT OVER THE FLESH

Having said this, Jesus went with his disciples into the garden of Gethsemane. And when he came into the garden, he said, Let us stay here, I want to pray.

And he went up to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and was sorrowful and grieved. And he said to them, My heart is heavy, I shall be sorrowful before my death. Stay here, and be not dispirited, as I am.

And he went a little qisluuuc d»<7)–—

the ground on his face, and began to pray, and said, My Father, spirit, let it not be as 1 wish it, that I should not die, but do as thou wishest : let me die, but to thee, as a spirit, everything is possible, and so let me not be afraid of death and have the temptation of the flesh.

Then he got up, and went up to his disciples, and saw that they were dispirited, and said to them, Can you not for one hour be strong in spirit, so as not to fall into the temptation of the flesh ? The spirit is strong, but the flesh is weak.

And again Jesus went away from them, and began to pray, and said, Father, if I must die, let me die, let thy will be done.

And having said this, he again walked over to his disciples, and he saw that they were even more dispirited than before, and were ready to weep. And he went away from them again, and said for the third time, Father, thy will be done.

Then he returned to the disciples, and said to them, Sleep awhile and rest yourselves, for now the son of man will soon be delivered into the hands of the men of the world. Then wake up, for he who will betray me is coming already.

And when he had said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, suddenly appeared, and with him there was a large crowd of people with clubs and knives.

Judas knew that Jesus and his disciples frequently came to this garden, and so he brought there the guards and the servants of the chief priests. He said to them, I will bring you where he is with the disciples, and that you may be able to recognize him, watch whom I shall kiss first, for it is he.

And he went up to Jesus, and said, Hail, teacher, and kissed him.

And Jesus said to him, Didst thou come for this ?

Then the guards surrounded Jesus, and wanted to take him. And Peter took a knife away from one of the servants of the chief priests, and cut off his ear.

Jesus said, We must not resist evil ; let this be. And he said to Peter, Give the sword back to him from whom thou tookest it; he who takes up the sword will perish by the sword.

After this Jesus turned to the whole crowd, and said, Why did you come against me with weapons, as against a robber ? Have I not been every day amidst you in the temple, teaching you ? Why did you not take me then ? You could do nothing to me in the light of the day, for your power is only in the darkness.

When his disciples saw that he was taken, they fled. Then the chief commanded the soldiers to take Jesus and bind him, and to take him first to Annas, who was Caiaphas’s father-in-law, for Caiaphas was the high priest in that year, and was living with his father-in-law. It was the same Caiaphas who had been planning to destroy Jesus. He considered it useful for the nation to destroy Jesus, for if he did not destroy Jesus, it would have been worse for the whole nation.

■ And Jesus was brought into the yard of the house, where the high priest was living.

While they were leading Jesus there, one of the disciples, Peter, walked behind, to see where they were going to take him. When they took him into the courtyard of the high priest, Peter went there himself to see how it would all end. And a girl in the yard saw Peter, and said to him, Art thou also with Jesus of Galilee ?

Peter was frightened, lest he should be also accused, and said in a loud voice before all the people, I do not know what thou sayest.

Then, when Jesus was taken into the house, and Peter entered the vestibule with the people, and a woman was warming herself at the fire, and Peter went up to her, the woman looked at him, and said to the people, Behold, this man looks as though he belonged to Jesus of Nazareth.

Peter was frightened even more than before, and swore that he had never been with Jesus, and did not know what kind of a man Jesus was.

A little while later some men walked over to Peter, and said, It looks, though, as if thou wert one of these seditious people ; we can tell by thy speech that thou art from Galilee.

Then Peter began to curse and swear that he had never seen or known Jesus. And the moment he had said this, a cock crew. And Peter recalled the words which Jesus had spoken, when Peter swore that though all might deny him, he would not deny him. Jesus had said, Tonight thou wilt deny me thrice before cockcrow. And Peter went away from the yard, and wept bitterly.

- And the pastors, chief priests, scribes, and rulers assembled at the house of the high priest. And when all were assembled, they brought Jesus, and the chief priests asked him what his doctrine consisted in, and who his disciples were.

And Jesus replied, I have always spoken before all, and have never concealed anything from men. What askest thou me about ? Ask those who have heard and understood my teaching, and they will tell thee.

When Jesus said this, one of the chief priests’ servants struck Jesus in the face, and said, With whom art thou speaking ? Is this the way to answer a chief priest ?

Jesus said, If I spoke badly, say so ; but if I did not speak badly, why do you beat me ?

The pastors, the chief priests, tried to accuse Jesus, and at first did not find any good cause for which he might be sentenced. Then they found two false witnesses. These false witnesses said of Jesus, We ourselves heard this man say, I will destroy this hand-made temple of yours, and in three days will build you up another temple of God, one which is not made by hand.

But even this was not sufficient cause for an accusation. And so the chief priest called out Jesus, and said, Why dost thou not reply to their testimony ?

Jesus was silent, and said nothing.

Then the chief priest said to him, Tell me, then, art thou the Christ, the son of God ?

Jesus answered him, and said, Yes, I am Christ, the son of God. And you will soon see for yourselves that the son of God is equal to God.

Then the chief priest called out, Thou blasphemest God, and now we need no further proofs : we have all heard thee blaspheme God.

And the chief priest turned to the assembly, and said, You have heard yourselves that he blasphemes God, so what do you sentence him to ?

And all said, We condemn him to death.

And then all the people and the guards pressed forward toward Jesus, and began to spit into his face, and strike him, and scratch him. They covered his eyes, and boxed his ears, and asked, Well, prophet, canst thou guess who has struck thee ?

And Jesus was silent.

After they had mocked him, they bound him and took him before Pontius Pilate.

And he was brought to the court. Pilate, the governor, came out to them, and asked, Of what do you accuse this man ?

They said, This man is doing evil, and so we have brought him before thee.

Pilate said to them, If he does evil, judge him yourselves according to your law.

And they said, We have brought him to thee that thou shouldst put him to death, for we may not kill.

And so that which Jesus had wished was fulfilled : he had said that he must be prepared to die on the cross at the hands of the Bomans, and not by his own death, or at the hands of the Jews.

When Pilate asked him of what they accused him, they said that he was guilty in that he created sedition among the people, forbidding them to pay taxes to Cæsar, and cal Bug himself Christ and king.

Pilate listened to them, and commanded that Jesus be brought to the court. When Jesus came in to him, Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews ?

Jesus said, Why dost thou ask ? Dost thou ask in thy own name whether I am the King of the Jews, or dost thou ask whether what they say of me is true ?

Pilate said, I am not a Jew, and it makes no difference to me what thou callest thyself, but I ask thee only what thou hast done ? Didst thou call thyself king ?

Jesus replied, I taught the kingdom which is not of earth.

To this Pilate replied, Still thou considerest thyself a king.

Jesus said, Not only I, but even thou canst not help considering me a king. All I teach is to reveal the truth to you. And every man who lives by the truth will understand me.

Pilate did not wish to listen to Jesus, and said, Thou speakest of truth ; what is truth ? and having said this, he turned around and went again to the chief priests, and said to them, In my opinion this man has done no wrong.

And the chief priests were persistent, and said that he had done much wrong and was creating sedition in all of Judea as far as Galilee.

Then Pilate began to question Jesus once more in the presence of the chief priests, but Jesus made no reply.

Thou seest how they accuse thee, so why dost thou not justify thyself ?

But Jesus kept silence, and did not say another word, so that Pilate marvelled at him.

Pilate happened to think that Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction, and so he asked, Is he from Galilee ?

He was told, Yes.

Then he said, If he is from Galilee, he is under Herod’s jurisdiction, and 1 will send him to Herod.

Herod was at that time in Jerusalem, and Pilate sent Jesus to Jerusalem to Herod, that he might get rid of him. When Jesus was brought to Herod, Herod was very glad to see him. He had heard a great deal about Jesus, and wanted to know what kind of a man he was. Herod called him up, and began to question him concerning everything he wanted to know, but Jesus did not answer him. But the chief priests and teachers accused him fiercely, as before Pilate, saying that he was a rioter. And Herod regarded Jesus as a worthless man, and, to rail at him, ordered his servants to put a red robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate.

Herod was satisfied that Pilate had respected him by sending Jesus to his court, and so they made peace, for they had been at odds before. When Jesus was brought back to Pilate, Pilate once more called the chief priests and rulers of the Jews, and said to them, You brought this man to me, saying that he created sedition among the people, and I questioned him in your presence, and do not see that’ he is a rioter. I sent him with you to Herod, and you see that nothing harmful was found there against him, and so it is my opinion that there is no cause for putting him to death, and that it would be better to set him free.

