EVIL GENERATION SEEK A SIGN--PRACTICAL LESSONS.
And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say,
This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall
no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For
as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son
of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall
rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and
condemn them; for she came from the utmost parts of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than
Solomon _is_ here. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the
judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they
repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater
than Jonas _is_ here.
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth _it_ in a
secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick,
that they which come in may see the light. The light of the
body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole
body also is full of light; but when _thine eye_ is evil, thy
body also _is_ full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the
light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body
therefore _be_ full of light, having no part dark, the whole
shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle
doth give thee light.
And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and
he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw _it_, he
marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said
unto him,
Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the
platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and
wickedness. _Ye_ fools, did not he that made that which is
without make that which is within also? But rather give alms
of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean
unto you.
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all
manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God:
these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other
undone.
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in
the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as
graves which appear not, and the men that walk over _them_ are
not aware _of them_.
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying
thou reproachest us also. And he said,
Woe unto you also _ye_ lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens
grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens
with one of your fingers.
Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and
your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow
the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye
build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the Wisdom of God
I will send them prophets and apostles, and _some_ of them
they shall slay and persecute: that the blood of all the
prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may
be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel unto
the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and
the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of
this generation.
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of
knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were
entering in ye hindered.
And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees
began to urge _him_ vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many
things: Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his
mouth, that they might accuse him.