WHILE JESUS was on his way to Jerusalem one of the teachers of the
law--whom the Jews called "scribes"--came to him with a question. These
Jewish scribes were everywhere enemies of Jesus, and were continually
asking him questions, not that they might learn, but that in some way
they might give him trouble.
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.
[Illustration: "Martha, Martha," replied the Lord, "you are anxious and
troubled about a great many things."]
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?"
[Illustration: This massive ancient wall is known as the Wailing Place.
Here the Jews of Jerusalem come to mourn over the splendor of Israel
that is no more]
Jesus at the Feast of Tents