"Granny's Chapters" Part 6

What our Lord said, displeased those who were not really willing and anxious to be taught their duty, in order to do it: and in consequence, many of those who had been reckoned amongst His disciples, "went back and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?" Peter, in the name of the rest, immediately declared his faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, saying, "Lord to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d." Believing this, Peter declared that whatever happened, they would hold fast to Him, and obey Him: let _us_ make the same determination; and obey the Word of the Lord, whether it tells us what we _like_ or not. Jesus now showed, that He knew the hearts of all men; for alluding to Judas He answered, "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" thus teaching Peter not to be too hasty in answering for other men, since even in so small a number as the twelve, there was one whose heart was not really devoted to Him.

The Pharisees with certain of the Scribes came together unto Jesus, and blamed Him for not observing all the "traditions of the elders."

Then Jesus explained to the Pharisees, that all their was.h.i.+ngs and outward performances could never please G.o.d, unless they also loved and served Him, and put away all their sins.

In one of those journeys which Jesus was constantly taking, He went to that part of the country bordering on Tyre and Sidon. Here a poor woman, a Gentile, came to Him, and prayed Him to heal her daughter, who had an unclean spirit. This woman, living on the borders of the land of Judaea, had doubtless heard that the Messiah was expected; and she was certainly convinced that Jesus was that Messiah, and that He had power even to cast out devils. This poor woman now came to Jesus, and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." At first Jesus took no notice of her, and answered her not a word. The poor woman continued her supplications, but still in vain; this greatly surprised the disciples, who were used to see their heavenly Master listening to the prayers of all who were in distress: they were grieved also for this poor creature, who followed them, crying out for mercy; and therefore they begged their Lord to "send her away," that is, to grant her pet.i.tion, that she might go away in peace. Jesus answered, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." The benefits of Christ's teaching and miracles, were at first to be offered to the Jews, the chosen people of G.o.d; and this woman, being a Gentile, had no claim to share them. The whole nation of the Jews, scattered without any ruler or shepherd, might well be called "lost sheep"--sheep who had strayed from their Shepherd, even from G.o.d, and who must be lost unless they were brought back to Him. The Scriptures often speak of the people of G.o.d, as his sheep: and sinners are compared to sheep, who, instead of following their shepherd, have gone astray. In the Confession, which forms part of our Morning Service, we say, "We have erred and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep." In the East, sheep were not driven by the shepherd as with us, but followed him: remembering this fact will be a help towards understanding many pa.s.sages of Scripture, especially some in the Gospel written by St. John. The poor woman continued to implore mercy; and coming nearer to the Lord, "She fell down and wors.h.i.+pped him, saying, Lord, help me!" Jesus now answered, and said, "Let the children first be filled; for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs."

The Jews looked upon every nation except their own as "unclean"; and likened them to dogs, which are unclean animals. Jesus Himself did not look upon the Gentiles as dogs, but He spoke thus to try the faith of the woman, and to show those who were about Him, that faith in Him would save Gentiles as well as Jews.

The Lord's reply to the Syrophenician woman would have disheartened most, and offended many; but she was too much in earnest to be repulsed easily: she was quite willing to own that the Gentiles were not _worthy_ to be looked upon, as in any way equal to the children of Israel, G.o.d's peculiar people: she knew she had no _claim_ to the mercy of the Lord; but still, hoping to share it, she reminded Jesus, that even the dogs were allowed to pick up the crumbs which their masters did not need: she believed that in Jesus there were help and mercy for every living creature, and that He could heal the Gentiles, without taking any blessing from the Jews; therefore, she at once answered, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." Jesus was no longer silent: pleased with her faith, He said aloud, "O woman, great is thy faith: for this saying, be it unto thee even as thou wilt: go thy way: the devil is gone out of thy daughter." Even as He spake the words, the unclean spirit was cast out: "And her daughter was made whole from that very hour;" so that when the mother, who at once went home, "was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed."

