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IT WAS on this Sunday afternoon that Salome the mother of James and John Zebedee came to Jesus with her two apostle sons, and in the manner of approaching an Oriental potentate, sought to have Jesus promise in advance to grant whatever request she might make. But the Master would not promise. Instead, he asked her:  

IT WAS on this Sunday afternoon that Salome the mother of James and John Zebedee came to Jesus with her two apostle sons, and in the manner of approaching an Oriental potentate, sought to have Jesus promise in advance to grant whatever request she might make. But the Master would not promise.  

 

Instead, he asked her:  

*"What do you want me to do for you?"  

*"What do you want me to do for you?"  

*"My children, you have been with me a long while, and I have taught you much that is needful for this time, but I would now warn you not to put your trust in the uncertainties of the flesh nor in the frailties of man's defense against the trials and testing that lie ahead of us. I have called you apart here by yourselves that I may once more plainly tell you that we are going up to Jerusalem, where you know the Son of Man has already been condemned to death. Again am I telling you that the Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of the chief priests and the religious rulers, that they will condemn him and then deliver him into the hands of the gentiles. And so will they mock the Son of Man, even spit upon him and scourge him, and they will deliver him up to death. And when they kill the Son of Man, be not dismayed, for I declare that on the third day he shall rise. Take heed to yourselves and remember that I have forewarned you."

*"My children, you have been with me a long while, and I have taught you much that is needful for this time, but I would now warn you not to put your trust in the uncertainties of the flesh nor in the frailties of man's defense against the trials and testing that lie ahead of us. I have called you apart here by yourselves that I may once more plainly tell you that we are going up to Jerusalem, where you know the Son of Man has already been condemned to death. Again am I telling you that the Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of the chief priests and the religious rulers, that they will condemn him and then deliver him into the hands of the gentiles. And so will they mock the Son of Man, even spit upon him and scourge him, and they will deliver him up to death. And when they kill the Son of Man, be not dismayed, for I declare that on the third day he shall rise. Take heed to yourselves and remember that I have forewarned you."

Again were the apostles amazed, stunned; but they could not bring themselves to regard his words as literal. They could not comprehend that the Master meant just what he said. Here at Livias, just after breakfast, certain friendly Pharisees came to Jesus and said:  

Again were the apostles amazed, stunned; but they could not bring themselves to regard his words as literal. They could not comprehend that the Master meant just what he said.  

 

Here at Livias, just after breakfast, certain friendly Pharisees came to Jesus and said:  

*"Flee in haste from these parts, for Herod, just as he sought John, now seeks to kill you. He fears an uprising of the people and has decided to kill you. We bring you this warning that you may escape."

*"Flee in haste from these parts, for Herod, just as he sought John, now seeks to kill you. He fears an uprising of the people and has decided to kill you. We bring you this warning that you may escape."

When Jesus heard what the Pharisees had to say, he replied:

When Jesus heard what the Pharisees had to say, he replied:

*"I well know about Herod and his fear of this gospel of the kingdom. But, mistake not, he would much prefer that the Son of Man go up to Jerusalem to suffer and die at the hands of the chief priests. He is not anxious, having stained his hands with the blood of John, to become responsible for the death of the Son of Man. Go you and tell that fox that the Son of Man preaches in Perea today, tomorrow goes into Judea, and after a few days, will be perfected in his mission on earth and prepared to ascend to the Father. From olden times the prophets have perished in Jerusalem, and it is only befitting that the Son of Man should go up to the city of the Father's house to be offered up as the price of human bigotry and as the result of religious prejudice and spiritual blindness.

*"I well know about Herod and his fear of this gospel of the kingdom. But, mistake not, he would much prefer that the Son of Man go up to Jerusalem to suffer and die at the hands of the chief priests. He is not anxious, having stained his hands with the blood of John, to become responsible for the death of the Son of Man. Go you and tell that fox that the Son of Man preaches in Perea today, tomorrow goes into Judea, and after a few days, will be perfected in his mission on earth and prepared to ascend to the Father."

