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Title: Bible history and brief outline of church historyRevised edition
Author: Volrath Vogt
Translator: N. C. Brun
Release date: July 20, 2023 [eBook #71231]
Language: English
Original publication: United States: Augsburg Publishing House, 1919
Credits: [email protected], Juliet Sutherland, Guus Snijders and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIBLE HISTORY AND BRIEF OUTLINE OF CHURCH HISTORY ***
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Transcriber’s note:
This version of the text cannot represent certain
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BIBLE HISTORY
AND
BRIEF OUTLINE OF CHURCH HISTORY
BY
VOLRATH VOGT
Formerly Principal of the Cathedral School,
Christiania, Norway
REVISED EDITION
FROM THE NORWEGIAN BY
N. C. BRUN
AUGSBURG PUBLISHING HOUSE
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
BIBLE HISTORY--VOGT-BRUN
Copyright 1919
Augsburg Publishing House
_1948 Printing_
Manufactured in the United States of America
Printed by Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis 15, Minnesota
--8885--
Contents
THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. Creation.
2. Adam and Eve.
3. The Fall.
4. Cain and Abel.
5. Seth and His Descendants.
6. The Flood.
7. The Tower of Babel.
8. Abraham Journeys to Canaan.
9. Abraham Delivers Lot.
10. Abraham Is Strong in Faith.
11. Abraham Prays for Sodom.
12. God Proves Abraham.
13. Isaac.
14. Esau and Jacob.
15. Jacob Obtains the Blessing.
16. Jacob Goes to Laban.
17. Jacob Meets Esau.
18. Joseph Sold by His Brothers.
19. Joseph Thrown into Prison.
20. Joseph Interprets Dreams.
21. The Brothers of Joseph Come to Egypt.
22. Joseph Makes Himself Known.
23. Jacob Goes Down to Egypt.
24. Moses Born and Hidden.
25. Moses in Midian.
26. Israel Departs from Egypt.
27. The Wandering in the Wilderness.
28. Joshua.
29. Gideon, Jephthah, Samson.
30. Ruth.
31. Eli and Samuel.
32. Saul.
33. David and Goliath.
34. Saul Pursues David, Saul Dies.
35. David Made King.
36. David’s Fall.
37. The Revolt of Absalom.
38. Solomon.
39. The Kingdom Divided.
40. Kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam.
41. Ahab and Elijah.
42. Kingdom of Israel Overthrown.
43. Kingdom of Judah, Hezekiah and Isaiah.
44. Kingdom of Judah Overthrown.
45. The Babylonian Captivity.
46. Return from Babylon.
47. Maccabees.
48. Jonah.
49. Job.
50. The Books of the Old Testament.
THE NEW TESTAMENT
51. Birth of John the Baptist.
52. Annunciation of Mary.
53. Birth of the Savior.
54. The Wise-Men from the East.
55. The Child Jesus in the Temple.
56. John Preaches and Baptizes.
57. Jesus Is Baptized.
58. Jesus Is Tempted.
59. Jesus Begins His Work.
60. Jesus Chooses 12 Apostles.
61. Jesus and Nicodemus.
62. Jesus and the Woman of Samaria.
Parables of Jesus.
63. The Sower.
64. Tares Among the Wheat.
65. The Good Samaritan.
66. The Rich Man.
67. The Fig Tree.
68. The Unmerciful Servant.
69. The Prodigal Son. The Lost Sheep.
70. The Rich Man and Lazarus.
71. The Pharisee and the Publican.
72. The Laborers in the Vineyard.
73. The Marriage of the King’s Son.
74. The Talents.
Miracles of Jesus.
75. Jesus Turns Water into Wine at Marriage in Cana.
76. Jesus Stills the Tempest.
77. Jesus Raises the Widow of Nain’s Son from the Dead.
78. Jesus Raises the Daughter of Jairus from the Dead.
79. Jesus Feeds Five Thousand in the Wilderness.
80. Jesus Heals the Daughter of the Woman of Canaan.
81. Jesus Heals Ten Lepers.
82. Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead.
Other Stories from the Life of Jesus.
83. Jesus Teaches His Disciples to Pray.
84. The Transfiguration.
85. Jesus Blesses Little Children.
86. Jesus the Guest of Zaccheus.
87. The Enemies of Jesus.
The Last Days of Jesus.
88. The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
89. Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper.
90. Jesus in Gethsemane.
91. Jesus before the Council.
92. Peter’s Denial. The Death of Judas.
93. Jesus before Pilate.
94. Jesus on the Cross.
95. The Burial of Jesus.
96. The Resurrection of Jesus.
97. Jesus Appears to His Disciples.
98. The Ascension of Jesus.
99. The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
100. The Apostles before the Council.
101. Stephen.
102. Cornelius.
103. Paul.
104. The Destruction of Jerusalem.
105. The Apostle John.
106. The Books of the New Testament.
Brief Outline of the History of the Church after
the Death of the Apostles.
1. Progress of Christianity. The Christians Persecuted.
2. Constantine the Great.
3. Mohammed.
4. Christianity Introduced in the North.
5. Popes, Monks.
6. The Reformation.
7. The Reformation Introduced in the North.
8. The Lutheran Church in the United States of America.
9. Missions. Bible Societies.
10. A Brief Sketch of the Holy Land.
Chronological Table.
THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. The Creation
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was
waste and void; and darkness was upon the deep. And the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters. And God said: Let there be light--and
there was light. And there was evening and there was morning, the first
day.--And God made a vast expanse which he called Heaven. And there was
evening and there was morning, a second day.--And God gathered the
waters into one place, and the dry land appeared. And God said: Let the
earth put forth grass and herbs and trees bearing fruit. And there was
evening and there was morning, a third day.--And God made the two great
lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule
the night. He made the stars also. And there was evening and there was
morning, a fourth day.--And God created the great sea-monsters, and
every creature that lives in the waters, and every fowl that flies under
heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.--And
God made the beasts of the earth, and the cattle, and everything that
creeps upon the ground. And God said: Let us make man in our image, and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of
the heavens, and over everything that lives upon the earth. And God
created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male
and female created He them.
And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. And God rested
on the seventh day from all His work, and He blessed the seventh day and
hallowed it. (Gen. 1.)
2. Adam and Eve
God planted a garden eastward, in Eden. This garden has been called
Paradise. And out of the ground God made to grow every tree that is
pleasant to the sight; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden;
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And God put man in the
garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it, and He said: Of every tree of
the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge thou
shalt not eat; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die--God said also: It is not good that the man should be alone; I will
make him a help, answering to him. And God brought all living creatures
to Adam to see what he would call them, and whatsoever Adam called every
creature, that was the name thereof; but for man there was not found a
help meet for him. And God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and He
took one of his ribs and made thereof a woman and brought her unto him.
Then Adam said: This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall
a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife,
and they shall be one flesh.--Adam was the first man, and Eve was the
first woman.--They were innocent, and knew neither sin, nor sorrow, nor
sickness, nor death. (Gen. 2.)
3. The Fall
The serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which God had
made. And he said unto the woman: Has God truly said: Ye shall not eat
of any tree in the garden? The woman answered: Of all the other trees we
may freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge God hath said: Ye shall not
eat of it, lest ye die. The serpent answered: Ye shall not die; for God
doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and
ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the
tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and
desirable to make one wise, she took of the fruit and ate, and she gave
also to her husband, and he ate. Then their eyes were opened, and they
knew that they were naked. In the evening they heard the voice of God,
and hid themselves among the trees of the garden. Then God called unto
Adam and said: Where art thou? And Adam said: I heard Thy voice, and I
was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. Then God said: Who
told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree of
knowledge? Adam answered: The woman gave me of the fruit, and I ate.
Then God said to the woman: What is this thou hast done? She answered:
The serpent beguiled me, and I ate. And God said unto the serpent:
Cursed art thou above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt
thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. I will put
enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.--Unto the woman
God said: In pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy husband shall
rule over thee.--Unto the man God said: Cursed is the ground for thy
sake; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, till thou
return unto the ground; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return. So God drove Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden, and He
placed Cherubim with a flaming sword to keep the way to the tree of
life.--Thus sin came into the world, and through sin came sorrow and
sickness and death. (Gen. 3.)
4. Cain and Abel
Adam and Eve got two sons; the first was called Cain and the second
Abel. Cain tilled the ground, and Abel kept sheep. Once they both
brought their offerings to the Lord: Cain brought of the fruit of the
ground, and Abel of the best of his flock. God had respect unto Abel and
his offering; but unto Cain and his offering He had not respect. Then
Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And God said unto him:
Why is thy countenance fallen? Is it not so that if thou doest well,
thou mayst freely look up? And if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at
the door, and its desire shall be unto thee, but do thou rule over it.
Still Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him, when they were
in the field. And the Lord asked Cain: Where is thy brother? Cain
answered: I know not; am I my brother’s keeper? Then the Lord said: Thy
brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. Therefore cursed art
thou; and a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain
went and dwelt on the east of Eden. His descendants were inventive and
skilful, they invented harps and flutes and forged weapons; but they did
also that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord. (Gen. 4.)
5. Seth and His Descendants
Adam and Eve got a son instead of Abel. He was called Seth. Seth and his
descendants were pious and were called the children of God; but they
were not innocent; for all have sinned in Adam. One of them was called
Enoch; he walked with God and did not die; the Lord took him, when he
was 365 years old. Methuselah lived 969 years, and is the oldest of all
men. His grandson was Noah. (Gen. 5.)
6. The Flood
Men multiplied on the earth, and the sons of Seth mingled with the
descendants of Cain and took their daughters for wives. Thereby
wickedness became great over all the earth, and it repented God that he
had made man. But Noah found favor in the eyes of God. Therefore He said
to Noah: Make thee an ark, three hundred cubits[1] long, fifty cubits
wide and thirty cubits high, and pitch it within and without with pitch;
for I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy everything
that lives. Noah built the ship which is called the ark, and went into
it with his wife and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet, and their
wives, and a male and a female of all the animals that cannot live in
the water. Then God let it rain for 40 days and 40 nights, and the
waters rose 15 cubits over the highest mountains. And every living thing
was destroyed upon the earth. Noah only, and those that were with him in
the ark, were left alive.
-----
Footnote 1: This cubit was about 19 inches long.
-----
God remembered Noah and caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the
waters sank, and the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. Noah
opened the window, and he sent forth a raven, and it went forth to and
fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Then he sent
forth a dove, but as she found no rest for her foot, she returned to the
ark, and Noah put forth his hand and took her unto him. And he stayed
yet seven days, and he sent forth the dove again. And she came back to
him again at eventide, and in her mouth she had a fresh olive leaf. And
he stayed yet seven days and sent forth the dove again, and she returned
not; then Noah knew that the earth must be dry. The waters had then
covered the earth for more than one year.
Now Noah went out of the ark and made a thank offering unto the Lord.
And the Lord said in His heart: I will not again curse the ground for
man’s sake, for man is evil from his youth. While the earth remaineth,
seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night
shall not cease. And God set the rainbow in the heavens as a token that
He would remember His covenant. Noah lived till he was 950 years old,
and is the second father of the human race. (Gen. 6-9.)
7. The Tower of Babel
The whole earth was of one speech. When men journeyed eastward, they
found a large plain, and they dwelt there. And they said one to another:
Come, let us build a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, lest we be
scattered over the whole earth. But the Lord came down and confounded
their language, so the one did not understand the other. Thus the Lord
scattered them over all the earth, and they left off building. Therefore
the place is called Babel, that is, Confusion.--The descendants of Shem
remained in Asia, the descendants of Ham went southwest to Africa, and
the descendants of Japhet went westward to Europe. (Gen. 11:1-9.)
8. Abraham Journeys to Canaan
Terah descended from Shem. He dwelt in Mesopotamia and had three sons,
Abraham, Nahor and Haran. Terah served strange gods. And the Lord said
unto Abraham: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee. I will
make of thee a great nation, and in thee shall all the families of the
earth be blessed. So Abraham took Sarah, his wife, and his brother’s son
Lot, and all that he had, and went to the land of Canaan. And the Lord
appeared unto Abraham and said: Unto thy seed will I give this land; and
there he builded an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold; and Lot also,
who went with Abraham, had flocks and herds. And there was a strife
between the herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen of Lot about the
pastures. And Abraham said unto Lot: Let there be no strife, I pray
thee, between thee and me, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for
we are brethren. Is not the land before thee? If thou wilt take the left
hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then
I will go to the left. Lot saw that the plain of Jordan was well
watered, that it was like the land of Egypt, even as the garden of
Jehovah. So Lot chose the plain for himself, and pitched his tents
toward Sodom. But the inhabitants of Sodom were wicked, and sinners
against the Lord exceedingly. (Gen. 12-13.)
9. Abraham Delivers Lot
Kings from the East came and made war against the kings of Sodom and
Gomorrah, were victorious over them, and carried off the people and
their goods. They also carried off Lot and all his goods. When Abraham
heard that his brother’s son was taken captive, he led forth his trained
men, to the number of 318, pursued the enemy and overtook them; and he
brought back all the goods, and set Lot and the people free. When
Abraham returned, Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most
High, went out to him with bread and wine, and blessed him.--And the
king of Sodom came and said unto Abraham: Take the goods to thyself and
give me the people. But Abraham answered: I will not take a thread nor a
shoe-latchet, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abraham rich. (Gen.
14.)
10. Abraham is Strong in Faith
The Lord appeared again unto Abraham and promised him that his seed
should become as numerous as the stars of the heavens. Abraham was old,
and Sarah was old, and they had no children; but Abraham believed the
Lord’s promise, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness.
Abraham sat in the door of his tent in the heat of the day. As he lifted
up his eyes, lo, three men stood over against him. Abraham ran to meet
them, bowed himself to the earth and said: My lord, pass not by thy
servant: let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree and let me fetch a morsel of bread to
strengthen you; after that you shall pass on. And they said: So do, as
thou hast said. And Abraham ran unto the herd and had a good calf
dressed and prepared, and Sarah took fine meal and baked cakes. And he
took butter and milk and set before the men, and he stood by them under
the tree, while they did eat. Then one of them said: Where is Sarah your
wife? Abraham answered: She is in the tent. Then said he: In a year I
will return, and Sarah shall then have a son. Sarah heard this in the
tent and laughed; for she thought she was too old to have children. But
the one who was the Lord said: Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?
(Gen. 15:5, 6; 18:1-14.)
11. Abraham Prays for Sodom
And the men rose up, and Abraham followed them. Then the Lord said: I
will destroy Sodom; for its sins are grievous. The two angels went
toward Sodom, and Abraham stood alone before the Lord and said: Wilt
Thou consume the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there are fifty
righteous within the city; wilt Thou not spare it for the sake of these?
The Lord answered: If I find fifty righteous I will not consume it.
Abraham said: Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord,
who am but dust and ashes; peradventure there shall lack five of the
fifty, wilt Thou destroy the whole city for lack of five? The Lord
answered: I will not destroy it if I find there forty and five. And
Abraham continued to pray, until he came down to ten, and the Lord
promised to spare the city if He should find ten righteous in it.
Meanwhile the two angels came to Sodom and went in to Lot. Then the men
in the city surrounded Lot’s house to seize the angels; but they smote
them with blindness, and brought Lot and his wife and his two daughters
out of the city. And one of the angels said: Look not behind thee,
neither stay in all the plain; escape to the mountain. But Lot’s wife
looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Then the Lord rained fire
from heaven, and the fertile plain where Sodom and Gomorrah stood became
the Dead Sea.--Thus it appeared that there were not ten righteous in
Sodom. (Gen. 18:16-33; 19.)
12. God Proves Abraham
God visited Sarah at the time He had promised, and she bare a son, who
was called Isaac. Abraham was then 100 years old, and Sarah was 90.
Some years after this it came to pass that God proved Abraham and said:
Take now thy son, Isaac, thine only son, whom thou lovest, and get thee
into the land of Moriah and offer him on one of the mountains which I
will tell thee of. Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass,
took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he clave the
wood for the burnt offering, and went unto the place of which God had
told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place
afar off. He said then to his young men: Abide ye here, and I and the
lad will go yonder and worship. And he took the wood for the burnt
offering and laid it upon Isaac, and he took in his hand the fire and
the knife; and they went both of them together. Then Isaac said: Father,
here is wood and fire; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Abraham answered: God will provide himself the lamb, my son. So they
went both of them together. When they came to the place, Abraham built
an altar, laid the wood in order, bound Isaac and laid him upon the
wood. And he stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his
son. Then the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said: Abraham,
Abraham! Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto
him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld
thy son, thine only son from me. Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw a
ram behind him, caught in the thicket by his horns. And he took the ram
and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.--God
called the second time out of heaven and said: Because thou hast done
this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me, I
will exceedingly bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars
of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and in thy
seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. So Abraham returned
unto his young men and went with them to his home. (Gen. 22:1-19.)
13. Isaac
When Sarah was dead, Abraham said to Eliezer, who ruled his house:
Promise me that thou wilt not take one of the daughters of the
Canaanites to be a wife for my son; but thou shalt go unto my country
and to my kindred and take a wife for my son Isaac. Eliezer then took
ten of his master’s camels, having all goodly things of his master’s in
his hand, and he went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he
made his camels kneel down without the city by the well at the time of
evening, the time that women go out to draw water. And he said: Lord,
God of Abraham, show this day kindness unto my master. I stand now by
this well, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw
water. I will then say to one of them: Let me drink of thy pitcher. If
she answer: Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also; let the same
be she that thou hast appointed as wife for Thy servant Isaac. Before he
yet had done speaking, Rebekah came out, and she was very fair, and she
had her pitcher on her shoulder and went to the well and filled her
pitcher. And the servant went to her and said: Give me to drink, I pray
thee, of thy pitcher. And she said: Drink, my lord, and I will give thy
camels drink also, and she drew water for all his camels. And he
wondered greatly while he looked on. When all the camels had done
drinking he gave her a ring and two bracelets of gold and said: Whose
daughter are you? Is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge
in? She said: I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor. We have
both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in. Then the man
bowed his head, worshipped the Lord and said: Blessed be the Lord, who
hath led me in the way to the house of my master’s brother. And Rebekah
ran home and told all these words.
Rebekah’s brother, Laban, ran out to the man, brought him into the
house, gave the camels straw and provender, and set food before him to
eat; but he said: I will not eat until I have told mine errand. When he
had told all, Laban and Bethuel answered: This comes from the Lord; take
Rebekah and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife. And they called
Rebekah, and said unto her: Wilt thou go with this man? And she said: I
will go. Then Eliezer took her and went his way. And Isaac brought her
into Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife, and he loved her.
