The Story of Jesus The Christ. Helen Braun Hojt
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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
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