The time had now come for the disciples to know more about Jesus, who he was, the work that he was to do and what he was soon to suffer. His plan of teaching them was not to tell them, but to lead them on by questions so that they might learn the truth by finding it out themselves. One day, after he had been alone praying to his Father, he asked his disciples:
"Tell me, who do the people say that I am?"
"Some say that you are John the Baptist, raised up from the dead," answered the disciples; "others say that you are Elijah the prophet come to earth again; and still others say that you are the prophet Jeremiah or some other one of the old prophets."
"But you, who do you say that I am?" asked Jesus.
At once Simon Peter answered, for he was the one among the Twelve always ready to speak:
"You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God!"
You know that the Jews everywhere were looking for a king to rule over them, set them free from the Roman power and make of them a great conquering nation. This king, in their own language, they called "the Messiah," which means, "the Anointed One," for in Israel a new king was chosen by having oil poured upon his head. The word "Messiah," in the Greek language, which was spoken everywhere, was "Christ," also meaning "The Anointed One." Peter, in speaking those words, "Thou art the Messiah, the Christ," meant to say that Jesus was the King of Israel, for whom all the people were looking.
"You are a blessed man, Simon, son of Jonah," answered Jesus, "for no human being has made this known to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Yes, and I say to you, 'Your name is Peter—a Rock—and on this rock I will build my church; and all the powers of the underworld shall not succeed against it.' Also, Simon Peter, I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth shall be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth shall be allowed in heaven."
Because Simon Peter was the first to make this confession of Jesus as the Messiah-Christ, the King, he was given special honor among the followers of the Lord. You remember that more than a year before, when Jesus met Simon for the first time, beside the river Jordan, he gave him the new name Peter, which means "a rock."
Then Jesus told the disciples that they were not to speak to any of the people of what Peter had said, that Jesus was the Christ, the King, for the time had not yet come to make it public. But now, since they knew that he was to be a king and rule over Israel, he began for the first time to speak of certain other things, which they found very hard to understand.
"Very soon," said Jesus, "we are going up to Jerusalem; and there I must endure great suffering from the rulers of the people, the chief priests and teachers of the law. I must be slain and buried; and on the third day I shall rise again."
The disciples could not understand how if he was to reign as King of Israel, it could be possible for him to suffer these things and to die. Peter took Jesus aside, where he could speak with him alone.
"Master," said Peter, "you must not speak of such things. God will not allow these things to come to you. You are not going to be put to death in Jerusalem; you are going to Jerusalem to sit on the throne of David, and reign over the land!"
But Jesus turned his back upon Peter, and looking upon his disciples, said:
"Get away from me, Satan! You would turn me away from doing God's will! For you look at things, not as God looks at them, but as man does!"
Jesus saw that in Peter's mind was the view of the kingdom that Satan had shown him in his great temptation on the mountain, not as a kingdom of God, but as a kingdom such as men were expecting, a kingdom like those of the world.
Then Jesus called to his disciples, and to the people that were around them, and said:
"If any man has the will to come after me and be my disciple, let him give up his own will, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever for my sake loses his life shall find it. What good will it do to a man to gain the whole world if in gaining he loses his own life? What will a man give that is worth as much as his life? For the Son of Man is coming in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he will give to every man what his acts deserve. And I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not die until they have seen the Son of Man coming to reign in his kingdom."
Although it was night, they saw the face of Jesus shining as brightly as the sun at noon, with a dazzling glory so great that they could not bear to look upon him. His clothes too were shining white and glittering. Not only his face, but his hands, his feet and even his body beamed through his garments with brightness.
They saw standing beside Jesus in his splendor two men who had lived long before on the earth and were now living no more. How the disciples knew them we are not told. Perhaps the knowledge flashed upon their minds, given them by God; or it may have been that as they listened to these two men, they learned from their words who they were. One was the great prophet Moses, who led the Israelites out of Egypt and died on Mount Nebo; the other was the prophet Elijah, who spoke bold words to the wicked King Ahab and was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire. Both these men had passed from earth many hundred years before.