Abraham lived happy in the faith in the Savior, who was to come. He was
175 years old when he died and was gathered to his people. Isaac became
heir of all that he had, and became a chief for his people, and the Lord
blessed him and said: Unto thee and thy seed will I give the land of
Canaan, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
(Gen. 24; 25:1-11; 26:3, 4.)
14. Esau and Jacob
Twenty years had passed, and Rebekah had no children. Then the Lord said
to her: Thou shalt bear two sons, and the elder shall serve the younger.
When her time came, she bore twins; the first-born was hairy all over,
and was called Esau, and the second was called Jacob. And the boys grew,
and Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a quiet
man dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Once when Jacob had boiled pottage and Esau came in from the field,
feeling faint, Esau said: Give me, I pray thee, the pottage. Jacob
answered: Sell me first thy birthright. And Esau said: Behold, I am
about to die; what profit shall the birthright do to me? So he sold his
birthright to Jacob for that pottage of lentils, and he did eat and
drink, and rose up and went his way, and he despised his birthright.
(Gen. 25:23-34.)
15. Jacob Obtains the Blessing
When Isaac was old and nearly blind, he said one day to Esau: Take thy
quiver and thy bow, go out to the field, and take me venison, and make
me savory food, that I may eat thereof and bless thee before I die.
Rebekah, who heard this, told Jacob to go to the father in Esau’s stead
and obtain the blessing. Jacob answered: My brother is a hairy man, and
I am a smooth man. My father may feel me, and I shall bring a curse upon
me, and not a blessing. But she persuaded him, killed two kids of the
goats and made savory food, and she put the skins of the kids of goats
upon Jacob’s hands and neck, and he went to his father and asked for the
blessing. Isaac said: How is it that thou found it so quickly, my son?
Jacob answered: The Lord thy God sent me good speed. Isaac said: Come
nearer, my son, that I may feel thee. And he felt him and said: The
voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he did
eat of Jacob’s food, and blessed him and set him as lord over his
brother, as if he were the first-born, and said: Cursed be every one
that curseth thee, and blessed be every one that blesseth thee.
Jacob was scarce gone out before Esau came in from his hunting, made
savory food, and brought it in to his father and said: Let my father eat
of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me. Isaac said: Who art
thou? Esau answered: I am Esau, thy first-born son. Then Isaac trembled
exceedingly and said: Who then is he that hath taken venison and brought
it to me, and I have eaten of it, and blessed him? and he shall be
blessed. Esau answered: Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? Bless
even me also, O my father! And he lifted up his voice and wept. And
Isaac said: By thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy
brother.--Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing, and threatened to
slay him when his father died. Then said Rebekah unto Jacob: Flee to my
brother Laban, and tarry with him until thy brother’s fury turn away.
(Gen. 27.)
16. Jacob Goes to Laban
Jacob went away from home, and when the sun was set he lighted upon a
certain place and tarried there all night; and he took a stone, and put
it under his head and slept. And he dreamed that a ladder was set up on
the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and the angels of God
were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood above it and
said: I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest,
to thee will I give it and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the
dust of the earth; and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth
be blessed. And I will be with thee and bring thee again into this land.
When Jacob awoke he said: How dreadful is this place! This is the house
of God, this is the gate of heaven!
Jacob journeyed eastward and came to Laban, his mother’s brother, and he
abode with him the space of a month. Then Laban said to him: What shall
thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel; and Rachel
was beautiful. Therefore Jacob said: I will serve thee seven years for
Rachel. And the seven years seemed unto him but a few days, for he loved
her. When the seven years were finished Laban gave Leah to him: Jacob
said: Did I not serve with thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou
beguiled me? Laban said: It is not customary with us to give away the
younger before the firstborn. Fulfil the week of this one, and we will
give thee the other also. Jacob did so, and then Laban gave him Rachel
to wife. Then Jacob had to serve seven other years for Rachel. Afterward
he served six years for wages, and God blessed him, so he became very
rich. When he saw that Laban became envious of this he went away with
his wives and children and all that he had. (Gen. 28-29.)
17. Jacob Meets Esau
When Jacob drew near to Canaan, he sent messengers to Esau to find favor
in his sight. The messengers returned and said: Thy brother is coming to
meet thee, and 400 men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid, and he
sent a present from his herds and flocks to Esau, and prayed earnestly
to the Lord. And the Lord appeared unto him as a man that wrestled with
him. But Jacob held out manfully and said: I will not let thee go,
except thou bless me. God blessed him, and called him Israel, that is,
one who strives with God.
When Jacob saw Esau he bowed himself to the ground seven times; but Esau
ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and they both
wept.--Isaac died old (180 years) and full of days, and Esau and Jacob
buried him. (Gen. 32; 33; 35:28-29.)
18. Joseph Sold by His Brothers
Jacob had 12 sons, of whom Reuben was the oldest; Joseph and Benjamin,
the sons of Rachel, were the youngest. Joseph was feeding the flocks
with his brothers, and he brought evil report of them unto their father.
Now, Jacob loved him more than his other sons, and he made him a long
garment. The brothers who saw this hated him, and could not speak
peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his
brothers: We were binding sheaves in the field, and your sheaves bowed
down to my sheaf. And he dreamed another dream and told it: The sun and
the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me. Then his brothers said to
him: Shalt thou indeed reign over us? And they hated him yet more. And
his father rebuked him and said: What is this dream, thou hast dreamed?
Shall I and thy mother and thy brothers come to bow down ourselves to
thee? But his father kept the saying in his mind.
Once, when the other sons were feeding the flocks in Shechem, Jacob said
to Joseph: Go now, see whether it is well with thy brothers and the
flock. And Joseph went. When they saw him afar off, they said: Behold,
this dreamer cometh, let us slay him, and we shall see what will become
of his dreams. But Reuben, who wished to deliver him, said: Shed no
blood, but cast him into this pit. And Joseph came to his brothers, and
they stripped him of his coat and cast him into the pit, which was
empty. And they sat down to eat; and some merchants came with their
camels bearing spices and balsam to Egypt. Judah said: Let us sell him
to these merchants, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our
brother. And they sold him for 20 pieces of silver. Reuben had meanwhile
been away. When he returned to the pit, and Joseph was not there, he
went to his brothers and said: The child is not there, and I, whither
shall I go? They then killed a he-goat and dipped the coat in the blood,
and sent it to their father and said: This have we found; know now
whether it is thy son’s coat? And he knew it and said: It is my son’s
coat; an evil beast has devoured him. And he mourned for his son many
days, wept and would not be comforted. (Gen. 37.)
19. Joseph is Thrown Into Prison
The merchants brought Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the
captain of the life-guard of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. God was with
Joseph and made him to prosper, and Potiphar made him overseer over his
house. Potiphar’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph to seduce him; but
Joseph answered: How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?
She then accused him to her husband, saying: This stranger tried to
seduce me. Potiphar believed his wife, and cast Joseph into prison.
God was with Joseph and gave him favor with the keeper of the prison,
and he set him over the other prisoners. (Gen. 39.)
20. Joseph Interprets Dreams
Pharaoh became offended at his chief butler and his chief baker, and
cast them into the prison where Joseph was. When Joseph came to them one
morning, he saw that they were sad. The butler said: I dreamed that I
saw a vine with three branches, and on the branches were grapes. I took
them and pressed the juice into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into
Pharaoh’s hand. Joseph said: Within three days Pharaoh will restore thee
unto thine office; but have me in remembrance who am innocent in this
prison.--The baker told his dream and said: I had three baskets of white
bread on my head, and in the uppermost basket there was baked food for
Pharaoh; and the birds did eat it out of the basket. Joseph said: In
three days Pharaoh shall take thy head. And it came to pass, as Joseph
had interpreted; but the butler forgot him.
Two years afterward Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the river Nile.
Then there came up out of the river seven fat cows and grazed on the
bank. After them came seven lean cows, and devoured the former, but they
were still lean. Afterwards he dreamed that seven full and good ears of
grain grew on one stalk, and after them seven thin ears that swallowed
the former. None of the wise men of Egypt could interpret the dream.
Then the butler remembered Joseph, and Pharaoh sent and called Joseph
out of the prison, and said: I have heard say of thee that when thou
hearest a dream thou canst interpret it. Joseph answered: It is not in
me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace. When he had heard the
dreams, he interpreted them thus: There shall come seven years of great
plenty, and after them seven years of famine that shall consume all that
remains from the seven years of plenty. When Pharaoh heard the
interpretation he set Joseph over the whole land of Egypt, and Joseph
went through the land, and stored up grain during the seven years of
plenty. (Gen. 40, 41.)
21. The Brothers of Joseph Come to Egypt
The famine was sore in all lands, but in Egypt there was grain. And
Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain; but he would not let
Benjamin go. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down themselves to
him. They knew not him, but he knew them, and remembered his dreams.
They said: We are twelve brothers; the youngest is this day with our
father, and one is not. But Joseph said: Ye are spies. And he kept them
in prison for three days. On the third day he said to them: One of you
shall remain in prison; but the others may go home with the grain, and
ye shall bring your youngest brother to me, that I may see whether ye
speak the truth. They said one to another: We are verily guilty
concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul when he
besought us, and we would not hear him. And they knew not that Joseph
understood them; but he turned himself about from them and wept. Simeon
was kept, and the others went home.
Jacob would not let Benjamin go with them, but said: Joseph is no more,
Simeon is no more, and Benjamin ye will also take! But the famine was
sore in the land, so he must needs send Benjamin. The brothers went to
Egypt and stood before Joseph. When he saw Benjamin he said: God be
gracious to thee, my son. And he went out and wept. And he washed his
face, and he went in and refrained himself, and said to his servants:
Set on bread.--And he commanded the steward of his house: Fill the men’s
sacks with grain and put my silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. When they
were not yet gone far off he sent his steward after them, the sacks were
searched, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Joseph would retain
Benjamin as his slave; but Judah stood forth and said: Let me remain in
his stead, for if we have not him with us, we will bring our father’s
gray hairs with sorrow into the grave. (Gen. 42-44.)
22. Joseph Makes Himself Known
Then Joseph could not refrain himself any longer, but said: I am Joseph.
Doth my father yet live? His brothers could not answer him for fear; but
Joseph spoke kindly to them, kissed them all, and wept on Benjamin’s
neck. Afterwards he said: Make haste, and go home and tell my father
that I am lord of all Egypt, and bring him hither. They went home and
told all this; but Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. But
when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent, he said: It is enough;
Joseph, my son, is yet alive; I will go down and see him before I die.
(Gen. 45.)
23. Jacob Goes Down to Egypt
The Lord spoke to Jacob in a vision, saying: Fear not to go down to
Egypt, for I will be with thee and bring thee up again, and Joseph shall
close thine eyes. So Jacob moved down to Egypt with his whole family, 70
souls, and all that he had. When Joseph heard of his coming he made
ready his chariot, and went up to meet him in Goshen. And he fell on his
father’s neck and wept a good while. Jacob said: Now let me die, since I
have seen that thou art yet alive.--On Pharaoh’s command Joseph gave
unto his father Goshen to dwell in, for in Goshen were good pastures,
and Jacob and his sons were shepherds.--Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years,
and became 147 years old. A short time before his death he blessed
Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and added: They shall be my
sons, even as Reuben and Simeon. After that he gathered all his sons
about him, blessed them and told them what should befall them in the
latter days, and foretold of the Savior, whom he called the Prince of
Peace.--Joseph brought his body up to Canaan and buried it in the
sepulchre of Abraham and Isaac.
Joseph’s brothers feared that he would now revenge himself on them. When
he heard this, Joseph wept and said: Am I in the place of God? Ye meant
evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save much people
alive.--Joseph died, being 110 years old, and they embalmed his body and
put it in a coffin in Egypt to take it with them up to Canaan, when God
should visit them. (Gen. 46-50.)
24. Moses Born and Hidden
The children of Israel dwelt in Goshen for 430 years and became a
numerous people. There arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph,
and he said: The Israelites are more and mightier than we, and have
become a menace to us. Therefore he afflicted them with hard labor; but
the more he afflicted them, the more they multiplied, and the more they
spread abroad. Then he charged his people, saying: Every son that is
born to the Israelites ye shall cast into the Nile, and every daughter
ye shall save alive.
At this time a woman of the tribe of Levi bore a son, and when she saw
he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could no
longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and she put the
child in it, and laid it in the flags by the river’s bank. And his
sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. And the
daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river; and she had the ark
fetched, and opened it, and saw the child, and behold, the babe wept;
and she had compassion on him. Then his sister came and asked: Shall I
go and call a nurse? Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: Go. And the maiden
went and called the child’s mother. And he grew, and the mother brought
him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she called him Moses, that is, one that
is drawn out of the water. (Exodus 1; 2:1-10.)
25. Moses in Midian
When Moses was forty years old he went out to look on the burdens of his
brethren, and he saw an Egyptian smiting an Israelite. Moses looked this
way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the
Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When Pharaoh heard this thing he
sought to slay Moses, but he fled to Midian, and came to a priest by the
name of Jethro, who had seven daughters, of whom he gave Moses one,
Zipporah, for wife. And Moses dwelt in Midian forty years.
Once, when he kept Jethro’s flocks at Mount Horeb, he saw a bush which
burned and was not consumed. When he drew near to see, the Lord spoke to
him from the bush: I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob; I
have seen the affliction of my people and have heard their cry; now I
will send thee to Pharaoh, and thou shalt bring my people out of Egypt.
Moses answered: My brethren will not believe that Thou hast sent me. The
Lord said: Cast thy rod on the ground. Moses did so, and it became a
serpent, and Moses fled from it. At the Lord’s command Moses took it by
the tail, and it became a rod again. The Lord gave him power to work
other wonders; but Moses continued to excuse himself and said: I am slow
of speech. The Lord answered: I will send thy brother Aaron to thee, and
thou shalt put the words in his mouth, and he shall speak for thee. Then
Moses returned to Egypt. He met Aaron on the road, and he went with him
to the Israelites and told them the words of the Lord, and they rejoiced
and bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord. (Ex. 2:15-4:31.)
26. Israel Departs from Egypt
Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of
Israel: Let my people go. Pharaoh answered: Who is Jehovah, that I
should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know Him not, and
moreover I will not let Israel go.
Moses now performed the wonders that God had given him, but Pharaoh
hardened his heart and would not let the people go. Then God said unto
Moses: Take thy rod and smite the waters in the Nile. Moses did so, and
the waters became blood. When this did not help, God sent nine other
plagues upon Egypt. The eighth plague was numberless locusts that
covered all the land, and ate every green thing, and the ninth was a
thick darkness that lasted for three days; but in Goshen there were no
locusts, and there it was light.
The Lord now bade Moses speak to the children of Israel and say: Tonight
ye shall kill a lamb in every house, and ye shall take the blood and put
it on the two door posts; ye shall roast the lamb and eat it with
unleavened bread and bitter herbs; and ye shall stand with your staff in
hand, ready to go out.--Thus the Lord instituted the Passover.
At midnight the Lord passed through Egypt and slew all the first-born,
from the first-born of Pharaoh to the first-born of the slave. But He
saw the blood on the dwellings of Israel and passed over. And there was
a great cry in Egypt, and Pharaoh urged Israel to go. So the Israelites
went out of Egypt, 600,000 men who could go out to battle, and Moses
took the bones of Joseph with him. And the Lord went before them in a
pillar of fire by night and in a pillar of cloud by day, and he led them
toward the Red Sea. But Pharaoh regretted that he had let Israel depart,
and he pursued them with all his chariots and overtook them at the Red
Sea. Then the Israelites murmured against Moses and said: Were there not
graves enough in Egypt, that thou must take us out in the wilderness to
die? Moses answered: Today you shall see the salvation of the Lord. And
he stretched forth his hand, and the waters were divided, and the
children of Israel walked over on dry ground, while the water stood as a
wall on the right hand and on the left. The Egyptians pursued them, but
when they were in the midst of the Red Sea, and the Israelites had
passed over, Moses again stretched out his hand, and the waters returned
and buried all the host of Pharaoh. (Ex. 5-14.)
27. Wandering in the Wilderness
The children of Israel were now come into the wilderness of Arabia. Here
they lacked both water and food, murmured against Moses, and wished they
were back to the flesh-pots in Egypt. Moses smote the rock with his rod,
and there flowed water; and the Lord sent them manna for food. This lay
every morning like hoar-frost on the ground, and melted when the sun
rose.
In the third month after they had gone out of Egypt, the Israelites
encamped at Mount Sinai. On the third day a thick cloud covered the
mountain, and there was heard a sound as of a loud trumpet. The mountain
shook and smoked as a furnace, for the Lord descended in fire on the
mountain. The Lord then spoke thus to the people:
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the
Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.
3. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
4. Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land
which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
5. Thou shalt not kill.
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
7. Thou shalt not steal.
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor
his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy
neighbor’s. (Ex. 16-20.)
At the command of the Lord, Moses afterwards gave laws concerning
worship. He made Aaron high priest, and after him his oldest son, and
thus successively from son to son. The other sons of Aaron became
priests, and the other descendants of Levi, or the Levites, became their
assistants.--A Tabernacle, or large tent, was raised and divided into
two parts: The Holy of Holies and the Holy Place. In the Holy of Holies
was a chest, called the Ark of the Covenant, and a pot filled with
manna. The ark was overlaid with gold, the cover was of pure gold, and
was called the Mercy Seat. Only the high priest might enter the Holy of
Holies, and even he only once a year. The Holy Place was for the
priests. Round about the Tabernacle was the Court, which was without a
roof, here the people should assemble.--The seventh day of the week was
the day of rest, or the Sabbath.--There were three great feasts: The
Passover, in memory of the passing out of Egypt; The Feast of Weeks, or
Pentecost; and The Feast of Tabernacles, in memory of Israel’s living in
tents.--There were many kinds of sacrifices. The most important
sacrifice was brought on the great Feast of Atonement, when the high
priest went into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood of an ox and
of a he-goat on the Mercy Seat for the sins of himself and of the
people. (Ex. 23-29; Lev. 16.)
The Lord said to Moses: Come up to me on the mountain, and I will give
thee the Tables of the Law. Moses was with the Lord for 40 days and 40
nights. And the Lord gave him the two Tables of the Law. They were
written on both sides; the writing was the writing of God; it was
written by God’s own finger.--While Moses was on the mountain the people
said to Aaron: Make us a god which shall go before us; for Moses does
not return. Aaron made a golden calf, and the people danced around it.
