Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Brother » Brother's widow. » Law concerning levirate marriage of
"Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.'
Verse Concepts
"Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.
Verse Concepts
"Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that-- 'Should a man's married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.'
Verse Concepts
Jesus Christ » History of » Tested by the sadducees concerning the resurrection of the dead (in jerusalem)
That same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this:-- "Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.' Now we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother. read more.
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living." The crowds, who had been listening to him, were greatly struck with his teaching.
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living." The crowds, who had been listening to him, were greatly struck with his teaching.
Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; read more.
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that-- 'Should a man's married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.' Well, there were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest, after taking a wife, died childless. read more.
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive." "Well said, Teacher!" exclaimed some of the Teachers of the Law, For they did not venture to question him any further.
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive." "Well said, Teacher!" exclaimed some of the Teachers of the Law, For they did not venture to question him any further.
Marriage » Levirate (the brother required to marry a brother's widow)
"Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.'
Verse Concepts
"Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that-- 'Should a man's married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.'
Verse Concepts
"Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. read more.
All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?"
All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?"
Marriage » Who does not marry
Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; read more.
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
That same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this:-- "Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.' Now we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother. read more.
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."
Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that-- 'Should a man's married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.' Well, there were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest, after taking a wife, died childless. read more.
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive."
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive."
Resurrection » The resurrected
Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; read more.
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
That same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this:-- "Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.' Now we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother. read more.
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."
Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that-- 'Should a man's married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.' Well, there were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest, after taking a wife, died childless. read more.
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive."
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive."
Since, therefore, you were raised to Life with the Christ, seek for the things that are above; for it is there that the Christ is 'seated at the right hand of God.' Fix your thoughts upon the things that are above, not upon those that are on earth. For you died, and your Life now lies hidden, with the Christ, in God.
Sadducees » Reject the doctrine of the resurrection
Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; read more.
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that-- 'Should a man's married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.' Well, there were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest, after taking a wife, died childless. read more.
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive." "Well said, Teacher!" exclaimed some of the Teachers of the Law, For they did not venture to question him any further.
The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; And so, too, did all seven--dying without children. The woman herself was the last to die. About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "The men and women of this world," said Jesus, "marry and are given in marriage; But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are God's Sons. As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord--'The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For in his sight all are alive." "Well said, Teacher!" exclaimed some of the Teachers of the Law, For they did not venture to question him any further.
That same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this:-- "Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.' Now we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother. read more.
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living." The crowds, who had been listening to him, were greatly struck with his teaching. When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they collected together.
The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living." The crowds, who had been listening to him, were greatly struck with his teaching. When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they collected together.
As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present. (For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
Sadducees » Christ » Vindicated the resurrection against
"Teacher, Moses said--'Should a man die without children, the man's brother shall become the husband of the widow, and raise a family for his brother.' Now we had living among us seven brothers; of whom the eldest married and died, and, as he had no family, left his wife for his brother. The same thing happened to the second and the third brothers, and indeed to all the seven. read more.
The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."
The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be out of the seven, all of them having had her?" "Your mistake," replied Jesus, "is due to your ignorance of the Scriptures, and of the power of God. For at the resurrection there is no marrying or being married, but all who rise are as angels in Heaven. As to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read these words of God-- 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead men, but of living."
"Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. read more.
All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken."
Satire » Of jesus against hypocrites
"The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees now occupy the chair of Moses. Therefore practice and lay to heart everything that they tell preach but do not practice. While they make up heavy loads and pile them on other men's shoulder's they decline, themselves, to lift a finger to move them. read more.
