•Ss 4^ THE STORY OF JESUS ^ - TOLD FOR - CHILDREN iV >;i^ Division Section THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS '\N DEC 8 1910 :i THE^STORY-OF ^ ^JESUS ^ ^ TOLD ^ FOR- CHILDREN E'F JONES NEW'YORK T'V'CROWELL 5^'CO. PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1910, By THOMAS Y. CROWELL & COMPANY CHAP. Contents PAGB Foreword ..... ix I. Mary, the Mother of Jesus . I II. The Year of the Lord 3 III. The Babe Jesus in the Temple 6 IV. The Wise Men . 7 V. The Boy Jesus at Nazareth . lO VI. The Visit to Jerusalem 12 VII. How Jesus was Taught IS VIII. John, the Forerunner . 17 IX. Christ Tempted in the Wilderness 19 X. The First Followers of Jesus 21 XI. The Wedding at Cana 24 XII. Galilee 26 XIII. The Temple .... 28 XIV. The Ruler of Jerusalem 3» XV. The Woman of Samaria 32 XVI. Jesus Rejected at Nazareth . 35 XVII. Jesus at Cana and Capernaum . 37 XVIII. The Fishermen .... . 41 XIX. Four Good Friends • 43 XX. The Pool of Bethesda . . 46 XXI. Keeping the Sabbath . . 48 IV Contents XXTI. The Twelve Apostles ... 50 XXIII. Jesus Teaches on the Hillside . . 52 XXIV. When Jesus Walked in Galilee . 54 XXV. The Fate of John the Baptist . . 56 XXVI. The Sinful Woman Who Loved Much 59 XXVII. Preaching the Good Tidings of the Kingdom 62 XXVIII. Parable of the Sower ... 64 XXIX. The Storm on the Sea . . . 66 XXX. The Madman of Gadara . . 68 XXXt. Matthew's Feast .... 70 XXXII. " Little Maid, Arise ! " . . . 72 XXXIII. The Meal in the Desert ... 76 XXXIV. " Be of Good Cheer " • . 79 XXXV. The Bread, of Life . . .81 XXXVI. God's Law and Tradition . . 84 XXXVII. The Greek Woman ... 86 XXXVIII. The Vision on the Mount . . 88 XXXIX. Who Is the Greatest ? . . .91 XL. Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles . 94 XLI. The Sinful Woman of Jerusalem . 98 XLII. The Blind Man and the Pharisees . loi XLIII. The Mission of the Seventy . .104 XLIV. "Who is My Neighbor?" The 1 Good Part . . . .107 XLV. Blessing the Children. The Great Refusal 1 10 XLVI. On the Other Side of Jordan, and in Solomon's Porch . . • 1 ' 3 Contents CHAP. XLVII. "Thy Brother Shall Rise A " Lazarus ! " gain.' PAGB ii6 XLVIII. The Plot of the Priests 1 20 XLIX. Bartimaeus and Zacchasus . 122 L. Mary's Jar of Ointment . 125 LI. " Hosanna to the Son of David . " 127 LII. LIII. LIV. LV. Monday in the Temple The Last Day of Teaching The Last Supper The Garden of Gethsemane 131 133 J37 H3 LVI. Jesus Before the Priests H7 LVII. Peter's Denial . 150 LVIII. Before the Governor . 152 LIX. Jesus Crucified . 158 LX. The Grave in the Garden . . 163 LXI. Jesus Rises From the Dead . 165 LXII. The Evening of the Resurrection Day . 168 LXIII. " Lovest Thou Me ? " . . 172 •' Fain would I, oh, divine Son of Mary, fetble though I be, have said something great about Thee." — Justin Martyr. Foreword IT is a long time ago since the Lord Jesus lived on earth among men, but His story is as fresh as yesterday, and He is still the same Master and Saviour to those who love Him and obey Him. Some of His followers wrote down His life as they knew it. Their writings are called the Gospels, or the " Good Tidings." The first Gospel bears the name of Matthew the tax-gatherer who left his money table when Jesus called him, and became one of the twelve friends who went about with Him. Matthew wrote as a Jew for Jews, to show that Jesus, " the Son of David " was the Messiah they looked for to restore their kingdom, and to rule a conquering king. He told how Jesus came as the Son of the Father in Heaven, and that His kingdom began in the heart, not as an outward one of crown and soldiers and rewards, and he gives many sayings of the prophets that so it should be. The second Gospel bears the name of Mark, viii Foreword and begins with the words, " The good Tidings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Mark was the nephew of Peter, who must have told him many things he has written down, for Peter was one of the first to beheve that his Master Jesus, who called Himself " the Son of Man " was the Son of God also, Luke was a doctor, a Greek, and he wrote his book for a friend named Theophilus, and for the Greeks and foreigners, to put the things in order that they had been taught about Jesus. This is the longest Gospel. Luke says that he . had traced " all things accurately from the first," and he knew them to be true. He tells much that is not in the other Gospels. The fourth Gospel was written a good while after the others. It seems that John, the beloved disciple, when he was a very old man, must have told the story of Jesus, and what he had heard Him say, to some one who wrote it all down with words of his own. This is a most wonderful book. In it, Jesus is called " the Word " : — because He told what God is ; and " the Light of the World " : — be- cause He taught men how to live ; and, " the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world," because He died for men. Foreword ix These four books are the only true records of the Hfe of Jesus, whom His own people the Jews called " Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Most of them refused Him for their king, then, as they still do, but to those who truly know Him He is the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who rules over a heavenly kingdom which shall last forever. ILLUSTRATIONS The Childhood of Jesus . Frontispiece OPP. PAGE The Star in the East guides the Wise Men to Bethlehem ... 8 Jesus drives the Money-changers from the Temple 30 The Sermon on the Mount ... 52 The Raising of Jairus's Daughter . 74 •''Suffer little children to come UNTO me'' ........ 110 The Entry into Jerusalem . . . 130 The Women at the Tomb . . . :. 166 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER I MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS ALONG time ago, there lived at Nazareth, a httle town in the land that is now called Palestine, or the Holy Land, a Jewish girl named Mary, Not many Jews live in their own country now, and it is under the rule of the Turks. But at that time the Romans, who conquered so many countries, had conquered Judaea, as it was then called, too, and had set a governor over the land, to rule for the Emperor at Rome. The Jews could not bear to think that the power of their kings was taken away, and they hated to pay tribute to the Romans, They longed for the Messiah, the promise of God to their great leaders and prophets, to come and deliver them. The word Messiah means Anointed One, for a Jewish king had oil poured on his head ; in Greek, the word is Christ. 2 The Story of Jesus Now Mary often read about the wonderful promise of God in the books of the prophets. Like all the women of her country, she hoped that she might have the great joy of being the mother of the Messiah. Mary was descended from the great King David, who was first a shepherd boy, and then a soldier and a king — who, too, could make such beautiful songs that he was called the " Sweet Singer of Israel." She thought much about these things, although she was humble and poor, for she was noble and true, and good. Luke says in his Gospel that when the full time so long looked for, had come, Gabriel, one of God's angels, was sent to tell Mary that she was to be the mother of the great King. The angel said, " Thou shalt call His name Jesus. . . . He shall be great, and the Lord God will give unto Him His father David's throne. He shall be called the Son of God." And Mary said, " Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word." She was so full of joy that afterward she made a song, to thank God. Soon after, she was married to a good and just man named Joseph, who was very kind to her. The Year of the Lord 3 Joseph was a carpenter, and he hved in the same town of Nazareth. CHAPTER II THE YEAR OF THE LORD " Glad tidings of great joy." IT was most hkely in the spring time that Mary and Joseph left their home among the hills at Nazareth, to go to Bethlehem, eighty miles away in the South. The Emperor Augustus Caesar had ordered a great census, or numbering of the people, and all were to go to the towns where their families first lived, to have their names set down. Mary and Joseph were both of the family of King David, and Bethle- hem was the City of David : that is why they had to go so far. They went very slowly, as they always travel in the East, Mary riding upon an ass, and Joseph leading it along the rough roads. After several days they came to Bethlehem. It was evening when they went up the hill and through the gate. The street was crowded with people who had come to be enrolled, and the inn 4 The Story of Jesus was quite full. Now an Eastern inn or khan is a courtyard, with a thick wall in which are deep recesses. In these, the people and their asses and camels live and sleep, while they stay. But there was no room for Mary and Joseph, so they had to be in the stable, which was only a cave. There it was that Jesus was born. What a rough place for the baby Messiah to come to first of all ! His mother Mary wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, the linen bands rolled tightly round that all Jewish babies wore, and laid Him to sleep in a manger. Her heart was full of love and joy as she watched Him there. In the fields outside Bethlehem that night some shepherds were watching their flocks, in case a wolf or a bear should carry off a sheep or a lamb. As they sat by their fire and talked together, a great light shone round them, and they saw a bright angel. They were much afraid, but he said to them, " Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, for all people. Unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Sa- viour, which is Christ the Lord." And he told them how they should know Him. " Ye shall find a babe," he said, " wrapped in swaddling The Year of the Lord 5 clothes, lying in a manger." Then many angels sang together: — " Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace, good-will among men." And when the angels had gone away, and the fields were still and dark again the shepherds said to one another, '• Come, let us go to Beth- lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." So they hastened through the quiet street, and came to the inn. They found as the angel said — no grand house, nor servants, nor gold and purple clothing for a king's son — but a young mother and her carpenter husband with his ass, — Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. And they were glad, and when they went away, they told the good news to every one they met, and how they had heard the song of the angels. Mary wondered, and thought of it often. She remembered it all long afterward, when she understood more about Jesus and His real kingdom. Jesus came to the poor and the humble. As a babe. He was laid in a manger among the oxen and the asses, and it was to the shepherds in the fields that the good news was first told. The Story of Jesus CHAPTER III THE BABE JESUS IN THE TEMPLE EIGHT days after this joyful night (as was the custom of the Jews) the httle child was given the name of Jesus by Joseph and Mary. Jesus is the same name as Joshua, and many Jewish parents gave it to their boys in memory of the great captain who had led the people into Canaan. But this Jesus was to be the greatest Deliverer of all, for He should save His people from their sin. Thirty-two days later, when Jesus was a little more than a month old, Mary and Joseph carried Him to the Temple at Jerusalem. All the first- born sons were taken there by their parents, to be presented to God. Mary had brought an of- fering. She was too poor to give a lamb, so they had two doves instead. These were given to the priest, to be burnt upon the altar. Now, there was living in Jerusalem a very good old man, named Simeon, and God had promised him that he should see the Lord's The Wise Men 7 Christ before he died. Simeon came just then into the Temple. And when he saw the Httle Jesus with His parents, he knew that God had kept His promise. He took the Babe in his arms, and blessed God, and said : " Lord, now let Thy servant depart in peace, as Thou hast said, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." Good and wise old Anna, who lived nearly all her days in the Temple, came in at the same time, and was as glad as Simeon to see Jesus. She thanked God that He had come, and spoke of Him to all. her friends who were looking for- ward to the coming of the Messiah. CHAPTER IV THE WISE MEN IT is not certain how long Mary and Joseph stayed in Bethlehem, but most likely until Jesus was about two years old. While they were there, three Wise Men came a long way from the East to see Him. Far away from Judaea lived people who were very fond of watching the stars, and finding out 8 The Story of Jesus all they could about them, for they thought that the stars had a great deal to do with the affairs of men on the earth. At that time a very wonderful star was shining that they had never seen before, so these Wise Men felt sure that a new king had been born in the land of the Jews. These men were rich and great, and had treas- ures of gold and spices. They set out from their own country with their camels and servants to find out the great King and worship Him. At last they came to Jerusalem, and asked the people in the streets about the new King of the Jews. The whole city soon heard of these men who looked like kings from a far-off, strange land for they talked of a star that they had seen in their own country. But no one knew of any other king than Herod, so they were taken to the palace. When Herod heard of them, he thought of the Messiah that was to be, and he sent for the chief priests and scribes, and asked them where the prophets had said that Christ the Messiah should be born ? They told him, " In Bethlehem." Herod had the Wise Men brought in, and told them to go to Bethlehem, and to look for the young Child. When they had found Him, they THE STAR IN THE EAST GUIDES THE WISE MEN TO BETHLEHEM The Wise Men 9 were to bring the king word, that he might go and worship Him, so he said. But Herod meant to kill this baby king when he found Him, for he was very jealous of his power and his throne. The Wise Men came to Bethlehem, and when they saw the star, which they had seen in their own country, shining in the clear sky above them, they were full of joy. They went into the house, and there they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down to worship Him. It made no difference to them that Mary and Joseph were working people, and that the Child was like other children. They opened their treasures, and got out a king's presents for Jesus ; gold, frankincense, and myrrh, very pre- cious at that time. They went back to their own country another way, for they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod with their news. Herod was very angry when they did not return to tell him and he sent an order to Bethlehem to have all the children under two years old killed, in the hope that the Child king would be among them. And there was great mourning in Bethlehem. But Jesus was not there. Joseph had a warn- ing in a dream from God. " Arise, and take the young Child, and Mary His mother, and go into lo The Story of Jesus Egypt, for Herod will seek the young Child, to destroy Him." So Joseph rose and saddled the ass, and put Mary upon it, with Jesus in her arms, and they went away quietly by night, down into Egypt. There they stayed till King Herod died, and then they went back to their own town of Naz- areth. CHAPTER V THE BOY JESUS AT NAZARETH FOR a long time after Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus home to Nazareth, noth- ing is told about Him in the Gospels. And yet that is the time that the children would very much like to know about : " For He is our childhood's pattern, Day by day like us He grew." But though the Gospels do not tell us, we can find out a good deal from the way the boys and girls grow up now in Nazareth. Eastern people live in the same way now that they did when Jesus was a boy. The Boy Jesus at Nazareth 1 1 Nazareth is a little town in a green valley, with hills all round. Buttercups and daisies grow among the grass for the children to gather, and lilies and anemones and many other flowers. Mary and Joseph must have lived in a house like those at Nazareth to-day, — a white house with a flat roof, with a vine climbing over the wall, and a fig-tree or some olive-trees near by. The little Jesus would go along the village street with His mother, when Mary went with her pitcher on her shoulder to get water from the foun- tain. At home, Joseph was at work in his shop, making ploughs and yokes for the oxen, and Jesus might play among the shavings on the earthen floor. Or He would be with the chil- dren outside in their bright colored tunics having games at weddings and funerals. His mother Mary and Joseph taught Him from the Psalms, and the books of the law. When He was old enough, He would be sent to the synagogue school, where the boys wrote with sticks in the sand and chanted verses after the rabbi. And He would help in the house, and wait upon the older people, while Joseph some- times gave Him little tasks to do at his carpenter's bench. Mary and Joseph did the best they could for 12 The Story of Jesus Jesus, for they remembered the wonderful things told them about Him while He was a babe. Jesus was a Child among children, that He might learn how to be the Friend of children. CHAPTER VI THE VISIT TO JERUSALEM THE Passover, the great feast of the Jews, was held every year in the spring. Then every one who was able went up to Jerusalem to take part in the services of the Temple. When Jesus was a boy of twelve, His parents took Him with them to the feast. How glad He must have been while He watched Mary weave a new coat for Him to wear in the days before the time came. One bright day they set out with all the others who were going up from •Nazareth. It may well have been the first time Jesus had been away from home since He had been brought to Nazareth a little child. They went through the vineyards, on the hill- sides and the green fields with scarlet and purple flowers among the grass, through fig yards and oUve-trees, on the way to the great city. People The Visit to Jerusalem 13 from the towns and villages they passed joined them; the old men and the women rode on donkeys, and the children were carried, or ran by the side of their mothers. When they came to Jerusalem it was a great company. In sight of its walls and towers, and the golden roof of the Temple high above all, they shouted and sang for joy ; for though the Romans had the power, and Roman soldiers and governor held the city, it was still to the Jews the most holy place on earth. There was not room for all the people inside the walls ; many lived in booths, made of mats or branches of trees, outside, for the week of the feast. All day long the courtyards of the Tem- ple were crowded with those who came to wor- ship and offer sacrifices. In the street friends met with friends. When the week was passed, and the people from the country were all going home, Jesus stayed behind in the city. Mary and Joseph thought that He was with friends, and did not notice that He was left behind till the evening, when they stopped to rest for the night. They turned back inquiring and seeking for Him all the way, full of sorrow. They feared that He might have been trampled to death in the 14 The Story of Jesus crowded city, or carried away by wicked men. It was three days before they found Him. What had Jesus been doing all that time? Where had He slept ? What had He to eat ? We do not know. At last, after their weary search, Mary and Joseph came again to the Temple. There they found Him. In a courtyard, under the portico with the big pillars, among the learned men — the doctors and rabbis, as they were called — was Jesus. He was listening while they talked, and asking them questions. The gray learned old men were astonished that a young country boy should know so much. Then Mary said, " Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us ? See, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing." She could not forget her grief, even in her surprise and joy. But Jesus said, " How is it that ye sought Me ? Did ye not know that I must be in My Father's house ? " He was thinking of His Father in heaven. But they could not understand what He meant, and the wise old men, who were so astonished at His knowledge, never thought that the Child Messiah had been among them that day. So Jesus went home again to Nazareth, and was obedient to His parents. And as He grew How Jesus Was Taught 15; a man, so He grew in learning and every good thing, so that all who knew Him loved Him. CHAPTER Vn HOW JESUS WAS TAUGHT THERE is nothing told us about Jesus from this time, till He went about among the people speaking wonderful words and doing wonderful works about sixteen years afterward. But since He came to show what the Father in heaven was like, we know that all those years He was doing it just as much as after- ward when all the country knew about the great Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth. He did God's will when He was a boy by being humble and obedi- ent and trying to learn, and being happy and kind in play. That teaches the boys and girls of all time how to live. It was the same when He was older, so that every one can follow " the blessed footsteps of His most holy life." When a Jewish boy became twelve years old, he had taken a great step onward. He was then called a " Son of the Law," and taken to the syn- agogue on the Sabbath by his father, wearing i6 The Story of Jesus for the first time the " phylacteries " — httle boxes with texts from the law inside — between the eyes and on the wrists. He had also to learn a trade, by which to gain his own living. We know what trade Jesus learned, for He was after- ward called " the Carpenter," in scorn and won- der. It seems that Joseph must have died while He was quite young, and that He worked for His mother Mary. But while He worked hard with His hands. He worked with His mind. He could write well, and read the Hebrew holy books. Though He generally spoke in Aramaic, the speech of the Galileans, He knew Greek also, and perhaps a little Latin. He had not been in the schools of the scribes, the learned men of Jerusalem, and so they were always jealous afterward when He set aside their dry and dusty old books and learning, and gave the people lessons from the liHes and the spar- rows and the corn and the sky. God Himself taught Jesus, and in the mornings He would rise very early and go away into a quiet place to pray. Then it was that He learned more than ever He did from men. He must have loved to go to the hilltop out- side Nazareth, for from there one can see the John, the Forerunner 17 country away to the blue sea, till the hills and forest shut out the view. CHAPTER VIII JOHN, THE FORERUNNER AND John, the cousin of Jesus, who was about His age, came preaching. His message rang out through the country, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The people had great need to repent, for they had grown very bad. Their teachers, the scribes and Pharisees, were worse than the others, for they led the way in deceit and cheat- ing, instead of truth and honesty. They all knew that they must turn from, their bad ways to be ready for the kingdom of the Messiah. John would not come to the towns. He preached at Bethabara, by the fords of the river Jordan. People from all the country round, and even from Jerusalem, came out to him there. Men had never known such a wonderful preacher, and their hearts were touched. This wild looking man with hair loose on his shoul- ders, wearing the poor countryman's coarse tunic of camel's hair, who lived like the very l8 The Story of Jesus poorest, on locusts and the wild honey that he could find for himself in the trunks of the trees, and among the rocks, feared no