Den of Thieves

Gospel of Matthew 21

When they had almost reached Jerusalem, having come as far as Bethphage, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two disciples. 2 “Go to the village facing you,” he said, “and you will immediately find a donkey tethered, with a foal by her side; untie her, and lead her here for me. 3 And, if anyone says anything to you, you are to say this: ‘The Master wants them’; and he will send them at once.” 4 This happened in fulfillment of these words by the prophet: 5 ‘Say to the daughter of Zion: Behold, thy King is coming to thee, Gentle, and riding on an ass, and on the foal of a beast of burden.’”

6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They led the ass and the foal back, and, when they had put their cloaks on them, he seated himself upon them. 8 The immense crowd of people spread their cloaks in the road, while some cut branches off the trees, and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that led the way, as well as those that followed behind, kept shouting: “God save the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! God save him from on high!”

10 When he had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred, and asked: 11 “Who is this?”, to which the crowd replied: “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” 12 Jesus went into the temple courts, and drove out all those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers, 13 And said to them: “Scripture says: ‘My House shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it ‘a den of thieves.’”

14 While he was still in the temple courts, some blind and some lame people came up to him, and he cured them. 15 But, when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things that Jesus did, and the boys who were calling out in the temple courts, “God save the Son of David!”, they were indignant, 16 And said to him: “Do you hear what these boys are saying?” “Yes,” answered Jesus; “but did you never read the words: ‘Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou has called forth perfect praise’?”

17 Then he left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. 18 The next morning, in returning to the city, Jesus became hungry; 19 And, noticing a solitary fig tree by the road-side; he went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. So he said to it: “Never again shall fruit be gathered off you.” And suddenly the fruit tree withered up.

20 When the disciples saw this, they exclaimed in astonishment: “How suddenly the fig tree withered up!” 21 “I tell you,” replied Jesus, “if you have faith, without ever a doubt, you will do what not only has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill: ‘Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!’ it would be done. 22 And whatever you ask for in your prayers will, if you have faith, be granted you.” 23 After Jesus had come into the temple courts, the chief priests and the councilors of the nation came up to him as he was teaching, and said: “What authority have you to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”

24 “I, too,” said Jesus in reply, “will ask you one question; if you will give me an answer to it, then I, also, will tell you what authority I have to act as I do. 25 It is about John’s baptism. What was its origin? Divine or human?” But they began arguing among themselves: “If we say, ‘divine,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did not you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘human’, we are afraid of the people, for everyone regards John as a prophet.” 27 So the answer they gave Jesus was: “We do not know.”

Investigating the Lord’s Prayer

To continue reading Chapter 21 of the Gospel of Matthew please click on page 2 below.

There is One God

Gospel of Mark 12

And Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine–press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad. 2 At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, to receive from them a share of the produce of the vintage; 3 But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty– handed.”

4 “A second time the owner sent a servant to them; this man, too, the tenants struck on the head, and insulted. 5 He sent another, but him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed. 6 He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 7 But those tenants said to one another: ‘Here is the heir! Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they seized him, and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard.”

9 “What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and put the tenants to death, and he will let the vineyard to others. 10 Have you never read this passage of scripture?: ‘The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner– stone; 11 This corner–stone has come from the Lord, and is marvelous in our eyes.’“ 12 After this his enemies were eager to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed the parable. So they let him alone, and went away.

13 Afterwards they sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to set a trap for him in the course of conversation. 14 These men came to him and said: “Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of anyone, for you pay no regard to a man’s position, but teach the way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 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.” 16 And, when they had brought it, he asked: “Whose head and title are these?” “The Emperor’s,” they said; 17 And Jesus replied: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they wondered at him.

18 Next came some Sadducees, the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this: 9 “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. 20 There were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest took a wife, but died and left no family; 21 And the second took her, and died without family; and so did the third. 22 All the seven died and left no family. The woman herself died last of all. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?”

Read a fresh, new take on the Lord’s Prayer.

To continue reading Chapter 12 of the Gospel of Mark and how there is one God, please click on page 2 below.