As the three disciples looked and listened, they could hear what these two prophets of the old times were saying. They were talking to Jesus about his death which was to take place at Jerusalem. So these two great men of the past knew already what Jesus had tried to tell his disciples, and what they were so slow to believe, that he was soon to die!
Peter was always eager to speak, and he spoke now, though he scarcely understood what his own words meant.
"Master," he said, "this is a good place for us to stay in. If you are willing, I will make here three tents; one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
He thought that the two prophets, Moses and Elijah, had come back to stay upon the earth; and that if tents were made for them, they would live upon that mountain.
While Peter was speaking a bright and glorious cloud came over them all, over Jesus, over the two prophets and over the three disciples, who were filled with fear as they found the cloud around them. And a greater fear came upon them as they heard the voice of God out of the cloud saying:
"This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight. Listen to him!"
And as they heard these words, knowing that God had spoken them, they fell down upon their faces in great terror. Jesus came to them and touched them gently, saying:
"Rise up, and do not be afraid."
Then they looked up. The bright cloud had passed away, the two prophets were no longer to be seen, and Jesus was standing alone over them, some of the glory still remaining upon his face.
As they were walking down the mountain, Jesus said to his three disciples, Peter, James and John:
"Tell no one what you have seen this night, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."
So, much as they wished to tell their fellow-disciples of this wonderful sight, they obeyed their Master, and said not a word about it while Jesus was still with them.
They said to Jesus, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the prophet Elijah must come before the Messiah-King appears?"
"Elijah does come," answered Jesus, "and he prepares the way for the coming of the King. And I tell you that Elijah has already come, but the people have not known him. They would not listen to him, and have done to him as they pleased. And just as it was with him, so will it be with the Son of Man. He shall also suffer at the hands of men."
Then the disciples understood that Jesus was speaking to them of John the Baptist, who like Elijah had lived in the wilderness, wore a mantle of skin, and fed on desert-food, and who, like Elijah, gave God's message to the people, preparing the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.
Out of the crowd came a man running, whose face showed that he was in great trouble. He knelt before Jesus and cried out:
"Teacher, I brought to you my son, in whom is an evil spirit, which has made him dumb. I pray you have mercy on him, and cure him, for he is my only child. Often the spirit seizes him and dashes him down. It makes him foam at the mouth and grind his teeth. He is wasting away, and I fear will die unless help comes to him. I brought him here, hoping to find you. But you were away, and I spoke to these men, your disciples. They tried to cast out the evil spirit, but they could not. Now that you have come, will you not help me?"
"O you people who will not believe, and who turn away from God!" said Jesus, "how long must I be with you? How long must I have patience with you? Bring your boy to me."
They brought the boy to Jesus; but no sooner did the boy see him, than the wicked spirit threw him into a spasm. He fell on the ground, his body twitching and tearing; and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
"How long has he been like this?" asked Jesus of the boy's father.
"Ever since he was a little child," the man answered, "and it has many times thrown him into fire and into water, almost killing him. If you can do anything, do take pity on us both and help us."
"'If I can!'" said Jesus, taking up the man's word. "Do you not know that all things can be done for the one who believes?"
"I do believe," cried out the father of the boy. "O Master, help my lack of faith!"
Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering around, and he spoke to the evil spirit.
"Deaf and dumb spirit," he said, "I command you at once come out of this boy, and never again trouble him!"
With a loud cry, the evil spirit threw the boy into a violent spasm of pain and then left him. The boy lay on the ground, looking like a corpse. In fact, many who were standing near, as they saw him, said, "The boy is surely dead!"
But Jesus took his hand, lifting him from the ground. The boy stood up and walked away well, free from the evil spirit and able to speak.
When Jesus was alone with his disciples in the house, they asked him, "Why was it that we could not drive out the evil spirit from the boy?"
"It was because you have so little faith. I tell you that if your faith were only the size of a grain of mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from this place to that,' and move it would; for nothing would be impossible to you."
But he added, "An evil spirit of this kind is harder to drive away than most. Only by special prayer can it be cast out."
Soon after this Jesus left that place at the foot of the mountain, and led his disciples toward the south. They saw that he was now going in the direction of Jerusalem, and were quite sure that there he would set up his throne and kingdom. But Jesus knew what they were thinking of, and he said to them,
"Listen carefully to my words. The Son of Man is to be given into the hands of his enemies. They shall kill him, and three days after he has been killed, he shall rise again to life."