When Moses came down from the mountain and saw the calf and the dancing,
his anger was kindled, and he cast the tables against the mountain so
they broke; and he took the golden calf and ground it to powder and
strewed it on the brook that runs down the mountain. Then he bade the
Levites go with drawn swords through the camp, and 3,000 were killed on
the same day.--Moses went again on the mountain, and was there for 40
days and 40 nights, and he ate no bread and drank no water, and the Lord
wrote the ten commandments on two new tables of stone. These were
afterward kept in the Ark of the Covenant. (Ex. 24, 32, 34.)
The Israelites went from Sinai toward Canaan, and Moses sent twelve
spies into the country. These returned, saying: The land is very good;
but we are as grasshoppers compared to the inhabitants, of such stature
are they. But Joshua and Caleb, two of the spies, replied: We can subdue
the land, for the Lord is with us. But it availed not. The people would
not go against the Canaanites, but wished to choose a new leader and
return to Egypt. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle,
and the Lord spoke thus by Moses: For forty years shall ye wander about
in this wilderness, until all those are dead who were 20 years old or
over when ye went out of Egypt; none who hath seen my wonders in Egypt
shall come into Canaan, except Joshua and Caleb. (Num. 13-14.)
Thus they must for 40 years wander about in the terrible wilderness
among serpents and in dry places. But the Lord sustained them, so their
clothes were not worn out, and their feet swelled not. Nevertheless they
murmured against the Lord and many times tried His patience. Thus they
once complained that they had neither food nor drink. The Lord then sent
fiery serpents among them, and many died from their sting. The people
humbled themselves, and Moses interceded for them. The Lord said: Make a
serpent of brass and set it upon a standard. When any one had been
bitten by a serpent, and he looked up to the serpent of brass, he lived.
(Num. 21.)
When the 40 years were ended, the Israelites had come so near to Canaan
that only the river Jordan lay between. Moses now went up into Mount
Nebo, and the Lord showed him all the land and said: This is the land
which I have promised to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob; but thou shalt not
enter it. There Moses, the servant of the Lord, died, 120 years old, and
the Lord buried him. There never arose a prophet in Israel with whom the
Lord spoke thus face to face. (Deut. 34.)
28. Joshua
The Lord chose Joshua for leader in the place of Moses, and said to him:
As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee. When the Israelites had
mourned for Moses 30 days, they made themselves ready to go over Jordan.
The priests went before with the Ark of the Covenant, and when their
feet touched the waters of Jordan, the water flowed away below and stood
still above, and the Israelites went over on dry ground. The manna now
ceased, and they ate of the fruit of the land.
Jericho was a city surrounded with strong walls; but the Israelites took
it without sword and bow. For six days the priests with the ark and all
the armed men walked around the city, once every day; but on the seventh
day they went around it seven times, and the seventh time the priests
blew the trumpets and the people shouted, and the walls fell, and the
town was taken.--After seven years Joshua had subdued 31 kings, and
divided the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Levi
received no separate portion of land, but 48 cities were given them
among the other tribes.
After many years Joshua gathered the tribes of Israel together and said
to them: Choose ye this day whom ye will serve, the Lord or the gods of
the heathens; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. The
people said: We will serve the Lord and hearken to His voice.--Joshua
died 110 years old. (Book of Joshua.)
29. Gideon, Jephthah, Samson
The Israelites served the Lord while Joshua lived; but when he was dead
they forgot the Lord, married the daughters of the Canaanites and served
strange gods. Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and
He gave them into the hands of the heathens. They then cried unto the
Lord, and he raised up men to save them. Such men were called Judges.
(Judges 2.)
One of these judges was Gideon. The hand of the Midianites rested
heavily on Israel. Then the angel of the Lord came to Gideon, as he was
threshing wheat, and bade him deliver Israel. Gideon sent messengers to
the tribes, and 32,000 men responded. But the Lord said: There are too
many people. Israel might boast and say: My own hand hath saved me.
Proclaim therefore that whoever is afraid may go home. Then 22,000 went
home, and 10,000 remained. The Lord said: The people are yet too many.
Choose thee 300 men. Gideon chose 300 men and divided them into three
companies, and gave each man a trumpet and an empty pitcher with a torch
in it. At midnight he went with them to the camp of the Midianites; they
blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers and held up their torches. The
Midianites cried and fled, and the Lord turned every man’s sword against
his neighbor, and Gideon pursued them. (Judges 6-9.)
Another judge was Jephthah. When he went out against the enemy he made a
vow to sacrifice to the Lord whatever first came to meet him from his
house, when he returned with victory. He came home victorious, and his
daughter, his only child, came out to meet him with timbrels and with
dances. Jephthah rent his garments, but did with her according to his
vow. And the maidens of Israel lamented Jephthah’s daughter for four
days every year. (Judges 11.)
When the Philistines oppressed the children of Israel, the Lord sent
them a deliverer in Samson. He smote the Philistines again and again,
for the Lord had given him such strength that he with his hands tore
asunder a young lion which came roaring against him. But he was deluded
by a woman called Delilah. She succeeded in coaxing out of him the
secret that his strength was in his seven locks of hair. These she
shaved off and delivered him to the lords of the Philistines, who put
out his eyes and set him to grinding corn. Once when they were assembled
for a great feast in the temple of Dagon, their god, they brought out
Samson to make sport for them. His hair had now grown, and his strength
had returned. The temple rested on pillars. Samson prayed to the Lord,
laid hold on the two middle pillars, and bowed himself with might. The
temple fell and buried both Samson and his enemies. (Judges 13-16.)
30. Ruth
At the time the judges ruled in Israel there was a famine in the land,
and a man went from Bethlehem to the land of the Moabites with his wife
Naomi and his two sons. The man died, and the sons married women of
Moab, Orpah and Ruth. After ten years both the sons were dead, and Naomi
made ready to return to the land of her fathers. Orpah and Ruth went
with her. On the way Naomi said: Go back, my daughters! The Lord deal
kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me. Orpah went
back; but Ruth said: Thy people shall be my people, and thy God shall be
my God; only death shall part us. So they went together and came to
Bethlehem. It was at the time of the barley harvest, and Ruth went out
to glean heads of grain and came on a field of a rich man by the name of
Boaz. When Boaz learned that it was Ruth, who had come with Naomi, he
said to the reapers: Let grain fall on the ground that she may glean so
much more. And to Ruth he said: If thou thirst come hither and drink,
and if thou hunger come hither and eat of my bread. Ruth said: How have
I, a stranger, found favor in thine eyes? Boaz answered: I have heard
what thou hast done for thy mother-in-law: Thou hast left father and
mother and art come to a people thou didst not know. A full reward be
given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art
come to take refuge. When the harvest was over Boaz took Ruth to wife,
and she bore a son who was called Obed. He was the father of Jesse, and
Jesse was the father of David the king. (Book of Ruth.)
31. Eli and Samuel
Eli was high priest and judge. He had two sons who were exceedingly
wicked; but he did not restrain them.
The boy Samuel, a son of Elkanah and Hannah, was brought up by Eli and
slept in the Tabernacle of the Lord. One night the Lord called Samuel,
and Samuel, who did not yet know the Lord, ran to Eli; but Eli answered:
I did not call thee, lie down again. The Lord called yet two times to
Samuel, and he ran each time to Eli. The high priest now perceived that
it was the Lord who called Samuel, and said to him: If he call thee
again, answer: Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth. Samuel lay down
again, and the Lord called the fourth time to Samuel, and he answered
according to Eli’s words. And the voice of the Lord said: Because Eli
saw that his sons were wicked, and yet he did not restrain them,
therefore I will send destruction upon him and upon his house. In the
morning when Eli learned what the Lord had said, he replied: It is the
Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.
There was war with the Philistines, and the Israelites were defeated. So
they brought the Ark of the Covenant to the camp; but they were again
routed, and the Ark was captured by the Philistines. Eli was at that
time 98 years old. He was seated in a chair by the wayside watching; for
he was anxious for the Ark of God. One who had fled from the battle came
and said: Israel is defeated, thy sons are fallen, and God’s Ark is
taken. When he heard about the Ark of God, he fell backwards, and his
neck was broken, and he died.--The Philistines took the Ark and put it
in the temple of the idol Dagon. But as a disease broke out in the land,
they brought the Ark back and sent presents with it. (1 Sam. 1-6.)
Samuel was the last of the judges. He journeyed through the land and
judged, and he was honored by the people. When he was old he made his
two sons judges; but they walked not in the way of their father, but
sold judgment for money. Then the elders of the people came to Samuel
and said: Now make us a king to judge us and go before us in our wars.
This thing displeased Samuel, but the Lord said to him: Hearken unto the
voice of the people, for they have not rejected thee, but me have they
rejected, that I should no longer be king over them. And the Lord spoke
again to Samuel and said: Tomorrow I will send thee a man from the tribe
of Benjamin; him shalt thou anoint to be king over my people. On the
morrow Samuel saw a man of the tribe of Benjamin; his name was Saul, the
son of Kish. There was not among the children of Israel a goodlier
person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of
the people. The Lord said to Samuel: Behold the man of whom I spoke to
thee! And Samuel brought him into his house, took a vial of oil, and
poured it upon his head and said: Now has the Lord anointed thee to be
king over His people. On that day the spirit of God came upon Saul, and
the Lord gave him another heart. Then Samuel ceased to be judge. (1 Sam.
7-10.)
32. Saul
Saul was brave and overcame the enemy; but he would also follow his own
will and proved disobedient to the law of the Lord. Samuel therefore
said to him: Thy kingdom shall not continue, for the Lord has chosen a
man after his own heart to be ruler over his people. And the Lord said
to Samuel: Fill thy horn with oil and go to Bethlehem, and anoint David,
the youngest son of Jesse, to be king after Saul. And Samuel went and
anointed David, and the spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day.
But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from
the Lord troubled him. His servants brought David, because he was
skilful in playing the harp. When the evil spirit came upon Saul, David
played the harp before him, and it went well with Saul, and the evil
spirit departed from him. (1 Sam. 11-16.)
33. David and Goliath
There was again war with the Philistines. Among them was a mighty
champion by name Goliath, who for 40 days came before the camp and
mocked the Israelites, because no one dared to meet him in combat. The
king promised to give his daughter to him who could slay the champion.
When David came to the camp and learned this, he offered to go against
him. But Saul objected: Thou art young, and he is a warrior from his
youth. David answered: Once while I kept my father’s sheep there came a
lion and a bear and took a lamb; but I went against them, killed them
and saved the lamb. The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear
will also deliver me from this Philistine. Then Saul said: Go, and the
Lord be with thee. David took his staff and his sling and five smooth
stones from the brook, and went against Goliath. When the champion saw
him he cried: Am I a dog that thou comest against me with staves? David
answered: Thou comest against me with sword and with spear; but I come
against thee in the name of the Lord, the God of hosts. Then he put a
stone in his sling and threw it, and struck the champion in the
forehead, so he fell to the earth. David ran and drew the Philistine’s
sword out of the sheath, and cut off his head. David was placed over the
army, and later he got Saul’s daughter to wife. And Jonathan, the son of
Saul, loved David as his own soul. (1 Sam. 17.)
34. Saul Pursues David, Saul Dies
When David returned after his victory over Goliath, the women sang: Saul
slew a thousand, but David slew ten thousand. For this, Saul became
suspicious of David and was his enemy all his life. Twice he threw his
javelin at David to spear him to the wall, while he stood playing before
him. David was compelled to flee, and wandered about from place to
place, for Saul was after him. When David once had hidden in a cave,
Saul came into the same cave. David would not put forth his hand against
the Lord’s anointed, but went and cut off a piece of his garment. When
Saul had left the cave, David went out also and showed him the piece.
Saul wept and said: Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast
rewarded evil with good. And Saul went to his house.--Nevertheless he
again went in pursuit of David. While he and his people slept, David
came to his bed and took away his spear and his cruse of water. When
Saul saw that David again had spared his life, he cried: Return, my son
David, for I will no more do thee harm! But David went and dwelt in the
land of the Philistines until Saul’s death.
There was a great battle with the Philistines. Saul was wounded, and
Jonathan had fallen. Saul then said to his armor-bearer: Thrust thy
sword through me. But when he dared not lay his hand on the Lord’s
anointed, he placed the sword against his own breast and fell upon it
and died. David lamented in a beautiful song the death of Saul and
Jonathan. (1 Sam. 18-31; 2 Sam. 1.)
35. David Made King
(1055 years before Christ.)
After Saul was dead, David was made king, and he reigned for 40 years.
He captured Jerusalem and made this city the capital, and then he and
the whole house of Israel brought the Ark of the Covenant thither with
shouts of joy and sound of trumpets. He executed judgment and justice to
the whole people, and he remembered Jonathan and said to his son: I
restore to thee all the lands of Saul, and thou shalt eat at my table.
He was the light and the sweetest singer of Israel, and composed many
beautiful psalms, which are found in the Book of Psalms in the Bible,
and speaks in many of these of the Messiah, or the Savior who was to
come. He subdued the nations round about and was very powerful.
David intended to build a house for the Lord. But the Lord spoke to him
through Nathan the prophet and said: When thy days be fulfilled, I will
set up thy seed after thee. He shall build a house for my name, and I
will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. And thy house and thy
kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee, thy throne shall be
established for ever. (2 Sam. 2-10.)
36. David’s Fall
While Joab was warring against the Ammonites, David one evening saw from
the roof of his house a woman bathing. She was Bathsheba, the wife of
Uriah. He sent for her and committed adultery with her, and sent a
letter to Joab that he should set Uriah where the battle was fiercest,
that he might fall by the hand of the Ammonites. Joab obeyed his lord,
and Uriah was killed. When David got Joab’s message about this he said:
The sword devoureth one as well as another. When the time of mourning
had passed for Bathsheba, he took her to wife. But the deed that David
had done was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
The Lord sent the prophet Nathan unto David, and he said: There were two
men in one city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had
exceeding many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing save one
little lamb, which did eat of his morsel and drink of his cup, and lay
in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveler
unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own
herd, but took the poor man’s only lamb, and dressed it for the
wayfaring man. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man and
he said: The man that did this is a son of death, and he shall restore
the lamb fourfold. Nathan answered: Thou art the man! Uriah hast thou
smitten with the sword of the Ammonites, and his wife hast thou taken to
be thy wife. David humbled himself before the Lord and said: O God,
create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Thou
delightest not in sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou hast no pleasure
in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken
and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. And the Lord forgave
him. But the son that Bathsheba bore him soon died; and much sorrow came
upon David in his old age. (2 Sam. 11-12.)
37. The Revolt of Absalom
Absalom, a son of David, was the comeliest man in Israel. There was no
blemish on him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
Although his father loved him greatly, he conspired to be king in his
father’s stead. He would stand beside the road, and when any one came
and would bow down before him, he embraced him and kissed him, and thus
stole the hearts of the men of Israel from his father. He conspired with
Ahithophel, David’s counsellor, and came with an army against Jerusalem,
and David was forced to flee from his son. Ahithophel’s counsel was to
pursue David immediately; but Hushai, David’s friend, advised Absalom to
wait until he could raise a larger army. The Lord, wishing to bring
destruction upon Absalom, caused Ahithophel’s good advice to be
rejected, and Ahithophel went and hanged himself. David thus gained time
to raise an army. He set Joab over it, and commanded him saying: Deal
gently with the young man! There was a great battle in a forest. Absalom
was compelled to flee, and riding under an oak, his head was caught in
its boughs. The mule on which he rode ran away, and he was left hanging
between heaven and earth. Joab ran and thrust three javelins through his
heart. When David heard of this he wept and lamented: O Absalom, my son,
would I had died for thee! O Absalom, my son, my son!--Some years later
David died and Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, became king. (2 Sam.
15-18; 1 Kings 1-2.)
38. Solomon
God appeared unto Solomon in a dream and said: Ask what I shall give
thee. Solomon asked for wisdom. Shortly after two women came to him.
They dwelt together, and each had given birth to a child. As one of them
had in the night overlaid her child so that it died, she arose and took
the child of the other, and laid her own in its place. Both now
asserted: I am mother of the living child. Solomon said: Fetch me a
sword! When the sword was brought, he said: Divide the child in two, and
give half to one and half to the other. Then the one cried: Give her the
child, and do not divide it. The other said: Divide it, so it shall be
neither mine nor thine. Then Solomon said: Give the child to her who
wills that it shall live, for she is the mother. All Israel heard the
judgment and feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in
him.--Solomon was wiser than all other men, and the fame of his wisdom
spread abroad, and the queen of Sheba came to hear him. He spoke 3000
proverbs, and his songs were 1005; he wrote of trees, from the cedar
that grows on Lebanon to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he
wrote of beasts of the field, of birds, of creeping things and of
fishes. He had peace round about and all Israel dwelt safely, each man
under his vine and fig tree. He traded with distant lands and gathered
gold and silver and precious stones in great abundance. On Mount Moriah
in Jerusalem he built a magnificent temple instead of the Tabernacle,
and put the Ark in the Holy of Holies. When the temple was finished,
Solomon knelt down and prayed: O Lord, the heaven, and the heaven of
heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house that I have
builded! Yet hear Thou in heaven, Thy dwelling place, every humble
prayer that shall be sent up to Thee from this house! And when a
stranger that is not of Israel shall come and pray towards this house,
then hear Thou his prayers also!
Solomon did not continue faithful to the end. He had taken many heathen
women to be his wives, and when he was old they turned his heart, so
that he built altars to the abominable idols of the heathens. And the
people murmured because of heavy taxes and burdens. (1 Kings 3-11.)
39. The Kingdom Is Divided
(975 years before Christ.)
When Solomon was dead, all Israel came together and said to his son
Rehoboam: Thy father made our yoke heavy, make thou it lighter, and we
will make thee king. Rehoboam first took counsel from the old men, who
had been the counsellors of his father. They said: If thou wilt hearken
to the people this day they will serve thee all thy days. Then he
consulted the young men who had grown up with him, and he answered
according to their counsel: My father’s yoke was heavy, mine shall be
heavier still; my father chastised you with whips, I will chastise you
with scorpions. At this answer the people were provoked, and ten tribes
chose Jeroboam for king, and only Judah and Benjamin clung to Rehoboam
for David’s sake.--Samaria became the capital of the ten tribes, or the
kingdom of Israel, and Jerusalem the capital for the two tribes, or the
kingdom of Judah. (1 Kings 12:1-24.)
40. The Kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam
Jeroboam thought thus: If the people go up to Jerusalem to worship the
Lord, their hearts will again turn to the house of David. He therefore
set up two golden calves, and the people went and sacrificed to them.
The Lord warned him, saying: Thou hast made thyself strange gods,
therefore I will cut off thy house. His son became king, but was killed,
and the whole family destroyed. There came kings of other families; but
all were wicked and worshiped strange gods. (1 Kings 12:25-15:30.)
