Luke XIX, 11-26; Matt XXV, 14-30; Luke XI, 23.
XIX.
One day some children were brought to Jesus. His disciples began to turn them away; but Jesus saw this, and said:
"You should not turn the children away. Children
should not be sent away, but we should learn from them, for they are nearer to the Kingdom of God than grown-up people. Children do not use bad language, do not bear malice, do not commit adultery, do not take oaths, do not go to law with anybody, and do not know any difference between their own nation and other nations. Children arc nearer than grown-up people to the Kingdom of Heaven. One must not drive children away, but must be careful not to lead them into temptation.
"Temptations destroy men by leading them, under the guise of what is good and pleasant, to do most harmful deeds. If a man gives way to temptation he destroys both his body and his soul. Therefore it is better for one's body to suffer, than to fall into temptation. As a fox that has got its paw into a trap bites off the paw in order to escape, so it is better for every man to suffer in his body than to yield to temptation. It ie better not only for a hand or a foot, but even for the whole body to perish, rather than to get to like evil, and become accustomed to it. Temptations bring sorrow to the world. By temptations, all evil comes into the world."
Matt XIX, 13, 14; XVIII, 2-9; Luke XVIII, 17.
XX.
And Jesus also said that of all temptations the worst is anger.
"A man is angry with his brother for his sins, and thinks that by being angry he can cure his brother of his sins, and forgets that not one of us can judge his brother, because every one of us is full of sin; and before correcting our brother, we must correct ourselves; otherwise we may see a little grain of dust in our brother's eyes, and not 5ce a shaving in our own. And so, if you think your brother:.
has acted badly, choose a time and a place where you can talk with him alone, and tell him gently what you have against him. If he listens to you, instead of being your enemy he will become your friend. But if he will not listen to you, be sorry for him and leave him alone."
And one of the disciples asked: "But if he does not listen to me, and again offends me? Am I to forgive him again? And if he offends me again and again, a third and a fourth and a seventh time, must I even then forgive him ?"
And Jesus answered: "Not only seven times, but seventy times seven, we should forgive; for as God forgives us all our sins, if only we repent of them, so we must always forgive our brothers."
Matt VII, 1-5; XVIH, 15-22.
XXI.
To explain this Jesus told them the following parable: "A rich man began reckoning up with his debtors. And a debtor was brought to him who owed him a thousand pounds, and who had nothing to pay it with. And the rich man could have sold the debtor's estate, and his wife and children, and the man himself. But the debtor begged for mercy; and the rich man had pity on him and forgave him the whole debt. And when he had been let off, a poor man who owed him something came to him and asked to be forgiven his debt. But the debtor who had been let off, would not excuse the poor man's debt, but demanded payment at once. And however much the poor man begged, the other would have no mercy, but cast the poor man into prison. This was noticed, and people came to the rich man, and told him what his debtor had done. Then the rich man called the debtor back to him, and said: *I let you off the whole of your debt because you asked me; and you should
have forgive your debtor, as I forgave you. But what have you done?' And then the rich man enforced the law against his debtor.
"The same happens to us, if we do not forgive from our hearts all who are guilty towards us. Every quarrel with our brother binds us, and takes us further from our Father. And therefore, not to be removed from God, we must forgive our brothers, and must live peaceably and lovingly with men." Matt. XVIII, 23-35, 18, 19.
XXII.
Once s<Mne Pharisees came to Jesus, and asked him if a man might leave his wife and take another. And Jesus answered:
"You know that a child can be bom only of one father and mother. God has arranged it so; and man must not violate what God has arranged. If a man violates what God has arranged, and leaves his wife and takes another woman, he commits a threefold sin — against himself, against his wife, and against other people. He harms himself, because he accustoms himself to dissoluteness. He harms his wife, because, by deserting her, he drives her to do wrong. He harms other people, because he tempts them, by setting them an example of adultery."
And the disciples said to Jesus: "It is too difficult to live with only one wife. If one must hve with one woman till death, no matter what she may be like, then it is best not to marry at all."
Jesus answered them: "One may abstain from marryii^ at all. But if a man wishes to live without a wife, let him be quite pure and not think about women. It is well for a man who can live such a life; but if a man cannot do it, let hun
шаггу, and live with one wife till death, and not allow him-self to be tempted by other women." Matt, XIX, 3-12.
XXIII.
One day the collectors of tithes for the Temple came to Peter, and asked him: "Will your Master pay what is due ?" Peter said that he would. And Jesus, hearing this, said to Peter: "What do you think, Peter—from whom does the King take taxes, from his sons or from strangers ?" Peter said, "From strangers." "So we, if we are sons of God," said Jesus, "need not pay tithes. But in order not to tempt them, pay them; not because we are obliged to pay, but in order not to lead them into temptation."
Another time some Pharisees agreed with the Kingfs officers and came to Jesus, to catch him in his words, and to see whether he would refuse his obligation to the King. They said to him: "You teach everything truly, so tell us, Must we pay taxes to the King?" Jesus said: "Show me with what you pay the taxes to the King." They showed him a coin. On the coin was stamped the King's head. And Jesus pointed to it and said, "Give to the King what is the King's; but what is God's—your souls—give to nobody but God. Your money, property, work—everything that any one asks of you, give to him, but do not do for anybody what is against God's laws."
Matt. XVII, 24-7; XX П, 15-22.
XXIV.
It happened one day that the disciples of Jesus came to a village and asked to be allowed to spend the night there. But no one would let them in. And the disciples came to
Jesus and told Him about it, saying: "Such wicked people live there—they deserve to be killed by a thunderstorm!"
And Jesus was grieved, and said: "You do not understand of what spirit you are. I do not teach how to destroy, but how to save people. How can one wish one's neighbor any ill? In every man lives the same spirit of God as in you, and you must not wish ill to that which is within yourselves."
Another time the Scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman taken in adultery, and placed her before him, saying: "Master, this woman was taken in adultery, and according to the law of Moses such women must be stoned. What do you say?"
They said that to tempt him. Had he said that she must be stoned, it would have been contrary to his teaching of love for all; but if he had said that it must not be done, he would have spoken against the law of Moses. Jesus, however, did not answer anything, but stooping low, wrote with his finger in the sand.
They asked him the same thing again. Then he looked up and said: "Vou say that according to the law she must be stoned—then do it. But let him throw the first stone at her who is sinless." Having said that, he bowed his head, and again wrote on the ground. And the accusers began to go away one after the other, and Jesus was left alone with the woman.