This poor Gentile woman is an example to us, to go on praying earnestly to G.o.d, although He may see fit not at once to grant our pet.i.tions. When we know that we are asking right and proper things, we must pray on in faith, and wait patiently. We should pray that the Devil, and all the bad feelings and thoughts he puts into our hearts, may be cast out of us, and of those we love. For this we must go on praying earnestly: Jesus granted the prayer of the Syrophenician woman because of her faith; and if we have faith like hers, He will most certainly answer our prayers: but we must watch and fight, as well as pray: for, if we encourage the Devil to abide in our hearts, we cannot expect that the Lord will cast him out.

After this miracle, Jesus, "departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, came unto the Sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis." Here we are told, that He cured one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and that "great mult.i.tudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus's feet; and he healed them: insomuch that the mult.i.tude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the G.o.d of Israel." They glorified and praised G.o.d with their words, because of the wonderful things they had seen; but few of them, it is to be feared, glorified Him in their hearts, by becoming His disciples.

At this time, Jesus, having compa.s.sion upon the mult.i.tude, who had been with him for three days, listening to His words, and were now faint for want of food, fed 4,000 men, besides women and children, with seven loaves and a few little fishes: this time, seven baskets were filled with the pieces left, after everybody was satisfied.

Soon after the feeding of this mult.i.tude, Jesus "entered into a s.h.i.+p with his disciples, and came into the coast of Magdala, into the parts of Dalmanutha," to the S.E. of the Sea of Tiberias. "And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the s.h.i.+p with them more than one loaf."

Jesus, who lost no opportunity of impressing His lessons on His disciples, now "said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the Sadducees, and of the leaven of Herod." By leaven, our Saviour here means the doctrines and opinions taught by the Pharisees and Sadducees; doctrines very different from His, for they looked upon religion as consisting mostly in outward forms and ceremonies; whilst, in their hearts, they indulged all manner of evil pa.s.sions. Jesus desired to teach His disciples, that, if they in any way followed the doctrines of the Pharisees or Sadducees, they would soon become quite unfit to be His disciples; just as leaven quite alters the nature of the dough with which it is mixed. At first, the disciples did not understand their Lord's meaning, and thought that He was reproving them for having forgotten to bring any bread with them.

But Jesus reproved them for their want of faith, in being uneasy about a supply of needful food, after seeing the miracle worked with seven loaves and a few small fishes: and he said, "How is it that ye do not understand, that I spake it not to you concerning bread? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

Jesus then cometh to Bethsaida, where he healed a blind man; not all at once, but first allowing him to see objects indistinctly, and then restoring his sight, so that he saw all things clearly. What happened in the case of this man's bodily sight, happens generally as regards our spiritual sight, that is, our understanding of spiritual things.

Even in common learning, we do not all at once acquire knowledge; it comes by little and little, as we strive to gain it. So our understanding of things spiritual is a gradual work, carried on in our mind, by the Holy Spirit working _with_ us; but we must work, and strive, and pray, that we may grow wise unto salvation.

Chapter XIX.--THE TRANSFIGURATION.

"And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi:" that is, into the country and towns round about Caesarea Philippi, a town some miles to the north of the Sea of Galilee. The name of this city had been Paneus; but Philip, governor of that part of the country, repaired and beautified its houses and other buildings, and added more, so making quite a new and large city, which he called Caesarea, in honour of Tiberius Caesar, who became Emperor of Rome about fourteen years after the birth of Jesus Christ. There was another town called Caesarea, on the Mediterranean Sea; and to distinguish between the two, that which Philip had beautified was called Caesarea Philippi. Like most of the flouris.h.i.+ng cities mentioned in the Bible, Caesarea Philippi has been completely destroyed; and amongst its ruins there is a little village, consisting of twenty miserable huts, inhabited by Mahometans, for the Holy Land now belongs to the Turks, who are not Christians.