41. Ahab and Elijah
The worst of all kings in Israel was Ahab. He married the wicked
Jezebel, daughter of the king of Sidon, and built a temple for the idol
Baal. The prophet Elijah foretold as a punishment a drought which lasted
for three years, and the land thirsted for rain. Meanwhile Elijah dwelt
with a poor widow in the city of Zarephath, and the meal in her jar was
not consumed, and the cruse of oil failed not, and when her son died,
Elijah prayed to the Lord, and the soul of the child came into him
again.
When the three years were ended, Elijah went at the Lord’s command unto
Ahab and bade him call the priests of Baal together on Mount Carmel.
Then said Elijah unto the people: I, even I only, am left a prophet of
Jehovah; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them
therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for
themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no
fire under; and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the wood,
and put no fire under. And call ye on the name of your god, and I will
call on the name of Jehovah; and the God that answereth by fire, let him
be God. And all the people answered and said: It is well spoken. The
priests of Baal sacrificed an ox and called upon their god the whole
day; but he answered not. Elijah said: Cry a little louder! Your god may
be musing, or perhaps he sleeps! At evening Elijah sacrificed an ox and
prayed: O Lord, let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel,
and that I am Thy servant! Then there came fire from heaven and consumed
his sacrifice. The people took the priests of Baal and slew them, and
the heavens grew black, and there was a great rain. Jezebel sought the
life of Elijah, but he fled to the wilderness and wished that he might
die, because Israel had broken their covenant with the Lord. But the
Lord said: Return, there are yet left 7000 who have not bowed the knee
unto Baal.
Naboth had a vineyard that Ahab wished to buy, because it lay close up
to his palace. When Naboth would not sell his inheritance, because that
was against the law of Moses, Ahab was sad, went to bed and would not
eat. Jezebel said: Arise, eat and be merry! I will give thee the
vineyard. She bade the judges procure witnesses to testify that Naboth
had blasphemed God and the king. Naboth was stoned, and Ahab went to
take possession of the vineyard. The Lord sent Elijah to him in the
vineyard to say: Where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall they
also lick thy blood, and dogs shall eat Jezebel. Ahab fell in battle,
and his blood flowed into the war-chariot, and when it was washed in
Samaria, dogs came and licked the blood. Jezebel was thrown out from a
window, and her body was eaten by dogs. (1 Kings 16-22; 2 Kings
9:30-37.)
Elijah was taken up alive into heaven in a whirlwind, in a chariot of
fire with horses of fire, and Elisha, who became prophet after him,
stood and saw it. (2 Kings 2.)
42. The Kingdom of Israel Overthrown
(722 years before Christ.)
The kings and the people of Israel continued to worship strange gods,
and would not listen to the prophets of the Lord. So the punishment must
come. The king of Assyria, the powerful Shalmaneser, put Hoshea, the
last king, in chains, and his successor took Samaria and carried the
people to Assyria. One of the later kings sent heathens from his
countries to dwell in the land. These were called Samaritans, and
learned more and more to know Jehovah; but the inhabitants of Judah and
Benjamin would not acknowledge them as right brethren, and there was
bitter enmity between the Samaritans and the Jews. (2 Kings 17.)
43. The Kingdom of Judah, Hezekiah and Isaiah
In Judah kings of the house of David always reigned; many of them were
wicked and served strange gods; but a few were pious and served the
Lord, and thus idolatry did not come to such power as in the kingdom of
Israel.
The most pious of the kings was Hezekiah. Sennacherib, the king of
Assyria, came against Jerusalem and used great words, saying: Believe
not that your God can deliver you, for the gods of the heathens were not
able to deliver their countries from the king of Assyria. Hezekiah went
up to the house of the Lord and prayed for deliverance. The prophet
Isaiah sent this message to him: The Lord has heard your prayer. The
angel of the Lord passed through the camp of the Assyrians and smote in
one night 185,000, and Sennacherib was compelled to return home in
disgrace.--Shortly after this Hezekiah became sick. Isaiah promised to
prolong his life fifteen years. The king of Babylon sent messengers with
gifts and greetings to Hezekiah, for he had heard that he had been sick.
Hezekiah was glad, and showed the messengers all his treasures. Then
Isaiah came and said: These treasures shall all be carried away to
Babylon, and thy sons shall be servants in the palace of the king of
Babylon. (2 Kings 10-20.)
Isaiah has written many prophecies. Of our Savior Jesus Christ he wrote:
Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; He was wounded
for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the
chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are
healed. He was oppressed, yet when He was afflicted He opened not His
mouth, as a lamb that is led to the slaughter. (Isaiah 53.)
44. The Kingdom of Judah Overthrown
(588 years before Christ.)
The people fell off from the Lord, and King Manasseh sacrificed his own
children to the idols, and the punishment had to come upon the kingdom
of Judah also. The king of Babylon, the mighty Nebuchadnezzar, took
Jerusalem, burned the temple and the city and tore down the walls.
Zedekiah, the last king, was forced to look upon the slaying of his own
children; then his eyes were put out, and he was placed in chains and
together with the people brought to Babylon in captivity 588 years
before the birth of Christ. (2 Kings 21-25.)
45. The Babylonian Captivity
The sins of the Jews were great, and their punishment was heavy. Now,
when they were compelled to live among the heathens, they longed for the
Holy City and the worship in the temple of the Lord. Yet the Lord left
them not without consolation. From the prophecies of the prophet
Jeremiah they knew that when 70 years were passed the Lord would have
compassion on them and bring them back to the land of their fathers. And
the Lord sent two great prophets to them to console and strengthen them.
These were Ezekiel and Daniel.
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which he could not remember. Daniel prayed to
the Lord, and both the dream and the explanation of it were shown him in
a vision in the night. The king had seen a great image. The head was of
gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, and
the legs of iron and of clay. A stone which was not thrown by the hands
of man struck the image and broke it to pieces; but the stone became a
great mountain which filled the whole earth. Daniel interpreted the
dream thus: There shall arise four great kingdoms after each other;
afterward God will establish a kingdom that shall overthrow all these,
but shall itself remain forever.--The king said: Thy God is a God above
all gods, since he can reveal secret things. Daniel was now made ruler
of the wise men of the country and remained in great respect and honor
even after the death of Nebuchadnezzar. But he had enemies, and these
caused one of the following kings to throw him into a den of lions; but
the Lord sent him His angel who shut the mouths of the lions. The next
day Daniel was pulled up from the den unhurt, and the men that had
accused him were cast into it; but they had not even reached the bottom
of the den before the lions seized them and broke their bones. (Book of
Daniel 2-6.)
46. The Return from Babylon
Cyrus, king of Persia, took Babylon, and permitted the Jews to return to
the land of their fathers. He gave them back all the vessels of gold and
silver from the temple that had been carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. The
70 years were then at an end. Those who went away were 42,360.
Zerubbabel, a chief of the house of David, led them to Jerusalem. In the
second year after their return they began to build a new temple on Mount
Moriah, where the temple of Solomon had stood. The Samaritans wished to
build the temple with them; but the Jews would not permit it, as they
did not regard them as right brethren. The Samaritans therefore hindered
the work for many years. But then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah
arose and encouraged the people, and the temple was finished; but it was
not so magnificent as Solomon’s temple.--The Samaritans built a temple
for themselves on Mount Gerizim.
Several years after this, Ezra, of the tribe of Levi, came to Jerusalem
and exhorted the people not to sin any more against the Lord by marrying
heathen women. (Book of Ezra.)
The walls of Jerusalem were not yet rebuilt. When Nehemiah, cup-bearer
to the king of Persia, heard of this he begged leave to go to Judea. The
king made him governor of Judea, and he got the walls of the city built
in fifty-two days, even though the Samaritans tried to hinder him. (Book
of Nehemiah.)
47. The Maccabees
Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia, took Palestine, formerly
belonging to the king of Persia, as well as all the other kingdoms of
the latter. When Alexander died his great empire was divided, and the
Jews came first under Egypt and after that under Syria and were
oppressed in every way. At last the Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes,
sought to compel them to live as the heathens. Many renounced their
faith and sacrificed to the gods. But many also continued firmly in the
faith and chose rather to die than to turn from the law of the Lord.
Seven brothers were successively scourged and tormented to death. The
mother stood by and looked on and admonished them not to turn from the
Lord. At last the mother also was killed. (2 Macc. 7.)
At this time there lived in Judea a priest by the name of Mattathias. He
would not sacrifice to the idols, but fled with his sons to the
mountains, and those who feared God gathered about him. When he died his
son Judas Maccabaeus[2] became the leader. He was brave as a young lion;
he defeated the Syrians, took Jerusalem and purged the temple.--The
Maccabees ruled over the country for 103 years. Then the powerful
Romans, whose home country was Italy, came and conquered the country.
The Roman emperor Augustus made Herod king of Judea. Herod who is called
the Great, was an Edomite. He was very suspicious and cruel and killed a
great many innocent people, even his own wife and three of his sons. He
wished to flatter the people, and decorated the temple magnificently;
but the people turned their hearts from him.--During his reign the
fulness of time had come, and our Savior Jesus Christ was born in
Bethlehem, as the prophet Micah had foretold.
-----
Footnote 2: Maccabaeus means: The man with the hammer.
-----
48. Jonah
The Lord said unto the prophet Jonah: Go to Nineveh, the great city, and
proclaim that it shall be destroyed, for its sins are great. But Jonah
went aboard a ship to flee over the sea. The Lord sent a tempest, so the
ship was at the point of sinking. The sailors said one to another: Let
us cast lots to see whose fault it is that such evil befalls us. The lot
fell on Jonah, and they cast him into the sea; and it was calm. The Lord
sent a great fish that swallowed Jonah, and he was in the belly of the
fish for three days and three nights. The Lord commanded the fish, and
it cast Jonah up on land. The Lord now spoke a second time to Jonah: Go
to Nineveh and proclaim what I shall bid thee. Jonah went into Nineveh
and cried: In 40 days Nineveh shall be destroyed! The people repented,
and the king put off his royal garments and clothed himself in sack
cloth and ashes. God repented of the evil He had spoken, and He spared
Nineveh. Then Jonah murmured and said: Did it not go as I thought while
I was in my country, and would flee over the sea? For I knew that Thou
art a God merciful and slow to anger, and repentest of evil.
Jonah had gone outside the city and remained there to see what would
become of the city. The Lord let a plant spring up to give shade for his
head, and Jonah was fond of the plant. In the morning the Lord prepared
a worm, and it stung the plant, so it withered. And there came a sultry
east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, and he said: It is
better for me to die than to live. Then said the Lord: Thou hast pity on
the plant for which thou hast not labored, neither madest it grow,
because it withered; and should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great
city, wherein are more than twelve times 10,000 persons that cannot
discern between their right and their left hand, and also much cattle?
(The Book of Jonah.)
49. Job
Job was the name of a God-fearing man who had seven sons and three
daughters, and owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500
she-asses, and was the richest of all the men of the East. When his sons
had feasted and eaten and drunk, he arose early and offered burnt
offerings, for, said he: It may be that my sons have sinned and said
farewell to God in their hearts. Eyes was he to the blind, feet was he
to the lame, and a father to the poor; the aged arose before him, and
princes were silent when he spoke.
One day when his children were feasting in the house of their elder
brother, there came a messenger to Job, and said: The oxen were plowing,
and the asses were feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them
and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants, I only am
escaped. While he was yet speaking, there came another and said: Fire is
fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the shepherds, and I
only escaped. While he was yet speaking, came a third and said: The
Chaldeans fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and have
slain the young men with the edge of the sword. I only am escaped to
tell thee. While he yet spoke, came a fourth and said: Thy sons and
daughters were eating and drinking in their oldest brother’s house, and
behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the
house, and it fell upon thy children, and they are dead, I only am
escaped. Then Job rent his robe, but worshiped God, and said: Naked came
I from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and
the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord!
Job’s whole body now became covered with boils, and he took a potsherd
to scrape himself, and he sat in the ashes. His wife asked: Dost thou
still believe in God? Job answered: Thou speakest as one of the foolish
women. Shall we receive good at the hands of God, and shall we not
receive evil?
Three of Job’s friends, hearing of his misfortunes, came to console him.
But they knew him not, and they sat with him seven days and seven
nights, and none spake to him, for they saw that his grief was very
great. When they began to speak their words were harsh, for they thought
that he must be a greater sinner than other men, since God sent greater
afflictions upon him than on others. Then Job sinned; for he boasted of
his perfection and disputed God’s righteousness. Then the Lord spoke to
Job out of a storm and said: Who art thou, that durst dispute with God?
And Job answered: I have uttered that which I understood not. And God
forgave him, and reproved his three friends because they had judged Job
harshly.
God blessed Job; he was healed again, and got twice as much riches as
before; he got again seven sons and three daughters, and lived a hundred
and forty years after and died old and full of days. (Book of Job.)
50. The Books of the Old Testament
1-5. The 5 books of Moses, called the Pentateuch, which begin with the
creation of the world, and close with the death of Moses. Their names
are: 1. Genesis; 2. Exodus; 3. Leviticus; 4. Numbers; 5. Deuteronomy. 6.
The Book of Joshua. 7. The Book of Judges. 8. The Book of Ruth. 9-10.
The two Books of Samuel. 11-12. The two Books of Kings. 13-14. The two
Books of Chronicles. 15. The Book of Ezra. 16. The Book of Nehemiah. 17.
The Book of Esther, which tells of a Jewish girl who became queen of
Persia. 18. The Book of Job. 19. The Book of Psalms, or The Psalms of
David, in all 150. David has written many of these. 20. The Proverbs of
Solomon. 21. Ecclesiastes, or The Preacher. 22. The Song of Solomon.
The five books of the four Major Prophets: 1. Isaiah. 2-3. Jeremiah, and
his Book of Lamentations. 4. Ezekiel. 5. Daniel.
The 12 Minor Prophets: 1. Hosea. 2. Joel. 3. Amos. 4. Obadiah. 5. Jonah.
6. Micah. 7. Nahum. 8. Habakkuk. 9. Zephaniah. 10. Haggai. 11.
Zechariah. 12. Malachi.--In all 39 writings.
In most of these books prophecies concerning Christ are found. Malachi,
the last prophet, foretells even of him who shall prepare the way for
Him. The Lord says in the book of this prophet: Behold, I will send my
messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me. And again He says:
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the
great day of the Lord.
Concerning these writings the Apostle Paul says: All Scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction and for instruction in righteousness. And the Apostle Peter
says: The holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
After these books come a number of others called Apocrypha. These were
written by pious men and contain much that is good; but they are not
inspired by God, as are the Holy Scriptures, hence we dare not always
use them as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. The most
important are: The Book of Tobit, The Book of Wisdom, The Wisdom of
Jesus, son of Sirach, and the two Books of the Maccabees.
THE NEW TESTAMENT
51. The Birth of John The Baptist
At the time that Herod the Great was king in Judea, there was a priest
by the name Zacharias, and the name of his wife was Elisabeth. They were
both righteous before God; but they had no children, and both were now
old. One day while Zacharias was offering incense in the Holy Place, and
the people were praying without, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him.
And fear fell upon Zacharias; but the angel said unto him: Fear not,
Zacharias, for thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall
bear a son, and thou shalt call his name John[3]. He shall go before His
face in the spirit and power of Elijah, and make ready for the Lord a
people prepared for Him. Zacharias said: Whereby shall I know this? The
angel answered: I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God. Behold,
thou shalt be dumb until the day that these things shall come to pass,
because thou didst not believe my words. (Luke 1:5-25.)
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Footnote 3: Which means: The Lord is gracious.
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And Elisabeth brought forth a son. Her neighbors and kinsfolk would have
him called Zacharias after his father; but his mother said: He shall be
called John. They said: There is none of thy kindred that is called by
this name. And they made signs to his father, and he took a tablet and
wrote: His name is John. And immediately his mouth was opened, and he
blessed God in a glorious song of praise. And the child grew and waxed
strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day when he stood
forth before the people of Israel. (Luke 1:57-80.)
52. The Annunciation of Mary
In the sixth month after Gabriel had appeared to Zacharias he was sent
from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. There dwelt a virgin of
the house of David, and her name was Mary. She was betrothed to a man of
the house of David, and his name was Joseph. And the angel came in unto
Mary and said: Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with
thee; blessed art thou among women! But Mary was greatly troubled at
this saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might
be. And the angel said: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with
God. Thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.[4]
Then Mary said: How shall this be, seeing I am not married? The angel
answered: The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the Holy One which is
born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And Mary said: Behold, the
handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel
departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38.)
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Footnote 4: Which means Savior.
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53. The Birth of the Savior
It came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar
Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. And all went to enroll
themselves, every one in his own city. And Joseph also went from
Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David which is called
Bethlehem, to enroll himself with Mary, his betrothed wife. While they
were there, the time was fulfilled, and Mary brought forth a son,
wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, for there
was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds in the same country, abiding in the field, and
keeping watch by night over their flock. And lo, an angel of the Lord
stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and
they were sore afraid. But the angel said unto them: Be not afraid; for
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy: For there is born to you
this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this
is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace among men in whom He is well pleased.
And the shepherds came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the
Babe lying in the manger. And they made known concerning the saying
which was spoken to them about this Child. And all that heard it
wondered; but Mary kept these words in her heart. When eight days were
fulfilled for circumcising the Child, His name was called Jesus
according to the word of the angel.
Forty days after the birth of Jesus, His parents brought Him to
Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. And there was in Jerusalem a pious
man whose name was Simeon. He had been promised by the Holy Spirit that
he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he
came that day in the Spirit into the temple. And when he saw the Child,
he took It up in his arms and said: Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant
depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast
prepared before the face of all peoples. (Luke 2:1-31.)
54. The Wise-Men from the East
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king, Wise-men
came from the East to Jerusalem, saying: Where is He that is born King
of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East, and are come to worship
Him. And Herod called together the chief priests and the scribes and
inquired of them where Christ should be born. They answered: In
Bethlehem, according to the prophecy of Micah. Then Herod called the
Wise-men secretly and learned of them carefully what time the star
appeared, and said to them: Go to Bethlehem and search out carefully
concerning the Child, and when ye have found It, bring me word, that I
may come also and worship It.
The Wise-men went their way, and lo, the star which they had seen in the
East went before them, till it came and stood over the house where the
Child was. And when they saw the star they rejoiced greatly and came
into the house and found the Child and Mary His mother, and they fell
down and worshiped Him, and they offered unto Him their treasures, gold,
frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they
should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another
way.
When they were departed an angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a
dream and said: Arise, take the Child and His mother and flee into
Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee; for Herod will seek the
Child to destroy Him. Then Joseph took the Child and His mother by night
and went into Egypt.