All their actions are done to attract attention. They widen their phylacteries, and increase the size of their tassels, and like to have the place of honor at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues, and to be greeted in the markets with respect, and to be called 'Rabbi' for everybody. But do not allow yourselves to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Father, the heavenly Father. And do not call any one Father, the heavenly Father. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called 'Leaders,' for you have only one Leader, the Christ. The man who would be the greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted. But alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You turn the key of the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces. For you do not go in yourselves, nor yet allow those who try to go in to do so. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You destroy widow's houses, even while pretending to make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation. Alas for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to make a single convert, and, when he is gained, you make him twice as deserving of the Pit as you are yourselves. Alas for you, you blind guides! You say 'if any answer by the Temple, his oath counts for nothing; but, if any one swears by the gold of the Temple, his oath is binding him'! Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold? You say, too, 'If any one swears by the altar, his oath counts for nothing, but, if any one swears by the offering placed on it, his oath is binding on him'! Blind indeed! Which is the more important? The offering? or the altar which gives sacredness to the offering? Therefore a man, swearing by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it, and a man, swearing by the Temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it, while a man, swearing by Heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law--justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first. You blind guides, to strain out a gnat and to swallow a camel! Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are filled with the results of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth. It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious men, and say 'Had we been living in the days of our ancestors, we should have taken part in their murder of the Prophets! By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the men who murdered the Prophets. Fill up the measure of your ancestor's guilt. You serpents and brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to the Pit?
All their actions are done to attract attention. They widen their phylacteries, and increase the size of their tassels, and like to have the place of honor at dinner, and the best seats in the Synagogues, and to be greeted in the markets with respect, and to be called 'Rabbi' for everybody. But do not allow yourselves to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Father, the heavenly Father. And do not call any one Father, the heavenly Father. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called 'Leaders,' for you have only one Leader, the Christ. The man who would be the greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted. But alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You turn the key of the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces. For you do not go in yourselves, nor yet allow those who try to go in to do so. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You destroy widow's houses, even while pretending to make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation. Alas for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to make a single convert, and, when he is gained, you make him twice as deserving of the Pit as you are yourselves. Alas for you, you blind guides! You say 'if any answer by the Temple, his oath counts for nothing; but, if any one swears by the gold of the Temple, his oath is binding him'! Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold? You say, too, 'If any one swears by the altar, his oath counts for nothing, but, if any one swears by the offering placed on it, his oath is binding on him'! Blind indeed! Which is the more important? The offering? or the altar which gives sacredness to the offering? Therefore a man, swearing by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it, and a man, swearing by the Temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it, while a man, swearing by Heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law--justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first. You blind guides, to strain out a gnat and to swallow a camel! Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are filled with the results of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth. It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin. Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious men, and say 'Had we been living in the days of our ancestors, we should have taken part in their murder of the Prophets! By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the men who murdered the Prophets. Fill up the measure of your ancestor's guilt. You serpents and brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to the Pit?
Afterwards they sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to set a trap for him in the course of conversation. These men came to him and said: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of any one, for you pay no regard to a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not? Should we pay, or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them: "Why are you testing me? Bring me a florin to look at." read more.
And, when they had brought it, he asked: "Whose head and title are these?" "The Emperor's," they said; And Jesus replied: "Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." And they wondered at him. Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken." Then came up one of the Teachers of the Law who had heard their discussions. Knowing that Jesus had answered them wisely, he asked him this question: "What is the first of all the commandments?" "The first," answered Jesus, "is--'Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.' The second is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost love thyself.' There is no commandment greater than these." "Wisely answered, Teacher!" exclaimed the Teacher of the Law. "It is true, as you say, that 'there is one God,' and that 'there is no other besides him'; And to 'love him with all one's heart, and with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength,' and to 'love one's neighbor as one loves oneself' is far beyond all 'burnt-offerings and sacrifices.'" Seeing that he had answered with discernment, Jesus said to him: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." After that no one ventured to question him further. While Jesus was teaching in the Temple Courts, he asked: "How is it that the Teachers of the Law say that the Christ is to be David's son? David said himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit-- 'The Lord said to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, Until I put thy enemies beneath thy feet.'" David himself calls him 'lord,' how comes it, then, that he is to be his son?" The mass of the people listened to Jesus with delight. In the course of his teaching, Jesus said: "See that you are on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the streets with respect, And to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner. They are the men that rob widows of their homes, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier."