one. Rich or poor, high or low, were all the same to John. He called the Pharisees " vipers," or as we should say " snakes," and told them that unless they al- tered their ways they should be destroyed like useless trees. God could do without them. And when the soldiers said, " What shall we do ?" John told them not to be rough and cruel, and to be content with their wages. He told the publicans, the tax-gatherers, not to take more money from the people for the taxes than they ought. And he told all to be kind and help one another. " Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight," he preached. And those who repented were baptized, or dipped, in the river Jordan, as a sign that they wanted to live better, and to be clean in body and soul. The crowds began to think that perhaps John was the Messiah, and the Council sent priests from Jerusalem to ask him. But John told them, No ; a mightier One than he was coming. " I am not worthy," he said, " to stoop down and unloose His shoes. He is standing among you, but you do not know Him." Christ Tempted in the Wilderness 19 Now John had never seen Jesus, but a Httle while after, as he stood by the river, Jesus Him- self came to him to be baptized. John knew Him at once, and did not want to baptize Him, for he saw that He was already sinless and holy. But Jesus said, " Suffer it to be so now." As they came up out of the water, John heard a heavenly voice saying, •' This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And at the same time, a Hght like a dove with outspread wings shone over Jesus. So John gave witness, " This is the Son of God." CHAPTER IX CHRIST TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS AFTER His baptism Jesus went away by Himself to a desert place. There He stayed for forty days, thinking and praying about the great work He had to do. There was nothing to eat, except the wild fruits, but He hardly remembered about food. The wild beasts came round Him, but even in the night they did not harm Him, for wild creatures will often be quite harmless with those who are 20 The Story of Jesus strong and gentle. Jesus had power over the wild creatures as He had over men afterward. The days went by, and He was faint and hun- gry ; then the Evil One came to tempt Him. Stones lay on the ground, much the shape of round loaves of bread. Satan whispered, " If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." That would be an easy way for the Son of God to find food. But Jesus lived to show that to please God His children must not think first of their own comfort and ease. If we are true to the Father in heaven, He will take care of us. So He said," It is writ- ten, Man does not live by bread only, but by the words of God." Again Satan came. In a vision Jesus seemed to be on one of the Temple towers at Jerusalem ; and the Evil One told Him to throw Himself down from the roof, for if He was God's Son the angels would fly to hold Him up with their hands. Every one would then believe Him to be Messiah, without any trouble of preaching and persuading people. It would be so easy a way. But Jesus said, " It is written. Thou shalt not try the Lord thy God." Then Satan showed Him all the kingdoms of The First Followers of Jesus 21 the earth, and their glory and power, and prom- ised all to Him, if He would worship him. Jesus answered, " Get thee hence, Satan ; thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." So the wicked one found he was beaten, and went away for a time. And God's angels came to wait upon the tired Jesus. These temptations are hard to understand; they show how very real and present the power of the Evil One is. But Jesus had the hardest fight, and He conquered. He still helps those who love Him to conquer too. CHAPTER X THE FIRST FOLLOWERS OF JESUS JESUS came back to the fords of the Jordan, where John was preaching. And John no- ticed Him walking by. Looking after Him, he said to the people, " Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world ! " He thought of the lamb of sacrifice offered daily on the altar for the sin of his own people the Jews, and it had been shown him that Christ was come for the whole world. 22 The Story of Jesus The next day Jesus passed again, and John said again, " Behold the Lamb of God ! " Two young men standing by heard his words. They were fishermen from Galilee, and disciples of John. One was named Andrew, and the other was John, who tells the story. They followed Jesus, to find out who He was. Turning to them He said kindly, " What seek ye?" And they said, " Master, where abidest Thou ? " " Come and see," said Jesus. It was about four in the afternoon, and they went with Him to the place where He was stay- ing, and were with Him all the evening. He told them many things, and they listened with joy, and believed that they had found the Messiah. It was great faith on their part, for Jesus had no better dress than a working man's, and no one besides John had spoken of Him to them. How wonderful must have been the words and ways of Jesus ! The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon, who was a fisherman too. " We have found the Messiah," he said, and he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, •' Thou art Simon ; thou shalt be called Peter," which means " rock," The First Followers of Jesus 23 because He saw that he was firm and brave. From that time Peter was one of His best friends. The next day Jesus with Peter and Andrew and John started to walk to Gahlee. On their way they met a man named Philip. He be- longed to Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter and he knew them very well. Jesus said to him, " Follow Me." Philip went to find his friend Nathaniel, and told him, " We have found the Messiah whom Moses and the prophets wrote about. He is called Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph's son." And Nathaniel wondered. " Can anything good come out of Nazareth ? " he asked. " Come and see," said Philip, and brought him to Jesus. When He saw him He said that he was a true man. Nathaniel was surprised. " Whence know- est Thou me?" he asked. He answered, " Be- fore Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee." Nathaniel saw that Jesus knew more than any man, or He could not have told of his secret place, and he said, " Master, Thou art the Son of God ; Thou art the King of Israel." ^4 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XI THE WEDDING AT CANA WHEN Jesus and His five friends had come back into Galilee, they were invited to a wedding at Cana, a small town near Nazareth. It is the way in the East to fetch the bride from her father's house in the evening. She is covered with shawls and a long veil, so that no one can see what she is like. The bridegroom and his friends come to meet her, and the friends and relations go in a long procession through the streets to the bridegroom's house, singing and shouting for joy. The bridesmaids light the way, holding up their lamps. Then there is a great feast in the bridegroom's house, which sometimes lasts several days. At this wedding at Cana the people were not rich, and it meant a good deal of difference to invite five fresh guests, the friends that Jesus had brought. So, after a while, Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was waiting on the guests, came to Him and said quietly, •' They have no The Wedding at Cana 25 wine." This would be a disgrace for the master of the house, if it were known, and Mary thought that He would be sorry, and would do something to supply it. Perhaps, also, she wanted Him to show how great He really was, that she might be proud of Him. Jesus knew about it all — what had happened, and what she was thinking — but He said to her, " My hour is not yet come." And Mary went to the servants and told them, •• Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it," for she felt sure that Jesus would help them. Standing in the room were six large water- pots of stone. Jesus said to the servants, " Fill the water-pots with water." And they made them quite full. " Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast," He said. The ruler was one of the chief men of the place, and usually a friend of the bridegroom, who was chosen to be master while the feast lasted. The servants wondered, but they obeyed Jesus, and carried the water from the water-pots to the ruler. When he tasted it, he found that it was much better wine than they had had before. He called the bride- groom, and said to him, " Every man at first set- teth forth the good wine ; and when they have well drunk, then the worst ; thou hast kept the 26 The Story of Jesus good wine till now." So the bridegroom was not made ashamed before his guests, and every- one was happy. Jesus always made people hap- pier when He was there. His friends believed on Him more than before, for they all soon heard what had happened, and His mother Mary was glad. The Gospel calls this the " beginning of signs." CHAPTER Xn GALILEE " The people sitting in darkness saw a great light." JESUS went from Cana to Capernaum with His mother Mary, and His disciples. Capernaum was a busy town by the Sea of Galilee ; a very different place from Nazareth, away among the hills. Galilee is the most beau- tiful part of the country. The towns have been thrown down long ago, and only a few very poor people live in the ruins that are here and there round the sea now. Though it is generally called a sea, the water is fresh and clear, and its other name is the Lake of Gennesareth. By the calm blue water the flowers are bright in the grass, and the palm and the fig-tree, the walnut Galilee 27 and the olive grow just as they did when Jesus walked on the shore. At that time, Galilee might well be called," by the way of the sea, Galilee of the Nations." In the streets of the towns met together Jews, Greeks, and Romans, who came for trade, or for pleasure. There were soldiers and fishermen, merchants and craftsmen. Ships and fishing boats sailed or were rowed on the lake. Now, all is silent and desolate ; there is hardly a boat on the lake, or laborer in the fields. Only a few fishermen fish in the clear water where once Peter and John cast their nets ! Man's work has fallen into ruin. The sea and the shore have outlasted it all. Jesus began His ministry, that is, His work and teaching, while He was living in Capernaum. At first. He preached like John the Baptist, His forerunner, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." On the Sabbath days He went to worship in the synagogue, which had been built and given to the people by a Roman centurion who lived there. On the other days, He spoke to the peo- ple whom He met in the streets or on the shore. And His friends were with Him. 28 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XIII THE TEMPLE THE Temple at Jerusalem that Jesus knew was built by King Herod. It was not so large as Solomon's great Temple, but Herod, to please the Jews, had made it as beautiful as possible. It had marble pillars, and a golden vine was over the doorway. In- side, the walls were set with precious stones. A great curtain of many-colored needlework hung between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, where once the Ark of the Covenant with its golden angels had stood. The Temple stood on Mount Moriah. From a long distance the Beautiful Gate, looking over the valley of the Kidron, shone like gold in the sun. The people worshiped in the great courts, for only the priests might enter the Temple itself. The outer court was called the Court of the Gen- tiles, or foreigners, and there cattle, lambs, and doves were sold for sacrifice, and the bankers and money-changers had their tables, to change The Temple 29 foreign money into Jewish coins. Every one could see the priests oifering the sacrifices in the inner court, for it stood higher than the others, with steps up to it. Tlie Temple stood higlier still.- At the sides of the courts were porches held up by great pillars. Here the rabbis sat and taught, while near by, the high priest had his council. These wise men, especially some of them called scribes, said that they taught the law of Moses, but at this time they had added so many rules and opinions of their own that the common people had quite given up trying to obey them. But all the people still dearly loved the Temple and its courts, and many who lived in Jerusalem went there several times every day to worship. Here Jesus and His disciples came up from Galilee to the Feast of the Passover. They came into the Court of the Gentiles. A noisy crowd was pushing and quarreling together. They heard the lowing of oxen, and the bleating of frightened sheep and lambs, and the chinking of money on the tables. Instead of being quiet and still for worship, the place was like a market, Jesus was angry when He saw it. He stooped for some of the rushes on the ground, and made 30 The Story of Jesus a whip. With it He drove the traders and the animals out of the Temple. He upset the money tables, and said to those who sold doves, "Take these things hence: make not My Fa- ther's house a house of merchandise." This was the first time that Jesus had shown His power over men in Jerusalem. The rulers and the priests were surprised. Jesus looked like a Galilean working man, and they wondered that He should be so bold. So they came to Him in the Temple court to ask Him to give them a sign that He had a right to do such things. Jesus said to them, " Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up." And they said that the Temple had taken forty-six years to build : how could He raise it in three days ? for they would not trouble to find out what Jesus really meant. It was not till He had risen again, that His disciples understood either. Then they remembered what He said. The Temple meant the house not made with hands, the body. Jesus was to make the body holier than the Temple of stone with its gold and pre- cious stones, for He had a human body like others, and it became a glorious one by the res- urrection. Many people who had come to Jerusalem for JESUS DRIVES THE MONEY-CHANGERS FROM THE TEMPLE The Ruler of Jerusalem 31 the feast believed in Jesus as the Messiah be- cause of what He had done, but He could not trust them for He saw that their hearts were set on an earthly kingdom. CHAPTER XIV THE RULER OF JERUSALEM ONE evening, when it was quite dark, an old man came quietly to speak to Jesus. This was Nicodemus, a rich ruler, one of the Council, and a Pharisee. He was afraid to come by day, lest all the people should think he wanted to be a disciple of Jesus. He may have found Him outside the walls of Jerusalem under an olive-tree, or in one of the arbors made of boughs for the feast time. Nicodemus wanted to know how to be a better man : he did not say so, but Jesus knew. He began, " Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man can do these signs that Thou doest, except God be with him." And Jesus answered his thoughts. He often did that when He spoke to people. " Except a man be born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God," He said. When Nicodemus 32 The Story of Jesus asked what He meant, He said that it was to be clean and to be ruled by God's spirit. And so they talked together, the old ruler and the young rabbi, while the night grew dark, and the wind rustled in the trees. Nicodemus was a teacher of the people, but he learned of Jesus many things that he did not know before. He never forgot them, though he did not go with Him openly as His disciple. Afterward he spoke for right in the Council, and when Jesus was crucified, Nicodemus brought sweet spices for His burial. CHAPTER XV THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA JESUS had to pass through the land of Samaria on His way back to Galilee. Now the Jews hated the Samaritans, and despised them even more than foreigners and strangers, because they also claimed to be the children of Jacob, and they had built another temple on Mount Gerizim. Jesus knew these things well, but to Him they did not matter. It was noonday and very hot when they came The Woman of Samaria 33 to the city of Sycliar, and the disciples went to buy food. But He was so weary tliat He stayed to rest, sitting upon the well outside the city. This well was a very old one, and the Samaritans were proud of it because Jacob had given it with the ground round to his favorite son Joseph, hundreds of years before. Presently a woman came to draw water, with her water-pot on her shoulder. She had come at noonday, instead of in the evening, when most of the women drew water, so that she would not be likely to meet any one, for she was an unhappy woman who had led a bad life. Jesus asked her for water. " Give Me to drink," He said. She was surprised that a Jew should speak to her, and that kindly, and said at once, " How dost Thou, being a Jew, ask drink of me, a Samar- itan woman ? The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." Then Jesus said, " If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water." She said, " Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep ; from whence then hast Thou living water ? " Jesus told her that those who drank of the water of the well would be thirsty 34 The Story of Jesus again, but the water that He would give would satisfy forever, " Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw," said the woman, but the next words of Jesus brought her bad life to her mind, and made her feel that He knew about it too, and she went on, " Sir, I see that Thou art a prophet. ... I know that Messiah cometh ; ... He will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, " I that speak to thee am He." This was the first time that He had ever spoken so plainly of Himself as Messiah, and the one He told was a poor ignorant Samaritan woman. When the others came back, they wondered that He should talk with a woman, but they did not like to ask Him about it. They knew that the rabbis would hardly speak to women at all, but Jesus was different from any rabbi they had ever known. And the woman forgot her water-pot, and ran back to the city. She said to the men in the streets, " Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did ; is this the Christ ? " And they went out to find Jesus, surprised and wondering. He was weary and hungry, but Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 35 He could hardly eat when the disciples brought food, and begged Him, " Master, eat," for He said, " I have food to eat that ye know not of. . . . My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work." As He looked at the people coming from the city He said that they were like corn, ready to be reaped at harvest. " Pray ye the Lord of the harvest for laborers," He told them. The Samaritans asked Him to stay with them ; and He stayed two days in their city. Some of them believed Him because the woman had said, " He told me all things that ever I did," but more because of His own words, and they told her, " We have heard Him ourselves, and believe that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." CHAPTER XVI JESUS REJECTED AT NAZARETH JESUS went back into Galilee " in the power of the Spirit." The people crowded to hear Him when He taught in the synagogues, and thanked God for the wonderful teacher. And He came to Nazareth, where He had lived 36 The Story of Jesus so long. On the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue. The ruler of the synagogue might ask any one whom he thought able to read the portions from the law and the prophets, and it had been the custom of Jesus to take this part. When He stood up to read, the minister took the roll of the Prophet Isaiah from the chest where all the books were kept, and handed it to Him. The people watched Him, for they had all heard of the power of His preaching in other places, and they wanted to see what He would do in the place where He had grown up. They whispered to one another, " Is not this the car- penter, the son of Mary ? What wisdom is this which is given unto Him?" And they were very jealous. Jesus found the lesson for the day and read it. It was where Isaiah speaks of the Messiah and His work : — how He would preach the good tidings to the poor, and heal the broken-hearted, and give liberty to the captive. Then He rolled up the book and gave it back. He sat down and began to tell them how all this was happening at that very time, but that strangers would sooner believe in Him than His own people. As He spoke they grew more and more angry Jesus at Cana and Capernaum 37 that Jesus, " Joseph's son," should dare to speak so to them. Suddenly they rushed upon Him. They dragged Him out of the synagogue, and up the hill, meaning to throw Him down from the top. But they could not do it. Jesus turned, and there was something in His look that made their fierce hearts fear and wonder, and their hands fell from Him. So Hejpassed through the crowd, and went on His way. Before He left Nazareth He laid His hands on some sick people and healed them. But He never came back to Nazareth again. His own people had driven away their true Messiah. CHAPTER XVn JESUS AT CANA AND CAPERNAUM JESUS went from Nazareth to Cana. The people welcomed Him, for they remembered how good He had been at the wedding feast. While He was there, a nobleman came from Capernaum to see Him. His son was very sick, and he begged Jesus to come and cure him. Jesus said to him, " Unless ye see signs and wonders ye do not believe." He saw that the 38 The Story of Jesus nobleman had no thought of Him as Messiah, but only as a great doctor who could make wonderful cures. But when he asked again, " Sir, come down before my child is dead," Jesus said, " Go thy way ; thy son Uveth." The father believed His word. He was so sure that his son was better, that he did not go home till the next day. On the way, his servants came to meet him and tell him, '• Thy son liveth." He asked them when he began to get better, and found that it was the very time when he had been talking with Jesus, Then he and his family believed on Him as Messiah. The town and the country round soon heard what had happened, and they received Jesus with joy when He came to Hve in Capernaum. It seems that Mary and her other sons came with Him. Perhaps they had a house of their own, but we read of Jesus being mostly in the house of Peter when He was in the town. Every Sabbath He went into the synagogue, and taught the people. Luke writes that " they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with power." In the Gospel of Mark there is an account of the first Sabbath Jesus spent in Capernaum. In the morning He went to the synagogue, and Jesus at Cana and Capernaum 39 taught the people, perhaps out of the books of Moses and the prophets, which were read every Sabbath. But the lessons that He found in these old books were different from any that the scribes and rulers had ever taught, and the people listened and wondered at the young rabbi. Suddenly there was a great noise in the quiet place, and a poor madman cried out against Him. This man every one thought had a bad spirit. He himself knew he was not fit to be near Jesus, so he called out to Him to let him alone and not to trouble him. Jesus spoke sternly, and bade the evil spirit come out of the man, who threw himself about, and then became quite still. He was cured. When the people went out they carried the news all about. But Jesus went to the house of Peter and Andrew. The mother of Peter's wife was lying sick of fever, and they soon told Him of her. He went to her bedside, and taking her by the hand. He lifted her up. Soon she was walking about, and waiting on them all, for she was quite well of the fever. When the sun set, the Sabbath was over, and then through the streets, followed by crowds, the sick people came to Jesus. Some were brought by their friends, too ill to walk. They 40 The Story of Jesus gathered