Study Desk

Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,

"For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.

Getting up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.

"FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER,

And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her;

And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!"

The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.

Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.

And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples,

He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening.

The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN'S BROTHER DIES and leaves behind a wife AND LEAVES NO CHILD, HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER.

"David himself calls Him 'Lord'; so in what sense is He his son?" And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.

In His teaching He was saying: "Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places,