But the disciples could not understand these words, for they would not believe that he was to die, and they were afraid to ask him what these sayings meant.
As they were on their way to Capernaum, which had been his home during the year before, he saw that his disciples as they walked were having some dispute or quarrel. He well knew what they were saying to each other, for he knew all things; but at the time he said nothing.
He came to Capernaum, for the first time followed by no crowd, but with his twelve disciples only. In the evening, as they sat together in the house, he said to them:
"What was it that you were talking about today as we were walking on the road?"
The disciples looked at each other, a little ashamed, and at first did not speak. Finally, one of them said:
"We were asking each other who of us should hold the first place in your kingdom."
Although Jesus had more than once told these men that he must suffer and die, they did not believe it. They saw that he was on his way toward Jerusalem, and like all the people who believed in him, they thought that when he came to that city, he would take his kingdom and rule; and each of his disciples wanted a place for himself next the throne.
"The first place!" answered Jesus. "If any of you has the will to be first in the kingdom of heaven, that one shall be the last of all and shall serve all the others!"
A little child was playing near him, for the children were never afraid of Jesus and loved to be with him. Jesus reached out his hand, took the child in his arms and held it close to him. Then he said to his disciples:
"I tell you, unless you change your spirit and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven at all! Whoever of you will become humble and gentle, like this little child, not seeking great things for himself, that is the one who shall be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And any one who helps even a little child to be one of my followers is helping me. But if anyone puts a snare or stumbling-block in the way of one of these little ones, to keep him from following me, it would be better for that man to have a great millstone hung on his neck, and to be thrown into the deep sea! Woe to the world on account of snares and hindrances, keeping men away from God and from salvation! There must be these snares and hindrances, that cannot be helped; but woe to the man who puts them in the way!
"If your hand or your foot becomes a snare to you, keeping you from God, you must cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life a cripple, and with only one hand, than with two hands or two feet, to go away to everlasting death. And if your eye would lead you to forsake God, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better for you to be saved having only one eye, than to be lost having two eyes.
"I tell you, never despise or think lightly of one of these little ones; for I say to you, their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."
Then John, one of the disciples, said:
"Teacher, we saw a man who is not one of your followers using your name to cast out evil spirits; and we told him not to use your name, since he is not with us."
"Do not forbid him," said Jesus, "there is no man who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able also to speak against me. Whoever is not against us is for us. Why, if any one will give you even a cup of water to drink, because you belong to Christ, I tell you truly, that man shall not fail of having a reward."
At that time Jesus told his disciples how to treat those who had done them any wrong. He said:
"If your brother does wrong, go to him and speak to him about it when you are alone with him. If he listens to you, then you have won your brother. But if he will not listen, take with you one or two others, and talk with him again, that there may be at least two witnesses in every case. If he will not listen to these men, speak to the church; and if he refuses to listen to the church, then have nothing more to do with him, but treat him as a stranger, as the people treat those who collect the taxes for the Romans.
"I tell you, my disciples, that whatever you forbid on earth shall be forbidden by those in heaven; and whatever you allow on earth shall be allowed by those in heaven. I tell you another thing: if two of you shall agree on earth upon anything that they ask in prayer, it shall be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them."
Then Peter came up to Jesus and asked him a question. It was this:
"Master, how often should I forgive my brother when he has done me wrong? Shall it be as many as seven times?"
"Seven times?" said Jesus. "No, I say, seventy times seven! For the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to have his servants pay him the debts which they owed him. When he had begun to make up their accounts, one servant was brought before him who owed him more than a million dollars. He could not pay his debt, and his master ordered that he should be sold, and his wife and children with him, and everything that he had, toward the payment of his debt. The servant fell down upon his face before him, and said, 'Only have patience with me, my lord, and I will pay it all.' His master knew that he could never pay so great a debt; he felt a pity for him, and let him go free, forgiving him all that he owed.