round the door. It seemed as if all the town was there, Jesus came out and looked at them full of pity. He put His hands on them, and they were cured. There was joy that even- ing in Capernaum. How tired Jesus was ! It cost Him a great deal to help people in the way He did. Yet that night He would not sleep long. Before it was light He got up and went away by Himself to a quiet place outside the town to pray. There Peter and the others found Him. They told Him how all the people were looking for Him, and He said, " Let us go into the neigh- boring towns that I may preach there too." So they went about, and Jesus taught in the synagogues and preached about the kingdom of God. One day there came to Him a poor leper. He had the most dreadful disease ever known. A leper was obliged to live outside the towns, away from all his friends. If any one came near, he had to call out, " Unclean, unclean," and to cover his face. And then the passer-by would make haste away, for fear of catching his disease. Jesus was not afraid of the poor man, as he knelt at His feet, and prayed Him to help him. " Lord, if Thou wilt. Thou canst make me The Fishermen 41 clean," he said. Jesus had such great pity for him that He put out His hand, and touched him, and said, " I will : be clean," And directly he was cured. Then Jesus told him not to tell any one about it, but to go and show himself to the priest, and to take an offering as the law of Moses ordered. But the man told as he went of the wonderful cure, and Jesus had to stay outside the town, be- cause He had touched a leper. The people came to Him there. CHAPTER XVin THE FISHERMEN ONE morning Jesus was walking by the sea, and the people came up to listen as He talked. Crowds followed Him wherever He went, for they were hungry for the wonderful words that He spoke, and now they pressed so close that there was hardly room to move. Two boats were drawn up on the shore, for Peter, Andrew, James and John had been fishing all night, and they were washing their 42 The Story of Jesus nets on the sand. Jesus got into Peter's boat, and asked him to push out a httle from the land. Then He sat down and spoke to the people from the boat. The sun shone down on the water and the trees, and as He spoke He could see the sower in the fields, and the ravens looking for their food, and even the flowers in the grass. And the people stood on the shore and listened just as they came from their shops and their work. When Jesus left off speaking, He said to Peter, " Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught." Peter answered, " Master, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing, but at Thy word I will let down the net." When they had done it, the net was filled with so many fishes that it broke. They beckoned to James and John to come and help them, and filled both the boats with the fish. The boats were almost sinking with the load. Peter was filled with wonder and fear, for he knew that the Lord of life must be there for such a thing to have happened, and he felt how unworthy he was to be near the Holy One. He knelt down before Jesus and cried out, " Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man, oh, Lord." Four Good Friends 43 And Jesus said to him, " Fear not ; from hence- forth thou Shalt catch men." For Peter, the fish- erman, was now to be His disciple, and was to lead others to Him. So when they had brought their boats to land Peter and Andrew left them there, and all that they had, to go with Him. James and John, who were richer, had servants to help them, be- sides their old father Zebedee, and they, too, left all at the call of Jesus. CHAPTER XIX FOUR GOOD FRIENDS JESUS came back to the house in Capernaum, where He stayed, and a crowd came again to hear Him. Eastern houses are many of them built round a courtyard, which is generally left open to the sky, but sometimes covered over with boards or matting. Here He was sitting, and some scribes and Pharisees, who had come in with the others, were watching Him jealously as He taught. Not far off lived a poor man who was para- lyzed ; he could not walk about, and could not 44 The Story of Jesus move himself. But he had four kind friends, and when they heard that Jesus was come back they determined to take the sick man to Him to be cured. So they carried him on his bed, for it was only a mat that could easily be lifted, along to the house. But so many were pressing round the door that they could not get inside. What could they do ? They found a way by carrying him up the steps outside the wall to the roof, and then they took away the covering, and let him down just in front of Jesus. He did not mind, for He was pleased with their kindness and the trust they had in Him. He looked at the sick man, and saw in his heart that his worst disease was sin, and that he was sorry, and needed help very much. So He said first of all, " Child, be of good cheer. Thy sins are forgiven thee." And the scribes and Pharisees thought, " This man blasphemes ; who can forgive sins but God alone ? " Jesus knew their thoughts, and saw their angry looks. He turned to them, and asked, which it was easier to say, " Thy sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise up and walk " ? Any one could say, " Thy sins be forgiven," for it would not be possible to tell whether the Four Good Friends 45 words were true, but it would be easy to see whether the poor man who could not walk was cured, and he could not be cured without the power of God. So He said to the sick man, " Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thy house." At His word, the sick man stood up. He stooped for his mat, and rolled it up, and then went to his home. He was strong and happy once more. The people praised God. " VVe have seen wonderful things to-day," they said. The four good friends had done more for their sick neighbor than they ever thought of. Jesus answered the need of the soul and the body, too. After this, Jesus walked on the shore. A pub- lican or tax-gatherer named Levi or Matthew was sitting at his table in the open air to receive the taxes that the Jews had to pay to the Romans. He had seen and heard Jesus, and he longed to be a better man. Jesus knew this, and to-day He turned to him as He went by and said, " Follow Me." Matthew rose up from his table, left all that he had, and followed Him. 46 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XX THE POOL OF BETHESDA AT Jerusalem is still to be seen the Pool of Bethesda that is spoken of in the Gos- pel. It is near the St. Stephen's Gate, which was then called the Sheep Gate. Now it is almost full of rubbish and there is only a little dirty water in it, but at the time of Jesus people went to bathe there because the water had min- erals in it that were good for diseases. Round the healing pool were five porches where the sick people lay waiting for the water to move and bubble, for then was the best time to bathe. Jesus had come to Jerusalem to the Feast of Purim, which took place a little before the Pass- over, and one Sabbath He walked by the Pool of Bethesda. Among the sick people He noticed a miserable man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years ; he could not move himself, and he had no one to help him. He had most likely tired out all his friends, but Jesus had pity on him. He knew that he had been a long time there, and He asked him, " Desirest thou to be made whole ? " The Pool of Bethesda 47 The sick man answered, " Sir, I have no man . . , to put me into the pool." Jesus said to him, " Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." At the word of Jesus the man got up. He was strong and well again. He went away carrying his bed. The Jews were very strict about working on the Sabbath, and some of them said to him as he went along, " It is the Sabbath ; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed." He told them that the man who had cured him had told him to do it. " What man is it ? " they asked. He could not say who it was, for Jesus had gone away through the crowd. But soon after when he was in the Temple court Jesus came up to him and said, " Behold, thou art made whole ; sin no more, lest a worse thing come to thee." He warned the man, because it was through his bad life that he had been so ill and helpless, and now he had the chance to live better. The man went to the chief Jews, and told them that it was Jesus who had cured him. Then the strict Jews and the Pharisees, the religious people, were very angry, because they said that Jesus had broken the Sabbath. He answered them, " My Father worketh even 48 The Story of Jesus till now, and I work." At this they were still more angry, and even tried to kill Him. CHAPTER XXI KEEPING THE SABBATH JESUS could not stay in Jerusalem where the religious people were so bitter against Him, so He went back to Galilee with the friends who loved Him. But the Pharisees fol- lowed Him about to find fault. The way lay through the fields, where the corn was ripening. One Sabbath, the seventh day of the week with the Jews, as they went along, the disciples were hungry, and gathered ears of corn, and rubbed them in their hands, and then ate the soft grains. The Pharisees said to Jesus, " Thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day." But He would not let them be blamed. " Have ye not read," He asked, " what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him ? How he went into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread which is only lawful for the priests to eat ? " Now David was the great hero and the man of men to the Jews, and Keeping the Sabbath 49 they never found fault with what he did. He went on, " Have ye not read in the law how the priests are blameless when they work in the Temple on the Sabbath ? But I tell you there is One here greater than the Temple. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day." And Jesus went into a synagogue and taught the people. A man whose right hand was withered and useless was there, and the scribes and Pharisees sitting in the best seats watched to see if Jesus would help him. They wanted to find something by which they might accuse Him to the Council, that He might be condemned to death as a Sabbath-breaker. Jesus noticed the man, and He knew what they were thinking, and that they cared nothing for the poor man whose working hand was useless. So He said to him, " Stand forth." And he stood out before all the people. Then Jesus said to the Pharisees, " Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day, or to do evil? If any man of you have one sheep, and it fall into a pit on the Sab- bath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out ? How much then is a man better than a sheep?" But they answered not a word. He looked round on them with anger, and grief that their hearts should be so hard. Then 50 The Story of Jesus He said to the man, " Stretch out thine hand." And he put it out strong as the other. And the Pharisees were filled with hate against Him, because He did not fear them, but showed how wrongly they taught the people. They went out, and consulted how they might put Him to death. When Jesus heard of it He went out again by the sea, among the people who would not let Him be taken. CHAPTER XXn THE TWELVE APOSTLES ONE evening Jesus went up to a hill near the sea, and stayed there all night in prayer. Early in the morning the disciples came to Him. From among them He chose twelve who should always be with Him for the work. He called them, and gave them the name of apos- tles, or messengers, because they were to carry the good news about Him all over the world. First came the two brothers, Peter and An- drew, with Philip ; they were fishermen of Beth- The Twelve Apostles 51 saida : then James and John, two more brothers, fishermen also : Jesus named these two the Sons of Thunder, because they were so eager and hot. There was Nathaniel, sometimes called Bar- tholomew, of Cana : and Thomas, the one who was often sad and doubting : Matthew, or Levi as he was called when he was a pubhcan before he followed Jesus : another James, about whom hardly anything is known, and Lebbaeus : Simon, sometimes called the Canaanite, and Judas Is- cariot, who was afterward to become the traitor. These men were quite different from each other, but they all loved Jesus, — even Judas did, at first. Peter, James and John were His near- est and best friends ; they had known Him the longest, and He had great love for them. John is called " the disciple whom Jesus loved." These twelve, most of them poor, not one of them high or rich, Jesus chose for His work. They became some of the greatest men that have ever lived, because He put His spirit in them. 52 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XXIII JESUS TEACHES ON THE HILLSIDE WHEN Jesus and the twelve apostles came down from the top of the hill, a great crowd from the towns and villages stood waiting for Him. Those who were sick tried to touch Him, that they might be cured. Luke says, " There went power out of Him, and healed them all." And when they were ready to listen, He sat down on the hillside. He looked round on His disciples, and on all the people, men and women and children standing or sitting below, and began to speak to them. His words are called " the Sermon on the Mount," the most wonderful sermon that ever was preached. First He spoke of those who belonged to the kingdom, and how happy they were. Then He told them how His followers should live day by day. They were to be like salt be- cause it keeps things good and sweet, and to be lights and candles to show people the right way. They were always to speak the truth and be true. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT Jesus Teaches on the Hillside 53 Let your Yes mean Yes, and your No mean No, He told them. He said they must be kind even to bad people, and those who treated them ill, and so be children of the Father in heaven who sent the sunshine and the rain for good and bad alike. " Be perfect," He said, " even as your Father in heaven is perfect." And He told them never to make themselves out to be better than they really were by saying long prayers for others to hear, and giving money to the poor so that men might praise them. Let God alone know about the right things you do, — He sees all — and no one else if you can help it. He taught them the prayer which we call the Lord's Prayer, and which is quite short, that they need not think they must make long prayers with many words when they were praying, but speak as to a great Father in heaven who loved them. Then Jesus went on to say that His disciples should not strive for money and power on earth, for these things soon pass away. No one can serve two masters, God and Riches, at the same time. Since the heavenly father feeds the birds, and clothes the lilies, He will much more care for His children. 54 The Story of Jesus " Ask and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," Jesus said. " Not every one that says to Me, Lord, Lord " — that is, pretends to follow Jesus as Master — " shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven." " Every one that heareth these My words, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man who built his house upon a rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock." The people were astonished at the preaching of Jesus and at His knowledge and power. The scribes said in their teaching, " Moses says," but He said, " I say." CHAPTER XXIV WHEN JESUS WALKED IN GALILEE JESUS came down from the Hill of Hattin, and went into the town. The chief men of the place, and the rulers of the synagogue came to meet Him, to ask something of Him. A Roman centurion, or captain, lived there When Jesus Walked in Galilee 55 who had a servant of whom he was very fond, al- though he was most hkely a slave, and he was dying. The rulers told Jesus that this Roman had sent them, and of his good deeds in Capernaum, and how he had built the synagogue. They begged Him earnestly to help him, and Jesus went at once. But when they came near the house, some friends of the centurion met Him with this mes- sage: " Lord, trouble not Thyself; for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof ; wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee, but say in a word and let my servant be healed." He believed that disease and death would obey Jesus, just as his own soldiers obeyed his orders. And Jesus wondered at his faith, and turned and said to the crowd that was following, " I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." And He cured the sick servant. Soon after, Jesus went to the little city of Nain, a short distance from Capernaum, and the disciples and many others were with Him. As they drew near the gate, they saw a sad sight. A young man of the city had died, and his neighbors were carrying his body on a bier to be buried. His mother followed, weeping bit- 56 The Story of Jesus terly, for she was a widow, and this was her only son. And the people of the place had come to show how sorry they were, but nothing could comfort the poor mother. Jesus was full of pity for her, and He said gently, " Weep not." He came near and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. Then, while they all looked at Him and listened. He said, " Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." The young man sat up, and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. Her sorrow was turned to joy, and her friends were glad with her. The people said, *' A great prophet is risen among us. God has visited His people." CHAPTER XXV THE FATE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST WHAT had become of John the Fore- runner, while Jesus was going about the country, preaching about the kingdom of God, and healing the sick ? He had himself said of Jesus, " He must increase, and I must decrease," and now his work was over. The Fate of John the Baptist 57 He had been so bold as to reprove the king for marrying a bad woman named Herodias, for which Herod threw him into prison in the strong castle of Machaerus, and would have killed him, had not the people counted him a great prophet. So the strong man, who had always had the greatest freedom in the open air, lay in his dark cell, and grew sad and weary. His disciples came to see him in his prison. They told him of the wonderful works of Jesus, and how the people talked about Him ; but John, who had witnessed before to the Lamb of God, had nearly lost his faith. He sent two of his disciples with this question to Jesus, "Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another ? " They came to Jesus, and told the message of John. He was not angry, but He kept them be- side Him, while He cured many sick and blind people. Then He answered them : " Go and tell John what things ye have seen and heard. . . . Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended (lose faith) in Me." When they were gone. He said to the people : " What went ye out into the wilderness to see ? A reed shaken with the wind ? But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Such live in kings' courts." 58 The Story of Jesus John was a prophet; no greater had ever been than he. " This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before My face, who shall prepare the way before Me." And then Jesus looked round on the people. Many of them were weary and troubled as John was, so He said, " Come unto Me, all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Now Herodias was very angry with John the Baptist, and only waited for a time to come when she might have him killed. After a while her chance came. Herod's birthday came, and he made a great feast for the lords of Galilee. Salome, the beau- tiful daughter of Herodias, dressed herself like a dancing girl and came in to amuse the king and his lords when they were drinking wine. This was a shameless thing to do, but Salome did not mind that. She pleased Herod so much with her dances that he promised to give her what- ever she liked, even " to the half of the king- dom." Salome ran to her mother, and said, " What The Sinful Woman Who Loved Much 59 shall I ask ? " Herodias, glad that her time had come, answered, " The head of John the Baptist." Salome ran back, and told the king, " I will that thou give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a dish." Herod was full of sorrow, but he was ashamed not to keep the promise that so many had heard him make, and so he agreed to do this hateful thing. He gave the order, and in a few min- utes the headsman brought into the banquet room the head of noble John. Salome took it in one of the dishes from the table, and gave it to her mother. This is a terrible story about a girl whose mother taught her to be as bad as herself. John's disciples carried away his body and buried it ; then they went and told Jesus. CHAPTER XXVI THE SINFUL WOMAN WHO LOVED MUCH ONCE a Pharisee named Simon asked Jesus to his house to supper. This was not out of friendship, for Simon did not treat Jesus with the kindness that to this day the people in the East show to strangers. He 6o The Story of Jesus gave Him no kiss of welcome, and no water to wash His feet. The doors were open, and many came into the house ; the poor who came to look on, as well as the guests of the master who were at the table. Among the crowd was a woman of the town. Every one knew she had led a bad life. She had heard that Jesus was there, and she had brought the most precious thing she had to give Him, a jar of sweet-smelling ointment. She pressed through the crowd, and stood behind the couch where Jesus was lying, for it was the custom for people to recline, and not to sit, for meals. As she stood there, the woman thought of her bad life, and cried bitterly, and her tears fell upon His feet. She wiped them away with her long hair, and then she broke the jar, and poured the sweet ointment over them. But Simon the Pharisee said to himself: "This man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him : for she is a sinner." Jesus knew his thoughts, and He said to him, " Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee." " Master, say on," Simon said. " There was once a creditor who had two debt- ors ; the one owed him five hundred pence, and The Sinful Woman Who Loved Much 6i the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both. Say then, which of them will love him most ? " Simon said, " I suppose he to whom he forgave most." Jesus said, " Thou hast judged rightly." He turned to the woman and said to Simon, " Seest thou this woman ? I entered into thine house. Thou gavest Me no water for My feet, but she hath washed My feet with tears, and wiped them with her hair." The woman who was sorry for her sin had done for Jesus more than the man who believed himself so good. " Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, he loveth little." Then He said to the Avoman, " Thy sins are forgiven." Those at the table wondered to them- selves, " Who is this that even forgiveth sins ? " And Jesus spoke again to her : " Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." 