And, when they had brought it, he asked: "Whose head and title are these?" "The Emperor's," they said; And Jesus replied: "Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." And they wondered at him. Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this-- "Teacher, in our Scriptures Moses decreed that, should a man's brother die, leaving a widow but no child, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother. There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?" "Is not the reason of your mistake," answered Jesus, "your ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God? When men rise from the dead, there is no marrying or being married; but they are as angels in Heaven. As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of dead men, but of living. You are greatly mistaken." Then came up one of the Teachers of the Law who had heard their discussions. Knowing that Jesus had answered them wisely, he asked him this question: "What is the first of all the commandments?" "The first," answered Jesus, "is--'Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.' The second is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost love thyself.' There is no commandment greater than these." "Wisely answered, Teacher!" exclaimed the Teacher of the Law. "It is true, as you say, that 'there is one God,' and that 'there is no other besides him'; And to 'love him with all one's heart, and with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength,' and to 'love one's neighbor as one loves oneself' is far beyond all 'burnt-offerings and sacrifices.'" Seeing that he had answered with discernment, Jesus said to him: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." After that no one ventured to question him further. While Jesus was teaching in the Temple Courts, he asked: "How is it that the Teachers of the Law say that the Christ is to be David's son? David said himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit-- 'The Lord said to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, Until I put thy enemies beneath thy feet.'" David himself calls him 'lord,' how comes it, then, that he is to be his son?" The mass of the people listened to Jesus with delight. In the course of his teaching, Jesus said: "See that you are on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the streets with respect, And to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner. They are the men that rob widows of their homes, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier."
But the Master said to him: "You Pharisees do, it is true, clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside you yourselves are filled with greed and wickedness. Fools! did not the maker of the outside make the inside too? Only give away what is in them in charity, and at once you have the whole clean. read more.
But alas for you Pharisees! You pay tithes on mint, rue, and herbs of all kinds, and pass over justice and love to God. These last you ought to have put into practice without neglecting the first. Alas for you Pharisees! You delight to have the front seat in the Synagogues, and to be greeted in the markets with respect. Alas for you! You are like unsuspected graves, over which men walk unawares." Here one of the Students of the Law interrupted him by saying: "Teacher, when you say this, you are insulting us also." But Jesus went on: "Alas for you, too, you Students of the Law! You load men with loads that are too heavy to carry, but do not, yourselves, touch them with one of your fingers. Alas for you! You build the monuments of the Prophets whom your ancestors killed. You are actually witnesses to your ancestors' acts and show your approval of them, because, while they killed the Prophets, you build tombs for them. That is why the Wisdom of God said--"I will send to them Prophets and Apostles, Some of whom they will persecute and kill, in order that the 'blood' of all the prophets 'that has been spilt' since the creation of the world may be exacted from this generation-- From the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the House of God." Yes, I tell you, it will be exacted from this generation. Alas for you Students of the Law! You have taken away the key of the door of Knowledge. You have not gone in yourselves and you have hindered those who try to go in." When Jesus left the house, the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to press him hard and question him closely upon many subjects, Laying traps for him, so as to seize upon anything that he might say.
But alas for you Pharisees! You pay tithes on mint, rue, and herbs of all kinds, and pass over justice and love to God. These last you ought to have put into practice without neglecting the first. Alas for you Pharisees! You delight to have the front seat in the Synagogues, and to be greeted in the markets with respect. Alas for you! You are like unsuspected graves, over which men walk unawares." Here one of the Students of the Law interrupted him by saying: "Teacher, when you say this, you are insulting us also." But Jesus went on: "Alas for you, too, you Students of the Law! You load men with loads that are too heavy to carry, but do not, yourselves, touch them with one of your fingers. Alas for you! You build the monuments of the Prophets whom your ancestors killed. You are actually witnesses to your ancestors' acts and show your approval of them, because, while they killed the Prophets, you build tombs for them. That is why the Wisdom of God said--"I will send to them Prophets and Apostles, Some of whom they will persecute and kill, in order that the 'blood' of all the prophets 'that has been spilt' since the creation of the world may be exacted from this generation-- From the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the House of God." Yes, I tell you, it will be exacted from this generation. Alas for you Students of the Law! You have taken away the key of the door of Knowledge. You have not gone in yourselves and you have hindered those who try to go in." When Jesus left the house, the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to press him hard and question him closely upon many subjects, Laying traps for him, so as to seize upon anything that he might say.