Chapter 14
Teaching and Journeying on to Jerusalem
And there came Pharisees unto Jesus, and asked him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? And Jesus answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of the creation, Male and Female made he them. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the twain shall become one flesh: so that they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.
And in the house the disciples asked Jesus again of this matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery; and if she herself shall put away her husband, and marry another, she committeth adultery.
And they brought unto Jesus little children: and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.
[See also “Discourse on the Kingdom of God” (Chapter 7, #34), “Limits of the Kingdom of God” (Chapter 12, #69), “Time of the Kingdom of God” (Chapter 13, #79), and Time of the Kingdom of God (Chapter 14, #89).]
And as Jesus was going forth into the way, there ran one to him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy father and mother.
And he said unto him, Teacher, all these things have I observed from my youth. And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. But his countenance fell at the saying, and he went away sorrowful: for he was one that had great possessions.
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard it is to enter into the kingdom of God!
Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or wife, or children, or lands, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, and shall inherit eternal life.
[See also “Teaching about Reliance on Wealth (Chapter 12, #67), “God vs Mammon” (Chapter 13, #75)), and “The Rich Publican of Jericho” (Chapter 14, #88).]
A householder went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.
And when even was come, the owner of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a denarius. And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a denarius. And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a denarius? Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee.
And they were in the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going before them: and they were amazed; and they that followed were afraid.
And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. And Jesus said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in the kingdom.
But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not mine to give.
And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John. And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you: but whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all.
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth.
[See also “Teaching on Standards of Greatness,” Chapter 10, #51.]
And Jesus entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature. And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received Jesus joyfully.
And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone to lodge with a man that is a sinner.
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Master, Behold, Master, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.
And Jesus said unto him, Today is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
[See also “Teaching about Reliance on Wealth (Chapter 12, #67), “God vs Mammon” (Chapter 13, #75), and “Relations of Possessions to Eternal Life” (Chapter 14, #85).
And as they heard these things, Jesus added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear.
Jesus said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country. And he called ten servants of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye herewith till I come. And it came to pass, when he was come back again, that he commanded these servants, unto whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. And the first came before him, saying, Sir, thy pound hath made ten pounds more. And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Thy pound, sir, hath made five pounds.
And he said unto him also, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Sir, behold, here is thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin: for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow; then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I, on my return, should have required it with interest? And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds.
And when Jesus had thus spoken, he went on before, going up to Jerusalem.
[See also “Discourse on the Kingdom of God” (Chapter 7, #34), “Limits of the Kingdom of God” (Chapter 12, #69), “Time of the Kingdom of God” (Chapter 13, #79), and “Essential for Entrance into Kingdom” (Chapter 14, #84).]