62 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XXVII PREACHING THE GOOD TIDINGS OF THE KINGDOM THESE were the days of the Son of Man. This is what Jesus called Himself, that the people might understand that He was in very truth a man among men ; that He shared the joys and sorrows and the cares that came to them every day. So He went about the towns and villages of Galilee preaching. One day there would come a shout down the little street of a village, " Jesus of Nazareth ! " and all would run to meet Him. Whom did they see ? A young man dressed like a Jewish workman in a loose blue cloak falling nearly to the ground. Underneath this was a tunic without a seam, woven in one piece, drawn round the waist with a girdle. A white scarf was bound round His head by a fillet or cord, and fell over His shoul- ders. On His feet were sandals. But if it was a poor man's dress, it was a king who wore it. His disciples walking by His side called Him " Master " and " Lord." Little chil- Preaching the Good Tidings 63 dren loved to be near Him, He was so kind, but the proud rulers who despised the common peo- ple felt ashamed when they met the look of re- proof of Jesus, The sick and the sorrowful and the sinful looked up to Him with hope, for they knew He would help them. The twelve men whom He had chosen went about with Him. Most of them were young, some were dressed like fishermen : not one was rich, so they put all their money together in a bag which was carried by Judas Iscariot. Then there were the women who followed Jesus, some riding on mules or asses, others walking. A rich lady named Joanna was one of them, and Mary Magdalene and Susanna. These ladies gave Him many things that He needed as He went about, for He could not then be at work for Himself. Besides these friends there was the crowd who followed Jesus from place to place, mostly poor people, but among them scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, as well as Greek merchants, and sometimes Roman soldiers. Some of these Pharisees hated Him in their hearts, but were afraid to say so openly, because in Galilee they hailed Him as the Messiah, the Son of David. This is how Jesus went about doing good. 64 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XXVIII PARABLE OF THE SOWER ONE day while Jesus was teaching by the seashore, so great a crowd came round Him that He got into one of the fishing boats and had it pulled out a little from the land. Then He sat down, and told the people a story : " Hearken ! Behold, there went out a sower to sow." Most likely He saw a man away on the hill- side sowing corn in the open field, and He wanted to teach a lesson by what he was doing, and where the seed fell which he scattered. Some seed fell by the wayside, where the birds came and ate it ; and some on stony ground, where it sprang up quickly because there was hardly any earth, and the sun scorched it up. Some fell among thorns and weeds which would spring up and choke it, but some fell on the good ground, and sprang up, and yielded fruit. When He had finished His story, or parable, as it was called, Jesus said, " He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," for He wanted them to find out the meaning. Parable of the Sower 65 It was a pleasant way to teach, and a pleasant place in which to listen, but hardly any one understood the lessons of Jesus in His parables. Afterward, when He was alone in the house, His disciples came and said, " What might this parable be ? " He told them that He was the Sower, and the seed was the word of the kingdom. The hearts of the people who listened were like the field where the seed fell, Satan, like the birds, took away the word from the hearts of some, and with many others the cares and riches of the world, like the thorns, choked it. But those who heard the word and kept it were the good ground which " brought forth fruit with patience." Fruit is a good and true life, and without that, listening to sermons counts worse than nothing. Then Jesus told the disciples, to encourage them, how quietly the seed grows, from the tiny blade to the green ear, and then the full corn ready for harvest. So the kingdom began in their hearts, so small they could hardly tell it was there at first, but by and by, and surely, it would grow perfect. It was some time that day, while Jesus was speaking in the house, that His mother and His brothers came to take Him away if they could. 66 The Story of Jesus They did not then believe Him and said that He was mad, but they could not get near Him for the crowd. When Jesus heard of it, He looked at His disciples and said, " My mother and My brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it." CHAPTER XXIX THE STORM ON THE SEA THAT same day, when it was evening, Jesus said to His disciples, " Let us pass over to the opposite shore." He was very weary, and longed to go out of the noise and the crush. On the other side of the lake it was quieter, and He often slept in the open air. So the disciples sent away the people and came down to the shore. Peter's boat was lying there, and they took Jesus into it. But before they could put off, a scribe, who had been listening to him during the day, came up and said to Him, " Master, I will follow Thee wherever Thou goest." Jesus knew that the man had not counted the cost, so He told him The Storm on the Sea 67 that even the foxes had holes and the birds had nests, but that He had no resting place. And then another came up. He, too, wanted to follow Him, but not for a Httle while longer. Jesus told him to come now, for if he waited he might never have the same chance again. Then they rowed off, and Jesus was so tired that He laid His head on the steersman's cushion, and fell asleep. Suddenly there came a great storm of wind down on the lake. It scattered the other boats that were crossing at the same time. The waves beat into Peter's fishing boat, and it was full of water. The disciples ran to Jesus in great fear, and called to Him, and woke Him. " Master, carest Thou not that we perish ? " they cried. He said to them, " Why are ye so fearful, ye faithless ones ? " Then He stood up, and looked into the darkness. He reproved the wind, and said to the tossing waves, " Peace, be still." The wind left off blowing, and the waves were still. Jesus turned to His disciples. " How is it that ye have no faith?" He asked them, for He wondered that they should be so afraid when He W5S with them, 68 The Story of Jesus But they said to one another, with a great fear, " Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him ? " CHAPTER XXX THE MADMAN OF GADARA WHEN Jesus landed on the other side of the lake, early on the morning after the storm, a strange thing hap- pened. A poor man who was mad, and so would not stay at home or in the city, lived up on the hills among the tombs. In his fury he often cut himself with stones, and tore his clothes, and cried out and shouted, so that people were afraid to pass that way. This poor tormented man saw Jesus coming ashore from a long way off. He felt in his heart how great He was, and ran to Him and fell down at His feet. " What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God ? Tor- ment me not ! " the madman cried, for Jesus was saying, " Come out of the man, unclean spirit." Then Jesus asked his name, but the man could only say it was Legion. A legion was a com- The Madman of Gadara 69 pany of Roman soldiers, and he thought that a great number of bad spirits Hved in his heart. Near by a large herd of pigs was feeding on the hills, with herdsmen watching them. The man thought he should be free if the evil spirits would go from him into the pigs. With his loud cries he frightened them so much that they all rushed down the sides of the hill, and fell into the sea, and were drowned. The herdsmen, who were very ignorant, thought that the evil spirits had caused this, so they ran into the town near by, and told the story, especially how all the pigs were drowned. The people of Gadara were partly foreign, for the true Jews did not keep pigs. They came out to meet Jesus, and saw the man, whom they had known so wild and dangerous, sitting at His feet, dressed like others, and in his right mind. But they were not glad for their poor fellow townsman. Oh, no ! They thought of the great loss of their pigs, and that if Jesus came into their town, something even worse might happen to them through Him, so they prayed Him to go away. Jesus never stayed where He was not wanted. He turned back to the boat. The man whom He had cured wanted to come with Him, but yo The Story of Jesus Jesus said to him, " Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee." And they were happy at his home when he went back to them quiet and kind once more. The people of Gadara had thrown away their opportunity of knowing Jesus, all for selfishness. In their blindness they sent Him away, but He gave them this chance — He left behind one dis- ciple who would always witness to His goodness. CHAPTER XXXI MATTHEW'S FEAST SO Jesus came back to His own city, Caper- naum. Though it was still quite early the people were waiting for Him, and gladly received Him. It seems to have been on that day that Mat- thew had a supper in His honor. Matthew was well off, and now he was giving up everything for the sake of Jesus ; he wanted every one to know how much he honored Him. Many friends in his old trade were there, be- sides a few of the chief men of the town who did not mind coming to a publican's house to a feast. Matthew's Feast 71 Jesus came in among them as if there were no difference between Him and them, and tlie Phar- isees noticed it, and said, " See, He eats and drinks with pubhcans and sinners." They thought it strange that a rabbi should mix with people whom they so much despised. Jesus told them that it was sick people who needed a doc- tor, not those who were well. The common people knew they were bad— they were the sick —but the Pharisees believed themselves good,— they were those who did not need the doctor. " I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repent." Some who were there followed John the Bap- tist, and thought it a good thing to go without food often, and always to live very plainly. They wondered that Jesus gave no strict rules to His disciples, as the other rabbis did, and they asked Him about it. He said it was like a bride- groom and his friends. His friends shared the bridegroom's joy. They would not fast and mourn while He was with them. " But," said Jesus, " the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away, and then shall they fast." He thought of the sorrow of His disciples when He should be taken from them, and put to death. He was their Master, but He was their 72 The Story of Jesus best Friend, also, and it was one of His secrets to make people happy. He did not teach the publicans and sinners by telling them how bad they were, but He came to them, and sat down among them, and made them want to be good that they might be like Him. He was the Friend of Sinners. CHAPTER XXXII "LITTLE MAID, ARISE!" JAIRUS, a ruler of the synagogue at Caper- naum, had an only daughter, whom he dearly loved. She was twelve years old, and when she fell very sick her father and mother were full of sorrow. Jairus could only think of one who could help them, and that one was Jesus. It is likely he had been to Him to ask Him to cure the centurion's servant, and, of course, he must have known about Him. He went to Matthew's house. He took no notice of any one else, but went up to Jesus, and fell at His feet. " My little daughter lies at the point of death ; but come and lay Thy hands upon her, and she shall Uve," he said with tears. " Little Maid, Arise I " 73 Jesus rose from the table to go with him. His disciples and a crowd followed. As they went toward the house, and the crowd was getting larger all the way, for every one wanted to see what Jesus would do, He turned suddenly, and asked, " Who touched Me ? " Peter said, " Master, the people throng Thee, and press Thee, and dost Thou say, ' Who touched Me ? ' " Jesus said, " Somebody touched Me." It was a poor woman who had been ill for twelve years. She had spent all her money go- ing to different doctors, and only became worse instead of better. As Jesus came by, she said to herself, " If I may but touch His garment I shall be whole." She did not want any one to see her, and it was dark, but she managed to creep through the crowd behind Jesus. She put out her hand, and when she touched Him felt at once that she was cured. But when she heard Him say, " Who touched Me ? " she was very fright- ened, and came trembling and fell at His feet, and told Him all. Jesus said to her, so kindly, " Daughter, be of good comfort ; thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace." As He spoke, a servant from Jairus's house 74 The Story of Jesus came up and said to him, " Thy daughter is dead, trouble not the Master." Jesus said to Jairus, " Be not afraid; only be- lieve." As they came near the house, a great tumult could be heard. The hired mourning women had already come, and were fiUing the air with their cries. Jesus would let only Peter, James and John go in with Him. He said to the mourners, " Why make ye this ado, and weep ? The little girl is not dead ; she is sleeping." But they laughed at Him, for they knew that she was dead. Jesus often speaks of death as a sleep, for He could rouse from the sleep of death. He put them all out, and then He took the father and mother, and Peter, James and John with Him into the room where the girl was lying upon her bed, quite still. He stood by the side of the bed, and took her hand in His, as He said to her in Aramaic, the speech of Galilee, " Talitha cumi " — " little girl, get up." She woke from death as quietly as if her mother had roused her from sleep in the morning, and stood up alive and well. What a happy time for Jairus and her mother ! But Jesus charged them not to let any one THE RAISING OF JAIRUS S DAUGHTER " Little Maid, Arise I " 75 know, and said they must give her something to eat. Lest she should be frightened, she was not to know that Jesus had called her back from death. Jesus, the Lord of Hfe, knew that it was best so. About this time Jesus called the twelve disciples to Him, and gave them power over evil spirits, and to cure diseases. Then He sent them two and two through the country, to preach and to heal the sick. They were to go about like ordinary poor men, in their working clothes, and not even to take any money in their purses, or bread in their bags. But if they were to be so humble in their way, they were to behave as men who carried this great message : •' The kingdom of heaven is at hand." " I send you," said Jesus, " as sheep in the midst of wolves : be wise as serpents and harm- less as doves." So they went through the towns and villages preaching as they went, going mostly to the people who were poor and those who were will- ing to receive them. And Jesus Himself fol- lowed them. 76 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XXXIII THE MEAL IN THE DESERT THE disciples who had been preaching the message of the kingdom over the country came back to Jesus, and told Him all that they had done and taught. They found with Him the friends of John, who had come to tell Him about his death. Jesus saw how sorrowful John's disciples were and that they were all tired, while the people kept coming and going, so that there was hardly time even to eat. He said, " Come away into a coun- try place, and rest a while." So they launched the boat and crossed the lake to go to the country near Bethsaida. This would be away from the crowd, and out of the reach of Herod, who had heard of the great works of Jesus, and wanted to see Him. His guilty heart would not let him rest, and he said, " It is John, whom I beheaded ; he is risen from the dead." At last, Herod did once see Jesus, but not now. The Meal in the Desert 77 There was no quiet for the weary Master and His friends, for when the people saw the boat start, they made haste, and went round one end of the lake till they came to the place where Jesus would land, and waited for Him there. When He landed and saw them. His heart filled with great pity; they were to Him like sheep, helpless without any shepherd. He wel- comed them, and sat down on the hillside and taught them about the kingdom of God. And He cured those that had need. The evening came on, and still they lingered round Him. Then the twelve came up to Him. " It is a desert place, and the day is now far spent," they said. " Send the people away to the villages that they may get food and shelter for the night," But Jesus said, " They need not go away ; give ye them to eat." He turned to Philip and asked him, '• How shall we buy bread ? " Philip and the others thought of the money it would take. They were not rich ; so they said doubtfully, " Two hundred pennyworth of bread would be hardly enough ; shall we go into the villages and buy ? " Jesus knew that they thought He was asking yS The Story of Jesus them to do a great deal, so He said, '• How many- loaves have ye ? Go and see." Andrew came up and said, " There is a lad here with five barley loaves and two fishes ; but what are they among so many ? " Jesus said, " Bring them here to Me." The loaves were little flat cakes, and the fishes were small, but He knew what He would do with them. It was spring, near Passover time, and the grass was green. He said, " Make the men sit down." And the men sat down on the grass in rows, and the women and children a little way off, by themselves. Their gay clothing made the grass look like bright carpet. Jesus took the loaves in His hands, and look- ing up. He gave thanks. Then He broke them into pieces, and gave them to the disciples with the fishes, and they went round, and gave to the people, till all had had enough. So when all had finished, Jesus said to the dis- ciples, " Gather up the broken pieces that are left, that nothing be lost." And there were twelve baskets full of bread and fish. The people said, " This is truly the prophet " Be of Good Cheer " 79 that cometh into the world," and they wanted to take Jesus by force and make Him a king. When He saw it, and that it was getting toward night, He sent the disciples away in the boat, and the people to their homes. Then He went up the hillside to pray there alone. CHAPTER XXXIV "BE OF GOOD CHEER" WHILE the disciples were crossing, the wind came down upon the lake, and beat the waves against the boat, so that they toiled hard at their rowing. Jesus, from the hill by the shore, saw their trouble. In the fourth watch of the night, just before the dawn, when it is very dark. He went to their help walking on the water. They were all afraid, and cried out with fear, for they did not know Him, and thought that it was a spirit passing by the boat. But Jesus called out to them : " Be of good cheer : it is I, be not afraid." Peter, who always wanted to do something before any of the others, called back, " Lord, if it be Thou, let me come to Thee upon the water." 8o The Story of Jesus Jesus said, " Come." Peter sprang from the boat, and walked upon the waves to go to Jesus. But when he was out upon the water, and the wind blew against him, he was afraid and began to sink,and he cried out, " Lord, save me." Jesus put out His hand, and caught hold of him and said, " Oh, thou of httle faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? " For if Peter had kept on looking at Jesus, instead of thinking about the wind and waves, he would have been safe. When they reached the boat, the wind left off blowing, and the sea was calm. The disciples were astonished at the way Jesus had come to them, for they could not understand the miracle of the loaves and fishes. They could not grasp the thought of the great power of Jesus, though they fell at His feet to worship Him, and called Him, " Son of God." They looked around them and saw that the boat was at the other side of the lake. The Bread of Life 81 CHAPTER XXXV THE BREAD OF LIFE MANY people had stayed near the shore in the hope of finding Jesus in the morning. They knew He had not gone in the boat, and there was not another one on that side of the lake, yet He was not there. So they got into some boats that had been driven ashore by the storm, and crossed over again. At last they found Him. He was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. They said to Him, " Master, how didst Thou come ? " But Jesus did not tell them how He had walked in the sea. He never did wonderful things or miracles just for people to wonder at. He saw that they were seeking Him because of what they hoped to get from Him if He were indeed the King Messiah. So He told them, " Ye seek Me not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves. Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlast- ing life, which the Son of Man will give you." 82 The Story of Jesus They said, " What shall we do, that we might work the works of God ? " Jesus said, " This is the work of God ; to be- lieve on Him whom He hath sent." They asked Him, " What sign dost Thou show that we may see, and believe Thee ? Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness " — He gave them bread from heaven to eat, and they thought of Moses, who had led the people out of Egypt to Canaan hundreds of years before. Then Jesus told them that the manna in the wilderness was earthly bread for the body, but God was giving them the true bread which would keep the soul alive, and give life to the world. They said, " Lord, evermore give us this bread." Jesus said, " I am the bread of life. He that Cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that be- lieveth on Me shall never thirst. Ye have seen Me, but believe not. Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out." The chief Jews murmured, " Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph ? Doth He now say, I am come down out of heaven ? " Jesus knew their words, and He told them that they could not believe because they would not, but that every one who had learned of God The Bread of Life 83 would come to Him. He would give Himself for the life of the world. Many of the disciples — not the twelve — said that these were hard sayings — who could believe them ? They had thought that Jesus would be a great leader like Moses who had brought the people to their country long time before, and then they would have followed Him, They could not understand that God had sent Him to lead them to a better kingdom. Jesus knew all the time who were the ones who really trusted Him, and He told them plainly again, that without God they could not under- stand, and would not come to Him. At that many went away, and walked no more with Jesus. He said to His twelve truest friends, " Will ye also go away ? " Peter spoke out boldly, " Lord, to whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that Thou art the Holy One of God." But Jesus thought how even among the twelve there was one who would be a traitor, and His heart was sad. From that time many people turned away from Him. 84 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XXXVI GOD'S LAW AND TRADITION MANY scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, where they were most strict, had come down to Gahlee to watch Jesus and to find out His teaching. They found fault with the disciples because they did not always wash their hands before eat- ing. This was the strict rule, or tradition of the rabbis, who were always much afraid of mixing with common people and making themselves un- clean, as it was called. They thought that if Jesus were a true teacher. He would keep Him- self apart from others, and His disciples too. Jesus said to them, " Why do ye sin against God's law by your tradition ? Hypocrites, you put men's teaching before the commandment of God." He knew, and the people knew, that they thought more about washing hands and cups and tables, and being particular about meats and drinks, with other rules of the same sort, than of God's Law and Tradition 85 honoring father and mother, and being just and kind to poor people, and teaching good to those who did not know. He said to the people, " Hear and understand : nothing that goes into the mouth can defile a man ; but what comes out of the mouth — that defiles a man." When the people were gone away, and He was in the house, the disciples said to Him, " Knovvest Thou that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying ? " Jesus answered, " They are blind guides." " Declare to us this parable," said Peter. He told them that it did not greatly matter what food or drink was taken if the heart is pure and good, but those things which come out of the mouth come from the heart ; first, evil thoughts and then bad words and wicked deeds. These are the things that make a man unclean. The Pharisees thought that religion need only be outward for men to see, and Jesus taught that God wants the worship of the heart. 