When Herod saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men he was exceeding
wroth, and sent forth and slew all the male children in Bethlehem from
two years old and under.--When Herod was dead an angel of the Lord
appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying: Arise, take the Child
and His mother and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead that
sought the Child’s life. And he went into Galilee and dwelt in Nazareth.
And the Child grew and waxed strong in spirit, becoming full of wisdom;
and the grace of God was upon Him. (Matt. 2; Luke 2:39-40.)
55. The Child Jesus in the Temple
The parents of Jesus went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the
Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old, they took Him with them. When
they went home, He tarried behind in Jerusalem, and they knew it not,
but supposing Him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey. And
they sought for Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And when
they found Him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking for Him. After
three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
teachers, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that
heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. And Mary
said: Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us? Thy father and I sought
Thee sorrowing. Jesus answered: How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not
that I must be in my Father’s house? And He went down with them to
Nazareth; and He was obedient to them.--And Jesus advanced in wisdom and
stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:41-52.)
56. John Preaches and Baptizes
John dwelt quietly in the desert till he was thirty years of age. Then
the word of God came to him, and he began to preach: Repent ye, for the
Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Even now the axe lieth at the root of the
trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
down and cast into the fire. His manner of living was like that of the
prophets of old; he had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern
girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. People
both from Jerusalem and from the country came to him, and they were
baptized of him, confessing their sins. Many believed that he was
Christ; but he said: I am not Christ. I baptize only with water; but
after me cometh One that is greater than I, the latchet of whose shoe I
am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize with the Holy Spirit. He is
the Lamb of God that beareth the sins of the world. (Matt. 3:1-11; John
1:19-29.)
John exhorted both high and low to repentance. The tetrarch Herod
Antipas had compelled his brother to part from his wife, Herodias, and
had himself taken her to wife. John said to him: It is not lawful for
thee to have her. Herod became angry for this, and cast John into
prison. When Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced
before him; he was pleased with the dance, and promised with an oath to
give her whatsoever she should ask, even the half of his kingdom. She
went to the mother, who said: Ask for the head of John on a platter. The
king was grieved, but for the sake of his guests he kept his word. John
was beheaded, and his head was brought to the princess on a platter. And
his disciples came and buried him. (Matt. 14:1-12.)
57. Jesus Is Baptized
When Jesus was thirty years old, He came to John at the Jordan to be
baptized. John said: I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou
to me? Jesus answered: Suffer it now; for thus it becometh us to fulfill
all righteousness. Then John baptized Him. And when Jesus went up from
the water, lo, the heavens were opened, and the Spirit of God descended
on Him in the form of a dove, and there came a voice out of the heavens,
saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matt.
3:13-17.)
58. Jesus Is Tempted
Then Jesus was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of
the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He
afterward hungered. And the tempter came and said unto Him: If Thou art
the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. Jesus answered:
It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil took Him into the
holy city, and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said: If
Thou art the Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written: He shall
give His angels charge concerning Thee, and on their hands they shall
bear Thee up, lest haply Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus
answered: Again it is written: Thou shalt not try the Lord thy God.
Again the devil took Him unto an exceeding high mountain and showed Him
all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said: All these
things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. Jesus
answered: Get thee hence, Satan! For it is written: Thou shalt worship
the Lord, thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. (Matt. 4:1-11.)
59. Jesus Begins His Work
After Jesus had been baptized and tempted He began His work. For about
three years He went from place to place in the country and in the
cities; and for the great feasts He went up to Jerusalem. He spoke but a
word and the blind saw, the deaf heard, the lame walked, the lepers were
cleansed, and the dead were raised. He was God’s only begotten Son, born
of the Father from eternity; therefore He could say: I am the Way, the
Truth and the Life. No man cometh to the Father but by me. Come unto me,
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Everywhere the people flocked to Him and heard Him, for as He spoke had
no man spoken.
Once He spoke to the people from a mountain. This speech is therefore
called the Sermon on the Mount. In this He says:
I am not come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them.
Ye have heard that it was said: Thou shalt not commit adultery; but I
say unto you that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her
hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Ye have heard that it was said: Thou shalt not forswear thyself; but I
say unto you: Swear not at all, but let your speech be Yea, yea; Nay,
nay; and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil.
When ye pray ye shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand
and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they
may be seen of men. Verily, I say unto you, they have received their
reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and
having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy
Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy
treasure is, there will thy heart be also.
Be not anxious for what ye shall eat, or for what ye shall drink, nor
for what ye shall put on. Behold the birds of the heavens: they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? Consider the
lilies of the field, how they grow! They toil not, neither do they spin;
yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed
like one of these. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow; for
sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto
them. (Matt. 5-7.)
60. Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles
As Jesus stood by the lake of Gennesaret one day, the people pressed
upon Him to hear the Word of God. He entered Simon Peter’s boat and
taught the people from there. When He had left speaking, He said unto
Peter: Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Peter answered: We toiled all night, and took nothing; but at Thy word I
will let down the nets. And they enclosed a great multitude of fishes,
and their nets were breaking. And they beckoned unto James and John, who
were in another boat; they came, and they filled both the boats. When
Peter saw this, he fell down at the feet of Jesus and said: Depart from
me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. But Jesus said to him: Fear not, from
henceforth thou shalt catch men. And they brought the boats to land, and
left all and followed Him. (Luke 5:1-11.)
Many followed Jesus to hear the Gospel of salvation; from these He chose
twelve men who constantly should be with Him; these He called apostles,
that is, messengers; for they should be His messengers into all
countries to testify about Him.
The names of the twelve apostles are these: 1. Simon, whom the Savior
called Peter (that is: the rock); 2. his brother Andrew; 3. James, the
son of the fisherman Zebedee; 4. his brother John, the disciple whom
Jesus loved; 5. Philip; 6. Bartholomew; 7. Thomas; 8. Matthew; 9. James,
son of Alpheus; 10. Judas Thaddeus; 11. Simon Zelotes (that is: the
zealous one); and 12. Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Savior.
These twelve He sent out on short journeys to proclaim to the Jews that
the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. Two and two went together. Later on
He sent out seventy disciples, who also went two and two, to proclaim
that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. (Matt. 10:1-5; Luke 10:1.)
61. Jesus and Nicodemus
One of the Pharisees, a member of the council, was named Nicodemus. He
came to Jesus by night and said: Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher
come from God; for no man can do these signs that Thou doest, except God
be with him. Jesus answered: Except a man be born anew he cannot see the
Kingdom of God. Nicodemus said: How can a man be born when he is old? He
can not be born twice? Jesus answered: Verily, verily, I say unto thee:
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. For that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Nicodemus answered: How can
these things be? Jesus answered: Art thou the teacher of Israel, and
understandest not these things? As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up on the cross. For
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
(John 3:1-16.)
62. Jesus and the Woman of Samaria
Jesus was passing through Samaria, and being wearied with His journey,
He sat by the well outside of the city of Sychar. A woman from the city
came to draw water. Jesus said unto her: Give me to drink. She answered:
How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, being a Samaritan
woman? For there was bitter enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans.
Jesus said: If thou knew who it is that speaketh with thee, thou
wouldest have asked Him to give thee to drink, and He would have given
thee living water. She answered: Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with,
and the well is deep. Jesus said: Go, call thy husband. She answered: I
have no husband. Jesus answered: Thou saidst well: I have no husband;
for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy
husband. The woman said: Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Where
ought we to worship God? We Samaritans believe it must be done on Mount
Gerizim, and ye Jews say: It ought to be in Jerusalem. Jesus said:
Woman, the hour cometh when no man shall ask about Gerizim and
Jerusalem; for God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship
in spirit and truth. The woman answered: When Messiah cometh He will
declare unto us all things. Jesus said: I am Messiah. So the woman left
her water pot, and went into the city and told what had happened to her;
and the men went out to Jesus, and He abode two days in the city, and
many believed in Him. And they said to the woman: Now we believe not
because of thy speaking, for we have heard for ourselves, and know that
this is indeed the Savior of the world. (John 4:1-42.)
The Parables of Jesus
63. The Sower
A sower went forth to sow, and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the
wayside, and the birds came and devoured them. And some fell upon rocky
places, where they had not much earth; and straightway they sprang up,
because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was risen, they
were scorched and withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the
thorns grew up and choked them. But some fell upon good ground and
yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
As the disciples did not understand the meaning of this parable, Jesus
gave them this explanation: The seed is the Word of God; when any one
hears the Word and does not understand it, then comes the evil one and
snatches away that which is sowed in his heart. This is the seed sown by
the wayside.--That which fell upon rocky places is he that hears the
Word, and straightway with joy receives it; and when tribulation and
persecution arise because of the Word, he straightway stumbles.--That
which is sown among thorns is he that hears the Word, and the care of
the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and it
becomes unfruitful.--But that sown in the good ground is he that hears
the Word and keeps it in his heart, and it bears fruit. (Matt. 13:1-23.)
64. The Tares Among the Wheat
The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his
field. But in the night an enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat.
When the seed sprang up, the tares appeared also. And the servants went
to the householder and said: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy
field? Whence has it then tares? He answered: An enemy has done this.
The servants said: Wilt thou, then, that we go and gather them up? He
answered: Nay, lest haply ye root up the wheat with them. Let both grow
together until harvest; then I will say to the reapers: Gather up first
the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat
into my barn.
Jesus has explained also this parable: He that soweth the good seed is
the Son of Man, and the field is the world; the good seed is the
children of the kingdom, and the tares are the children of the evil one;
and the enemy that sowed the tares is the devil. The harvest is the end
of the world, and the servants are the angels. As the tares are gathered
up and burned with fire, so shall it be in the end of the world. Then
shall the Son of Man send forth His angels, and they shall gather the
ungodly, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. But the righteous shall shine forth as
the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matt. 13:24-43.)
65. The Good Samaritan
A lawyer came to Jesus and said: Master, what shall I do to inherit
eternal life? Jesus said: What is written in the law? He answered; Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as
thyself. Jesus said: Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt
live. But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus: Who is my
neighbor? Jesus answered: A man was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him,
and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance a certain priest was
going down that way, and he saw him, but passed by on the other side. A
Levite did the same thing. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed,
came where he was; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.
And he went to him, bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine.
And he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care
of him. And on the morrow when he left, he took out two pieces of money,
gave them to the host and said: Take care of him, and whatsoever thou
spendest more I will repay thee when I come back again.--Which of these
three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor to him that fell among the
robbers? And he said: He that showed mercy on him. Jesus said: Go, and
do thou likewise. (Luke 10:25-37.)
66. The Rich Man
The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he
reasoned within himself: What shall I do, because I have not room to
bestow my fruit? And he said: This will I do: I will pull down my barns
and build them greater, and there will I bestow all my grain and goods.
And I will say to my soul: Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry!
But God said unto him: Thou fool, this night is thy soul required of
thee, and whose shall those things be which thou hast prepared? (Luke
12:16-20.)
67. The Fig Tree
A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came
seeking fruit thereon, and found none. Then he said to the vinedresser:
Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and
find none. Cut it down! Why shall it take the strength from the ground
to no use? But the vinedresser answered: Lord, let it alone this year
also, till I dig about it and dung it; perhaps it may then bear fruit;
if not, thou shalt cut it down. (Luke 13:6-9.)
68. The Unmerciful Fellow-Servant
Peter once asked Jesus: How often shall I forgive my brother that sins
against me? Are seven times enough? Jesus answered: Not seven times, but
seventy times seven. And He told the following parable: A king would
make reckoning with his servants, and there came one that owed him ten
thousand talents.[5] But as he had not wherewith to pay, the king
commanded that he and his wife and children and all that he had should
be sold, and payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him
and said: Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And his
lord, being moved with compassion, forgave him the debt. But that
servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants that owed him a
hundred shillings,[6] and he laid hold on him and took him by the
throat, saying: Pay me what thou owest! So his fellow-servant fell down
and besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.
And he would not, but went and cast him into prison. So when his
fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came
and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him and
said: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou
besoughtest me; shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy
fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? And his lord cast him into
prison, till he should pay all that was due. So shall also my heavenly
Father do unto you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your
hearts. (Matt. 18:21-35.)
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Footnote 5: A talent is about one thousand dollars.
Footnote 6: About fifteen dollars.
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69. The Prodigal Son. The Lost Sheep
The Pharisees considered themselves righteous, and were therefore
offended because Jesus received publicans and sinners and ate with them.
Jesus therefore spoke the following parables: A certain man had two
sons. The younger said to the father: Father, give me that part of thy
substance that falls to me. And he divided unto them. Not many days
after, the younger son gathered all his goods and took his journey into
a far country, and there he wasted his substance in riotous living. And
when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country, and
he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the
citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine
ate; and no man gave him anything. When he came to himself he said: How
many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I
perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say
unto him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. I am no
more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose and came to his father. While he was yet far off, his
father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his
neck, and kissed him. The son said: Father, I have sinned against heaven
and in thy sight; I am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the
father said to his servants: Bring forth the best robe, and put a ring
on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and kill the fatted calf, and let us
eat and make merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was
lost, and is found.
The elder son was in the fields, and as he came home and heard music and
dancing, he asked one of the servants what these things might be. And he
was told that the father had made a feast for his son who had returned.
Then he was angry, and would not go in. His father came out and
entreated him; but he answered: Lo, these many years do I serve thee,
and I never transgressed thy commandments, and yet thou never gavest me
a kid, that I might make merry with my friends; but when this thy son
came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him
the fatted calf. But his father said: My son, thou art ever with me, and
all that is mine is thine; but it was meet to make merry and be glad,
for this thy brother was dead, and is alive; and was lost, and is found.
When a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does he not leave
the ninety and nine, and go after the lost sheep? And when he hath found
it, he lays it on his shoulders and bears it home, and rejoices more
over that one than over the ninety and nine which were not lost. So
shall there be greater joy in heaven over one sinner who repenteth, than
over ninety and nine who need no repentance. (Luke 15.)
70. The Rich Man and Lazarus
There was a rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, and
fared sumptuously every day. But there was a poor man named Lazarus,
that was laid at his gate, full of sores, and he desired to be fed with
the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the dogs came
and licked his sores. The poor man died, and he was carried away by the
angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man died also, and was buried.
When he lifted up his eyes in hell, being in torments, he saw Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said: Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of
his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this
flame. But Abraham answered: Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime
hast received thy good things, and Lazarus likewise evil things; but now
here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. Besides all this, between
us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they who would pass from
hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence
to us. And he said: I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest
send him to my father’s house--for I have five brothers--that he may
testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Abraham answered: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
But he said: Nay, Father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead
they will repent. Abraham answered: If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rise from the dead.
(Luke 16:19-31.)
71. The Pharisee and the Publican
To certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set
all others at naught, Jesus spake this parable: Two men went up into the
temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The
Pharisee stood by himself and prayed thus: God, I thank Thee, that I am
not as the rest of men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican. I fast twice in the week, and give tithes of all that I
get. But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift his eyes unto
heaven, but smote his breast and said: God, be merciful to me a sinner!
I say unto you: This man went down to his house justified, but not the
Pharisee; for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he
that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9-14.)
72. The Laborers in the Vineyard
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with
them for a shilling 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 said to them: Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is
right I will give you. Again he went out about the sixth and about the
ninth hour and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out
again and found others standing, and he said: Why stand ye here all the
day idle? They said: Because no man hired us. He said unto them: Go ye
also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. When
even was come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward: Call the
laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the
first. They that were hired about the eleventh hour came and received
every man a shilling. And when the first came, they supposed that they
would receive more; and they likewise received every man a shilling.
Then they murmured against the householder and said: These last have
spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, who have borne
the burden of the day and the scorching heat. He answered: Friend, I do
thee no wrong. Didst thou not agree with me for a shilling? Take up that
which is thine, and go thy way. But I will give the last as much as
thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Or doth
it hurt thee that I am good? (Matt. 20:1-15.)
73. The Marriage of the King’s Son
The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a certain king who made a marriage
feast for his son. He sent his servants forth to call them that were
bidden to the marriage feast. But they would not come, but went their
ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise, and the rest laid
hold on his servants and treated them shamefully and killed them. But
the king was wroth, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers
and burned their city. And he said to his servants: The wedding is
ready; but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore to the
crossroads, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. And
the wedding was filled with guests. When the king went in to behold the
guests, he saw one who had not on a wedding garment. And he said to him:
Friend, how comest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? But he
was silent. Then the king said to the servants: Bind him hand and foot,
and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth. (Matt. 22:1-13.)
74. The Talents
A man going into another country called his servants and delivered unto
them his goods. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and
to another one talent. After a long time the lord of those servants came
home, and made a reckoning with them. He that received five talents came
and said: Lord, thou gavest me five talents; lo, I have gained other
five talents. His lord said unto him: Well done, good and faithful
servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over
many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Likewise he said to
the servant who received two talents and with them gained two other
talents. Then came also the one that had received the one talent and
said: Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou
didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter. Therefore I
was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, here it
is. His lord said: Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I
am a hard man; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the
bankers, so I could have received back mine own with interest. And he
commanded that the unprofitable servant be cast out where there is
weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 25:14-30.)
Miracles, or Wonderful Works of Jesus
75. Jesus Turns Water Into Wine at the Marriage in Cana
There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was
there, and Jesus and His disciples were also invited. And when the wine
failed, the mother of Jesus said unto Him: They have no more wine. Jesus
answered: Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.
His mother said to the servants: Whatsoever He saith to you, do it. The
Jews always washed their hands before meals, and six water-pots of stone
stood there for washing. Jesus said to the servants: Fill the water-pots
with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And He said unto them:
Draw out now, and bear unto the steward of the feast. The steward knew
not whence the wine was. When he tasted it, he said to the bridegroom:
Every man setteth on first good wine, then that which is worse; thou
hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of His signs did Jesus
in Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed
on Him. (John 2:1-11.)
76. Jesus Stills the Tempest
As Jesus one evening sailed over the lake of Gennesaret, there arose a
great tempest, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves. But He
was in the stern of the boat asleep. And the disciples went to Him and
awoke Him and said: Save, Lord, we perish! But He said: Why are ye
fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose and rebuked the winds and
the sea, and there was a great calm. And they marvelled and said: Who is
This, that even the winds and the sea obey Him! (Matt. 8:23-27.)
77. Jesus Raises the Widow of Nain’s Son from the Dead
As Jesus came to a little city called Nain, one that was dead was
carried forth, and he was the only son of a widow. And much people from
the city went with her. When Jesus saw her, he had compassion on her and
said: Weep not. And He came nigh and touched the bier, and the bearers
stood still, and He said: Young man, I say unto thee: Arise! And he that
was dead sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him to his mother.
