WHILE JESUS was passing through Galilee for the last time, he wished not
to do in that land any more wonderful works or to give any further
teachings in public. He desired not to have crowds around him, but to be
alone with his disciples, for there were many things to be told them
before he should be taken away from them.
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!"
[Illustration: Whoever will become like this little child, shall be the
greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven]
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."
Good-bye to Galilee