Part 5

Jesus said, Behold, a sower went forth to sow seed. When he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell upon stony places where there was not much earth. They sprang up but they had no deep roots. So, when the sun was up, they were scorched and withered away. Also, some of the seeds fell among thorns. The thorns sprang up and choked them. Yet other seeds fell on good ground. These brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.

The disciples asked Jesus, Why do you speak to them in parables? He answered, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whoever has understanding, more shall be given him and he shall have abundance. But whoever does not have understanding, what little he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore, I speak to them in parables because, not seeing and not hearing, they do not understand.

Also, in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias: By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand. And by seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive. For the people's hearts are hardened. Their ears are dull of hearing. They have closed their eyes. They do not see or hear for fear they will be converted and have to change their hearts.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see and they have not seen them. They have desired to hear the things which ye hear, and have not heard them. So, again, listen to the parable of the sower.

When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one snatches away all that was sown in his heart. This is the one who received seed by the wayside. Now he that received the seed in the stony places, received the word with joy. But he has no deep root and endures only for a while. When tribulation or persecution arises he is uprooted. Now the one that received seed among the thorns hears the word but is too much ensnared by things of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. The understanding of the word is choked out and he becomes unfruitful. Finally, the one that received seed in the good ground is he that hears the word, understands it, and bears fruit. He brings forth a hundredfold or sixty or thirty.

He spoke another parable saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But, during the night, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat then slipped away. When the blades sprang up and brought forth fruit weeds appeared also. The householder's servants came to him and asked, Sir, did thou not sow good seed in the field? Where did the tares come from? The householder answered, An enemy has done this. The servants then asked, Shall we go and pull them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye shall uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then, at harvest time, I will say to the reapers, First gather together the weeds and bind them in bundles. These tares shall ye burn up. Then the wheat is to go in the shelter.

Jesus told another parable, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed. A man sowed it in his field. Now this, indeed, is the least of all seeds. However, when it is grown, it is the largest among all the herbs. It grows like a tree so the birds of the air can come and lodge in its branches.

Another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven. A woman took a little, hid it in three measures of meal and, at last, all was leavened. All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitude. Thus it might be fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went inside. His disciples came to Him and said, Explain to us the parable of the tares in the field. Jesus answered and said, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are the angels. As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels. They shall clear out of His kingdom all that offends and does iniquity and cast it into a furnace. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man discovers it, he buries it again. Then joyfully he goes and sells all that he has to buy that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking good pearls. When he finds even one pearl of great price, he goes and sells all he has to buy it.

And the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea to gather every kind of fish. When it was full, they drew the net to shore. The good they gathered into vessels. But they cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall come and sever the wicked from the just and cast them into the furnace where there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus asked, Have ye understood all these things? They said, Yea, Lord. Then He said, Therefore, every scribe who is instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth out of his treasure things both new and old.

Jesus went into His own country. He taught in the synagogue. The people were astonished and said, Whence has He this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is His mother not called Mary and His brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? Are His sisters not here with us? Where did this man get all these things?

They were offended by Him. Jesus told them that a prophet is not without honor except in His own country and in His own house. He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

14 At that time Herod heard of the fame of Jesus. He said to his servants, This is John the Baptist. He is risen from the dead and mighty works show forth in him.

Herod had imprisoned John for the sake of Herodia, his brother Philip's wife. He did this because John told Herod that it was not lawful for Herod to have her. He would have immediately put John to death but Herod feared the multitude, who counted John as a prophet.

But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, Herodias' daughter danced and greatly pleased Herod. He promised, with an oath, to give her whatever she asked. Having previously been instructed by her mother, she said, Give me John the Baptist's head on a charger. Herod was sorry. However, for the oath's sake and those who sat at dinner with him, he commanded it be given her. He had John beheaded in prison. Then his head was brought on a charger, presented to her, and she brought it to her mother. Then John's disciples came, took up the body, buried it, and reported it to Jesus.

When Jesus heard, He departed from there by boat to a desert place. When the people heard this, they followed Him on foot out of the cities. As Jesus went forth He saw a great multitude. He was moved with compassion toward them and He healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him and said, This is a desert place and it is late. Send the multitude away so they may go into the villages and buy food. But Jesus said, They need not depart. Give them food to eat. They said, We have only five loaves and two fish. Jesus said, Bring them to me.

He told the multitude to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, He blessed it. Then He broke and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples gave them to the multitude. They all ate and were full. Afterwards, they took up the fragments that remained, twelve baskets full. Those who had eaten numbered about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.

Immediately, Jesus instructed His disciples to get into a boat and go ahead of Him to the other side. After He sent the multitude away, He went up into a mountain to pray. When evening came He was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the sea and tossed with waves by the strong wind. In the fourth watch of the night, the disciples saw Jesus walking toward them on the sea. They were afraid and said, It is a spirit. They cried out for fear. But Jesus said, Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.

Peter answered and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Jesus said, Come. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he became afraid and immediately began to sink. He cried, Lord, save me. Jesus stretched out His hand, caught Peter, and said, O thou of little faith. Why did thou doubt?

When they got into the boat the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Jesus. They said, Surely thou art the Son of God. Then they reached the land of Gennesaret. When the people there had knowledge of Him, they sent word all around the country. They brought to Jesus all who were diseased. They besought Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And all who touched His garment were made perfectly whole.

15 Then scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus. They asked, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat bread. Jesus answered, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? God commanded: Honor thy father and mother. Let him be put to death who curses father or mother. But ye say that whoever says to his father or mother that it is a gift by whatever thou might profit by me, dishonoring the father or mother, shall be free. Your tradition has made the commandment of God useless.

Ye hypocrites. Well did Esaias prophesy: This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips. But their hearts are far from me. In vain do they worship me. They teach the commandments of men as doctrines.

Jesus then called the multitude and said, Hear and understand. Nothing that goes into the mouth defiles a man. But that which comes out of the mouth defiles a man. His disciples approached him and said, Know thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard these words? Jesus said, Every plant that was not planted by my heavenly Father shall be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Next, Peter approached Him and said, Explain the parable to us. Jesus replied, Are ye still without understanding? Do ye not yet understand that whatever goes in at the mouth goes into the belly and is expelled. But those things which come out of the mouth come from the heart. They defile the man because out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man. To eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.

Then Jesus went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. A woman of Canaan came to Him and said, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David. My daughter is grievously tormented with a devil. Jesus said not a word to her. Finally, His disciples came and said, Send her away for she cries after us. Jesus replied, I am not here for the lost sheep of the house of Israel only.

She came forward and worshipped Him. She said, Lord, help me. He answered, It is not fit to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. She answered, True, Lord. Yet dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. Jesus said to her, O woman, great is thy faith. Be it done unto thee as thou wilt. So her daughter was made whole from that very hour.