Parable of the Marriage Feast. 225

prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen ".

5 Matt. xxi. 23-xxii. 14. Mark xi. 27-xii. 12. Luke xx. 1-19.

Q

The Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees question Christ. He questions them in

return.

THEN went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, certain of their disciples with the Herodians, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And when they were come, they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their wickedness, craftiness, and hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money, that I may see it. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they answered and said unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the

Christ confuteth the Sadducees.

227

things that are God's. And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace, left him, and went their way.

The same day came to him certain of the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him; and leave no children, that his brother should take his. wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: and the second took her to wife, and he died childless: and the third took her likewise; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died and last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her to wife. Jesus answered and said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? The children of this world marry and are given in marriage, but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are

:

228

Christ answereth the Lawyer.

given in marriage: neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the angels which are in heaven; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. And as touching the resurrection of the dead, that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? For God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: for all live unto him ye therefore do greatly err. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. And one of them, which was a lawyer, came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the first and the great commandment of all in the law? Jesus answered him, and said unto him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord 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

Christ questions the Pharisees.

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first commandment. And the second is like unto it, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. than these. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he 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 his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. Then certain of the Scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said. And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, while he taught in the temple, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then, in the book of Psalms, doth David in spirit call him Lord; saying, by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And