When the chief priests heard this, they cried out, No, put him to death, put him to death in Roman fashion. Crucify him.

Pilate heard what they said, and replied to the chief priests, Very well ; but it is your habit to pardon a criminal at your feast. There is a murderer and rioter, Barabbas by name, who is sitting in my prison. One of the two you must release: whom will you pardon, Jesus or Barabbas ?

Pilate wanted to save Jesus, but the chief priests instructed the people to cry, Barabbas, Barabbas !

And so Pilate said, And what will you do with Jesus ? And they cried again, In Roman fashion, on the cross, crucify him !

And Pilate tried to persuade them, saying, Why do you urge me so? He has not done anything for which he should be put to death, and he has done you no wrong. I will release him, for I see no guilt in him.

The chief priests and their servants cried, Crucify him, crucify him !

And Pilate said to them, If so, take him and crucify him, for I see no fault in him.

The chief priests replied, We demand that which comes to him for calling himself the son of God.

When Pilate heard these words, he was troubled, for he did not know what was meant by the words, Son of God. And he went back to the court, and called Jesus, and asked him, Who art thou, and whence dost thou come ?

But Jesus made no reply to him.

Then Pilate said, Why dost thou not answer ? Dost thou not see that thou art in my power, and that I can crucify or release thee ?

Jesus answered him, The evil is that thou hast the power ; if thou wert not entrusted with power, the Herodians would not have enticed thee and led thee into offence, both thee, and themselves and the teachers with thee.

Pilate wished to release Jesus, but the Jews said to him, If thou lettest Jesus go, thou wilt prove that thou art not a faithful servant of Cæsar, for he who makes himself a king is Cæsar’s enemy.

When Pilate heard these words, he understood that he could not help but put Jesus to death.

Then Pilate went out to the Jews, took some water, washed his hands before the people, and said, I am not guilty of the blood of this righteous man.

And the whole people cried out, Let the blood be on us and on our children.

Thus the chief priests prevailed. Pilate sat down in his judgment seat, and ordered Jesus to be Hogged. When he was flogged, the soldiers who flogged him put a crown on his head, and gave him a stick into his hands, and threw a red robe over his shoulders, and began to mock him. They bowed before him in mockery, and said, Rejoice, King of the Jews; and they struck his face and head, and spit into his face.

Pilate said to them, How can you have your king crucified ?

But the chief priests cried out, Crucify him ; our king is Cæsar, — crucify him.

Jesus came out in the crown and the red robe, and said, Behold, here is a man.

Then Pilate ordered that he be crucified.

The red robe was taken off Jesus and his own was put on him, and he was told to carry his own cross to the place called Golgotha, in order that they might crucify him there. And he carried his cross and came to Golgotha. And there they stretched Jesus out on the cross, and two men with him, one at each side of him, and Jesus in the middle.

As they were crucifying Christ, he said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

And when Jesus was already hanging on the cross, the people surrounded him, and mocked him.

They came up, and shook their heads, and said, Well, thou wouldst destroy the temple of Jerusalem and build it up again in three days, so save thyself and come down from the cross.

And the chief priests and pastors stood there, and mocked him, and said, Thou hast saved others, but thou canst not save thyself. Show us that thou art Christ, come down from the cross, and then we will believe thee. He has been saying that lie is the son of God, and that God would not leave him, so why has God left him now ?

And the people and chief priests and soldiers mocked him, and so did one of the robbers who were crucified with him.

One of the robbers, mocking him, said, If thou art Christ, save thyself and us.

But the other robber heard this, and said, Dost thou not fear God ? Thou art thyself on the cross, and yet railest at an innocent man. Thou and I are being punished for what we have done, but this man has done no wrong.

And turning to Jesus, this robber said to him, Sir, remember me in thy kingdom.

And Jesus said to him, Thou art blessed with me at once.

In the ninth hour Jesus, being worn out, cried out in a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, which means, My God, my God, in what hast thou left me ?

And when they heard this among the people, they began to speak and laugh, He is calling Elijah the prophet ; let us see how Elijah will come.

Then Jesus said, I want to drink, and a man took a sponge, dipped it in vinegar, for a vat of it was standing near by, and raised it up to Jesus on a reed.

Jesus sucked the sponge, and said in a loud voice, It is finished. Father, into thy hands I give up my spirit.

And inclining his head, he gave up the ghost.

CONCLUSION TO THE INVESTIGATION OF

THE GOSPEL

With the words, It is finished, the Gospel is ended. To those who saw the divinity of Jesus in this, that he was not like other men, the resurrection may have been convincing, that is, may have proved to them that he was not like other men, and only that he was not like other men, and nothing else; but only to those who saw Jesus die, and were convinced that he was dead, and then saw him alive, and were convinced that be was alive. But, according to the description of the evangelists, except Luke, who suddenly mentions his ascension in the presence of five hundred men, there were no such people, for according to their description he came as a dream, as a vision.

Let us even assume that he came in the flesh, and that Thomas put his fingers into his wounds, what did this prove to Thomas ? That he was not like other men. But what follows from his not being like other men ? Only this, that other people, such as all are, would find it very hard or impossible to do what a special being did. But if even it were necessary to convince people that he was not like other men, his appearance to Thomas and ten other men and later to five hundred men could not have convinced others, who had not seen this resurrection ; it was only the disciples who told of the resurrection, but one can tell anything one wishes ; to believe the stories of the disciples, one must have the assurance that these stories are true. And to confirm the truth of their stories the disciples tell that tongues of fire descended upon them, and that they themselves wrought miracles, healed, and raised from the dead. Again, that the tongues came down and that the disciples raised from the dead and healed, the disciples of the disciples prove by new miracles, and so until the present relics and saints heal and raise from the dead ; and it turns out that the divinity of Christ is based on the story of unusual events. But the stories of unusual events are based on stories of other unusual events, and the last unusual events have not been seen by men in their sound senses.

Very well, Christ was raised from the dead, made his appearance, and flew to heaven : has this explained anything ? has it added anything to his teaching ? Nothing, absolutely nothing, except the necessity of inventing new, unnecessary miracles, in order to confirm this invented, unnecessary miracle. We have seen and read the teaching about Christ’s life previous to the resurrection, and in the most corrupt parts of this teaching there shines always the light of the truth which he announced to the world. No matter how crudely the recording evangelists comprehended the teaching, they rendered the words and actions of the man Jesus, and the light startles us. Now what is added to the teaching after the resurrection by what Christ did and said after the resurrection ?

He appears for some reason to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils, and tells her not to touch him, for he has not yet entered to his Father.

Then he appears to the women, and tells them that he will come to his brothers.

Then he appears to his disciples, and explains something to them of Moses in the whole Scripture.

And now they see him, and now they do not see him. Then he appears to his disciples, rebukes them for not believing, shows them his side, and breathes on them, and this causes the sins to be remitted to those to whom they remit them. Then he appears to Thomas, and says nothing. Then he catches fish, a large amount of them, with his disciples, and says three times to Peter, Feed my sheep, and predicts Peter’s death.

Then he appears to a crowd of five hundred at once, and again he says nothing. Then he says that to him is given power in heaven and on earth, and that therefore they must bathe people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that he who is bathed will be saved, and that those to whom they will transmit tliis spirit will take up snakes and drink poison without harm, and speak in all languages, which they naturally have never done. Then he Hies to heaven. He said nothing more. What sense was there in his resurrection, since he did and said only these foolish things ?

And so:

1. The resurrection, like any story about something incomprehensible, cannot prove anything.

2. The resurrection, like any miracle, if a man has seen it, can prove only that something contrary to the laws of reason has happened, and that a man who has been subject to a miracle has been subject to something unusual, and nothing else. P>ut if on the basis of a miracle the conclusion is drawn that a man who is not subject to the laws of reason is an unusual man, such a conclusion is correct only for those who contemplate the miracle, and only as long as they contemplate it. A story about a miracle cannot convince any one, so that the truth has to be confirmed by a miracle which has taken place with the one who tells about it. The confirmation of the truth of a miracle by another miracle inevitably leads to the fabrication of new miracles, up to our own time, in order to confirm the truth of the narrator, though in. our time we see clearly that there are no miracles, and that, as miracles are invented for the present time, they must have been invented for the past. The story about the miracle of Christ’s resurrection betrays its untruth in that it sharply differs in its primitiveness, insignificance, and, simply, stupidity from all previous descriptions of Christ’s life, and shows clearly that the story of Christ’s real life had for its foundation actual life, full of depth and holiness ; but the story of the resurrection and the supposed actions and speeches after it no longer had life for its basis, and is altogether a fabrication. No matter how crude and primitive the description of Christ’s life is, the holiness of his life and the elevation of his personality shines through the crudeness and primitiveness of the writers ; but when there is no longer anything real at the basis of the description, but only mere inventions, this primitiveness and crudeness appear in all their nakedness. They have evidently managed to raise him from the dead, but they cannot make him say or do anything worthy of him.

3. The miracle of the resurrection is directly opposed to the teaching of Christ, consequently it was hard to make Christ say anything characteristic of him after the resurrection, since the very idea that he could rise from the dead is contrary to the whole meaning of his teaching. We must fail to comprehend his whole teaching, in order that we may conceive of the possibility of his resurrection in the body. He even directly denied the resurrection, explaining how we were to understand the resurrection of which the Jews spoke.

How the dead are raised, he said, Moses showed in the bush, when he called God the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; God is not a God of the dead, but of the living ; for to God all are living. He said, The spirit brings to life, and the flesh is of little avail. He said, I am the living bread, which has come down from heaven. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. He said, I am the resurrection and the life. And him who taught that he was that which was sent from God into the world, to give life to men ; that which gave life ; that which is the spirit ; that which does not die ; that which will return to men as the spirit of truth, — him they understood to say that he was to rise from the dead in the flesh. Indeed, what could that Jesus do, who was glad to return to the Father, that Jesus who, dying, said, Into thy hands I give up my spirit ? What could he do and say, when he was imagined to have risen from the dead in the flesh, except what was contrary to his teaching ? And so it was.

This legend of the resurrection, which is expressed in the last chapters of the gospels, which did not have Christ’s life and words for its basis, and which wholly belongs to the views held by the recorders of the gospels on the life and teaching of Jesus, is remarkable and instructive in that these chapters clearly show the depth of the layer of misunderstanding, with which the whole description of Jesus’ life and teaching is covered. It is as though a precious painting were covered with a thick layer of paint, and those spots, where the paint got on the bare wall, showed clearly the depth of the layer which covered the picture itself. The story of the resurrection gives the key for the comprehension and explanation of all miracles, of which the Gospel is full, and of those contradictory words and conceptions by which the meaning of the best passages of the teaching is frequently destroyed.

It is not known who wrote the fourth gospel, and the history of criticism has come to the conclusion that we shall never find that out. There may be more or less probable suppositions as tQ time, place, persons ; suppositions as to what gospel, or what part of what gospel, is copied from another, but their origin is unknown. We cannot judge of the historical trustworthiness of the Gospel, but we are able to judge of the quality of the books themselves. We can judge as to what formed the foundation of the Christian beliefs of men, and what did not have any influence on the beliefs.

From this side we see in the gospels two sharply distinguished parts of the expositions : one the exposition of the teaching ; the other, an attempt at proving the truth of the teaching, or, more correctly, the importance of the teaching, such as are the miracles, prophecies, and predictions. The teaching has passed the centuries unimpaired,— all agree on this. The proofs, which, no doubt, were proofs, now form the chief stumbling-block in the acceptance of the teaching.

To this part belong all the miracles and the chief miracle, the resurrection. In the description of the resurrection, as in an event fabricated without any foundation, it is easiest of all to follow out the methods of the formation of such legends, and the causes of their acceptance, and the methods of their exposition, and their significance, and their consequences. The origin of the legend of the resurrection was a confirmation of the veracity of the writers (except Luke), and it is written down in the gospels so clearly that every unbiassed man cannot help but see the most natural germ of the legend, such as around us spring up every day in the stories of miraculous relics, saints, magicians. The stories and articles of spiritualism, of the girl who materialized and danced, are told more definitely and more circumstantially than the story of the resurrection. Nothing could be clearer than the history of the growth of this legend. On the Sabbath they went to see the grave. The body was not there. Evangelist John tells that they said that the disciples had taken out the body. Women come to the grave, one of them Mary Magdalene, out of whom seven devils have been cast, and she is the first to say that she saw something at the grave, something like a gardener, or an angel, or him himself. The story passes from gossips to gossips, and then to the disciples. Eighty years later they tell that such and such a man saw him there and then, but all the accounts are contradictory and indefinite. The disciples do not invent them, — so much is evident, — but none of the men who revere his memory dare contradict what, in their opinion, tends to add to his glory, and, above all, to convince others that he is from God, and that God produced a miracle in his honour. It seems to them that this is the best proof, and the legend grows and spreads.

The legend aids in the dissemination of the teaching, but the legend is a lie, while the teaching is truth. And so the teaching is no longer transmitted in all the purity of the truth, but intermingled with the lie. One lie provokes another for its confirmation. New false legends of miracles are told in confirmation of the first false legend. There appear legends of miracles wrought by the followers of Christ and of miracles which preceded him, — of his procreation, his birth, his whole life,— and the whole teaching is mixed with lies. The whole exposition of his life and teaching is covered up by a thick layer of paint of the miraculous, which dims the teaching. New believers join Christ’s faith, not so much in consequence of his teaching, as of the faith in the miraculousness of his life and actions. And there comes that terrible time, when there appears the conception of faith, not of ttôttîç, of which Christ speaks (the inward inevitableness of conviction, which becomes the basis of life), but as a consequence of an effort of will, when one can say, I command you to believe, I want to believe, you must believe. There comes the time, when all the false legends take the place of the teaching, all are gathered into one, are formulated, and are expressed as dogma, that is, as decrees. The crowd, the rude crowd, takes possession of the teaching, and, smearing it over with the false legends, obscures it.

But, in spite of all the efforts of the crowd, the chosen people see the truth through all the mire of lies and carry it in all its purity through the ages, by the side of the lies, and in this form the teaching reaches us. He who in our day, be he Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Milker, Stundist, Khlyst, Eunuch, Nationalist, or of any other creed, reads the Gospel, finds himself in a strange position. He who does not purposely shut his eyes cannot help but see that, if there is not everything in it which we know and live by, there is at least something very wise and significant. But this wisdom and significance is expressed in such a monstrously bad way, as Gothe says, that one cannot find a worse written book than the Gospel, and is buried in such a lumber of monstrous, stupid, even unpoetical legends that one does not know what to do with this book. There is no other interpretation in this book than what the different churches give to it. These interpretations are all filled with absurdities and contradictions, so that in the beginning one is con-fronted with an alternative : either, as the Russian proverb has it, to get furious at the lice and chuck the fur coat into the stove, that is, to reject the whole as absurd, as ninety-nine of every hundred men actually do, or to subvert reason, as the church commands us to do, and accept everything stupid and unimportant with what is wise and important, which is actually done by the remaining hundredth of men, who either have no vision, or know how to squint in such a way that they do not see what they do not wish to see. But this alternative is not firmly grounded. It is enough to show these people what they did not wish to see, and they involuntarily reject with the lie the truth which was mixed in with it. What is terrible in this case is this, that the lie, which is smeared in with the truth, is not smeared in by the enemies of truth, but by its first friends : that this lie was considered of importance and served as the first instrument for the dissemination and propagation of truth is proved by this,

that the lie about Christ’s resurrection was, during the times of the apostles and the martyrs of the first centuries, the chief proof of the truth of Christ’s teaching. It is true, this same fable of the resurrection was also the chief cause of unbelief in the teaching. The pagans in all the lives of the first Christian martyrs call them men who believe in this, that their crucified one rose from the dead, and quite legitimately rail at them for this.

But the Christians did not see this, just as the popes in Kiev do not see that their straw-stuffed relics are on the one hand an incitement to faith, and on the other an obstacle to it. Then, during the first times of Christianity, it cannot be denied that they were necessary ; I am even willing to admit that they cooperated in the dissemination and confirmation of faith. I can imagine how, thanks to faith in the miracle, men came to see the importance of the teaching and turned to it. The miracle was not a proof of the truth, but of the importance of the matter. The miracle attracted attention, — the miracle was an advertisement. Everything which happened was foretold ; a voice speaks from heaven, the sick are healed, the dead rise, — how, then, can one help directing his attention to the teaching, and trying to grasp it ? Its truth enters the soul, but the miracles are only an advertisement. Thus the lie was useful. But it could be useful only in the first time, and only because it attracted men to the truth. If there had been no lie, the teaching might have been disseminated more quickly still. But there is no need of considering what might have happened. The life of that time concerning the miracles may be compared with this, as if a man sowed a forest, and in the sowing put up a sign saying that God sowed this forest, and that he who does not believe that there is a forest here will be eaten up by monsters. Men are to believe it, and must beware of tramping down the forest. This might have been useful and necessary in its

as I have said, the four gospels are like a wonderful painting which for temporary purposes is all covered up with a deep layer of paint. This paint is continued to both sides of the painting: the layer over the bare wall, — previous to the birth of Christ, — all the legends about John the Baptist, about the procreation, and about the birth ; then follows the layer over the painting, — miracles, prophecies, and predictions ; and then the layer over the bare wall again, — the legends of the resurrection and the acts of the apostles, etc. Knowing the thickness of the layer and its composition, we must scratch it off where it runs over the bare wall and is particularly evident in the legend of the resurrection, and carefully scrape it off from the whole painting, and then only shall we understand the painting in all its significance, and it is this that I have been trying to do.