"But as he was going away, that servant met one of his fellow-servants who owed him a small debt, only about fifteen dollars. He took him by the throat, and said, 'Pay me what you owe me!' The man threw himself on the ground and begged for mercy, crying out, 'Have patience with me, wait a little while, and I will pay all that I owe you.' But he refused to have mercy; he took him into the court and had him put into prison until he should pay the debt.
"When the other servants saw him sending this man to prison, they felt troubled and told the king what he had done. At this the king became very angry. He sent for that cruel servant and said to him, 'You wicked servant! When you asked me for mercy, I gave to you all your great debt and let you go free! Should not you, also, have shown the same kindness to your fellow-servant that I showed to you?' Then his master, being very angry, handed him over to the jailor, to be kept in a dungeon until he should pay the whole of his debt. So also will my Father in heaven do to you, unless you forgive your brother with all your heart."
While Jesus was at this time in Capernaum, the officer who collected from the Jews the tax for the Temple came to Peter and said:
"Does not your Master pay the Temple tax?"
"Yes," answered Peter.
But when he went into the house, before he could speak, Jesus said to him,
"Tell me, Simon, from whom do the kings of this world take taxes? From their sons, or from foreigners?"
"From foreigners," answered Peter.
"Then their own people are free from being taxed, are they not? We are the sons of God, and we should be free from the tax for the house of God. However, in order not to displease them, do you go to the sea, throw in a hook and take the first fish that comes up; open its mouth, and you will find in it a piece of silver money. Take that and give it to the tax collectors for you and me."
The younger brothers of Jesus, the sons of Joseph and Mary, heard that Jesus was in Capernaum; and they came to see him. At this time these brothers of Jesus did not believe in him as their King and Saviour; although afterward they were among his followers. These men said to Jesus:
"Why do you not go to Judea and Jerusalem and let your disciples see there what you can do? No one who wishes to be known stays in a place apart from the people. Since you can do these great works, you should show yourself to the world."
"My time," said Jesus, "has not come yet; but your time is always here. The world is not against you, but it is against me, because I speak against its evil deeds. Go yourselves up to the feast; I am not going as yet up to this feast, because my time has not yet come."
Jesus did not wish to have as his companions at the feast men who did not believe in him, even though they were his brothers. So, while his brothers went on to Jerusalem, he stayed a little longer in Galilee. Before he left the city of Capernaum he gave one last call and warning to its people and those in the cities near by. He spoke to those who lived in Chorazin, a town only a few miles from Capernaum; and those in Bethsaida, five miles away, at the head of the lake. He said to these cities:
"Woe unto you, Chorazin! and woe to you, Bethsaida! If the mighty works that were done in you had been done in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, long before this time they would have turned from sin to God, weeping in rough garments, with ashes on their heads! I tell you that when God comes to judge the lands, it will be harder for Chorazin and Bethsaida than for Tyre and Sidon. And you, O Capernaum, shall you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will sink down to death. For if the great works that were done in you had been done in Sodom, that city would have lasted until today. But I say to you, it will be easier for Sodom in God's day of judgment than for you, O Capernaum!"
At the same time Jesus spoke these words also:
"I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the wise and the learned, and for making them known to those who are child-like in spirit. Yes, Father, I praise thee that this has been the way that thou hast chosen.
"All power has been given to me by the Father; and no one can fully know the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son will make him known.
"Come unto me, all ye who labor and are heavy-laden with your troubles; and I will give you rest. Take upon you the yoke that I bear, and learn from me how to live; for I am gentle and lowly-minded, and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my load is light."
With these words Jesus left Capernaum and Galilee for the last time.
Just as they were starting, a man who was one of the teachers of the law came to Jesus and said:
"Master, I will follow you wherever you may go." He thought that by following Jesus he might have some high place in his kingdom. But Jesus saw that this man was following him only for gain. He said to him:
"You will gain nothing by following me. The foxes have holes, and the wild birds have their nests; but the Son of Man has not a place where he can lay his head."
To another man, Jesus said, "Follow me!" The man answered, "First let me go and bury my father."
Jesus said to this man, "Let those who are dead bury their dead; but do you go and spread everywhere the news of the kingdom of God."
Jesus meant by this that such matters as the burial of the dead could be cared for by others, even though they did not have a knowledge of the truth which gives life; but Jesus wanted this man to go at once and preach his gospel.
