The Sign of Jonah

Gospel of Matthew 16

Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and, to test Jesus, requested him to show them some sign from the heavens. 2 But Jesus answered: “In the evening you say: ‘It will be fine weather, for the sky is as red as fire.’ 3 But in the morning you say: ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is as red as fire and threatening.’ You learn to read the sky; yet you are unable to read the signs of the times! 4 A wicked and unfaithful generation is asking for a sign, but no sign shall be given it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and went away.

5 Now the disciples had crossed to the opposite shore, and had forgotten to take any bread. 6 Presently Jesus said to them: “Take care and be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 But the disciples began talking among themselves about their having brought no bread.

8 On noticing this, Jesus said: “Why are you talking among yourselves about your being short of bread, O ye of little faith? 9 Do not you yet see, nor remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took away? 10 Nor yet the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you took away? 11 How is it that you do not see that I was not speaking about bread? Be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he had told them to be on their guard, not against the leaven of bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

13 On coming into the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples this question: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 “Some say John the Baptist,” they answered, “Others, however, say that he is Elijah, while others again say Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 “But you,” he said, “who do you say that I am?” 16 And to this Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”17 “Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah,” Jesus replied. “For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

18 Yes, and I say to you that your name is Peter and on this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of the place of death shall not prevail over it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be held in heaven to be forbidden, and whatever you allow on earth will be held in heaven to be allowed.” 20 Then he charged his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

21 At that time Jesus Christ began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and undergo much suffering at the hands of the councilors, and chief priests, and teachers of the law, and be put to death, and rise on the third day. 22 But Peter took Jesus aside, and began to rebuke him. “Master,” he said, “please God that shall never be your fate!” 23 Jesus, however, turning to Peter, said: “Out of my way, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you look at things, not as God does, but as mankind does.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone wishes to walk in my steps, let them renounce self, and take up their cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save their lives will lose it, and whoever, for my sake, loses their lives shall find it. 26 What good will it do you to gain the whole world, if you forfeit your life? Or what will you give that is of equal value with your life? 27 For the Son of Man is to come in his Father’s glory, with his angels, and then he ‘will give to every one of you what your actions deserve.’ 28 I tell you, some of those who are standing here will not know death till they have seen the Son of Man coming into his kingdom.”

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To read Chapter 17 of the Gospel of Matthew, please go to: Faith of a Mustard Seed

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A Lonely Place

Gospel of Mark 6

On leaving that place, Jesus, followed by his disciples, went to his own part of the country. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue; and the people, as they listened, were deeply impressed. “Where did he get this?” they said, “and what is this wisdom that has been given him? and these miracles which he is doing? 3 Is not he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters, too, living here among us?” This proved a hindrance to their believing in him; 4 On which Jesus said: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relations, and in his own home.”

5 And he could not work any miracle there, beyond placing his hands upon a few infirm persons, and curing them; 6 And he wondered at the want of faith shown by the people. Jesus went round the villages, one after another, teaching. 7 He called the twelve to him, and began to send them out as his messengers, two and two, and gave them authority over foul spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—not even bread, or a bag, or pence in their purse; 9 But they were to wear sandals, and not to put on a second coat.

10 “Whenever you go to stay at a house,” he said, “remain there till you leave that place; 11 And if a place does not welcome you, or listen to you, as you go out of it shake off the dust that is on the soles of your feet, as a protest against them.” 12 So they set out, and proclaimed the need of repentance. 13 They drove out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were infirm, and cured them.

14 Now King Herod heard of Jesus; for his name had become well known. People were saying: “John the Baptist must have risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are active in him.” 15 Others again said: “He is Elijah,” and others: “He is a prophet, like one of the great prophets.”

16 But when Herod heard of him, he said: “The man whom I beheaded, John, he must be risen!” 17 For Herod himself had sent and arrested John, and put him in prison, in chains, to please Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because Herod had married her. 18 For John had said to Herod: ‘You have no right to be living with your brother’s wife.’

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To continue reading Chapter 6 of the Gospel of Mark, including Jesus and a lonely place, please click on page 2 below.

You are the Christ

Gospel of Mark 8

About that time, when there was again a great crowd of people who had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said: 2 “My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; 3 And if I send them away to their homes hungry, they will break down on the way; and some of them have come a long distance.” 4 “Where will it be possible,” his disciples answered, “to get sufficient bread for these people in this lonely place?”

5 “How many loaves have you?” he asked. “Seven,” they answered. 6 Jesus told the crowd to sit down upon the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve out; and they served them out to the crowd. 7 They had also a few small fish; and, after he had said the blessing, he told the disciples to serve out these as well. 8 The people had sufficient to eat, and they picked up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left. 9 There were about four thousand people. Then Jesus dismissed them.

10 Immediately afterwards, getting into the boat with his disciples, Jesus went to the district of Dalmanutha. 11 Here the Pharisees came out, and began to argue with Jesus, asking him for some sign from the heavens, to test him. 12 Sighing deeply, Jesus said: “Why does this generation ask for a sign? I tell you, no sign shall be given it.” 13 So he left them to themselves, and, getting into the boat again, went away to the opposite shore.

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take any bread with them, one loaf being all that they had in the boat. 15 So Jesus gave them this warning. “Take care,” he said, “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 They began talking to one another about their being short of bread. 17 And, noticing this, Jesus said to them: “Why are you talking about your being short of bread? Do not you yet see or understand? Are your minds still so slow to comprehend?

