human
Welcome, best of teachers, O what joy that thou shouldst honor my house with thy entrance. Dear friends, be also welcome, he exclaimed; but he was startled to hear the reply,
gpt
Simon, for the last time I, with my disciples, lay claim to thy hospitality.
human
Say not so, Lord. Often still shall Bethany afford thee brief repose.
gpt
See, said Jesus,
human
My Lord, cried Lazarus, embracing him,
gpt
Rabbi, she exclaimed; Martha also said,
human
Welcome, Rabbi.
gpt
God's blessing be upon you!
human
Wilt thou Lord, grant me the happiness of serving thee? while the Magdalene timidly inquired,
gpt
Wilt thou despise a token of love and gratitude from me?
human
Do, good souls, that which you purpose to do.
gpt
Best of masters, come under my roof and refresh thyself and thy disciples.
human
Peace be upon this house, to which the disciples added, speaking together,
gpt
And to all that dwell therein. Then said Simon,
human
Lord, all is ready, set thee down at table and bid thy disciples sit down also.
gpt
Let us now, beloved disciples, enjoy with thanks the gifts which our Father in heaven bestows upon us through Simon, his servant. O Jerusalem, would that my coming were as dear to thee as it is to these, my friends! But thou are stricken with blindness.
human
Yes, Lord, remarked Lazarus;
gpt
O best of masters, dangers threaten thee. The Pharisees are anxiously wondering whether thou wilt come up to the Passover. They are eagerly watching for thy destruction.
human
Stay here, Lord; here thou art safe.
gpt
Lord, it is good to be here. Remain here, in the seclusion of this house, served by faithful love, till the gathering storm be passed.
human
Get thee behind me, tempter. Thou savorest not of the things that are of God, but those that be of men. Can the reaper tarry in the shade while the ripe harvest awaits him? The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.
gpt
But, master, what will become of us if thou givest up thy life?
human
Ah, all our hopes would then be destroyed.
gpt
Trouble not yourselves, said Jesus,
human
I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
gpt
Rabbi. And Jesus also said but one word,
human
Mary,
gpt
What an exquisite odor!
human
It is real oil of spikenard, very costly,
gpt
Such an honor has never been shown to our master.
human
To what purpose is this waste? The money might have been much better expended.
gpt
Yes, said Thomas,
human
I almost think so, too.
gpt
What are you saying to each other? Why do you condemn that which is done only from grateful love.
human
Knelt down and anointed Jesus' feet.
gpt
To pour out so much costly ointment, what wasteful extravagance!
human
Friend Judas, said Jesus,
gpt
I know that thou lovest not useless expense; the ointment might have been sold and the poor helped with the money!
human
Judas, said Jesus somewhat sternly,
gpt
At least three hundred pence could have been got for it. What a loss both for the poor and for us.
human
The poor you have always with you, but me ye have not always. Then he said,
gpt
Let her alone, she has wrought a good work on me, for in that she has poured out the ointment upon me, she has anointed me for my burial. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever the gospel will be preached through the whole world, there shall also this which she hath done be told for a memorial of her.
human
Let us arise --and then turning to Simon, his host, he said,
gpt
I thank thee, benevolent man, for thy hospitality, the Father will repay it unto thee.
human
Say nothing of thanks, master, said Simon;
gpt
I know what I owe to thee.
human
It is time to go hence. Farewell all ye dwellers in this hospitable house. My disciples, follow me.
gpt
Lord, wherever thou wilt, only not to Jerusalem.
human
I go where my Father calls me. If it please thee to remain here, Peter, do so. Then Peter declared,
gpt
Lord, where thou abidest there will I also abide; whither thou goest there go I also.
human
Come then.
gpt
Remain here, beloved! Once more, fare ye well. Dear, peaceful Bethany, never more shall I tarry in thy quiet vale.
human
Then wilt thou really depart hence forever?
gpt
Alas, I am filled with terrible forebodings. Friend of my soul! My heart--oh! my heart--it will not let thee go!
human
Stand up, Mary. The night cometh and the winter storms come blustering on. But be comforted. In the early morning in the garden of spring, thou wilt see me again.
gpt
Oh! my friend, my benefactor!
human
Alas! cried Martha,
gpt
The Father wills it, beloved. Wherever I am I bear you ever with me in my heart, and wherever you are, my blessings will follow you. Farewell.
human
Jesus, dearest son, I hastened after thee with my friends, in eager longing to see thee once more before thou goest, all whither?
gpt
Mother, I am on the way to Jerusalem.
human
To Jerusalem, said his mother.
gpt
There is the temple of Jehovah, whither I once carried thee in my arms to offer thee to the Lord.
human
Mother, said Jesus in solemn sadness,
gpt
Ah, cried Mary with bitter and piteous cry,
human
I foresee what kind of a sacrifice that will be.
gpt
How much we had wished, said the Magdalene,
human
It is of no use, said Simon gloomily,
gpt
My hour is come.
human
Oh, ask the Father that he should let it pass by.
gpt
The Father has always listened to thee.
