Thematic Bible: Sermon


Thematic Bible



On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the sea. And many multitudes came together to him, so that he went into a ship and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying: Behold, the sower went out to sow. read more.
And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way: and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on stony places, where they had not much earth; and they immediately sprung up, because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them. Others fell upon good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundred, some fifty. some thirty. He that has ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came and said to him: "Why dost thou speak to them in parables? He answered, and said to them: Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it is not given. For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, even that which he has shall be taken from him. For this reason I speak to them in parables; because when they see, they see not; and when they hear, they hear not, nor do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophesy of Isaiah, which says: You shall surely hear, and you will not understand; and you shall surely see, and you will not perceive. For the heart of this people has become fat; and with their ears they hear heavily; and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should turn to me, and I should give them health. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say to you, Many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear. Hear you, therefore, the parable of the sower. When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, the wicked one comes and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he that received seed by the way side. He that received seed on the stony places is he that hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while; and when affliction or persecution arises on account of the word, he immediately takes offense. He that received seed among the thorns, is he that hears the word; and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But he that received seed on the good ground, is he that hears the word and understands it; who also produces fruit, and yields, one a hundred; another, sixty; another, thirty. Another parable he laid before them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the blade sprung up, and produced fruit, then appeared the tares also. And the servants of the master of the house came, and said to him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Whence, then, has it tares? He said to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Is it your will, then, that we go and gather them up? But he said, No; lest while you are gathering the tares, you root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together till the harvest, and in time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Collect first the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my granary. Another parable he laid before them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like- a grain of mustard, that a man took and sowed in his field. It is, indeed, the least of all seeds; but when it is grown it is the largest of garden-plants, and be comes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and roost in its branches. He spoke another parable to them: The kingdom of. heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till the whole was leavened. All these things Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables, and without a parable he did not speak to them; that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things that have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Then Jesus left the multitudes, and went into the house. And his disciples came to him and said: Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said to them: He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom; the tares are the sons of the Wicked One; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. As, therefore, the tares are collected and burned in fire, so shall it be in the end of this age. The Son of man will send forth his angels, and collect out of his kingdom all things that offend, and those who work iniquity, and cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that has ears to hear,- let him hear. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field, which, when a man finds it, he hides; and for the joy it gives, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking goodly pearls. When he finds one pearl of great value, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that is cast into the sea, and that gathers of every kind: when it is full, they draw it to the shore; and sitting down, they collect the good into vessels, but throw the bad away. So shall it be in the end of the age: the angels shall come forth and separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus said to them: Have you understood all these things? They said to him: Yes, Lord. He said to them: Therefore, every scribe that is trained for the kingdom of heaven, is like the master of a house, who brings out of his treasury things new and old.

And he taught them many things in parables, and said to them in his teaching: Hear; Behold, the sower went forth to sow; and it came to pass, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate it up. read more.
Other seed fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth: and it immediately sprung up, because it had no depth of earth. And when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no fruit. And other seed fell in the good ground, and produced fruit that grew up and increased, and produced, one thirty, one sixty, and one a hundred. And he said: He that has ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was alone, those who were about him, with the twelve, asked him the meaning of the parable. And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are without, all things are done in parables; that they may surely see, and not perceive; and that they may surely hear, and not understand; lest they should turn to me, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said to them: Do you not understand this parable? And how then will you understand all parables? The sower sows the word. These are they that received seed by the wayside, where the word is sown; and when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they that, in like manner, received seed in stony places: who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy: and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a time; afterward, when affliction or persecution arises on account of the word, they immediately take offense. And these are they that received seed among thorns; who hear the word, and the anxieties of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And these are they that received seed on the good ground; who hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred. And he said to them: Is a lamp brought in that it may be put under the measure, or under the divan? Is it not brought that it may be put on the lamp-stand? For there is nothing hid that shall not be made known; nor has any thing been concealed, but that it may come into open view. If any one has ears to hear, let him hear. And he said to them: Take heed how you hear; with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you; and to you that hear, more shall be given; for whoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not, even that which he has shall be taken from him. And he said: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should sow seed in the ground, and should sleep and rise, night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knows not how. For the earth, of its own accord, produces fruit, first the blade; then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he sends forth the sickle, because the harvest is ready. And he said: To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or, by what similitude shall we illustrate it? It is like a grain of mustard, which, when it is sown in the ground, is less than all seeds that are in the ground; yet, when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes larger than all garden-plants, and sends out great branches, so that the birds of the air can roost under its shadow. And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.



And he came down with them, and stood in a plain; and with him stood a multitude of his disciples, and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were oppressed by evil spirits; and they were cured. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for power went forth from him, and healed them all. read more.
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: Blessed are you that are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and shall withdraw themselves from you, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy; for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for so did their fathers to the prophets. But alas for you that are rich! for you have received your consolation. Alas for you that are full! for you shall be hungry. Alas for you that laugh now! for you shall mourn and weep. Alas for you, when men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. But I say to you that hear: Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; bless them that curse you; pray for them that abuse you. To him that strikes you on one cheek, offer also the other; and from him that takes away your mantle, withhold not your coat. Give to every one that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods, ask them not again. And as you would that men should do to you, do you also in like manner to them. And if you love them that love you, what thanks have you? for even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to them that do good to you, what thanks have you? for even sinners do the same. And if you lend to them from whom you hope to receive, what thanks have you? for even sinners lend to sinners, that they may receive the same. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind to the unthankful and the evil. Be you, therefore, merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged; condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be for given. Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your lap. For with the same measure with which you measure, it shall be measured to you in return. And he spoke a parable to them: Can the blind lead the blind? Will not both fall into the pit? The disciple is not above his teacher; but every accomplished disciple shall be as his teacher. And why do you look at the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but perceive not the beam that is in your own eye? Or, how can you say to your brother: Brother, let me pull out the splinter that is in your eye, when you yourself see not the beam that is in your own eye? Hypocrite, first pull the beam out of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to pull out the splinter that is in your brother's eye. For a good tree does not produce unsound fruit; nor does an unsound tree produce good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes gathered from brambles. The good man, out of the good treasury of his heart, brings forth that which is good; and the evil man, out of the evil treasury of his heart, brings forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks. But why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I command? Every one that comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man that, when building a house, digged deep, and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the torrent dashed against that house, and it was not able to shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he that hears, and does not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth, without a foundation, against which the torrent dashed with violence, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.