PART VIII

CHRIST'S LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY

October To December A.D. 29

95 Jesus at the Festival of Tabernacles - animated Discussions Generated by his Messianic Assertions

The Temple, Jerusalem

John 7:11-52

11 Now at the Feast the Judeans were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?"

12 Among the crowds were widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man."

Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Judeans.

14 Not until half way through the feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Judeans were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

16 Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17 If anyone chooses to do God's will. He will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself; but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the Law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?"

20 "You are demon possessed, " the crowd answered. "Who is trying to kill you?"

21 Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. 22 Yet because of Moses gave you circumcision (though it actually did not come from Moses but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 because I am from him and he sent me."

30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. 31 Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?"

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

33 Jesus said, "I am with you only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am you cannot come."

35 The Judeans said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people are scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, "'You will look for me and you will not find me,' and 'Where I am you cannot come.'"

37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If a man is thirsty let him come to me and drink."

38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scriptures has said, streams of living water will flow from him." 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to this time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet."

41 Others said, "He is the Christ."

Still others asked, "How can Christ come from Galilee? does not the Scripture say that the Christ comes from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?" 43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him."

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?"

46 "No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.

47 "You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted. 48 "Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But with this mob that knows nothing of the law -- there is a curse on them."

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 "Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

52 They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that the Prophet does not come out of Galilee."

96 Christ's Skillful Handling of Some Hostile Religious Leaders Who Brought an Adulteress to Him for Judgment.

The Temple, Jerusalem

John 7:53-8:11

53 The each went to his own home. 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where the people gathered around him, and he sat down teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger when they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

11 "No one, Sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

97 Hostile Religious Leaders Challenge Christ's Divine Claims - Infuriated by His Straightforward Declarations, They Attempt to Stone Him.

The Temple, Jerusalem

John 8:12-59

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me well never walk in dankness, but will have the light of life."

13 The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness, your testimony is not valid."

14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on now one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am one who testifies for myself,; my other witness is the one who sent me -- the Father."

19 Then they ask him, "Where is your Father?"

"You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offering were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

21 Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."

22 This made the Judeans ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'where I go you cannot come.'?"

23 But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."

25 "Who are you they asked?" they asked.

"Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. 26 "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I heard from him I tell the world."

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.

28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the son of Man, then you will know who I am and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what he the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.

31 To the Judeans who had believed him, Jesus said, "If I hold you to do my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be free?"

3h Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. 37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father."

39 "Abraham is our father," they answered.

"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. 40 As it is , you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the things your own father does."

"We are not illegitimate children," they protested, "The only Father that we have is God himself."

42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you don't believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47 he who belongs to God hears what God says. the reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

48 The Judeans answered him, "aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

49 "I am not a demon," Jesus, "but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 I tell you the truth, if a man keeps my word, he will never taste death."

52 At this the Judeans exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if a man keeps his word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"

54 Jesus replied, "If I glorified myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."

57 "You are not yet fifty years old," the Judeans said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"

58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59 At this they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

98 A Man Born Blind, Healed on the Sabbath, Confounds and Angers the Pharisees - Using the Allegory of a Good Shepherd, Jesus Tries to Explain His Redemptive Ministry.

Jerusalem.

John 9:1-10:21

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this has happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As one as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the pool of Siloam" (this word means sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?"

9 Some claimed that he was.

Others said, "No, he only looks like him."

But he himself insisted, "I am the man."

10 How then are your eyes opened?" they demanded.

11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

12 "Where is this man?" they asked him.

"I don't know," he said.

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."

16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."

But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.

17 Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened."

He said, "He is a prophet."

18 The Judeans still believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 29 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"

20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Judeans, for already the Judeans had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner."

25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see."

26 They asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again. Do you want to become his disciples too?"

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow we do not even know where he comes from."

30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the Godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and he went and found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

37 Jesus said, "You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped him.

39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"

41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

1 "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all of his own he goes out ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they do not follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to then. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. so when he sees the wolf coming he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me -- 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. they too will listen to my voice, and they shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have the authority to lay it down and the authority to take it up again. This is the command I received from the Father."

19 At these words the Jews were again divided. 20 Many of them said, "He is the demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to this man?"

21 But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

99 Seventy-two Preachers Instructed and Sent Out In Pairs - the Exultation of Jesus on Their Return.

Probably in Judea.