86 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XXXVII THE GREEK WOMAN AND Jesus went away from Galilee, north, to the city of Tyre. At that time Tyre was one of the greatest cities in the world. It stood by the sea, and had wide streets with houses and temples of marble. The mer- chants of Tyre were very rich, and their ships carried to all countries beautiful purple and fine linen, and the other precious things made in Tyre. But the people were very wicked. Most of them worshiped the gods of the Greeks and Romans. Jesus came to stay at a house near the city, and He hoped that no one would find out where He was. But there was a Greek woman in the city, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, as they thought ; that is, she was mad. She heard that Jesus was there. Although she worshiped the Greek gods she had heard of the young Jew whom many of His own people said was the long looked for Messiah, and how He was able The Greek Woman 87 to cure sick people and to send away evil spirits. She came near one day as He was walking with His disciples, and called to Him, " Have mercy upon me, O Lord, Son of David ; my daughter is vexed with a devil." But He walked on and did not answer, al- though she kept on calling. The disciples begged Him, " Send her away for she crieth after us." They were afraid that a crowd would come round, as at home in Galilee, and why should they care for a Gentile woman ? And Jesus said, as if He thought as they did, " I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But the woman came and fell at His feet and prayed Him earnestly, " Lord, help me." He said to her, to try her faith still more, as if He were like other Jews, who called foreigners dogs, " It is not meet to take^the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered, " Truth, Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." He was glad to see her so humble and earnest, and He praised her kindly. *• Oh, woman, great is thy faith. Be it unto thee as thou wilt," He said. She went home quickly, and found her daugh- 88 The Story of Jesus ter lying on her bed quite still, with the madness gone. Jesus had cured the girl because of her mother's courage and faith. CHAPTER XXXVIII THE VISION ON THE MOUNT JESUS began to tell His disciples that one day He should be taken by the scribes and priests and be killed, and the third day He should rise again. He said to them all, " If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." For no one can follow Jesus who is not willing to do hard things for His sake. That is cross bearing. Eight days after this, Jesus went up the hill to pray at evening time, and took with Him Peter and James and John. The three disciples were tired, so they lay down, and fell asleep. But soon they awoke, and looked for Jesus. He had been praying. His face was changed and shining, and His dress looked glistening white. Two men were talking with Him, whom they knew to be Moses and Elijah, the two great prophets of the The Vision on the Mount 89 Old Testament. They had come to tell Jesus about the death He should die at Jerusalem. Peter and the two others were only half awake, and as they looked and listened they were afraid. Then Peter spoke out, though he hardly knew what he was saying, " Lord, it is good for us to be here : let us make three tents, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Then a bright cloud overshadowed them, and they fell on their faces in fear as they heard a voice which said, " This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear Him." Not Moses or Elijah, — there is none so great as Jesus. And as they lay trembhng, some one came and touched them and said, " Arise, and be not afraid." So they looked up, and found that the glory and the vision had gone by, and they were alone with Jesus on the hill. As they came down the hill He charged them to tell no one the vision, but to keep it secret till " He was risen from the dead." And they wondered what He meant by the " rising from the dead." At the foot of the hill was a great crowd, in the middle of which stood the other disciples with some scribes who were asking them ques- tions that they could not answer. 90 The Story of Jesus When the people saw Jesus, they were aston- ished, for His face shone from the vision and they ran up to Him and welcomed Him. He was sorry for His troubled followers, and asked the scribes, " What question ye with them?' And a man kneic down before Him, who said, ♦' Master, I brought to Thee my son, who has a dumb spirit, and suffers grievously, and I spoke to Thy disciples that they should cast it out, and they could not." Jesus said, " Oh, faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him to Me." So they brought the boy, but he fell senseless on the ground in one of his fits. Jesus asked the father how long he had been so. The father said, " From a child. If Thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us." Since the disciples had failed, the poor man could hardly believe that even Jesus could cure his boy. But Jesus always wanted trust before He would cure, and He answered the father, " If thou canst ! All things are possible to him that believeth." The boy's father cried out with tears, " I do believe, help Thou my unbelief." Who Is the Greatest? 91 Then Jesus spoke to the screaming, struggling boy, and cured him by His word. For a while he lay still on the ground, and the people began to say, " He is dead." But Jesus took his hand, and lifted him up, and gave him back to his father. Then every one wondered at His great power. When they were alone, the disciples asked Jesus, " Why could not we cast it out?" And He told them, " Because of your little faith." CHAPTER XXXIX WHO IS THE GREATEST? THE day when Jesus came back to Ca- pernaum, the collectors of the tribute money came to Peter, and asked him, " Does not your Master pay tribute ? " Peter said, " Yes." The tribute was the half shekel paid every year by all the men for the service of the Temple. It was sometimes called ransom money, for it was a token that each man needed a ransom for his soul to God. But Jesus did not need to pay ransom, for He was the Son of God who was to give His own 92 The Story of Jesus life as a ransom for many. He Himself was the Ransom ; and Peter had made a mistake. He had no money either, so he went to tell Jesus. Before he had said a word, Jesus asked him, " What thinkest thou, Simon ? Do the kings of the earth take tribute of their own children, or of strangers ? " Peter answered, •' Of strangers." Jesus said, " Then the children are free." He wanted Peter to understand that the Son of God should not pay ransom for Himself. Then He added, " Since it may vex them, go thou to the sea and cast a hook. In the mouth of the first fish that comes up shall be a piece of money. Give it unto them for thee and Me." When they were all together in the house, Jesus asked His disciples, " What v/ere ye rea- soning in the way ? " They were silent, for they were ashamed to say that they had been disputing about who should be chief among them. Then He sat down, and called them to Him^ and told them, " If any man desire to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all." And taking a little child who was there in His arms, He told them again plainly, " Except ye turn and become as little children, ye shall not enter into Who Is the Greatest? 93 the kingdom of heaven. "Whosoever shall hum- ble himself as this little child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in My name, receiveth Me, and whosoever shall cause one of these little ones, which believe in Me, to stumble, it were better for him that he were drowned deep in the sea." And John said, " Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and we forbade him, because he did not come with us." Jesus said, " Forbid him not : he that is not against us is for us. And whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, be- cause ye are Christ's, shall in nowise lose his re- ward. If two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." Then He told them how many hindrances to a good life there are in the world. " Woe," He said, " to that man through whom the hindrance comes." Anything that hinders from serving God, any habit, any tie, must be put away. To do it may be like cutting off a right hand, but it is better to enter the kingdom of God and give up things as precious as a right hand, than to keep the precious things, and be cast away. 94 The Story of Jesus " Be at peace among yourselves," said Jesus. Peter said to Him, " Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? Seven times ? " To Peter seven times seemed a great many, but Jesus told him, " Not until seven times, but until seventy times seven," that is, always. And He told them a story of a wicked servant whose master forgave him a big debt, but who had no pity on his fellow servant who owed him a small debt. And his master was angry. So said Jesus, " If you do not forgive your brother from your heart, God will not forgive you." CHAPTER XL JESUS AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES THE Feast of Tabernacles was one of the three great yearly feasts of the Jews. It was held in October, after harvest, so it was often called the " Feast of Ingathering," and was a most joyful time. The people left their houses for Httle booths made of branches of olive and palm, and pine and myrtle. These were put up on the roofs or Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles 95 outside the city walls, and were in remembrance of the tents in which the Israelites lived on their journey through the desert. Every one carried a palm branch, or one of willow or citron. The brothers of Jesus — the sons of Mary and Joseph — said to Him, " Depart hence, and go into Judaea that Thy disciples may see Thy works which Thou doest. Show Thyself to the world." Even His brothers did not believe on Him. Jesus answered, •' My time is not yet come." And He stayed a while behind in Galilee. At Jerusalem people looked for Him, and asked, " Where is He ? " They spoke of Him to one another. Some said, " He is a good man ; " and others, " Not so ; He deceives the people." This was all said quietly for fear of the rulers, who were waiting their time to take Jesus, and to put Him to death, which made many afraid to say that they were His friends. One day, about the middle of the feast, those who went up to the Temple found Him sitting in one of the courts, teaching. They wondered as they listened. " How knoweth this man let- ters, having never learned ? " they said, meaning the learning of the rabbis. Jesus answered, " My teaching is not Mine, but His that sent Me. If any man be willing 96 The Story of Jesus ^ to do His will, he shall know of the teach- ing. . . . Why seek ye to kill Me ? " " Thou hast a devil ; who seeks to kill Thee ? " they replied. Yet they knew that Jesus spoke truth, but they were angry that He should see into their false hearts. They did not want God's teaching, so they pretended that He came from the evil one. Many of the Jerusalem people were surprised that the rulers did not take Him. They said, " Can it be that the rulers know that this is the Christ ? But we know this man, and no one will know where the Christ comes from." Jesus told them as He taught, that they thought they knew all about Him, and yet He had come from One of whom they knew noth- ing. When He said that, they would have taken Him had they been able ; but His time had not come, and many believed Him Messiah. The Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take Him. Jesus saw them as they stood among the people who were listening to Him, and He thought how soon He would be in their power. " Yet a little while I am with you, and I go to Him that sent Me," He said. Every day of the feast, a priest went to the Pool of Siloam and brought a jar of water from Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles 97 it to the Temple, where he poured it out by the Altar of Sacrifice, while the people shouted and were glad for joy of the water drawing. For water is precious in hot countries. On the last great day of the feast, Jesus Him- self stood there, and called out, as the water-car- riers do, '« If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink." In the crowd around, some said, '• This is the prophet," others, " This is the Christ," while many objected, " What, doth the Christ come out of Galilee ? The Christ cometh of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was." So they disputed, but no one dared to touch Jesus, not even the officers from the Pharisees. They went back to the Council, and when the chief priests said, " Why have ye not brought Him?" they rephed, "Never man spake like this man." The Pharisees said to them, " Are ye also led astray? Hath any of the rulers believed on Him, or of the Pharisees ? " They meant that only the ignorant, common people would believe on Jesus. Then Nicodemus, one of the Council and a friend of Jesus in secret, said, " Doth our law judge a man without hearing him, and know- ing his works ? " 98 The Story of Jesus They said, " Art thou also of Gahlee ? Search and look, for out of Galilee comes no prophet." And the Council rose and went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, just outside the city wall. The Pharisees believed themselves so wise that they would not take the trouble to find out the truth about Jesus. All the time they were ignorant and blind ; they might have found out that this was the Son of David who had been born in Bethlehem as the prophets said. CHAPTER XLI THE SINFUL WOMAN OF JERUSALEM NEXT morning, when Jesus was sitting in the Temple court, and talking to the people who were there, some scribes and Pharisees brought a woman, who had been caught doing wrong, before Him. They said, " Master, this woman has been taken in sin, . . . and Moses in the law commanded that such could be stoned : what then sayest Thou ? " Jesus stooped down, and wrote with His finger on the ground, as if He did not hear. But The Sinful Woman of Jerusalem 99 when they kept on asking Him, He looked up at them and answered, " He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." And stooping down. He wrote upon the ground again. He was ashamed for the men who had no shame for themselves. He knew, as they did, that if this woman had sinned, they had shared in her sin. If the law of Moses should be kept, who among them would dare to throw stones at that woman ? When they heard the words of Jesus, even these bad men were cut to the heart. They felt so ashamed that they went out one by one, from the eldest to the last. When they had all gone, and Jesus was alone with the woman, who stood trembling and afraid to Hft up her face. He said to her, " Woman, where are they ? Did no man condemn thee ? " She said, " No man, Lord." And because she was already so full of sorrow for her sin. He said, " Neither do I condemn thee : go thy way ; from henceforth sin no more." Soon afterward, as He was standing by the great lamps in the court, Jesus said, " I am the Light of the world ; he that foUoweth Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life." loo The Story of Jesus Darkness is sin and ignorance, and light is to Hve as Jesus taught. He is Life itself to His learners. The Pharisees said that He told lies. " Where is Thy Father ? " they asked. Jesus said that they could not know His Father. They were like the darkness, which is opposite to light. Except they believed in Him, they must die in sin, and He told them how the Father was with Him, •' for I do always the things that please Him." As He said these words, many could not help believing Him to be a wonderful teacher sent by God, but when He told them that His disciples must be faithful and true, and then they would be free, they were angry. " We are children of Abraham, and have always been free," they told Him. Jesus said that He was greater than Abraham. " Before Abraham was, I am," He said. That is. He had been God forever. Then they took up the loose stones in the court to throw them at Him, but His time to die was not come, and He went away through the crowd, unhurt. The Blind Man and the Pharisees loi CHAPTER XLII THE BLIND MAN AND THE PHARISEES THERE was a blind man in Jerusalem who sat every day at the side of the street and begged. As He went by one Sabbath Jesus saw him there. The Jews always thought that disease and sickness were punishment for sin, and so the disciples asked Jesus who had done wrong, — the man or his parents ? Jesus told them, "Not so," — that now the poor beggar should show forth the works of God. ♦' While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world," He said. He made clay, and put it on the man's eyes, and told him, " Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam." These two things were to help the man to trust Him, for people believed then that clay was good for bad eyes, and that the water of the Pool of Siloam cured sick people. The blind man did as Jesus told him, and his eyes were made to see. The neighbors could hardly believe that it was the blind man who begged by the wayside when 102 The Story of Jesus they saw him, so he told them how Jesus had cured him. The neighbors took the man to the Council, and there he had to tell the story again. The Pharisees disputed about it. Some of them said that as Jesus had done this on the Sabbath, He could not be a good man. Others objected that a bad man could never be able to do such won- derful works. They asked the man what he thought, and he said, " He is a prophet." Then they doubted that the man had ever been really blind, and sent for his parents to ask them. " Is this your son ? How does he now see ? " they asked. The parents were afraid to say anything about the matter. They repeated that the man was truly their son who had been born blind; but that they knew nothing more. "Ask him, he shall speak for himself," said they, for they did not want to be turned away from their synagogue, as the chief Jews had agreed to do to any who confessed Jesus to be Christ. Then the man was called again. " Give God the praise ; we know this man is a sinner," they told him. The Blind Man and the Pharisees 103 The man replied, " Whether He is a sinner, I know not ; one thing I know ; . . . I was blind, now I see, ... If this man were not of God, He could do nothing." And they were angry. " Dost thou teach us ? " they exclaimed, and they thrust him out- side. Jesus heard what the rulers had done, and He found the man, and asked him, " Dost thou be- lieve on the Son of God ? " " Who is He, Lord, that I might believe in Him?" " It is He that speaketh with thee." " Lord, I believe," and the man worshiped Him. And when the Pharisees were listening to Jesus soon after. He told them that He was come for judgment. Those who did not see were given sight, but those who did see should be made Wind. They said with scorn, " Are we also blind ? " They did not know that they were blind to the goodness and truth of Jesus, and that the poor blind man who had begged in the street knew better than they did. They were blind leaders of the people, and like the false shepherds of whom Jesus began to tell them in a parable. 104 '^^^ Story of Jesus Jesus is the Good Shepherd. His sheep know His voice, and He calls them, and leads them, and gives His hfe for them. He will gather all His sheep into one flock, and God has given Him power to take up His life again. But the people said, " He has a devil, and is mad." Only a few questioned, " Could a devil open the eyes of the blind ? " So Jesus went away from Jerusalem. CHAPTER XLin THE MISSION OF THE SEVENTY NOW Jesus came back to Galilee, but it was only to say good-bye. For the time was nearly come that the Lord should give up His life and be crucified, and this last great act was ever in His mind. The people of His own city, Capernaum, and of the country round the lake would see Him no more. They had listened to His wonderful words, and had brought their sick to be healed, and yet they would not have Him for their Mes- siah, or belong to His heavenly kingdom. Jesus in His grace came among them to call them once more. The Mission of the Seventy 105 He called to Him seventy men who loved Him, and believed Him, and sent them two and two into the towns and villages where He Himself would come. " The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you," was to be their message to the sick who should be healed, and to all the people. Then He said. Woe to the towns which would not listen, and turn from their wicked works. Their land should be desolate, and the cities cast down to the ground, because they did not know their Lord in those days when He came to them. John says, " He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." Yet He lingered there a little while. One Sabbath He was in the synagogue. A poor woman, so bent that she could hardly lift herself up, was there. She had been so for eight- een years, and did not expect ever to be well again. But Jesus saw her. He called her to Him, and when He laid His hands on her she was straight again. She began to praise God for her cure. But the ruler of the synagogue said to the people angrily, " There are six days in which men ought to work ; in them come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." "lo6 The Story of Jesus Jesus answered him, " Hypocrite, doth not each one of you take his ox or his ass to the water, and ought not this woman to be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day ? " Then His enemies were ashamed, but the people were glad. One day while Jesus was praying, the disciples came and asked Him, " Lord, teach us to pray." And He taught them the prayer which begins, " Our Father which art in heaven." The Lord always wanted His disciples to go to the great God as to a father. He said, " Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." And so He went slowly on His way to Jerusa- lem, teaching in the villages as He passed. As He came near one village, ten men who were lepers met Him. They did not dare come near, so they stood still, and called loudly to Him, " Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." He told them, " Go, show yourselves to the priests," for the law was that the priests must de- cide whether a leper were really cured. As they went, they found that they were cured. And one of them, a Samaritan, ran back praising God, and knelt down at the feet of Jesus to thank Him. Jesus said, " Were there not ten cleansed, but "Who Is My Neighbor?" 