Читать книгу The Story of Jesus The Christ - Helen Braun Hojt - Страница 30

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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.

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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.