Luke 10:1-24

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but he workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

4 "Do not take a purse or a bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will come on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into the streets and say, 11 "Even the dust of your streets we wipe it off against you. Yet be sure of this, 'The kingdom of God is near.' 12 I tell you it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom for that town.

13 "Woe unto you, Korazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the miracle that were performed in you were done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you , Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.

16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the holy spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and you revealed the to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

22 "All things have been committed to me by the Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see." For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

100 Jesus Answers a Test Question Posed by and Expert in the Law - the Parable of a Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26 " What is written in the Law?" he replied, "How do you read it?"

27 He answered: "Love the Lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

28 "You answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

29 But he wanted to justified himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down to Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man he passed on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samiritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and he saw him and he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and he bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on a donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the inn keeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you have.'

36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

101 Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary.

Bethany, near Jerusalem

Luke 10:38-42

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

102 A Discourse To The disciples on Prayer - The Parable of a Persistent Friend.

Luke 11:1-13

1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend. lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

7 "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me, the door is already locked and the children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, though he did no get up and give the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened.

11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg gives him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

103 The healing of a Dumb Demoniac Precipitates Another Clash with the Pharisees.

Luke 11:14-36

14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was a mute. When the demon left, the man who had been dumb spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons." Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, the kingdom of God has come to you.

21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. 23 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters."

24 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest it does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' 25 When it arrives it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes it with seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."

28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but there will be none given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, olso will the Son of Man be for this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Ninevah will stand up at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

33 "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on a stand, so those who come in may use the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eyes are good, your whole body is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Se to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light of a lamp shines in you."

104 By Dining Ceremonial Unbathed in a Pharisees house.

Jesus arouse Critical Surprise - He Responds With a Denunciation of Religious Hypocrisy.

Luke 11:37-12:12

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal was surprised.

39 The the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! did you the one who made the outside make inside also? 41 but give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

42 "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

43 "Woe to you, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44 "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."

45 One of the experts of the law answered him, "Teacher, you may say these things, you insult us also."

46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

47 "Woe to you, because you build tombs to the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did.; they killed the prophets and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they kill and others they persecute.' 50 Therefore this generation will be help responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Able to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the alter and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

53 When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.

1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops.

4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear; Fear him who, after killing the body, has the power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

8 "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge

him before the angels of God. 9 But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. 10 Anyone who speaks a word. against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 "When you are brought before the synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

105 Parables on the Folly of Worldliness and the Need for Spiritual Alertness

Luke 12:13-59

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide my inheritance with me."

14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"

15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on you guard against all kinds of greed: a man's life does consist in the abundance of his possessions."

16 And then them this parable: "The ground of certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I'll store all my grains and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'

20 But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food , and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the filed, which is her today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you drink; do not worry tit. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them, 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 "Do not to be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For there your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately come and open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master find them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39 But understand this: if the owner of the house had not known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

41 Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"

42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 I tell you the truth he will put them in charge of his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming', and then he begins to beat the men servants and woman servants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on the day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47 "That servant who knows his master's well and does not get ready or does not do what his master wasn't will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much more will be asked.

49 "I have come to bring fire on earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

54 He said to the crowds: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It is going to rain,' and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It is going to be hot,' and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?

57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. 58 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."

106 Jesus Uses Two Current Calamities To Illustrate the Impressiveness of Repentance - the Parable of the Fruitless Fig Tree.

Luke 13:1-9

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or these eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and when he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tee and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should you use up the soil?'

8 "'Sir,'" the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, the cut it down.'"

107 Criticized for Healing a Crippled Woman in a Synagogue on a Sabbath Day, Jesus Defends Himself.

Luke 13:10-21

10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

15 The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what he bound her?"

17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

18 Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew, became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."

20 Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked through all the dough."

108 Jesus at the Festival of Dedication -- Another Confrontation With Hostile Jewish Leaders. On the Question of His Messiahship.

The Temple, Jerusalem.

John 10:22-39

22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem;

23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the potico of Solomon.

24 The Jews therefore gathered around him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense, if You are the Christ, tell us plainly."

25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch he out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."

31 Again the Judeans picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these did you stone me?"

33 "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Judeans, "but for blasphemy, because you a mere man claim to be God."

34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I have said, you are gods'? 35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came - and the scripture cannot be broken - 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'" 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.