And fear took hold on all, and they glorified God, saying: A great
prophet is arisen among us; and, God hath visited His people. (Luke
7:11-16.)
78. Jesus Raises the Daughter of Jairus from the Dead
A ruler of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came and fell at the feet of
Jesus and said: My daughter is at the point of death, come and lay Thy
hands on her that she may live! And Jesus went with him. But some came
from the house of the ruler of the synagogue and said: Why troublest
thou the Master any further? Thy daughter is dead. Jesus said to the
father: Fear not, only believe, and she will be saved. When He came in,
He beheld a tumult, and many weeping. But He said: Weep not! And He took
the father and the mother, and Peter, James and John, and went in where
the little girl lay and said: Little girl, arise! And straightway she
arose and walked. (Mark 5:22-42.)
79. Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Men in the Wilderness
Jesus went over the lake of Gennesaret to a desert place, and when the
people saw it they hurried after Him by land. When evening had come, His
disciples came to Him and said: The place is desert, and the day is now
far spent; send the people away, that they may go to the villages round
about and buy themselves food. Jesus answered: Give ye them to eat. They
said: We have five loaves of bread and two fishes; but what are they
among so many? But Jesus let the people sit down on the grass, took the
five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed,
and brake them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples set
before them. And they did all eat, and were filled. And Jesus said unto
the disciples: Gather up the broken pieces, that nothing be lost. They
gathered up twelve basketfuls. And they that ate the loaves were five
thousand men besides women and children. (Mark 6:32-44.)
80. Jesus Heals the Daughter of the Woman of Canaan
Jesus went to the country about Tyre and Sidon, and a Canaanitish,
heathen woman cried unto Him: Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of
David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But Jesus answered
her not a word. The disciples said: Send her away, for she crieth after
us. Jesus answered: I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel.
The woman now came and worshiped Him, saying: Lord, help me! Jesus said:
It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs. She
said: Yea, Lord, for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from
their master’s table. Then Jesus said unto her: O woman, great is thy
faith: be it done unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her daughter was
healed from that hour. (Matt. 15:21-28.)
81. Jesus Heals Ten Lepers
Once, when Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem there met Him ten men that
were lepers, who stood afar off and lifted up their voice saying: Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us! He said: Go, and show yourselves to the
priests. And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw
that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. And
he fell upon his face at the feet of Jesus and gave Him thanks. And he
was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said: Were not the ten cleansed? But where
are the nine? Were there none found that returned to give glory to God,
save this stranger? And He said unto him: Arise, and go thy way; thy
faith hath made thee whole. (Luke 17:11-19.)
82. Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead
Near Jerusalem was a little village called Bethany. There dwelt a man
named Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary. And Jesus loved them
very much. Once when Lazarus was sick, the sisters sent word to Jesus,
saying: Lord, he whom Thou lovest is sick. Jesus was at that time on the
other side of the Jordan, and He remained there two days. Afterward He
said to His disciples: Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may
awake him out of sleep. The disciples answered: If he is fallen asleep,
he will recover. Jesus now said plainly: Lazarus is dead. When Jesus
came to Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days. Martha heard
that Jesus was coming, and went to meet Him and said: Lord, if Thou
hadst been here my brother had not died. Jesus answered: Thy brother
shall rise again. I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth
on me, though he die, yet shall he live. Mary then came out also to
Jesus and said: Lord, if Thou hadst been here my brother had not died.
When Jesus therefore saw both her and the Jews that came with her,
weeping, He said: Where have ye laid him? They answered; Come and see.
Jesus wept. The Jews then said: Behold, how He loved him! They now came
to the tomb, which was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said:
Take away the stone! Martha saith unto Him: Lord, he stinketh by this
time; for he hath been four days in the tomb. Jesus answered: Said I not
unto thee that if thou couldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of
God? When they had removed the stone Jesus lifted up His eyes and gave
thanks to the Father who always heard Him, and then He cried with a loud
voice: Lazarus, come forth! And he that was dead came forth in the
grave-clothes. And many of the Jews who saw this believed on Jesus.
(John 11:1-46.)
Other Narratives from the Life of Jesus
83. Jesus Teaches His Disciples to Pray
Jesus oftentimes prayed. Once, when He had ended His prayer, one of the
disciples said: Lord, teach us to pray, as John the Baptist taught his
disciples to pray. Jesus answered: When ye pray, ye shall say:
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And
lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matt. 6:9-13;
Luke 11:1-4.)
84. Jesus is Transfigured on the Mount
Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him and went up into a high
mountain to pray. And as He was praying, He was transfigured before
them, and His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white
as snow. And they saw Moses and Elijah, who spoke with Him about His
sufferings and death, which awaited Him in Jerusalem. Peter said: Lord,
it is good for us to be here. If Thou wilt we will make three
tabernacles, one for Thee, one for Moses and one for Elijah. While he
was yet speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out
of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;
hear ye Him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face,
and were sore afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said: Arise,
and be not afraid. And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, save
Jesus only. (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36.)
85. Jesus Blesses Little Children
Many brought little children to Jesus, that He should touch them. The
disciples rebuked those that brought the children. But Jesus said:
Suffer little children to come unto me; and forbid them not, for to such
belongeth the kingdom of God. Unless ye repent and become as little
children, ye can not enter therein. And He took them in His arms and
blessed them, laying His hands upon them. (Mark 10:13-16.)
86. Jesus the Guest of Zaccheus
On His last journey to Jerusalem Jesus came through Jericho. Here
resided a man by the name of Zaccheus; he was the chief publican in
Jericho and was very rich. He was anxious to see Jesus, but could not
for the people, as he was small of stature. He therefore ran on before,
and climbed up in a tree. When Jesus came to the place and saw him He
said: Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide at thy
house. And Zaccheus made haste and received Him with joy. But those who
saw it murmured, saying: He is gone in to lodge with a sinful man!
Zaccheus said to the Lord: Behold, half of my goods I give to the poor;
and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.
And Jesus answered him: The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost. (Luke 19:1-10.)
87. The Enemies of Jesus
The Pharisees were outwardly blameless, and for a show made long
prayers; but in secret they robbed widows of their property. They were
like graves, outwardly whitened, but inwardly full of dead men’s bones
and all uncleanness. Jesus told them these things openly, and they
therefore became His enemies; for man does not wish that his evil works
shall come to the light.--They believed that they for the sake of their
righteousness should inherit the kingdom of God; but Jesus preached
conversion and faith, and said that publicans and sinners would go into
the Kingdom of Heaven before them. The Pharisees wished to be greeted in
the market-places and be called Rabbi, and they were envious, for the
multitude clung to Jesus because of His blessed words and His miracles.
They would not understand Moses and the prophets, and expected that the
Messiah should establish the kingdom of David again, and bring the
Romans and other nations under the Jews. Jesus said that His kingdom was
not of this world, and that He should be persecuted and crucified, and
on the third day arise again from the dead. For all these things the
Pharisees and priests hated Jesus, and took counsel how they could kill
Him. Man always finds an excuse. The high priest Caiaphas said: It is
better that one man die for the people, than that the whole nation
should be destroyed.
The Sadducees taught that there is no resurrection from the dead, and
they therefore held the doctrine of Jesus concerning resurrection and
final judgment in derision and gave not the Word room in their hearts.
The Last Days of Jesus
88. The Triumphal Entry of Jesus Into Jerusalem
On Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday before Easter, Jesus rode from
Bethany on the other side of the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem on a
young ass. This came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the prophet Zechariah: Tell ye the daughter of Zion: Behold,
thy King cometh unto thee, meek and riding upon the foal of an ass. Many
of the people cut branches from the palm trees and spread them in the
way, and the most part spread their garments in the way and cried,
saying: Hosanna[7] to the Son of David; Blessed is He that cometh in the
name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
-----
Footnote 7: Hosanna means: Save now.
-----
And when He drew nigh and saw the city, He wept over it, saying: If thou
hadst known, even in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy
peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. Therefore the days shall
come when thine enemies shall compass thee round, and keep thee in on
every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and they shall not leave
in thee one stone upon another, because thou knowest not the time of thy
visitation. And He entered into the city and went to the court of the
temple, and healed the blind and the lame that came to Him.
In the evening He went out to Bethany, and every day He came into the
temple and was teaching, and the people hung upon Him, listening. The
priests and the scribes came together at the palace of Caiaphas, and
consulted how they might by craft take Jesus. And Judas Iscariot came to
them and said: What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?
And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought
opportunity to betray his Lord. (Matt. 21:1-17; 26:14-16; Luke
19:41-44.)
89. Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
In the evening of Maundy Thursday Jesus sat down with His disciples to
eat the Passover. As they were eating Jesus said: One of you shall
betray me. The disciples looked sorrowfully upon one another, to know
who was meant. Peter beckoned to John, who was reclining toward the
breast of Jesus, that he should ask. Jesus answered: It is he to whom I
give this morsel which I now dip in the dish. And He gave the morsel to
Judas, saying: What thou doest, do quickly! The disciples understood not
what Jesus meant; but Judas went out straightway to the priests. And it
was night.
And Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it, gave His disciples
and said: Take, eat! this is my Body which is given for you. This do in
remembrance of me!
In like manner He also took the cup, after supper, saying: Drink ye all
of it! This cup is the new covenant in my Blood, which is shed for you
for the remission of sins. This do, as often as ye drink it, in
remembrance of me!
Jesus then said: I have yet much to say unto you, but ye can not bear it
now. But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, He shall teach you all things, and remind you of all things which
I have said unto you. (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:14-23;
John 13:21-30; 1 Cor. 11:23-26.)
90. Jesus in Gethsemane
Jesus thereupon went with the eleven disciples over the brook Kidron to
the Mount of Olives; there was a garden called Gethsemane. In the way He
said: All of you shall be offended because of me this night. Peter said:
Even if all shall be offended, yet will not I be offended. Jesus
answered: Before the cock crows twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
When they came to the place, Jesus said to the disciples: Remain ye
here, while I go yonder and pray. And He took with Him Peter, James and
John farther into the garden and said to them: Abide here, and watch
with me! And he went away as far as a stone’s cast, fell upon His face
and said: My Father, if it be possible, then take this cup from me!
Nevertheless, not as I will but as Thou wilt!
And He came to the three disciples and found them sleeping. Then He said
unto Peter: Could ye not watch one hour with me? Watch and pray, that ye
enter not into temptation! Again He went away and prayed the same
prayer, and thus three times; and while He suffered the agony of death
His sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling on the ground.
And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. And
when He rose up from His prayer, He came to His disciples and said unto
them: The hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands
of sinners; he that betrayeth me is near.
And while He yet spake Judas came with a band of soldiers and the
servants of the chief priests, having weapons and torches. Judas had
said: He whom I shall kiss, that is He: take Him. And he went up to
Jesus and said: Hail, Master! And he kissed Him. Jesus answered: Judas,
betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss? Then the band stepped forth
and laid hold on Jesus. But all the disciples forsook Him and fled. (All
the Gospels.)
91. Jesus Before the Council
Jesus was brought to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the council was
assembled. The council consisted of the chief priests, scribes and
elders of the people, in all seventy-one members. They at first sought
to convict Jesus by false witnesses; but the witnesses did not agree.
Then the high priest arose and said: I adjure Thee by the living God
that Thou tell us if Thou art Christ, the Son of God. Jesus answered: I
am. Then the high priest rent his clothes and said: He has blasphemed
God. What further need have we of witnesses? They all answered: He is
worthy of death. And the servants struck Him in the face and mocked Him.
(All the Gospels.)
92. Peter’s Denial. The Suicide of Judas
When Jesus had suffered them to take Him and lead Him away, Peter had
followed Him afar off and had come into the court of the palace of the
high priest. A maid said to him: Art not thou one of this Man’s
disciples? He said: I know Him not. He went over to the servants, who
sat by the fire warming themselves. Here another seeing him, said: This
man also was with Him. But Peter denied again. Then a third one said:
Verily, thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilean, thy speech
betrays thee. Then Peter began to swear, saying: I know not this Man ye
speak of. Then the cock crowed, and at the same time they brought Jesus
through the court, and He turned and looked on Peter. And Peter
remembered the Savior’s words, and he went out and wept bitterly. (All
the Gospels.)
When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned to death, he regretted what he
had done, and came to the priests with the thirty pieces of silver and
said: I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they
answered: What is that to us? See thou to it. And he cast the pieces of
silver into the temple, and went and hanged himself, and falling
headlong his bowels gushed out. (Matt. 27:3-5; Acts 1:18.)
93. Jesus before Pilate
Early in the morning of the day afterwards called Good Friday the Jews
brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to
have the sentence of death confirmed. Not wishing to defile themselves,
the Jews kept outside of the hall of judgment, and Pilate came out to
them and asked: What accusation bring ye against this Man? They
answered: He perverts the people and forbids paying tribute to Caesar,
and calls Himself Christ, a King. Pilate took him into the hall of
judgment and asked: Art Thou a King? Jesus answered: I am King; but my
kingdom is not of this world; for then my servants would have fought for
me. I came into the world to bear witness unto the truth. Every one who
is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate perceived that Jesus was
innocent and would gladly have set Him free; but he feared the priests
and the scribes, therefore he dared not do it openly, but went out to
the people and said: Ye have a custom that I should release a prisoner
at the Passover. Whom will ye have, Jesus or Barabbas? The priests
stirred up the people against Jesus, and they cried: Away with Him! But
give us Barabbas. Now, Barabbas was a murderer and robber.
Pilate then, hoping to excite the pity of the people, delivered Jesus to
the soldiers to be scourged. And the soldiers stripped off His clothes
and scourged Him; then they threw around Him a purple robe, put a reed
in His hand and a crown of thorns upon His head, and fell down before
Him and shouted: Hail, Thou King of the Jews! And they struck Him on the
head with the reed. And Pilate brought Him out to the people and said:
Behold the Man! But the Jews cried: Crucify Him, crucify Him! Pilate
still sought to set Him free, but they cried: If thou release this Man,
thou art not Caesar’s friend! Then Pilate took water and washed his
hands before the people and said: I am innocent of the blood of this
righteous Man! They said: His blood be upon us and upon our children!
Then he delivered Jesus to be crucified. (All the Gospels.)
94. Jesus on the Cross
They now led Jesus out of the city to a place called Golgotha, to
crucify Him. And He bore the cross Himself. Many weeping women followed
Him, and Jesus turned to them and said: Weep not for me; but weep for
yourselves and for your children!
Over the cross was written: JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS. It was
about nine o’clock in the forenoon when they crucified Him. Two robbers
were also crucified with Him, one on His right and one on His left side.
While Jesus was hanging on the cross He said: (1) Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do!--At the cross stood the mother of Jesus,
and the disciple that Jesus loved. Jesus said: (2) Woman, behold thy
Son! And to the disciple He said: Behold thy mother! And from that hour
the disciple took her unto himself.--The soldiers and the priests mocked
Him. And one of the robbers said: If thou art Christ, save Thyself and
us! The other robber said: We suffer what we have deserved, but this Man
hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus: Lord, remember me when
Thou comest into Thy kingdom! To him Jesus said: (3) Verily, today thou
shalt be with me in Paradise!--From twelve o’clock there was darkness
over the whole earth, until three o’clock, when Jesus cried with a loud
voice: (4) My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?--And after that He
cried: (5) I thirst! One of them ran and filled a sponge with vinegar
and gave Him to drink.--Thereupon He said: (6) It is finished!--And
again He cried with a loud voice: (7) Father, into Thy hands I commend
my spirit! And having said this, He bowed His head and gave up the
ghost.
And the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent, and the tombs were
opened, and the veil between the Holy and the Holy of Holies in the
temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
That the bodies might be taken down from the crosses before the Sabbath,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken. The soldiers
therefore came and broke the legs of the two robbers; but when they came
to Jesus, they saw that He was dead already, therefore they broke not
His legs; but to make sure one of the soldiers pierced His side with a
spear, and there came out blood and water. (All the Gospels.)
95. The Burial of Jesus
Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the council, who until now secretly had
been a disciple of Jesus, got permission from Pilate to take the body
down from the cross and bury it. And Nicodemus, the same who came to
Jesus by night, was with him, and brought a hundred pounds of myrrh and
aloes. They anointed the body of Jesus and laid it in a sepulchre, hewn
in stone, near by Golgotha, and rolled a great stone before the opening
of the tomb.
The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and said: Sir, this
Deceiver said, while He was yet alive: After three days I rise again.
Command therefore that a guard be placed at the sepulchre, that His
disciples may not come and steal the body away and say: He is risen.
They received a guard, which they placed at the tomb, and they sealed
the stone. (All the Gospels.)
96. The Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus was in the tomb until the third day, from Friday evening till
Sunday morning. Before the sun rose on Sunday morning there was a great
earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled
the stone from the tomb. Jesus arose from the dead, and a great fear
fell upon those who stood guard, and they fled.
Early on the same Easter morn some women came to the tomb to anoint the
body of Jesus. In the way they said to one another: Who shall roll us
away the stone from the tomb? When they came to the tomb, they saw that
the stone was rolled away. One of the women, named Mary Magdalene, ran
to Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved, and said: They have taken
away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid Him.
The other women went into the sepulchre, where an angel in white raiment
was sitting, and he said: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth. He is not here; He
is risen.--When they had left, Peter and John came to the tomb. They
went in and saw the linen clothes; but Him they found not. And they went
away again. Then came Mary Magdalene again to the tomb, and stood
outside and wept. And Jesus appeared unto her and said: Woman, why
weepest thou? She knew Him not, but supposed Him to be the gardener, and
said: Sir, if thou hast borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid
Him, and I will take Him away. Jesus said: Mary! Then she knew Him and
said: Master! Jesus answered: Go unto my brethren and say to them: I
ascend to my Father and your Father! And she came and told the disciples
that she had seen the Lord. (The Gospels.)
97. Jesus Appears to His Disciples
The same day two disciples were going from Jerusalem to a village named
Emmaus. And they communed with each other of all those things which had
happened. Then Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. He said: What
are ye speaking about, and why are ye looking so sad? They answered: Art
thou alone a stranger in Jerusalem, and knowest not the things which are
come to pass there in these days? The chief priests and our rulers have
crucified Jesus of Nazareth. But He was a prophet mighty in deed and
word, and we hoped that it was He who should redeem Israel. And this is
now the third day since these things came to pass. Moreover, certain
women, having been early at the tomb, came and told that the tomb was
empty, and that they had seen a vision of angels, who said that He was
alive. And certain disciples went to the tomb, and found it even so as
the women had said; but Him they saw not. Jesus answered: O foolish men,
and slow of heart to believe what Moses and the prophets have said!
