put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they 6 regarded him as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, 7 and pleased Herod; whereupon he promised with an oath 8 to give her whatever she might ask. And she, being set on by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the 9 head of John the Baptist. And the king was sorry; but on account of his oaths, and of those at table with him 10 he ordered it to be given, and sent and beheaded John in 11 the prison. And his head was brought on a platter, and given to the damsel; and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew thence in a boat into a desert place apart; and the multitudes hearing of it followed him on foot from the cities. 14 And when he came forth he saw a great multitude; and he was moved with compassion for them, and healed their 15 sick. And when it was evening, the disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and it is now late send the multitudes away therefore, that they may go to 16 the villages and buy themselves victuals. But he said 18 to them, They need not go away; do ye give them food. 17 And they say to him, We have here only five loaves, and 19 two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And bidding the multitudes to lie down on the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, he blessed; and having broken the loaves he gave them 20 to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. And they all ate, and were filled. And they took up of the 21 fragments that remained, twelve baskets full. And they who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Ver. 13-21. Comp. Mark vi. 30-44; Luke ix. 10-17; John vi. 1-18. 22 And he constrained the disciples to get into the boat, and to go before him to the other side, while he sent 23 the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray. 24 And when evening came, he was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the lake, tossed by the waves; for 25 the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the 26 night, he went to them, walking on the lake. And see ing him walking on the lake, they were dismayed, saying, 27 It is a spectre; and they cried out for fear. But he immediately spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer, 28 it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answering him said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And Peter, coming down from the 30 boat, walked on the water, and came to Jesus. But seeing the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, 31 he cried out, saying, Lord, save me! And Jesus immediately stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and said to him, Thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? 32 And when they had got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And they that were in the boat fell down before him, saying, Truly thou art the Son of God. 34 And crossing over, they came to land, to Gennesaret. 35 And the men of that place, when they saw who he was, sent out into all that country round, and brought to him 36 all the diseased, and besought nim that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched were made well. XV. Then come to Jesus Pharisees and scribes from Jeru2 salem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when Ver. 22-33. Comp. Mark vi. 45-52; John vi. 14-21. Ver. 34-36. Comp. Mark vi. 53-56. Chap. XV. 1-20. Comp. Mark vii. 1-23. 3 they eat bread. But he answered and said to them, Why do ye too transgress the commandment of God for the sake 4 of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, "Honor thy father and thy mother;" and, "He that curseth father 5 or mother, let him surely die."* But ye say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, Whatever thou 6 mightst receive in aid from me is a gift [to God], he shall not honor his father or his mother. Thus have ye made 7 void the law of God for the sake of your tradition. Hypocrites! well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying, 8 "This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart 9 is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."† 10 And calling the multitude, he said to them, Hear, and 11 understand. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then come the disciples, and say to him, Dost thou know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard that say13 ing? But he answered and said, Every plant which my 14 heavenly Father did not plant will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind. And if 15 the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a ditch. And Peter answering said to him, Explain to us that dark say16 ing. And he said, Are ye too still without discernment? 17 Do ye not understand, that whatever entereth the mouth goeth into the stomach, and is cast out into the drain? 18 But the things which proceed from the mouth come out 19 of the heart; and these defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornica20 tions, thefts, false testimony, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man. * Exod. xx. 12, xxi. 17. † Isa. xxix. 18. 21 And Jesus, going from thence, withdrew to the parts of 22 Tyre and Sidon. And, lo! a woman of Canaan came out from those borders, and cried out, saying, Have compassion on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is griev23 ously afflicted with a demon. But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and besought him, say24 ing, Send her away, for she is crying out after us. But he answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost 25 sheep of the house of Israel. Then she came and fell 26 down before him, saying, Lord, help me! But he answering said, It is not allowable to take the children's bread, 27 and throw it to the little dogs. And she said, Yea, Lord; for the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the 28 table of their masters. Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great is thy faith; be it done to thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was cured from that hour. 29 And departing thence, Jesus came near the lake of Galilee; and going up the mountain, he sat down there. 30 And great multitudes came to him, having with them those who were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at his feet, and he healed 31 them; so that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed sound, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they gave glory to the God of Israel. 32 And Jesus having called his disciples to him, said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have remained with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am not willing to send them away fasting, lest they faint 33 on the road. And the disciples say to him, Whence should we have so many loaves in a wilderness, as to fill so great 34 a multitude? And Jesus saith to them, How many loaves Ver. 21-29. Comp. Mark vii. 24-31. have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few small fishes. And bidding the multitude to lie down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke, and gave them to the disciples, and the dis37 ciples to the multitudes. And they all ate, and were filled; and they took up of the fragments that remained, seven 38 baskets full. And they who ate were four thousand men, 39 besides children and women. Then he sent away the multitudes, and went on board the boat, and came into the borders of Magadan. XVI. And the Pharisees and Sadducees came to try him, 2 and asked him to show them a sign from heaven. And he answering said to them, When it is evening, ye say, 3 Fair weather! for the sky is red. And in the morning, A storm to-day! for the sky is red and lowering. Ye know how to judge of the face of the sky, and can ye not 4 discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and no sign will be given to it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them and went away. 5 And the disciples having come to the other side, had 6 forgotten to take bread. And Jesus said to them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and 7 Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, say8 ing, It is because we took no bread. And Jesus knowing it, said, Why are ye reasoning among yourselves, ye of little 9 faith, because ye took no bread? Do ye not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand, 10 and how many baskets ye took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Chap. XVI. 1-12. Comp. Mark viii. 11-21. Ver. 2. The words "When it is evening," et seq., to the end of ver. 3, are inclosed in brackets by Tischendorf. Ver. 2, 3. See Luke xii. 54-56. |