human
How is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, deliver me from this hour! But for this hour came I into the world.
gpt
Oh, venerable Simon, now will be fulfilled that which thou once prophesied to me, 'A sword shall pierce through thine own soul!'
human
Mother, the will of the Father was also ever sacred to thee. His word rallied her courage and she replied,
gpt
It is so to me still. I am the handmaid of the Lord. What he requires of me I will bear patiently. But one thing I beg of thee, my son.
human
What desirest thou, my mother?
gpt
That I may go with thee into the fierce conflict of suffering, yea, even unto death!
human
Oh, what love!
gpt
Dear mother, thou wilt suffer with me, thou wilt fight with me in my death struggle, but thou wilt also rejoice with me in my victory, therefore be comforted.
human
Oh, God! she cried in heartrending accents,
gpt
We all weep with thee, thou best of mothers,
human
I will go with thee, my son, to Jerusalem,
gpt
Later you may go thither, but not now. For the present stay with our friends at Bethany. I commend to you, O faithful souls, my beloved mother, with those who have followed her here.
human
After thee, she exclaimed,
gpt
If only thou, O master, couldst remain!
human
Comfort ye one another. After two days you may come up together to Jerusalem, to be there on the great day of the feast.
gpt
As thou wilt, my son.
human
How sadly will the hours pass when thou art far from us.
gpt
Mother, mother, for the tender love and motherly care which thou hast shown to me for the three and thirty years of my life, receive the warmest thanks of thy son. And stooping down he kissed her. Then raising his head, he said,
human
The Father calls me. Fare thee well, best of mothers.
gpt
My son, where shall I see thee again?
human
There, beloved mother, where the Scripture shall be fulfilled: 'He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and he opened not his mouth.'
gpt
Jesus, thy mother, oh! Oh, God, my son!
human
O beloved, faithful mother!
gpt
We cannot endure it. What will be the end of all this?
human
Alas, what affliction lies before us all?
gpt
Sink not in the first conflict. Hold fast by me.
human
Yea, master, fast by thee.
gpt
Ah! our dear teacher, while Simon said,
human
He brought happiness to my house.
gpt
Come, mother, and condescend to enter in.
human
One consolation remains to us in tribulation, said Mary Magdalene, and Martha added,
gpt
To have the mother of our Lord with us. Turning to the other women, Lazarus said,
human
And you, beloved ones, come with us, we will share our woe and tears together.
gpt
Master, behold what a splendid view of Jerusalem from this spot!
human
The majestic temple, how splendidly it is built.
gpt
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, O that thou hadst known even in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace! but now they are hidden from thine eyes!
human
Master, why grievest thou so sorely?
gpt
My Peter, the fate of this unhappy city goes to my heart.
human
Lord, tell us what shall this fate be?
gpt
The days will come when her enemies will make a trench about her walls and close her in on every side, and lay her even with the ground. She and her children within her walls will be dashed to the earth, and not one stone will be left upon another.
human
Wherefore shall the city have so sad a doom?
gpt
Because she hath not known the day of her visitation. Alas! she who hath slain the prophets will kill the Messiah himself.
human
What a terrible deed!
gpt
God forbid that the city of Jehovah should bring such a curse upon herself.
human
Dearest master, for the sake of the holy city and the temple, I beg of thee go not thither, so that the opportunity may be wanting to those evil men to do the worst.
gpt
Or, said Peter,
human
Yes, cried all the twelve eagerly,
gpt
Strike down thine enemies! and all added earnestly,
human
And set up the kingdom of God among men!
gpt
Children, that which you desire shall come to pass in due time, but my ways are appointed to me by my father, and thus saith the Lord, 'My thoughts are not as your thoughts, and my ways are not as your ways.'
human
Peter! Peter replied,
gpt
What wilt thou, Lord? and the Lord continued,
human
It is now the first day of unleavened bread, in which the law commands that we should eat the Passover; you, both Peter and John, go forward and prepare the Passover that we may eat it in the evening.
gpt
Where wilt thou, Lord, that we prepare the Passover?
human
When you come into the city there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water, follow ye him and wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the good man of the house, 'The master says, Where is the guest-chamber that I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' and he will show you a large upper chamber furnished and prepared; there make ready the Passover.
gpt
Thy blessing, O best of masters! said Peter. He and John knelt on either side of their Lord, Jesus placed his right hand on the head of John and his left hand on the head of Peter, exclaiming,
human
God's blessing be with you!
gpt
Accompany me for the last time to the house of my Father.
human
But, master, allow me; if thou wilt really leave us, make some arrangement for our future support. Look here, he added, pointing to the small bag almost empty of coin, which he carried in his girdle,
gpt
Judas, do not be more anxious than is needful.
human
How well the value of that uselessly wasted ointment would have lain therein! how long we could have lived on it without care!
gpt
You have never lacked anything hitherto and, believe me, that what is necessary will not fail you in time to come.
human
But, master, when thou art no longer with us our good friends will soon draw back, and then we shall be left in sore distress.
gpt
Friend Judas, beware lest thou fall into temptation.