Behooved it not Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His
glory? And He interpreted to them all that was written concerning
Himself.
When they drew nigh unto Emmaus, He made as though He would go farther.
And they constrained Him, saying: Abide with us; for it is toward
evening, and the day is far spent. And He went in to abide with them.
But when He sat down with them to meat, He took bread, blessed it, and
broke it, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew
Him. But He vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another:
Was not our heart burning within us while He spoke to us in the way,
while He opened to us the Scriptures? And they rose up that very hour
and returned to Jerusalem, and found the apostles gathered together, and
told them the things that happened in the way, and how He was known of
them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:13-25.)
While they were speaking, Jesus stood in the midst of them and said unto
them: Peace be unto you! They were terrified, for they knew Him not. But
He showed them His hands and His feet, and they were glad.--But Thomas
was not with them. When the others said: We have seen the Lord, he said:
Except I shall put my finger in the print of the nails in His hands, and
put my hand into His side, I will not believe.
After eight days His disciples were again assembled, and the doors were
shut. Then Jesus again stood in the midst of them and said: Peace be
unto you! Unto Thomas He said: See my hands, and reach hither thy hand,
and put it into my side, and be no longer faithless, but believing!
Thomas said: My Lord and my God! Jesus answered: Because thou hast seen
me, thou hast believed: Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet
have believed. (John 20:19-29.)
98. The Ascension of Jesus
During forty days Jesus showed Himself several times to the apostles and
spoke of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. He was also seen
by others, once by five hundred brethren. He showed Himself to the
eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee, and said: All authority hath
been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world.
Forty days after His resurrection, on the day afterwards called
Ascension Day, He appeared to them for the last time. He led them out to
the Mount of Olives, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them; and
while He blessed them, He parted from them, and was carried up into
heaven; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
And while they were looking into heaven, two men stood by them in white
apparel and said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven?
This Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in
like manner as ye beheld Him going into heaven. (Matt. 28:16-20; Luke
24:50-51; Acts 1:1-2.)
99. Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
At His ascension Jesus had said to the apostles: John baptized with
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days
hence. Until this came to pass, they were to abide at Jerusalem. On one
of these days they chose one of the disciples named Matthias to be
apostle in the place of Judas.
On the morning of the day of Pentecost, ten days after the ascension,
the apostles were assembled as usual. And suddenly there came from
heaven the sound as of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where
they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues as of fire,
parting asunder; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as
the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now, there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews from every nation. When this
sound was heard, they came together and said: What is this? Are not all
these men Galileans? And how hear we then every man in our own language
speaking the mighty words of God? But Peter, standing up, spake forth
unto them saying: Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye have crucified, sitteth now
at the right hand of God, and has poured out His Holy Spirit. Now, when
they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and they said: What
shall we do? Peter answered: Repent ye, and be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. They then that received the word were baptized
on the same day, about three thousand souls.
And all that believed were daily together in prayer, and in breaking the
bread in the Lord’s Supper. They sold their possessions, and parted them
to all, according as any man had need. And day by day the Lord added
others to the congregation. (Acts 2.)
100. The Apostles Before the Council
Peter and John went up to the temple to pray. A man that had been lame
from his birth was sitting outside the door asking alms. Peter said:
Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that I give thee: In the
name of Jesus of Nazareth, arise and walk! And immediately he leaped up,
and entered with them into the temple and praised God. And many were
baptized.
But the priests and the scribes laid hands on the apostles and took them
before the council. And they threatened them to preach no more in the
name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered: Judge ye whether it be right
to hearken unto you rather than unto God. Afterward they concluded to
kill the apostles; but Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who was held in honor of
all the people, arose and said unto them: Refrain from these men, and
let them alone: For if this counsel be of men, it will be overthrown:
but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them. To him they
agreed, yet beat they the apostles, and charged them not to speak in the
name of Jesus. And the apostles departed from the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name; and they ceased
not to preach Jesus Christ. (Acts 3-5.)
101. Stephen
When the congregation increased the apostles said: Choose seven men as
overseers for the poor, for it is not fit that we should forsake the
Word of God and serve tables. And the congregation chose Stephen and six
others; and the apostles prayed and laid their hands on them.--Stephen
was full of faith and power and wrought great wonders among the people.
And certain scribes arose and disputed with Stephen. And they were not
able to withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. Then
they seized him and brought him before the council, and they suborned
false witnesses, who said: We have heard him speak blasphemous words
against the temple and against Moses. Stephen made a speech and showed
that the Jews had always resisted God. When they heard this, they were
enraged; but Stephen looked steadfastly up into heaven and said: Behold,
I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand
of God. But they rushed upon him and cast him out of the city and stoned
him. But Stephen prayed: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled
down and cried with a loud voice: Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Those who stoned
Stephen laid down their garments at the feet of a young Pharisee named
Saul. And Saul was consenting unto his death. (Acts 6-7.)
Stephen is the first Christian martyr; martyrs, that is, witnesses, are
those who suffer death for the sake of Christ.
102. Cornelius
Our Savior had said: Go and make disciples of all nations. Still the
apostles from the beginning preached only to the Jews; for it was not
yet clear to them that heathens had the same access to the kingdom of
God as the Jews.
One day, as Peter was sitting on the flat roof of a house, praying, he
saw a vision: He saw a vessel, like a great sheet, come down from
heaven, and in the sheet were all kinds of unclean animals, and a voice
said to him: Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter answered: Not so,
Lord, for I have never eaten anything unclean. The voice said: What God
hath cleansed, make not thou unclean. And this was done thrice, and the
vessel was taken up to heaven.
While Peter was perplexed what the vision might mean, messengers came
from a heathen, Cornelius by name. And Peter went with them, and
preached to Cornelius and his household. And while he was preaching, the
Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. Then Peter said: Can any
man forbid the water that these should not be baptized that have
received the Holy Spirit, as well as we? And he commanded that they be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. When the brethren in Jerusalem
heard this, they said: Then unto the gentiles also hath God granted
repentance unto life. (Acts 10, 11:1-18.)
103. Paul
Saul was breathing threatening and slaughter against the Christians, and
received from the high priest letters to go to Damascus and seize all
them that were of the Christian faith, both men and women, and bring
them bound to Jerusalem. When he drew nigh unto Damascus, there suddenly
shone round about him a light from heaven. He fell upon the earth and
heard a voice, saying: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? I am Jesus,
whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad!
Saul asked: What wilt thou, Lord, that I should do? The Lord answered:
Arise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must
do. Saul rose up; he was blind, and had to be led by the hand.
There was in Damascus a Christian named Ananias. The Lord said to him in
a vision: Go to Saul that he may receive his sight. Ananias answered: I
have heard of this man, how much evil he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem,
and to all that call upon Thy name. The Lord said: Go; for he is a
chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and
the children of Israel. And Ananias went, and laid his hands upon him.
And straightway there fell as it were scales from his eyes, and he
received his sight and was baptized. And straightway in the synagogues
he proclaimed Jesus, that He is the Son of God. Later on he was called
Paul, and was acknowledged by the other apostles as a fellow-apostle;
and by the grace of God he labored more than the other apostles.
He made three great journeys, going far abroad, and is called the
Apostle of the Gentiles. At Antioch in Syria he preached for a whole
year, and it was here the believers were first called Christians. He
proceeded to Greece, Europe, and the Word made good progress, and he
strengthened the converts by the letters he wrote to the churches.
But the Jews persecuted him in every place, and when he, after his third
journey, came to Jerusalem, they laid hold on him and would kill him;
but the Roman governor sent him to Rome to be judged by the emperor, to
whom Paul had appealed; for he was a Roman citizen. The emperor Nero
acquitted him, and it is told that he undertook a fourth missionary
journey. During his absence Nero began the first great persecution
against the Christians. When Paul came back from his last journey, he
was beheaded at Rome, at the same time that Peter was crucified (about
sixty-seven years after the birth of Christ.) (Acts 9, 13-28.)
104. The Destruction of Jerusalem
The Lord had foretold that there should not be left one stone upon
another in Jerusalem. This was fulfilled in this way: The Romans set
cruel governors over the country, and at last the Jews concluded that it
was better for all to die at once than to be killed one by one. They
revolted, and defended themselves with great bravery. Titus, who later
on became emperor, came against Jerusalem with an army, and surrounded
the city on all sides. It was at the time of the Passover, and a great
multitude of Jews from all countries had come to Jerusalem to keep the
feast. The famine became so terrible that a mother is said to have
slaughtered her own child for food. Over one million of Jews are said to
have perished during the siege, and about one hundred thousand were
taken prisoners. Titus crucified multitudes of them, others were sold
into slavery, or made to fight with wild animals for the amusement of
the Romans. Titus had commanded that the temple be spared; but a soldier
threw a firebrand into it, and it was consumed. This happened about
seventy years after the birth of Christ.--Josephus, a leader of the
Jews, has told about the destruction of Jerusalem. He was taken prisoner
and was with Titus to the end of the war.
The Christians believed the prophecy of the Lord and left the city
before Titus surrounded it.
Since that time the Jews have been scattered through all lands. The Lord
has promised that even they once shall repent, and believe on Him, the
crucified Redeemer.
105. The Apostle John
Of all the other apostles it is stated that they suffered martyrdom,
except John, who died a natural death in the city of Ephesus, one
hundred years old; and he thus survived the destruction of Jerusalem. He
was for some years exiled to the island of Patmos, but was afterwards
permitted to return to Ephesus.
He has been called the Apostle of Love, as Paul has been called the
Apostle of Faith. It is told of John that when he was very old, and
could no longer walk to the assemblies of the Christians he was carried
thither, and said each time only these words: My children, love one
another!
106. The Writings of the New Testament
That part of the Bible called the New Testament contains twenty-seven
writings, which have been written either by the apostles or their
disciples. These writings are:
1-4. The four Gospels, written: 1. by Matthew; 2. by Mark; 3. by Luke;
4. by John. Mark was a disciple of Peter, and Luke a disciple of
Paul.
5. The Acts of the Apostles, by Luke.
6-18. Thirteen epistles, or letters, of Paul: 1. The epistle to the
Romans; 2 and 3. First and second epistles to the Corinthians; 4. The
epistle to the Galatians; 5. The epistle to the Ephesians; 6. The
epistle to the Philippians; 7. The epistle to the Colossians; 8 and
9. The first and the second epistle to the Thessalonians; 10 and 11.
The first and the second epistle to Timothy, who was bishop in the
church of Ephesus; 12. The epistle to Titus, bishop in the church on
the island of Crete; 13. The epistle to Philemon.
19. The epistle to the Hebrews, supposed to have been written by one
of the disciples of Paul.
20-26. Seven epistles, called general, or catholic, because they were
written to several congregations: 1. James; 2 and 3. First and second
epistles of Peter; 4, 5 and 6. First, second and third epistles of
John; 7. Jude. James was the bishop, or overseer, of the church at
Jerusalem. Jude, or Judas, is supposed to be the brother of James.
27. The last writing in our Bible is the Revelation of John. In this
writing the apostle describes a vision, which he had on the island of
Patmos, and in which the struggle and victory of the kingdom of God
is described.
BRIEF OUTLINE
of the History of the Church after the Death of the Apostles
1. Progress of Christianity. The Christians are Persecuted
At the time of Christ all the countries around the Mediterranean Sea
were ruled by the Roman emperor. The Romans, and still more the Greeks,
who were subject to them, excelled all other peoples at that time in
science and arts. But they were heathens, and did not know the true God.
Many had, however, lost faith in their own gods, and began to look about
for salvation elsewhere. And with these the Gospel speedily found
entrance. Paul had established Christian congregations in Macedonia and
Greece; and even in Rome there was a large congregation. About one
hundred years after the death of Christ there were congregations
throughout the Roman empire. But heathenism was still very powerful, and
many ridiculed the faith of the Christians, that One who had been
crucified should be the Savior of the world, and sit at the right hand
of God, and should return to judge the quick and the dead. They did not
confine themselves to ridicule; many of the emperors permitted the
Christians to worship their Lord and Savior in peace; but others
persecuted them cruelly, as Nero had persecuted them in the days of the
apostles. For about two hundred and fifty years the Christians were
exposed to persecutions, and many were those who suffered death for
Christ’s sake. Polycarp, who in his youth had heard the apostle John,
was in his old age bishop of Smyrna, in Asia Minor. He was brought
before the Roman governor, who promised him his liberty if he would
curse Christ. But he answered: Eighty and six years have I served Him,
and He never did me aught but good; how can I then curse Him, my Lord
and my Savior? The governor threatened to cast him before wild beasts.
But Polycarp remained steadfast. He was sentenced to be burned alive,
and he ascended the pyre, praising the Lord who found him worthy to
suffer the death of a martyr.
Many both men and women remained steadfast during the tortures. Many
heathens who beheld this were awakened to forsake their idols and
believe on that Lord who could inspire His believers with such courage.
And thus the persecutions served to open many hearts for Christianity.
2. Constantine the Great
Constantine, who has been called the Great, became emperor over the
whole Roman empire in the year of our Lord 323. He was friendly toward
Christianity, and proclaimed full religious liberty, so persecutions now
ceased in all Roman countries. On his deathbed he confessed Christianity
and was baptized. In his time magnificent churches were erected, and the
clergy came to great influence and honor. Unfortunately he gave the
Church, and especially the clergy, too many privileges, and helped to
advance the power of the bishops. In the course of time this became more
and more destructive to the Church.
At the time of Constantine there arose in Alexandria, in Egypt, a
heretic by the name of Arius. He taught that Christ was not from
eternity, but had a beginning, at the beginning of time, and was
consequently a creature. Alexander, the bishop of Arius, defended the
faith of the Church, that the Son was true God, begotten of the Father
from eternity, and One with the Father. Many took sides with Arius, and
therefore Constantine called a council or synod of the Church at Nice,
in Asia Minor, in the year 325. The Church had at that time eighteen
hundred bishops. Of these, three hundred and eighteen met. Athanasius,
who took the part of Alexander, especially exerted a great influence on
the meeting through his clear exposition of the Word of God and by his
great gift as a speaker. After a discussion lasting two months Arius was
excommunicated from the Church as a heretic teaching false doctrines.
His doctrine nevertheless found adherents for about three hundred years,
and even at the present time we meet with them. The Church had to resist
other heretics in subsequent times.
3. Mohammed
Southeast of Palestine the large peninsula of Arabia is situated. Here
lived about the year 600 a man named Mohammed. He was a merchant, who
for the sake of commerce visited many countries, and became acquainted
with both the Jewish and the Christian religion. He was a clever man,
and had great gifts as a speaker. He determined to start a new religion,
composed partly of what he had heard and partly of his own inventions.
He pretended, perhaps imagined, that the angel Gabriel had appeared to
him in a cave, and had instructed him what to teach. His chief doctrine
was: There is one God, and Mohammed is his prophet. God had sent many
prophets into the world, such as Moses and Christ; but Mohammed was the
last and the greatest. He promised his followers a paradise of sensual
pleasures. There was at this time a great deal of division in the
Church, and no single country was powerful enough to resist the
Arabians. At the time of Mohammed’s death he ruled over all of Arabia;
and his successors, called Caliphs, conquered many countries in Asia and
Africa, and they nearly exterminated Christianity where they came into
power. The Arabians penetrated even into Europe, and conquered Spain,
where they existed for about eight centuries.
The teachings of Mohammed are contained in a book called the Koran. His
adherents are called Mohammedans. The Turks are Mohammedans, but have
taken the power from the Arabians, and the sultan of Turkey, residing in
Constantinople, is the head of the “faithful.”
4. Introduction of Christianity in the North
While Christianity suffered such great losses in Asia and Africa, it was
spread by faithful workers over the whole of Europe. A monk by the name
of Ansgar, afterward called Saint Ansgar, came from Germany to Denmark
in 826, and labored there and in Sweden for the introduction of
Christianity for forty years, surrounded by many dangers. He has been
called the Apostle of the North. It took, however, a long time before
Christianity was firmly established in these countries. In olden times
the people of Norway, as well as of Denmark and Sweden, were heathens;
their gods were called Asas. But at the time when Christianity reached
Norway, the faith in Odin and Thor was not very firm. Many believed in
nothing but their own strength. It is thus told about King Harald the
Fairhaired, that he placed no trust in the Asas, but “believed in that
god who was the strongest, and had made all and ruled over all.” The
Northmen who first heard anything about Christ were Vikings, who sailed
west and south on their robbing expeditions. Some of these were
baptized, many only in order to receive the presents that were given
those who were baptized. But such Christianity as this had no power, and
we hear nothing of any efforts on their part to spread it when they came
home. The Norse chief, Helge the Lean, who had been brought up in
Ireland in the Christian faith, and later resided in Iceland, continued
in his faith in Christ; but when he was on the sea or in danger he
turned to Thor.
Haakon the Good, who in England had been brought up in the Christian
faith, wished to introduce it into Norway, when he was made king. He
even got some priests from England and built some churches; but the
people of Trondhjem opposed his efforts, and Haakon himself was forced
to sacrifice to the gods.
Haakon the Earl was the last heathen ruler of Norway. He believed so
strongly in the power of the old gods that during the battle with the
Jomsvikings he sacrificed his own son to obtain victory. In an
insurrection he was killed by his own slave, and Olav Trygveson became
king. He had accepted Christianity during one of his sea expeditions,
and had been baptized. He was zealous for the progress of the faith, and
traveled through the country to Christianize the people. Where this
could not be accomplished with leniency, force was employed. Several who
resisted baptism were tortured to death. He introduced Christianity in
Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, but did not reign long enough
over Norway to accomplish his purpose there. When he had reigned five
years, he fell in the battle at Svolder, in the year 1000.
Olav Haraldson, afterwards known as Saint Olav, introduced Christianity
throughout Norway. On one of his Viking expeditions he had been
converted and baptized. He was of an earnest character, and Christianity
made a deep impression on his mind. He resolved to Christianize the
whole country, and for that reason went from one district to another,
building churches and installing priests.
According to the custom of the times he often employed cruel means. The
people were provoked and rose in rebellion, and Olav fled to Gardarike,
or Russia. From thence he returned after a time with an army, and
treated the people with great kindness, but they met him with a superior
force at Stiklestad, where Olav was killed after a great slaughter, in
the year 1030. He had then been king for about sixteen years.--Miracles
were soon reported to have been wrought by his corpse, and after a few
years he was canonized as a saint. His bones were put in a shrine, which
afterwards was placed on the altar of the cathedral at Trondhjem, where
they remained until the time of the Reformation. Pilgrimages were made
to this relic from far and near; pilgrimages belonged to the
superstitions of the times.