107 where are the nine ? " It was only the despised Samaritan who had come back to thank his Healer. " Arise, go thy way ; thy faith hath made thee whole," He said to the man. And when the seventy preachers came back to Him as He went along, they were full of joy. " Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Thy name," they said. Jesus was glad with them but He told them that power to do great works is not the chief thing. " Rather re- joice that your names are written in heaven." CHAPTER XLIV "WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR.?" THE GOOD PART A LAWYER, who understood the law of Moses, came up one day to puzzle Jesus if he could. " Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ? " he asked. " What is written in the law ? How readest thou?" said Jesus. He answered, " To love God perfectly, and one's neighbor as oneself." lo8 The Story of Jesus •' Thou hast answered right; this do, and thou shalt live," said Jesus. " And who is my neighbor ? " inquired the lawyer, who had never troubled much about him before. And Jesus told him the story of the Good Samaritan, which Luke has written in his Gospel. A traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho was set upon by highway robbers, who took his money from him, and left him by the roadside, bleeding, and almost dead. And by chance, a priest from Jerusalem came down that way, and afterward a Levite, but though it was their office to help people they both left the bleeding man to die. But at last, a Samaritan came along with his ass, and he had pity on him, and took care of him. Jesus asked the lawyer, " Which one was neighbor to him that fell among the thieves ? " " He that showed mercy on him," was the answer. " Go thou, and do likewise," said Jesus, A little way from Jerusalem, on the other side of the Mount of Olives, was the village of Bethany. Two sisters, named Martha and Mary, hved there with their brother Lazarus. Jesus knew and " Who Is My Neighbor ? " 109 loved all three, and often came to their house when He was at Jerusalem, or near by. They were joyful days when He came, and Martha who was mistress put the house in great order. She worked hard, and prepared a great deal to eat and drink, and got very hot and tired. But Mary loved to sit at the feet of Jesus, and to listen while He talked. One day, Martha had so much work that she wanted to do, that she came to Jesus to com- plain of Mary. She was almost angry that He did not send Mary to help. She said, " Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone ? Bid her that she help me." And Jesus was sorry that Martha should spoil everything that she had done with her bad tem- per. It was a pity to do too much. He said to her, '• Martha, Martha, thou art careful and trou- bled about many things, but one thing is need- ful." Did He mean that one dish of food was enough to prepare for the guests ? That is all that is put on the table at once, in the East. Then He added, " Mary has chosen the good part that shall not be taken away from her." The good part is to feed on the bread of life, and not to care for so many things for the body. no The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XLV BLESSING THE CHILDREN. THE GREAT REFUSAL ONE day Jesus was teaching in the open air in the country beyond the j ordan, — for He went that way toward Jerusalem. The disciples and many people were listening, and the Pharisees were asking questions. And to the edge of the crowd came some women. They had brought their children, even the little ones, that the kind Master might put His hands on them, and pray for them. But the disciples would not let them come near, and spoke sharply to the mothers. They did not think that Jesus ought to be troubled with the children. Jesus saw what they did. He was angry with the dis- ciples, and pleased with the mothers. " Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not ; of such is the kingdom of heaven," He said. He had them come close to Him, and took them in His arms, and put His hands on them, and blessed them. Jesus is the children's Friend. •SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME' Blessing the Children 1 1 1 And there was a young ruler who had listened to Jesus, and felt sure that He was a great rabbi. He had learned the law when he was a boy, and he wanted to go far in everything good. Per- haps this rabbi would teach him something more than the others, he thought. He ran up to Jesus in the way, and knelt before Him, and asked, " Good Master, what shall I do that I may have eternal hfe ? " Jesus said, " Why dost thou call Me good ? Only God is good." For He knew that the young man did not yet believe Him to be the Son of God, but only a great teacher. " If thou wilt enter into hfe, keep the command- ments," He went on. "All these things have I kept; what lack I yet?" the young ruler said, for he fully be- lieved that he had. And Jesus looked at him, and loved him. " One thing thou lackest: if thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." When, the young ruler heard that, he was sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looked again at him, and said, " How hard it is for them that have riches to enter into the kingdom of heaven." 1 1 2 The Story of Jesus And he went away with a heavy heart, for he would have given up much, — but not all, — to follow Jesus. And so he lost the great chance of his life, and chose earthly good rather than Jesus, and the cross for His sake. And Jesus looked after him as he went away, and then round on His own disciples, and said, •' How hard shall it be for them that have riches to enter into the kingdom of God ! " And when they were astonished at His words He repeated, " Children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God ! " " Who then can be saved ? " they said among themselves, for they could not help thinking that the rich and the great had the best chance. And He looked at them again. " With men it is impossible," He said ; " but not with God, for with God all things are possible." So Peter began to say, " Lo, we have left all, and followed Thee; what shall we have?" Jesus said that there was no one who had left anything for Him but should receive much more again, both now, and in the life to come. But many that are last shall be first, and the first last. He told them the parable of the " Laborers in the Vineyard," which shows how God will reward all who serve Him well, be the time long or On the Other Side of Jordan 113 short; for the laborers had each their wages. But it is mean to serve God for what He will give us. CHAPTER XLVI ON THE OTHER SIDE OF JORDAN, AND IN SOLOMON'S PORCH AND Jesus went on His way. Among the crowd with Him, some were dis- ciples who wanted Him to proclaim Himself Messiah, that they might share His glory and rewards. But He turned to them and said, " Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, can- not be My disciple." For He knew that they had not counted the cost of serving Him, In- stead of glory, there was shame to be faced, and following Jesus meant being willing to die for Him. One Sabbath in Perea, a Pharisee asked Him to his house. Among the crowd who stood to watch the feast was a man who had dropsy. Jesus said to the lawyers and Pharisees who were there, " Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day ? " 114 '1^^ Story of Jesus And they would not answer. Jesus took the man, and cured him. He said to them, " Which of you shall have an ox or an ass fallen in a pit, and will not pull him out on the Sabbath day ? " And they could not answer Him. He saw how every one was anxious to have the best seats at the meal, and He said that it was better to take the lowest places, because those who are humble shall have more honor than the proud. Make feasts for the poor and feeble, He said ; they cannot reward you, but God will. And He told them the story of " the Great Sup- per," which shows how God will always be first, and how the men, who had excuses when they were called to the feast, were shut out at last. Another day, when the worst people of the place came to listen to Him, the Pharisees and scribes said among themselves, " This man re- ceiveth sinners, and eateth with them." So Jesus told them the parables of the " Lost Sheep," and the " Lost Piece of Silver," and the " Prodigal Son," which are in Luke's Gospel. These stories tell of the love of God even for those who have gone away from Him. There are many other parables in the Gospels. On the Other Side of Jordan 1 1 5 The truths hidden in these stories arc just as wonderful now as then. It was winter, and Jesus went up quietly to Jerusalem to a feast. He was walking in the great eastern porch of the Temple, which was called Solomon's Porch, when suddenly the Pharisees came to Him. " How long dost Thou make us to doubt if Thou be the Christ? Tell us plainly," they said. They would not have a king without an earthly kingdom, and they were too proud to believe and obey the meek Jesus as the Son of God, if He could not tell them more than He had already. " I have told you, and ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep. . . . I and My Fa- ther are One," He said at last. They were full of rage, and took up stones to throw at Him. " Many good works have I shown you from My Father ; for which of those works do ye stone Me ? " He asked them. " Not for a good work, but because Thou, a man, makest Thyself God," and they tried to take Him, but were not able. 1 16 The Story of Jesus Jesus had no fear of their hate, and He went from them without a touch of harm. But since His hfe was not safe in Jerusalem, and His time to die was not come, He went back to Perea, the country beyond Jordan, by the fords where John had preached and baptized. CHAPTER XLVII "THY BROTHER SHALL RISE AGAIN." « LAZARUS ! " LAZARUS, the brother of Martha and Mary, and the friend of Jesus, lay sick in Bethany. His sisters thought that Jesus would surely come to help them if He knew. They sent this message to Him where He was, fifty miles away in Perea, " Lord, he whom Thou lovest is sick." When Jesus had the message He said, " This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God," and He stayed two days longer where He was. Then He said, '• Let us go into Judsea again." The disciples said to Him, " Master, the Jews sought to stone Thee ; goest Thou thither again ? " " Thy Brother Shall Rise Again " 117 Jesus told them that no harm could come to Him, because His day — His time for work — was not yet over. " Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep ; I go that I may awake him." For He knew that Lazarus was dead and had been buried on the very day that He had received the message. But the others did not understand that Jesus was speaking of his death. " Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get bet- ter." Then He told them plainly, " Lazarus is dead, but let us go to him." And Thomas said to the others, " Let us also go, that we may die with Him." He thought that the Jews would certainly kill them all. Four days after Lazarus had died, Martha and Mary were at home, mourning for their brother. Many of their friends in Jerusalem had come to comfort them. Martha heard that Jesus was coming, and she went to meet Him, but Mary sat still. " Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died," cried Martha when she met Jesus outside the village. " Thy brother shall rise again," answered Jesus. ii8 The Story of Jesus " I know that he shall rise again in the resur- rection at the last day," said Martha. Jesus said to her, " I am the Resurrection and the Life ; he that believeth on Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth and beheveth on Me shall never die. Be- lievest thou this ? " She said, " Yea, Lord, I have believed that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God." Then she ran back, and called Mary secretly, " The Master is here, and calleth thee." And when Mary heard that, she rose quickly, and came to Him. The friends said, " She is going to the grave to weep there," and they followed her. Jesus was still where Martha met Him when Mary came up, and fell at His feet, saying with tears, " Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Jesus was sorely troubled when He saw them all weeping. " Where have ye laid him ? " He asked. " Lord, come and see." As they went along. He wept. And some of them said, " Look, how He loved him ! " others, who remembered the blind man whom Jesus had cured at Jerusalem, said, " Could "Thy Brother Shall Rise Again" 119 He not have caused that this man should not see death ? " Jesus came to the grave, and His heart was troubled. It was a cave, and a stone closed the door. He told them, " Take away the stone." Martha reminded Him, " Lord, he has been dead four days." He turned to her, " Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God ? " Then they took away the stone. Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven. " Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me," He said. And He called loudly, " Lazarus, come forth ! " Lazarus heard that voice in his death sleep, and he that had lain so still for four days rose and came out of the cave a living man. His hands and feet were bound about with long linen bands. " Loose him, and let him go," said Jesus. So Lazarus came back home to the sisters who loved him. 120 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER XLVIII THE PLOT OF THE PRIESTS WHEN the chief priests heard how Lazarus had been raised to Ufe, they held a Council. They talked to- gether. " What do we ? This man doeth many miracles. If we let Him alone, all men will be- lieve on Him, and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation." They knew that the emperor would not let the Jews have another king, and that if they fought with them, the Jews would be brought to noth- ing. Then Caiaphas, the proud high priest, rose and spoke, " Ye know nothing at all. It is better that one man should die, and not the whole na- tion perish." So they decided to put Jesus to death, and from that day they watched for a time. And Jesus went to a place beyond the Jordan, where His foes could not find Him. There He spent some quiet days with His disciples. The Plot of the Priests 121 So the time drew near for the Passover Feast, and He knew beforehand what would happen. As the people from the country flocked on their way to the feast, He said to the twelve, " Be- hold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be given up to the chief priests, and they shall condemn Him, and shall give Him up to the Gentiles (the Romans) and they shall mock Him, and scourge Him, and put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again." So the Lord set out for Jerusalem, strong to meet the death before Him. The disciples could not even then understand His words, but as they followed Him in the way, they saw how great and high He looked. They wondered at Him, and were afraid. And now they made up their minds that the Master was going to make Himself king before the world. Each one wanted to be the chief in rule under Him. James and John made their mother Salome speak to Him for them. Salome asked Him to do something for her. " What wilt thou ? " said Jesus. " Grant that my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left, in Thy kingdom." 122 The Story of Jesus Jesus said to James and John, " Ye know not what ye ask." He saw the cross of shame, while they thought of a throne of glory. And when they were sure that they could share with Him all that He had to bear. He told them that they should indeed share His lot with Him, but that they were seek- ing for what He could not give them. The ten others were angry with James and John, for they all wanted the very same things. And so Jesus called them all to Him, and told them as He often did that in His kingdom those who served the others best should be the greatest. " Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." For even the Lord Jesus came to be a Servant, and to give His life for others. CHAPTER XLIX BARTIMiEUS AND ZACCH^US A BLIND man named Bartima^us was sit- ting outside the gate of the town, as Jesus went into Jericho. A long time he had been a beggar at the gate, but Jesus the Healer had not been that way before. BartimiEus and Zacchseus 123 On that day came the tramp of many feet, and the noise of a great crowd. Bartima^us asked what it meant, and the people rephed that " Je- sus of Nazareth passeth by." " Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me ! " cried Bartimaeus. The people told him to be quiet, but he cried all the more, " Son of David, have mercy on me! " And Jesus heard him, and stood still, and said, '• Call ye him." So they said to Bartimaeus, " Be of good comfort ; rise. He calleth thee." So he threw off his cloak, and sprang up, and came to Him. " What wilt thou that I should do for thee ? " Jesus asked. " Lord, that I might receive my sight." Bar- timaeus used the highest title he knew for Jesus. " Go thy way ; thy faith hath saved thee," said Jesus. Sight came to the blind man, and he followed Jesus with the others, praising God. A rich man, named Zacchaeus, the chief of the publicans, or tax-gatherers, lived in Jericho. He wanted very much to see Jesus, but he was too short to look over the heads of the crowd, so he 124 The Story of Jesus ran before, and climbed a sycamore tree at the side of the road. As Jesus passed beneath He looked up and saw him there. He saw right in his heart the eager wish to be good, and He called to him: " Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for to-day I must abide at thy house." Zacchaeus was glad, and came down, and joy- fully received Him. The people murmured, " He is gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner." If it had been the ruler of the synagogue ; but a publican ! how can He stoop so low ? they thought. But the kindness and love of Jesus lifted up Zacchaeus. " Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything wrongfully from any man, I restore it fourfold," he said eagerly. And Jesus said, " This day is salvation come to this house : he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Mary's Jar of Ointment 125 CHAPTER L MARY'S JAR OF OINTMENT AT Jerusalem they were all looking for Je- sus. Those who had come up from the country said to one another, as they pre- pared for the Passover in the courts of the Temple, " What think ye, that He will not come to the feast ? " for the chief priests had ordered any one, who knew where He was, to tell them, that they might take Plim. Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Martha, Mary and Lazarus wel- comed Him to their house. Here was peace among friends while a short way off, in Jerusa- lem, the priests were waiting to take Him, and put Him to death. It was Friday when Jesus came to Bethany ; and after the Sabbath was over, — that is, after sunset on Saturday, — He went to supper in the house of Simon the leper. Lazarus was there, and Martha waited on the guests ; for it is the custom in the East for the men and women to take their meals separately. They were on couches instead of sitting round the table. 126 The Story of Jesus Now Mary had stored up a pot of precious nard, or ointment. She wanted to show the love and gratitude in her heart to Jesus, and so she brought her beautiful jar, and standing behind Him, she broke it, and poured the nard over His feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet odor spread through the house. But there is always some one ready to find fault. This time it was Judas, who carried the bag in which the disciples kept their money, and often took something out of it secretly. " Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor ? " he said. He did not care for the poor ; that was only something to say. And then the others joined in. " To what purpose is this waste ? " they grumbled, and Mary began to fear that she had done wrong. Then Jesus spoke : " Let her alone ; why trouble ye her ? She hath done a good work. This is done beforehand for My burial. The poor ye have always with you ; Me ye have not always. Throughout the whole world, wherever the Gospel is preached, this that she hath done shall be spoken of." Then it was that Judas made up his mind that he had no money or worldly good to gain by " Hosanna to the Son of David" 127 following Jesus. He went to the chief priests, and asked them, " What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him to you ? " And they were glad, and bargained with him for thirty pieces of silver — the price of the mean- est slave ! So Judas betrayed his Master, and he began to plan how he might give Him up to His foes. And when they heard that many people be- lieved on Jesus because of Lazarus whom He had raised to life, the priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also. CHAPTER LI "HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID" THE day following, — the day now called Palm Sunday, — it was told in the streets of Jerusalem that Jesus was coming to the city. And a crowd of people, some of them quite willing to accept Him as the " Son of David," in their gay festival dresses, carrying branches of palm went out to meet Him. Many who had seen Lazarus called from his grave were there. They had told what they had 1 28 The Story of Jesus seen, and it seemed that day as if the whole peo- ple were ready to welcome Jesus as Messiah. Jesus came from Bethany. As they walked up the slope of the Mount of Ohves, near Bethphage, He said to two of the disciples, " Go into the vil- lage, and ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat ; loose him, and bring him." They went, and found the colt as Jesus had told them, tied outside a door, and its mother by it. As they were loosing it, the people by said, " What do ye, loosing the colt? " " The Lord hath need of him," they answered, so they let them take the colt and the donkey. Then Peter and John, — most likely they were the ones — brought, them to Jesus. They threw their coats over the colt, and lifted Jesus on his back, and as they led him up the hill, they shouted and sang, praising God for His mighty works. " Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord ; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest ! Hosanna to the Son of David ! " they cried. Afterward, the disciples remembered how a prophet had said that the meek Messiah should enter Jerusalem riding upon an ass, and that He was the King of peace. Now they did not under- " Hosanna to the Son of David " 1 29 stand, but they were full of joy to see the crowd shouting to welcome their Master Jesus. When the Pharisees said, " Master, rebuke Thy disciples," He answered, " If these should hold their peace, the stones would cry out." And now they came to the brow of the Mount of Olives, and the great city and the Temple were in full view. The Lord looked at the beautiful city, and wept over it, because it would not know and choose the good. It did not know the time when its King came to it. For they who now shouted " Hosanna ! " cried " Crucify Him ! " six days afterward. He knew the pun- ishment that would come later, when the Romans fought against the city, and it was thrown down to the ground, when the people fell by thousands, and the wonderful Temple, the pride of the Jews, was burned. Most of the crowd did not notice the grief of Jesus, and they swept on, throwing down their coats and palm branches in the way, for the colt to tread upon. So they came through the gate, and into the streets of Jerusalem. The strangers, and those who looked from their houses wondered and in- quired, " Who is this ? " They answered, " This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee." 130 The Story of Jesus And Jesus went to the Temple. Three years before, He had driven out the buyers and sellers from the Temple courts, but they had come back, noisy and cheating as before. Now He sent them away again, and told them that they had made God's house of prayer a den of thieves. They went at His word, for He spoke like a king. Then the blind and lame came to Him there, and He cured them. The children of the Temple choir sang round Him, " Hosanna to the Son of David," and the chief priests were angry, but He told them that the best praise came from the lips of children. Some Greeks who were at the feast came to Philip and asked him, " Sir, we would see Jesus." Philip and Andrew told Him this, and He was glad, but He spoke again of His death on the cross : " If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto Me." When it was evening, He came out of the city. He went back over Olivet with the disciples, and there under the olive-trees they lay down to sleep. For it was spring time, and the open air was pleasant. THE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM Monday in the Temple 131 CHAPTER LII MONDAY IN THE TEMPLE JESUS came to the city in the morning. On the way He was hungry, and He went up to a fig-tree