There was another man who said to Jesus, "I will follow you; but let me first go and say 'good-bye' to my friends at my home."
"Whoever looks back," answered Jesus, "after he has put his hand to the plough is of no use for the kingdom of God."
For his work Jesus wanted men who were single-hearted, giving up all, that they might follow and serve him.
On this journey to Jerusalem Jesus did not take the road down the Jordan valley, the way usually followed. He made up his mind this time to go through Samaria, perhaps because he did not wish to have a crowd of people with him, and few of the Jews went to Jerusalem by way of Samaria.
As he drew near a Samaritan village, he sent some of his disciples to find in it a lodging place. But the Samaritan people would not allow Jesus and his disciples to come into their village, because they saw that they were Jews on their way to Jerusalem. The Samaritans and the Jews hated each other and would not show kindness to one another.
James and John, two of the disciples, were exceedingly angry at these people, who would shut out their Master. They said to him:
"Lord, shall we call down fire from heaven, as the prophet Elijah did, and burn up that wicked village?"
But Jesus said to them, "Your spirit is not right. I did not come to destroy the lives of men, but to save them. Let us go to some other village."
While he was still on the border of Galilee and Samaria, as he was going into a village, he met ten men who had the terrible disease of leprosy. They stood at a distance, for lepers were not allowed to come near people; and they cried aloud, saying:
"Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
"Go," answered Jesus, "and show yourselves to the priests."
In the Temple was a room where a man went who had any disease like leprosy, with a breaking out upon his skin. At this room he was kept for a time; and if it was found that his disease was not leprosy, after certain offerings and washings, he was allowed to go home and be among men. These men started for their Temple; those who were Jews for the Temple in Jerusalem, any that were Samaritans for their Temple on Mount Gerizim, near the city of Shechem. As they went, and by going showed their faith in Jesus, they found all at once that their leprosy was gone and they were entirely well.
Nine of these ten men, after they were cured, went on their way toward the Temple. But one of them, when he found that he was a leper no longer, stopped with a loud voice praised God; and ran to Jesus' feet and fell on his face before him, giving him thanks for his cure. This man was a Samaritan.
"Were there not ten men cured?" said Jesus. "But where are the nine? Was there only one to turn back and give thanks to God, and that one a stranger?"
And Jesus said to this grateful Samaritan, "Rise up, and go your way; your faith has made you well."
This scribe said to Jesus, "Teacher, what shall I do that I may have the life everlasting?"
"What is said in God's law?" answered Jesus. "What do you read there?"
He answered, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and you must love your neighbor as yourself."
"That is a right answer," said Jesus; "do that and you shall live."
But the scribe, wishing to make an excuse for himself, and thinking to puzzle Jesus, said, "But who is my neighbor?"
Then Jesus told to this man the parable or story of "The Good Samaritan."
"There was once a man," said Jesus, "who was going down by a lonely road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The robbers who hide among the mountains in that region rushed at this man, stripped him of everything, and beat him near to death; then ran away and left him almost dead on the roadside. It happened that a priest was going down the same road. He saw the man lying there, but instead of coming to help him, walked past him on the other side of the road. Then a Levite, one of those who help the priests in the services of the Temple, came to that place; and he too went by on the other side, carefully keeping away from the suffering man.
"But soon after, a Samaritan, one of those people whom all the Jews hate and despise, came down the same road. This man, when he found the poor man lying in the road, got off from the ass on which he was riding and stood over the man. He felt a pity for the sufferer and put bandages on his wounds, after pouring into them a little oil and wine. Then he lifted up the man and carefully placed him on his own ass, and walking by his side, brought him to an inn and cared for him all that night. On the next morning he took out from his purse two pieces of silver, handed them to the inn-keeper and said to him, 'Look after this man until he is well; and if you spend more than this, I will repay it to you when I come this way again.'
"Now," asked Jesus, "which one of these three men, the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan, do you think showed himself a true neighbor to the poor fellow who fell among the robbers?"
The scribe answered, "The one who showed kindness to him."
Jesus said to him, "Then go and do as this man did." He meant to show the scribe that "our neighbor" is the one who most needs our help, whoever he may be.