5. The Popes, The Monks
The bishop of Rome soon became the most powerful among the bishops and
was called pope, that is, papa (father). Some popes were pious,
God-fearing men, who were zealous for the advancement of God’s kingdom
on earth; others endeavored only to extend their own power and
importance; and some were downright wicked.
The popes claimed and claim to this day that they are the
representatives of Christ on earth. They made the claim that Christ had
placed Peter over the other apostles and over the whole Christian
Church. Furthermore, that Peter was the first bishop in Rome, and that
his power was inherited by the following bishops. As the vicegerents of
Christ they, of course, must be infallible in doctrine; but they have
nevertheless often advanced doctrines that were only human opinions, and
even in direct opposition to the Scriptures. They established the
doctrine to worship the virgin Mary and other dead men and women, and
canonized them as saints. They claimed that these saints prevailed
greatly with God, and therefore prayers must be offered to them for
intercession and help. These saints were said through works of penitence
and good deeds to have done not only enough to be saved themselves, but
to have had a surplus of holiness. This treasure of sanctity the popes
had a right to dispose of, and could even sell it for money. Thus arose
the horrible sale of indulgences.
Baptism and the old confession of faith, or the three Articles of Faith,
remained unchanged; but the Lord’s Supper had been greatly changed.
Laymen may only eat of the bread, but must not drink of the wine.
The popes tyrannized conscience and assumed the power to release any one
from the oath he had sworn. Whosoever would not submit to the command of
the pope were placed under the ban, that is, they were in a solemn
manner excommunicated from all the blessings of the Church and
surrendered to eternal damnation.--The worst of all was, that the people
were prohibited from reading the Bible, so they could not see how
erroneous the doctrines of the Church were in many respects.
Besides the regular priesthood, the monks were also considered servants
of the Church. Some of the monks dwelt alone in secluded places, and
were then called hermits. Others dwelt together in large buildings,
called convents or monasteries. Their superior is called abbot. The
abbot is under the control of the pope, who thus has the monks in his
service. Women dwelling in convents, and in general subject to the same
rules as the monks, are called nuns. Their female superior is called
abbess. The monks were in the beginning pious and God-fearing men;
besides this they were industrious, and labored for education. Later on
they became worse, they were indolent and riotous, and too many of them
broke their promise of chastity. No one else spread so many
superstitions and errors among the people as the monks.
6. The Reformation
The heresies of the Church were so numerous and so great that many could
not help perceiving them. But the popes were for many centuries so
powerful that any one who dared to oppose them would fare badly. John
Huss in Bohemia had preached against the sale of indulgences, and was
therefore burned alive at a great church meeting held in the city of
Constance, even though the emperor had given his word that he should be
permitted to depart in peace from the meeting. The emperor was informed
that he was under no obligation to keep his word to a heretic.
Meanwhile more and more people began to have their eyes opened to the
condition of the Church. Education became greater and more extended, for
the art of printing had been invented.
About one hundred years after Huss was burned, Martin Luther stood forth
and began that great improvement in the condition of the Church which is
called The Reformation. Luther was born in 1483, of poor parents, in the
city of Eisleben, Saxony, in the center of Germany. According to the
intention of his father he was to read law, but on account of his
anxiety for his soul’s salvation he, at the age of twenty-two, entered a
convent and became a monk. Here he faithfully performed all the
requirements of a life in the convent: prayed, fasted and mortified his
flesh; but he could not find peace for his soul. An old monk advised him
to seek consolation in the old, then almost forgotten words: I believe
in the forgiveness of sins. These words Luther took to heart, and as he
diligently read the Bible and the writings of the church fathers[8], he
at last clearly saw that man is justified by faith apart from the works
of the law. After Luther had been in a convent for three years, he was
called as teacher to the university at Wittenberg. Hither came a hawker
of indulgences, a monk named Tetzel, who with the greatest audacity sold
forgiveness of sins for money. At this, Luther was filled with
indignation, and on the 31st of October, 1517, he nailed on the door of
the castle church in Wittenberg ninety-five theses against the sale of
indulgences and other errors. These theses were quickly circulated
throughout Germany, and many pious and educated men acknowledged that
Luther was right. It was not Luther’s intention to attack the pope, for
he yet believed that the papacy was instituted of God, and thought that
when the pope should be informed of the true condition of the case, he
would grant his approval of Luther’s act. But they thought differently
in Rome. Luther was placed under the ban of the Church. In the meantime
he had diligently read the Bible and history, and it was clear to him
the papacy was not instituted of God. He therefore paid no attention to
the ban, but took the bull[9] of the pope and burned it under an oak
outside of the city of Wittenberg. He was now summoned to appear before
Charles V., emperor of the Roman empire, at the diet held in the city of
Worms, 1521. Many dissuaded him from going; they reminded him of the
fate of Huss; but Luther answered: If there were as many devils in Worms
as there are tiles on the roofs, yet would I go. When he came to Worms,
he was ushered into the diet, an assembly where the emperor, the legate
of the pope and many princes and bishops were gathered. It was demanded
that he at once should recant everything he had taught; but Luther
answered: Unless I am convinced by the Scriptures, or by clear and
binding reasons, I neither can nor will recant; for it is not advisable
to do anything against conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise.
God help me! Amen.
-----
Footnote 8: Church fathers: The early teachers in the Church.
Footnote 9: Bull: The writing containing the ban.
-----
He was now declared an outlaw, and any one could with impunity kill him.
He was, however, permitted to leave Worms in peace. But the elector of
Saxony, his prince and protector, caused his own servants to seize him
as he was departing, and had him secretly carried to the castle of
Wartburg. Here he abode unknown for ten months, and the world believed
he was dead. In this place he began his excellent translation of the
Bible into German, and finished the New Testament. At the end of that
time he returned to Wittenberg and continued to labor by preaching and
writing. In 1529 he published his Small Catechism, to be used in the
instruction of children and youth, and his Larger Catechism as an aid
for the teachers.
Luther’s adherents daily became more numerous. Among them were many
princes. At the diet of Augsburg, in 1530, they laid before the emperor
a confession of their faith, written by the learned and gentle Philip
Melanchthon, and approved by Luther. In the Augsburg Confession the
Lutherans had now secured a confession, in which they all united. All
who would could now see for themselves that Luther did not teach a new
doctrine, but the old, true Christian faith.
When Luther died, in 1546, his doctrine was spread over half of Germany,
the whole of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and had gained adherents in
England, France and other countries.
Contemporaneously with Luther, Ulric Zwingli stood forth in Switzerland
against the sale of indulgences and other errors. His work was continued
by the Frenchman, John Calvin. Calvin’s adherents are called Calvinists,
or Reformed; they differ from the Lutherans in the doctrine concerning
the Lord’s Supper, predestination and some other doctrines. The Reformed
confessions are held in Switzerland, Holland, Scotland, England, and to
some extent in France. Lutherans and Calvinists are called, although
historically improperly, with one common name, Protestants, in
opposition to the adherents of the pope, who are called Roman Catholics.
7. Reformation Introduced in the North
Hans Tausen, a Danish monk, had studied at Wittenberg and heard Luther.
On his return to Denmark he preached the Evangelical doctrine, and it
was adopted in 1536 as the religion of the country.
In about the same manner it went in Sweden. Two brothers, Olaf and Lars
Pehrson, had studied in Wittenberg, and brought the Evangelical faith
home on their return. It was in 1544 adopted as the religion of the
country.
Norway was but poorly prepared for the Reformation. Education was poor.
A German monk named Anton preached the Evangelical doctrine in Bergen in
1528. His preaching found favor with the citizens, and the bishop, an
indolent man, moved to his residence outside of the city; but we find no
account of any general awakening. Anton afterwards became priest in the
city.
Norway was at that time united to Denmark. When the Reformation,
therefore, was introduced into that country, it was as a natural
consequence established in Norway, in 1537. At first it found small
favor with the people, who remained Roman Catholic, and in several
places even used violence against the Evangelical clergy. Little by
little, however, the Evangelical doctrine became better known and found
more favor with the people. This was owing more to the bishops Geble
Pedersen in Bergen, Jens Nilsen in Oslo and Jørgen Eriksen in Stavanger
than to anybody else. Eriksen has been called “the Luther of Norway.”
8. The Lutheran Church in the United States of America
The Lutheran Church was transplanted to North America in the sixteenth,
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by the immigration of Lutherans
from France, Holland, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland
and other lands.
The Lutheran Church in America has always been in spirit and loyalty, in
character and institutions, an American Church.
According to the “Lutheran World Almanac for 1927-1928” there has been a
growth in membership from 900 in 1562 to 4,112,680 in 1927.
The Lutherans of America are divided into 21 general bodies, as follows:
United Lutheran Church, consisting of 35 constituent synods, 1,311,167
baptized members; Joint Ohio Synod, 256,575; Iowa Synod, 214,257;
Buffalo Synod, 11,083; Jehovah Conference, 1,500; Augustana Synod,
308,943; Norwegian Lutheran Church, 488,108; Lutheran Free Church,
43,094; Eielsen Synod, 1,200; Church of the Lutheran Brethren, 1,600;
United Danish Church, 29,259; Danish church, 19,200; Icelandic Synod,
7,936; Suomi Synod, 35,300; Finnish National Church, 8,032; Finnish
Apostolic Church, 50,000; Missouri Synod, 1,086,953; Joint Wisconsin
Synod, 212,558; Slovak Synod, 13,131; Norwegian Synod, 7,611; Negro
Mission of Synodical Conference, 5,123.
There are 27 Lutheran =Publication Houses=, publishing in 1927 177
papers, having 1,699,385 subscribers; also 541 new books, 237 reprints,
106 pamphlets, a total of 3,126,510 copies.
Of =Higher Schools= there were 159: Theological Seminaries, 33, with 180
teachers and 1,637 students; Colleges, 36, with 779 teachers and 14,203
students; Junior colleges and academies, 90, with 793 teachers and
15,813 students;--a grand total of 1,752 teachers and 31,653 students,
18,614 boys and 13,039 girls.
Each Synod maintains or supports some =Foreign Mission= work, both
through its regular Board of Missions and voluntary agencies,
particularly the women’s federations and young people’s societies. The
chief mission fields are in: China, India, Japan and Kurdistan, Liberia,
South Africa, Tanganyika, Madagascar and New Guinea; also among Indians
of North and South America, Negroes and Eskimos. 881 missionaries and
6,727 native workers are engaged in the foreign fields among a baptized
membership of 262,760, on an annual budget of $2,681,963.00.
The =Home Mission= Boards, with an annual appropriation of $2,352,125.00
try to gather the unchurched Lutherans of America into the Church and
aim also to bring the Gospel to the unchurched neighbors of every race
and color within the United States and Canada.
The work of =Charity= is pushed in many ways by Boards, Committees,
Societies and Institutions. Of institutions there are 73 =Orphans’
Homes=, with 597 employees, caring for 4,700 children; 69 =Homes for the
Aged=, with 387 employees and 2,499 inmates; 106 =Hospitals= and Homes
for =Defectives=, with 3,884 employees and 236,228 patients. There are
11 =Deaconess Homes=. The 31 =Home Finding Societies=, with 100
employees, placed 473 children in homes during 1927.
There are also many other activities, congregational, synodical and
intersynodical. One of the chief intersynodical agencies is the
=National Lutheran Council=, organized in 1918 to meet emergencies
requiring common action. This Agency has expended several million
dollars during the decennium in relief and reconstruction work in the
countries afflicted by the World War; also in rescuing the foreign
mission fields affected by the War.
The Lutheran Church in America emphasizes the importance of Biblical
teaching and preaching and strict obedience to the Word of God by its
members.
The Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was organized on June 9, 1917,
by the union of the Hauge Synod, the Norwegian Synod and the United
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.
9. Missions. Bible Societies
After the Reformation, Christianity has been proclaimed in far distant
lands by missionaries. Hans Egede, a clergyman in Vaagen, Nordland,
Norway, resigned his charge to go and preach the Gospel in Greenland.
None had gone there with the Word of God since the Black Death in the
fourteenth century.
In 1842 the Norwegian Mission Society was organized. Schreuder went as
its first missionary to southern Africa. He labored mostly among the
Zulus, among whom he died in 1882. Many followed his example and went
out to heathen nations to bear witness of Christ. The society later on
began missionary work in the island of Madagascar, where it has
established many large Christian congregations.
The Norwegian Lutheran Synods in America have also been engaged in
mission work among the heathen, as follows: the Norwegian Lutheran
Church of America has its field at Hupeh and Honan, China, with 70
missionaries and 873 native workers; in southeastern Madagascar, with 31
missionaries and 450 native workers; in Natal including Zululand, South
Africa, with 8 missionaries; among the Indians of Wisconsin, with 2
missionaries; among the Eskimos of Alaska, with 3 missionaries. (The
figures are for 1927.) The Norwegian Lutheran Free Church has its fields
in southwestern Madagascar and Honan, China; the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (Elling Synod), among the Indians of Wisconsin; the
Lutheran Synod of the Brethren, in Honan, China. In addition to these
synodical missions, the Norwegian Lutherans of America have conducted
independent missions among the Jews of Palestine, Russia and the United
States, the Santals of India, the Nestorians of Chaldea, the Mohammedans
of Kurdistan and the Negroes of the Southern States and the Soudan.
Both Catholics and Reformed have, during the last century, been
energetic in missionary work. In 1926 about 750 Protestant Missionary
Societies were in existence, carrying on missionary work amongst the
heathen in every part of the world. Four hundred and fifty of these
societies were working in Asia, 200 in Africa, 200 in North America, 110
in South America, 60 in Australia and the South Sea Islands.
The earliest Bible society was the Canstein of Halle, founded in 1712.
The largest Bible society is the British and Foreign Bible Society,
founded in 1804. It has translated the Bible or parts of it into many
languages and dialects, and has distributed about 400,000,000 Bibles and
New Testaments. There are also other important Bible societies, of which
we shall mention two: the Norwegian Bible Society, organized in 1816,
which has issued about 3,000,000 Bibles and New Testaments; the American
Bible Society, organized in 1816, which has issued over 185,000,000
Bibles and New Testaments. In 1926 the Bible was translated into 800
languages and dialects. Of 10 million copies given away in 1926, China
alone got almost 4 million copies.
The Gospel has never before been preached in so many countries as at
present, but yet the prophecy is far from being fulfilled, that there
shall be one Flock and one Shepherd. In 1927 the population of the world
was 1,850,000,000; and of these only 683,000,000 were nominally
Christians, while 15,000,000 were Jews, 209,000,000 were Mohammedans,
and 943,000,000 were heathen.
10. A Brief Sketch of the Holy Land
The country known by the names of Canaan, Palestine, the Holy Land and
the Promised Land is located in Asia, at the eastern end of the
Mediterranean Sea, and not far from Africa. It is not far from Europe,
and consequently very near the center of that part of the earth which
was known to the ancients. It has an extent of less than six thousand
square miles, being about one twenty-second part of the size of the
kingdom of Norway. It has now about three hundred and fifty thousand
inhabitants, but had formerly a great many more. When King David
numbered the people, he found one million three hundred thousand who
could bear arms. One-fourth of a population is generally considered able
to bear arms, and the number of inhabitants at that time must have
exceeded five millions.
The country is very mountainous. To the north, in Syria, is Mount
Lebanon, ten thousand feet at its highest, and east of this is Mount
Hermon. Lebanon was famed for its magnificent cedars. From Lebanon and
Hermon two mountain ranges extend southward through the whole length of
the country, one to the west, the other to the east of the river Jordan.
Jerusalem lies two thousand five hundred feet above the ocean. The river
Jordan runs two hundred miles from north to south, and divides the
country into two parts. It flows through the Lake of Gennesaret, which
has been and is yet very rich in fish, and empties into the Dead Sea,
which is forty-five miles long and ten miles wide. The Dead Sea lies
thirteen hundred feet lower than the Mediterranean Sea. The water has a
bitter taste and is very salty. Neither animal nor vegetable life can
exist in it. If a fish happens to stray from the Jordan into the lake,
it dies. Such is now the condition of that plain which once upon a time
was as the garden of Eden.
Palestine lies far south; its summers are therefore hot, and the winters
mild. In Jerusalem, which lies at such great altitude, snow may
occasionally fall in January and February, but melts immediately.--The
land used to be very fruitful, producing grain, wine, many kinds of
fruit, and had good pastures. In the Bible it is called “a land flowing
with milk and honey.” Now it is entirely different. The country has
through many centuries been badly governed, and the saying appears to be
true that where the Turk sets his foot, grass will grow no more.--Of
forests may be mentioned the Woods of Ephraim, where Joab slew Absalom.
The cedar wood, with which Solomon ceiled the temple, came from
Lebanon.--The camel was a beast of burden, and used mostly in
traveling.--Of wild animals there were lions and bears, as we read in
the stories of Samson and David.
The country was at first divided into twelve parts among the twelve
tribes. Later on it was divided into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.
At the time of our Savior it was divided into four parts: Judæa,
Samaria, Galilee and Perea. Judæa was the southern, Samaria the middle,
Galilee the northern part west of the Jordan river; while Perea was east
of the Jordan.
Chronological Table
1. Abraham goes to Canaan, about 1921 B.C.
2. Moses born, about 1571 B.C.
3. David becomes king, about 1055 B.C.
4. The kingdom is divided, about 975 B.C.
5. Kingdom of Israel destroyed, about 722 B.C.
6. The people of the Kingdom of Judah carried 586 B.C.
into captivity
7. Death of Paul and Peter 67 A.D.
8. Destruction of Jerusalem 70 A.D.
9. Constantine the Great 323 A.D.
10. Mohammed 600 A.D.
11. Saint Olav in Norway 1030 A.D.
12. Luther begins the Reformation 1517 A.D.
13. The Augsburg Confession 1530 A.D.
14. The Reformation introduced in Norway 1537 A.D.
15. The first Protestant Mission Society 1649 A.D.
organized, about
16. The first Bible Society organized 1712 A.D.
17. American Bible Society organized 1816 A.D.
18. Norwegian Bible Society organized 1816 A.D.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Transcriber’s Note:
The footnotes were moved to the relevant paragraph.
There are minor inconsistencies between the table of contents and the
actual chapter headings.
For example, the first section is named "Creation." in the TOC, but
"The Creation" in the heading. Those are not noted here.
There are 2 headings that differ between the Contents and the body text
and have been left as published in the original publication:
(TOC) 92. Peter’s Denial. The Death of Judas.
(TXT) 92. Peter’s Denial. The Suicide of Judas
(TOC) 106. The Books of the New Testament.
(TXT) 106. The Writings of the New Testament
----------------------------------------------------------------
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