My idea is as follows : The Gospel consists of two distinct parts so far as purposes are concerned. One is the exposition of Christ’s teaching ; the other is the proof of the importance and divinity of this teaching. All the churches agree on this. The proofs of the importance and divinity of Christ’s teaching are based on the consciousness of the truth of Christ’s teaching (on which all the churches also agree) and on external historical proofs of the significance, importance, and divinity of the teaching, such as were collected in the gospels in the first time of the teaching and such as, by their essence, could have been convincing only to the eye-witnesses, but in our time attain the opposite result, by repelling from the comprehension of and belief in the teaching of the church, not the enemies of Christ, but the men who are sincerely devoted to the teaching. Nor can the churches help admitting that the aim of these proofs of the importance is the conviction of the truth of the teaching, and if there presents itself another, not an internal, but an external, historical proof of the importance of the teaching, which is complete, incontrovertible, and clear, then we must reject those proofs which call forth incredulity and which serve as an obstacle in the propagation of the teaching, and hold on to the incontrovertible and clear external proof of the importance. Such a proof, which did not exist in the first times, is the dissemination of the teaching itself, which penetrates all human knowledge, serves as a foundation of human life, and is constantly expanding. Thus, in order that we may understand the teaching, we not only can, but must inevitably put aside from the teaching all those proofs of its truth, which give way to other indubitable proofs, and which give nothing for the comprehension of the teaching and serve as a chief obstacle to its acceptance. Even if these proofs were not harmful, they are no longer necessary, since they have an entirely different purpose and can add nothing to the teaching.

SHORT EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL

1882

(The Short Exposition of the Gospel is an abbreviation of the preceding work, from which it differs but slightly in wording, hence all th ar. is given here is the Preface and the Conclusion, which are not in the larger work, and a synopsis of the Gospel verses which are quoted in this Short Exposition. —Translator‘8 Note.)

SHORT EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL

PREFACE

This Short Exposition of the Gospel is an extract from a large work which is lying in manuscript and cannot be printed in Russia.

This work consists of four parts :

1. An exposition of that course of my private life and of my thoughts which have led me to the conviction that the truth is to be found in the Christian teaching.

2. An exposition of the Christian teaching according to the interpretations of the church in general, — the apostles, the councils, and the so-called fathers of the church, and proofs of the falseness of these interpretations.

3. An investigation of the Christian teaching, not according to these interpretations, but according to what has reached us from the teaching of Christ, as ascribed to him and recorded in the gospels, and a translation and harmonization of the gospels.

4. An exposition of the real meaning of the Christian teaching, of the causes why it was distorted, and of the consequences which its preaching was to have.

This Short Exposition of the Gospel is an abbreviation

of the third part. The harmonization of the four gospels is made in accordance with the meaning of the teaching. In this harmonization I had hardly to depart from the order in which the gospels are expounded, so that in my harmonization there are rather fewer transpositions of the verses of the Gospel than in the majority of concordances known to me, and fewer than in the harmonization of the four gospels by Grechulévich.

In the Gospel of John there are no transpositions in my harmonization : it is expounded in the same order as in the original.

The division of the Gospel into twelve chapters, or six (if each two be united), resulted naturally from the meaning of the teaching.

Here is the meaning of these words :

1. Man is the son of the infinite principle, the son of this Father, not in the flesh, but in the spirit.

2. Therefore man must serve this principle in the spirit.

3. The life of all men has a divine beginning. It alone is holy.

4. Therefore man must serve this principle in the life of all men. Such is the will of the Father.

5. Only the ministering to the will of the Father of life gives the true, that is, the rational, life.

6. Therefore the gratification of one’s will is not necessary for the true life.

7. The temporal, carnal life is a food for the true life, — a material for the rational life.

8. Therefore the true life is outside of time, — it is only in the present.

9. The deception of the life of time, of the life of the past and of the future, conceals from men the true life, — of the present.

10. Therefore man must strive to destroy the deception of the temporal life of the past and of the future.

11. The true life is not only outside of time, — a life of the present, but it is also outside of personality, — it is the common life of men.

12. Therefore he who lives in the present the common life of all men unites with the Father, the beginning and foundation of life.

Each two chapters have between them the connection of cause and effect. In addition to the twelve chapters there are added to the exposition : the introduction from the first chapter of John, in which the writer speaks in his own name about the meaning of the whole teaching, and a conclusion from the epistle of the same writer (written, no doubt, before the gospels), which contains a general deduction from everything which precedes. The introduction and conclusion do not form any essential part of the teaching. They are only general views of the whole teaching. Although the introduction and the conclusion may be omitted without any loss to the meaning of the teaching (the more so since these two parts were written in the name of John, and not of Jesus), I have retained them, because in a simple and rational understanding of Christ’s teaching these parts, confirming one another and the whole teaching, in contradistinction to the queer interpretations of the church, furnish the simplest indication of the meaning which ought to be ascribed to the teaching.

In the beginning of each chapter I have placed, besides a short definition of the contents, the words of the prayer, which Jesus taught his disciples to recite, and which befit the particular chapters.

When I finished my work, I discovered to my surprise and joy that the so-called Lord’s prayer is nothing but a briefly expressed exposition of the teaching of Jesus in the very order in which the chapters were arranged by me, and that each expression of the prayer corresponded to the meaning and order of the words.

1. Our Father

2. Which art in heaven,

3. Hallowed be thy name.

4. Thy kingdom come.

5. Thy will be done, as in heaven,

6. So in earth.

7. Give us our daily bread

8. To-day.

9. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

10. And lead us not into temptation,

11. But deliver ns from evil :

12. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.

Man is the son of God.

God is the infinite spiritual principle of life.

Let this principle of life be holy.

May his power be realized in all men.

May the will of this infinite principle be done in himself,

So also in the flesh.

The temporal life is the food for the true life.

The true life is in the present.

And let not our transgressions and errors conceal the true life from us.

Let them not lead us into deception,

And so there will be no evil.

And let there be thy dominion, and power, and reason.

In the extensive exposition of the third part, which is in manuscript, the Gospel, according to the four evangelists, is translated and explained in full, without the least omissions ; but in the present exposition the following verses are left out : The procreation and birth of John the Baptist, his imprisonment and death, the birth of Jesus, his genealogy, his flight with his mother to Egypt, the miracles of Jesus in Cana and Capernaum, the casting out of the devils, the walking on the waters, the drying up of the fig-tree, the healing of the sick, the resurrection of Christ himself, and the indications of the prophecies which took place in Christ’s life.

These verses are omitted in the present short exposition because, not containing any teaching, but only describing events which took place before, during, and after the preaching of Jesus, they add nothing, and complicate and surcharge the exposition. No matter how these verses may be understood, they contain neither contradictions to the teaching, nor confirmations of it. The only significance of these verses for Christianity was this, that they proved the divinity of Christ to him who did not believe in it. But for a man who does not see the convincingness of the story of the miracles, and who besides does not doubt the divinity of Jesus, according to his teaching, these verses fall off, of their own accord, as being unnecessary. In the large exposition every deviation from the usual translation, every added explanation, every omission is explained and proved by the collation of the different variants of the gospels, by contexts, and by philological and other considerations. In tins Short Exposition all such proofs, and the rejections of the false comprehension of the church, as also the detailed notes with the quotations, are omitted on the ground that the reflections on each separate passage, which at times are very long, are not the chief proofs of the true understanding of the teaching. The main proof of the truth of the understanding is the unity, clearness, simplicity, fulness of the teaching and its correspondence with the inner feeling of every man who is seeking the truth.

In respect to all the departures in my exposition from the text as accepted by the churches, the reader must not forget that the customary conception that all four gospels, with all their verses and letters, are sacred books, is, on the one hand, a very gross error, and on the other, a very gross deception.

The reader must remember that Jesus never wrote any book himself, as did Plato, Philo, or Marcus Aurelius; nor did he ever, like Socrates, transmit his teaching to educated people ; he spoke to those uneducated men whom he met in life, and only much later, long after bis death, did people come to realize that what he had said was very important, and that it would not be bad if they jotted down a few of the things which he said and did, and it was nearly a hundred years later that they began to write down what they had heard about him.

The reader must remember that there was a large, a very large number of such notes ; that many have disappeared ; that many were very bad, and that the Christians made use of all of them, and by degrees picked out what to them seemed to be better and more sensible ; that, in selecting these best gospels, out of the enormous literature about Christ, the churches, according to the proverb which says, ” You can’t cut a stick without knots,” could not help but take in some knots also ; that there are many places in the canonical gospels which are as bad as in the rejected apocrypha, and that in the apocryphal literature there is some good.

The reader must remember that what can be sacred is Christ’s teaching, but by no means a certain number of verses and letters, and that certain books cannot become sacred from the first to the last line for the very reason that men say that they are sacred. Only our Russian readers of the educated class can, thanks to the censorship, ignore the labours of the historical criticism of the last hundred years, and say naïvely that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, as they are, were written by the evangelists, each separately and in full.

The reader must remember that to say this in the year 1880, ignoring everything which science has worked out in this matter, is the same as when in the past century they spoke of the sun as turning around the earth.

The reader must remember that the synoptical gospels, as they have reached us, are the fruit of slow accretion by means of çopying and interpolation, and reflections of thousands of different minds and hands, and by no means the productions of the Holy Ghost who spoke to the evangelists.

The reader must remember that the ascribing of the gospels in their present form to the apostles is a fable, which not only cannot stand any criticism, but has even no foundation but the desire of pious people, who want it to be so. The gospels were selected, complemented, and expounded through the ages. All the gospels of the fourth century that have reached us are written in a continuous script, without signs of punctuation, and so were after the fourth and fifth centuries subject to most varied readings ; that they count as many as fifty thousand such different evangelical books.

All this the reader must remember, in order that we may not be driven to that customary view that the gospels, as they are now understood, have come to us in that form from the Holy Ghost.

The reader must remember that there is nothing prejudicial in rejecting from the gospels the useless passages and in illuminating some of them by others, that, on the contrary, it is prejudicial and godless not to do so, but to consider a given number of verses and letters holy.

On the other hand, I beg the reader of my exposition of the Gospel to remember that, if I do not look upon the gospels as upon sacred books, I at the same time do not look upon them as upon mere documents of the history of religious literature. I understand both the theological and the historical view of the gospels, but I look differently at them, and so I beg the reader, in reading my exposition, not to be switched off on the church view, nor on the historical view of the gospels, which of late has become the fashion with cultivated people, a view which I did not hold and which I find equally incomplete.

I look on Christianity not as on an exclusive divine revelation, nor as on a historical phenomenon, but as on a teaching which gives us the meaning of life. I was led to Christianity, not by theological or historical investigations, but by this, that when, being fifty years old, I asked myself and the wiseacres of my surroundings what I am, and wherein Ees the meaning of my life, and received the answer, ” Thou art an accidental concatenation of particles, — there is no meaning in life, and life itself is evil,” — I was brought to the point of despair and wanted to commit suicide ; but, recalling that formerly, in my childhood, when I believed, there had been for me a meaning in life, and that the believing men around me, the majority of men, who are not corrupted by wealth, believed and lived an actual life, I doubted the correctness of the answer given me by the wisdom of men of my class, and I tried to understand the answer which Christianity gave to those who live a real life.

But, while I studied Christianity, I found, together with this source of the pure water of life, mud and ooze, which is illegitimately connected with it, and which alone concealed its purity from me ; by the side of the profound Christian teaching I found connected with it the foreign, monstrous teaching of the Jews and of the church. I was in the position of a man who has received a bag of stinking mud, and who only after prolonged struggle and labour discovers that in this dirty bag there lie costly pearls; he understands that he is not to blame for his aversion to the stinking mud, and that the men who have collected and preserved these pearls together with the mud are not to blame, but deserve love and respect, and yet he does not know what to do with the pearls which he has found mixed with the mud. I was in an agonized state, until I discovered that the pearls were not grown over with the mud, but could be cleared of it.

I did not know the light, and thought that there was no truth in life, but, having convinced myself that men live by that light alone, I began to look for its source, and found it in the gospels, in spite of the false interpretations of the churches. And when I reached this source, I was blinded by the light, and received full answers to my questions as to the meaning of my life and of the life of other men, answers which fully agreed with those I knew of the other nations, and which, in my opinion, surpassed them all.

I was looking for an answer to the question of life, and not to the theological and historical questions, and so it did not make any difference to me whether Jesus Christ was a God, or not, or from whom the Holy Ghost descended, and so forth ; and equally unimportant and unnecessary it was for me to know when and by whom the gospel or this or that parable was written, and whether it may be ascribed to Christ, or not. What was important to me was the light, which for eighteen hundred years has been illuminating humanity, and which has illuminated me ; but what I should call this source of light, and what its materials are, and by whom it was lighted, were a matter of indifference to me.

And I began to look closely at this light and to discover everything that was opposed to it, and the farther I proceeded on this path, the more indubitable did the difference between truth and untruth become to me. In the beginning of my labour I had doubts and attempts at artificial explanations, but the farther I proceeded, the clearer and more undoubted did the matter become to me, and the more unquestionable the truth. I was in the position of a man who is picking up a statue that is broken in pieces. In the beginning there can be some doubt whether this or that piece is a part of the leg or the arm, but when the legs are put together, and the piece certainly does not belong to the leg, and when, besides, it fits in with another side piece and with its curves coincides with a lower part, there can be no doubt as to where it belongs. This I felt in proportion as my work proceeded, and if I am not insane, the same feeling will overcome the reader of the longer exposition of the Gospel, where each proposition is at the same time confirmed by philological considerations, and by variants, and by contexts, and by agreement with the fundamental idea.

The preface would have ended here, if the gospels were books that were revealed at the present time, if Christ’s teaching had not been subject to the false interpretations of eighteen hundred years. But now, that we may understand the true teaching of Christ, as he himself must have comprehended it, it is necessary to recognize the chief causes of the false interpretations, which have distorted the teaching, and the chief methods employed by the false interpretations. The chief cause of those false interpretations, which have so distorted Christ’s teaching that it is difficult to see under their thick crust, consists in this, that Paul, who did not properly understand Christ’s teaching and did not know it as it was later expressed in the Gospel of Matthew, connected it with the teaching of the Pharisaic tradition and so with all the teachings of the Old Testament. Paul is generally regarded as an apostle of the Gentiles, as a protestant apostle. Such he was indeed externally in respect to the circumcision, and so forth. But the doctrine of the tradition, of the connection of the Old Testament with the New, was introduced into Christianity by Paul, and this doctrine of the tradition, this principle of the tradition, was the chief cause of the distortion of the Christian teaching and of its misunderstanding.

From the time of Paul begins the Christian Talmud, which is called the doctrine of the church, and Christ’s teaching becomes, not the one, divine, and full teaching, but one of the links of the chain of revelation, which begins with the beginning of the world and which lasts in the church up to the present time.

These false interpreters call Jesus a God ; but the fact that they recognize him as a God does not cause them to ascribe a greater significance to the words and teachings, which are ascribed to God, than to the Pentateuch, the Psalms, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles, the Revelation, and even the (Ecumenical Decrees and the writings of the Holy Fathers of the church.

These false interpreters do not admit any other understanding of the teaching of Jesus Christ than such as are in agreement with the preceding and the subsequent revelation, so that it is not their aim to explain the significance of Christ’s preaching, but only to find the least contradictory meaning in the most diversified writings, the Pentateuch, the Psalms, the Gospels, the Acts, the Epistles, and everything which is regarded as Holy Scripture.

It is evident that with such a view of Christ’s teaching the understanding of it is unthinkable. From this same false view results an endless diversity in the understanding of the Gospel.

Naturally there can be an endless number of such explanations, which have for their aim, not the truth, but the harmonization of what cannot be harmonized, that is, of the writings of the Old and the New Testaments, and there is a large number of them. And so, all that is necessary in order to acknowledge a certain harmonization as true, is to have recourse to external means, to miracles, to the descent of the Holy Ghost, and such like.

Different men have harmonized in their own way ; but each in his harmonization affirms that his harmonization is the continued revelation of the Holy Ghost. Such are the epistles of Paul, the decrees of the councils, which begin with the phrase, “It pleased us and the Holy Ghost;” such are the decrees of the Popes, the synods, the Arians, the Paulicians, and all the false interpreters, who affirm that the Holy Ghost speaks through their mouths. All of them use the same crude method of confirming the truth of their harmonization by saying that their harmonization is not the fruit of their thoughts but a confirmation by the Holy Ghost.

Without entering into the analysis of the creeds themselves, each of which calls itself the true one, we cannot help but see that in their common method of recognizing the enormous quantity of the so-called Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments as equally sacred lies the insurmountable, self-set obstacle to the comprehension of Christ’s teaching, and, also, that from this error results the possibility, and even the necessity, of endlessly diversified hostile sects.