This little village is called Paneas or Bania.s.s. The walls of the great city can be distinctly traced. Whilst they were on this journey, Jesus "asked his disciples, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" They told Him that some thought Him John the Baptist; others, that He was Elias; others, that He was Jeremias, or some other of the old prophets, risen again from the dead. Jesus then put the still more important question, "But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d."

The Apostles were thoroughly convinced by all that they had seen and heard, that Jesus was indeed the expected Messiah. No doubt they had often talked over the matter together, and now, in the name of all the rest, Peter, always first and foremost when anything was to be done, declared most positively and unhesitatingly their belief in Jesus, as being at once G.o.d and Man. Jesus then p.r.o.nounced Peter to be blessed in having such faith. Then He told him, that the fact of His being the true Messiah was the rock upon which His Church was to be built: that is, that it was only by depending and resting upon this truth that men could become his followers, and form a Church. Jesus also told Peter, that He would give unto him the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and power to unbind or unloose. By which He seems to have meant, that Peter would have power to open the way for the Gentiles to join the Church of Christ; and that he should have power to declare how far the Laws of Moses must be kept or dispensed with; that is, what things were lawful or unlawful.

After the disciples had declared, through the mouth of Peter, their firm belief that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, He began to speak to them of His sufferings and death; but the Apostles could not easily give up the idea held by the Jews in general, that the Messiah was to establish a kingdom upon earth; and Peter therefore expressed his belief, that such terrible things could not happen to the Lord. For this, Peter was severely blamed by Jesus, who told him, that by objecting to the way appointed by G.o.d for the salvation of man, He was in reality doing Satan's work, and was an "offence" or hindrance in his Master's way.

At this same time Jesus taught those around Him the duty of self-denial; the necessity of giving up everything we most value, and bearing any pain or trouble, rather than do the least thing contrary to the Will of G.o.d. He said, "If any man will come after me," to be my disciple, "let him deny himself" the indulgence of his own will, "and take up his cross daily"; bearing cheerfully all those daily troubles and anxieties which may be called crosses, and "follow me"; follow in all things my example, for I came not to please myself, but to do the Will of G.o.d. Jesus also impressed upon them the fact, that the soul was of infinitely more value than the peris.h.i.+ng body, and that our first object must be to secure the salvation of our souls, at any cost, for "what" (said He) "shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

About a week after this, what is called the "Transfiguration" took place. St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke all give an account of this event: the place where it occurred was probably Mount Tabor, which lies a little to the S.W. of the Lake of Galilee: into this mountain Jesus went up, taking with Him Peter, and James, and John his brother.

The brief account of the Transfiguration is, that whilst Jesus was praying in the Mount, the disciples fell asleep: suddenly, when they awoke, they saw a wonderful and glorious sight--"Jesus was transfigured before them": that is, His appearance was entirely changed; "his face did s.h.i.+ne as the sun," and "his raiment became s.h.i.+ning," "exceeding white," and "glistening." Nor was He alone; for "behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish in Jerusalem." All that the three disciples now heard, should have convinced them that Jesus must indeed die, and that His death would give the very strongest proof of his being really the Son of G.o.d, the promised Messiah. The disciples would further learn, that everything which Moses and the prophets (represented by Elijah) had taught, was intended to prepare the Jews to believe in Jesus, and follow Him.

Peter, dazzled and confused at the wonderful scene before him, exclaimed, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if thou wilt let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." Peter seems to have had an idea, that Moses and Elijah had returned to remain on earth; and that if three tents were set up, they might abide with Jesus in the Mount, where he and the other disciples might be constantly with them. But as we read, "He wist not what to say, for they were sore afraid." Whilst Peter yet spake, an answer came; "a bright cloud overshadowed them," "and they feared as they entered into the cloud;" "and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."

And when the disciples heard it, knowing it to be the voice of G.o.d, "they were sore afraid, and fell on their face." "And when the voice was past, Jesus, was found alone;" "and he came and touched the disciples, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only." Moses and Elias had disappeared; whilst the voice of G.o.d had plainly declared, that as the people of G.o.d had hitherto obeyed Moses and the prophets, they were in future to look to Jesus only, the Messiah of Whom Moses and the prophets did write. The old dispensation of the Law had pa.s.sed away; but the new dispensation of the Gospel had taken its place, and would last for ever.

That the Law of Moses, even as regarded ceremonial observances, should ever be abolished or done away with, was what the Jews could not or would not believe. Even many years after the Resurrection of Jesus, we read, that many thousand Jews who believed in Christ were also zealous for the Law, that it should still be observed. It was not, therefore, at this time suitable to speak to the Jews in general of the abolition of the Law of Moses; and therefore as Jesus came down from the mountain with His disciples, He "charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead." "And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen:" "questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean." It was at this time, that in answer to a question from His disciples, whose thoughts were naturally full of what they had just seen, Jesus told them that the Elias spoken of by the prophets, as coming to prepare the way before Him, was not Elijah himself, as many supposed, but John the Baptist, who had already been put to death; and that the Son of man must in like manner suffer death.

When Jesus was come down from the mount, He found the disciples, who had not accompanied Him, surrounded by a great crowd, and the Scribes questioning, or disputing with them. A man, whose only child was possessed of an evil spirit, had brought him to the disciples, begging them to cast out the devil; "but they could not." This failure of the Apostles gave the Scribes an opportunity of trying to persuade the people, that the power of Jesus was not so great as His disciples taught; and most likely what they said made the poor father doubt the power of Jesus, in whose name he had expected the Apostles to heal his son. When Jesus heard all that had pa.s.sed, He lamented the perverse want of faith, which prevented men from believing in Him. Then He said to the man, "Bring thy son hither." Even whilst He was coming, the Devil gave a proof of his power over this poor child; and still more to convince all who stood round, that the boy really was possessed by a devil, and could not be cured by any human means, Jesus asked his father some questions on the subject: He then told the poor man, that if he could really and truly believe, there was nothing too difficult for G.o.d to do. The father did believe; but fearing that his faith was weak, and that he had sinned in allowing the Scribes to raise a doubt in his mind, he "cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!" This was enough, and "the child was cured from that very hour."

Chapter XX.--JESUS GOES TO THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.

When the disciples were alone with their Master, after the miracle of casting the devil out of the child, they naturally asked, Why, as He had given them authority to cast out evil spirits, they had not in this case been able to do so? Jesus told them plainly, that it was because their faith was weak; for that no miracle would be too hard for them if they had a lively and increasing faith, or "faith as a grain of mustard seed." This was an expression in common use amongst the Jews, to signify something very _very_ small, because the mustard seed was the least of all seeds. But when sown in the ground, the plant grows from it quickly, and spreads in every direction, so as to become quite a large plant: and thus it was very properly compared to faith, which should always be increasing and growing stronger. Jesus ended by reminding His disciples that, though He had given them permission to work miracles, they would not have power to do so, unless they prayed earnestly for it, and tried to lead holy lives.

After this, Jesus and His disciples pa.s.sed through Galilee, on their way to Capernaum. Again He spake to them of His sufferings, His death, and His rising again on the third day. Still they did not understand: they were exceedingly sorry to hear of such things as likely to befall their beloved Master, but they did not like to ask any questions on the subject. How little they yet understood the real nature of Christ's kingdom is plain; for at this time "there arose a reasoning (or disputing) among them, which of them should be greatest": as if they still expected Jesus to be a king on earth, and appoint them to places of trust and honour under Him.

When they were come to Capernaum, they, whose business it was to collect the tribute-money for the service of the temple, "came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute? He saith, Yes."

Jesus afterwards showed Peter, that He, being the Son of G.o.d, was _not_ called upon to pay this tribute; for that earthly kings do not take tribute from their own children, but only of their subjects, or of strangers. Jesus, however, would not give the Jews any pretence for saying, that He taught His disciples to be careless about the temple and its wors.h.i.+p, or to disobey the laws of the country; and therefore He now worked a miracle, to provide the tribute-money required from Him and His disciples.

When they were quietly in a house together, Jesus spake to the disciples about their dispute by the way, as to who should be greatest; and told them that all who wished to be really and truly His disciples and followers must be humble and meek and obedient, as little children _ought_ to be.

Many other things Jesus taught His disciples: and He told them a parable (Matt. xviii. 13), to show us, that if we wish G.o.d to forgive us our sins, we must be always willing to forgive those who have offended against us.

After these things, Jesus chose out from those disciples who constantly followed Him seventy persons; and desired them to go two and two together, and enter into the cities which He meant by and by to visit, and prepare the people to listen to Him. These seventy were disciples, but none of them were Apostles: all the Apostles were disciples, and are generally so called in Scripture; but all the disciples were not, of course, Apostles. To these seventy, Jesus gave many directions as to what they were to do and teach.

Jesus was at this time in Galilee; but as the time for keeping the Feast of Tabernacles was drawing near, the brethren, or rather near kinsmen of Jesus, begged Him to go into Judaea, and let all the people, who would then be a.s.sembled in Jerusalem, see His works. They said, "If thou do these things, show thyself unto the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him." To a certain degree, His kinsmen did believe in Jesus; but like the Jews in general, they expected that the Messiah would be great and powerful upon earth, publicly acknowledged and wors.h.i.+pped by all nations: and when they saw Jesus in such very different circ.u.mstances, they had not faith enough to feel quite sure that He was indeed the Messiah: they therefore wanted Him to take this opportunity to make Himself known, by working miracles at Jerusalem: this open display of His power would, they thought, strengthen the faith of all who were already His disciples, and force the great men among the Jews, as well as all the strangers collected together, to acknowledge Him as the Messiah.

Jesus, who in all things sought only to do His Father's will, told those who wished Him to go up at once to the Feast of Tabernacles that it was not yet time for Him to do so: that, instead of receiving Him as the Messiah, worldly men, who thought but little of G.o.d, would all be against Him, because He showed them their sinfulness. But He told His brethren, and those about Him, to "go up unto this feast."

After they were gone, our Lord followed them, privately taking His journey through the country on the other side of the Jordan. Again the people resorted unto Him, and He taught them as He was wont: "and great mult.i.tudes followed him, and he healed them there." It is likely that the Jews, expecting Jesus to go up to this feast, had laid some plot for taking Him on His way: but it was not yet time for Him to lay down His life, and therefore He thus avoided the danger; setting us an example, not to run unnecessarily into danger, when we can avoid doing so without neglecting any duty.

Meantime, the Jews a.s.sembled at Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, seem to have been disappointed at not seeing Jesus there; and enquired, "Where is he?" And "there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. Howbeit no man spake openly of him, for fear of the Jews." The people had seen His miracles, and heard His teaching; but all that they knew of His condition in life was so unlike what they had expected of the Messiah, that they could not make up their minds to acknowledge Him as the Son of G.o.d. They could not understand all He said, for He spake of spiritual things,--things belonging to the kingdom of heaven, which can be understood only by those who give their whole heart to G.o.d. Some of these people, seeing His holiness, allowed that He was a good man. Others objected to His being called "good," because He tried to make people acknowledge Him as the Messiah, which, according to their ideas, was deceiving the people. But even those who were most inclined to believe in Him, dared not speak openly in His favour, for fear of displeasing the Jewish rulers, who were violently opposed to Him.

The Feast of Tabernacles lasted for eight days; and in the middle of it Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, and immediately "went up into the temple, and taught." His teaching greatly astonished all the learned men, who knew that He had never been taught in any of the schools of the Scribes; and they wondered how He could know so much of the books of the Law and of the Prophets. Jesus told them plainly, that what He taught He had learnt not from man, but from G.o.d Himself; and He further said, that if any man were really desirous to do the Will of G.o.d, he would be enabled to believe that all He taught was true. Other things He said; but though His teaching might incline some of the people to believe, they had got some idea that, when the Messiah came, nothing would be known of His parents; and therefore they settled that it was impossible He could be that Messiah. "We know this man whence he is; but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is." Jesus tried to show them that they were in error; for though they knew where He was born, as man, and who His earthly parents were, this should not prevent their believing that He was indeed sent by G.o.d, and had another nature and being, of which they knew nothing. "Many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?" They doubted whether any one could do _more_ than Jesus had done: if not, then the only reasonable conclusion would be, that He _must_, indeed, be the Christ, the promised Messiah.

The Rulers of the Jews heard of these things said by the people, and they would gladly have prevented His speaking any more to them: and they sent officers to take Him: but in vain, for the time appointed for His death was not yet come, and therefore the Lord kept Him in safety, and would allow no man to hurt Him. Moreover, Jesus plainly told them, that He should remain in the world a little longer, because it was the Will of His Father that He should do so; and that then He should go back to His Father, who had sent Him from heaven to preach the Gospel upon earth. But the Jews did not understand His meaning; and when He said, "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am, thither ye cannot come," they said one to another, "Whither will he go, that we shall not find him?" "What manner of saying is this that He said?"

Chapter XXI.--RETURN OF THE SEVENTY.

"In the last day, that great day of the feast," when there was a holy convocation, or a.s.sembling of the people, Jesus stood up, and invited all men to believe in Him, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which He compared to "living water"--water that would wash away all their sins, and give life and strength to their souls: just as a good drink of pure water, given to a man who is fainting with fatigue and thirst, will revive him, and give him fresh strength and spirit for his work.

Again was there "a division among the people because of him": some said, "Of a truth, this is the Prophet"; others, more plainly, "This is the Christ"; whilst others, influenced by their false ideas, asked, "Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the Scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"

They were right; the Scriptures did say so: but had the people with an earnest desire endeavoured to learn the truth, they would have found that in Jesus, these words of Scripture were fulfilled, although Nazareth, in Galilee, had accidentally been His dwelling-place.

Again, the Chief Priests and Pharisees, fearing His influence with the people, sent out officers to take Jesus; and when these returned without Him, they were asked, "Why have ye not brought him?" The officers, though sent out for that very purpose, could not bring themselves to lay violent hands on one to whom they had listened with astonishment; and they now answered, as their reason for not having brought Him in as a prisoner, "Never man spake like this man." The Pharisees, in their wilful blindness and hardness of heart, reproached the officers for being also "deceived," as they called it; and reminded them that none of the rulers, or learned men, had believed in Jesus, and that as to the people, they were ignorant; adding the most unwarrantable a.s.sertion, "This people, who knoweth not the Law, are cursed."

The Pharisees, who were very proud of their own knowledge, not only despised all who were unlearned, but believed that _only_ the learned would enjoy happiness after death, whilst the ignorant would be miserable. They mistook knowledge for religion. But the Gospel teaches a very different lesson; worldly knowledge is good and useful, and those who have the means, do well to acquire it; but it cannot take a man to heaven, nor will ignorance of it, keep any man _out_ of heaven.

A knowledge of our own sinfulness, of the Salvation brought by Jesus, and a consequent endeavour to please Him in all things, is the only knowledge that is really necessary as far as our Souls are concerned.

Without _this_ knowledge, the most learned man can never gain admittance into heaven; with it, the most ignorant will be received into the kingdom of G.o.d.

One of the councillors present on this occasion was Nicodemus, who, being a believer, had come to Jesus secretly, in the night, for fear of the Jews: he now ventured to speak in behalf of Jesus, showing that it was not according to their Law to condemn any one as teaching what was wrong, or untrue, until they had heard what he had to say for himself. His words had no effect but to make the other members of the council ask him, "Art thou also of Galilee?"--that is, art thou one of those who have the folly to believe in this Galilean. "Search and look" in the Scriptures, for they will show that "out of Galilee ariseth no prophet."