The History of Christianity / Consisting of the Life and Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth; the Adventures of Paul and the Apostles; and the Most Interesting Events in the Progress of Christianity, from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.

by John S. C. Abbott

“Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master; but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite! cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

“For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble-bush gather they grapes. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

“And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock. And, when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it; for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man, that, without a foundation, built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beatvehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

At the close of this address, Jesus entered into Capernaum. There was residing in the city a centurion, or captain of a band of a hundred Roman soldiers. He had a servant who was sick, “grievously tormented, and ready to die” of a palsy. It is probable that this centurion, though a pagan by birth, had become a worshipper of the God of the Jews, and was highly esteemed by the Jewish people. Immediately upon the return of Jesus to Capernaum, the centurion repaired to the elders of the Jews, and besought them that they would intercede with Jesus in his behalf that he would heal his servant. They went in a body, the centurion accompanying them.

“And, when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this; for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.”

Jesus, addressing the centurion, said unto him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.”

When Jesus saw that this Roman soldier, this Gentile, had such implicit confidence in him as to believe that diseases were as obedient to the command of Jesus as his own men were to his authority, he turned to his disciples, and said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth.”

Then, addressing the centurion, he said, “Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” The centurion and his friends, returning to the house, found the servant restored to perfect health.

The next day, Jesus, accompanied by his disciples and a large concourse of the people, went to Nain, a small city among the mountains of Galilee, about twelve miles south-west of Capernaum. “Now, when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and much people of the city was with her. And, when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier; and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak; and he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear [awe and amazement] on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and,That God hath visited his people.”[12]

John the Baptist was now a prisoner in the castle of Machærus. He had testified to the Messiahship of Jesus. The months were gliding away, and yet Jesus was not accomplishing any thing of that which the Jews had expected of their Messiah. He had filled Palestine with his fame as a great prophet, performing the most astounding miracles, and preaching with wisdom and power, which excited the admiration of his friends, and baffled his foes. But there were no indications whatever of any movement in the direction of driving out the Romans, and restoring the Jews to independence in a re-established kingdom which should be the wonder of the world. As John, from the glooms of his prison, watched the footsteps of Jesus, he was probably disappointed and bewildered. He began, perhaps, to doubt whether Jesus were the Messiah. He therefore sent two of his disciples to ask of Jesus distinctly the question, “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”