human
Judas, trouble not the master so much.
gpt
Who will take thought if I do not? Have I not been appointed by the master to carry the bag?
human
Thou hast, said Jesus,
gpt
And I also fear, interrupted Judas,
human
Judas, forget not thy warning. Arise, now let us go hence, I desire to be in the house of my Father.
gpt
Shall I follow him any longer. I do not much care to do so. The master's conduct to me is very inexplicable. His great deeds allowed us to hope that he would restore again the kingdom to Israel. But he does not seize the opportunities that offer themselves, and now he constantly talks of parting and dying, and puts us off with mysterious words about a future which lies too far off in the dim distance for me. I am tired of hoping and waiting. I can see very well, that with him there is no prospect of anything but continued poverty and humiliation,--and instead of the sharing, as we expected, in his glorious kingdom, we shall perhaps be persecuted and thrown into prison with him. I will draw back. It was a good thing that I was always prudent and cautious, and have now and then laid aside a trifle out of the bag in case of need. How useful I should find those 300 pence now which the foolish woman threw away on a useless mark of respect. If, as seems likely, the society is about to dissolve, they would have remained in my hands--then I should have been safe for a long while to come. As it is, I must consider the question, where and how I can find subsistence.
human
The occasion is favorable. He is alone and seems much perplexed. I must try everything in order to secure him.
gpt
Friend Judas!
human
Who calls?
gpt
A friend, said Dathan;
human
Who art thou?
gpt
Thy friend, thy brother,
human
Thou art my friend, my brother?
gpt
At least, said Dathan,
human
I wish to be so. How is it with the master? I also would like to become one of his disciples.
gpt
One of his disciples?
human
Why? said Dathan,
gpt
Canst thou keep silence?
human
Be assured of that,
gpt
Then, answered Judas,
human
And then Judas rapidly ran over the various predictions of disaster which he had heard from the lips of Jesus.
gpt
I intend to forsake him, for he will yet bring us all to ruin. See here, said he, producing the almost empty purse,
human
I am treasurer, see how it stands with us.
gpt
Friend, said Dathan, shrugging his shoulders,
human
I shall remain as I am.
gpt
Who are these? I will not say another word.
human
Stay, friend, said one of the newcomers,
gpt
Why have you come here?
human
We were going back to Jerusalem and we will bear thee company if it please thee.
gpt
Do you also perhaps wish to go after the master?
human
Has he gone to Jerusalem?
gpt
For the last time, said Judas,
human
What! said they,
gpt
Why do you ask me this so eagerly? said Judas,
human
Why not? said the traders with a laugh,
gpt
and Dathan added,
human
Explain to us, Judas, the meaning of thy words that he would bring you all to ruin.
gpt
He tells us always to take no thought for the morrow, but if today anything happened we should all be as poor as beggars. Does a master care thus for his own?
human
Truly, said the traders,
gpt
And at the same time this very day he permitted the most senseless waste which a foolish woman was guilty of, thinking to obtain honor; and when I found fault with this I only met with reproachful words and looks.
human
And thou canst still care for him after that? said the traders contemptuously,
gpt
So I have been thinking, said Judas,
human
Thou hast not long to seek, for the fairest opportunity is awaiting thee.
gpt
Where? How?
human
Hast thou not heard, said the traders,
gpt
What proclamation?
human
Whosoever gives information as to the nightly resort of Jesus of Nazareth shall receive a large reward.
gpt
A large reward!
human
Now who, said they,
gpt
We have nearly attained our end.
human
Brother, don't neglect this good fortune.
gpt
A fair opportunity. Shall I let it slip?
human
The reward is not all. The council will look after thee in the future. Who knows what might not yet come of it for thee!
gpt
Consent, friend! Strike the bargain,
human
Well, be it so.
gpt
Come, Judas, said Dathan,
human
But Judas said,
gpt
No, I must first go after the master, and so obtain information in order to make things sure.
human
Well, then, we will go to the council and report you in the meantime. But when and where shall we meet?
gpt
In three hours you will find me in the street of the temple,
human
Done!
gpt
My word is given; I shall not repent of it. Shall I avoid the good fortune which is coming to meet me? Yes, my fortune is made. I will do what I promised, but will make them pay me in advance. If then the priests succeed in taking him prisoner, if his reign is over--I have assured my own prospects and will besides become famous throughout all Judea, as a man who has helped to save the law of Moses, and shall reap praise and glory. But if the master should gain the victory, then--yes, then I will cast me down repentant at his feet, for he is good. I have never seen him drive the penitent from him. He will take me back again and then I shall have the credit of bringing about the decision. Anyhow, I'll take good care to leave a bridge behind so that should I be unable to go forward I can return. The plan is well thought out. Judas, thou art a prudent man. And yet I feel a little afraid to meet the master, for I shall not be able to bear his keen, searching look, and my comrades will see by my face that I am a----No, I will not be that. I am no traitor! What am I going to do but let the Jews know where the master is to be found? That is no betrayal. Betrayal is something more than that. Away with these fancies! Courage, Judas, thy future is at stake.