Study Desk

"But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not so much as lift his eyes to Heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "`O God, be reconciled to me, sinner that I am.'

Jesus saw his sorrow, and said, "With how hard a struggle do the possessors of riches ever enter the Kingdom of God!

Then, at the top of his voice, he cried out, "Jesus, son of David, take pity on me."

No sooner were the words spoken than the man regained his sight and followed Jesus, giving glory to God; and all the people, seeing it, gave praise to God.

As they were listening to His words, He went on to teach them by a parable, because He was near to Jerusalem and they supposed that the Kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

And he called ten of his servants and gave each of them a pound, instructing them to trade with the money during his absence.

"Now his countrymen hated him, and sent a deputation after him to say, `We are not willing that he should become our king.'

And upon his return, after he had obtained the sovereignty, he ordered those servants to whom he had given the money to be summoned before him, that he might learn their success in trading.

But they could not find any way of doing it, for the people all hung upon His lips.

So, after impatiently watching their opportunity, they sent spies who were to act the part of good and honest men, that they might fasten on some expression of His, so as to hand Him over to the ruling power and the Governor's authority.

There was nothing here that they could lay hold of before the people, and marvelling at His answer they said no more.

"Rabbi, Moses made it a law for us that if a man's brother should die, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.

"David himself therefore calls Him Lord, and how can He be his son?"

His habit at this time was to teach in the Temple by day, but to go out and spend the night on the Mount called the Oliveyard.

When the time was come, and He had taken His place at table, and the Apostles with Him,

For indeed the Son of Man goes on His way--His pre-destined way; yet alas for that man who is betraying Him!"

"But now," said He, "let the one who has a purse take it, and he who has a bag must do the same. And let him who has no sword sell his outer garment and buy one.

On going out, He proceeded as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him.

while He--an agony of distress having come upon Him--prayed all the more with intense earnestness, and His sweat became like clots of blood dropping on the ground.

When He rose from his prayer and came to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow.