PHARISEES ASK A SIGN--REASONS FOR FAITH--BLIND MEN.
And he sent away the multitude. And straightway he entered into a ship
with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees
also with the Sadducees came forth, and began to question with him, and
tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He
answered and said unto them,
When it is evening, ye say, _It will be_ fair weather: for the
sky is red. And in the morning, _It will be_ foul weather to
day: for the sky is red and lowering. O _ye_ hypocrites, ye
can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not _discern_ the
signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh
after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but
the sign of the prophet Jonas.
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith,
Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto
you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other
side. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had
forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more
than one loaf. Then Jesus charged them, saying,
Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the
Sadducees, and _of_ the leaven of Herod.
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, _It is_ because we have
taken no bread. _Which_ when Jesus perceived, he said unto them,
O ye of little faith, Why reason ye among yourselves, because
ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand? Perceive
ye not yet, neither understand? Have ye your heart yet
hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye
not? and do ye not remember the five loaves of the five
thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven
loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many
baskets full of fragments took ye up?
They say unto him, Twelve.
And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full
of fragments took ye up?
And they said, Seven. And he said unto them,
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake _it_ not to
you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
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.
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and
besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and
led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his
hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught. And he looked up, and
said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put _his_ hands again
upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every
man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying,
Neither go into the town, nor tell _it_ to any in the town.