at the roadside to find some fruit. There was none, although it was covered with leaves, which do not usually come till the fruit has grown. And He said, " Let no fruit grow on thee again forever." Jesus wished His disciples to learn by this not to pretend to be better than they really were. They came to the Temple, and He began to teach. The chief priests came up. " By what author- ity doest Thou these things?" they inquired. As if Jesus had not many times told them ! To their question He replied that if they would an- swer one thing He would ask them. He would answer in return. Was John the Baptist sent by God, or not ? And they were afraid to answer yes or no, because of the people who believed John to be a prophet, so they said, " We cannot tell." 132 The Story of Jesus " Nor do I tell you by what authority I do these things." " What think ye ? A man had two sons ; and he said, Go, work in my vineyard ; and one said, I will not, but afterward he went. And the other said, I go, sir, but went not. Which one did the will of his father?" They said, " The first." Jesus told them that the sinful people went into the kingdom of heaven before the Pharisees, because they believed John, and turned toward good, but the Pharisees would not choose to be- lieve. Then He told them another parable, about the laborers in the vineyard who would not let the master have the fruit, when he sent for it. •' What shall be done to these husbandmen, when the lord comes back ? " They said, " He will destroy these wicked men, and give the vineyard to others." Then Jesus said, " The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bear- ing fruit." At that time He told also the parables of the " Marriage Feast," and of the " Man without a wedding garment." The story was of a king who made a wedding The Last Day of Teaching 133 feast for his son and the guests took no notice of his invitation, but went off to their work and their pleasure. The king was angry, and sent his servants into the roads and the byways to bring in the people whom they found there, to take the places of those who were not worthy. And so the feast room was full. But one was there without the wedding dress that the king gave to all who came, and when the king saw him, he was thrust out. " Many are called, but few chosen," Jesus said. And the Pharisees hated Him still more and planned to catch Him in His words, and accuse Him to the Roman governor. But that evening He went out of the city again. CHAPTER UII THE LAST DAY OF TEACHING THE next morning, Jesus came again to the Temple. On the way they saw the fig-tree, that had been full of leaves, withered up from the roots. Peter said, "Master, the fig-tree is withered away." 134 The Story of Jesus Jesus answered, " Have faith in God." For if you believe when you pray, your prayer shall be answered. As He was walking in the Temple court, some Pharisees and Herodians came up to Him. Hate was in their hearts, but their words were smooth. " Master, we know that Thou art true, and dost teach the word of God in truth : ought we to give tribute to Caesar or not ? Shall we give, or shall we not give?" " Bring Me a penny, that I may see it," said Jesus. This was the tribute money, which was paid in the Roman penny. " Whose is this image and superscription ? " The head and title of the emperor were stamped on the coin, so they said, " Caesar's." " Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's," Jesus said. This answer was so wise that they could say nothing. They had thought to turn His words against the Romans, so that the governor would put Him in prison, or so that the people, who were hoping that the Messiah would make them free again, would be angry. Then many others came, and asked Him puz- zling questions ; but He answered so wisely that they went away quite baffled. Even the scribes The Last Day of Teaching 135 had to say, " Master, Thou hast well said." And the people stood listening, and so the day went by. When the priests could do nothing against Him because of the people round, they went to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, to plot by themselves. As the evening came on, Jesus was sitting in the women's court, by the treasury. He saw the rich men throwing pieces of gold into the big brass jars, and presently a poor widow came by, and she put in two tiny pieces of money, which only make a farthing together. " This poor widow hath cast in more than they all," said Jesus, " for they do not miss their gifts, but she hath given all that she had." So the Lord left the Temple for the last time, and went across the vaUey of the Kidron, to the Mount of OHves. The disciples were looking at the beautiful gates and pillars ; they said, " Master, see these beautiful stones and build- ings." And Jesus told them that all the great stones should be thrown down. Then Peter and Andrew and James and John came to Him as He sat looking over the city, and asked, " Tell us, when shall these things be ? " And Jesus told them of the many terrible things that would happen, and what His own 136 The Story of Jesus disciples must do when the city should be des- troyed. And He spoke to them of a greater time still, when He Himself would come again with power and great glory. They must be ready for that time, He said, and watch and pray, for no one knew when it would be. " It is as a man taking a far journey, who gave power to his servants, and to every man his work, and told the porter to watch. Watch therefore, for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cock-crow- ing, or in the morning." And then He spoke His last parables. They are about the " Ten Virgins " or bridesmaids, who fell asleep while they were waiting for the bride- groom ; and the " Talents," and last of all the " Last Judgment," when Jesus will judge the world. They are in the Gospel of Matthew. Then He said, " Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified." Even as He was speaking to His friends in the quiet evening on Olivet, the priests in the house of Caiaphas were saying, " It must not be on the feast day, lest there should be an uproar of the people." At that minute Judas was brought into the The Last Supptr 137 Council. He had come to say that he would keep his word, and bring them to Jesus, when the people were away. And they were glad. Not one of them had pity on the innocent Jesus. He had no fear of their power, and He spoke to them as they really were, very religious people, but proud of heart and mean robbers of the poor. So He was to be put to death, that He might re- prove them no more. CHAPTER LIV THE LAST SUPPER THE Gospels tell nothing about the Wednesday before the Passover, which was spent at Bethany. On the Thursday morning the disciples asked Jesus : " Where wilt Thou that we make ready for Thee to eat the Passover ? " He said to Peter and John, " Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man with a pitcher of water. Follow him to the house where he goes, and say to the good man of the house, The Master saith unto thee. My time is at hand ; where is the guest-room, where I shall eat the Passover with 138 The Story of Jesus My disciples ? And he shall show you a large upper room ; there make ready." Peter and John went into the city, and found the house that Jesus had spoken of. Now the master was a friend of Jesus, and was glad that He should come there. Most likely it was Mark, the nephew of Peter, but that the Gospels do not say. There were couches and cushions to lie upon in the room, cups and dishes, and little tables for supper, and a jug and basin with water. So Peter and John prepared for the Passover Fccist. It was the same for every family and party : the lamb blessed by the priest, and brought from the Temple, that was cooked and eaten with bitter herbs, flat, thin cakes of bread without leaven, the sauce of raisins and vinegar, and the wine crushed from grapes, which was passed round in a cup for all to drink. And the meal was to be eaten with joy, and songs of praise were to be sung. Friday was the great day of the feast, but Jesus must take it on Thursday evening, because His time was come. So as the evening drew on, Jesus and His twelve friends came from Bethany to the upper room in Jerusalem, where all was ready. The Last Supper 139 Jesus took His place, and John, the disciple whom He loved, was closest to Him, while on His other side was Judas, the traitor. Yet even then the disciples had been quarreling about who should be first, and have the best places ; and since there was no slave or servant to pour the water, each one had sat down without washing his feet. Jesus heard and saw, and He taught them a lesson in a way that they could never forget. He rose from His place, and took off most of His clothing, and put a towel round Himself, as the slaves did. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet. They were so surprised that they could say noth- ing. But when the turn of Peter came, he ex- claimed, " Lord, dost Thou wash my feet ? " for he was ashamed that his Master should do for him the work of a servant. Jesus replied, " What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me." Peter said, •' Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." " He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. Ye are clean, — but not all ; " said Jesus — for He thought of Judas, the one whose heart was black. 14-0 The Story of Jesus Then, when He had sat down again, He said, " Know ye what 1 have done for you ? Ye call me Master and Lord ; and ye say true, for so I am. I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you," If Jesus, the Son of God, was willing to make Himself a servant, His followers must be servants to one another. Then was the Lord sad at heart, and said, " One of you shall betray Me." Only twelve were there, and of these one was a traitor ! Which of them could be so vile, so mean ? " Master, is it I ? " they asked, heavy-hearted, one by one. Peter beckoned to John : " Tell us who it is " — for John was leaning his head on the breast of Jesus. So John whispered, " Lord, who is it ? " Jesus told him, " He it is, to whom I shall give the sop, when I have dipped it." Presently, Judas himself asked, " Master, is it I ? " for he did not want to be found out. Jesus answered, " Thou hast said." Soon He took a piece of bread, and when He had dipped it in the sauce, He gave it to Judas. The Gospel says that Satan entered into him as he took it. Then Jesus said to him, " That thou doest, do quickly." The Last Su pper 141 Judas got up iVom his place, and opened the door, and went into the darkness. There was no turning back for him any more. He was going straight to the priests to tell them to take his Master. But only John knew why Judas had gone. The others thought that Jesus had told him to buy something for the feast, or to give some money to the poor. Then, while they were round the table, Jesus took the bread, and blessed it. He broke it in pieces, and gave it to them, and said, " Take, eat ; this is My body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me." He took the cup of wine, and gave thanks for it to God, and handed it to them, and they all drank of it. He said : " This is My blood of the covenant, Which is shed for many." Because Jesus handed the bread and the wine, and said, " Do this in remembrance of Me," many Christians ever since when they meet to remember the Lord's death, take together the broken bread and the cup of wine. And so it shall be till He comes again. Jesus began to comfort His friends. He called them " Little children," and told them that He was going away ; that they must love 142 The Story of Jesus one another, so that all might know that they were His disciples. Peter asked, " Lord, whither goest Thou ? " for he could not bear that his Master should go any- where without him. " Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now, but thou shalt follow Me afterward." " Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now ? I will lay down my life for Thee." " Wilt thou lay down thy life for Me ? I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow twice till thou hast denied Me three times. . . . Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have thee, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." Then He told them that they would all forsake Him that night ; but this they could not believe. They were willing to go with Him to death, they said. Jesus was not angry, though He knew that in a few hours they would run away in fear, and leave Him alone. He knew how much they loved Him, and that they would be cowards only this once. After He had left them and the Holy Spirit came they were as brave as lions. So He spoke gently to them, and told them not to be troubled when He was gone ; He would go first to prepare a place for them in His Father's house, and one day He would come back again. The Garden of Gethsemane 143 They must love one another, and their hearts would be at peace. He would send another Com- forter to abide with them, the Spirit of Truth. Many other remembered words of love and com- fort did Jesus speak that night. They are writ- ten in John's Gospel. Presently He said, " Arise, let us go hence." While they yet lingered round Him in the upper room, He prayed for them that they might be kept from the evil one : " Holy Father, keep them in Thy name which Thou hast given Me. . . . Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also who shall believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one." And they sang a hymn together, and went out into the street. They crossed the brook Kidron, and came to a garden. CHAPTER LV THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE JESUS and His disciples had often been in this garden before. It was called the garden of Gethsemane, because of the olive-trees in it, and the oil press. Just inside, Jesus told the disciples to watch, 144 The Story of Jesus while He went farther on to pray. He took Peter, James and John with Him. And great grief came upon Him, and He said to the three : " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death ; abide ye here, and watch with Me." He went on a little way under the trees, and fell on His face, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass away from Him. " Oh, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt/' Then He came back to the three He had asked to watch. But they had fallen asleep. He waked them, and said to Peter, " Simon, sleepest thou ? Couldest thou not watch one hour ? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into tempta- tion." He went away, and prayed again very ear- nestly. No one can tell how much the Lord suf- fered then : but an angel from heaven came to help Him to be strong. And He came the second time, and found Peter and the two others asleep again. When He had waked them they were ashamed, and did not know what to say. The third time He came to them, they were asleep, and then He said, " Arise, let us be going ; behold, he that be- trayeth Me is at hand." The Garden ot Gethsemane 145 While He spoke, there was a sound of foot- steps and the h^ht of torches through the oUve- trees. Judas knew the place where Jesus would be, and he had brought a band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests. He had told them, " The One I shall kiss is He ; take Him." He went forward to Jesus. " Friend, do that for which thou art come," said Jesus calmly. " Hail, Master ! " said Judas, and kissed Him. "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss ? " said Jesus. Then He went forward alone to meet the band of men. " Whom seek ye ? " He asked them. " Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. " I am He." And they fell to the ground ; for His calm voice and look made them greatly afraid. The enemies of Jesus had feared to stone Him three times before, when the stones were in their hands, and now, even the rough soldiers could not take Him without His will, although He was gentle as a lamb. " Whom seek ye ? " said Jesus again. " Jesus of Nazareth," they answered. " I have told you that I am He ; if ye seek Me, let these go their way." The disciples saw the soldiers, and knew the 146 The Story of Jesus danger their Master was in. They would make a bold effort to save Him. They had two swords, and they were ready to fight. " Lord, shall we smite with the sword ? " they exclaimed. Peter drew his sword quickly, and struck at a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said, " Put up thy sword into its sheath ; for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword. The cup which My Father hath given Me shall I not drink it? Suffer ye thus far," He said to the soldiers. And He touched the man's ear, and healed him. So they bound Him to lead Him away. Some of the chief priests had come to see Him taken. To them He turned. " Are ye come out as against a robber, with swords and staves ? I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple, and ye took Me not. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." Then all the disciples, when they saw their Master bound, and knew that He could not es- cape, left Him, and fled for their hves through the darkness. Jesus Before the Priests 147 CHAPTER LVI JESUS BEFORE THE PRIESTS THE captain and his band of soldiers took Jesus to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest. Annas was a bold and crafty man. He had been watching through the night for Jesus to come ; and he questioned Him about His dis- ciples and His teaching, that he might find some- thing against Him to say in the Council. But Jesus said, '• I have spoken openly to the world, in synagogues and in the Temple, where all the Jews come together ; why askest thou Me? Ask them that have heard Me. They know what I said." They were full of rage when He said this, for it was true, they could find nothing against Him. One of the officers who stood by struck Jesus, and said, " Answerest Thou the high priest so?" It was against the law to strike a prisoner, but He answered calmly. When Annas could do no more he sent Jesus to the house of Caiaphas close by. Both the houses opened into the same large courtyard. 148 The Story of Jesus Caiaphas, and the chief priests and elders who had made the plot, were sitting in their places round the hall, when Jesus was brought in. His hands were bound. He was placed in the centre of the hall, and witnesses were called to speak against Him. But the witnesses did not agree about what He had said, and their evidence broke down. Jesus kept silence. Then Caiaphas rose from his place. Coming up to Jesus, he said to Him, " Answerest Thou nothing ? What is it these witness against Thee ?" Still Jesus stood silent. The high priest said again, " Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ? " For he had fear in his heart of what they were doing. Jesus said, " I am ; and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power." Caiaphas tore his robe, to show he was full of horror, and cried out, " He hath spoken blas- phemy ; what further need have we of witnesses ? What think ye ? " Then they all said, " He is worthy of death." But Jesus had yet to be brought before the whole Council, and for that they waited till day- light. The officers took Him into the guard-room, Jesus Before the Priests 149 and there they all began to treat Him shame- fully. The servants struck Him, and the priests mocked Him. He was like a lamb among wolves. About six in the morning, the Council met in a hall by the Temple, and Jesus was brought be- fore them. A few were His friends, — Nicode- mus and Joseph of Arimathea were there, — but most of them wanted to put Him to death. The law said that two or three witnesses must agree in what they said about a prisoner, but as the witnesses did not agree, they questioned Jesus Himself, as Caiaphas had done, " If Thou be the Christ, tell us." He said, '• If I tell you, ye will not believe." " Art Thou the Son of God ? " they all cried. Jesus answered, " Ye say that I am." Then they cried, '• What further need have we of witnesses ? We ourselves have heard from His own mouth." And they gave the sentence as death. The Council rose, and were leaving the hall, when a wild-looking man came rushing up. It was Judas. He had brought back the money for which he had sold his Master. " I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood," he cried out. 150 The Story of Jesus The priests cared nothing for the despair of Judas. They had had all they wanted from him. " What is that to us ? See thou to that," they said. Then Judas threw down the thirty pieces of silver before them, and rushed away. But he could bear to live no longer, for he thought his black sin could never be forgiven. So he went and hung himself. The priests took the money, and with it bought a field, and made it a burying-place for strangers; for they would not put it into the Temple treasury, because it was the price of a life. CHAPTER LVII PETER'S DENIAL HAD His friends quite forsaken their Master ? They all ran away when He was taken prisoner, but Peter and John did not go far. They soon turned back, and followed Him to the palace of the high priest. The girl who kept the gate let John pass in, because he was well Peter's Denial 151 known to the high priest, but Peter stayed out- side in the street. Then John asked her to let Peter in. So he came in. The servants and officers had made a fire of coals in the court, and Peter stood among them to warm himself, for the night was cold. He did not think any one would know him to be a disciple of Jesus. But the girl who had been porter came up, and she looked at him, and said, " And thou, too, wast with Jesus of Nazareth." Peter was struck with fear. " I know Him not," he said, and he went into the porch. It was not yet light, and presently a cock crew. Another girl, who was taking her turn to keep the gate, saw him there. She turned to those who stood by, and said, " This man, too, was with Jesus of Nazareth." And he denied with an oath, " I know not the man." Perhaps Peter used to swear before he followed Jesus ; the bad words came easily to his tongue. In a hall that opened on the courtyard, stood Jesus his Master, helpless in the hands of His enemies. And Peter, called the " Rock," the friend who said he would die for Him, was frightened before a servant girl. Still he lin- gered in the court. It was about an hour afterward that one of the 152 The Story of Jesus other servants, who was related to Malchus, whose ear Peter had struck off, said to him, " Did I not see thee in the garden with Him ? " Then the others looked at him. " Why, thou wast with Him ; thou art of Galilee ; thy speech be- trayeth thee," they said. Peter began to curse and to swear, " I know not this man of whom ye speak." And the cock crowed a second time; and Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Then he re- membered the words, " Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice." He covered his face, and rushed out, and wept bitterly. CHAPTER LVHI BEFORE THE GOVERNOR THE Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, lived in a splendid palace. It was about seven in the morning, when he was told that the Jewish rulers and priests had brought a prisoner to be tried. Pilate knew very little about the Jews and their customs. He disliked and despised them, and they hated him. But the chief priests did Before the Governor 153 not think that he would liinder them in their purpose, for the governor had to please the people when it was not against the Roman law. So when Jesus was taken into the hall of judg- ment, — the Praetorium,— Pilate came down. The priests would not enter the hall, for it would make them unclean for the Passover if they went into a Gentile place. So Pilate went out to them. " What bring ye against this man ? " he asked. Roman law was just, and he would not sentence a prisoner without knowing his crime. They said, " If He were not an evil-doer, we should not have given Him up to thee." " Take Him, and judge Him by your law," said Pilate. They answered that they could not put any one to death, and they began to accuse Jesus of leading the people astray and of forbidding to give tribute to Cresar, and saying" that He Him- self is Christ, a King." Then Pilate went into the hall, to find out, if he could, from Jesus Himself, if He had done anything against the law. " Art Thou the King of the Jews ? " he asked Him. " What hast Thou done? " Jesus said, " My kingdom is not of this world ; 154 The Story of Jesus if it were, then would My servants fight, but now is My kingdom not from hence." Pilate knew men ; and he could see that Jesus was higher and better than those who accused Him, and that He was innocent of plotting against Rome. So he went out, and said to the priests, " I find in Him no fault at all." But they shouted fiercely that He had stirred up the people in Galilee and in Jerusalem. When Pilate heard about Galilee, he resolved to send Jesus to Herod, the Governor of Galilee. So He was taken across the city to the palace of Herod. Herod was glad to see Him, for he had heard much of Jesus and His great works, and he wanted Him to do a miracle for him to see. He questioned Him much, and the priests stood and shouted. But when Jesus would say nothing, the king and the men of his guard set Him at naught, and put a beautiful coat on Him, in mockery, and sent Him back to Pilate. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat. He called the priests and the people before him, and told them, " Ye have brought this man be- fore me, as one that leads the people astray. And I have examined Him, and find no fault in Him ; no, nor yet Herod, for he sent Him back ; so I will scourge Him, and set Him free." Before the Governor J5 Now Pilate's wife had sent him a message : " Have thou nothing to do with that just man." And Pilate himself wished to set Jesus free, for he was sure of His innocence, and that the priests had given Him up for envy. There was a custom that the governor should release a prisoner in honor of the Passover Feast, so Pilate now said to the people who crowded in front of the palace, " Shall I release the King of the Jews ? " But led by the priests, they shouted, " Not this man, but Barabbas ! " Barabbas was a thief and murderer, who had been caught and put in prison. " What then shall I do with Him whom ye call the King of the Jews ? " asked Pilate. They cried out, " Away with Him. Crucify, crucify Him ! " Pilate said, " Why, what evil hath He done ? I will scourge Him, and set Him free." But they cried out all the more, " Crucify Him ! " Then Pilate sent Jesus to be scourged, for he was afraid of the tumult of the people. And the guards took Him with His hands bound into their guard-room, and there He was scourged ; that is, struck many times with a horrible whip of many cords. 156 The Story of Jesus And the soldiers made a crown of thorny leaves and put it on His head, and put in His hand a reed for a sceptre, and round Him they threw an old purple mantle. Then they bowed before Him, and mocked Him, and said, •' Hail, King of the Jews ! " Then Pilate went out again to the people. " I bring Him forth to you, that ye may know I find no fault in Him," he said. And Jesus came out upon the pavement, wear- ing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. " Behold the Man ! " said Pilate. They cried out again, " Crucify Him ! " Then Pilate said, " Take Him, and crucify Him. I find no fault in Him." The priests said, " By our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God." Then Pilate was much afraid. He was a Ro- man, and had heard many stories of the Roman and Greek gods walking about as men. Perhaps Jesus was one of the gods, he thought. So he took Jesus into the hall again, and asked Him, " Whence art Thou ? " Jesus did not answer. " Speakest Thou not unto me ? Knowest Thou not that I have power to release Thee, and power to crucify Thee?" Pilate reminded Him. Before the Governor 157 Jesus said, " Thou wouldest have no power against Me, except it were given thee from above, therefore he that deHvereth Me to thee hath greater sin." Pilate was the more afraid, and he tried once more to release Jesus. He brought Him out again on the shining pavement, before the angry- priests, and the shouting mob. He thought they might pity Him when they saw Him so helpless. " Behold your King." " We have no king but Caesar," they cried. Pilate was too much a coward to do right and fear nothing. He thought that the priests would complain of him to the emperor, and that his office might be taken from him. He called for water, and washed his hands be- fore them all, and said, " I am innocent of the blood of this just man ; see ye to it." " His blood be on us, and on our children," the people cried out. Then Pilate gave sentence, that what they asked for should be done. He set free the rob- ber and murderer, Barabbas, but gave Jesus up to be crucified. 158 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER LIX JESUS CRUCIFIED THE soldiers took off the purple robe, and put His own clothes on Jesus. On His shoulders they laid a heavy cross of wood, and they led Him out into the street. But He fell under the weight of the cross, for He had endured so much, that He was weak and trembling. The soldiers saw a man named Simon, who had just come in from the country, looking on, and they called him, and made him bear the cross behind Jesus. As they went along, a great crowd followed. Men with- out pity were shouting for His death, but the women were sorry for Him, and they wailed aloud. Jesus turned to them, and spoke. " Daughters of Jerusalem," He said gently, " weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your chil- dren." So they came to a place outside one of the gates, close to the road. It was a little, bare hill, called Calvary. Here the soldiers stopped and Jesus Crucified 159 laid the cross on the ground. There were two other crosses as well ; for two robbers had been brought out to be crucified at the same time. They offered Jesus some drink that was given to those who were to be crucified to deaden the pain, but He would not take it. Then they laid Him on the cross, and nailed His hands and feet to the wood, — the kind hands that had been good to every one. He prayed, " Father, forgive them ; they know not what they do." The soldiers put the crosses into holes in the ground ; the two robbers on either side of Jesus. Over His head, on a strip of wood, nailed to the cross, these words were written, " Jesus of Naz- areth, the King of the Jews." Pilate had ordered this to be put in three languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, so that every one who went by might read. The chief priests had come to look on, and when they saw the words they sent to Pilate to ask that they might be altered to read that Jesus said, He was King of the Jews. Pilate refused. "What I have written, I have written," he told them. A centurion and four soldiers stood to guard the cross. Presently they took the clothing of Jesus, and divided it among themselves. They would not tear His coat, because it was woven i6o The Story of Jesus in one piece, and had no seam, so they cast lots for it. They could not know that it was written by a Jewish prophet that this should be done. Then they sat down, and watched Him. The people still stood looking, and the passers-by read the words above the cross, and jeered, and pointed at Jesus, and said, " King, come down from the cross ! " The priests mocked Him : " He saved others ; Himself He cannot save. Let Him come down from the cross, and we will believe Him." The soldiers taunted Him ; even the robbers on either side cried to Him, " If Thou be Christ, save Thyself, and us." But the Lord had become like a slave, and was " obedient to death," even to the slave's shameful death of the cross. He had chosen to suffer all, that He might save all. And so it is, that Jesus from His cross has drawn men to Himself as a Saviour and a King. One of the robbers was not as bad as the other. He was the Lord's first disciple from His cross. As he looked and wondered at His patience, he saw no longer a deceiver crucified by the Romans, and believed that He was indeed a King, and a King who could pardon his own bad life. When the other kept on shouting at Jesus, this Jesus Crucified l6l one said to him, •' Dost thou not fear God ? We justly suffer for what we have done, but this man hath done nothing amibs. Jesus, remem- ber me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom," he added. " To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise," was the answer. And Mary, the mother of Jesus, stood by His cross. She had come as close as she could to her dear Son, and her grief was like a sword piercing lier heart. John was by her, — His closest friend. Jesus thought how lonely Mary would be when He was gone, and from the cross He left her to the care of John. " Woman, behold thy son ! " He said. " Son, behold thy mother ! " ^ From that time John was a son to Mary, and took her to his home. . . . It was noon, and the sun was bright and hot, when suddenly over the city and the hill Calvary fell thick darkness. It was a sign of the dreadful thing that was hap- pening. The silence and darkness lasted three hours, so that the people were afraid, and left off mocking. After that Jesus cried, " My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ? " The people were full of awe. Some of them i62 The Story of Jesus thought that He was calling for Elijah, for Jesus used the Hebrew word Eloi for God. Jesus said again, " I thirst." And one man, kinder than the others, took the sponge that served for a cork to the big jar that held the drink of the soldiers. He dipped it in the wine, like vinegar that the soldiers drank, and as he could not reach high enough, he put it on the end of a stick of hyssop, and held it to His mouth. But the others said, " Let be, let us see if Elijah will come to help." But Elijah did not come, nor any angel, for Jesus had nearly done His work. And now He cried again, " Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit." Once again He cried with a loud voice, " It is finished." And He bowed His head and died. Then there was an earthquake, and the rocks split, and the great curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from the top to the bottom. Those round the cross trembled with fear. The centurion said, " Truly, this man was right- eous ; this was a Son of God." Then the people went away wailing and beat- ing their breasts to show their sorrow. The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee stood a little way off, watching all the time. The Grave in the Garden 163 So the Son of God gave His hfe a ransom for many. It was the hour that many a Passover lamb was killed for the feast. CHAPTER LX THE GRAVE IN THE GARDEN IT was nearly sunset, when the Sabbath would begin, so the chief priests went to Pilate and begged that the bodies might be taken down that they might not hang on the crosses on the Sabbath, because it was the great feast day. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the two rob- bers, to make death quick and sure, and took them down ; but they saw that Jesus was already dead. And one of them drove his spear into His side. Joseph of Arimathea went in boldly to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate called the centurion, and when he knew that Jesus was dead, he gave Joseph leave to take it. Then Joseph went and bought fine white linen, and Nicodemus came with sweet spices and myrrh. Together they took down the body of Jesus and wrapped it in the clean linen with the 164 The Story of Jesus spices. Joseph had a garden near by. In it was a new tomb hewn in the rock, which he had made for himself. Here they laid the body of Jesus, in haste, because the sun was setting. They rolled a large stone in the doorway, and then went home to keep the Sabbath. The women watched, and when all was fin- ished, they too went home quickly. But before they kept the Sabbath rest, they got ready sweet spices and ointments, to take to the grave when it should be over. But the chief priests remembered, what the dis- ciples had forgotten, that Jesus had said that He would rise again. They went once more to Pilate and said, " Sir, we remember that that deceiver said. After three days I will rise again. Command that the tomb be made sure till the third day, lest His disciples come and steal Him away, and say to the people that He is risen from the dead." Pilate reminded them, " Ye have a guard ; go your way ; make it as sure as ye can." So they sent the guard to put a seal on the stone, and to watch the tomb. Jesus Rises From the Dead 165 CHAPTER LXI JESUS RISES FROM THE DEAD THE sun had not risen, and it was still dark when Mary Magdalene and Salome, and the other Mary came to the garden on the first day of the week. They had brought their spices and ointments ; but as they went along, they said to one another, " Who shall roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb ? " — for it was far too heavy for them to move. They did not know of the guard, and the great seal upon the stone. But when they came to the tomb, the stone was rolled away from the door. For a little while before, in the dawn while the soldiers were keeping watch, an angel had come down. He rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb, and sat upon it. The guards shook with fear, and fled into the city. But the angel said to the women, " Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which hath been crucified. He is not here ; He is risen, as l66 The Story of Jesus He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples, and Peter, He is risen from the dead." So they looked into the tomb, and saw that it was empty. Then they ran quickly to tell the others, though they could hardly believe what they had seen, for it seemed too good to be true. Mary Magdalene went to Peter and John. She could only say, " They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid Him." Then Peter and John ran to the tomb, but John was there first, and he stooped down and saw the hnen grave clothes lying inside. When Peter came up, he went inside, and he noticed that they were folded and put in order. Then John went in, and when he saw it, he believed that Jesus had risen, and that He had done it. Then they both went home. But Mary had followed them back, and now she stood outside the grave weeping. She stooped down and looked in, and saw two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had been. They said to her, " Woman, why weepest thou ? " She said, " Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." Mary could hardly see through her tears "HE WOMEN AT THE TOMB Jesus Rises From the Dead 167 that these were shining angels, and she turned away. Some one stood in the garden who said, " Woman, why weepest thou ? " And she thought it was the gardener. " Sir," she said, " if thou hast borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away." He said, " Mary." She fell at His feet and held them, and said, " Master." For it was Jesus. He said, " Touch Me not ; I am not yet as- cended to My Father. But go to My brothers, and tell them, I ascend to My Father and your Father ; to My God and your God." The other women had run to tell the other disciples. Jesus went to meet them. " All hail," He said. And when they fell at His feet to worship, He told them, " Be not afraid ; go, tell My brothers they shall see Me in Galilee." But when they came to the others, they found them mourning and weeping, and they would not beheve the story of the angels, and the empty tomb, and that Jesus had met them. For it was only the women who had seen Jesus, and the others thought that they had been deceived. But Peter and John wondered and hoped. The guard had gone to the chief priests and i68 The Story of Jesus told them what had happened, and that the tomb was empty. And the priests gave them a large sum of money and told them to say " that the disciples had stolen away the body of Jesus while they were asleep." If the governor heard of it, the priests promised to make it right for them with him. It was death to any Roman soldier to _^sleep at his post ; yet ever since, the Jews have believed the story that the priests made up. Even now most Jews curse the name of Jesus. They say that He was a false Messiah, and de- served to be crucified. They still look for an- other, the true Messiah, to lead them back into their own land. But the two great days when the Lord was crucified, and when He rose again, have made the world a different place for all people. CHAPTER LXII THE EVENING OF THE RESURRECTION DAY THAT evening, two of the friends of Je- sus set out for their home in the village of Emmaus, a little way from Jerusa- lem. And they talked together of all that had taken place. The Evening of the Resurrection Day 169 Presently another traveler came up, and walked along with them. He inquired what they were talking about so earnestly. They stopped in sadness and surprise, and one of them, Cleopas, said, " Dost thou lodge alone in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days ? " " What things ? " asked the stranger. And they told him the story of Jesus of Naz- areth, the prophet whom they had hoped was Messiah, and how He was given up to death, and that the women who went to the tomb said that He was alive again, but they did not know how to believe it. He said, " Oh, foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spake ! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory ? " And He explained how Moses and the proph- ets had written of a Messiah who should suffer, as well as reign. But now they had come to their village, and it seemed that the stranger was going farther, so they begged Him to come into their house. " Abide with us. It is toward evening, and the day is far spent," they said. So He went in to stay a little while with them. Ijo The Story of Jesus He sat down to supper with them, and He took the bread in His hands and blessed and broke it, and handed it to them. That was the way of Jesus, and suddenly their eyes were open to know Him, for it was Jesus Himself who sat there with them. But He had gone even while they looked. And they said to one another, " Did not our hearts burn within us, while He spoke to us in the way ? " They could not stay at home for joy, but went back at once to Jerusalem to tell the others. They found them talking together after the evening meal. " The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon," they were saying with joy. And while Cleopas and the other told their story, and how they knew Jesus when He broke the bread and gave thanks, Jesus Himself stood among them, and said, " Peace be unto you." They were frightened at first, but He said to them, " Why are ye troubled ? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself." And He showed them His hands and His feet, and they were marked with the nails with which He was crucified. And when they could yet hardly believe for joy, and wondered at Him, He asked, " Have ye here any food ? " And they gave Him some fish The Evening of the Resurrection Day 171 and a piece of honeycomb, and watched Him while He took it. Then He said again, " Peace be unto you. As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." But Thomas the doubter was not there when Jesus came, and when the others told him, " We have seen the Lord," he said, " Except I put my fingers into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side," — the side that had been pierced by the soldier's spear, — " I will not be- lieve." For he thought that they were all mis- taken, and that they had seen a spirit. Eight days after, when they were all together in the same room, and the doors were shut, Jesus came again. " Peace be unto you," He said, for that was the greeting. And then turning to Thomas, who was there this time, " Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side; and be not faithless, but be- lieving." And Thomas in love and fear said, " My Lord and my God." " Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast be- lieved ; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," said the Lord. 72 The Story of Jesus CHAPTER LXIII "LOVEST THOU ME?" A SHORT time after, the disciples went back to Galilee, for Jesus had said that He would meet them there. Seven of them were together when one evening Peter said, " I go fishing," and the others rejoined, " We also come with thee." So they launched the boat, and went out on the lake ; but all the night they caught nothing. When the day was breaking, and they were tired and hungry, Jesus stood on the beach, but they did not know Him in the dim light. And He hailed them, " Lads, have ye made a catch?" or as some would say, " Children, have ye any fish ? " ^ " No," they called back. «' Cast the net on the right side of the boat and ye shall find," He called again. So they let down the net, and it became so full of fish that they could not pull it up. John said to Peter, " It is the Lord." And Peter "Lovest Thou Me?" 173 threw on his coat, and jumped into the water, and swam ashore to Jesus. The others brought their boat ashore, and the net full of fish. There was a fire burning on the beach, and fish put to cook, and bread, for Jesus had pre- pared a meal for them. " Bring of the fish, which ye have now caught," He said. Peter pulled the net up ; there were a hundred and fifty- three big fish in it. " Come and dine," He told them, and as He used to do, He handed them the bread and the broiled fish. And they were happy once more with their Master. And when they had finished their meal, Jesus said to Peter, '• Simon," — for just then He would not call him by his other name of Peter — " lovest thou Me more than these ? " Peter answered, " Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee dearly." " Feed My lambs," said the Lord. Then a second time came the question, " Simon, lovest thou Me ?" Peter answered again, " Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee dearly." " Keep My sheep," said Jesus. But when the Lord asked a third time," Simon, lovest thou Me dearly ? " Peter was grieved, for 174 The Story of Jesus he had denied his Master three times and he re- membered it with shame. " Lord, Thou knowest all things ; Thou knowest that I love Thee dearly," he exclaimed. " Feed My sheep." The Lord Jesus knew that Peter would never desert again, and He went on to tell him how one day when he was old, he should show his love. Faithful to death, he would be crucified as his Master was. Another time Jesus met a great many of His disciples when they were together on a hill in Galilee. There He told them to go and teach all nations ; for " I am with you always." Forty days after the resurrection He met them again in Jerusalem, and led them out over the Mount of Olives toward Bethany. He told them to wait at Jerusalem till He sent His promised Spirit to guide them. Then they should be His witnesses in all the world. And then He lifted up His hands, and blessed them, and while they looked. He was parted from them, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. While they still looked up and wondered, two men in white stood by them and said, •' Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into " Lovest Thou Me?" 175 heaven ? This same Jesus shall so come again, as ye have seen Him go." Jesus lives and rules on earth since then in the hearts of those who love Him. And we know that He will come again. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Date Due .i ; - "M ^o- ^ ^ '^ AP ?Ha'? /, h-'^]r: ■■ '■ ■«<• mis^is^^ ^ BS2420.6.J76 The story of Jesus told for children ^'rinceton Theological Semmary-Speer Libra 1 1012 00055 6813