When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, he did not at once enter the city and find a lodging place within its walls, for he knew well that it was filled with his enemies; and that the priests and rulers would try to seize him and put him to death. He expected after some months to die at Jerusalem, as he had so many times told his disciples—although they could not believe it—but the time for his death had not yet come. For a home while attending the Feast of Tents, he went to a village about two miles from Jerusalem, on the east of the Mount of Olives. This village was called Bethany, and in it was living a family all of whom were strong friends of Jesus: Martha, her sister Mary and their younger brother Lazarus. With this family he stayed while he was visiting Jerusalem.
Martha was the older sister and the head of the house. She gave Jesus a hearty welcome and made herself busy in attending to his needs. But Mary, her younger sister, left everything and seated herself at the feet of the Lord, eager to listen to his words. Martha, somewhat worried by her many cares, especially in making ready a dinner for Jesus, was not pleased at her sister's conduct. She came to Jesus and said:
"Lord, do you think it right for my sister to leave all the work to me? Tell her to help me."
"Martha, Martha," replied the Lord, "you are anxious and trouble yourself about a great many things. Only one thing is really needful. Mary has chosen the best dish, and she will not be dragged away from it."
Jesus meant to say that Martha need not prepare a dinner with many dishes, for he needed only a simple meal; and that Mary had chosen well instead of food the words that he was speaking, which were really a feast to her soul.
At one time Jesus was praying in a certain place. It may have been on the Mount of Olives, between Bethany and Jerusalem, for Jesus went there often to pray. When his prayer was over, the disciples came to him and said:
"Master, John the Baptist taught his disciples how to pray. Will you not also give us a prayer that we may use?"
Jesus said to them, "I will give you this prayer. When you pray, say, 'Our Father, who art in heaven; Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us day by 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, for ever and forever. Amen.'"
Jesus also gave to his disciples a parable or story about earnestness in prayer. He said:
"Suppose that one of you who has a friend should go to his house in the middle of the night, and should knock at his door loud enough to wake him from his sleep, and should say to him, 'Friend, please do get up and let me have three loaves of bread! A friend of mine has suddenly come to my house and I have nothing for him to eat;' and suppose the other should answer him from inside the door, 'Don't bother me; the door is locked and I am in bed with my children. I can't get up and give you anything!' I tell you, though he will not get up and give you anything merely because you are a friend of his, if you keep on knocking long enough, he will at last rise and give you whatever you want, because you persevere in seeking after it.
"So, I say to you: ask, and the gift shall be yours; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For every one who asks, receives; he that seeks, finds; and to him that knocks, the door shall be opened.
"Is there a father among you, who if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? If he is asked for a fish, will he give his son a snake? Or, if asked for an egg, will he give him a scorpion? If you then, even not as good as you should be, are willing to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give this Holy Spirit to his children that ask him?"
Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "No, he cannot be a good man, for he is leading the people away from the law of Moses." But no one spoke freely about him, for fear of the rulers and the people of Jerusalem whose minds had been set against Jesus by the priests and the scribes or teachers of the law.
From his home in Bethany at Martha's house, Jesus came quietly into the Temple and began teaching the people who gathered there during the Feast, going out at evening to Bethany. All who heard him wondered at his words, and every day the crowds around him grew. People said to each other, "How did this man get all his knowledge? He has never studied in the college of the scribes."
"My teaching," said Jesus in answer, "is not my own; but it comes from Him who sent me. Any one who chooses to do God's will, will know whether I speak in God's name, or whether I am talking in my own name. Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you honestly tries to keep the law. If you did try to keep the law, you would not try to kill me!"
The crowd replied to Jesus, "You are crazy! Who is trying to kill you?"
But Jesus knew that he was speaking the truth, for he knew what was in the minds of the rulers and of many in Jerusalem. He said to the crowd:
"I will be with you only a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me, and where I am going, you cannot come."
"Where is this man going," said the Jews, "that we cannot find him? Is he going among our people in foreign lands, to teach the foreigners? What does he mean by words like these?"
Jesus meant that after they should kill him and he should rise from the tomb and live again, he was going back to his home in heaven, a place to which they could never come.