18 ‘Though you have eyes, do you not see? And though you have ears, do you not hear?’ Do not you remember, 19 When I broke up the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets of broken pieces you picked up?” “Twelve,” they said. 20 And when the seven for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you pick up?” “Seven,” they said. 21 “Do not you understand now?” he repeated.

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To continue reading Chapter 8 of the Gospel of Mark, including Peter saying ‘You are the Christ,’ please click on page 2 below.

John – Gospel 6 – Christ is the Life Giving Bread

After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee—otherwise called the Lake of Tiberias. 2 A great crowd of people, however, followed him, because they saw the signs of his mission in his work among those who were afflicted. 3 Jesus went up the hill, and sat down there with his disciples. :4 It was near the time of the Jewish festival of the Passover. 5 Looking up, and noticing that a great crowd was coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip: “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he meant to do.

7 “Twenty pounds’ worth of bread,” answered Philip, “would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 “There is a boy here,” said Andrew, another of his disciples, Simon Peter’s brother, 9 “Who has five barley loaves and two fishes; but what is that for so many?”

10 “Make the people sit down,” said Jesus. It was a grassy spot; so the men, who numbered about five thousand, sat down, 11 And then Jesus took the loaves, and, after saying the thanksgiving, distributed them to those who were sitting down; and the same with the fish, giving the people as much as they wanted.

12 When they were satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples: “Collect the broken pieces that are left, so that nothing may be wasted.” 13 The disciples did so, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves, which were left after all had eaten.

14 When the people saw the signs which Jesus gave, they said: “This is certainly the prophet who was to come into the world.” 15 But Jesus, having discovered that they were intending to come and carry him off to make him king, retired again up the hill, quite alone.

16 When evening fell, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 And, getting into a boat, began to cross to Capernaum. By this time darkness had set in, and Jesus had not yet come back to them; 18 The sea, too, was getting rough, for a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed three or four miles, they caught sight of him walking on the water and approaching the boat, and they were frightened.

20 But Jesus said to them: “It is I; do not be afraid!” 21 And after this they were glad to take him into the boat; and the boat at once arrived off the shore, for which they had been making.

22 The people who remained on the further side of the sea had seen that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not gone into it with his disciples, but that they had left without him. 23 Some boats, however, had come from Tiberias, from near the spot where they had eaten the bread after the Master had said the thanksgiving.

24 So, on the next day, when the people saw that Jesus was not there, or his disciples either, they themselves got into the boats, and went to Capernaum to look for him. 25 And, when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said: “When did you get here, Rabbi?”

26 “In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “it is not on account of the signs which you saw that you are looking for me, but because you had the bread to eat and were satisfied. 27 Work, not for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts unto life everlasting, which the Son of Man will give you; for upon him the Father—God himself—has set the seal of his approval.”

28 “How,” they asked, “are we to do the work that God would have us do?” 29 “The work that God would have you do,” answered Jesus, “is to believe in him whom God sent as his messenger.” 30 “What sign, then,” they asked, “are you giving, which we may see, and so believe you? What is the work that you are doing? 31 Our ancestors had the manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 “In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father does give you the true bread from heaven; 33 For the bread that God gives is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.”

34 “Master,” they exclaimed, “give us that bread always!” 35 “I am the life-giving bread,” Jesus said to them; “he that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he that believes in me shall never thirst again. 36 But, as I have said already, you have seen me, and yet you do not believe in me.”

37 “All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away. 38 For I have come down from heaven, to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39 And his will is this: that I should not lose one of all those whom he has given me, but should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is the will of my Father that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I myself will raise them up at the last day.”

41 Upon this, the Jews began murmuring against Jesus for saying, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ 42 “Is not this Jesus, Joseph’s son,” they asked, “whose father and mother we know? How is it that he now says that he has come down from heaven?” 43 “Do not murmur among yourselves,” said Jesus in reply.

44 “No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws them to me; and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is said by the prophets: ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who is taught by the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except him that is from God—He has seen the Father.”

47 “In truth I tell you, those who believe in me have eternal life. 48 I am the life-giving bread. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, and yet died. 50 The bread that comes down from heaven is such that whoever eats of it will never die. 51 I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

52 Upon this the Jews began disputing with one another: “How is it possible for this man to give us his flesh to eat?” 53 “In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have not life within you. 54 You who take my flesh for your food, and drink my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise you up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood true drink. 56 You who take my flesh for your food, and drink my blood, remain united to me, and I to you.”

57 “As the living Father sent me as his messenger, and as I live because the Father lives, so are you who take me for your food shall live because I live. 58 That is the bread which has come down from heaven—not such as your ancestors ate, and yet died; you who take this bread for his food shall live for ever.”

59 All this Jesus said in a synagogue, when he was teaching in Capernaum. 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said: “This is harsh doctrine! Who can bear to listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, aware that his disciples were murmuring about it, said to them: 62 “Does this offend you? What, then, if you should see the Son of Man ascending where he was before?”

63 “It is the spirit that gives life; mere flesh is of no avail. In the teaching that I have been giving you there is spirit and there is life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe in me.” For Jesus knew from the first who they were that did not believe in him, and who it was that would betray him; 65 And he added: “This is why I told you that no one can come to me, unless enabled by the Father.”

66 After this many of his disciples drew back, and did not go about with him any longer. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve: “Do you also wish to leave me?” 68 But Simon Peter answered: “Master, to whom shall we go? The words of eternal life are in your teaching; 69 And we have learned to believe and to know that you are that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

70 “Did not I myself choose you to be the twelve?” replied Jesus; “And one is playing the devil’s part.” 71 He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who was about to betray him, though he was one of the twelve.

To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 7.

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