the builders rejected, this hath become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes?" Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God will be taken from you, and will be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And every one that shall fall on this stone, will be broken by it: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will crush him to pieces."

And when the Chief Priests and the Pharisees and the Scribes had heard his parables, they sought, that same hour, to lay hands on him; for they knew that he spake this parable against them: yet they feared the multitudes, because they held him as a prophet: and they left him, and went away.

§. 5. Parable of the Marriage Feast.

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who made a marriage-feast for his son, and sent forth his servants to summon1 them that had been invited to the marriagefeast and they would not come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying, "Tell them who have been invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and fatlings have been killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the marriage-feast.' But some slighted the message, and went away, one to his farm, another to his merchandize: and the remnant took his servants, and treated them insolently, and slew them. But the king, having heard thereof, was angry and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he saith to his servants, 'The marriage-feast is ready, but they who were invited were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the public places,1 and as many as ye find, invite to the marriage-feast.' And

:

1 v. H. n.

those servants went forth into the streets, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the marriage-feast was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who had not put on a marriage-garment: and he saith unto him, 'Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a marriagegarment?' And he was speechless. Then said the king to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are invited, but few chosen."

§. 6. On Tribute to Cæsar.

Then the Pharisees went and took counsel, how they might ensnare him in discourse. And they watched him, and sent men suborned by them,-certain of their own disciples, with the Herodians,-hypocritically pretending to be righteous, that they might lay hold of his discourse, in order to deliver him up unto the power and authority of the governor. And they questioned him, saying, "Rabbi, we know that thou art true, that thou speakest and teachest rightly, and carest not for any one: for thou lookest not at the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Tell us therefore what thou thinkest: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? Should we give, or should we not give?" But Jesus knew their wickedness,1 and said unto them, "Why do ye try me, ye hypocrites? show me the tribute money: bring me a denarius that I may see it." And they brought one. And he saith unto them, "Whose is this image, and inscription?" They say unto him, "Cæsar's.” And Jesus answering said unto them, "Render therefore unto Cæsar, the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God,

1 M.: perceived their hypocrisy, Mk.: understood their craftiness, L.

the things which are God's." And when they heard, they wondered at his answer, and kept silence. And they could not lay hold of his words before the people: and they left him, and went away.

§. 7. Respecting the Resurrection.

In that day there came to him certain of the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection: and they questioned him, saying, "Rabbi, Moses wrote for us, if any one die, and leave a wife, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring unto his brother. Now therefore there were with us seven brethren: and the first, after having married, died; and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. And the second took her, and died; neither left he any offspring: and the third in like manner: and the seven took her, and left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, when they shall rise again, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her as a wife." But Jesus answering said unto them, "Do ye not on this account err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God? The sons of this world marry, and are given in marriage; but those accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor indeed can they die any more; for they are like the angels of God in heaven and they are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But concerning the resurrection of the dead, that the dead are raised, have ye not read in the book of Moses 2 how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of

1 Deut. xxv. 5, 6. 2 Ex. iii. 6. 3 Mk.: Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 'I am the God, M.: Even Moses showeth at the bush, when he called the Lord, the God, L.

Jacob? God is not God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. Ye therefore err greatly."

And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

§. 8. The Great Commandment.

And certain of the Scribes answered and said, "Rabbi, thou hast said well." And one of the Scribes came, and having heard them1 reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him this question, "Which is the first commandment of all? "2 And Jesus answered him, "The first commandment of all is, 3 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: 4 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength :' this is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, namely this, 5 Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself.' There is no other commandment greater than these; on these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets." And the Scribe said unto him, "Well, Rabbi! thou hast spoken in truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 6 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbour as oneself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." And Jesus seeing him, that he answered discreetly, said unto him, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."

And no one durst question him any more, on any thing.

[i. e., the Sadducees.] 2 L. and Mk.: But when the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together for the same purpose. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, trying him, and saying, "Rabbi, which is the great commandment in the law ?" M. 3 Deut. vi. 4, 5. Or, the Lord, our God, the Lord is one. 5 Lev. xix. 18. 6 Or, Well, Rabbi, thou hast said with truth, 'He is one :' (or, 'The Lord is one ;') and there is no other except him.

§. 9. Our Lord questions the Pharisees.

Now the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus questioned them, saying, "What think ye concerning the Christ? whose son is he?" They say unto him, "The son of David." And Jesus answered and said unto them, as he was teaching in the temple, "Why say the Scribes, The Christ is the son of David? Yet David himself saith, by the holy spirit, in the book of Psalms,1 'The Lord said unto my lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.' Why therefore doth David by the spirit call him his lord? If David therefore call him his lord, how is he

And no one was able to answer him a word.2 And the great multitude heard him gladly.

§. 10. Christ's Approbation of the Poor Widow.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and he looked up, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury. And many rich men cast in much. And there came also a certain poor widow, and she cast in two mites (which make a farthing). And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, This poor widow hath cast in more than all who have cast into the treasury: for they all have cast in from their abundance unto the offerings of God; but she from her poverty hath cast in all that she had, even all her living."

§. 11. Our Lord's Final Discourse, denouncing the Scribes and Pharisees.

Now while all the people heard, he said unto his disciples in his teaching, "The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses: all things therefore, whatsoever they tell

1 Ps. cx. 1. 2 v. H. n.