Only the harmonization of an immense number of revelations can be endlessly diversified ; but the interpretation of one person, considered as God, cannot lead to the evolution of sects. The teaching of God descended upon earth cannot be understood differently. If God descended upon earth to reveal the truth to men, then the least which he could do was to reveal it in such a way that all might understand it; and if he did not do so, he was not God ; but if the divine truths are such that even God could not make them comprehensible to men, men certainly will not be able to do so.

If Jesus is not God, but a great man, his teaching can to a still lesser degree be the cause of sects. The teaching of a great man is great even because it is comprehensible and clearly enunciates what others have not enunciated clearly and intelligibly. What is not comprehensible in the teaching of a great man is not great, and so the teaching of a great man cannot bring forth sects. The teaching of a great man is great in that it unites all in the one truth.

Only the interpretation which affirms that it is the revelation of the Holy Ghost, that it is the only, true revelation, and that all the rest are false, produces hatred and the so-called sects. Let the sectarians of all the creeds say as much as they please that they do not condemn another creed, that they are praying for their union with the others, and that they do not hate them, they are not telling the truth. Never has any assertion of any dogma, beginning with Arius, resulted from anything but an accusation of falsehood against a contrary dogma. But the proclamation that the expression of a given dogma is divine, of the Holy Spirit, is the highest degree of pride and stupidity : of the highest pride, for nothing more haughty can be said than that the words which I utter God himself spoke through me, and of the highest stupidity, because nothing more stupid can be said than to reply to the assertion of a man that God is speaking through his mouth, ” No, God is not speaking through your mouth, but through mine, and he says the very opposite of what your God has said.” And yet it is precisely this that all the councils, all the symbols of faith, all the churches say, and from this has resulted all the evil which has been committed in the world in the name of religion. But, besides this external evil of the sects, there is also another important, internal defect, which is inherent in all the sects, and which invests them with an indistinct, indefinite, and unscrupulous character.

This defect consists in this, that, having recognized as the last revelation the Holy Ghost, who came down on the apostles and has passed over a specially chosen people, the false interpreters nowhere show directly, definitely, and conclusively wherein this revelation of the Holy Ghost consists, and yet continue to base their faith on this supposed revelation, and call it Christ’s.

All the sectarians who acknowledge the revelation of the Holy Ghost, like the Mohammedans, assume three revelations: the Mohammedans have Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed; the church men have Moses, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. But according to the Mohammedan religion Mohammed is the last prophet, the one who explained the meaning of the revelations of Moses and of Jesus, and he is the last revelation, which explains everything which precedes, and every righteous believer has this revelation before him. It is not so with the faith of the church : like the Mohammedan, it accepts three revelations, — that of Moses, of Jesus, and of the Holy Ghost ; but it does not call itself the Holy Ghost religion, from the name of the last revelation, but affirms that the basis of its religion is Christ’s teaching. Thus they confess one doctrine, and ascribe the authority of this doctrine to Christ.

The Holy Ghost sectarians, who recognize as the last revelation, — which explains everything which precedes, — some Paul, others these or those councils, or the Popes, or the epistles of the patriarchs, or the private revelations of the Holy Ghost, ought to say so and call their faith by the name of him who had the last revelation, and if the last revelation is the fathers, or the epistle of the Eastern patriarchs, or the decrees of the Popes, or the syllabus, or Luther’s or Filarét’s catechism, they ought to say so and call their faith accordingly, for the last revelation, which explains everything which precedes, will always be the chief revelation.

But they do not do so and, instead, preach doctrines which are foreign to Christ, affirming that Christ preached these doctrines. Thus it turns out from their doctrine that Christ announced that he redeemed with his blood the human race which fell through Adam ; that God is a Trinity ; that the Holy Ghost descended on the apostles and passed through the laying on of hands to the clergy ; that seven sacraments are needed for salvation, etc. It turns out that all this is the teaching of Christ, whereas there is not as much as a hint of all this in the teaching of Jesus. These false teachers ought to call their teaching and their faith the teaching and the faith of the Holy Ghost, and not of Christ, for we can call Christ’s faith only the faith which recognizes Christ’s revelation, which has come down to us in the gospels, as the last revelation, even as they must recognize it according to Christ’s words, Call no one teacher but Christ.

One would think that this is so simple that no mention ought to be made of it; but, strange to say, up to the present men have not come to see this. Instead of directing all their attention to separating Christ’s teaching from all the artificial, unjustifiable harmonization with the Old Testament, and with those arbitrary additions to bis teaching, which have been made in the name of the Holy Ghost, all the efforts are directed toward finding the greatest possible meaning in this harmonization. And, strange to say, in this error two extreme camps meet : the camp of the churchmen and of the freethinking historians of Christianity. The first, by calling Jesus the second person of the Trinity, understand his teaching only in connection with the supposed revelations of the third person, which they find in the Old Testament, in the epistles of the councils, in the decrees of the fathers, and preach the strangest faiths, asserting that they are Christ’s.

The second, who do not regard Jesus as God, understand the teaching in the same way, not as it may have been preached by him, but as it is understood by Paul and the other interpreters. While regarding Jesus as a man, and not as God, these interpreters deprive Jesus of the most legitimate human right of being responsible for his own words, and not for those of his false interpreters. While trying to explain the teaching of Jesus, these learned misinterpreters foist on Jesus what he never had in his mind to say. The representatives of this school of interpreters, beginning with the most popular among them, Renan, have not troubled themselves about sifting out of Christ’s teaching that which Christ himself taught, and not that which his interpreters have lied about him ; they have not tried to understand the teaching more profoundly than the churchmen, but attempt to understand the meaning of the appearance of Jesus and of the dissemination of his teaching from the events of his life and the conditions of his time.

One would, however, think that the historians ought not to make this mistake. The problem which they ought to solve is like this: eighteen hundred years ago there appeared a poor man who said so and so. He was flogged and hanged, and all forgot about him, as millions of similar incidents have been forgotten, and for two hundred years the world did not hear anything about him. But it turns out that some one had made a note of what he had said, and had told it to a second and a third person. And so it went on, until billions of wise and foolish men, of the learned and the unlearned, cannot get rid of the idea that this man, and no other, was God. How is such a remarkable phenomenon to be explained ? The churchmen say that that was due to the fact that Jesus was really God. If so, everything is intelligible. But if he was not God, how are we to explain that this simple man was acknowledged by all to be God ?

The learned men of this school carefully investigate all the details of the conditions of this man’s life, without noticing that no matter how many details they may discover (in reality they have discovered nothing but what is given in Josephus Flavius and in the gospels), no matter how they may reconstruct Jesus’ life down to the minutest details, and may find out what he ate and where he slept, the question as to why he and no one else had such an influence on people still remains without an answer. The answer is not this, in what circle Jesus lived, who educated him, and so forth, and still less, what was going on in Rome, and that the people were predisposed to superstitions, and so forth, but only in this, what this man preached that was so peculiar as to cause people to separate him from all the others and to recognize him as God at that time and even now.

One would think that if we want to understand this, the first thing which we must do is to try to understand the teaching of this man, to understand, of course, his own teaching, and not those coarse interpretations of his teachings which have been disseminated since his day. But this they do not do. These learned historians of Christianity were so glad to find that Jesus was not God, and they are so anxious to show that his teaching is not divine, and so not obligatory, that they forget that the more they prove this, that he was a simple man and his teaching not divine, the farther will they be from the comprehension of the question which interests them. They strain all their powers to prove that he was a simple man and that, therefore, his teaching was not divine. If we wish clearly to see this remarkable aberration, we need only think of Renan. Havet naïvely affirms that Jésus Christ ri avait rien de chrétien. And Souris proves with enthusiasm that Christ was a coarse and stupid fellow.

The question is not to prove that Jesus was not God, and that, therefore, his teaching is not divine, and not that he was not a Catholic, but to understand wherein the teaching consisted, winch has been so elevated and so dear to men that men have recognized the preacher of this teaching to be God. It is this that I have tried to do, and have done, at least so far as I am concerned. And this I offer now to my brethren.

If the reader belongs to the immense majority of cultured men, educated in the faith of the church, who have rejected it on account of its incompatibility with sound reason and with conscience (whether he has still left love and respect for the spirit of the Christian teaching, or, according to the proverb, being furious at the fleas has chucked the fur coat into the stove, that is, considers all Christianity a dangerous superstition), I beg such a reader to remember that what repels him and presents itself as a superstition is not Christ’s teaching ; that Christ cannot be blamed for that monstrous tradition which has been foisted on his teaching and has been given out as Christianity. We must study only Christ’s teaching, as it has reached us, that is, those words and actions which are ascribed to Jesus, and which have a didactic significance.

Such a reader, in perusing my exposition, will find that Christianity is not a mixture of what is profound with what is base, not a superstition, but, on the contrary, a very strict, pure, and complete metaphysical and æsthetical teaching, above which human reason has not yet risen, and in whose circle, though not conscious of it, all human activity is moving, whether political, scientific, poetical, or philosophic.

If the reader belongs to that insignificant minority of cultured men who keep the church faith, confessing it, not for external reasons, but for the sake of inward peace, I beg such a reader, before reading this, to decide in his soul the question as to what is dearer to him, spiritual peace, or truth. If it is peace, I ask him not to read this, but if it is truth, I beg him to remember that Christ’s teaching, as expounded here, in spite of the sameness of name, is an entirely different teaching, and that, therefore, the relation of him who confesses the church faith to this exposition is the same as the relation of a Mohammedan to the preaching of Christianity ; that the question for him is not whether the proposed teaching is in accord with his faith, or not, but only what teaching is more in accord with his reason and his heart, his church teaching, or the one teaching of Christ. The question for him is whether he wants to accept the new teaching, or prefers to remain in his faith.

But if the reader belongs to those men who externally profess the church faith and who value it, not because they believe in its truth, but from external considerations, because they consider this profession and the preaching of it profitable for themselves, let him remember that, no matter how many brethren of the faith they may have, no matter how strong they may be, on what thrones they may seat themselves, by what high names they may call themselves, they are not the accusers, but the accused, and not through me, but through Christ. Such readers must remember that there is no need for them to prove anything ; that they have long ago said what they had to say ; that if even they proved what they want to prove, they prove only what all the hundreds of mutually excluding church creeds have proved long ago; that they must not prove, but justify themselves. They must justify themselves for their blasphemy, by which they have assimilated the teaching of Jesus the God to the teachings of Ezdra, of the councils, of a Theophi-lactes, and have allowed themselves to interpret God’s words wrongly and to change them on the basis of men’s words ; to justify themselves for slandering God, by burdening Jesus the God with all the superstition in their hearts and giving it out as the teaching of Jesus ; to justify themselves for their rascality, with which they concealed the teaching of God, who came to give the good to the world and substituted for it their own Holy Ghost faith, and by this substitution have deprived billions of people of the good which Christ brought to men, and, instead of the peace and love, brought to them, have introduced into the world sects, condemnations, and rascalities of every kind, covering them up with the name of Christ.

For these readers there are only two ways out: humble repentance and renunciation of their lie, or prosecution of those who accuse them for what they have been doing.

If they do not renounce the lie, there is but one thing left for them to do : to persecute me, for which I, finishing this writing, am prepared with joy and with fear for my weakness.

CONTENTS OF GOSPEL IN BRIEF

Introduction: Mark i. 1. John xx. 31 ; i. 1-5, 9-18.

Chapter I. : Matt. i. 18-19. Luke ii. 40-52 ; iii. 23. Matt. iii. 1. Mark i. 4. Matt. iii. 4. Mark i. 4. Luke

iii. 4—6, 10-14. Matt. iii. 5-8, 10-13; iv. 1-3. Luke

iv. 3. Matt. iv. 3. Luke iv. 4. Matt. iv. 4. Luke iv.

9-11. Matt. iv. 7-8. Luke iv. 5-6, 9, 7-8. Matt, iv. 10. Luke iv. 13. John i. 36-47, 49, 51. Luke iv. 16-21.

Chapter II. : Matt. xii. 1. Mark ii. 23. Luke vi. 1. Matt. xii. 2, 7, 8. Luke xiii. 10-14 ; xiv. 3, 6, 5. Matt xii. 11-12; ix. 9-13 ; xv. 1. Mark vii. 1. Matt. xv. 2. Mark vii. 3-5. Matt. xv. 3. Mark vii. 10-13. Matt, xv. 7-9. Mark vii. 8, 14-15. Luke xi. 41. Mark vii. 16-21, 23. John ii. 13-20. Matt. xii. 6-7. John ii. 23-25; iv. 4-6, 8, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 19-21, 23-26 ; iii. 22-27, 31-36. Luke xi. 37-39, 41; vii. 37-48; xviii.

10-14 ; v. 33-38.

Chapter III.: Matt. xi. 2-7, 16, 18-19, 16, 17, 19, 8-9, 11. Luke xvi. 16; xvii. 20, 23-24, 21. John iii. 1-6, 8, 7, 9-13, 15-21. Matt. xiii. 3-5, 7-8. Mark iv. 26-29, 33, 24-25, 27, 29-30, 47-48, 10-11, 15, 18, 19-23, 12. Luke viii. 18. Matt. xiii. 31.

Chapter IV.: Matt. ix. 35-36 ; v. 1-2. Luke vi. 20-25, 20. Matt. v. 13-24; xix. 7, 9 ; v. 33-34, 37-41. Luke vi. 30, 37. Matt. vii. 1, 3. Luke vi. 39-40. Matt, vii. 6; v. 39, 43-44, 46; vii. 12; vi. 1-12. Mark xi. 25-26. Matt. vi. 16-34. Luke xi. 9. Matt. vii. 9-11,

13-14. Luke xii. 32. Matt. vii. 15-17. Luke vi. 45. Matt. vii. 21-27. Luke iv. 32. Matt. iv. 14, 16; xii. 19-21.

Chapter V.: Matt. xi. 25, 28-30. John iv. 31-38 ;

v. 1-2, 4, 2-3, 5-11, 15-17, 19-31, 36-40, 43-44. Luke xix. 11-22. Matt. xxv. 26-27. Luke xix. 23-24. Matt. xxv. 28. Luke xix. 25-26. Matt. xxv. 30. John

vi. 1-3, 5, 7. Matt. xiv. 17. John vi. 9-11, 26-33, 35-57, 60-63. Luke x. 1—3. Matt. x. 16. Luke x. 4. Mark vi. 10-11. Matt. x. 22-23, 19, 23, 26-34. Luke

xii. 49, 51-53 ; xiv. 26. Matt. xii. 15, 24, 26-29, 31-32, 30, 33.

Chapter VI. : Luke viii. 19. Matt. xii. 46. Luke viii. 20-21 ; xi. 27-28 ; ix. 57-58. Mark iv. 35, 37-38, 40. Luke ix. 59-62 ; x. 38-42 ; ix. 23-25 ; xii. 15-21 ;

xiii. 2-8 ; xii. 54-56; xiv. 25-33, 15-16, 18-23; xvi. 1-6, 8, 9-11, 13-17, 19-31. Mark x. 17-27. Luke xix. 1-10. Mark xii. 41-44. Matt. xxvi. 6-13 ; xxi.

28-29.

Chapter VII. : John vii. 1-3, 5, 3, 4, 6-9, 11-12,

14-19, 21-29, 33-34, 38-40, 42-52; viii. 12-14,18-19, 21, 24-26, 28-29, 31-32, 34-44, 46, 48-59 ; ix. 1-3, 5-9, 11, 13-21, 24-31, 33-34 ; xi. 25; x. 1-3, 1, 5, 7-14, 17-18, 15, 17, 16, 24-38, 20-21, 39-42. Matt, xvi. 13-18.

Chapter VIII. : Matt. x. 38-39 ; xix. 27. Mark x.

29-31. Matt. xx. 1-3, 8-16. Mark x. 35, 37-40. Matt. xx. 23. Mark x. 41-42. Matt. xx. 25-27. Mark x. 45. Matt, xviii. 11-12. Luke xv. 8, 10; xiv. 8-11; xv. 11-13, 15-18, 20-32. Mark xii. 1-8. Matt. xxi. 40-43. Luke xvii. 5-10 ; xii. 35-39. Matt. xxiv. 45-46, 48-51. Mark xiii. 33. Luke xxi. 34. Matt. xxv. 1-7, 10. Luke xiii. 24-25. Matt. xvi. 27 ; xxv. 32, 34.

Chapter IX.: Matt. xix. 13-14. Luke xviii. 17. Matt, xviii. 3, 5. Luke ix. 48. Matt, xviii. 10, 14, 6-8. Luke xvii. 3. Matt, xviii. 15-16. Luke xvii. 4. Matt, xviii. 17, 23-35 ; v. 25 ; xviii. 18-20. Mark x. 2. Matt.

xix. 3-6, 8-12 ; xvii. 24-25, 27; xxii. 16-21 ; xxiii.

15-22. Luke ix. 52-56; xii. 13-14. John viii. 3-11. Luke x. 25, 27, 29-35. Matt. xvi. 21. Mark viii.