 

Then turning to the apostles, Jesus said:

*“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets and stones the teachers of truth! How often would I have gathered your children together even as a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, but you would not let me do it! Behold, your house is about to be left to you desolate! You will many times desire to see me, but you shall not. You will then seek but not find me."   

*"From olden times the prophets have perished in Jerusalem, and it is only befitting that the Son of Man should go up to the city of the Father's house to be offered up as the price of human bigotry and as the result of religious prejudice and spiritual blindness. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets and stones the teachers of truth! How often would I have gathered your children together even as a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, but you would not let me do it! Behold, your house is about to be left to you desolate! You will many times desire to see me, but you shall not. You will then seek but not find me."   

And when he had spoken, he turned to those around him and said:

And when he had spoken, he turned to those around him and said:

*"Make haste, Zaccheus, and come down, for tonight I must abide at your house."

*"Make haste, Zaccheus, and come down, for tonight I must abide at your house."

And when Zaccheus heard these astonishing words, he almost fell out of the tree in his haste to get down, and going up to Jesus, he expressed great joy that the Master should be willing to stop at his house. While the Master and his apostles lingered with Zaccheus before the door of his house, one of the Jericho Pharisees, standing near by, said:  

And when Zaccheus heard these astonishing words, he almost fell out of the tree in his haste to get down, and going up to Jesus, he expressed great joy that the Master should be willing to stop at his house.  

 

While the Master and his apostles lingered with Zaccheus before the door of his house, one of the Jericho Pharisees, standing near by, said:  

*"You see how this man has gone to lodge with a sinner, an apostate son of Abraham who is an extortioner and a robber of his own people."  

*"You see how this man has gone to lodge with a sinner, an apostate son of Abraham who is an extortioner and a robber of his own people."  

====Parable of the Pounds====

====Parable of the Pounds====

The parable of the pounds was spoken more exclusively to the apostles and was largely based on the experience of Archelaus. Said Jesus:

The parable of the pounds was spoken more exclusively to the apostles and was largely based on the experience of Archelaus.  

 

Said Jesus:

 

*“You think that the Son of Man goes up to Jerusalem to receive a kingdom, but I declare that you are doomed to disappointment. Do you not remember about a certain prince who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, but even before he could return, the citizens of his province, who in their hearts had already rejected him, sent an embassy after him, saying, `We will not have this man to reign over us'? As this king was rejected in the temporal rule, so is the Son of Man to be rejected in the spiritual rule. Again I declare that my kingdom is not of this world. But if the Son of Man had been accorded the spiritual rule of his people, he would have accepted such a kingdom of men's souls and would have reigned over such a dominion of human hearts. Notwithstanding that they reject my spiritual rule over them, I will return again to receive from others such a kingdom of spirit as is now denied me.  

*"And now, as the rejected nobleman of this parable, I would call before me my twelve servants, special stewards, and giving into each of your hands the sum of one pound, I would admonish each to heed well my instructions that you trade diligently with your trust fund while I am away that you may have wherewith to justify your stewardship when I return, when a reckoning shall be required of you.  

*“You will see the Son of Man rejected now, but in another age that which the children of Abraham now reject will be received and exalted. And now, as the rejected nobleman of this parable, I would call before me my twelve servants, special stewards, and giving into each of your hands the sum of one pound, I would admonish each to heed well my instructions that you trade diligently with your trust fund while I am away that you may have wherewith to justify your stewardship when I return, when a reckoning shall be required of you. And even if this rejected Son should not return, another Son will be sent to receive this kingdom, and this Son will then send for all of you to receive your report of stewardship and to be made glad by your gains.”  

*"And even if this rejected Son should not return, another Son will be sent to receive this kingdom, and this Son will then send for all of you to receive your report of stewardship and to be made glad by your gains.”  

The apostles sought to know the difference between the meaning of this parable and that of the parable of the talents, but Jesus would only say, in answer to their many questions:

The apostles sought to know the difference between the meaning of this parable and that of the parable of the talents, but Jesus would only say, in answer to their many questions: