The Story of Jesus The Christ

TIIE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

47

So lie left Capernaum and went through other towns of

Galilee, healing the sick and teaching in the synagogues.

While passing through one of these cities a man who was a

leper saw him and kneeled down before him. Now leprosy is

a very dreadful disease or

sickness that people in hot

countries sometimes have;

and one who takes the dis¬

ease almost never gets free

from it. He is called a

leper, and is not allowed

to touch anybody, for a

touch might give the dis¬

ease to the one who did not

have it. He must leave

his home and live with

other lepers, and if he sees

any one coming near him

he must call out so that

they will keep away. The

Jews always called out

«Unclean! Unclean!»

But this leper did not

cry “ Unclean.» He went

as near Jesus as he dared,

fell down before him and said, «Lord, if you are willing you can

make me well.» The Saviour felt sorry for the poor man; he

put out his hand and touched him and said, “ I am willing; you

shall be well.» As soon as he spoke the leprosy left the man;;

he was well.

Jesus said, “ Tell no man how you were cured, but go and

show yourself to the priest.»

The Great Physician

48

A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

The leper must do that to obey the law of the country, which

was somewhat like this: If a man who thought he had leprosy

found that it was a mistake and he did not have the disease, or

if one who was a leper had been cured of his trouble, he must

first go to the priest and prove that he was free from the disease.

Then he must go through a form of cleansing, and the priest must

offer sacrifices for him. After all this had been done he was

called clean and allowed to live with his family again. The

lepers went to the priests to be sure that they did not have the

disease, because the priests were the ones who were taught to

know the disease whenever they saw it; and they were the ones

who had a right to decide. There were no good doctors, except

among the priests, so the people always went to them for such

things as this, just as we go to some doctor.

Jesus told this man to obey the law by showing himself to the

priest, and being cleansed, but not to say anything about how he

was cured. But the man was so happy and grateful that he

could not keep still; he went out and told every one he met that

the Lord Jesus had cured him, and he was well.

The news spread fast. People from far and near came to see

the preacher who made more wonderful cures than any doctor

they had ever known. Jesus needed rest, and for a few days he

kept away from the crowded cities and spent the time in the

wilderness.

But in a very few days he was ready for work again, and went

to his friends in Capernaum. It did not take long for people to

find out that he was there again, and crowds came to hear him

from that city, and from all the towns in Galilee and Judea.

Scribes and Pharisees were often among his hearers. The

scribes were lawyers; they spent much time in studying the Jew¬

ish law, and taught the people what they must do to obey it.

They were the men who made the copies of the Scriptures. You

THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

49

know they did not know then how to print with machines as we

do now. Every book had to be written by hand with a pen,

and it took a long time. The books did not look like ours, but

were on long rolls of paper, with a stick fastened to each end, so

they could be rolled up smoothly. When any One wanted to read

from a book he must unwind the roll until he came to the place

he wanted.

The Pharisees were another very important class among the

Jews. Jesus called them hypocrites, for they pretended to be one

thing when they were something else. They made long prayers

at the corners of the streets where people could hear them; and

gave money and food to the poor when they would be seen doing

it. They were very strict about some things, but their hearts

were bad, and when no one was watching them they could not be

trusted. They were dishonest and sly and very unloving. These

Pharisees did not like Jesus because he had told them they were

not honest men. They wanted to find something to say against

him.

One day in Capernaum a number of these people had come to

the house where Jesus was preaching. The houses of Palestine

are not like ours. Many of them are only one story high, and

are covered with a flat roof that can be reached from the outside

by stairs. This roof is quite useful; for after the sun goes down

in the hot summer days families sit on the roof, and even sleep

there. A railing around the edge makes it safe. It is very easy

to carry the beds up there, for the bed of that country is only a

thin mattress or heavy mat which is spread on the floor when

needed, but rolled up and put one side when not in use. In the

centre of the house there is often a large room called the court,

and the part of the roof over this court is made in such a way

that it can easily be taken off. It was in the court of such a

house that Jesus was preaching.

50

A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

The crowd had filled the house, and the doorway was blocked

with those who could get no farther. Four men came bringing

with them a man who

was sick with the palsy.

Palsy, or paralysis, is

a disease which takes

the life from some part

of the body. If one

has palsy in his arm, he

cannot use that arm to

help himself; if it is in

his throat, he cannot

swallow; if it is in the

leg, he cannot walk, or

even move the leg.

This man had the palsy,

and because he could

not walk his friends

were bringing him on a

bed to see the Saviour.

They tried to get in

The Man Sick with the Palsy through the door, but

the crowd would not

make way. What should they do? They must see Jesus!

Their friend must be healed. There was another way to get to

him besides going through the door, and that they now tried.

The stairs which led to the roof were usually on the outside of

the houses in that country. They would have no trouble in go¬

ing there, for all the people were crowding the door. So they

took the sick man up to the housetop, and, uncovering the roof,,

they let him down, still lying on his bed, to the court at Jesus»

feet.

THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

51

The Saviour knew what trouble they had taken to come to

him, and it pleased him to have them show such trust that they

were willing to do so much hard work. He stopped his lesson and

said to the man who was sick with the palsy, “ Son, be of good

cheer, your sins are forgiven.»

You remember there were many scribes and Pharisees there

who were trying to find something to say against Jesus, so that

they could prove that he was a bad man, who was making the

people believe what was wrong. Now they thought they had

found something. They said to one another, “ This man pretends

to be God; for no one can forgive sins but God.» They accused

him of one of the very greatest sins that any man could commit.

Pretending to be God, or to have the power that belongs only to

God, or trying to make people think that God is not so great and

good as He really is, was called “ blasphemy.» The Jewish law

commanded that any man who spoke blasphemy, or “ blas¬

phemed,» should be put to death. What Jesus said would have

been blasphemy if any one else had said it. But Jesus was the

Son of God, and to him God had given power which had never

been given to any one before.

Jesus knew what they were saying, and he answered them.

u Why do you think evil of me? ” he said; “ which words are

easier to say, ‘ your sins are forgiven,» or 4 arise and walk ’? But

I will show you that I did not say mere words, but that I, the Son

of man, have the power to forgive sins.» Then he turned to the

sick man and said, “ Arise, take up your bed, and go to your

house.» And immediately that man who was not able to get to

Jesus without being carried by his friends rose, rolled up his bed,

took it under his arm, and walked away. His heart was full of

love and thankfulness to God. The crowd, filled with wonder,

left the house soon afterward, saying, «We have seen strange

things to-day.»

52

A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

After the people had all gone, Jesus went out to take a walk.

While walking he came to the place where Matthew, a publican

or tax-collector, was sit¬

ting at his work. Jesus

stopped and spoke to

him, saying, «Will you

follow me? ” Matthew

probably knew Jesus,

and was glad to be

chosen a disciple of

the great Master. He

arose at once, left his

work, and followed the

Christ.

The publicans were

the men who gathered

the money which the

Jews had to pay to the

Roman Emperor. Some

of them were Romans

and some were Jews.

Calling of Matthew Probably many of them

were dishonest men,

who tried to collect more money than they should, especially

from the poor. The scribes and Pharisees thought no publican

was honest, and never tried to make one of them a better man.

They looked down on them all as wicked men, who should not

be allowed to associate with any one who was good.

They hated to pay the taxes, and hated the publicans who

collected them, whether they were Jew or Roman. But they

hated the Jews who did this work the most, because they

thought they should have more love for their country than to

THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

58

help the Romans get money from them. But Jesus did not

think as the Pharisees did, and chose Matthew, who was some¬

times called Levi, to be one of his disciples.

Matthew very soon made a feast and invited his publican

friends to come to his house and meet the Master and the new

companions he had chosen. It was the custom then to allow

anybody who wished to go into. a house where there was a

feast, and look on while the real guests were eating. So the

scribes and Pharisees followed Jesus to Matthew’s house. When

they saw Jesus at the table eating with these publicans, they said

to the disciples, «How is it that your Master is willing to eat

and drink with these wicked. people? ” Now Jesus heard what

they said, and he himself answered them in these words:

«They that are well need not a physician [or doctor], but they

that are sick. I came, not to call the righteous, but sinners to

repentance.»

The Pharisees knew/what he meant by this answer. He

called them the well and the righteous because they thought

they were good enough, and did not need help to be better. He

who had come to make people’s souls well and happy could do

nothing for them because they would not take what he offered

to give them. That is why he did not work with them. But

the publicans, who knew that they were wicked people and were

willing to be made better, were the sick; and Jesus, the great

Physician, went among them because he could do them good.

And now it was time again for one of the Jewish feasts at

Jerusalem, and Jesus went to the feast. Many of the cities in

those times were surrounded with strong walls, and in the walls

were gates through which the people went in and out of the

town. Jerusalem was one of these walled cities, and had five

gates. Near one of them, known as the Sheep Gate, was a pool

of water, called Bethesda, which means House of Mercy. Water

54

A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

was never very plentiful in Jerusalem, and all the wells and pools

were much prized by the people. But they were especially fond

of Bethesda, for the water there was supposed to cure disease.

Some one had built around the pool five stone porches, with

steps leading down into the water. Here, sheltered from the

weather, the sick people could wait until they could step into

the pool. They could not do this whenever they wanted to. At

certain times only there was a bubbling motion of the water*

which they believed was made by an angel going into the pool.

Then, as they thought, whoever stepped into the water first was.

cured of any disease he had. Of course every sick person wanted

to be the first, and as no one could tell when the moving of the

water would be, the

porches were usually

filled with the people

who were waiting for

the time to come.

It was on the Sab¬

bath day that Jesus,

walking by this pool

of Bethesda, saw in

one of the porches a

very feeble man, who

had been sick thirty-

eight years. His friends

had brought him to the

pool and left him there

alone. The Saviour

saw him lying there,

and knowing how long

he had been sick he

felt pity for him.

The Infirm Man at Bethesda

the ministry of tiie ciirist

55

«Would you like to be made well?» he asked. The poor man

did not know that the one who spoke to him was better able to

cure him than the waters of Bethesda, and answered, “ Sir, I

have no one to put me into the pool at the right time, and while

I am trying to get there myself, some one steps in before me.»

Jesus said to him as he did to the palsied man at Capernaum,

«Rise, take up your bed and walk.»

Strange enough the man did not say: “ I cannot do it. I have

not walked for thirty-eight years.» He felt as if he could walk

now. He rose at once and walked away, carrying his bed with

him. The Bible does not say that he even stopped to thank the

one who had done so much for him, who was soon lost to his

sight in the crowd about the pool.

The man had not gone very far when he was stopped by some

of the Pharisees, who thought it was wrong to carry anything

in the hands on the Sabbath day. They thought it was wrong

to cure the sick, or move them in bed, or even to do any of the

little things that make sick people more comfortable. When

these very strict Jews saw this man with the bed under his arm

they said, “ Do you not know that it is the Sabbath day, and that

it is against the law to carry your bed? ” The man excused him¬

self by saying, “ He that made me well told me to take up my

bed and walk.» It seems as if every one would have been glad

that the man was able to do that, but the Jews were not. They

asked, angrily, “ Who was it that told you to take up your bed?»

The man could not tell them, for he himself did not know.

A little while after this they met again in the temple, and

Jesus talked with the man about the kind of life he was living.

If he had been a really good man he probably would not have had

this trouble, so the Christ said to him, “ You are well now, but if

you keep on doing wicked things something worse may happen

to you. Go, and sin no more.» The man left the temple, saw

56

A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

the Jews again and told them that it was Jesus who had cured

him. Then they crowded about the Saviour, and began to abuse

him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.

Who do you think spent the day in the way best pleasing to

God? The Christ, with a heart full of love, doing what he could

to help some one who was in trouble, or the Jews whose hearts

were so full of hatred to him because he had done what they

called wrong that they wanted to kill him?

Jesus was not afraid of them. He told them that he was only

doing his Father’s work. It made them still more angry to have

him call God his Father. He tried to prove to them that he was

the Son of God; that he could not do such things as they had

seen him do if his Father did not give him the power. He said

that if they would trust him they would see still greater works,

and asked them if they did not remember that John the Baptist had

called him the Christ. More than that, his Father at his baptism

had said, 66 This is my beloved Son.» “ You study the Scriptures,»

he said, u because you think they will save you; and they tell of

me. Why do you not come to me and learn what I can teach

you? I know why you do not come. It is because your hearts

are not full of the love of God. How can you believe?» After

he had said all he wanted to, he left them.

They did not dare to touch him then, but they did not forgive

him, and they made up their minds that they would watch him,

and see if they could not find something for which they could

punish him. It seems very strange that they would not listen

to him, and believe what he taught. Probably if they had been

better men they would have been willing to listen, and would have

learned to love the man who was always doing so much for others.

But they liked to be the rulers of the people, and they were afraid

that if Jesus were allowed to teach, the people would leave them,

and they would lose their power. They were jealous.

THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRIST

57

One Sabbath not long after this, Jesus and his disciples were

walking through a field of grain in Galilee. The disciples were

hungry, and as they

walked along they

picked some of the grain

and ate it. It was per¬

fectly right for them to

pick this grain, for the

Jewish law said that

any one could pick the

ears with his hands

if he wanted to eat

them, but that no one

must cut the grain with

the sickle and take it

home unless it was his.

Wherever Jesus

went now some of the

Pharisees followed to

see what he was about.

So when these men saw

the friends of Jesus eat¬

ing the grain they said to him, “ Your disciples are doing what

is not right on the Sabbath.»

If the law gave the people the right to pick the grain in this

way, why was there any reason why the Pharisees should blame

them? You remember that these Jews were very strict about

some things, although in other ways they were very bad. One

of the things they were very strict about was the keeping of the

Sabbath. Their law said that they must not work on the Sab¬

bath, and they said that rubbing off the grain with the hands was,

work. So they did not allow it to be done on the Sabbath. They

The Disciples plucking Grain

58

A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

could not blame Jesus for breaking the law, because he had not

picked any of the grain. But they blamed him for allowing his

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