Читать книгу The Story of Jesus The Christ - Helen Braun Hojt - Страница 31

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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.»

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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