he was born blind? how then doth he now see?"

His parents answered them, and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him he will speak concerning himself." These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews : for the Jews had already agreed, that if any man should acknowledge him as Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. On this account his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." They therefore a second time called the man who had been blind, and said unto him, "Give glory to God: we know that this man is a sinner." He answered therefore and said, "If he is a sinner, I know it not one thing I know, that, though I was blind, I now see.” But they said to him again, "What did he do to thee? how opened he thine eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and ye did not hearken: why do ye desire to hear again? do ye also desire to become his disciples ?" They reviled him, and said, "Thou art his disciple; but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God spake unto Moses: but this man-we know not whence he is." The man answered and said unto them, "Why herein is a wonderful thing, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes! Now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man is a true worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. It hath never been heard 2 that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered and said unto him, "Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?". And they cast him out.

1 v. H. n. 2 Lit. from the age, i. e. from the remotest age, it hath not been heard.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and having found him, he said unto him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" He answered and said, "And who is he, Sir, that I may believe on him?” And Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast both seen him, and he that talketh with thee is he." And he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he did him reverence. And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that they who see not may see; and that they who see may become blind." And those of the Pharisees that were with him heard these things, and said unto him, "Are we also blind?" Jesus said unto them, "If ye were blind, ye would not have had sin : but now ye say, 'We see;' your sin therefore remaineth.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not through the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the door-keeper openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he bringeth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. But a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." Jesus spake this parable 1 unto them but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Jesus therefore said unto them again, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door : if any one enter in through me, he shall be kept safe, and shall go in, and shall come out, and shall find pasture.

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1 Or, allegory: v. H. n.

F

The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that the sheep may have life, and that they may have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf seizeth them, and scattereth the sheep. Now the hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known by mine, as the Father knoweth me, and I also know the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, one shepherd. On this account, the Father loveth me, because I lay down my life, that I may receive it again. No one taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have the prerogative to receive it again. This commission I have received of my Father."1

There was again, therefore, a division among the Jews on account of these words. Now many of them said, "He hath a demon, and is mad; why hear ye him?" Others said, "These are not the words of a demoniac. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 1

10. H. n.

PART IV.

CHRIST'S PUBLIC PREACHING IN GALILEE-IN THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES AND THAT OF DEDICATION-UNTIL THE MISSION OF THE TWELVE.

SECT. I.

Imprisonment of the Baptist:1 On hearing of it, Christ begins to proclaim the Approach of the Kingdom of Heaven : He calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John.

MATT. iv. 12-22. MARK i. 14-20. LUKE iii. 19, 20.1

BUT Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him (John), concerning Herodias his brother's wife, and concerning all the evil things which Herod did, added this also above all, that he shut up John in prison.

Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he departed into Galilee, and having quitted Nazareth, he came and dwelt at Capernaum, upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: so that it was fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, 2 saying, 'The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, the one by the way of the sea, the other along the Jordan-Galilee of the Gentiles: the people that sat in darkness hath seen great light; and to those that sat in the region and shadow of death light hath sprung up.'

1[v. n. 4, p. 19. Dr. Carpenter, in the Fourth Dissertation, p. cxl., shows reasons for believing, that John's imprisonment took place shortly before the Tabernacles. I have however inserted the passage here, from its connection with M. iv. 12, and Mk. i. 14. Ed.] 2 Is. ix. 1, 2. 3 v. H. n.

From that time Jesus began proclaiming the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God draweth near: repent ye, and believe these glad tidings."

Now as he was walking near the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, "Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men." And straightway they left their nets, and followed him. And having gone forward thence

a little, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a vessel with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And straightway they left their father Zebedee in the vessel with the hired servants, and went away after him.

SECT. II.

On the ensuing Sabbath, Christ heals the Demoniac in the Synagogue of Capernaum; then, the mother of Peter's wife; and, in the Evening, many others.

MATT. viii. 14-17. MARK i. 21-34. LUKE iv. 31-41.

AND they go into Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and straightway on the sabbath he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching : for he taught them as having authority, and not as the Scribes.2

And in the synagogue there was a man that had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Ah! what hast thou to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? thou hast come to destroy us! I know thee who

1 v. H. n. 2 Mk.: (80 M. vii. 29, end of Sect. IV. :) for his word was with authority, L.