32-34. Matt. xxii. 23-25, 28. Luke xx. 34-36. Matt, xxii. 31-32, 34-37, 39-40, 42-43. Luke xii. 1. Mark viii. 15. Matt. xvi. 11-12. Luke xx. 46. Matt, xxiii. 2-8, 13, 15-16, 23, 28, 27, 30-31. Mark iii. 28-29. Matt, xxiii. 37-38 ; xxiv. 1-4, 12, 14.

Chapter X. : Luke xi. 53-54. John xi. 47-48. Luke xix. 47-48. John xi. 49-50, 52-57, 7-10 ; xii. 2-5, 8, 7, 12-14. Matt. xxi. 10-11. Mark xi. 15. John xii.

19. Mark xi. 18. John xii. 20-28, 31-32, 34-36, 44-45, 47-50, 36, 42-43. Matt. xxvi. 3-5, 14-16, 17-20. John xiii. 11. Matt. xxvi. 21. Mark xiv. 18. Matt. xxvi. 23, 26-28. Luke xxii. 18. John xiii. 4-7, 10, 12, 14, 17-18, 21-27, 30-35. Matt. xxvi. 30-31,

33-35. Luke xxii. 35-36, 38. Matt. xxvi. 36. John xviii. 1. Matt. xxvi. 37-45.

Chapter XL : John xiii. 36-38 ; xiv. 1-28 ; xv. 1-2, 4-27; xvi. 1-13, 15-31, 33; xvii. 1, 3, 6,4, 7-11, 15, 17, 18, 21, 23, 25-26.

CHAPTER XII. : Matt. xxvi. 46-52, 55. Luke xxii. 53. Matt. xxvi. 56. John xviii. 12-14. Mark xiv. 53. Matt. xxvi. 58, 69-75. Mark xiv. 53. John xviii. 19-23. Matt. xxvi. 59-61. Mark xiv. 59. Matt. xxvi. 62-68 ; xxvii. 2. John xviii. 28-32. Luke xxiii. 2. John xviii. 33-38. Luke xxiii. 5. Mark xv. 3-5. Luke xxiii. 6-15. Matt, xxvii. 23, 21-23. John xix. 4, 6-15, 12, 15, 13. Matt, xxvii. 24-25. Luke xxiii. 23. John xix. 13. Matt, xxvii. 26, 28—29. John xix. 16. Matt, xxvii. 31. John xix. 18. Luke xxiii. 34^35. Mark. xv. 29-32. Luke xxiii. 39-43. Matt, xxvii. 46-48, 50. John xix. 28-30. Luke xxiii. 46.

CONCLUSION

THE COMPREHENSION OF LIFE IS THE DOING OF GOOD

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

The announcement of good by Jesus Christ is the announcement of the comprehension of life.

The comprehension of life is this, that the principle of life is the perfect good. And so the life of man is just such perfect good. In order that we may attain this principle, we must understand that the spirit of life in man came from this principle. Man, who did not exist before, was called to life by this principle. This principle has given the good to man, and so the quality of this principle is the good.

Not to deviate from the principle of his life, a man must keep the only, comprehensible quality of this principle, — the beneficence of love. And so man’s life must consist in the good, that is, in doing good, in love, but good can be done to men only.

All the personal lusts do not correspond to the principle of the good, and so man must sacrifice them and all his carnal life for the principle of beneficent love for his neighbours.

From the comprehension of life, as revealed by Jesus Christ, results the love of our neighbours. There are two proofs of the truth of this comprehension : one is this, that if we do not recognize it, the principle of life presents itself as a deceiver that gave to men an unsatisfactory striving toward life and the good ; the other is this, that man in his heart feels that love and doing good to his neighbour is the one true, free, and eternal life.

Chap. I. 1, 2, 3. This is the announcement about the comprehension of life, wherein men have communion with the Father of life, and so eternal life.

4. This is the announcement of good.

5. The comprehension of life consists in this, that God is life and the good, and that in life and in the good there is no death or evil.

6. If we should say that we have united with God and live in evil and death, we should either be deceived, or not be doing what we ought to.

7. Only if we live the life which he lives, do we unite with him.

Chap. II. 1. We have a teacher in this life in Jesus Christ the righteous.

2. He has delivered us and the whole world from untruth.

3. Hereby do we know the teaching of Jesus Christ, if we keep his commandments.

4. He who says that he knows the teaching of Jesus Christ, and does not keep his commandments, is a cheat, and the truth is not in him.

5. But he who keeps his commandments has the love of God. Through the love alone do we know that we are united with God.

6. He who says that he is united with Jesus Christ must live as Jesus lived.

9, 10, 11. He who says that he is in the life and the good, and hates his living brother, is not in the life and the good, but in death and evil, and does not know himself what he is doing ; and blind is he who hates the life which is in him.

15. In order that one may not be blind, one must remember that everything of the world is a lust of the flesh or vanity, and all this is not of God ;

16. That it passes away and dies ;

17. But that he who does the will of God, love, abides for ever.

23. Only he who recognizes his spirit as the son of God unites with the Father.

24. And so keep that comprehension that according to the spirit you are the sons of God the Father, and then you will have eternal life.

Chap. III. 1. God has given you the possibility of being his sons, and such as he is.

2. Thus we in this life become the sons of God. Though we do not know what we shall be, we know that we are like him, and that we unite with him.

3. The hope in this eternal life frees man from error and makes him pure, even as the Father is.

4. Whoever commits a sin acts contrary to the will of God.

5. Jesus Christ appeared to teach us the liberation from sin and the union with God.

6. And so he who has united with him can no longer sin. Only he who does not know him commits sin.

7. And he who lives in God does righteousness.

8. He who has not united with God does not do righteousness.

9. Whoever acknowledges his birth from God cannot lie.

10. And so men are divided into those who are of God and those who are not : into those who know the truth and love their brothers, and into those who do not know the truth and do not love their brothers.

11. For according to the announcement of Jesus Christ we cannot help but love our brothers.

14. From the announcement of Jesus Christ we know that we pass from death to life, for we love our brothers, and that he who does not love a brother is in death.

15. We know that he who does not love his brother does not love life. And he who does not love life cannot have life.

16. From his announcement we know love to be this, that life is given to us, and so we know that we must lay down our life for a brother.

17. So that if a man who has life and sees that his brother is in need, and does not lay down his life for his brother, the love of God is not in him.

19. And he who loves thus has a peaceful heart, for he is united with God.

20. If his heart struggles he subdues his heart to God.

21. For God is more important than the desires of the heart. But if the heart does not struggle, he is blessed.

22. For he does everything he can, the very best he can, and he does what he is commanded to do.

23. But he is commanded to believe that he is the son of God, and to love his brother.

Chap. IV. 4. Those who act so unite with God and become higher than the world, for what is in them is greater and more important than the whole world.

7. And so we shall love one another. Love is of God, and every one who loves is a son of God, and knows God.

6. And he who does not love, does not know God, for God is love.

9. That God is love we know from this, that he sent his spirit, such as he himself is, into the world, and gave us life through it.

10. We were not, and God did not need us, but he gave us life, the good, consequently he loves us.

12. No one can know God. What we can know of him is that he loves us and through this love gave us life.

11. And so, to be in communion with God, we must be the same as he, and do the same that he is doing, that is, love men.

12. If we love one another, God is in us, and we in him.

16. Understanding God’s love to us, we believe that God is love and that he who loves is united with God.

17. And understanding this, we are not afraid of death, for we have become in this world like God.

18. Our life has become love and is freed from fear and from all sufferings.

19. We love, because he loves.

20. And we must love, not God, whom we cannot love, because no man sees him, but the brother, whom we can lové. He who says that he loves God, and hates his brother, is deceiving, for if he does not love his brother, whom he sees, how can he love God, whom he does not see ?

21. For we have the commandment to love God in our brother.

Chap. V. 3, 4. The love of God is, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not hard for him who, recognizing his birth from God, becomes above the world. Our faith rises above the world. Our true faith is that which Jesus, the son of God, has taught us.

8. And the spirit is in us and confirms us in the truth of his teaching.

9. If we shall believe in what men affirm, how, then, can we fail to believe in the spirit which is in us ?

10. He who believes that the spirit of life in him is a spirit that has come down from above, has satisfaction in himself. But he who does not believe that life is a spirit that has come down from above, from the Father, makes God a deceiver.

11. The spirit confirms that the life in us is the eternal life.

12. He who believes that this spirit is the sod of the eternal spirit and like him, has eternal life.

14. He who believes in this has no obstacles in life and everything he wishes according to the will of God is accomplished for him.

18. And so, he who believes that he is the son of God does not live in the lie and is pure from evil.

19. For he knows that the world is a deception.

20. That in himself (in man) there is understanding, so that he may find out that truth exists. But the truth is that only the spirit, the son of the Father, exists.

THE END.